//------------------------------// // Tropico 5, Game 1 (part 1) // Story: Let's play some games with Leon, Luna, and Eddy // by Fireheart 1945 //------------------------------// "Glad we have this time together today," Leon said as he connected to the channel. "How did your classes go?" Ed asked. "Good, except for math. I can't fathom why they would make us go through algebra in high school, rather than in college. It's not like I'm going to need anything other than the PEMDAS system to calculate stuff. As far as I'm concerned, just teach us the basics unless we really want to get into a job that needs it. Historian, as far as I can remember, doesn't feature complicated math." "Yeah, my teacher went and said that my score on my recent exam was unsatisfactory; that was an understatement. My parents aren't too happy, to say the least, but there you go." "Knowing algebra is useful though," Luna argued. "Architecture and similar jobs require advanced math; without it, it is doubtful that Canterlot could exist, or at least not as it is, on the side of a mountain." "Yeah, I know, but as I'm going to take a job that needs knowledge of the past and present, rather than on pi and hippotonuses and I don't know what else, it shouldn't count against me." There was a short silence. "Finally," Luna said as Shining Armor joined the group. "Sorry. Got tangled with some paperwork. Only part of the job I really hate." "Well, we're all here now." "So, what's the story with this game?" Shining asked. "I got it after Luna advised me to buy it." "Basically, you play as the dictator of a Caribbean island," Leon explained. "You build up your city and it's economy and try not to get invaded by foreign powers or get voted out of office." "Sounds... troublesome." "Not at all... at least, not as hard as building a workable rocket," Luna said in a teasing tone. "Oh, Princess, please, don't..." Eddy protested in vain. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FLASHBACK "Ok guys, I think I got this right this time." "It's pretty big," Leon said. They were watching via livestream as Eddy tried his hand at Kerbal Space Program. He'd built a gigantic rocket in career mode, with Jebediah "Jeb" Kermin in the capsule as pilot. "Are you sure the engines will be enough to lift it?" Luna asked. "It will need substantial lift in order to overcome the weight." "Please, I've added over two dozen powerful engines to the first stage. It'll get into space without trouble." "Well you be able to land on the Mun and get back?" Leon inquired. "Yeah; once this baby's in space, it'll get there no problem, land, and takeoff again as I see fit. After that, getting back will be a cinch." "Well, if you say so." "I do say so. And now, for the launch!" Nothing happened. "Wait... hold on... it should..." Several engines on one side of the bottom-most stage ignited. The rocket tipped over on the launch pad and exploded. "What the...?" Leon fell out the chair with laughter. Luna's hoof repeatedly banged against her desk as she too unleashed her mirth. "Oh... my sides..." "By the stars, I haven't seen anything as hilarious since the time all the Guards' paperwork fell out the window and was scattered throughout Canterlot!" "Guys, really? Got anything better to say?" 'Yeah," Leon said, trying hard to recover. "RIP Jeb."* ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Not one my best rockets," Eddy admitted. "I've improved since, though." "Anyway," the Lunar Princess said, trying to recover from the fit of laughter she'd undergone recounting the incident, "the game revolves around your economy. It's almost impossible to remain out of debt for the entire match, but it can happen. As long as you've built up plantations and ranches as early and as much as possible early on, you should be fine for money for a while; an agriculture-based economy will, in general, never run out of material." "What about mines?" Shining asked. "Those will eventually run out; unlike in Tropico 4, there is no Borehole Mine that would give you infinite material... yet. Same thing with lumber." "What about the setting?" "You start out in the Colonial Era," Leon explained, "and gradually work up into the succeeding eras, which will unlock more technologies and buildings. The Colonial Era is easiest, as you can't build stuff for healthcare, and so you really don't have to worry about it much, although people will occasionally die. The buildings are fairly cheap, except for mansions, and most people prefer to build country houses. Anyone living in a country house doesn't need to buy food, because they grow it in their backyards. You begin under the Crown, and have to fulfill a bunch of rather stupid and senseless missions for them, and gradually build up support to gain support for independence." "Can you lose?" 'Yes, and the easiest way to lose is fail in a war of independence, which is one reason why many people don't bother with it and prefer to go into national debt to pay off the king. The other way to lose is to be dethroned by foreign invasion or from domestic rebellion. Of course, that counts for a sandbox game, not the campaign or multiplayer gameplay in general, where failing a crucial objective or being killed off by another player, respectively, are enough to kick you off the throne." "Is it hard to stay in power?" "It can be, especially when a faction with a substantial population is upset with you; I find the Environmentalists to be one of the most frustrating factions, and the Communists usually have a big fan base, so, practically, it's wise not to anger them." "Now, as I understand it, you usually have to be elected, unless you issue Martial Law?" "Correct. But if you do that, the people get angry at you for some reason, so it's best to only use that as a last resort." "'For some reason?'" "Okay, so that joke fell flat on it's face, big deal. But it's no joke to say that you have to balance gaining money and building what you want with the happiness and contentment of the people and the foreign powers." "So instead of instantly losing the game, you can actually fight your way out?" "Yes, but your military capacities aren't very good early on; you'll have to get to the World Wars Era first to have a viable army." "Do you get a navy?" "No... well, you get an aircraft carrier in the Cold War Era, but there's no naval combat. It's basically seaborne platform for two fighter-bombers, which is the closest you get to an air force." "Not so sure about being a dictator..." "You can choose to be an evil dictator, a good one, or something in between." "Like in Fable?" "Not exactly, but yeah, you can choose how harsh or how easy you are on your people. Considering that Tropico is a mock-up of Caribbean dictatorships, it's meant to be comical. No shooting Juanito here, though. No jailing people either*, which I find kind of odd, because all you can do with crooks is banish tem, kill them, bribe them, or... I forgot the fourth option, but it's there." "It's Car-ib-be-an, mate," Eddy corrected him. "Carib-be-an," Leon counter-corrected. "Oh, not this kind of argument," Luna groaned. "Oh, all right..." "Anyway... here are the rules," the Princess stated. "No attacking one another for the first fifteen minutes; I will be keeping track of that. Anyone who breaks this rule will be banned. We'll play the game until there's only one of us left standing. If we have to adjourn, I'll save the game and keep it until the next time we play. We'll be playing on the hardest rules... Shining, if you run into trouble, just ask one of us for help. I won't be letting anyone declare war if you're under-developed." "Okay." "Alright, starting... now." The screen changed. "Blasted North Korean government," Leon said as fact about a North Korean dictator came up on the loading screen. "Which brings me to some suspicions regarding what happened a few weeks ago," Eddy said slyly. "Oh... alright, fine, I admit it," Luna said. "Equestria may have had a hoof in it. And with disabling their thousands of artillery leveled at Seoul. We may have sent in teams of unicorns to sabotage them in the night before the incident." "Some secret service talk you got there, Luna." "It's supposed to stay secret," Luna reasoned. "I'm glad to say that it's all part of the Republic of Korea now, that I can really admit." "Good thing they never learned how to build rockets. They only knew how to build missiles... like too many KSP players." "Yeah they... hey!" Eddy protested. "Ah, here were are," Leon said quickly as the game started. "Not a bad palace, all things considered," Shining noted. Leon got a notice at once; Lord Oaksworth, the King's emissary for the region, asking him about the trading licence he would like to take. As much as three trade routes would be as opposed to one, he didn't see the benefit in paying $4,000 out of the $10,000 he was starting with; the other choice the Crown would accept called for half the price, but that was still two thousand bucks he preferred to spend on building stuff. He chose to buy a license from the Dutch for $500, and built a road to connect his city to the dock. "What should I build first? After getting the license?" "Build plantations," Leon advised, going to his own build menu and selecting a Cocoa plantation. "Ranches will also serve, and I'd put a number of cattle ranches next to your plantation, for the fertilizer bonus." "Alright. What's with the years and days stuff over the minimap?" "Oh, that's your mandate as governor. You have to gain independence before it runs out. Completing missions for the Crown will extend it, though why a Spanish colony was established by the British is beyond me." "West India Trading company; we Brits are everywhere on the globe, and the sun never sets on our empire." "Well, anyway, the Crown gives you some missions, usually for some stupid reason like building an underwater palace that they never complete and declaring war on the North and South poles. They'll also ask money from you sometimes, and certain action can decrease your mandate, like when the revolutionaries demand you insult the King." "Sounds like fun. "Oh, yes." Leon built a couple plantations on green ground, and building a Catholic Mission in a central place in his city. "Well, I'm already broke and in the negative," he added. "It'll be worth it." "You're not good with money," Eddy was quick to say. "Spenders tend to have an addiction to spending money and allergies in regards to saving it." "It'll pay off," Leon insisted. "Oh, apparently the stupid king wants to build a palace underwater, and he wants me to sell stuff to him so he can sell it for twice the profit in Europe. As if Britain never had a ton of money in this era." "Gotta account for the fact that it's a fictional game, mate," Ed put in. "Could be that Europe is entirely united in the game, as opposed to the real world." "Well, anyway, he wants me to sell cotton, and I've spent my money on Cocoa." "You're still going to be rich; just make another plantation when a ship comes around." "I guess, but I'll need better housing and all that stuff that helps the revolution, and more people to work my plantations and things." "I just got a task to sell wool and cotton," Shining said. "Where do I get wo... oh, never mind, I just need to build a ranch." "Got a quest to help him build a bonfire," Luna groaned. "So I'm supposed to send him wood just so he can watch it burn? That's pathetic." "Got the same mission as Leon did," Edward noted. "As if an underwater palace is practical." "He doesn't have to ask for practical stuff, as long as he's the king and can imprison or kill anyone who tells him different." Leon waited for awhile, as the construction workers got to work. They went and finished the Mission first - it was the closest build site - and went on to start work on the plantations. "I'm assuming the teamster's officer does the same job as it did in the previous game?" the pony prince asked. "Yes, it does. However, you really have to make sure you have enough." "Best not to have too many, either, as they take up a bunch of workers." "I hear that. You really have to manage how many workers go into what job. I'd prefer to get upgrades that reduce the number of workers, which will naturally force some of them into other jobs. Best case scenario, they get funneled into the military." "I'd rather they get into jobs that will help make more money, but to each his own. Um, what does the -30 relations with the crown mean?" "It means they'll send you $3,000 less at the end of the year; you gain money each year from the Crown based on your relations; at 100 relations, you get $10,000 at the end of the year." "So that kinda hurts you." "Yes, but in the short term, you have more money to spend on your own buildings, with the idea being that you'll make up for the deficiency with domestic production." "That might be worth if, if you can get your economy right. I'll got for the silver package, though. I'll net a thousand dollars out of the deal." "To each his own." "Ha ha ha!" His plantations finished, Leon got enough money at the end of the year to build a Library, which was necessary to start research. While this was a little late to be building it, he wanted money more than tech at the moment. The number of educated people you started out with were few in number anyway, and they were needed for jobs like that. "Can we trade with each other?" "I don't think so, but I think you can choose to share teamsters and share resources like timber." "Ah." Leon queued up a cotton plantation on some favorable ground, along with a couple ranches. He also set up a trade route for cocoa with the Crown and queued up a couple country houses; he was going to need a place for new arrivals - and for some of his existing people - to stay. He also unlocked the tech to upgrade ranches and used some of those upgrades at once. "I'd save up for mansions." "Why, Ed? They're so freaking expensive to build, and the people in them have to go out and buy food! Why build them?" "They look better and people will pay more to live in them." "Well, yeah, but most people aren't going to have that kind of money... oh right," he said, adjusting the pay on his plantations. Yes, this would mean more money lost each month, but the workers there would work harder, and more money would be made in the long run. He did the same with his teamster's office and construction office. "There. They won't be rich, but they'll be happy, and maybe more likely to join the revolution." "Oh, the king wants more wood, for an even larger bonfire," Luna said distastefully. "How big a fire do you need before you're satisfied?" "More cotton, just to do the same thing again on a greater scale," Ed noted. "Greedy bast-" "What's the point of the king trying to conquer the North and South poles again?" Shining asked quickly. "There isn't one. Kings just like to do stupid things that also make them look cool." "This game seems like it's deliberately trying to make fun of the monarchal system." "It is. I mean, even in real life, the aristocracy did things that were wasteful, like having messages brought to them on trays, as though they were meals." "I have to admit, that's wasteful," Luna agreed. "All the same though, not all monarchies are bad, stupid, or foolish." "Agreed," Eddy said at once. "You think there'd be a tale of King Arthur if there weren't some out there that were decent?" "A lot of the anti-monarchal sentiments are relics of the French and Russian revolutions," Leon said, "which occurred when the king, or Czar as might be the case, was corrupt, brutal, or both. I don't particularly care for the way the rebels dealt with the problem, though." "What...?" "Not going to give you the details," Leon said quickly. "Just try not to get into either subject if you want to remain an optimist." "Ooooo-kaaaaaayyy..." "Let's try and focus on the game," Eddy advised. "So the king is getting greedy and he's doing even more stupid stuff. How's your approval rating?" "34," Leon answered. "29," Luna said. "25," Shining replied. "And I have 30. So we're not close enough to popular support to rebel. And we can only revolt one at a time, as individual players, not as a united front." "So we advance in eras alone?" "Yes. Of course, getting declared war on by a player in a more advanced era isn't good, so it's best to try and keep up." Leon continued to build up his town and economy. He got the Sickle technology, which unlocked upgrades for plantations, and proceeded to use those upgrades, after which he began researching the Trigger, which would unlock the Military Fort. He built a couple more plantations, and another ranch with them. He also built another dock and teamster's office. He kept watching as teamsters walked to his plantations, grabbed a sack-full of stuff, and dragged it all the way to the dock. Wow, I actually feel sorry for those guys. When the truck is invented in the next era, they'll be happier. "Why is building a Mission so important?" Shining asked. "Couldn't I wait until a church is unlocked?" "Yes, but in the meantime, the Mission's the only religious building you have, and the only way to satisfy the need for religion. If you don't build it, people won't be as happy, and your approval rating will show it. And it's good in another way too, because when you reach the Cold War Era, you can finally start on tourism, and the Historic Inn requires Colonial buildings nearby to reach it's max potential." Of course, I could say that I'd think it was wrong NOT to build it... "Will the Military Fort also do that? And what about plantations?" "I don't know about plantations, but I think the fort does count, Stuff I think that might also count are docks, mines, and most buildings constructed in the Colonial Era." "Getting pretty down on my mandate." "Don't worry; the first time you get down to five months, you'll receive an extra year for free." "That's convenient." "Lord Oaksworth says he had nothing to do with it... or nothing they can prove, at any rate." "That's kinda creepy." "I know, right? But it's all part of the game." Suddenly, a message popped up for Leon. "Oh, apparently the revolutionaries want me to insult the king." "Refuse." "They'll riot if I don't, and although I'm building a military," he said, placing a Military Fort near the dock, and a Guard Tower with it, "I'm not sure if they'll help, and if they do, they'll kill rebels and make it harder to gain independence. So, I kinda have to." He chose to select the insult button. "Oh, it's the insulting gift option; let's see... I have the choice of sending him a pisspot, a bent sword, or pink undergarments." "I know which one I'd send him," Eddy giggled. "I'll send the bent sword; it sounds funny, and it's useless anyway as a weapon." He got a reply back pretty quick; "Looks like he's mad." "Not having it would be a problem," Ed agreed. "And I lose five thousand bucks," Leon said a moment later. "Gee thanks, ripping me off just because I sent you a gift." "it was intended as an insult." "Yeah, but still, the sentiment..." "At least you're still in charge." "I guess that's a plus." Leon sighed and built another Guard Tower; it was usually best to build them near the coast, to help delay invading forces. Guard towers were almost never enough to kill an enemy unit, and they usually required rebuilding after a battle. However, the point of their existence wasn't to win battles, but stall the enemy long enough for Tropican armies to arrive where they needed to. Of course, uprising and internal rebellions would not be easily halted by such a placement, considering that their target tended to be the palace, the one building a player absolutely had to have in order to stay in the game. "Oh no, I have to insult the king too," Eddy said, amused. "Whatever shall we do? Now it's telling us to name an animal after the king." "Go with the anteater." "Okay. Whoa, he's pissed. Oaksworth just kept me from being tortured horribly in the castle dungeons." "What, really?" "Yep. And he's ripped five months off my mandate. Ouch. All for referencing his apparently ginormous nose." "Considering that a few members of other species tease ponies over our supposedly long faces, I can sympathize," Shining said. "Not with the torture part, though." "Hmm. And, I get an extra year because that brought me down to five months before they came and dragged me out of office." "Can't you just fight with what you have if you run out?" 'Nope. Somehow, no matter how big your army is, the game just ignores that if you run out of time and just ends your rule; no chance to fight, no saying 'Oh, you're removing me from power? I declare independence!'" "Isn't that unrealistic?" "Well, that would make it too easy. You have to gain the support of your people in order to declare independence. Anyone can build an army, but it's harder to build up popular support, which is the main challenge." "I can testify to that. Even though the Princesses are loved by most ponies, unfortunately other officials aren't always as popular. Had to step in to stop a mob from attacking Manehattan's mayor the other day; it seems that he was accused of stealing from the city's funds, although we've found nothing resembling proof that that actually happened, and it may have been misinformation leaked by one of his political rivals. Mind you, they came all too close to storming his mansion outside of town." "You didn't have to arrest anyone, did you?" "No, but like I said, it was close. Since they hadn't actually harmed anypony, we let them off and promised to investigate the matter, in cooperation with the city's own local police force. Nothing as of yet, but it shows that Equestria isn't always as tranquil as we wish it was." "I hope there's no more trouble." "Me too. You have no idea. How's everypony's army doing, by the way? Whatcha got?" "I have a couple Forts and a bunch of Guard Towers everywhere, maybe about twenty, twenty five personnel in total," Leon said. "I've got one Fort and a tower at each corner of the palace," Eddy replied. "I have three Forts and a couple Guard towers," Luna said. "Better to build more forts than towers, if you want more units." "I have two, and a lot of towers spread out over my city." "I hope you have the money to pay for them," Leon said. "Yep. Four plantations and five ranches." "Nice." Leon set down a grocery and a newspaper in his own town, and began construction on another plantation of his own, this one for making bananas, and another ranch to go with it. By now, he was making some pretty decent money off of imports, so the army wasn't as much a problem as it might have been. "Mission to build a lighthouse; not bad," Eddy commented. "More trade routes." "Oh, need to appoint a new general," Leon said as he too got a mission. "Revolutionary or royalist? I wonder which one I'll pick," he added sarcastically. After choosing to put a revolutionary in charge of the army, he built a final Guard Tower, this one in the center of the town, not far from the palace. Can't wait 'til I can upgrade them to machine guns. "Aw great, getting invaded by pirates," Eddy said, irritated. "Great, now they'll probably wreck a plantation I put down. mental note; next time, build more forts... and more guard towers, in more places." "Can't you stop them?" "Nope, not unless they come near my palace and the towers there. I'm going to lose some buildings." "At least they won't be able to kill you." "Yeah, but... uh oh," the British player said as the in-game day turned dark. That event heralded the arrival of three tornadoes, which spawned in the middle of the island and began to whirl their way toward the outer rim. "Oh dear," Luna groaned as one of them swirled over a plantation of hers. "No no, please, don't... ugh," she muttered as the plantation collapsed under the force of the attack. "No! My forts!" Shining cried out as one of them was destroyed. "Ha ha ha, that's right, destroy my housing, like I care... NO! Not my plantations!" Eddy yelled. "Oh great," Leon mumbled as two ranches were wiped out. "That's just great." The tornadoes ripped through the land, tearing and destroying as they went. Two of them whipped right past one another, as though high-fiving, before they all disappeared. "That was unexpected," Eddy grumbled. "Not to mention unwanted." "Agreed," Luna said. "Perhaps this is the time to call our session to a close. I have some important business that I have to take care of, anyway." "Good game tonight, chaps," Eddy said. "Hopefully the next session will be as good." "I have a feeling it will," Leon replied. He got off the game, got out of his chair, and stretched. It was nice to have friends, even when you couldn't see their faces, for at least they were there.