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RollerCoaster Tycoon By Pam Gleichman Tribune Media Services RollerCoaster Tycoon, a full-feature amusement park simulation, lets you design, build and run your very own amusement park. You can custom build your park environments right down to the last detail. Choose from over 14 roller coasters (wooden and steel), or build your own simple or complex design. You can have rides like bumper cars, a carousel, trains, go carts and a haunted house. The program also lets you build and run food kiosks, shops and more. As time passes, many new options and rides become available. Each ride needs entrance and exit areas, waiting lines and pathways. You will need to hire handymen, security guards, mechanics and entertainers. It is also your job to set admission and ride prices, as well as to track park finances. In order to help manage the park’s success, you can check on the thoughts and feelings of your guests ("I need a restaurant," "There are not enough bathrooms," "The rides cost too much," "I’m lost") and how much money they are spending. Money can be made on admission, rides, food, shops, and even the bathrooms. Bad weather can effect your park’s success, as well as how the guests feel. If all goes well, your park will win awards. At the Web site, http://www.rollercoaster.com , you can download 14 extra official rides and an extra scenario. You can also swap rides in the Ride Exchange and win prizes in the Ride Design Competition. RollerCoaster Tycoon is a huge hit with our testers! My own children (ages 11 and 14) and their friends have been playing the game for the last three weeks and have not slowed down. The setting, the challenge, realistic details, diversity of scenarios and sheer fun has them wanting to play nonstop. They absolutely love this addictive simulation. The only negative is that once you start playing, it is easy to lose track of time! Publisher : Microprose, Inc., 2490 Mariner Square Loop, Alemeda, Calif. 94501, http://www.microprose.com , http://www.rollercoastertycoon.com . Category : Simulation Age : 9 to adult. Installation : Easy. Use : The interface is a little arduous. With a little help from the manual and playing time, it becomes easier. Graphics : Great. Written Materials : Included. System Requirements : Minimum -- Pentium 90CPU; Windows 95/98; 16MB RAM; 4X CD-ROM Drive; 50 MB free hard drive space; 1MB SVGA card; Windows 95/98 compatible Sound Card; DirectX 5.0 (included on CD); mouse. Recommended -- Pentium 200MMX CPU or better; Windows 95/98; 32 MB RAM; 8X CD-ROM Drive; 50 MB free hard drive space; 2MB accelerated SVGA card; Windows 95/98 compatible Sound Card; DirectX 5.0 (included on CD), mouse. Tested Version : Windows 98/95. Cost : $29.99. Rating : Five stars. RollerCoaster Tycoon is "awesome". You and your children will spend many hours with this one! DEAR PAM : I just read your "Ask Pam" in the OC Register today and was a little concerned with your Y2k answer. You imply that users can determine if their computer is Y2K compliant by merely looking to see what date their operating system allows as a maximum. This has really nothing to do with whether the computer is Y2K compliant or not. There are numerous sites that provide for testing of your computer for Y2K compliance, but the basics are whether your computer’s bios will allow a date with 00 in the last two digits. DEAR READER : Thank you for the information on this very important topic. WEB SITE OF THE WEEK YOUR COMPLETE GUIDE TO THE YEAR 2000 http://www.cya4y2k.com This site will answer all of your Y2K questions. In addition, you can download free software to perform diagnostic tests on your computer to see if it is Y2K compliant. RATING KEY : ***** — Outstanding; **** — Very Good; *** — Good; ** — Fair; * — Not Worth Purchasing. Pam Gleichman welcomes questions/comments from readers. Write to Pam at Tribune Media Services, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1400, Chicago, Ill. 60611. Send e-mail to pamgl(at)msn.com. � 1999 Tribune Media Services, Inc. Techno file index Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA