Detroit (video game)

Rüsselsheim is the German version of a computer game in which the objective is to build an automobile manufacturer in the early 20th century. The game was sponsored by the Adam Opel GmbH, which has its foundation based in Rüsselsheim. The original American version is called Detroit, otherwise it's the same game in German language. In Detroit, General Motors ( the parent company of Opel ) and Ford have their headquarters.

Action

Four automobile companies launch in 1908, the founding year of General Motors, with a factory, a sales office and the technologies to design simple automobiles. If less than four players participate in the game, the remaining companies are controlled by the computer.

Submarkets

The world of Rüsselsheim consists of 16 regional markets. The development of sales in the markets in accordance with the historical development of the automobile markets. Thus, at the beginning of the game, the four U.S. markets of paramount importance. In addition, can be isolated only sell vehicles in Northern Europe and Canada. In the following decades, more and more markets develop. With Southeast Asia, the last market opens in April 1998, four years after the release of the game.

Chance is noted in reports on current political or economic events such as the outbreak of the World War or the Black Friday.

Research

As the game can be explored in seven different areas such as the engine, brakes or a total of 90 different security technologies that can be used by development to build the cars. There is only one research center with an unknown location. On each of the seven areas to a maximum of 255 researchers can assign. The number of each month in addition adjustable researchers depends on the wage level.

Production

In each of the 16 regions can be built up to a factory. A new factory has level one. It can be upgraded to max to level ten, with double the cost for each upgrade. The revaluation takes no time, the increased capacity is immediately available. Each factory has six production lines. A model can be generated on a plurality of bands, each band may, however, produce only a model. Each band can be assigned to a maximum of 255 workers. The number of vehicles produced depends on the factory level, the number of workers and the amount of bonus granted. The labor market of the game is global. All workers receive the same pay and can be assigned to all over the world to taste the factories. There is no protection against dismissal. Workers can be dismissed at any time without notice and without severance pay. The number of additional monthly adjustable workers depends on the wage level. If wages are too low, this can lead to a strike of the workers.

Sale

In order to sell in a region automobiles, a sales office must be there. In each region, a maximum of ten sales offices may be established. Each additional sales office, sales increased to a lesser extent than the previous one. Thus, the competition between its own offices is considered. The prices can be set globally or individually for each region. In contrast, the distribution channels for each region and each model can only be set individually. With a maximum of 16 models, 16 regions and up to three to be selected factories arise in extreme cases, 768 distribution channels, which has a complicated control by clicking the " " and buttons - must be set to " ".

Marketing

For all 16 regions, a marketing budget in the areas of advertising, sports sponsorship, and for five different magazine types can pretend. Later in the game different formats of radio and TV advertising will be added. The player's options are limited here on the definition of the budget. He has to take no way influence the advertising or design of the advertising. The advertising always works generally for the entire company, not only for individual models. In contrast to the reality that advertising has no long-term effect, it acts only in the month in which it was connected.

Analysis

To analyze the company situation where players are 15 different types of reports available two of which are chargeable. With these reports, the player can get a detailed picture of their own company and additionally receive information on competitors. The analysis options are even above average for an economy simulation.

Difficulty

At the beginning of the game can share one of six levels of difficulty can be selected for all players. These differ only in the available start-up capital and otherwise have no influence on the course of the game. Due to the weak AI computer player places the game in Single Player mode for experienced players no challenge after only a few years can be accumulated assets, the cover alone by their interest, the total operating costs. For multiple human players the game is very difficult, however. Due to the oligopolistic market structure every action a player has a direct impact on the other players and the sales can be increased almost exclusively at the expense of competition. The shortcomings of the AI can also be seen that, even with two human players, the remaining companies several times to file for bankruptcy a year, which, however, except a debt has no effect for AI companies.

Reviews

The reviews for Rüsselsheim varied extremely between the different platforms, but also between the evaluative magazines. So forgave PC Games 60%, the Amiga Games Amiga Joker 68 % and the 80 % and 81 % ( AGA).

Find out more

• In the introduction to the game the play " Le Fosche notturne Spoglie " from the opera Il trovatore by Giuseppe Verdi is played.
• Most reports in the game could print out. This very unusual for the time of publishing feature should probably create a more realistic feel.
• Oldtimer, the direct competitor to Rüsselsheim appeared, a few months later. Since then, not a well-known manufacturer has ventured to the topic.