Games developed by SimTex, Inc.
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1830: Railroads & Robber Barons
Undoubtedly the most underrated SimTex game, 1830 is a complex and faithful PC conversion of the popular Avalon Hill board game.
As with the other SimTex games, the powerful computer AI keeps the gameplay fresh and interesting even in beer and cookie-cutter design (a typical game here lasts 8-10 hours). In addition to the conventional decisions found in other railroad building games, e.g., track laying, 1830 features a unique and challenging stock market model that really is the best I've seen in games of this type (and, being a finance person passionate about business simulators, I've seen quite a few). Before the 'Trading Round' can begin, you must first decide which stocks to buy and which companies to float in the 'Stock Round', using a very clever stock bidding interface.
The game is not just about planning routes: unlike most railroad games where the goal is to match supply and demand (e.g. Sid Meier's classic Railroad Tycoon), in 1830 the focus is clearly on more macro decision-making. Instead of worrying about the types of goods to be transported and how quickly obsolete trains need to be replaced, here the concerns focus on cutthroat competition, hostile takeovers, and the possibility of being ousted from the CEO's chair.
As you might expect from the designer of Master of Orion, the AI in this game is top-notch, and closely mirrors the story: the fearsome speculator James Fisk will concentrate on buying shares in other companies and taking them over, while the famous engineer Westinghouse will concentrate on his company's operations and plotting the most efficient routes.
In the end, whether or not you like 1830 depends on your preferences. If you are a miniature railroad fanatic who likes to see how trains go about buying their designed route, 1830 is not the game for you. On the other hand, if you're a business simulation fan like me who likes to manage the company and keep an eye on Treasury stocks as much as you like to do the work, 1830 is simply a must-play game.
Two thumbs up!
Master of Orion II: Battle at Antares
Legends speak somewhere in space of the mystical planet Orion. Created by the Ancients, it remains unclaimed due to a powerful Guardian who orbits the planet and keeps intruders away. These same Ancients, long ago, waged war against the Antarans and banished them to another dimension. Now . . . long after the empire of the Ancients has faded, new races take to the stars, wishing to establish their own stellar empires, defeat the Antarans and become . . . . The Master of Orion.
Master of Orion II: Battle at Antares is a turn-based 4x space empire game and is the sequel to Master of Orion, reinterpreting that game from the ground up. Unlike the original, the game can be played solo or with other human players. The player takes the role of a ruler of one of the thirteen races, although they also have the extra option of creating a custom one. They must manage the resources of the planets to build ships and facilities, improving production. The exploration of the galaxy is done through explorers and colonial ships, which can establish new planets as part of the empire. There is also research to be done to discover and use new technologies. You can trade with alien civilizations you encounter, or ships can engage in combat in a turn-based grid system. As new systems are explored, random events are triggered and strange artifacts are found in orbit around unexplored planets. Wormholes can also be found that allow transport across dozens of parsecs to new star systems.
The game can be won in different ways: Through conquering all other races, being elected supreme leader of the galaxy or destroying the race of the Antarans.
