Why is my economy always buggered? Can't make profit.

[Spm]

Every sandbox game I've tried, I focus heavily on production and industry, and yet I'm ALWAYS struggling to make money. How on earth do you make money in this game? There are no economy difficulty options in sandbox either, which does not help at all.

[Spm]

Also, I keep ending up in a catch 22 situation, whereby when my approval rating drops to the point where I know I won't win an election, I am forced to not hold an election, which makes the people hate me even more, Seems like there is no recovering from any of this. Game seems to be completely broken.

[Syfusion]

Make sure you have lots of teamsters, distance is also a huge factor if you aren't paying attention to it.

[Kiaren]

Check your production buildings: If they have over 750 resources in "out", then you don't have enough teamsters to transfer goods to the dock. You could be generating 100k a year, but each teamster office is good for about 20k worth of goods.

Additionally, make sure industry buildings always are 50% or more full in "In": otherwise, you need more input generators or you need to cut back on staff.

Then your people need their needs met, otherwise they wait in line until they are. Housing, religion, health, and fun, in that order.

Make sure travel times are manageable. In the colonial era, there is not much you can do about that except try to have industry buildings near the dock to centralize everything.

In the next eras, bus stations for the poor until you can afford the "free cars" edict: then demolish the bus stations and use parking garages. Then you don't have to worry about building placement. However, free cars is expensive at 12k a year.

Later on, use Metro stations to alieviate traffic jams.

[Spm]

I'm convinced there is something wrong with my game. I have nothing but farms (one of each type) as well as ranches (one of each) and 4 industry buildings processing the goods into more valuable products. I have 2 teamster buildings, and the dock is not far away, I've even got rid of any welfare builings just to focus on money, and yet I'm now $222,670 IN DEBT.

Literally my entire workforce is producing and shipping goods and my money is going down and down.

Something is f**ked with this game.

[Yurik_]

You should build more farms, 2 for each resource at least. But no need to build farms for EVERY resource at begining because not enough labour and production will be slow

[Spm]

I really do appreciate all the responses. I have the workforce for it. I did start with 2 of each farm. Didn't work, wasn't making money at all. I keep trying over and over. Can't make money in this game. It's worth noting that I am a seasoned Tropico player, I own all previous games, and this is the only one where I can't make money. If this was any other Tropico game, I would be stinking rich easily.

[UPGRAYEDD]

I'm also in the same boat, where I feel like something is wrong. Population around 800, *7* fully-staffed and upgraded teamsters offices, on max wages. Two docks, three canneries, three chocolate factories, two shipbuilders, one furniture factory, probably 10-12 farms/ranches. I've got happiness for all needs above 50, some in the 65-70 range. I feel like no one is ever *actually working.*

Every time a freighter docks, I get ~$25k, even with a couple decent trade routes, and by the time the next one docks, I've dropped to around -$5k. I have no idea what to do.

[Spm]

I'm glad it's not just me.

[O-Dog]

There are definitely some balancing issues. I was in the same boat as you guys in my first sandbox game. I started a new one with what I learned and was more profitable but nothing special. I then built 5 office buildings, with each set to a different mode, and I started making literally millions in no time.

['Strict]

If you only have 1 farm of each and one industry and nothing else......how can you be 200k in debt?

Did you also buy every blueprint and build the building?

[UPGRAYEDD]

Originally posted by O-Dog:

There are definitely some balancing issues. I was in the same boat as you guys in my first sandbox game. I started a new one with what I learned and was more profitable but nothing special. I then built 5 office buildings, with each set to a different mode, and I started making literally millions in no time.

I'm in Cold War era, so don't have office yet. Trying to beat the "Willy Wonka" mission (whatever its called).

[Traitor]

Are you expanding to fast? I start with 2 sugar farms and a rum distillery. 2 cows and a tannery, 2 lumber camps and a lumber mill. Make sure that you are using the trade routes as well for big bucks on your highest producers. Make sure to check your unemployment rates and housing rates. Don’t build another building until you have people to work it or try to stay around 6 open jobs. If you plop down to many buildings with no workforce say goodbye to your money. I use the Pirate Cove to bring me in more people so I can keep my growth more up to speed with the demands for food/healthcare/religion. Just have to pace yourself based off of your population in this game. Once I came to peace with that my games are smooth sailing!

[LOVE IT!]

I'm in a similar boat in the Shackland mission. Around 10% of my population are teamsters (48) and yet I'm lucky to see 4 or 5 at work in total. As such my exports are always below the $55,000 in year expenses that I've wracked up from workplaces. I've got two tobacco plantations (upgraded), two cigar factories, a woodcutter/lumber-mill/shipyard, a sugar plantation, rum distillery, a furniture factory and two uranium mines.

Apparently this makes between $5 and 30k per shipment, depending on whether the teamsters actually show up for work or not. No idea what to do about distance (it's never explained if you can 'chain' transportation options... e.g. gondola -> bus stop) or getting workers to show up. I've already got the employee of the month edict active so can't think of any other way to force them.

[Spm]

Originally posted by 'Strict:

If you only have 1 farm of each and one industry and nothing else......how can you be 200k in debt?

Did you also buy every blueprint and build the building?

That's just it - I have absolutely no idea. I only bought the blueprints I needed. The money just kept vanishing faster than I could earn it.

['Strict]

I can tell you the easiest way to make money in the mid-game is boats, get logging camps, a lumber yard and a shipyard and the money rolls in. In the very early game though it's all about Rum.

Late game Cars and I forgot what they are called now but the ones you use in the chocolate in the Willy Wonka mission =p