How do you play this game?

[Zechs]

I've never played any Tropico game before. I completed the tutorial, but I still have no idea what I'm supposed to do or what I can do. I'd like to get into this game, but I haven't been able to find a true tutorial for players who never played Tropico before.

[stokroc1]

I hope you know the mechanic of the game so your only task is to rule on island.

As El Presidente you are a leader of the tropical island (or islands in campaign). You can be greedy and take all of "public" money to your pocket (Swiss bank, totally military system, a lot of shaks etc.) or you can be the best thing for Tropico and be good guy (free rations, good wealthcare and education, more or less liberty etc.)

Do main and side quest (for reputation, money, politics etc.). Main quests you have to done (red ones) - it's from storyline. Side quests (blue) - it's optional.

Next important thing is what people (citizens) think about you. If you try to be good they will be calm and accept most of things (e.g. a lot of policemen, army, worse wealthcare, food rations, corruption). In exchange there should be free education, some mass media, more markets and clinics, some entertainment and church - people should feel safe and have full stomach and can't be bored

You should care about what fractions think about you - loyalists, militarists, communists and capitalists

[Zechs]

I don't really know the mechanics. Is the game in real time or does the game only change when I make an action?

[stokroc1]

you said you done tutorial ....
no, the game is not in real time

[Zechs]

I did the tutorial. It only explained 3-4 things. If it's not in real time, what do the build timers mean? I think buildings take a few minutes to build?

[Uzi Master]

You can pause the game, or set it to a number of speeds, so it's not real-time per se, but like sim city. Except you work on a much smaller scale, with much more control.

They do quite clearly explain how time works in the tutorial, so I have serious doubts that you actually went through it myself.

[Skybreaker]

Hi everybody.
@ZechsX18999
Best would be to start the tutorial once again. Please take your time and read/listen to all hints and tips given during the tutorial.
After that it is recommended to start the campaign. Just make sure to use some easy settings and you are good to go.
During the campaign you will learn more mechanics and even advanced inisghts in some mechanics.
-cheers

[Zechs]

Originally posted by Uzi Master:

You can pause the game, or set it to a number of speeds, so it's not real-time per se, but like sim city. Except you work on a much smaller scale, with much more control.

They do quite clearly explain how time works in the tutorial, so I have serious doubts that you actually went through it myself.

I played the tutorial again for the 3rd time. They only explain eddicts, foreign ministers, faction happiness missions, and the swiss bank account. But sure, you can assume I didn't go through the tutorial. I'll look somewhere else for help. This game isn't beginner friendly and neither are you.

[perato]

Choosing right perks help tremendously. I for one always go for Farmer background and those that lower building costs, increase income and speeds up education. Farmer gives nice boost to cash crop farms and ofc food farms meaning you need to build less farms to produce enough for your factories and for your people.

For me the basics in this and the third one has been. 2-3 farms of sugar/tobacco/coffee. Sugar is the best option and in T4 a very common to have good fertility nearby the palace. After that build ministry and high school. You don't have to mind about going debt or bancrupt, those farms will eventually give enough income. Wait until those farms sell their stuff a few times and build a factory corresponding the farms. Spiced Rum factory produces an income of 30-40k per year without Booze paron perk. This income is usually enough to start actually building a bigger economy that leads fast to quick building anything the mission requires.

After food(fisheries, food farms(corn, pineapple, papaya, banana), you should build a healthcare facility, electricity, rest of the schools and immigration ministry.

Most important edict in the start for me is the russian edict that gives discount on houses. Tenements are really the best option since they can easily be upgraded to 60 housing quality. To have that edict you must build ministry, have a foreign minister and enough cash to buy the edict.

I usually play using the fastest speed and pause, never actually have any use of those two other speed settings.

Basically you can just build 3 farms and high speed to have some buffer money. This game is really super easy. Just spend all your coin in the beginning for future income.

Whenever you're losing an election, just bump up everyone's pay and lower it back afterwards if needed.

[Player 2]

the only think confuse me is how to construct a building. i believe there is no right click to construct building message in tutorial. it's take me awhile for me to realize it

[Old Uncle Silas]

It definitely tells you how to build buildings. Including that you right click. And to the op, it is real time as opposed to turn based. You have to wait for your construction crews to go and build the buildings. This can take a long time if you only ahve one construction depot and lots of buildings to build. You can also use the instant build option (like it says in the tutorial) but this costs extra money.

[Zechs]

Thanks for the help everyone. I mostly figured out the game by watching some Youtube tutorials and playing through the first few missions which seemed to act as a better tutorial than the tutorial itself. This game is awesome! I'm already 20+ hours in.

[Uzi Master]

You don't even have the achievment for completing the tutorial, it looks like. Not sure how you can say other tutorials are better at that point.

[Zechs]

Ohhh, I just realized why the tutorial taught me nothing. I skipped the first 3 missions and only played the 4th one. I thought those were just pages necessary to read and pressed play on the 4th page.

I've already learned how to play the game by going through the campaign, but I may go back and play the first 3 tutorial missions.