I continue to be impressed by this game and urge anybody who has any interest in Sim or tycoon games (maybe not including The Sims perhaps ) to check it out.
I collect business game the way Brian Rubin collects space games,and I can say this is one of the best I’ve seen ever. The game that is was based on, Capitalism is widely considered the best ever and I think EOS is probably already better and certainly improving rapidly.
EOS improves on Capitalism in two important ways. The sheer number of factories and the complicated supply chains made the Capitalism really overwhelming after a while. EOS eliminates having to figure out which diary farm, your ice cream factory needs to get milk from, by sticking all production into a central warehouse. (Similar to most other browser strategy games.) This eliminate much of Capitalism’s micromanagement.
The bigger improvement is replacing the pretty brain dead AI with real humans who create competitive markets.
However, EOS is not at all dumbed down like most browser strategy games. As Pogo said there are many different ways of operating a business. Specializing in a few retail product, simply opening a stores, or getting into the utility business by selling water and electricity.
Even relatively simple items like a stuffed toy require multiple steps and multiple factories.
Mine: Minerals, Coal
Power Plant: Electricity
Well: Water, Petroleum
Plantation: Cotton
PetroChemical: Chemicals, Polyester, Polyester Thread
Toy Factory: Stuffed Animal
This is 6 factories to make it and 4 R&D facilities to improve the stuffed Panda bear.
Something like a business jet, or la aptop requires about twice as many facilities.
Since you are limited to ~10 types of factories, ~6 types of R&D factory and Retail stores, you have to pick and choose what you want to specialize in.
So for instance if you are making toys and sporting good products, you probably don’t want to have a plantation to grow cotton. This probably works until you run out of cotton and nobody is selling cotton, or the price is ridiculously high. So you constantly have to make the decision that real business make how much inventory should I keep on hand. Too much and all of my capital is tied up in inventory, too little and I risk have may business jet factory shut down, because I missing a $100 integrated circuit chip.
The other thing I like is that unlike most browser strategy games you don’t have to micromanage it (although I it does help.) The problem with the war like games like Evony, Travian etc. Is if you happen to be asleep or at work, when the big attack hits and you lose your army or your capital it is pretty much game over. With a business game if you don’t log in for a day, your stores run out of inventory, and your factories shut down. It is expensive but no reason to abandon the game.
The developer does have a challenge in keeping guys like tfernado challenged, cause the game is just about a making money. The quest in the game aren’t particularly compelling.
On the other hand Zynga is worth billions, because it convinced millions of people to grow crops, and buy virtual tractors. :) and this game is way way more interesting.
