Game Setup / Configuration - [RBP Help Contents]

The Game Setup window appear when you choose Start Game from the Game pull-down menu. In the Game Setup window you choose the configuration of the match you wish to play.

NUMBER OF PLAYERS

You can choose from 3 to 6 players. Any combination of computer and human players is allowed. A computer-only match can be operated in continuous play mode, which runs one or more matches without stopping, in order to collect statistics and study other aspects of the game.

NAME

Enter a name for each player. The default name matches the default player color. Click on the Name label to reset the player names to match their color.

COLOR

Choose a color with which to depict the player's RR network, train and city markers. If you prefer a color not in the list, choose Custom.

TYPE/STYLE

Designate the player's type here, human or computer AI. Several different types of computer players are available; each computer player type makes slightly different RR purchases. As you make a selection, a brief description is given in the Type/Style Information box. Note that you can also create and configure new computer opponents.

The ability level of the built-in AI computer players differs. On the U21 map, their order from toughest to weakest competitor, is as follows: Hill, Gould, Vanderbilt, Morgan, Pullman, Newby.

To set up a Play by Email match choose the Human, Pbem type for your opponent(s). You will be prompted to enter their email address.

SKILL

Choose a skill level for the player. The skill level influences how deeply RBP's AI searches for good routes to the destination. Higher skill levels generally find the better routes, but play more slowly. For a human player, the skill level determines how deeply RBP searches for routes when you ask it for a suggestion. Click on the Skill label to advance the setting for all players. Skill also influences the AI's aggressiveness in declaring.

RANDOMIZE TURN ORDER

Enable this checkbox to have RBP randomly shuffle the turn order of the players at the start of the game.

START WITH ENGINE

Select the engine each player starts with. Normally, this should be set to Standard.

USE SCENARIO SETTINGS

Disable this to turn off use of a scenario. To enable it, click the Scenario button below.

SCENARIO

Click this button to create/edit a scenario, or to edit certain attributes of a game in progress (cheat).

MAP - Load Map

Use this pull-down menu to choose a different map on which to play.

MAP - Randomize Probabilities

This feature scrambles the region and city destination probabilities; it can have a dramatic impact on the game because it changes the relative worth of the RRs. By using this feature prior to starting play, you can radically change the "feel" of the map. For example, on the standard U21 map, most players try to quickly purchase railroads that serve the NorthEast, because that is the most likely destination region. However, if you randomize the probabilities, another region might become the most likely, and consequently, players will complete to buy different railroads than usual. Note that the railroad prices remain the same, so after randomizing the destination probabilities, some railroads will likely be relatively expensive, and others will be bargains. As always, your challenge is to build the most cost-effective network.

MAP - Randomize Prices

This feature reprices the railroads as deemed reasonable by RBP plus or minus a random percentage you specify. Enter 0 for no randomness. Even experienced players are likely to find beating the AI bots a challenge with repriced railroads.

LEVELS

Use these pull-down menus to select a built-in computer opponent configuration (i.e. easily change the player type and skill levels to some predetermined settings). Or, select "Create/Edit AI" to configure the attributes of a computer opponent (open a window to edit the custom AI settings).

WEB

Use these pull-down menus to play a game via the Internet or home nework versus human opponents, or to access special features for a Play by Email match.

MORE GAME OPTIONS

Click this button to open a window with more configurable game options.