I'm a computer programmer and between assignments at work. I'm looking for a project to fill my time.

I used to play war games by email. You type up a text message that is orders to your armies, then get back results.

Well, I'm thinking of writing something similar for a Theme Park game. You'd start with a chunk of change, buy some land, and add attractions. Then, each additional turn would be a year of running the park. You could go things like add rides, shows and attractions; theme areas; adjust ride and park prices, spend money for maintenance, advertising; things like that.

There would be other people playing also. You have to select a city at the start. If other peope have a park in the same area, you'd be pulling customers from each other. Build a new coaster, and pull the teens from the other park. Build a kiddy land, pull families with small kids from the other park. Build a bunch of expensive anamatronic dark rides, and pull people of many ages. Build flower gardens and shady wlakways, and pull elderly visitors.

Still, the biggest part of the game would be financial. You'd have to run you company's cash flow to keep from going under. At some level of profitability, you could go public, giving you access to Wall Street cash, but giving you a whole other headache of maintaining book profitability as well as positive cash flow.

Best part, any time you can get enough cash to buy out a competitor, you can. This puts them out of the game, and allows you to run their park.

I think I'd have it start in 1960 and have it run through 2000 or so. You'd start with the rides available in 1960, and each year new rides would become available. At a week to plan each turn, that would take 40 weeks. Anyone have 40 weeks to devote to something like this?

Anyone have any ideas to improve the concept before I begin coding?

that kicks @$$, hope it all works out. What i would do is let it go on beond 2000 and you could be able to upload new prototypes from the web when they become availibe. Well those are my thoughts as of now.

__________________
MY DAY HAS COME!!!!!!