Chris Sawyer's Locomotion E3 2004 Preshow First Look

Chris Sawyer has recently gained a measure of fame as the designer behind the wildly popular RollerCoaster Tycoon series. What may not be as widely known is that he also had a big hand in creating another popular strategy game called Transport Tycoon, released in 1994. As it turns out, Sawyer is returning to the transportation theme with his newest project. Called Locomotion, the game is being billed as the spiritual successor to Transport Tycoon.

Like Sawyer's other popular games, Locomotion is part construction and part business simulation. Your goal is to create the most profitable transportation infrastructure possible. This could mean hauling passengers, cargo, or both between growing cities and the industries that fuel them. Much like SimCity, the game will take place across a wide time period; in this case, Locomotion's setting will range from 1900 to 2000. Depending on the era, you'll have a variety of transport types to choose from, including trains, buses, trams, trucks, aircraft, and ships.

As the head of the company, you'll have to carefully consider a number of factors, such as the cost of building transportation networks versus the potential profit that can be gained from moving people and goods on those networks. Deciding when to transition to new and faster transport technology could certainly play a role in the strategy as you compete against up to 14 other computer-controlled companies vying for your business. Locomotion will include more than 40 predesigned scenarios spread out over three different areas of the world: North America, Britain, and "alpine." If you get bored with competing against the computer, you'll be able to challenge a friend in head-to-head multiplayer action to see who is a more shrewd businessperson.

Chris Sawyer's Locomotion is currently scheduled to ship in September of this year for the PC. Stay tuned to GameSpot for more information on the game as it becomes available.