Canton: An Atlas Pathfinder Adventure description
Little-known trading strategy-puzzle.
Title screen. Introduction screen. Main menu. Built-in manual - explanation of items in the game.
The player in the role of Sydney orphans of the Atlas Tracker, initially armed with only a handful of gold coins and went to the Chinese port of Guangzhou (among Europeans better known as Canton), it is proposed to make a fortune by commercial operations in the far East (the action takes place in the XVIII century). Gameplay consists in research of new areas and the purchase of various items at a low price and then reselling them at a higher - that from these two circumstances depend on the total achievements of the player that determine his final score.
Start of the game: buying goods in the city of Canton. Found another city! Now trade can be started.
As already mentioned, the game is turn-based and thus are all actions. Since initially you have very little not only money, but food, the amount of available movement is very limited. Moreover, you will not be able to spend even the available "points of motion", if you will immediately begin to move, as "food points" will be consumed much faster. This may seem surprising, but to start the game with... need to complete a couple of moves - it will give you suddenly found treasures on which you will be able to buy a variety of selected food products (grain or meat) for life support of humans and animals their trade caravan. Please note that you will have to pay not only for food but also for the fact that the drivers work for you.
Found some treasure worth of 5 gold coins. There's also a hint on that scroll if you look closely. In this simple trading scheme
Having a certain capital, in fact, speculative trading, you will be able to increase the number of controlled caravans, and also to begin to build warehouses that can be filled out as merchandise (including because the products will eventually become so much that caravans can carry only a limited number of goods, just can't fit everything you owned), and employed in cities where to send your caravans, artisans and peasants. First for a specific number of moves can produce for you an expensive tool and a weapon, and second - the food with a sufficient number of these same peasants can no longer buy (four farmer is able to produce a unit of meat or grain at the same time).
Of course, after some time you will be able to not only land but also Maritime trade - that is, you will have own court. However, the seas are rife with pirates; similarly, however, as the South China desert region - all sorts of avaricious dashing people. For the protection of both you can hire a company of mercenaries - but, of course, also for money. Treasure from which you started the game, it will be possible to find again and again - they belong to the category of so-called "random events" that are in the game, however, can be not only pleasant, but quite the opposite. For example, the pirates can be so strong that even the mercenaries from it will not save (although much depends on their number).
For Shareware games Canton has a lovely bright graphics (though, of course, and largely conditional - flat figures on a green field of cells) and a relatively simple interface. To date, this game is almost forgotten, but in rare reviews of the mid-1990s, was praised for the educational value and the complete absence of violence. Anyway, if you like rare economic strategy, the view is certainly worth it.
P. S. unfortunately, this shareware version of the game where careers are limited in duration to five years and fixed the trade routes can be established.
Not sure how to pass your time, why not play our classic videogame Canton: An Atlas Pathfinder Adventure online? And the best part, it is for free!
Source: Archive.org, Mobygames.com