Customer Reviews

Genius [Old Version]

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

First of all, I want to make the point that this is a strategy based tycoon game and a sim game. It is really well done using superb graphics and animations. You get to apply new discoveries in your factories so you can make a better product and out sell them to your competitors. It all seems to be based on real history so you get information from real sources like the Wright brothers, Edison and even Einstein. And you also have to worry about the people that work in your factories, your scientists, and accountants and even worry about industrial espionage. If you like business, engines, buildings, science and physics, you'll be getting hours and hours of play out of this game. You also get to play in a bunch of different cities in the world. Each one has different challenges. It's fresh every time you play since you can do things differently and see how the results vary.

This is by far one of the most suprising games I have ever played. The graphics aren't spectacular, but they're pretty good. No, the aspect of the game that amazed me was the gameplay, and the puzzles. I came across this game a year ago, and having played many tycoon games decided to buy it, expecting the typical mudane tycoon game that has some crippling bugs (game that come to mind include cruise ship tycoon, mall tycoon, airport tycoon, etc.)

However, this is not like a ordinary tycoon game. Far from it. You need to complete complex puzzles to improve your products, get more customers,and expand your business, and boy, some of these puzzles are seriously hard! The manufacturers even based everything on history, with real world discoveries such as airplanes, semi-conductors, radio waves, etc.

The tycoon aspect of the game was also outstanding. Product prices go up and down, and you really need to check prices and make sure you're operating at a profit or else you'll go bankcrupt. Wages also go up and down, and you unlock new buildings as time goes on. This isn't a easy game folks-about 1 out of 5 companies I start reach the stage where I can build airplane factories! (Not to mention the 1 out of 15! companies that ever manage to build rockets!)

Unfortunately, this is not a very well known game, and this is why I have decided to write a review. People everywhere, take note-Genius is the type of game that deserves good publicity like RCT, Sims, Zoo Tycoon, and the rest of the great simulation games!

"Genius" is an educational simulation game, where you're building an industrial complex -- plop down factories, roads, houses, fire departments and such. As the game progresses, you complete physics puzzles to obtain new technologies and product improvements. You subscribe to newspapers, which contain answers to some questions and the knowledge or equations needed to solve others.

The physics problems are entertaining, well designed, well documented, implemented excellently, and can be quite fun. They are presented as problems you encounter during business operation, for example while developing a new product. All of the information you need is provided. The game will appeal to children 8 & up, but these physics problems are more like age 16 & up because they require high school math. So, children & youths may need help from a parent who remembers algebra and preferably physics -- yikes! Some of the questions are easy & fun. Some require you to be comfortable with algebra, converting between units, and applying formulae. A few are very difficult. Fortunately, the questions are the same each time, so after figuring out the answers, you can write them down & just enter the answers next time. Sometimes the game even gives you the correct answer after it is too late, so you can write it down for next time. Unfortunately, I can't find a cheat sheet list of answers on the web -- too bad, this would really help. The level of difficulty of these questions isn't a problem, just be warned.

The simulation side of the game is suffers in comparison. The industrial simulation controls are poorly documented. What each building does and when/why/where it is appropriate/inappropriate and how to run the game is somewhat of a mystery. There's no way to figure out whether building something will be good or bad except trial and error -- logic doesn't always help. Bad decisions spiral out of control, seem to lead inevitably to bankruptcy. Unfortunately, wrong answers on the physics problems can have the same effect. There is a "statistics" report that is supposed to give feedback on whether your company is making or loosing money, but this form doesn't have enough information.

So, expect some trial & error, some frustration, some algebra, some physics, & some reading through magazines looking for obscure clues. "Genius" can be really fun, but could use some interface improvements. Highly recommended for anyone taking physics in high school or college.

We purchased this product for our (advanced) 5th grade son. We did so, since this came up under a search for childrens' software. We did not see any age range anywhere. Well...he loves the concepts, but the physics that needs to be done is not only above his head, but mine as well! The first few problems we had no difficulty with, then we hit a wall.
Great game, just be aware this is for those in High School and up!

Game sounded good but have not been able to play it. Bought it for my kids for Christmas and installed on two computers. I'm having serious video problems on both machines that render the game unplayable. Called Viva Media and got a message telling me the best way to get support was by email. I have emailed their tech support 3 times since December 29th (today is Feb 5) and have received only automated responses that tell me to be patient. Well, we are working on week six...

I am very computer literate and a bit of a computer nerd and rarely do I need tech support as I am able to resolve problems on my own. If you buy this game I hope you have better luck than we have.

What drives people? Challenge and this game has plenty. Translated from German to English some parts are still in German. The beginning parts are easy enough, 2 times 600N is 1200 Newtons, but keep going and you have to answer questions on Einstein's relativity theory. Some questions have the wrong numbers, if you calculate using them it won't work. For instance find the diameter of a molecule, if you use 1/40000 like they say it's 10. WRONG you must use 1/4000 and it's 14. They diluted the oil fleck wrong. Other little errors make this game somewhat frustrating. Right now I am stuck trying to fill in the words from John Bardeens paper on semi-conductors. I even printscreend the proper answer (after they so graciously told me after I tried 3 wrong answers) and printed it out to get the exact words to type in but it still will not accept the answer, and I'm an electrical engineer! Same with the cathode ray tube, I know I'm typing in the correct words, it just won't accept them. I suspect something was lost in the translation. All in all this game got my brain working and I do feel like a rocket science genius afterward, I just wish I could finish it. I was able to calculate the first 2 stages of rocket speed correctly but the third is always in error. I couldn't find any patch for it, but the German Cornelsen website looks like it has a patch for the German version. I tried installing it but didn't work.

ADDED:Just to be fair I should add that I DID get tech support and they helped me finish. THANKS!

Obviously this is an older game now, when it came out however I was very young, definitly somewhere in middle school, possibly 6th grade. My brother was in either third or fourth grade when he recieved this for his birthday. So now, when I look it up in a fit of nostalgia I am shocked to see how many people complained about the difficulty level. My brother and I were what? 10 and 12? We had no issue with the difficulty level of the problems. As a matter of fact I'm not sure if we even ever dug out a calculator. Sure there were some complex formulae but all you had to do was plug in the information given. The tycoon part of the game was secondary and not all that interesting compared to many others on the market at the time, which is why I can only give it a 4. Now my brother and I are both highschool age and I have to say this game was a very nice introduction to physics and as for that portion of the game I cannot praise it highly enough. It was nice to step into a classroom with a solid foundation on which to build and I think this game certainly helped me.

Got this game for my 12 year old and he LOVES it! You need to have a pretty new computer to use it and it took a few trys to get it downloaded. Once it was installed it was a really wonderful game! If you have a child that likes puzzles and figuring things out, they will love it too!

I would be wary of buying this item. It would not run on a Vista machine that I have, but ran ok on a XP box. This is a little to complicated for young children (under 10)

Unable to install this program on vista laptop or xp desktop. German documentation offered little recourse other than return CD which I did.