Rails Across America depicts a network of hundreds of tracks with thousands of trains crossing the entire continent. Players focus on strategic decisions, such as where to expand, where to compete, and when to engage in a well-timed price war. Rather than simply operating individual trains, players must build and monitor the rail network, moving cargo from one destination to another. Similar to the “SimCity” model, the level of direct control is limited, but the subtleties that arise are immense, which makes it possible to control large numbers of trains. While freeing players from managing the "train dispatcher" functions that are common in games such as Railroad Tycoon 2, Rails Across America allows them to focus on higher-level decisions. While many games use money as their sole victory condition, Rails Across America players will compete for ‘prestige’, which is earned by good railroad management and specific goals for different eras. Multifaceted victory points will mean players will be less likely to find economic loopholes by which to dominate the game. Multiplayer mode allows up to eight players to interact with one another both cooperatively and competitively. They must react to competitive pressures and strike deals with their competitors to play one off against another.
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