Company: Infogrames Interactive Inc.

Date: Original concept, Summer 2001. Final Release Fall 2002.

Problem Statement: Develop a new video game concept to continue the successful Thomas the Tank Engine series of games. The concept must fully incorporate the Thomas the Tank Engine brand. It must also be simple enough for a two year old, yet captivating enough to hold the attention of a five year old for several hours of game play.

Target Market: Children ages 3-5

Story:
Topham Hatt has become very concerned about his dwindling supplies in the train yard, and it seems that he can’t find any of his needed supplies off of his current lines. Topham Hatt decides that he will need to find new places to get all of his supplies, so he can power his mighty engines. Realizing that it is difficult to see everything on Sodor Island from the railroad tracks, Topham Hatt decides to ask Harold to explore the island for more coal before his trains run out.

Goal: Help Harold find new supplies, and build a new line of tracks to transport them back to the train yard.

Description:
Fly around the island in search of outcroppings of coal, new locations for water, mining locations for more iron, and places to harvest more lumber. A friendly bi-plane or two may give you some hints as to where these things might be found. Once you’ve found some new supplies, you and Harold, with the help of Sir Topham Hatt will plan out where to lay the tracks. You can choose from straight and curved pieces, use tunnels to go through mountains and bridges to cross over water.

Steps:

  1. Get mission.
  2. Find new supply.
  3. Build new railroad line.
  4. Assemble the Thomas character team needed to get and return with the supplies.
  5. Drive to the supply site and get supplies. (activities and mini games)
  6. Return to Sir Topham Hatt to complete the mission.
  7. With your first supplies back your mission is complete. Now you can either tackle a more difficult task, like getting water, lumber, or stone, or you can continue building on your new line.

Topham Hatt can help you add stations for passengers, and map a travel route and schedule for the passenger trains. Have fun exploring and interacting with railroad lines that you’ve created.

Example:
  1. Sir Topham Hatt needs you to find a new well to keep his engines full and running.
  2. Fly over the Island of Sodor with Harold and look for new places to find water.
  3. Once you’ve found a new spot for a well Harold the Helicopter will help lay tracks for a railway to the new location, adding bridges, tunnels and railroad crossings as necessary.
  4. To lay down the tracks simply click on the track pieces at the bottom of the screen.
  5. With the new line built you’ll need to transport a drill rig to your new well location.
  6. Sir Topham Hatt will Help you load a train with the correct items to complete your task.
  7. For this mission you’ll need a powerful engine to pull a water tanker, a flat bed car with a drill rig on it, and a tool car.
  8. Drive out to the new well site.
  9. Help drill the well to the right depth, then pick out the right sized well cap to cap off the new well.
  10. Now you can either tackle a more difficult task, like getting lumber, or stone, or you can continue building on your new line.

Selecting icons builds the new track.


Final Product: To see what this concept finally translated into after several months of product development please visit the official Infogrames website for Building the New Line.

Also check out the Sizzle Video created by Infogrames.