Build-a-Lot: On Vacation
The long wait is finally over and those who seek their thrills through building and development can finally get their kicks again! The latest in Hipsoft's popular Build-a-lot time management series has finally arrived Build-a-Lot: On Vacation and it's a wild ride through the adventurous world of real estate development. So what if the bottom has dropped out of the housing market, you can still get your thrills vicariously!
If you've never played any of the Build-a-lot games (and, seriously, this is the sixth in the series, so why haven't you?) the premise is a very basic one: begin with a town that has a limited amount of resources (money, labor, materials) and a need (more housing development, more tourism, more nature). It's your job to right the real estate-related wrong by creating new housing developments (and collecting rent on those properties!) and setting up shops, all while managing workers and resources to produce maximum profit. Finish a level in expert time and you receive a lot of praise, finish before the timer runs out and at least pass on to the next level. Don't finish before the timer and you are stuck repeating the level until you get it right.
For those who are familiar with the series, Hipsoft has removed the disasters and buildings from Build-a-Lot 3 and the power grid demands from Build-a-Lot 4, leaving a stripped down classic version of the game familiar to those who loved Build-a-Lot and Build-a-Lot 2. That's not to say that there are no changes, as Build-a-Lot: On Vacation has added three things that twist the old gameplay in new and interesting ways: Wooded lots, Industrial Zones, and a Real Estate Office.
Wooded lots are simply a variation on the old "empty lot", an undeveloped piece of land waiting to be built on. However, the wooded lots are more expensive than the basic empty lots, and the difference is the natural resource growing therein, the wood itself. Lots can harvested for either wood or money, and the more expensive the lot, the more materials or cash you can recoup from your investment. In some levels the wooded lots can be more expensive than buying a lot with a house on it, making it a key piece of strategy. Industrial zones are another nice touch in that building any type of industrial building has absolutely no impact on the overall approval rating of a town, nor does it affect nearby buildings. However, not every level has industrial zones.
The most interesting twist is that provided by the Real Estate office, which actually has several functions. The first is the ability to "stage" a house, which turns it into a model home upping the rent without the resulting materials cost that upgrading a house entails. The second is the appraisal ability, which once applied to a home insures that it will sell for its exact retail price, no matter how many other houses are on the market at the same time. The third is the ability to force a sale of any lot or home for twice its asking price, saving the player from having to wait for a choice piece of property to come onto the market.
Analysis: Even if it was a retread with a fancy new skin (I'm looking at you, Build-a-Lot: The Elizabethan Era), Build-a-Lot: On Vacation would still be worth a look for anyone who loves frantic time management and tycoon sim gameplay. Fortunately for those who do, the different lots and the real estate office twist the classic gameplay in new and interesting directions, fantastic news for those still hooked on the series.
As the name implies, Build-a-Lot: On Vacation deals entirely with vacation resorts and the houses, scenery, and upgrades reflect the theme. Hipsoft has even added larger build projects in some levels (familiar to anyone who has played Be Rich or Virtual City) to add even more complexity. There are now even more levels of play, including an easy tutorial section, the Career play section, the Expert Section, the Casual play section, and a new Quick Play section that drops you into a scenario with no kind words from an elected official, simply a goal list and off you go.
If there are any down sides to Build-a-Lot: On Vacation, it's that Hipsoft still hasn't done much by way of upgrading the backgrounds, houses, or animations. Granted the gameplay moves from wooded highlands to deserts to ski resorts to beach resorts, but it's all scenery that's been seen before. Even the houses are very familiar, and it would be nice to see some sort of visual cue aside from the stars to show an upgraded building. As this is the sixth game in the series the visuals (and the oh-so-familiar music) are beginning to get a little stale. The scenery is still lovely, but been there, done that, got the t-shirt, burned it, and scattered the ashes.
Despite the static visuals, Build-a-Lot: On vacation is still casual gameplay that sucks you in and doesn't let you go until you've expert leveled the last scenario. Fans of the series will appreciate the new twists in strategy and newbs will just love the addictive gameplay. Forget the depressed real estate market; it's time to get building!
Windows:
Download the demo
Get the full version
Mac OS X:
Not available.
Try Boot Camp or Parallels or CrossOver Games.
Walkthrough Guide
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Build-a-Lot: On Vacation Expert Levels Walkthrough
General Information
Each level requires a different type of strategy, don't become too enamored of only one way to solve a level.
Always do your upgrades between rent cycles. Don't start an upgrade right before rent comes in, wait until it comes in then upgrade.
If you have a workshop, always inspect your houses when you are done upgrading to prevent repairs, which cost time and money.
Real Estate offices are more important than you realize. They can increase rent of properties without using materials. They can also insure that homes you sell go for better prices. On some levels you cannot acquire a particular property any other way than offering double, which requires the real estate office.
Many (but not all) of these levels have a "hidden" agenda, a requirement that will pop up at the last minute. This walkthrough will include both the regular and the "hidden" goals.
Good luck!
Expert Level 1
Requirements: Own 3 Victorians upgraded to 3 stars, 1 ranch on a premium lot, 1 sawmill, 4 tree lots. "Hidden" requirements: +10 appeal.
You're going to need a real estate office, otherwise you might never get that premium lot.
You'll begin with a wooded lot and an empty lot.
Build and sell a chalet. Harvest the wooded lot for wood.
Build and sell a second chalet. Buy any empty or wooded lots that come up for sale (especially the industrial lot).
Build and sell a third chalet (buy 100 materials if necessary to do so).
Buy 1,000 materials and build a sawmill (if you have the industrial lot).
At this point you should still have about 600 materials (with all of the harvesting). If not, buy more to reach 600, build a ranch, and sell it.
Buy and demolish the cabins.
Buy materials and build a real estate office.
Build another ranch, appraise it, and sell it.
At this point you should have a sawmill and a real estate office along with two empty lots.
Buy materials and build a workshop.
Buy efficiency and 3 more men.
Buy materials and build a Victorian and stage it.
Buy a chalet, demolish, and build a second Victorian.
Stage the second Victorian, then start upgrading both.
Buy 3 more men, and buy a chalet.
Build a third Victorian, appraise it, and sell it (if you can't afford to build the third, appraise and sell one of the ones you've already built.
Buy the last chalet (if you haven't already) and build a third Victorian. Stage and upgrade.
You should end up with 3 Victorians (they need to be 3 stars) and a decent chunk of cash. Force buy the lodge on the premium lot (offer double).
Don't forget to paint the Victorians as well.
Demolish the lodge and build a ranch on the premium lot. As the money rolls in from the rent buy back the other two ranches you sold earlier.
Demolish the real estate office and reforest the lot. Demolish the two ranches (not the premium) and reforest.
Demolish the workshop and reforest the lot. As long as you painted at least 2 houses and the sawmill is on the industrial lot, you will hit the appeal requirements.
Expert Level 2
Requirements: $1,000,000 in cash, 4 painted lodges, rental income $20,000. "Hidden" requirements: 8 tennis courts.
You start with one empty lot. Build a chalet and sell it.
Buy any empty lots that come up.
Buy materials (about 100), build a second chalet, and sell it.
Continue to buy empty lots as they come up.
Buy 1,000 materials and build a sawmill.
Build a third chalet and sell it. Continue to buy empty lots.
Buy materials and build a workshop. Buy efficiency.
Build a ranch and sell it.
Buy three more men and 5,000 materials.
Build a real estate office.
Build a Victorian, appraise, and sell it.
Build 2 hotels.
Stage the hotels and start upgrading to 3 stars.
At this point there will be 4 empty lots, but they won't come up for sale. Instead, the houses will start coming up for sale.
Buy a chalet (if available) and offer double for the 4 lots.
Build a third hotel, and build 4 lodges on the 4 empty lots.
By this time your hotels should be at 3 stars (3 hotels) and bringing in a lot of money. Buy the cheaper houses as they come onto the market.
Stage all four lodges (this is vital as they won't make the $20,000 rent otherwise), then start upgrading to 3 stars.
Demolish the cheaper houses and start to build tennis courts.
When you buy the Victorian back, don't demolish it. Just let the money accumulate again as you need to reach $1,000,000.
Once you own all the lots and houses, demolish the real estate office and build a tennis court.
Buy 5,000 more materials, demolish the sawmill and build a tennis court.
Once the money passes $800,000, demolish the Victorian and build a tennis court.
At this point you should have 3 3-star hotels, 4 3-star painted lodges (that have been staged), a workshop, and 5 tennis courts.
Once the money hits the goal of $1,000,000, start demolishing hotels and build tennis courts.
You should end up with 1 workshop, 4 3-star painted lodges (that have been staged), and 8 tennis courts.
Expert Level 3
Requirements: 3 premium hotels, own 8 houses, +100 appeal.
The important thing here is to build a real estate office. That middle premium hotel will never go up for sale, you will need to buy it for double.
Also place your sawmill on the empty lot next to the premium hotels. This will aid in bringing down the price a little bit.
In the end when you build the ice rinks make sure that each one is next to or between buildings.
You start with two houses, a lodge and a cabin.
Sell the lodge and demolish the cabin.
Once the cabin is gone build a chalet and sell it.
Buy the first vacant lot that comes up for sale and harvest for materials.
Build a sawmill.
Buy another vacant lot & harvest for materials.
Build and sell a chalet.
Buy the last vacant lot and a lodge if it comes up for sale.
Build a workshop and buy efficiency.
Build and sell a ranch.
Buy a lodge or chalet (whatever comes up for sale).
Buy 2,500 materials & 3 men.
Demolish the lodge or chalet, build a hotel, & sell it.
Use the money to buy 5,000 materials and any cheap houses (anything except the hotel you just sold).
Buy extra men (you want to eventually have 18 or so).
Build a real estate office & start building hotels.
Once a hotel is built, stage it, paint it, then upgrade to 3 stars. Remember to upgrade between rent cycles so you don't miss any income.
Keep going until you have 4 3-star hotels bringing in the income.
As soon as you get enough money, buy one of the premium hotels. The minute you get the hotel stage it, paint it, then start upgrading.
5 hotels should be bringing in around $400,000 to $500,000 per rent cycle, so you can quickly get the second premium hotel. Stage, paint, & start upgrading.
Don't buy back the hotel you sold, let the money accumulate until you have enough to force buy (buy for double) the middle premium hotel. You will need $2,880,000.
Once you have that hotel paint it. Now buy back the hotel you sold. You should now have 8 hotels.
Buy some materials, paint the last hotel (all hotels should be painted), then demolish the sawmill & real estate office.
Build ice rinks.
The last thing to do is demolish your workshop, then build an ice rink. If you place the ice rinks correctly you should hit the correct appeal rating and the level will be won.
Expert Level 4
Requirements: $5,000,000, 15 harvests, 20,000 materials. "Hidden" requirement: 16 painted cabins.
You won't be building much here, so you don't need a sawmill. What you need is a workshop, a lot of men, and some patience.
When you demolish the cabins to reforest, simply use the middle row which is six empty lots. This will make the level easy.
This is a tedious way to win the level, but it works.
The trick is to reforest a lot for $50,000, then harvest to get $100,000. This nets you a profit of $50,000 for each lot.
Sell one cabin and demolish another (not in the middle row).
Once the cabin sells, buy enough materials and build a workshop.
Sell a second cabin (not middle row) while the workshop is building.
Once the second cabin sells put a third one up for sale (again, not middle row) and buy efficiency and 3 more workers.
Sell a fourth cabin (not middle row) and inspect 5 cabins in the bottom row so they don't need repairs.
Demolish one cabin in the middle row and reforest the lot.
Once the lot is reforested harvest for $100,000.
Again reforest and harvest. Buy six more men and demolish a second cabin.
Reforest and reharvest the lot once more.
Now reforest both lots, then harvest both lots.
Reforest and harvest both lots again, demolish the third cabin, and buy more men.
Eventually you will be reforesting and harvesting an assembly line in that middle row with six lots. To accomplish this efficiently you need 30 men.
Remember to continually reforest each lot and move on to the next, don't wait for it to complete. When you get to the end of the row, go back to the beginning and start harvesting. Your 30 men will be in constant motion.
Once you get near the $1,000,000 mark in money, start buying back the cabins you sold.
After you cross the $1,000,000 mark, reforest all six lots, then harvest for materials instead of money.
Reforest all six lots, then harvest for materials again. You should end up with around 28,000 in materials, which is plenty.
Go back to reforesting and harvesting for money. This part is tedious and requires constant clicking, but the money racks up fast.
While you are constantly reforesting and harvesting, paint and inspect all of your cabins.
Once you hit $5,000,000, build cabins on the six lots, then paint the cabins.
Demolish the workshop, build the last cabin, and paint it.
Expert Level 5
Requirements: 2 hotels on premium lots, 4 landscaped Victorians, 6 ranches with 3 stars. "Hidden" requirements: +100 appeal.
You're going to need a garden center, a sawmill, a workshop, and a real estate building, but hold off on the garden center for a while, it's not imperative at first.
Although the requirements for each house is different (hotels on premium lots, Victorians need to be landscaped, ranches need 3 stars) it's best to give every house the full works: paint, landscape, stage, 3 stars. This ups the rental income and contributes to the final appeal.
You start with two Victorians on the premium lots. Sell one.
Upgrade the other Victorian once and wait for houses to come onto the market.
Buy cheap houses (cabins and lodges), demolish.
Buy 1,000 materials and build a sawmill.
Once the sawmill is built buy 2,500 materials and build a workshop.
Buy efficiency and three more men.
Continue to buy cheap houses and demolish.
Build a Victorian on an empty lot and sell it.
With the money from the Victorian, load up on materials, get three more men, and demolish the Victorian on the premium lot.
Build your hotel on the premium lot. Also build a real estate office and a gardening center.
Build more Victorians on any lot you've cleared. You should end up with a sawmill, workshop, real estate office, gardening center, your premium hotel, and three Victorians.
Landscape the Victorians and upgrade both hotel and Victorians. Remember to stage them as well.
Go ahead and landscape the hotel and paint all of your buildings. By this time the chalets should be coming up for sale.
Buy the two chalets, demolish, and build 2 ranches.
Stage, landscape, paint, and start upgrading the ranches.
When the Victorian you sold comes back on the market buy it, then landscape, paint, and upgrade to 3 stars.
Let the money accumulate for a while, then start offering double for the wooded lots. Buy 2 of them at first and build ranches.
Upgrade the ranches to 3 stars, then buy a third lot, harvest, and build another ranch.
At this point you will have all of the buildings, the hotel on the premium lot, 4 Victorians (landscaped), and 6 ranches (3 stars).
Let the money accumulate until you can offer double for the Victorian on the premium lot. Buy it, demolish, and build a hotel.
Stock up on supplies (at least 5,000), then demolish the sawmill, gardening center, and real estate office.
Build picnic parks in the empty lots to bring up the appeal. If you still don't have enough, demolish the workshop and build another picnic park.
Expert Level 6
Requirements: 3 Chalets, 7 tree lots, rent $30,000.
The trick here is to build a real estate office. There are only 10 lots, and three chalets, even upgraded to 3 stars and painted will not bring in $30,000 unless you also stage them.
You'll start with an empty lot, a wooded lot, and a lodge.
Harvest the wooded lot, build a chalet, and sell it.
While the chalet is being sold, demolish the lodge.
Once you get the money from the first chalet, buy 500 in materials. Build another chalet and sell it.
Buy any wooded lot that comes up for sale.
While the second chalet is selling, buy 1,000 materials and build a workshop.
With the money from the second chalet buy efficiency and 3 more men.
Harvest the wooded lot you bought, then build a third chalet and sell it.
Buy 1,000 materials.
Buy any cheap house or wooded lot (cabin or lodge). Demolish (or harvest), build a ranch, and sell it.
Use the money to buy any cheap house or wooded lot. Buy 250 materials. Build a sawmill.
Buy any more cheap houses (cabin or lodge). Use the ranch house money to buy 1,000 materials and 3 more men.
Build and sell a Victorian.
Use the money to buy any inexpensive house left (chalets), and at least 2,500 materials.
Build a hotel and upgrade between the rent cycles.
Buy any other chalets that come up for sell and demolish. Build a second hotel and start to upgrade.
Buy the last chalet, demolish, and build another hotel.
At this point you should have 3 hotels upgraded to 3 stars. This will bring in enough money that you can start buying the ranches. Demolish the ranches and build 2 more hotels and upgrade to 3 stars.
Let the money accumulate and then buy the Victorians as they come up for sale. Build a real estate office and stage your hotels.
At this point you should have 5 3-star hotels (staged), a sawmill, workshop, and real estate building. Buy the last Victorian and demolish.
Buy 5,000 materials and demolish the sawmill. Build, stage, paint, and start upgrading 2 chalets while you wait for enough money to buy back the hotel you sold.
Once you have the money buy back the hotel. Demolish, build a chalet, paint, stage, and start upgrading.
While you are upgrading the chalets (after all three have been staged), demolish the real estate office and reforest the lot. Start demolishing hotels and reforest the lots.
Demolish the workshop & reforest.
Expert Level 7
Requirements: $7,000,000 in cash, appeal of +70, harvest 7 tree lots. "Hidden" requirements: 7 green lodges.
You start with two empty lots. Build and sell a chalet.
Use the money to buy 1,000 materials, then build a workshop.
Buy and demolish a cabin.
Build and sell a second chalet.
Buy wooded lots as they come up, but don't buy houses yet.
Buy 2 men and 1,000 materials.
Harvest any wooded lots.
Build and sell a ranch.
Buy just enough materials to get what you need to build a sawmill (900), and buy efficiency. Buy the last wooded lot and harvest.
Build a sawmill.
Use the last of the ranch money to buy 2,500 materials and 3 more men.
Build and sell a Victorian.
Use the money to buy 3 more men and 2,500 more materials. Buy any cheap house (cabin, lodge), and demolish.
Build your first hotel.
Upgrade the hotel as you can, buy another cheap house, demolish, and build a second hotel.
Upgrade your hotels between rent cycles. Keep buying the cheap houses (including chalets) and building hotels until you have 5 hotels. Don't buy the Victorians yet.
Buy manpower up to about 20 workers.
Once all 5 hotels are 5 stars, paint them, inspect them, and then start buying the Victorians.
Upgrade the Victorians to 3 stars, then inspect, then let the money roll in.
While the money is coming in, buy around 10,000 materials, then demolish the sawmill.
Replace the sawmill with a real estate office.
Stage the hotels to bring in more income, then appraise one of the hotels. Make sure the appraised hotel is painted before you appraise.
Demolish the real estate office.
On the empty lot where the real estate office was, reforest then harvest 4 or 5 times until you get to the 7 harvests required.
Build a garden center.
When the money hits around $4,500,000, demolish the Victorians and build lodges. Paint them green and landscape.
When the money is around $5,500,000, sell the appraised hotel.
You should hit $7,000,000, so start demolishing the hotels and replacing them with lodges.
Paint the lodges green and landscape.
Once you have 6 green lodges (landscaped), demolish the garden center and build the last lodge. Paint green.
Demolish the workshop and you will hit the proper appeal level.
Expert Level 8
Requirements: Sell 5 houses, own 25,000 materials, appeal of +60. "Hidden" requirements: 12 tree lots.
You will need a lot of manpower on this level (24 or more workers), a sawmill, a workshop, and a real estate office.
The picnic parks are also key, as each one is worth +20 appeal. In the end you will own nothing but three picnic parks and 12 tree lots.
You begin with four houses, a Victorian, two cabins, and a lodge.
Sell the Victorian.
Demolish the 2 cabins.
Build a sawmill.
After the sawmill is built, buy 2,500 materials and build a workshop. Demolish the lodge at the same time.
Buy 3 more men and efficiency.
Build and sell a ranch.
Buy any cheap houses (cabins, lodges) that come on the market.
Start building hotels. Start with two, and upgrade as you can.
Once you have two 3-star hotels bringing in the money, continue to buy cheap houses. Keep one cabin and demolish the rest.
Build a real estate office.
Continue to buy men and materials, and build 4 more hotels and upgrade to 3 stars.
Also stage the hotels to bring in more money.
Sell, buy back, and sell again the one cabin until you have hit the 5 house sale requirements. Use the force buy (offer double) to keep buying it back and then sell. The last time you buy it back (when you hit the requirements), demolish.
Also continue to buy houses as you can afford them. Once you have 6 3 star hotels bringing in the money, when you buy the other houses just inspect the more expensive ones. Demolish 3 cheap houses and build picnic parks on the lots.
If necessary, use the force buy (offer double) to buy the last house available.
Once you have all of the lots, keep buying materials until you hit 25,000.
Demolish the real estate office and sawmill and the cheaper houses (not hotels) and reforest the lots.
Demolish the hotels and reforest the land as soon as it is clear.
When you are left with 3 picnic parks and 11 wooded lots, demolish the workshop and reforest the lot.
Expert Level 9
Requirements: Stage 5 houses, appeal of +300, rental income of $1,000,000. "Hidden" requirements: none.
You're going to need a lot of manpower (probably 30), a lot of materials, and a lot of 3 star hotels that have been staged to get that rental income.
Depending upon your placement of swimming pools, you will need between 10 and 11 hotels that are staged, 3 star, landscaped, and painted.
You will also need to get those industrial buildings off of the premium lots and down to the industrial lots.
You will start with 4 premium lots (each has an industrial building on it) and one wooded lot somewhere in the middle.
Demolish the garden center, build a Victorian on the lot, and sell it.
Buy efficiency and 3 more men.
Harvest the empty lot for 2,400 materials.
Demolish the sawmill and build a hotel there.
Buy wooded lots as they come up. Harvest them immediately for materials.
Start building hotels on the empty lots. Leave a few spaces between for swimming pools.
Stage your first hotels, then start upgrading.
Eventually you will get the industrial lots. Harvest them for materials, then build a workshop there.
Buy efficiency from the new workshop, then demolish the old workshop on the premium lot.
You can get a lot of materials from the empty lots, but eventually you will need to build a sawmill down on the industrial lot.
On the third industrial lot (when you get it), build a garden center.
Keep the real estate office where it is in the premium lots.
Continue to build, stage, and upgrade hotels as you get the money or resources. Pretty soon you will own all of the empty lots.
Continue to build, stage, and upgrade hotels between rent cycles. Paint and landscape the hotels as well.
Buy back the Victorian when you can, demolish, and build a hotel.
Your premium spots should have 4 hotels, the real estate building, and one empty lot. Build a swimming pool on the empty lot.
Continue to build until you have 10 hotels that are staged and 3 star.
Demolish the real estate building and build a pool.
Make sure hotels are painted and landscaped.
Build swimming pools as necessary to bring up the appeal. Keep one lot empty.
If you can't quite make the rent with all 10 hotels at peak capacity, build an 11th hotel and it will put you over the top rent-wise.
Expert Level 10
Requirements: Own 4 buildings, reforest 12 empty lots, appraise 12 houses, demolish 12 houses, $10,000,000 in cash. "Hidden" requirements: none.
The trick here is the appraisals. Every time you upgrade a building in some way, the appraisal changes, so once you build a house, appraise it before you start upgrading, then appraise it again when you are done. You will quickly get the 12 appraisals.
You can also use the reforest, harvest, reforest trick on two lots until you hit the 12 reforest requirements.
In the course of the game you will demolish 12 houses, so no worries there.
You start with 2 cabins, a lodge, and a chalet.
Sell the chalet and demolish the 2 cabins.
Build a sawmill and demolish the lodge.
Build another chalet and sell it.
Buy any lodges or cabins that come up for sale.
Buy 2,500 materials and build a workshop.
Buy efficiency, demolish any lodges or cabins, and build and sell a ranch.
Buy and demolish the last of the lodges and cabins. Buy 3 men. Build and sell a Victorian.
Buy materials, start buying chalets, demolish, and build your first hotel.
Build a real estate office.
Appraise the hotel, then stage it, then start upgrading.
Demolish any more chalets you've bought and build a second hotel.
Continue the cycle of build, appraise, upgrade until you have 4 hotels.
Start buying the ranches. Demolish and build a garden center.
Landscape, paint, and appraise your first 3 star hotel, then sell.
Continue to finish the hotels, 3 star, landscape, paint, appraise, and sell. Buy back the ranches and Victorian.
Once you've gotten the ranches and Victorian, demolish.
Appraise and sell your first 3 star hotel.
Use two lots and begin reforesting, then harvesting, then reforesting until you hit the requirement.
Build a hotel on the other empty lot, appraise, then start upgrading.
Buy the other hotel (the non-upgraded one), appraise, upgrade, then appraise again.
Keep selling the upgraded hotels until you hit the $12,000,000.
Posted by: grinnyp | September 18, 2011 12:46 AM