Frequently Asked Questions

SR2020 FAQ:

Q: What is the release schedule for the Supreme Ruler 2020?

A: The official release date was June 17th 2008 in North America and June 20th Europe for an English language Boxed Version. Digital Download in English was available from GamersGate, a service of Paradox Interactive. Foreign language versions are currently in the works with German now released as of the end of July. Further dates will be posted as information becomes available.

Q: What is the current version of the game? How do I update?

A: Currently there has been an "Update 3" that makes the game version 5.3.2

To Update to the latest version, use the Check for Updates selection in the Supreme Ruler 2020 Windows Program Menu. This will automatically obtain the correct update for the version you are running. Alternately, you can download the latest update exe from a site such as Paradox Interactive's web site.

Q: What is the player's goal in the game?

According to the back of the box, "Take a Nation. Build an Army. Conquer the World." Supreme Ruler 2020 allows players to take control of a region of the world, assuming the role of political leader and commander-in-chief.

SR2020 Scenarios give players a challenge with a specific, shorter-term goal, such as defending against an attack, taking an objective within a specific time limit, winning a unification vote, and more. Scenarios can be military or diplomatic in scope.

SR2020 Campaigns are the Sandbox mode of the game, where players can select a nation and take control. Some Campaigns reflect the world in relative calm, while others will have regional wars and animosities right from the start. The World 2020 maps represents nations much as they are today, while the Shattered World maps represent the collapse of major nations into smaller regional powers. Players can set victory conditions and time limits for Campaign games, or else they can play in a true 'Sandbox' without restrictions.

While many people will play the game in different ways, the general goal is to become Supreme Ruler of the World by building up your nation's economy and armed forces, and achieving victory over other regions through military, and in some cases diplomatic, means.

Q: Does the storyline continue from the previous game?

A: No, Supreme Ruler 2020 follows a similar storyline but plays out on a world map at all stages and through a different style of single player experience.

Q: Can I play from any country of the world?

A: Almost. There are a few countries that where too small or not strategically important enough to be included. Most of the countries of the world are available for play in the Sandbox mode.

Q: Are there differences between the manual and the game?

A: Since a large printed manual needs to be sent for translation and printing long before the game's publication date, the result is some differences between the printed manual and the game itself. Some features such as 'Formation Move' and 'Select Units by Type' were added after the manual was finished, and some features such as Missile Silos (see below) were removed due to gameplay or other reasons. A revised manual in PDF form is included with the latest free updates and is accessible under the Supreme Ruler 2020 Windows Program Menu. As well, check the Readme file for late changes and additions.

Q: Are there Missile Silos and ICBMs in the game?

A: The original design was for SR2020 to include 'Missile Silos', which would be a fixed-location facility that is capable of firing long-range ICBM-type missiles. The original version of the SR2020 manual even made some references to these facilities. However, in practice the design and implementation of Missile Silos raised a number of issues that led to a final decision to not include them in SR2020. Factors in this decision included:

• Gameplay confusion resulting from two different interfaces to achieve the same action (units firing missiles through unit orders, and silos firing missiles through a facility interface).
• It is generally recognized that Missile Silos no longer are strategically significant as they once were. "Today much of the US arsenal has been placed on submarines (as SLBMs), while Russia has downsized their own force to a handful of mobile and silo-based weapons and Delta IV submarines. China also has silo-based weapons, but is now concentrating development on expanding its submarine and road mobile weapon capability." (wikipedia.org)
• SR2020 does include alternate strategic missile launching capability - in particular, submarine launched ICBM's are available, as are many land-launched strategic missile options.

For these and other reasons Missile Silos as a launch platform will not be included in SR2020.

Q: Why does country X not produce what it does in the real world?

A: While Supreme Ruler 2020 is set on a stage of the real world, the time line of 2020 means that some countries may have exhausted one resource and begun to harness another. A good deal of effort has been made to keep geographical areas historically consistent, but limited information and storyline necessities may cause our world map to be different from today's real world. For those wishing to contribute to the efforts of further improving the map, please look to our forum for information.

Also, check out our Advanced Topics FAQ.