Games where you build up a company/business? (Not tycoon type games)

[Stelly]

Hmmm yeah I quite liked CIM 1. It doesn't really have the whole continuous start up your business with nothing and end up with a huge empire type of deal though, it's more mission orientated isn't it?

Am I looking for something that seemingly doesn't exist?

I thought that there was a sandbox mode? There is in the second one...

Stelly

 

[linktoinsanity]

Isn't "Tycoon" an alternate word for businessman?

 

[SPARC]

If you don't mind trading roads for the water, and you don't mind dated/minimalistic graphics, Ports of Call XXL is very good. It's a sequel to the old Amiga classic which has you running a Shipping Company and controlling your ships.

http://www.portsofcall.de/xxl/index.html

There's even a 3D addon but I haven't tried it myself.

In a similar vein to what Treebiter has recommended here, there is also a game called Port Royale. Basically you're a trader in the 17th century and you can build up fleets of ships to fight and trade. Eventually you can own entire towns and pretty much fight everyone or dominate with your fleet of ships. I gave Port Royale 2 a go a few years back and from what I remember it was pretty damn good. I see there is also a 3rd title in the series.

Oh, almost forgot. You get to control the ships during a battle too. That was my favourite part even though I was never very good at naval warfare.