User blog:Sucinum/General Scenario Guide

Draft of a new page to reduce redundancy in scenario guides.

General

The first step in a new park is to pause the game and have a look on your park. You can set up a few things as long as the game is paused.
Many scenarios already have prebuilt paths. Be sure to block off unused paths so your guests don't get lost. Avoid long walks and dead ends, so your guests don't have to wander around aimlessly.
Also check for Path Items to make sure there are enough benches (every 3-5 tiles) and litter bins (every 10-12 tiles).
You need enough Staff to keep your park running and clean. Set patrol areas to coordinate your handymen, while mechanics are usually good to run around freely (unless your park is kind of mazy).
A handymen can keep about 30-40 tiles of path clean, depending on how nauseating the rides next to them are are. Be sure to keep your park clean from litter and vomit as much as possible, otherweise guests will vandalize benches and litter bins.
Each mechanic can keep 3-4 rides running, keep adding as soon as they are fully stressed. You will have to reduce maintenance times once rides get older, so check your mechanics' status now and then.
Build enough stalls so your guests don't have to search long when they get hungry, thirsty or need to visit a bathroom. Place food stalls near less nauseating rides to prevent your guests from vomoting all over the area. Stalls with souveniers should go to your most exciting rides, since happy guests are more inclined to buy balloons etc.

You can setup Research as long as the game is paused, so do that as one of the first steps after beginning a scenario.
Most important is to fulfill the basic needs of your guests, that means you should research Shops and Stalls until Bathroom, Drink Stall (or similar), Information Kiosk and at least one Food stall are available.
Next consider researching roller coasters until you have a good design available. Examples for good roller coasters are Steel Roller Coaster, Steel Corkscrew Roller Coaster, Wooden Crazy Rodent Roller Coaster and Steel Wild Mouse Roller Coaster since they allow to build cheap, compact and popular rides.
Since your guests have different needs, consider building a variety of Gentle Rides, Thrill Rides and roller coasters and set up research accordingly.
Researching Theming and ride upgrades isn't that important usually.