It is year G+1, Second SemesterThe Second Semester is complete, and you're seeing your first income! You can continue to sell or modify previous blueprints, and you may find it more profitable than making an entirely new ship for some contracts. What's more, some of the first new technologies are on the table. Now time for more designs, redesigns, and research as you move to fulfill new contracts!
Things to keep in mind include that improvements made to designs during the semester are last-minute, and unless you say otherwise you're assumed to be marketing your ships as having those improvements... even if you don't end up being finished, or your fixes create more problems. Also, now that we have a rough system going,
you can build ships with target numbers in mind, like "costs less than Ж5000 to manufacture" or "has a speed of 10". I still strongly prefer you to actually specify which components you have in mind. If your requirements are too ambitious or too many, you're likely to fall short in other areas, fall short in your target areas, or introduce bad mutations.
Soon, you'll see how your ships are performing in the field. Cross your fingers for no violent mishaps- to you own ships, anyway!
Lastly, these posts sure are long... how's the format/readability feel to you guys?
RESULTSKingfisher Ships, CEO Kingfisher1112 of the free planet CrudofFunds: Ж66,500
You attempted to create an autonomous drone with cannons and an Ion engine. You decided on a steel structure to keep it light and a single cannon.
Cost: Ж1500
Size: Small
SPEED: 8 (Medium)
ARMOR: 2 (Caution!)
WEAPONS: Cannon
Mutations: The ship is unusually cheap and light!
While not durable, the lack of a human pilot means that this ship is nearly disposable.
People are leery of an automated gun, and private weapons are illegal in the Swadian empire. However, some civilians in the Promian empire and free plants are allured by the promise of very cheap protection. You sell an initial run of 13 drones to assorted people interested, for a revenue of Ж26,000 and profit of Ж6,500. You might consider selling these for more once some consumer confidence builds.
-Coilgun: The electric coilgun is similar to a regular cannon, but lighter for lack of chemical fuel. It will cost Ж10,000 to complete.
For the cost of Ж10,000, you complete the Coilgun! You may include it in future designs.
Raven's Ships, CEO scapheap of the Promian planet Gaia 1Funds: Ж87,800
You attempt to design a cheap, small, reliable "space taxi".
You decided on a steel ship with liquid engines and a one-man cockpit.
Cost: Ж2,000
Size: Small
Weight: Light
SPEED: 11 (Medium)
ARMOR: 3 (Low)
PASSENGERS: 5 (Low)
Mutations: None.
You succeed in making the ship look less phallic by moving the main thrusters up the body. However, it has become slightly slower. You market it as a transport solution to various free bodies. You get an offer to buy 16 at the price of Ж2,800. You profit Ж12,800.
You cannot currently begin a research project due to your marketing efforts. You may begin researching in the design semester.
V.N.C., CEO 10ebbor10 of the free planet VraxusFunds: Ж65,200
You attempted to design a Reinforced Titanium station with Ion Engines, an AI, mining tools and scoops, and weapons, as well as long range sensors. You couldn't get a railgun ready, so decided to use lasers instead.
Cost: Ж22,000
Size: X-Large
Weight: X-Heavy
SPEED: 1 (Station)
ARMOR: 7 (Medium)
CARGO: 150 (High)
WEAPONS: Mining Laser (3), Laser (2)
TOOLS: Scoop (3), Docking Port, Long Range Sensors
Mutations: The Titanium is prohibitively expensive right now. No random mutations.
You struggle to prepare a steel version, but you don't succeed in preparing it before marketing time rolls around. You convince Ultor Mining to purchase one (on a "trial basis" they say, but you insist that there will be no refunds) as well as a private mining group to make the investment. From the two sales, you profit Ж16,000.
You attempted to build a simple ship with powerful engines for tugging the space station. Including Liquid & Ion engines, a 2-person cockpit, and a reinforced titanium hull.
Cost: Ж6,000
Size: Small
Weight: Heavy
SPEED: 3 (Low)
ARMOR: 6 (medium)
WEAPONS: Laser
TOOLS: Tugging Rig, Extra Fuel (For station)
Mutations: The Titanium is prohibitively expensive right now. Also, the ship is unusually heavy for what it is.
You could try to make it lighter or switch to reinforced steel (no weight difference).
Ultor and the private mining group each purchase one space tug, and another private group purchases one with mainly the tow cable in mind (but they are "happy to have the gun"). In total, you profit Ж8,000. However, to cover the cost (you didn't have enough manufacturing money after the stations) you were forced to take a loan at 20%, costing Ж3,800.
Wraith's Riders, CEO Brood of the free planet JuraseFunds: Ж55,000
You attempted a large, fast cargo craft.
You decided on a steel ship with liquid thrusters and a single-person cockpit to reduce weight.
COST: Ж6,000
Size: Large
Weight: Heavy
SPEED: 9 (medium)
ARMOR: 2 (caution!)
CARGO: 50 (very good)
Mutations: None
You only really have enough time to make one modification to the design, so you focus on handling the explosion issue. You succeed in reinforcing the fuel line, but at the cost of some speed. You also aren't able to add the tracker, that will have to wait until next design phase. You market the ship and successfully sell ten, five of them being to Ultor, at a price of Ж8,500. You profit Ж25,000. Being the only main-cargo ship on the market really helped.
-Tracking System: You design it, without need for further funds! It can simply be built into a ship's sensors and will share the range of the sensors. You can work it into ship designs starting next year.
-Engines: You are on to a design for High-Powered liquid engines, but it will take Ж10,000 to complete and be ready for next year's designs.
-Armor: You make no progress. However, the expensive material Titanium has come on to the market.
-AI: You make some progress on an AI that's reliable for simple tasks, but it's not as good as a pilot. Ж10,000 to complete.
-Sensor Jamming: You make no valuable progress, but have a better chance of getting it next year.
You complete the High-Powered liquid engines and more reliable AI. This sets you back Ж20,000, and you have two new technologies! Further research work can be made in the next design semester.
Unity Shipyards, Inc. CEO Nirur Torir, of Swadian planet Achilles IIFunds: Ж77,500
You spend your Ж2,500 on TV miniseries, hoping to target potential private ship owners. Somewhere along the line the small group of people you hired decided the series should be done with sock puppets, but it was... memorable, at least. By the end of the day, Sock-Jordan was the admiration of many sock-women and obliterated many sock-space-banditos.
You attempted to design a large mining ship with Ion engines, reinforced steel structure, its own cargo, and a cannon for protection. You decided on a one-man cockpit.
Cost: Ж5,000
Size: Large
Weight: Heavy
SPEED: 2 (Low)
ARMOR: 5 (medium)
CARGO: 40 (medium)
WEAPONS: Cannon
TOOLS: Mining Laser, Scoop
Mutations: The honeycomb structure is unusually heavy for what it is, slowing your ship.
You spend your last-minute design time checking and double-checking the ship for safety purposes (does not cost extra). You don't find anything worrying. The Ultor Corporation decides to buy three ships from you, and you sell five to other parties, profiting Ж20,000.
-You're on the road to developing small liquid-fuel engines, but it will be Ж15,000 to complete.
You go ahead and develop the small liquid engines, spend Ж15,000. They're pretty cool.
War Finch Enterprises, CEO IronyOwl of the free planet Venom 8Funds: Ж87,000
You attempted to design a cheap, safe, large passenger ship with unspecified components.
You decided on a steel ship with ion thrusters, and solid thrusters to escape the atomosphere. You decided on a 2-person cockpit for reliability.
COST: Ж4000
Size: Large
Weight: Heavy
SPEED: 7 (Medium)
ARMOR: 3 (Low)
PASSENGERS: 25 (Good)
Mutations: Despite being large and heavy, the ship is good looking.
You attempy to make the ship faster. As a rush last effort, you manage to increase the fuel flow. The now moderately-fast passenger ship is picked up by a few buyers, you successfully sell 3 for a profit of Ж12,000. The price is seen is fairly steep, though, for a craft without much equipment.
CURRENT TECHNOLOGY:List now includes new technologies, and who has access to them.
Incidentally, if I haven't said already, you are perfectly welcome to sell designs and tech to eachother at whatever price you see fit.
ENGINES:
-Solid Fuel: Disposable, good for getting ships into the air and not much else.
-Liquid Fuel: Fairly powerful, but expensive and heavy.
-Ion Engine: Light and economic, but slow.
-High-Powered Liquid: Wraith's Riders Only! More expensive than regular liquid engines, but capable of moving faster.
-Small Liquid: Unity Shipyards Only! Similar to the liquid engines, but capable of being fitted on very small craft.
STRUCTURE:
-Steel: It's moderately priced, and solid.
-Titanium Structure: Very expensive, until the Ultor mining corporation can expand.
-Reinforced: As another material, but heavier and stronger.
COCKPIT:
-One or Two pilot cockpit: One human pilot, or a human pilot and copilot fly the ship.
-Automated flight system: A computer flies the ship. Capable only of very simple instructions and not always reliable.
-Improved AI: Wraith's Riders Only! Like the other AI, but much more reliable, and a little more capable in general.
PAYLOAD:
-Cargo: Brought from planet to planet or accrued from space, in arbitrary units.
-Passengers: Space for a given number of passengers, with life support included.
WEAPONS/TOOLS:
-Mining laser: Breaks up asteroids for ore.
-Scooping arm: Retrieves asteroid chunks and scrap.
-Cannon: Fires lead rounds using solid rocket fuel (gunpowder doesn't work in space). Capable of piercing armor, but not accurate.
-Laser: Accurate, but expensive and weak. A laser and batteries weighs as much as a cannon and bullets.
-Coilgun: Kingfisher Ships Only! An electric projectile weapon. It's similar to the cannon, but fairly lightweight.
-Docking System: Connects two ships, only needs to be installed on one. Can transfer passengers and cargo. Not a hangar!
-Tugging rig: Allows one ship to pull another at low speeds only. Good for moving stations or disabled ships.
-Tracking System: Wraith's Riders only! Allows the company to track their ships.
OTHER:
-Short range sensors: Sensors and communications are on a craft by default
-Long rang sensors: Similar to above, but useful for exploration and military scouting.
Contracts for year G+2There's some more lucrative, competitive, and dare I say contractual contracts this year.
-A private entity is offering Ж40,000 for a luxury party yacht. They will, of course, only be buying one. It's up to you to design one and explain why yours is better than anyone else's.
-The Swadian Empire is now offering a contract of Ж100,000 for a fleet of ten manned gunships, including payment in advance if needed for construction. They are mainly interested in armor and armament. Keep in mind the cost of manufacturing the ships as you make an offer, and make a design. This will only be awarded to one company!
-The Promian Czarship is also offering a Ж100,000 contract for ten of the fasted armed scout ships said money can buy, including payment in advance if needed. This will only be awarded to one company!
-Ultor Mining Corporation is offering Ж5,000 a piece for mining craft, as much as they're available. They are also interested in shipping vessels, separately.
-The market for civilian passenger and cargo ships is still strong.
-Interest in private, atmospheric flight vehicles remains.