It is year G+2, Second Semester10ebbor10, I've rectified your research. This includes canceling the heavy docking port though; researching ship modules isn't economically feasible and if you build a station modularly, I'd just consider that part of the design. In other words, it just wouldn't benefit you with the game mechanics. Don't worry, your Ж5,000 is refunded the same way as I would for technology that doesn't really require research.
Everyone: please examine your financial records and recorded technology, etc. and alert me to any derps I have made. Speaking of financial records, you'll also have to keep your own records with regards to how you divvy up money with employees, should you choose to do so. However, unless employees want to do freelance work or switch companies with the money they're given, I don't see much point to it.
RESULTS
Wraith's Riders, CEO Brood of the free planet JuraseFunds: Ж12,000
You spend some money (Ж5,000) on a decent marketing campaign. It's more valuable to the cargo ship, which is pointed at the general civilian populace, than the scout ship, but it nonetheless is a good opportunity to show off your brand.
Note that you can't sell individual instances of your technology; they have to be designed into ships rather than retrofitted.
You attempted to be build a new, fast scout craft with large liquid engines, an single cockpit and improved AI, two cannons and a tracker. You decided to use a steel frame, since everything else in the craft is rather heavy.
Cost: Ж8,500
Size: Medium
Weight: Medium
SPEED: 11 (Medium)
ARMOR: 5 (Medium)
WEAPONS: Cannon (2)
Mutations: None
You change the design to titanium armor, which adds significantly to the cost and makes it slightly heavier, but durable. The Promian Czarship is initially more interested in the faster
Raven-2, but your armament, advertising, and a little bit of luck convinces the Promian Czarship to sign their contract with you instead. However, at the increased manufacturing price, you only profit Ж15,000 from the ten-ship contract overall. The price of Ж10,000 per ship, you only sell a couple on the general market. This brings the total profit to Ж18,000 at twelve ships sold.
You attempted a large, fast cargo craft.
You decided on a steel ship with liquid thrusters and a single-person cockpit to reduce weight.
You added an improved AI, Large Engines, and a tracker.
COST: Ж6,000
Size: Large
Weight: Heavy
SPEED: 11 (medium)
ARMOR: 2 (caution!)
CARGO: 50 (very good)
Mutations: None
The AI added a bit of weight, but the large engines still made it faster.
Now with some reputation and advertising -and more importantly, no real competition- your large, fast cargo ships are selling well. The Improved AI is also a nice feature for pilots on the long haul. You've got the reputation to sell upfront, so you're able to sell 11 at the full price (profit Ж16,500) and 5 in a batch to Ultor (profit Ж2,500).
(Just going to say, you got some good dice rolls here)
-Particle Laser: While it will cost Ж10,000 to complete, you've successfully managed to come up with a design for a particle laser! This is similar to a laser- more powerful, without being heavier.
-Improved Ion Engines: You've stumbled across a design for more efficient ion engines! These are similar to Ion engines in most ways, but can keep up with liquid fuel engines. They will cost Ж10,000 to complete as well.
You complete the Improved Ion Engines for Ж10,000. They're pretty cool. You also finalize the particle laser.
Unity Shipyards, Inc. CEO Nirur Torir, of Swadian planet Achilles IIFunds: Ж77,500
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.
You attempted to reduce the price by cutting down on armor and removing the cannon.
Cost: Ж3,000
Size: Large
Weight: Medium
SPEED: 2 (Low)
ARMOR: 3 (medium)
CARGO: 40 (medium)
TOOLS: Mining Laser, Scoop
Mutations: Neigh.
Between cutting out material and a little extra engineering, you cut the cost of your ship without inducing problems.
During your last-minute design work, you cut out the honeycombing. This happens to also slightly reduce the durability further, but now with even less material and engines it's a pretty cheap ship. The weight class has fallen as well.
The Ultor corporation favors your Salmon Light over its predecessor, since they've not had much harassment from space banditos. They fill out an order for 8, and you profit Ж16,000. You sell three (profit Ж6,000) to independents and four of the old Salmons (Ж10,000) to independents who feel like their mining ships need guns.
You attempted to build a light, two-pilot steel ship with small engines, a small passenger space and a TV.
Cost: Ж3,000
Weight: Light
Size: Small
Speed: 9 (Medium)
Armor: 4 (Low)
Passengers: 10
Tools: TVs
Mutations: This ship's frame includes a bit of empty space that could be used for so-call "smuggler's compartments".
You run a safety inspection on the Minnow. There is definitely, totally, no chance if it blowing up. In fact, you even find a few small areas you can bolster the frame without adding significant weight. You sell four of the Minnows to various independents- there aren't many willing to sign ahead, and you're mostly out of money from manufacturing at this point. You profit Ж8,000.
-Improved Mining Lasers: You get a design going for some more powerful mining lasers. It'll cost Ж10,000 to complete.
While you have the improved mining laser plans, you leave them on the shelf for now.
War Finch Enterprises, CEO IronyOwl of the free planet Venom 8Funds: Ж80,500
You'll be able to research an on-ship pool next semester, but not before, I'm afraid. Much of the science involved has to do with keeping the water in one place in a rapidly-accelerating, low gravity environment.
You issue a statement saying that the issue with the old Warfinches has been resolved, and spend Ж3,000 on recall/repair work to make the existing ones safe. Despite this, many people are still still swayed by the V.N.C. documentary criticizing your ship and others, which dramatizes the recent explosion.
You attempted to build a passenger craft with reinforced steel structure, liquid engines, two-person cockpit, long-range sensors, and luxury passenger space as well as TVs and long-range sensors.
Cost: Ж6,000
Size: Large
Weight: Heavy
SPEED: 6 (medium)
ARMOR: 5 (medium)
PASSENGERS: 20, Luxury
TOOLS: Televisions, Long Range Sensors
Mutations: This ship looks good! However, it's a bit of a gas guzzler, making it expensive to maintain.
You attempt to clear up the fuel efficiency issues, but only partly succeed. The contractee isn't extremely impressed, but there's no real competition. You win the contract and manufacture the one ship for Ж40,000. You profit Ж34,000.
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 atmosphere. You decided on a 2-person cockpit for reliability.
You attempted to improve the armor of the old ship. You decided to switch to reinforced steel.
COST: Ж5000
Size: Large
Weight: Heavy
SPEED: 6 (Medium)
ARMOR: 5 (Medium)
PASSENGERS: 25 (Good)
Mutations: Despite being large and heavy, the ship is good looking. You find and fix a dangerous fuel line issue!
You try to make the ship faster before it meets the market, but don't find a good way to do so without cutting back in other areas. People aren't interested in the old WarFinches at all and they're hesitant to buy the new ones, due to competition as well as the safety issues. They're also a bit pricy, so you only convince one buyer to try it out. You profit Ж2,500.
Someone successfully sets off a bomb in your manufacturing facilities! The damage ends up costing Ж15,000 to repair! You don't catch the perpetrator...Raven's Ships, CEO scapheap of the Promian planet Gaia 1Funds: Ж87,800
You attempted to develop a light, fast scout ship.
You decided on a steel frame, liquid engines, a laser, and a single cockpit.
Cost: Ж3,000
Weight: Light
Size: Small
ARMOR: 2 (caution)
SPEED: 13 (Medium)
WEAPONS: Laser
Mutations: It's downright spindly, but very fast. There seems to be something else you can't quite pin...
You think it could benefit from lighter equipment or materials, but those aren't available to you just yet. You might benefit from acquiring the coilgun technology, somehow.
You advertise your ship to the Promian Czarship, but they turn you down in favor of another ship, the Wraithrider-2, despite your ship being faster and -you think- better for the contract. You advertise the Raven-2 to the general public, and sell 7 at the price of Ж4,000, profiting Ж7,000. You sell six more (profit Ж4,800) of the Raven-1s, but other transport ships seem to be cutting in to your business.
-Jamming System: Ж10,000 to complete by next year. This will successfully block sensors and communications close to the ship, but long range sensors could still spot it.
You decide to leave the plans for this research unused for now.
Kingfisher Ships, CEO Kingfisher1112 of the free planet CrudofFunds: Ж69,500
You attempted to design a heavily armoured, slow, large ship armed with coilguns.
You decided on liquid engines and a reinforced steel frame, and a single-pilot cockpit.
Cost: Ж7,000
Size: Large
Weight: Heavy
SPEED: 3 (Low)
ARMOR: 6 (Medium)
WEAPONS: Coilgun (3)
Mutations: Dude, you managed to cram 3 guns on! That's a lot of firepower.
This ship's pretty nice as is. You got some good rolls.
The Swadian Empire is pleased with your heavy ships, not that there's competition anyway. You earn their contract and profit a total of Ж30,000. Most other people aren't convinced they need a heavy-duty gunship, but you sell one (Ж3,000) anyway.
V.N.C., CEO 10ebbor10 of the free planet VraxusFunds: Ж39,200
You launch a documentary criticizing other spaceship manufacturers on their general practices, including the recent explosion of a Warfinch-1 craft, complete with CGI explosions. You also criticize the lives of "sock-puppet miners" (after the Unity Shipyards propaganda series), saying that they're often attacked by banditos or succumb to space madness.
You attempted to create a cheap, ultralight drone with Ion engines and a mining laser.
You decided on a steel structure.
Cost: Ж2000
Size: Small
Weight: Light
Speed: 3 (Low)
Armor: 2 (Caution)
Speed: 3 (Low)
Weapons: Mining Laser
Mutations: None.
You sell 8 of the drones to the Ultor corporation, as well as a new Mining Station. You also sell two to the same people you sold your other station to, profiting Ж14,000 in total counting the discount on drones to Ultor.
-Distributed AI: You attempt to work on an AI that's distributed across multiple ships and combines their intelligences, but you don't succeed.
-Heavy Docking System: You decide this won't be very valuable, and so don't spend money on preliminary research.
Aluminum and Titanium are now available at reasonable prices, thanks to Ultor's expanding operations.
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.
-Improved Ion Engines: Wraith's Riders Only! More expensive, but better than Ion Engines in almost every way, putting out power similar to liquid engines while being cheap to run.
STRUCTURE:
-Steel: It's moderately priced, and solid.
-Aluminum: A little more expensive than steel, but similarly strong. It's a lot lighter.
-Titanium Structure: A little heavier, a little more expensive, and stronger than steel.
-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.
-Particle Laser: Wraith's Riders Only! Very similar to the laser, but does more damage- enough to threaten decently armored ships.
-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.
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.
-Tracking System: Wraith's Riders only! Allows the company to track their ships.
-The Ultor Corporation has been expanding very quickly, and will buy very few ships this coming year.
-Demand for civilian cargo and passenger ships is decreasing somewhat, competition is getting stiffer.
-Hewett Interspace Moving has formed out of various private cargo haulers. They're putting out a contract for Ж80,000 for ten cargo ships. Speed and cargo space are priorities, defense and weapons are a bonus but they may hire escort craft instead if the cargo ships aren't able to defend themselves.
-The Swadian Empire wants to expand its main fighting force and is offering a contract to buy 20 ships from the lowest bidder whose ship is capable of taking on a typical Bandito ship (Approx. 2 armor, 5 speed, one cannon or laser and a single pilot). A typical manned ship should have no problem.
-The Promian Czarship is offering a contract to the lowest bidder for 15 ships capable of defending themselves against the Swadians' heavy ships, the Kingfisher-2s.
-Spacewood Movie Studios is looking to make a movie about intrepid space hero Zapp Brannigan. They're willing to pay Ж2,000 for the most awesome looking ship their hero can pilot. The real reward here is the PR.
-The First Galactic Space Races are being hosted. There is a Ж40,000 reward for the winning entrant, who will probably be the fastest ship- but there's a chance banditos, space junk, or even sabotage will get in the way. Ships must be manned.
-Military interest is growing towards a "flagship" of sorts. While not this year, as the technology isn't there at all, there may soon be demand for a large, heavily armed ship capable of the long-term support and refueling of smaller craft.
A side note- I'm thinking of dropping the loan system and just saying that contracts pay upfront, where individual purposes are only possible if you have the money to manufacture them, limiting the total amount of ships you can sell. If you can't manufacture (or fail to sell) any ships, and can't get contracts either, you're bankrupt.
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Topic: Manufacture Spaceships Year 4. Promian Czarships claims captured alien craft! (Read 12793 times)