It is year G+3, Semester 1The third round of space ship designs is completed, and the heat is on? Who will have a critical safety flaw? Whose ship will be embarrassingly unfashionable? Who will be the subject of treacherous corporate espionage (hint: it's someone!) Who will Sensei take out his killer-GM urges on? Read below to find out!
Going on I've been thinking about how I've put together the ships, and figured that the prices aren't all equal for what ships do. That was the intent anyway, since there's some randomness involved, but I may start assigning actual prices, or at least price ranges, to things on the technology list. If I do, I'm only going to go back and change the base price of ships that are ESPECIALLY off, though. What would all you folks say to that? The main issue is I'm iffy on making enough changes that I would have to restart the game to be fair, and thus leaving either people dissatisfied that they got shafted because they were/weren't in the first few turns, or of course having to restart.
RESULTSWraith's Riders, CEO Brood of the free planet JuraseFunds: Ж1000
You receive Ж19,000 from a corporate support donation, but you still aren't able to complete all the research projects you planned.
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. You changed to a Titanium frame. You also switched to improved Ion engines.
Cost: Ж8,000
Size: Medium
Weight: Medium
SPEED: 9 (Medium)
ARMOR: 5 (Medium)
WEAPONS: Particle Laser (2)
Mutations: None
The drop in Titanium prices has reduced the cost of this ship. You consider using reinforced aluminum, but that would be more expensive. You also switch to improved Ion engines, which are slower but make the ship cheaper to run. Furthermore you switched to particle lasers, which are quite expensive but also one of the deadlier weapons available. It not looks much more like a medium fighter craft than a scout.
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. You switched to a reinforced aluminum frame and tried to make it bigger.
COST: Ж6,000
Size: Large
Weight: Heavy
SPEED: 7 (medium)
ARMOR: 4 (Low)
CARGO: 65 (very good)
Mutations: None
The AI added a bit of weight, but the large engines still made it faster.
Although this is one of larger craft on the market, you try to make it bigger and better. A change to reinforced aluminum makes it heavier, and you manage to improve the cargo capacity nonetheless by 15. This results in a significant drop in speed, but it's not abominable.
In light of the funds spent, you decide to only continue the Larger Engine program and the Turret program.
-Engines: You come up with a decent draft for Extra Large liquid engines. They're enough to drive huge ships at a decent speed. The program will only cost Ж5,000 to finalize, but the engines themselves will be expensive on ships.
-The auto-turret program bears no fruit. You might be able to complete it later, but you realize it's pretty ambitious.
Funds: Ж42,800
Someone charged unauthorized billing to your account! You stop the charges, but not before losing Ж25,000.You attempted to develop a light, fast scout ship.
You decided on a steel frame, liquid engines, a laser, and a single cockpit.
Cost: Ж3,500
Weight: Light
Size: Small
ARMOR: 4 (Medium)
SPEED: 12 (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 decide switching to titanium is the best way to add armor, without sacrificing much speed. Adding a second laser would be a little taxing on your small ship.
-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 finish the jamming system for Ж10,000. You can retrofit it to a ship during the next turn if need be.
Kingfisher Ships, CEO Kingfisher1112 of the free planet CrudofFunds: Ж39,500
You vaguely set out to build a ship that meets the Swadian contract, and uses a coilgun/coilguns. You decided on a steel frame, liquid engines, and a one-man cockpit.
Cost: Ж4,000
Size: Medium
Weight: Light
Speed: 7 (medium)
Armor: 4 (medium)
Weapons: Coilgun (2)
Mutations: The weapons seem to have a serious overheating problem.
-Larger Coilgun: It's not an unreasonable project, but you don't succeed this year.
Funds: Ж60,500
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. You attempted to add cannons, a docking system, and improve the speed.
Cost: Ж6,000
Size: Large
Weight: Heavy
SPEED: 6 (medium)
ARMOR: 5 (medium)
PASSENGERS: 20, Luxury
WEAPONS: Cannon
TOOLS: Televisions, Long Range Sensors, Docking System
Mutations: This ship looks good! However, it's a bit of a gas guzzler, making it expensive to maintain.
You arm the ship with a cannon, as well as a docking system, which both add weight. You don't succeed in improving the speed at all, but somehow manage to add the new systems without hurting the ship's sleek look. If you're going to get it going faster, you'll need some better engine tech.
-Spaceship Pool: You're well on track to getting a pool working! You'll just need Ж5,000 to complete the project.
-Improved Ion Engines: You succeed in researching these. It will take Ж15,000 to complete, however.
-Improved Life Support: Your engineers don't deign this necessary, your life support systems are already resilient and capable of keeping a comfortable climate onboard. As long as there's no holes in the wall.
Funds: Ж16,600
The drop in Titanium prices has benefited your station and tug models. The station now costs Ж17,000 to produce, and the tug Ж4,000.
You attempted to create a cheap, ultralight drone with Ion engines and a mining laser.
You decided on a steel structure. You switched to an aluminum structure, a regular laser and an Advanced AI.
Cost: Ж2600
Size: Small
Weight: Light
Speed: 5 (Low)
Armor: 3 (Low)
Weapons: Laser
Mutations: None.
You attempted to improve the ship by licensing the WraithRider AI and switching to aluminum structure and a proper laser. The result is a cheap, effective combat drone. It might be a good competitor for the Swadian contract this year.
Sixes were rolled, sir. Sixes were rolled.
-Distributed AI: A stroke of luck! You're on a lead to develop this highly advanced technology at only Ж10,000.
-Hangars: Another stroke of luck! Your research team projects they'll be able to finalize some hangar designs for only Ж5,000.
Unity Shipyards, Inc. CEO Nirur Torir, of Swadian planet Achilles IIFunds: Ж65,000
You attempted to build a light, two-pilot steel ship with small engines, a small passenger space and a TV. You attempted to scale the defense down to 2 and switch to aluminum, making it fast as possible.
Cost: Ж3,000
Weight: Light
Size: Small
Speed: 14 (Medium)
Armor: 2 (Caution!)
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". It's very cramped inside. Something seems off about it...
You make the switch to aluminum, and cut down on armoring and structure. You succeed in making it one of the fastest ships around, albeit cramped inside, with 10 passengers! However, something in your engineering instincts tells you that this is too good to be true.
-Cloaking: It'll be expensive, at Ж15,000 to finalize the design, but you think you can pull off a basic cloaking system. It will work best on small ships with less heat output, and best while gliding with the engines off.
-Plasma Engines: Not a bad idea, but you don't complete it this year. It would be easier if you had access to some other, more advanced technology, like the improved liquid or improved ion engines.
Wraithrider-1A and Wraithrider-2: (Brood) The Wraithrider-1A retains its popularity as New Calradia's premier hauling ship. The Promian Czarship says that their squad of Wraithrider-2s encountered a group of alien spacecraft, and shot three down before being forced to retreat. While somewhat sensational, they don't have anything to prove the claim. In a show of irony, there are a number of reports of a rogue Wraithrider-2 shooting down Wraithrider-1A's full of cargo.
Salmon/Salmon Light/Minnow: (Nirur Torir) The Salmon Light is well-received as a cheaper entry-level mining craft. The Salmon also retains a bit of popularity, even though miners aren't often the subject of pirate attacks. The new Minnow establishes itself as a price-competitive rival to the older "space taxis".
Egret-1, Warfinch-1A: (IronyOwl) Since you've made the only luxury ship on the market, the Egret-1, WarFinch enterprises has gained some notable rep in making comfortable passenger craft. The Egret buyer says the ship is very comfortable, although there's some lack of partyin' down facilities. People hesitate the use the WarFinch-1A, especially in light of the documentaries showing problems with the original. Still, the one you sell is seeing regular use by the end of the year. Even at its current price, it's the cheapest per-passenger ship on the market and that could be a selling point in the coming semester.
Raven-2: (scapheap) The Raven-2 becomes somewhat popular both for pirates and their enemies, since it's fast and small enough to outmaneuver the popular Wraithrider cargo ships. However, it also has a tendency to be brought down by even a single laser or cannon shot, and when it's not destroyed, the cockpit is apparently exposed enough that sometimes the pilot is killed outright! It's earned a reputation such that some people call it the "brave man's coffin". Meanwhile, the Raven-1 space taxis face stiff competition from their slightly more affordable (to passengers) rival, the Unity Shipyards Minnow.
Kingfisher-2: (Kingfisher1112) The Swadians are quite pleased with your heavy fighters. While they don't have the speed to pick their engagements, any foolish banditos who come within range are easily dispatched. The one civilian group who bought a Kingfisher-2 reports similar results.
Vraxian Mining Drone: (10ebbor10) The mining drones and station are effective, if a little complex to keep operating, due to the number of different ships involved. There's still reports of occasional AI hiccups and shutdowns, but they manage to stay productive. Human miners maintain competition, and there's even a few people arguing for the advantage of drones due to "space madness".
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Topic: Manufacture Spaceships Year 4. Promian Czarships claims captured alien craft! (Read 12920 times)