Financial effect of start year

OpenTTD is a fully open-sourced reimplementation of TTD, written in C++, boasting improved gameplay and many new features.

Moderator: OpenTTD Developers

leifbk
Chairman
Chairman
Posts: 810
Joined: 23 Dec 2013 16:33
Location: Bærum, Norway

Re: Financial effect of start year

Post by leifbk »

Eddi wrote:you don't actually need "resetengines" after you enable "vehicles never expire". it will snapshot the current vehicles (and their reliability). you only need "resetengines" if the vehicles were already retired (or their reliability already started to drop at the end of their lifecycle), to bring them back.
I know, I did it because the Max. Reliability of the 2 horse mail carriage looked a bit low, only 79% iirc. That may have been the actual max value all the time, but the "resetengines" doesn't hurt anyway.
PropH
Engineer
Engineer
Posts: 45
Joined: 10 Jun 2016 08:45
Location: Russia

Re: Financial effect of start year

Post by PropH »

leifbk wrote:
Baldy's Boss wrote:OK,so under the parameters under which I have been playing,survival remains impossible.
As for AIs, I doubt if any would survive the first 100 years under these conditions :)
Try NoCab
Sorry for my "great" English
leifbk
Chairman
Chairman
Posts: 810
Joined: 23 Dec 2013 16:33
Location: Bærum, Norway

Re: Financial effect of start year

Post by leifbk »

Baldy's Boss wrote:I play with infrastructures on,normal breakdowns,AIs present,and vehicles expiring as designed.
Now you're just reminding me of Eeyore.
PropH wrote:
leifbk wrote:As for AIs, I doubt if any would survive the first 100 years under these conditions :)
Try NoCab
I don't like playing with AIs at all. I have tried a few times, only to become annoyed with them.

One of the great things with this game, is that the playing style can adapt to you, rather than the other way round. You can play it any way you want, from pure sandbox mode to the downright impossible. Personally I prefer a moderately challenging and vaguely realistic mode.
Baldy's Boss
Tycoon
Tycoon
Posts: 1396
Joined: 23 Feb 2014 22:02

Re: Financial effect of start year

Post by Baldy's Boss »

Getting back to the two games whose contrasting start year I asked about,their financial conditions have clearly diverged further...the game started in 1865 appears a thriving enterprise in its 70s,though a few routes have trouble turning profits...but the game started in 1837 is looking marginal in condition,with only months of maintenance in the bank.

(Analysis that either concurs or differs on the condition of either company is of course welcome).

Editing to add an additional save (1865 game=Green Victory) with an odd fluke...out of over 100 trains,the oldest is also the most profitable.The order is already in to have that engine replaced by a faster,more powerful,more reliable model with higher running costs,so I'm not sure whether its profitability will be sustained in the future.
Attachments
GreenVictoryRailroad,12thMay1937.sav
(579.26 KiB) Downloaded 99 times
TillydeanGrandVictorianR.R.,1stJan1915.sav
(3.87 MiB) Downloaded 103 times
GreenVictoryRailroad,31stDec1937.sav
(577.86 KiB) Downloaded 100 times
Baldy's Boss
Tycoon
Tycoon
Posts: 1396
Joined: 23 Feb 2014 22:02

Re: Financial effect of start year

Post by Baldy's Boss »

Here are the two companies on their respective 80th birthdays...90 years before the end of inflation.
The one started in 1837 begins 1917 living month to month with a six-figure bank balance readily eaten by maintenance charges.
The one started in 1865 begins 1945 with a nine-figure bank balance that lets it weather a massive fleet replacement program.
(When the Lightweight passenger car became available in 1940 I ordered replacement of all my 19th-century Clerestory cars,gaining a one-third passenger capacity increase on vehicles of the same weight and length.The replace vehicles/wagons command has to be used carefully though...if new vehicles are longer platforms must be checked to see if they have room for longer trains.The 30-passenger UKRS Clerestory is a different vehicle from later passenger cars,but the 33-passenger NARS Clerestory is just a stage in evolution of one vehicle so can't be replaced by the same method...I expect to buy with this in mind in future games that cover the time period).
Train 40 was again most profitable in 1940 when the Edwardian engine was replaced,though others have been so since.

So how much of the difference in financial condition is caused by the start year?
Attachments
GreenVictoryRailroad,1stJan1945.sav
(573.62 KiB) Downloaded 96 times
TillydeanGrandVictorianR.R.,1stJan1917.sav
(3.86 MiB) Downloaded 109 times
Baldy's Boss
Tycoon
Tycoon
Posts: 1396
Joined: 23 Feb 2014 22:02

Re: Financial effect of start year

Post by Baldy's Boss »

Looks like I wrote too soon...at 81 both companies can be classed as in bad shape.
For all my thrifty debt avoidance early on,Tillydean Grand is just about broke,and multiple engines on important routes are reaching end-of-life,if they become obstacles things will get worse.
Green Victory has avoided fleet obsolescence so far,but seems unable to make a profit any more,so that cash pile may get eaten away.
REVENUES keep rising.but costs rise faster.
Attachments
TillydeanGrandVictorianR.R.,1stJan1918.sav
(3.85 MiB) Downloaded 108 times
GreenVictoryRailroad,1stOct1946.sav
(592.27 KiB) Downloaded 91 times
Baldy's Boss
Tycoon
Tycoon
Posts: 1396
Joined: 23 Feb 2014 22:02

Re: Financial effect of start year

Post by Baldy's Boss »

Herewith Tillydean at 83 and Green Victory at 84.

I arrested the decline at Tillydean at least for the moment,selling the two obsolete trains carrying coal from Sanwell Woods improved that service dramatically.But I still have to afford to get expiring trains off the big cash cow Grenthwaite-Dardingway route,only some of the old trains there have been sold off.

At Green Victory I got rid of my failed experiments Trains 101 and 104,which always lost money,and their associated stations/tracks.Nonetheless the company is staying on a downward slide.I am thinking a significant factor is excess running costs from all my double-header trains from days when two engines were necessary that can now be done by a single newer one,but what are the priority areas to deal with from my steadily dwindling cash pile?
Attachments
GreenVictoryRailroad,1stJan1949.sav
(605.35 KiB) Downloaded 105 times
TillydeanGrandVictorianR.R.,1stJan1920.sav
(3.85 MiB) Downloaded 105 times
Baldy's Boss
Tycoon
Tycoon
Posts: 1396
Joined: 23 Feb 2014 22:02

Re: Financial effect of start year

Post by Baldy's Boss »

Tillydean (started 1837) seems a lost cause.I even did the unthinkable and BORROWED MONEY to replace the decaying Ten-Wheelers on the Grenthwaite-Dardingway line before they blocked it but looks too far under to resurface.

Green Victory(started 1865) continues to decay,two-thirds of the cash pile now spent and though my every investment has been to lower running costs and make trains run lighter I've only reduced losses,not returned to profit with my smaller fleet.

But Jubilee Rail (started 1887) storms from strength to strength,utterly untroubled.

What makes the differences?
Attachments
TillydeanGrandVictorianR.R.,1stOct1920.sav
(3.85 MiB) Downloaded 87 times
GreenVictoryRailroad,31stDec1951.sav
(613.79 KiB) Downloaded 87 times
JubileeRailGroup,1stMay1985.sav
(540.43 KiB) Downloaded 69 times
User avatar
Sylf
President
President
Posts: 957
Joined: 23 Nov 2010 21:25
Location: ::1

Re: Financial effect of start year

Post by Sylf »

Baldy's Boss wrote:Tillydean seems a lost cause
Take another look at the infrastructure maintenance cost. It's really high compared to the income.
By removing 5 low performing lines and all roads, I was able to reduce the infra maintenance cost by 4 million pounds per year, without any noticeable difference in income.
What makes the differences?
Apples aren't oranges. The difference can come from anything really. As I've shown above, you can really make a big difference with some simple actions to any game. When you compare 3 different games, you can't possibly know what exactly is making the differences.
Baldy's Boss
Tycoon
Tycoon
Posts: 1396
Joined: 23 Feb 2014 22:02

Re: Financial effect of start year

Post by Baldy's Boss »

Sylf wrote:
Baldy's Boss wrote:Tillydean seems a lost cause
Take another look at the infrastructure maintenance cost. It's really high compared to the income.
By removing 5 low performing lines and all roads, I was able to reduce the infra maintenance cost by 4 million pounds per year, without any noticeable difference in income.
What makes the differences?
Apples aren't oranges. The difference can come from anything really. As I've shown above, you can really make a big difference with some simple actions to any game. When you compare 3 different games, you can't possibly know what exactly is making the differences.
I've actually been able to turn the corner somewhat,but where does Tillydean own any roads?...it has no road vehicles.
Attachments
JubileeRailGroup,1stJul1985.sav
(540.37 KiB) Downloaded 66 times
GreenVictoryRailroad,1stMay1952.sav
(614.43 KiB) Downloaded 66 times
TillydeanGrandVictorianR.R.,1stJul1922.sav
(3.86 MiB) Downloaded 89 times
Alberth
OpenTTD Developer
OpenTTD Developer
Posts: 4763
Joined: 09 Sep 2007 05:03
Location: home

Re: Financial effect of start year

Post by Alberth »

where does Tillydean own any roads?
Open smallmap, turn on "land owners", turn off "town names", and look for yellow pixelz that are not trains.
Being a retired OpenTTD developer does not mean I know what I am doing.
Baldy's Boss
Tycoon
Tycoon
Posts: 1396
Joined: 23 Feb 2014 22:02

Re: Financial effect of start year

Post by Baldy's Boss »

Was able to find and wipe most of the roads (though that cost scarce cash to do) and erased an acquired line,slow steam engines on electric track,that was trying to ship livestock from a recently closed farm...still have to keep up with train replacements.
Attachments
TillydeanGrandVictorianR.R.,26thApr1923.sav
(3.83 MiB) Downloaded 63 times
Alberth
OpenTTD Developer
OpenTTD Developer
Posts: 4763
Joined: 09 Sep 2007 05:03
Location: home

Re: Financial effect of start year

Post by Alberth »

Not throwing away 500,000 a year for unused road is an investment with a very short ROI :)
Being a retired OpenTTD developer does not mean I know what I am doing.
User avatar
Sylf
President
President
Posts: 957
Joined: 23 Nov 2010 21:25
Location: ::1

Re: Financial effect of start year

Post by Sylf »

Baldy's Boss wrote:Was able to find and wipe most of the roads (though that cost scarce cash to do) and erased an acquired line,slow steam engines on electric track,that was trying to ship livestock from a recently closed farm...still have to keep up with train replacements.
Even if the farm is still open, and the trains are making 100,000 per year, if the maintenance cost is over 400,000 a year, then eliminating those lines are also a wise move, especially when the finance is very tight. I found that most farm and valuable lines on this map are losing money because of the infra maintenance cost.

Edit: see the attachments.
For the screenshot: the figure on the left is the company I left untouched. On the right is where I tore down some underperforming lines.
I finished all of my company restructuring in 1923, and left both companies untouched for 6 months in 1924. You can see that the income is down somewhat, but the maintenance cost is much lower, more than making up for the lost revenue.
Attachments
Screenshot from 2016-09-19 20-02-18.png
Screenshot from 2016-09-19 20-02-18.png (80.62 KiB) Viewed 623 times
Tillydean Grand Victorian R.R., 1924-07-01-left-alone.sav
(3.83 MiB) Downloaded 87 times
Tillydean Grand Victorian R.R., 1924-07-01-cleaned.sav
(3.82 MiB) Downloaded 68 times
Baldy's Boss
Tycoon
Tycoon
Posts: 1396
Joined: 23 Feb 2014 22:02

Re: Financial effect of start year

Post by Baldy's Boss »

Alberth wrote:Not throwing away 500,000 a year for unused road is an investment with a very short ROI :)
True,but as I was ripping up the roads I was occasionally interrupted by "Not enough cash" messages.

Meanwhile,Green Victory has no such unused roads to rip up and is still bleeding money like mad (over two thirds of the peak cash pile is gone).I've been replacing heavier wagons with lighter on the assumption this speeds trips and thus improves margins.
But the long-lucrative Whitstoke-St. Tustock line has been driven into the red apparently by a competing OTVI's tram lines diverting passengers,and since it's a tram rather than bus line I can't just blow up roads and watch customers crawl back.Then again the OTVI is in bad financial shape as well and their bankruptcy could bring back the lost customers quickly.Should I downsize that line's roster or try to tough it out?
Attachments
GreenVictoryRailroad,1stJan1953.sav
(615.68 KiB) Downloaded 62 times
TillydeanGrandVictorianR.R.,1stSep1923.sav
Here's Tillydean after another livestock-from-closed farm line was scrapped.
(3.83 MiB) Downloaded 62 times
User avatar
Sylf
President
President
Posts: 957
Joined: 23 Nov 2010 21:25
Location: ::1

Re: Financial effect of start year

Post by Sylf »

Baldy's Boss wrote:Meanwhile,Green Victory has no such unused roads to rip up and is still bleeding money like mad (over two thirds of the peak cash pile is gone).I've been replacing heavier wagons with lighter on the assumption this speeds trips and thus improves margins.
But the long-lucrative Whitstoke-St. Tustock line has been driven into the red apparently by a competing OTVI's tram lines diverting passengers,and since it's a tram rather than bus line I can't just blow up roads and watch customers crawl back.Then again the OTVI is in bad financial shape as well and their bankruptcy could bring back the lost customers quickly.Should I downsize that line's roster or try to tough it out?
The extra trains that are not needed there should be at least sent to a depot and have them sit there until the competitor is gone. You need to stop bleeding of money.
You are also bleeding money by way of infrastructure maintenance cost in this game as well.
before-restructure.png
before-restructure.png (20.6 KiB) Viewed 3237 times
[+] Spoiler
Deleted GronessHeights - unused station
Deleted Treningwoth Woods - St. Wreedfield Halt, and St. Wreedfield Exchange - Gruhaven Park Central - Losing money overall
Deleted Lenborough Mines - Suness Valley - Whitleight Woods - Losing money overall
Deleted Grudingstone Valley - Tresningden Valley - Losing money
Deleted Little Fanwell Woods - Great Farnwell North - Making too little money
Deleted Lewis combe Cross Mines - Treningworth Valley - Losing money
Nantditch Mines - Bondingbury Woods - Deleted the third line, and added 3rd platform at Bondingbury Woods
Brunwich / Old Grinford Woods - made the line join the Brunwich Woods - Breeleigh Valley line sooner
1 Producer - 1 Consumer - Old Grinford East - Making too little money, too much infrastructure
Old Grinford South - Nanstable Woods - Losing money
Reningworth Woods - Grudingsay Woods - Deleted about half of signals
All lines except for Reningworth Woods - Grudingsay Woods - Converted to non-electric lines

note: the single GG1 on Reningworth Woods line is costing about 400,000 extra per year on maintenance cost for having to have electric line.
after-restructure.png
after-restructure.png (21.26 KiB) Viewed 3237 times
These clean-ups will have very little (if any) effect on income. Also, because you're eliminating some trains, your train running cost will be lowered, which is not shown in these screenshots. I didn't mention above, but I would also consider removing Grendhattan South - Tredingstone North line. It's too short, making too little money, and probably costing more in infrastructure than the income. Or, with the newly regained income, send those passengers to towns further away, like Malsay Bridge / Cadean.
Baldy's Boss
Tycoon
Tycoon
Posts: 1396
Joined: 23 Feb 2014 22:02

Re: Financial effect of start year

Post by Baldy's Boss »

Made a couple of those amendments and almost broke even on a four-month period...can't believe I missed that stranded station!

It's certainly counter-intuitive to have a profitable train collecting from a fairly productive industry be an overall money drain.

Grendhattan South has historically had huge passenger backlogs...you're saying they need to go a longer distance to make money for me?

That OTVI seems desperate to horn in on my coal business from the Nantditch Mines area without understanding that I got rid of the bridge a previous competitor there was using a long time ago.

EDIT TO ADD newer save.Did more retrenchment.Losses for year are down but so are OTVI's...that competitor folding would improve my fortunes overnight but how much longer has it got?
Attachments
GreenVictoryRailroad,1stMay1953.sav
(615.75 KiB) Downloaded 70 times
GreenVictoryRailroad,1stJan1954.sav
(612.42 KiB) Downloaded 73 times
Baldy's Boss
Tycoon
Tycoon
Posts: 1396
Joined: 23 Feb 2014 22:02

Re: Financial effect of start year

Post by Baldy's Boss »

Retrenchment continues but so do losses.
Here they are at nearly 90 years of age...Tillydean saved as of the day Queen Elizabeth was born and Green Victory the day Strom Thurmond was first sworn into the Senate (for the pure trivia of it,am not an admirer of his).

How did you slim the infrastructure into Breeleigh Valley?
Attachments
GreenVictoryRailroad,24thDec1954.sav
(624.76 KiB) Downloaded 62 times
TillydeanGrandVictorianR.R.,21stApr1926.sav
(3.84 MiB) Downloaded 79 times
Baldy's Boss
Tycoon
Tycoon
Posts: 1396
Joined: 23 Feb 2014 22:02

Re: Financial effect of start year

Post by Baldy's Boss »

Still flailing about,especially with Green Victory...mothballing trains and trying to run lighter(If wagons are empty and obsolete they get scrapped when their engine is mothballed).The production at Treningworth Woods fluctuates,if it would stay low I'd feel better about ripping up that chain.
Attachments
TillydeanGrandVictorianR.R.,1stMay1927.sav
(3.84 MiB) Downloaded 68 times
GreenVictoryRailroad,1stDec1956.sav
(628.69 KiB) Downloaded 69 times
Baldy's Boss
Tycoon
Tycoon
Posts: 1396
Joined: 23 Feb 2014 22:02

Re: Financial effect of start year

Post by Baldy's Boss »

More sweating through anxious years.There are costs to replace obsolescent fleets and costs not to.Only 77 years left of inflation but that's a long way to go!
Attachments
GreenVictoryRailroad,1stJul1958.sav
(636.68 KiB) Downloaded 69 times
TillydeanGrandVictorianR.R.,1stJul1930.sav
(3.85 MiB) Downloaded 70 times
Post Reply

Return to “General OpenTTD”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 10 guests