Hi, this is my 3rd favourite N-ice server (after s9, x4), so I've played it a fair bit. Whilst the setup is rewarding as it stands, just for the hard slog pre-2000, yet the score's derived via its equation does not promote early starts.
The average score for everyone finishing before 2000 AD (850 perf), is approx 165 pts, average score for starting/finishing post-2000 AD; 200+ pts.
What takes approx 25-35 years at the start takes 10-15 years, later. This is largely due to ever-growing cities and productions of industries, along with increases in speed and capacity for trains/vehicles.
Therefore as it's a test server, could we make some changes?
Not that I'm in a position to, but, if I were, this is what I'd change:
The x1 serverStart Year: 1945
End Year: 1999
Initial loan: £150,000
Interest rate: 3%
Train limit: 250
Road Vehicle limit: 250
Boats (enabled) limit: 25
Construction costs: Medium
Water construction/landscaping: Expensive
As this server is significantly harder than previous, I'd expect some tweaking on how the score is worked out, so an 8-hour game (perf 850) would net around 350 pts.
I'd also try to get a score decreaser which affects the score received for starting later (one may already exist).
The x1b serverStart Year: 1998
End Year: 2020 (try it ^^)
Initial loan: £300,000
Interest rate: 2%
Train limit: 150
Road Vehicle limit: 250
Boats (enabled) limit: 25
Construction costs: Reduced
I'd also allow a takeover of other companies, via shares, where a takeover can only take place if they are receiving profit warnings (we'd still have to wait to be offered though), a proportionate reduction in cost allocated if owning shares in the company offered.
These tweaks for "x1b" should make the server frantic
. and the score would be justified. Especially annoying (in a good way) is the transition from electric rail to monorail, and if the player waits to start with monorail, then others potentially could have the opportunity to buy them out via shares, knowing they're likely to get profit warnings in the early days
(we'd have to allow share buying immediately, but after loan is paid off). Every day counts on this server, very much akin to x4.
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I attach an example of the annual leaderboard from x1, I wonder if you notice a trend...
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