Game mechanics — how does it work? Comments

[Aged Code]

Update: This isn't the only area, but I just stumbled upon the pirate fight code and noticed that PERCEPTION is used alongside NAVIGATION to avoid harpoon hits. Of course, a comprehensive list will be created, but in the meantime, this will have to do.

[Cyrano]

(valid for version 0.98.71 and, please, correct me on wrong matters)
Well, hehe, since you poked the sleeping dragon and information about all exact skill effects is vague, scarce and vastly scattered:

per point into navigation:
- about 2,103% shorter travel time (ca. 4,49 times worth mech 1 with a Prawn and an unmodified Pony) because of a shorter travel distance
- about 2,103% less fuel usage because of the shorter travel distance
- better chance to avoid police controls, pirates and krakens at sea
- better chance to avoid being hit by harpunes

per point into mechanics:
- about 0,468% shorter travel time because of +0,502% travel speed (with a Prawn and an unmodified Pony)
- about +0,833% diving depth
- about 2,273% less fuel usage
- better hit chance for own harpunes
- greater sonar range by selfmade sonar modifications (if you did modify it, then)
- repairs hull automatically, when you spend a point into mechanics
- (1) repairs hull automatically after a successful modification of the hull
- (1) you can carry out smaller hull repairs by yourself now

per point into luck:
- better chance to avoid police controls, although you already failed your normal police avoidance check
- better chance to get out of police controls untarnished, although you already failed your normal police inspection check
- better chance to avoid being hit by harpunes, although you already failed your normal harpune avoidance check
- better chance for maximum harpune damage, IF you already passed your harpune hit check
- better chance to get better conditions on contract creations (6am) in cities (probably only more verns, but not more contract time, xp or higher/lesser amount of wares?)
- better chance to conclude negotiations with NPCs successfully, although you already failed your normal negotiation check
- better chance to interact with NPCs successfully, although you already failed your normal interaction check (a second chance with effectively lower reputation and attitude caps of NPCs)
- more mining/harvest commodities on contract sites

per point into trade:
- +1 contract limit
- about 0,218% saving on the purchase of market goods
- no better prices on selling market goods?
- about 0,207% saving on the purchase of new submarines and peripheries of submarines (hull, motor etc.)
- saving on the purchase of NPC-goods in bars (special off market items (whiskey, chocolate etc.), market goods ASIDE and ON TOP of their actual given market availability, costs of modifications)

per point into perception:
- better chance to avoid being hit by harpunes
- better chance for maximum harpune damage, IF you already passed your harpune hit check
- effectively greater sonar range to locate mining sites, pirates and krakens
- effectively lower reputation (+25 own reputation) and attitude caps of NPCs
- (1) a message before you finally leave the city, if your fuel load is <25% or if your hull is severely damaged
- (2) a message before you finally leave the city, if any of your licenses is valid <7days or if they were revoked/rebuked
- (2) a message before you finally leave the city, if you forgot to purchase or to sell any contract goods in said city
- (2) NPC-names in bars indicate new (*) and old (already accepted, but still unfulfilled) quests (>)

per point into smuggling:
- better chance to get out of police controls untarnished, if the police already inspects your submarine
- trading wares without necessary licenses
- trading with boycotted goods (not implemented, yet?)

bonus hint on spending attribute points:
Only one point in trade is calculated quite sharply, but (along with the famous wholesaler license) 4 contracts are just enough for most cases, since the amount of wares per contract scales with each better sub and therefor cargo load.
So travel time is king as faster travel time and shortening travel distance net you more xp and verns via fulfilling contracts.
Later on, contract pirate hunting is a very to most lucrative business, so investments into mechanics, luck and navigation scale even more and create most synergies.
As contract bonuses can be a bit confusing:
- >24h delay after contract expiration reminder: NOTIFICATION OF CONTRACT FAILURE = 0% of contract bonuses and CONTRACTUAL PENALTY
- up to 24h delay after CONTRACT EXPIRATION REMINDER = 99%-0% of contract bonuses (linearly decreasing)
- at least deadline met = 100% of contract bonuses
- at least 05% earlier than deadline = 100% + 05% of contract bonuses
- at least 15% earlier than deadline = 100% + 10% of contract bonuses
- at least 40% earlier than deadline = 100% + 25% of contract bonuses
Contract time can be prolonged (pro)actively in police stations, but this thins out basic contract bonuses massively - so this is done almost only to avoid an imminent contractual penalty and if you find an open city and police station (harbour master and police station on duty) on your way in time.
And, yes, don't forget to take your possible detour at sea (to and fro-deviation from your optimal route) and further loss of time in the city (docking and undocking procedure, change of locations in the city and even time consuming dialogues) into account, too.

[Aged Code]

Very impressive analysis! It's incredible how thorough this information is. There are some small discrepancies, but mostly it's a compendium of very useful knowledge. That's ironic, but you reminded me of a much broader use of PERCEPTION. For that reason, I modified my previous post.