My (Very) Successful company

[Laurent Tommy Flanagann]

As I said, I did not try your strategy, and as I did not make the IPO yet, I do not know how much it would cost me to buy back the shares.

Also, my strategy differs a lot from yours as I spent many years with only ONE factory, thus, selling on ONE territory (I chose London this time) only!

I noticed that competitors seem to have many many factories built as well as many branches, which is clearly not the case in my strategy! So I do not know what is best...

In real life, thus, it also depends on the strategy you want to assume for your company. But still, there is NOTHING on earth able to raise as much money as an IPO for a company. Let's assume you want to develop yourself drastically, then you may use an IPO. But let's say you are running a small "family" company, there is no need to do so.

Also, what you should consider is that having shareholders gives you less "control" over your company. Let's say you are running a company with 100 shares. If I buy one, then my "voice" would count for one per cent of all the decisions you make. That is, if someone has 50% of shares +1 , he is the one that decides, not you anymore. But that is only an example, we are talking about companies that are usually worth Millions, or tens of millions dollars...

And, as a matter of facts, it is actually much more difficult that only that! But basically, the point is there...

Also, I almost forgot, but when you are on the stock market, the company profits not only are for the company to use anymore, as, as I said before, you have to distribute your dividend to the shareholders...

Oh, and yeah, when I say public, it means people like you and I as well as anyone! You "inject" money or give, to the company in exchange for later dividends...

[Arakash]

Also, my strategy differs a lot from yours as I spent many years with only ONE factory, thus, selling on ONE territory (I chose London this time) only!

Actually i do this as well.
In my UK games for example, right at game start, i IPO then immediately demolish my factory and branches(reduces costs, and the factory is crap anyway)
Then i build a new good factory in London set to be built right before my first vehicle is designed. London is also where im selling so no transportation costs.
Once my vehicle is developed, i build a new (good) branch in London and sell it there.

Also, what you should consider is that having shareholders gives you less "control" over your company. Let's say you are running a company with 100 shares. If I buy one, then my "voice" would count for one per cent of all the decisions you make. That is, if someone has 50% of shares +1 , he is the one that decides, not you anymore. But that is only an example, we are talking about companies that are usually worth Millions, or tens of millions dollars...

And, as a matter of facts, it is actually much more difficult that only that! But basically, the point is there...

Also, I almost forgot, but when you are on the stock market, the company profits not only are for the company to use anymore, as, as I said before, you have to distribute your benefits to the shareholders...

I haven't seen any requirement to distribute the benefits to shareholders in Gearcity, beyond role-playing a CEO of a company.
In Gearcity, i dont think the shareholders get anything beyond the takeover mechanics mentioned and making money off your rising stock prices. ( i mean they can buy them cheap then sell them when they get expensive)
If im wrong on that you can correct me, im open to it.

On the control point:
I am totally unconcerned about losing control of my company, as i said, i IPO then buy back the shares when they are at a low price.
So when i have 100% shares, i am 100% in control.

Just to clarify.
Im not telling you to use the strategy or insulting your strategy. As far as i know we are just discussing it.

[Laurent Tommy Flanagann]

Oh, I don't know if my tone is uncorrect, but there was no offense at all! I only speak english the way I speak French, sorry about that!

That is, I did not want to let you assume you said something wrong, because you did not! I took no offense, I only tried to explain you the "how it works in real life" thing, that's all!

And you're right, I think there is no dividend point, here, in Gearcity. That being said, there would be no point in explaining only half of how it works...

Also, I did not assume at all that my strategy is the best or whatsoever... I am just trying to help here!

That is, I think we agree on both sides ;-)

About the control, as I said, it is much more difficult than just that, but that is exactly why I asked Eric about the stock split that let me no other option than loosing control (Again, I think it is not managed in the game, but still, this is how it runs)

Again, sorry if the tone is uncorrect, it is clearly not my behavior todo so!

[Arakash]

Oh, I don't know if my tone is uncorrect, but there was no offense at all! I only speak english the way I speak French, sorry about that!

That is, I did not want to let you assume you said something wrong, because you did not! I took no offense, I only tried to explain you the "how it works in real life" thing, that's all!

And you're right, I think there is no benefit point, here, in Gearcity. That being said, there would be no point in explaining only half of how it works...

Also, I did not assume at all that my strategy is the best or whatsoever... I am just trying to help here!

That is, I think we agree on both sides ;-)

About the control, as I said, it is much more difficult than just that, but that is exactly why I asked Eric about the stock split that let me no other option than loosing control (Again, I think it is not managed in the game, but still, this is how it runs)

Again, sorry if the tone is uncorrect, it is clearly not my behavior todo so!

Your tone is fine, there isn't anything wrong with what you were saying and you didn't sound offended.
I just like to clarify things even to native english speakers in long discussions.

I wonder if Eric would be interested in implementing any of the things you mentioned.
I think some of the simpler parts of having shareholders could be implemented into the game.
Especially having some kind of responsibility to your shareholders as you mentioned.
I dont know enough about it to comment really, but i like the idea of it.
Maybe something similar to the current "Union Head" and strikes interactions you can have?

At the least, i would find it entertaining getting a angry message from a representative of the shareholders asking why im making such a mess of things .

[Laurent Tommy Flanagann]

Your tone is fine, there isn't anything wrong with what you were saying and you didn't sound offended.
I just like to clarify things even to native english speakers in long discussions.

I wonder if Eric would be interested in implementing any of the things you mentioned.
I think some of the simpler parts of having shareholders could be implemented into the game.
Especially having some kind of responsibility to your shareholders as you mentioned.
I dont know enough about it to comment really, but i like the idea of it.
Maybe something similar to the current "Union Head" and strikes interactions you can have?

At the least, i would find it entertaining getting a angry message from a representative of the shareholders asking why im making such a mess of things .

That would be so cool, yeah, I agree!

At least, you could be fired by the shareholders if the company results are not good, or whatever! That could add realism within the game, for sure!

In the same spirit, it would be great to possess half + 1 shares of any company, and then, to decide YOU are the one in charge of running it (As for Carlos Ghosn, former CEO of Renault, now CEO of BOTH Renault and Nissan, after Renault bought 50%+1 shares of Nissan), or to change the CEO in case the company does not perform well enough.

As a matter of facts, you can have control over a company in the game, but I think it does not affect neither the change of the board nor taking decisions for it, nor getting money from dividends...

I guess this is something Eric should DEFINITELY be working on in a laaaaaaaaater version, as he does not have any life already

But still, the mecanism is here already, I think he only needs time to adjust everything...

Must be soooo hard (and well, obviously almost lifetime long) to make this game that realistic I guess...

(Yaaaaaay, Got sergeant!!!)

[Eric.B]

Right now I'm focusing on fixing the stock evaluations and IPO prices. There should be no way to get 300million from an IPO until the late 70s! 1.12 should break up the easy money from IPOs.


Dividend system is implemented in the database, just need to make a gui and AI code for it. Board take over of the company is also something I will be adding in the future. As Laurent pointed out neither of these are anywhere near priority.