I've spent the entire weekend working on the Used Car system.
Previous versions of GearCity used sort of a dissatisfied customer approach to used car sales. Although it went through various changes through the versions, it typically worked like this: Customers would be broken down into demographics, they would look at the vehicles that fit their type. If they didn't like those vehicles, couldn't afford them, or they were out of stock, they would be "pooled" into looking at other vehicles, and if those other vehicles didn't work, they bought used.
Along with those customers some customers automatically went off to buy a used vehicle.
But this had some flaws. Since we simulate all vehicle sales, how were people buying used cars that didn't exist? The used cars were effecting high end cars the same as low end cars. In the real world a new compact cars typically have to compete with a slightly used sedan or luxury vehicle.
To fix this problem I wanted to take every vehicle sold in the last 10 years. Filter out x number of them based on some city data, and then have those vehicles directly compete against new vehicles for sale. This model would be the most realistic option. And let me tell you, it was awesome and worked well... Except for one major issue.... Turn times.
All the used cars flooded the turn calculations, thus slowing the turn times down by 600%!!! So I worked out another option.
We generate a number of used cars based on the number of vehicles sold over the last 7 years. These used cars are then applied to the consumer demographics looking to buy a vehicle. We then adjust the demographics numbers based on the available vehicles before we calculate new vehicles. Demographics looking for lower wealth index vehicles such as a compact car are hit harder than upper wealth income demographics. Thus the more used cars in the market, the greater impact on new vehicle sales. City, regional, and world economic conditions as well as city stats. Newer used vehicles also impact sales greater than older used vehicles...
It's working good so far, some more testing will be needed though to balance the numbers to real world levels.
To answer the question about generating revenues from used vehicles. For the most part manufacturers do not make anything off used vehicles besides OEM parts. Dealerships, who are typically ran by different companies, are the ones who profit from used vehicles. This is why they pay you for old vehicles and don't mind selling you used vehicles off their lots. It's higher margin business for them.
Which brings me to the next point. The used vehicle system implements a new framework inside GearCity. We're using this new framework to generate parts revenues as well warranty expenses in the future.
Currently parts revenues are generated from the number of vehicles you've sold in the last 5 years. (This is roughly the age that customers start buying after market instead of OEM parts.) It factors in the vehicle price, component dependability, as well as vehicle dependability and quality. Currently these numbers are being balanced, but it's working well so far. I may put the years on a scale since people tend to keep older vehicles using OEM parts in the early years until the after market parts business started booming in the 60s. We'll see.
Anyhoo both these features are implemented, I'll spend the next couple days balancing them and then I'll implement warranty expenses!
(And if you notice by the length of this post, I have a lot of time to kill while the game is simulating these changes...)
-Used Vehicle System using real vehicles sold.
-Parts revenues using old vehicles sold.
Previous versions of GearCity used sort of a dissatisfied customer approach to used car sales. Although it went through various changes through the versions, it typically worked like this: Customers would be broken down into demographics, they would look at the vehicles that fit their type. If they didn't like those vehicles, couldn't afford them, or they were out of stock, they would be "pooled" into looking at other vehicles, and if those other vehicles didn't work, they bought used.
Along with those customers some customers automatically went off to buy a used vehicle.
But this had some flaws. Since we simulate all vehicle sales, how were people buying used cars that didn't exist? The used cars were effecting high end cars the same as low end cars. In the real world a new compact cars typically have to compete with a slightly used sedan or luxury vehicle.
To fix this problem I wanted to take every vehicle sold in the last 10 years. Filter out x number of them based on some city data, and then have those vehicles directly compete against new vehicles for sale. This model would be the most realistic option. And let me tell you, it was awesome and worked well... Except for one major issue.... Turn times.
All the used cars flooded the turn calculations, thus slowing the turn times down by 600%!!! So I worked out another option.
We generate a number of used cars based on the number of vehicles sold over the last 7 years. These used cars are then applied to the consumer demographics looking to buy a vehicle. We then adjust the demographics numbers based on the available vehicles before we calculate new vehicles. Demographics looking for lower wealth index vehicles such as a compact car are hit harder than upper wealth income demographics. Thus the more used cars in the market, the greater impact on new vehicle sales. City, regional, and world economic conditions as well as city stats. Newer used vehicles also impact sales greater than older used vehicles...
It's working good so far, some more testing will be needed though to balance the numbers to real world levels.
To answer the question about generating revenues from used vehicles. For the most part manufacturers do not make anything off used vehicles besides OEM parts. Dealerships, who are typically ran by different companies, are the ones who profit from used vehicles. This is why they pay you for old vehicles and don't mind selling you used vehicles off their lots. It's higher margin business for them.
Which brings me to the next point. The used vehicle system implements a new framework inside GearCity. We're using this new framework to generate parts revenues as well warranty expenses in the future.
Currently parts revenues are generated from the number of vehicles you've sold in the last 5 years. (This is roughly the age that customers start buying after market instead of OEM parts.) It factors in the vehicle price, component dependability, as well as vehicle dependability and quality. Currently these numbers are being balanced, but it's working well so far. I may put the years on a scale since people tend to keep older vehicles using OEM parts in the early years until the after market parts business started booming in the 60s. We'll see.
Anyhoo both these features are implemented, I'll spend the next couple days balancing them and then I'll implement warranty expenses!
(And if you notice by the length of this post, I have a lot of time to kill while the game is simulating these changes...)
-Used Vehicle System using real vehicles sold.
-Parts revenues using old vehicles sold.
"great writers are indecent people, they live unfairly, saving the best part for paper.
good human beings save the world, so that bastards like me can keep creating art, become immortal.
if you read this after I am dead it means I made it." ― Charles Bukowski
good human beings save the world, so that bastards like me can keep creating art, become immortal.
if you read this after I am dead it means I made it." ― Charles Bukowski