Visual Entertainment and Technologies Forum

I originally started GearCity because I really really wanted a game like this. But I rarely get to play GC. At least not serious games. Anyway on Sundays I can't program too much unless I yank out my huge tower out into the living room and hook it up to a little 1024x768 monitor (I could I work on the Linux port in FreeBSD, but I'm going to wait for 1.15 to be finished before continuing that effort so I can have a purely unified codebase for 1.16). If I ever get paid *stares at his publishers* I'll probably buy a used laptop that can handle programming GC in windows... Until then I thought I'd give the latest build a spin in WINE on FreeBSD!

VENT Motor Corp was founded in 1980 in Jacksonville, FL. Due to economic issues the company was only founded with $75 million. (Normal Mode)

VENT primary focus is sport and exotic cars using Colin Chapman's idea of performance through lightweight. (How Lotus operates.)

First order of business was to secure more funds, first we had an IPO and raised an additional $15 million. Then we approached the banks for a $51 million dollar loan. With $140 Million in funds we set out to design a low cost roadster.

Here's the timeline (really need to fix "History" so we can generate these for AAR!)

• 1/1981 Launch the 1980 VENT Voyager, A Roadster with a 92hp 1.5L I4, Top Speed: 96mph, 0-60: 9.6 Unit Cost at Launch: ~$4500 Sell Price at Launch: $12500
  
• 1/1981 Opened branches in all major cities with 1 million in population or more in United States and Canada.
  
• 9/1981 Began design of the 1981 VENT Ash. A Roaster 2+2 using the same components as the Voyager.
  
• 1981 Sales:
  1980 VENT Voyager: 1784 (1784)
  
• 5/1982 The 1981 VENT Ash Launched, with a 92hp 1.5L I4, Top Speed: 85mph, 0-60: 12.5 Unit Cost at Launch: ~$5000 Sell Price at Launch: $14000.
  
• 9/1982 Paid off loan, bought shares in Ablion.
  
• 11/1982 Expanded to 5 more cities in NE USA. Spent too much money, we're in the red.
  
• 1982 Sales:
  1980 VENT Voyager: 3033 (4817)
  1981 VENT Ash: 1757 (1757)
  
• 1/1983 Cut production to sell through reserves, get the company back into positive funds.
  
• 4/1983 Sold off shares of Ablion, profited $10million. Company back in Green.
  
• 7/1983 Started Design of a better chassis and a super charged v6 for use in a sports car and coupe models.
  
• 9/1983 Took out $34 Million dollar loan to help off set new component's costs.
  
• 12/1983 Sold 44% of VENT for $29 Million. Bought 72k shares of Apol for $6 Million.
  
• 1983 Sales:
  1980 VENT Voyager: 2282 (7099)
  1981 VENT Ash: 3011 (4768)
  
• 4/1984 I4 engine entered into Atlantic Algorithm. V6 is entered into Algorithm 4000.
  
• 5/1984 Paid back $8 Million in loans.
  
• 8/1984 Paid back $10 Million in loans.
  
• 1984 Sales:
  1980 VENT Voyager: 2598 (9697)
  1981 VENT Ash: 3544 (8312)
  
• 1/1985 Expanded west coast operations into San Diego, San Fransisco, Vancouver, and Phoenix.
  
• 1985 Sales:
  1980 VENT Voyager: 4320 (14017)
  1981 VENT Ash: 4622 (12934)
  
• 2/1986 Started research on the VENT Phenom, a 196hp V6 Sports car with a Top Speed of 118 and a 0-60 in 7.4s. Unit Cost: $13,380 Design Costs: $57m
  
• 9/1986 VENT Phenom goes on sale for $29,210 across the USA.
  
• 12/1986 Started Development of a 1.7L Super Charged i4 which produces 165hp. This engine will be used in the redesigns of Ash and Voyager.
  
• 1986 Sales:
  1980 VENT Voyager: 7260 (21277)
  1981 VENT Ash: 4697 (17631)
  1986 VENT Phenom: 489 (489)
  
  
• 2/1987 Paid off remaining $12m in loans. $22m In cash
  
• 6/1987 Entered the new engine in many racing events. Expanded into racing for nearly all series listed.
  
• 7/1987 Started new model years for Ash and Voyager with the newest i4 engine.
  
• 1987 Sales:
  1980 VENT Voyager: 8087 (29364)
  1981 VENT Ash: 4930 (22561)
  1986 VENT Phenom: 4330 (4819)
  
  
• 1/1988 Launched 1987 Voyager S for $16000 along with opening multiple branches in the mid west.
  
• 2/1988 Production of 1980 Voyager halted.
  
• 4/1988 Launched 1987 Ash S for $18000 and production of the 1981 Ash halted.
  
• 7/1988 1981 VENT Ash Officially Ends Production.
  
• 8/1988 1980 VENT Voyager Officially Ends Production.
  
• 9/1988 Started designing a front engine, AWD chassis. Design Cost: $74m
  
  
• 1988 Sales:
  1980 VENT Voyager: 1769 (31133)
  1981 VENT Ash: 1896 (24457)
  1986 VENT Phenom: 6274 (11093)
  1987 VENT Voyager S: 9869 (9869)
  1987 VENT Ash S: 3629 (3629)
  
  

lol, the bank must love your company look forward to the next post. I want to see how you go long term

Now that loans work properly (or rather, interest rates work properly) I've found loans to be a really good way to buff up a company during the tough times. Obviously they don't come without risk which is just the way they should be.
The other thing I like loans for is to pay for new factories. Though, that can be risky too. If there isn't enough market to accommodate the new factories production the loan repayments can kill you pretty quickly!

Enjoying the AAR so far. I must admit I'm a little surprised a company can be profitable in the US in the 80's with only a couple of pretty average performing roasters.