Gazillionaire

Gazillionaire

Submitted by: Dj Simo

On the surface, "Gazillionaire" may appear to be a simple, uncomplicated
game, but as most players quickly discover there are many subtle strategies
and various approaches you can use to gain an edge over your competitors.

In this file, we will explain how to manage your money, what commodities
are worth buying, when to sell and when not to sell, where to travel, how to
deal with the characters you encounter, and much, much more.  By the time
you're done reading this, you should be able to get the most bang for your
"kubar", and hopefully you'll never go bankrupt again.


Good vs. bad luck streaks!

If you play the game long enough, you will notice that luck runs in streaks.
You can be on a good luck streak or bad luck streak.  The general rule is
that every time you have good luck, the chance of having more good luck
increases.  On the other hand, every time you encounter bad luck, the chance
of having more bad luck increases.  Also, if you are on a bad luck streak
and you have a good event, then the streak is broken.

If you are caught in a bad luck streak, it is wise to buy insurance.  This
may be the only way to keep your company from going bankrupt.

One way to help improve your luck is to travel to planet Mira and visit the
Grand Sages (click on the Planet Special button).  If you get blessed by the
Grand Sages of Mira, your chance of having good luck rises.

Always pay attention to the status of your LUCK!


Don't overextend yourself.

In other words, don't get excited and bid too high on a new ship or
Facility.  It is easy to go bankrupt if you don't watch how much you are
spending.  No matter how good a deal seems to be, don't bid more than you
can afford to pay.

The most important factor in determining how much you can afford is the
Credit Limit on your Trader's Union Loan.   If you exceed this Credit Limit,
you will go bankrupt.  It is wise to stay at least 50,000 kubars below your
Credit Limit.  This will allow you to borrow enough money to purchase
commodities, pay your crew and buy fuel.

No matter how well your company is doing, if you run into a streak of bad
luck and can't meet your loan payments, you will go bankrupt.  It is common
for a company with a bigger ship, more warehouse space, more Facilities and
a larger Net Worth to suddenly find itself in a position where it is about
to go bankrupt simply because it borrowed too much money and cannot make its
weekly loan payments.  Don't let yourself fall into this trap.


Never pass up a chance to increase your Credit Limit.

If the Trader's Union or Mr. Zinn offers to loan you more money and increase
your CREDIT LIMIT, you should always accept the offer.  As a company, you
want your Credit Limit to be as high as possible.  This will give you a
cushion so that you won't go bankrupt in hard times.  For example, what do
you do if the Trader's Union offers to loan you 50,000 kubars and extend
your Credit Limit by 50,000 kubars, but the interest rate on the loan is a
whopping 9% a week?  What you should do is accept the offer and pay back the
50,000 kubars as soon as you land on the next planet.  This way your Credit
Limit has been increased by 50,000 kubars without costing you a penny.
Later in the game, you may run into trouble and need to borrow money from
the Trader's Union, and you'll be happy to have that extra 50,000 kubars in
credit available.


Is it a good idea to buy warehouse space?

If you purchase more warehouse space, its value will be added to your Net
Worth and the Credit Limit on your loan will be raised.  This alone makes
warehouse space worth buying.  In addition to this, you now have the option
of storing more goods on each planet.


You should buy a larger ship every chance  you get.

Anyone who plays "Gazillionaire" long enough will discover that the best
investment in the entire game is purchasing a larger ship.  You can earn
more money transporting commodities and passengers from planet to planet
than you can by buying Facilities or putting money in the Bank.  Every time
you are offered a chance to buy a new ship, you should buy it.  Never pass
up this chance to expand your company.


Always try to fill up your ship with cargo.

If your ship can hold 100 tons of cargo, you should always try to buy 100
tons of commodities.  If you see a commodity which is a good deal, don't
just buy a few tons, buy all of it.  This maximizes  your profit making
potential.


It is usually better to buy the more expensive commodities.

It is much better to purchase an expensive commodity like Exotic rather than
a cheap commodity like Cantaloupe.  This is because the potential profit for
Exotic is much greater.  For example, if you purchase 100 tons of Cantaloupe
at 10 kubars per ton, and you sell it for the maximum price of 40 kubars per
ton, you stand to make a total of  3,000 kubars.  On the other hand, if you
buy 100 tons of Exotic for 180 kubars per ton, and sell it for the maximum
price of 720 kubars per ton, you will make a profit of 54,000 kubars.


Look at each commodity's Profit Potential before buying.

When you purchase a commodity, don't just look at the price.  Instead you
should look at the commodity's Profit Potential, which is the difference
between the commodity's current Market Price and the maximum Price Range.
This is the true value of the commodity you are purchasing.

For example, if you purchase Whip Cream for the low price of 50 kubars per
ton (Price Range 50 to 200), your Profit Potential is 150 kubars per ton
(i.e. 200 - 50 = 150).  This means if you purchase 100 tons of Whip Cream,
at most you can make 15,000 kubars.  On the other hand, if you purchase
Oggle Sand for the not so great price of 300 kubars per ton (Price Range 140
to 560), your Profit Potential is 260 kubars per ton (i.e. 560 - 300 = 260).
This means if you purchase 100 tons of Oggle Sand, you stand to make up to
26,000 kubars.  Even though Oggle Sand does not appear to be as good a deal
as Whip Cream, it is actually a better deal because it's Profit Potential is
so much higher.

If the Profit Potential for two commodities is roughly equal, it is always
better to buy the commodity with the least risk.  For example, if Whip Cream
is selling for 60 kubars per ton (Price Range 50 to 200), its Profit
Potential is 140 kubars per ton.  At the same time, if Oggle Sand is selling
for 400 kubars per ton (Price Range 140 to 560), its Profit Potential is 160
kubars per ton.  The Profit Potential for both commodities is roughly equal.
However, you are taking a lesser risk buying Whip Cream because the price of
Whip Cream cannot fall below 50 kubars per ton.  That means at most you can
lose only 10 kubars per ton (60 - 50) buying Whip Cream, while you may lose
up to 260 kubars per ton (400 - 140)  buying Oggle Sand.  In this case, it
is better to purchase Whip Cream because if the price falls, you stand to
lose less.

Another advantage of buying a less expensive commodity with roughly the same
Profit Potential is that you have more money left to pay down your debts or
deposit in the bank.  In addition to this, you end up paying less in import
and export tariffs, which also saves you some money.


Don't look at the Supply Chart until you have purchased commodities from the
Marketplace.

Most first time players end up looking at the % Supply Chart before
purchasing their commodities.  They try to find a good planet to travel to
before they have purchased any goods.  This is a mistake.  It is always
better to purchase the commodities first, then look at the % Supply Chart.
The most important factor in buying a commodity is the PROFIT POTENTIAL.
This is the golden rule:

Profit Potential =  (max Price Range - Market Price) x Tons for Sale

After you have filled up your ship with high Profit Potential goods, you
should go to the % Supply Chart and find the planet with the lowest % for
those commodities.

Often you will discover that some of commodities are not compatible.  In
this case, you should sell off the commodities with a lower Profit Potential
and find other commodities which are compatible.  This involves a lot of
estimation and on the fly calculations.  What you are looking for is the
best possible combination of Profit Potential, Tons for Sale, and low %.
The more you play the game, the better you will become at making these sort
of quick calculations in your head.


Don't be afraid to sell your cargo at a loss.

When you arrive on a new planet with a ship loaded full of commodities and
discover that the market price is lower than the price you paid, your first
reaction will probably be to give up the idea of selling your commodities.
This is not always a good strategy.  If there is another commodity available
on the planet which is a better deal, you should sell the goods on your ship
at a loss and purchase the other commodity.

Remember, every time you travel to a new planet, it costs your company
money.  You have to pay crew wages, buy fuel, pay interest on any loans,
etc...  In addition to this, your competitors are trying to maximize their
profits each turn.  If you make less money than they do, you will never win
the game.  What you want to do is maximize your profit making potential.

A good strategy is to always sell all of your commodities every time you
land on a planet, even if it means taking a big loss.  After you sell all
your commodities, go back to the Marketplace and look at what is available
to buy.  You may end up buying back what you just sold.  This is okay.  You
don't lose any money buying and selling commodities while you remain on a
planet.

NOTE:  You only have to pay import and export tariffs when leaving or
arriving at a plant.  As long as you remain on the planet, you will not
accrue any tariffs.  The only tax you will encounter while you are on a
planet is the Passenger Tax.

Selling all your commodities no matter what the price will give you a more
objective way of looking at the Marketplace.  Some players often become
emotionally attached to the goods they purchase and refuse to sell those
goods at a loss, even if they could potentially make more money by
purchasing another commodity.


Don't buy commodities that you cannot sell on the next planet.

A lot of players fall into the trap of purchasing commodities which they
plan on selling two or three turns later.  They look at the % Supply Chart
and say, "First I'll travel to Vexx and sell off my Umbrellas, then I'll
travel to Stye and sell my Gems."  This is a big mistake.  If you can't sell
a commodity on the next planet you are traveling to, then don't buy it!

It is better to buy a commodity with a lower profit making potential than to
purchase a bargain commodity which you don't plan on selling for a few
turns.  This is because the next turn you may find a much better commodity
for sale, and you will either have to pass up a better opportunity or sell
the goods on your ship for a loss.

Your ship can hold only a limited amount of cargo, and it is good to
maximize the profit potential each turn.  If you travel around with the same
commodity from planet to planet looking for a high selling price, you are
losing money.  In most cases, it is better to make a little profit each turn
than to travel around the solar system for five turns searching for the
highest possible price you can get.


Don't pay your crew every turn.

It is better to wait until the very last minute to pay your employees.  This
will save you money because instead of paying your crew, you can have that
same money in the bank earning interest.  Only pay your crew when they
"DEMAND" to be paid.  You will be alerted to this because the text on the
CREW WAGES button on the Main Menu will turn red.

If you don't pay your crew when they "DEMAND" to be paid, there is a good
chance they will go on strike.  When your crew goes on strike, you will be
forced to raise their wages by 500 kubars per person a week.  If possible,
you want to avoid this situation.


Don't Pay your Taxes every turn.

It is not a good idea to pay your taxes until you absolutely have to.  If
you pay your taxes every turn, then you are losing money because the same
money could have been deposited in the bank and earning interest.  The
general rule is to pay your taxes only when the Tax Auditor "DEMANDS" that
you pay.  You will be alerted to this because the text on the TAX button on
the Main Menu will turn red.  If you do not pay your taxes at this time,
there is a good chance you will be audited and have to pay a large fine.


Don't set your Passenger Ticket Price too high or too low.

If you set your Passenger Ticket Price too low, you will be cheating
yourself out of a lot of money.  On the other hand, if you set your ticket
price too high, you won't get any passengers at all.  We found that setting
the ticket price at around 3,000 kubars works well.  If you do this, be sure
to invest in Passenger Advertising.  Generally, TV advertising works best.
If you don't have enough money to advertise, it's probably wise to set the
Passenger Ticket Price at around 1,000 kubars.  The optimum Ticket
Price/Advertising is still open to debate.  It doesn't hurt to experiment
with different values and find out what works for you.


Don't Pay Back Mr. Zinn Until You Have To.

If you are playing the Tutorial or Novice levels, it is best to pay back Mr.
Zinn as quickly as possible.  This is because your options are limited, and
you don't have any better place to invest your profits.  However, if you are
playing one of the more advanced games, it is best to wait as long as
possible to pay back Mr. Zinn.  You may have to pay a little more in
interest, but it is good to have the extra money to invest in upgrading your
ship and buying Facilities.

Unlike the Trader's Union, you cannot borrow money from Mr. Zinn whenever
you feel like it; hence, it is smart to owe him as much money as possible.
If you use the borrowed money wisely, you can usually earn more money than
you are paying out in interest.  However, if Mr. Zinn raises his interest
rates, it is probably a good idea to pay Mr. Zinn back, unless of course you
are earning an even higher interest rate on your Bank Account .

In general, the higher the interest rate on Zinn's Loan, the sooner you
should pay him back.  The lower the interest rate, the longer you should
wait before paying Mr. Zinn anything.  For example, if Mr. Zinn is charging
you only 2% interest on your loan, you can earn more money investing in
Facilities than you will save by paying Mr. Zinn back.


Always invest in advertising.

Advertising is always a good deal.  Unfortunately, there is no fixed rule
for how much is the right amount to advertise.   How much you advertise
depends a great deal on what ship you are using.  For example, if you are
using the Whaler 2000 ship, you should spend more on Passenger Advertising
and Commodity Advertising because your ship can hold more passengers and
cargo than any other ship.  The opposite is true for Le Rock, which holds
the least cargo of any ship.


Should you purchase insurance?

First you should check the insurance Price Range.  If the price of insurance
is low, it is always a good idea to buy it.  One bad event can bankrupt a
company.  Especially if you are transporting valuable cargo, it is in your
best interest to buy insurance.  The more valuable your cargo, the more you
should be willing to pay for coverage.

You will notice as you purchase larger ships, the average price of insurance
rises accordingly.  If you own a 2,000 ton ship, it is not unreasonable to
pay 20,000 kubars for insurance.   However, if your ship is only 400 tons,
you probably won't want to pay over 7,000 kubars for insurance.  The
exception to this rule is that if you are on a bad luck streak, no matter
how expensive insurance seems, it is probably worth buying.


When should you store goods in a warehouse?

You should not use your warehouses unless there is a good reason to.  The
disadvantage of using a warehouse is that you invest a lot of money in
buying the commodities, and you cannot make any profit on these commodities
until you return to the planet.  The more money you have tied up in
commodities which are just sitting in warehouses, the less money you can
deposit in the Bank or invest in buying Facilities.  In addition, there is
no guarantee when you finally return to the planet that you will be able to
sell the goods stored in the warehouse for a profit.

This aside, there are three times when it is a good strategy to store
commodities in a warehouse:

1)  You should use a warehouse when you transport goods to a planet with a
low Supply %, but for some reason the price of the goods you want to sell is
unusually low.  If you store the goods in a warehouse, when you return to
the planet, the price will probably be higher, and you will make a good profit.

2)  When there is a glut of a certain commodity on the market and the prices
drop despite a low Supply %, you should buy the goods and store them in the
warehouse.  The next time you return to the planet, the price will most
likely be high allowing you to make a sizable profit.

3)  If you beat another player to a planet, you can buy up all the lowest
priced commodities and store them in the warehouse.  This way when the other
player arrives on the planet, there is nothing left for him/her to buy.


It pays to be first.

It is in your best interest to get to a planet first.  If other players beat
you to a planet, they will buy up the most valuable commodities.  Having a
faster engine and traveling to a closer planet will increase your chances of
arriving first.


A faster engine is worth buying.

If you have extra money, it is usually good to upgrade to a faster engine.
Before purchasing a faster engine, check to see how much the engine costs.
You will notice that on average the larger the engine you purchase, the
higher the price.  If the price is relatively low, buy it.  In addition to
this, the engine price is linked to the price of fuel on Pyke.  If the fuel
price is low, price for a new engine will be low.  If the fuel price is
high, it is better not to buy an engine.


When should you buy Facilities and how much should you pay?

The answer to this question is complex.  Generally, a good rule of thumb is
to only buy a Facility if you have enough cash to pay back the loan quickly.
Facilities are estimated to be worth 15 times the Facility Fee (the MIDDLE
button on the input box).  This amount is added to your net worth when you
purchase the Facility.  If during a Facility Auction you bid MIDDLE (i.e.
click on the Middle button), you are usually getting a fair deal.  If you
bid below MIDDLE, you are getting a great deal.  The higher you bid, the
less of a deal you are getting.

If you pay MIDDLE for the Facility, the Facility will earn the equivalent of
6% interest a week on average.  This assumes one human player and six
computer players.  If there are two human players and six computer players,
the Facility will earn the equivalent of 7% interest a week on average.  In
general, the more players, the more a Facility will earn.

The advantage of buying a Facility over putting your money in the Bank is
that a Facility takes money away from other players, while a Bank merely
pays you interest.  The disadvantage of buying a Facility is that the money
invested is locked up in the Facility and cannot be liquidated.  Even if you
are about to go bankrupt, you cannot sell your Facilities.  Money deposited
in the bank is liquid, and you can withdraw the money any time.  Another
disadvantage of a Facility is that you have to travel to the planet to
collect the Revenue, while the interest the Bank pays is automatically added
to your Bank Account.

You also have to consider how much interest your Bank Account is paying you.
If your Bank is paying you only 1% interest a week, then it is a good idea
to buy Facilities.  However, if your Bank is paying you 8% or more a week,
you would be best off putting all your money in the Bank and forgetting
about Facilities.

Both Facilities and the money you have invested in the Bank are added to
your company's total Net Worth.  However, the money you have accumulated in
Revenue on each planet is not added to your net worth until you actually go
to the planet and pick it up.  In addition to all this, you have to consider
how much money you have taken out in loans.  If you are paying a high
interest rate on Mr. Zinn's Loan or the Trader's Union Loan, then you should
probably pay back those loans before investing in Facilities, unless of
course, you get a great deal on a Facility.

As you play the game you will notice that the computer players begin to bid
more and more for Facilities as time goes on.  This is because they have
more money to spend.  Don't base your bid on how much they are spending.
You should look at your financial condition and determine what is the right
price for you, and then bid that amount regardless of what everyone else is
bidding for the same Facility.  In the long run, you will be better off.


Get the most from your Trader's Union Loan.

You can use this little trick to make a lot of money.  When you visit planet
Stye, you have an opportunity to ask the Trader's Union for financial
assistance.  Before you go to Planet Special to ask the Trader's Union for
help, a good tactic is to borrow as much money as you can from the Trader's
Union.  If the Trader's Union forgives part of your debt, its like winning
the lottery.

For example, if you have a debt of 9,000 kubars and the Trader's Union
forgives 1/3 of your debt, you only gain 3,000 kubars.  However, if you take
out a loan of 100,000 kubars and the Trader's Union forgives 1/3 of your
debt, you gain 33,333 kubars.  Whether or not the Trader's Union forgives
your debt, you should pay back all the money you borrowed before leaving the
planet so that you won't be charged any interest.


When are you charged interest on your loan?

The interest on your loan accrues every time you travel from one planet to
another.  As long as you remain on a planet, you will not pay any interest
on any of your loans.  Each time you travel to a new planet, you will pay
one week's worth of interest.  This allows you some flexibility while you
are on a planet.  You can take out as large a loan as you like, and as long
as you pay it back before you leave, you will not be charged any additional
interest.


Never gamble with a pro!

If you encounter YOYO, the professional gambler, you're in for trouble.  No
matter how good a deal he offers, don't accept.  Yoyo is looking for a
sucker, and if you believe you can win, then I have a bridge to sell you.


Always give to the arts.

If you encounter WOBBLER, the starving artists, you have a great opportunity
to help out the arts.  If you can spare the money, it is worth giving him a
donation.   Sometimes Wobbler's play will be a success and you will make
money, and other times his play will be a total failure and you will lose
money.  However, if you encounter Wobbler enough times, on average, you will
make more money than you lose.


If a deal seems too good to be true, then it probably is.

If you encounter QUIST, the high flying financier, keep your wallet in your
pocket, or he'll take whatever he can.  Quist makes grandiose promises, but
he never pays you a penny.  He's a typical con man, who is out for a quick
score.


Always help those in need.

If you come across CURTONIAN PLUS, you should help him out.  He is the son
of a very wealthy merchant family, and if you're lucky, you may be rewarded
for your generosity.   Sometimes Curtonian Plus won't bother to pay you
back, but other times he will pay you back a lot more money than you loaned
him.  If you can spare the money, it is generally a good idea to help him out.


You can make a profit selling your engines.

If you encounter SLEG, he will offer you a lot of money to trade your faster
engine for his slower 2 kuarp engine.  This seems like a great deal, but
remember, you lose money every time another company beats you to a planet
and buys up all the lower priced commodities.  If you are short on cash and
need the money, then you should definitely sell your engines to Sleg.
However, if you have a large ship and don't need the money, it is better to
keep your engines.   At the beginning of the game, I recommend selling your
engines.  Later in the game, it is usually better to keep your engines,
unless of course, you are very close to winning and selling your engines can
make the difference.




It pays to be a good citizen.

If you encounter LIMPUS and donate your cargo to the KUKUBIAN CHILDREN'S
FUND, you will receive a blessing from the Grand Sages of Mira.  This will
boost your LUCK to the highest possible value.  That means you will be on a
super good luck streak.  However, if you are carrying expensive cargo, it
may be better to pass up this opportunity.

A lot depends on how your company is doing financially.  If your company is
in financial trouble and you need to sell the cargo on your ship to survive,
then it would be foolish to donate it to the Children's Fund.  On the other
hand, if you are on a bad luck streak and you can afford to give away your
cargo, then it would be best to donate your cargo and get the blessing.
Another factor to consider is whether or not you are already on a good luck
streak.  If you recently received the highest blessing from the Grand Sages
or if your luck has been good lately, then getting another blessing won't
help you that much.


To smuggle or not to smuggle?

If you encounter SCOOTER JAY, the smuggler from Pata Pata Pita, you will be
given the choice of whether or not to sell him your cargo for 4 times the
price you paid.  If you paid a high price and you don't expect to sell your
cargo for a profit, this may be a good idea.  If you paid a low price and
plan on selling your cargo for good money, it may be better not to take a
chance with Scooter Jay.  There is a 1 out of 5 chance that you will get
caught by the Imperial Police and have to pay a fine equal to 7 times the
price you paid for the cargo.


Buying goods you know are stolen is both dangerous and profitable.

If you happen to bump into HANDS, the well known crook and racketeer, you
will be offered the chance to trade all the commodities on your ship for a
full load of Exotic.  If you have inexpensive cargo on your ship, this is a
good deal.  However, if you are already hauling a full load of high priced
cargo, it would be foolish to trade it with Hands and risk getting caught by
the Imperial Police.  If you choose to make a deal with Hands, there is a 1
out of 5 chance the Imperial Police will catch you.  The Police will make
you pay a 50,000 kubar fine and confiscate all your cargo.  If you are in
financial trouble, this can bankrupt your company.