Save Money, Go Fast: How Engine Speed Actually Works

[S.A.O.]

Engine speed two goes twice as fast with double the fuel consumption, so I figured that by using engine speed one I can be more effiecient at the expense of longer lasting voyages. WRONG! I wasted far to many hours laboring under this assumption, I'm an idiot. This would only be true if your cruises had no destination, if you just kept circling around forever. If you have a destination then traveling at twice the speed means you travel half the time, meaning that your actual fuel consumption is EXACTLY THE SAME as traveling at regular speed. So right off the bat, engine speed two is just as efficient as engine speed one; but it gets better.
I decided to do a science regarding engine speed and overall efficiency. I traveled from Fallen London to Cumaen Canal, hugging the coast the whole way, using one engine power, two engine power, and two engine power while constantly pushing full power to the engines with the "F" key. During each run I had a controled set of stats. Here are the resulting data:
*one engine power = -2 fuel, -4 supply, -9 terror, time for voyage is 5 minutes, 24 seconds
*two engine power = -2 fuel, -2 supply, -3 terror, time for voyage is 2 minutes, 39 seconds
*two engine power while pushing full power to engines = -5 fuel, -1 supply, -2 terror, time for voyage is 1 minute, 33 seconds
To calculate overall efficiency I assigned each resource consumed an assumed echo value based on its practical average price in game. Fuel is worth 15 echos, Supply is worth 25 echos, terror is worth 10 echos per point. Bear in mind that these are assumptions based on my personal views and are thus, completely subjective; take them with a grain of salt. The results are:
*a one engine power voyage costs 220 echos in total
*a two engine power voyage costs 110 echos in total
*a two engine power plus constant boost voyage costs 120 echos in total
From this I derived that using engine power two is 100% MORE COST EFFECTIVE than using engine power one. Further, using constant boosts with the "F" key will only reduce this efficiency by 8%, negligible when considering the time and tactical advantages it provides (this is only true with the Avid Suppressor, without it, the efficiency declines dramaticaly). In short, if you want to save money, go fast!

[Trollified]

In reality, money will no longer be a problem once you get a bigger ship. You will have massive crews. In order to counter this, go max engine power at all times. First get the piece in london that makes your engines never catch fire.

Then speed away everywhere because your supplies will be burning at alarming rates BUT the big ships will make you much more money in trade runs.

[Faust]

Good research. But then why does the game even have two speeds? It just seems like a cruel trap for new players.

[Farro]

Faust, you gotta use the speeds 1, 0, and -1 in battles with enemy ships. You latch onto their asses and keep yourself there, out of reach from their cannons. Their AI is not very smart so they can't just turn around in place.
Obviously this doesn't work with enemy ships who have Aft cannons.

[Boink]

I don't think anyone travels anywhere at speed 1 unless forced to (under 50% crew) or docking.

On the other hand, many players use 60% crew (2 or 4 over the base in case of events / attacks) to reduce food consumption, something you've not calculated. This is an extremely useful tactic when using the merchant or frigate. Especially since supplies cost twice that of fuel.

I'm also fairly sure that the engine type determines speed, so there might be more efficiency (<8%) when using the top engines double-boosted.


Still, a salute for doing it the hard way instead of just unpacking the files and using a calculator. (Sorry, couldn't help myself)

[Sycamorph]

This should be in community guides.

[Fannish]

Late game, if you are running with anything but D__nation or the supressor, I am judging you.
And with the suppressor, that F key is your bestie. Because loosing half your cargo to feeding your hungry crew is not very much fun.

[Melcadrien]

I was actually under the similar asusmption that slower = less fuel consumption. After a number of attempts that's not the case. Also learned that no matter how good your engine is the consumption rate will likely be the same.

[Wlerin]

Slightly related, the ideal crew sizes for larger vessels are either 17 or 25, due to the way hunger per crew is rounded, and how supplies are consumed. Slightly more if you expect to lose a crew shortly after leaving London.

[Vita, Mortis, Careo]

So basically it is the inverse of real life, and my extensive experience with naval simulators has worked against me. With the real thing, the ideal cruising speed is usually ahead 1/3rd. Sunless Sea it is the "ahead full" setting of 2/3rds.

Good to know.

[Sigred]

Originally posted by Two Bears:

So basically it is the inverse of real life, and my extensive experience with naval simulators has worked against me. With the real thing, the ideal cruising speed is usually ahead 1/3rd. Sunless Sea it is the "ahead full" setting of 2/3rds.

Good to know.

Yeah, the game essentially has nearly no connection to real naval physics/engineering--such as your ship rotating freely on an axis anchored to the aft. >_>

[Feathers McGraw]

Originally posted by Sigred:

Originally posted by Two Bears:

So basically it is the inverse of real life, and my extensive experience with naval simulators has worked against me. With the real thing, the ideal cruising speed is usually ahead 1/3rd. Sunless Sea it is the "ahead full" setting of 2/3rds.

Good to know.

Yeah, the game essentially has nearly no connection to real naval physics/engineering--such as your ship rotating freely on an axis anchored to the aft. >_>

And the fact that you're in a giant underground sea filled with all sorts of cannibals, crazy peoples, gods of storms, salt, and stone, crates of souls, etc.

[acornco]

im not sure about saving money. your personal time is saved sure... but supplys only cost twice as much as fuel in london. every where else, their cost is evenly scaled to fuel. so fuel can be 20 but supplys are only 30.

if your "saving" echos by burning fuel at the expense of supply costs, you must be running sunlight or red honey. turbo wastes fuel like mad.

id say there is a nice balance between supply consumption, 15-25% fuel effictiency addons and hugging morale.

but id be lying if i said i wasnt a tubo mashing smuggler.

[Vita, Mortis, Careo]

Originally posted by Sigred:

Originally posted by Two Bears:

So basically it is the inverse of real life, and my extensive experience with naval simulators has worked against me. With the real thing, the ideal cruising speed is usually ahead 1/3rd. Sunless Sea it is the "ahead full" setting of 2/3rds.

Good to know.

Yeah, the game essentially has nearly no connection to real naval physics/engineering--such as your ship rotating freely on an axis anchored to the aft. >_>

Yes, I am aware that the game is not a simulator. I simply assumed that the afforementioned mechanics would be the logical mechanics. Regardless, that is fine.

[brady]

This was imensely helpful.

I am that new player who traveled everywhere at 1 speed to conserve fuel.

So... if I upgrade my engine, will I be using the same amount of fuel to cover the same distances?

[Sigred]

Originally posted by saturn333:

This was imensely helpful.

I am that new player who traveled everywhere at 1 speed to conserve fuel.

So... if I upgrade my engine, will I be using the same amount of fuel to cover the same distances?

The short answer is--no, you won't. You will burn more fuel to cover the same distance in slightly less time. If you're still at the stage where balancing your fuel/supply/terror (and expenses/profit per trip) actually matter to you, stick to the starter engine or Serpentine (if you have access). There's a skill/knowledge wall that just completely shatters any and all meaning to those mechanics, and I'm not talking about sunlight smuggling.