Slitherine

[BUG] Apart from the first 1-2 times I played the game and didn't even know we couldn't go to negative money, the only time I've gone bankrupt was when I was losing money but had some spare, I came to the final turn of the 1959-1962 cycle. If I'd had the same income as it went from 1962.4 to 1963.1, I would have gone to negative money. BUT I was past maximum needed prestige, so during the changeover I knew my income would increase and it'd be okay. The game declared me bankrupt and knocked me out.

However, the game doesn't account as you'd think. As it turns from one cycle to another, it first checks for bankruptcy against the old balance number and THEN it applies the new budget. For example, with illustrative figures only,

Turn / Income / Spending / Balance / Cash
1962.3 / $5,000 / $6,000 / -$1,000 / $1,500
1962.4 / $5,000 / $6,000 / -$1,000 / $500
1963.1 / $8,000 / $6,000 / +$2,000 / $2,500

In this situation, the game would test for bankruptcy possibility each turn. Bankruptcy is not possible without new spending after 1962.3. But if income stays the same after 1962.4, the player will go bankrupt. Of course, income is about to increase - but the game doesn't check for that. FIRST it checks for bankruptcy and THEN it checks new prestige, adjusts the income accordingly, and so on.

This bug affects the player's ability to stretch the budget to achieve the absolute most in the time they have.

Hello Kyle,

Apologies, I forgot to answer this message.

KyleS wrote: However, the game doesn't account as you'd think. As it turns from one cycle to another, it first checks for bankruptcy against the old balance number and THEN it applies the new budget.

I've checked the code here and I can confirm that the game computes the new budget (when applicable) and always adds the funds right after you click the 'Proceed' button in the news screen. It then checks for bankruptcy in the space complex screen.

KyleS wrote: For example, with illustrative figures only,

Turn / Income / Spending / Balance / Cash
1962.3 / $5,000 / $6,000 / -$1,000 / $1,500
1962.4 / $5,000 / $6,000 / -$1,000 / $500
1963.1 / $8,000 / $6,000 / +$2,000 / $2,500

In this situation, the game would test for bankruptcy possibility each turn. Bankruptcy is not possible without new spending after 1962.3. But if income stays the same after 1962.4, the player will go bankrupt. Of course, income is about to increase - but the game doesn't check for that. FIRST it checks for bankruptcy and THEN it checks new prestige, adjusts the income accordingly, and so on.

Notice that the new budget won't be computed until 1964.1, so you should plan ahead knowing that the budget will remain the same until that date. In your example, you will run out of money in 1963.2, that's two seasons before the new budget gets computed in 1964.1. If you don't want to run out of money before that date, you need to start closing programs and making paycuts in advance in order to make it.

Cheers,