Inventor skill//profession addition

[Branr]

You might want to add that you can also learn the skill from skill books.  These are available in the library and book store. Three tiers.

[Carl]

Yeah, I'll add it for completion's sake. There are just so many inventions to discover I figure most will make it to 10 before unlocking them all anyway.

[Mrs.Laphalot]

In the guide it mentions "The Floor Hygienator will be your first Big Invention." I think this must be a random thing, my first big invention was the harvester, to my surprise. This is the first inventor sim I've played so I have only the one experience. I did unlock the floor hygienator, but it was well after the harvester and several toys. 

Also, I took a couple dozen toys to the consignment shop and was wowed at how fast they sold for double the price, but was seriously disappointed these sales didn't go towards my earnings to promotion. 

[Swede1992]

The floor hygienator can be discovered at level 3, but if you've already made your way to level 4 and choose to invent it's random between them. Most often though, the floor hygienator comes first.

[Saltypaws]

My inventor got that first too.  I put a couple around the house, so far, they have worked pretty good.  I believe I read somewhere that sometimes, if you walk over it, it will bring your hygiene down in the red, I can't remember now.

[Mrs.Laphalot]

The floor hygienator can be discovered at level 3, but if you've already made your way to level 4 and choose to invent it's random between them. Most often though, the floor hygienator comes first.

Ah yes, I see that now. I was just unfortunate in not creating my first big invention until past the level to do so. If memory serves correctly, it was between levels 3 & 4 that I kept failing by electrocution and catching afire. That was fun. 

[Archer0]

In the guide, under section Unlocking Inventions, it states that

I also include the original, unmodified price as a comparison tool.

Was this left out of the guide for some reason?  It would be very helpful for someone training up an inventor to maximize profits.  More so than the price/production rate of items once the challenges are all completed, which the chart provides.

Or is the unmodified scrap/selling price ratio a direct relation?  All items taking 1 scrap sell for $5, for example?  By the way, I'm not talking about selling inventions at the consignment shop, just through the inventory screen.  Price can probably vary alot using the shop.  I'm not touching the shop until all the bugs are worked out.

If somebody doesn't have the info already, and you'd like it for the chart, I'd be happy to collect it.

[Carl]

No, it's not a direct relation between scrap cost and final cost. It was left out as an oversight by me. If you want to throw out the values for all the items before the bonuses  I'll happily add them, labeled as base and fix what I have to 'max'. You're right that it does make sense to do so.

[Archer0]

Test Sim had no traits that would modify price nor production rate.  All items created at least 3 times and sold only through the inventory screen.

Here's the info I collected.  I put it into a Google spreadsheet.  Anyone should be able to view it by clicking the link:

http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0Auo2LIjzxnM_dFNjRF9pb3AtbHlaT1VBMFpBMkw0OGc&hl=en&authkey=CLGzlJcG

The base prices are accurate.  However, at least with the lower level items, I did notice small variations in price, but rarely.  Only by $1 or $2 above or below.  I thought the lower price was due to depreciation, but I made a bunch more and still saw the fluctuation without the day rolling over.  No idea on the higher price.  They weren't improved widgets since I wasn't level 5 yet.

There is a jump in production rate after level 5 inventing, for some widgets at least.  It makes more of a difference the longer it takes to create an item.  I did not do extensive testing.  There may be another bump at level 7 and then every level afterward.  I saw some reasonable variation in the last items.  For instance, on one run my first miner after discovering the recipe, took 13 hours.  Then another test after reloading the saved game, took 12 hours.  But most took 9 to 10 hours.  The main problem, is trying to get a miner completed while still level 7.  99% of the time I got to level 8 while making the first miner.

I may take some time at some point and track production rate at level 10 for all items.  Handiness skill may also be a factor too.  Mine was never over level 5 though.  I was just more concerned with base prices tonight.  Took several hours to get this much info as it was.