Alcohol quality doesn't affect income

[Manski]

Today, I wanted to figure out how alcohol quality affects racket income. So I did some tests and the result is:

Alcohol quality does not seem to affect income.

To test this, I started a new game (as Elvira Duarte) and setup my first and only precinct with 3 speakeasies (Large, Medium, Small), 2 brothels (Large, Small) and 1 brewery (Small). I did some "Word of Mouth" upgrades so that my precinct has a positive number of available customers (currently: 250) - but I did not do any "Ambience" upgrades. I also made sure that my alcohol production is positive (currently: 20 production, 19 consumption).

With this setup (still producing Swill), I made a note of the income (not profit) of the various rackets (after waiting two weeks just to make sure things are stable):

• Speakeasies:
  • Large: $2400
  • Medium: $1200
  • Small: $600
• Brothels
  • Large: $828
  • Small: $207

Note: Due to this setup I have the "Full House" synergy (+7.5% income) active.

Then I started to upgrade alcohol quality in my brewery and my safe house to Rack. After that finished (and again after waiting for 2 weeks), I noticed that the income did not change (same as with Swill).

Just to be sure, I upgraded again to Top Shelf and again, the income did not change.

I even made sure I use up all the cheaper alcohol before checking the income.

So, is this a bug? Or, if not, what's the point of upgrading alcohol quality?

 

[AL82]

Maybe it's me and maybe you are correct. In my case I feel as if there is a noticeable difference when I have adjusted alcohol sold manually myself etc. I have not done any extensive testing however. One thing I would like to know is if you tested all this in one play through without any re-loads. Reason I mention this is, when I set up my synergies they do not register sometimes, same goes for alcohol workings and even AI activities (patrol, exterminate, etc). Some of those things seem to lock up/fall asleep and all it takes is a save and reload to "wake it up" and hopefully fix it. It's a thing in this game, no bs. Maybe it's me but if you want to run that test again, set it back up, take note before reload and you did, save and reload it and give it a week or two to see if there has been any changes, or use the one you did already. Let us know any differences. Also pay attention to any synergies being applied and neighborhood bonuses if comparing rackets in different neighborhoods. little details like that. You may be onto something and correct though. If so this does need to be looked into and fixed.

 

[Manski]

Some of those things seem to lock up/fall asleep and all it takes is a save and reload to "wake it up" and hopefully fix it.

Good point. I just tried that - and again waited for 2 weeks - but the income didn't really change (still serving Top Shelf).

Also pay attention to any synergies being applied and neighborhood bonuses if comparing rackets in different neighborhoods.

Yeah, I forgot about the synergies in my calculation. So the numbers in my OP are include the "Full House" synergy (+7.5% income). But it doesn't really change anything - the income still stays the same.

 

[AL82]

So I ran this test to further prove your point and it seems that you are correct!!! Let the game run for a month game time serving the best quality which was whiskey and as soon as the income hit I paused and selected whiskey for one, Premium for the second and Top shelf for the third. Kept and eye on it and let it run for 2 whole months and the income did not change at all. The proper alcohol was consumed however. I just so happened to have enough alcohol to run the test without going negative and I just so happened to have a neighborhood under my control with 4 speakeasy's only and the ones I tested where the ones in a 3 of a kind synergy. Here are the numbers and they stayed the same the whole time. One is a bit higher and I suspect it is because the other two where a bit close to each other and that may hay something to do with it. Gross $5,917 Net $4,924, Gross $5,529 Net $4,536 , Gross $5,529 Net $4,536 through out the whole test .... WTH!!!! and here I was thinking it made a difference Did not catch this and was thrown off or better said assumed it did make a difference only due to the rule of multiplication as I built more rackets and upgraded them as soon as I can to level 5 .... for real WTF!? So, wasting all that time UpGrAdInG Quality and not to mention the in game money you WASTE is just that a WASTE and pointless ...... DEV's, hope y'all see this and no, not going to put in more effort and waste more time making a bug report or sending you a save log blah blah blah. Look Into it yourself and fix it please, thanks. Proof that test was conducted as stated in picture below. Oh, and I saved and re loaded along the way as well to include final result.

 

[Secret Master]

This answers a question I had. There are no tooltips that indicate what effect alcohol quality, and I was wondering what I was missing.

Just out of curiosity, does running out of booze impact income?

 

[AL82]

This answers a question I had. There are no tooltips that indicate what effect alcohol quality, and I was wondering what I was missing.

Just out of curiosity, does running out of booze impact income?

Yes, that most definitely works in the game ... if it negatively impacts you you can bet that will work >:/ when you run out your income drops significantly and into the negatives most times