i found i've changed these things so far is a section of the file shown here (with or without default settings, i just copied and pasted it verbatim)
"playerMaxLevel":60, # w00t!
"startingCommandPoints":5, # didn't change this paragraph at all...don't think i will
"baseSecondsPerCommandPoint":120,
"xpGainMult":2, # i know there's a mod for skill speed, i just figured this'll do the trick for me by doubling the default
"officerSkillIncreasePerLevel":1,
"officerMaxLevel":25, # allows eight max level skills plus a bit of wiggle room (well, that's the theory)
"tier1StationOfficerLevel":0, # ???
"tier2StationOfficerLevel":6,
"tier3StationOfficerLevel":12,
"officerMaxHireable":120, # no idea what this does exactly but i assume this is the number seeded throughout the stations?
"officerAIMax":3, # no change, although i matched the last line in this code sequence to this number
"baseNumOfficers":36; # this is so i can hire new recruits to slowly replace older ones with useless trait combinations
"crewSalary":10, # no change yet
"marineSalary":20, # no change yet
"officerSalaryBase":100, # made this ten times a crew salary (with three dozen officer roster it gets onerous)
"officerSalaryPerLevel":50, # made this proportional to base salary compared to default (iirc)
"baseRepairRateFrigate":10, # don't think i'll fool around with this paragraph at all
"baseRepairRateDestroyer":7,
"baseRepairRateCruiser":5,
"baseRepairRateCapital":3,
"suppliesPerMarinePerDay":0; # haven't fiddled with this paragraph yet. salary is good enough for now
"suppliesPerCrewPerDay":0;
"suppliesPerCargoUnitOverCapacity":0.1;
"suppliesPerFuelUnitOverCapacity":0.1;
"suppliesPerPersonnelUnitOverCapacity":0.1;
"supplyConsumptionMothballedMult":0;
"maxShipsInFleet":60, # this way i can have lots of cruisers, destroyers, frigates and civilian ships for various roles
"maxShipsInAIFleet":30, # multiple fleets can gang up on you so this avoids the 'grind' of battle & insane AI reinforcements
"maxOfficersInAIFleet":3, # so seeing an enemy officer is fun not boring spam
what the HECK is "tierstation" mean? i'm hoping i can use this to lower the level of recruits i find at stations...but not sure if it means something completely different. anyone?
btw, i'm really having fun with the 'efficiency' hull mod and having (D) ships in my fleet to keep costs down. i have nearly 60 ships and my daily supply cost runs just under 8...currently i'm enjoying flying around at burn 8 base (i get up to 18 for that afterburner '5' button) without any capital ships...just hauling cargo/fuel around for missions i find at the bars.
"shipSellPriceMult":.8, ( default is 4. So effectively doubled the sell price of ships )
"hullWithDModsSellPriceMult":0.4, ( Default is 2 , so see above )
This has actually made me realize how much money I've been wasting holding onto ships, being eager to pull each and every ship possible along to a planet although the cost in supplies to repair them or just to maintain them enough for the trip was worth much more. With all the appropriate leader traits and three salvage gantries and three drone tenders in my fleet, I grab much more wealth salvaging most ships, low-techs and pirate hulls than I had been selling them.
Resource recovery effectiveness: 214%
+100% Heavy machinery available
+50% Salvaging skill
+64% Fleetwide salvaging capability
x1 Crew available
Your fleet also has a 50% bonus to the amount of fuel recovered, and a 50% bonus to the number of rare items found.
I've actually been desperate for another source of supply besides the markets where my mission earnings barley break even with the resupply but by salvaging ruined ship hulls and having my fleet and leader traits, that turned right around. Now I'll only bring back the largest hulls and better tech ships, spend a few days in orbit to repair them the best my fleet can and sell them with these settings values.