I know that it says that engine upgrades are 10, 20, and 30%. But I don't think that is literal.

There is a speed increase for each upgrade, but I don't feel it is that dramatic.

Anyone know about this?

This is for any universe.

Yeah, you are right. It doesnt feel it actually increases that much. I will test it in Xtreme where i am currently playing and see if the math is correct

Alrighty ^_^.

But here is the trick, i wont let you know how the testing goes. I dont get on the forums enough to post it anyways

Perhaps 10, 20, 30 % of the Base value of the original engine?

Hmm maybe that's it. Good thinking Mighty.

im guessing like oz, that they add the relative percentage of the base speed, to the total, which is compared to various distances for speed

yes, consider a base speed of 10k
10 10% levels will bet you to 20k
20 10% levels will get you to 30k

the big catch is that 20k does NOT have half the travel time of 10k
I once spent about an hour starting to figure our what the speed algorithm was, after that hour i gave up, but I can promise you that double speed will not get you to half travel time, likewise double the 'distance' is less than double the travel time. the equation goes something like:
(wow i'm finishing off some of those rough calculations now...)
(5000/sqrt(speed))*sqrt(distance)
...
5000*sqrt(distance/speed)

this underestimates apparently I thought it might be the real equation since it was so close to something nice, but the real one will be of a similar form. (constant is based on STANDARD, i dont' know if speed or travel time is changed in other universes)

in other servers i htink zorg just inserts a X multiplier or something into the coding to make stuff move quicker