FYI: The Definitive Character Luck study

[Svenn]

First 2 globals this weekend came from a character who had less then 4 hours playtime under his belt and had yet to deposit anything. I had given him an opalo and 200k ammo to have some fun with. We went to Swamp Camp and all hunted alongside each other. While he made over 200 PED, the rest of us did not break even, and I ran at my standard 80% loss (estimated). We have yet to run the numbers, as the week isnt up yet. But theres more than 4 data points running this now, and aside from my group, (which is not actually grouping up due to desire to keep this study relatively untainted --- we communicate via teamspeak or by shouting across the room), there are independent hunters assisting with their househoulds.

More folks are welcome. I'll add in data points as they show up, with data reflecting time spent in the study.

Lucky day for that guy. Now, if you continue all hunting alongside each other with the same weapons and ammo amounts for 2 months or so, then you might have some worthwhile data. Again, it's going to be about consistency. If he globals once every time you guys are out, and you get 80% return just about every time... then it'll be consistent data that MIGHT be used to infer something about character luck. It could just be that he had one lucky day though, which wouldn't indicate anything about his character luck.

 

[Starkiller]

Lucky day for that guy. Now, if you continue all hunting alongside each other with the same weapons and ammo amounts for 2 months or so, then you might have some worthwhile data. Again, it's going to be about consistency. If he globals once every time you guys are out, and you get 80% return just about every time... then it'll be consistent data that MIGHT be used to infer something about character luck. It could just be that he had one lucky day though, which wouldn't indicate anything about his character luck.

Do not forget luck is the illusion created by probabilities, and probabilities can only be truly random if their of natural descent. Everything man-made can never be random, up until today programmers can only create the illusion of randomness, because to get random values, they need to use existing values out of something else. So in essence, there is no "randomness", only the illusion of such. If one finds which values they use to created the randomness, there will be no more "luck" as the probabilities of an event could be increased or decreased at will (that is, if the values in the algorythm can be altered - which to some extent most, if not all can).

All the theories we put on the forum, just delights their thirst for conspiracies, as they know theyre system is all too far less complicated than our imaginations make it be.

 

[Magyar Republic]

Lucky day for that guy. Now, if you continue all hunting alongside each other with the same weapons and ammo amounts for 2 months or so, then you might have some worthwhile data. Again, it's going to be about consistency. If he globals once every time you guys are out, and you get 80% return just about every time... then it'll be consistent data that MIGHT be used to infer something about character luck. It could just be that he had one lucky day though, which wouldn't indicate anything about his character luck.

In all honesty it doesnt need to be an exhaustive test involving the same weapons, or really even the same mobs. This isnt a test to prove Exarosaurs are more lucky than Combibo, or the benefits and drawbacks of hunting the elusive Fugabarba. If I restricted weapon type and mob type the study would be about those weapons and those mobs, not the character itself.

What it does need to be is a test involving characters of comparable level, hunting comparable mobs, using comparable weapons. A comparable return rate should be generated, with small deviations expected, but not continual deviations.

What I am measuring is based on previous studies of economy, which generally suggest that a baseline profit of -20% should be expected per character, with some deviation from this based on individual factors, over time. If a single individual over time consistently scores either far below, or far above this established return rate, the amount of deviation and the time said deviations occur will be noted, and charted compared to characters also engaged in this study.

The name of the game here is consistency. Not profit. There's plenty of studies already out there that can tell you that an economy exists. This one should begin to answer the question "How consistent is a characters luck?"

 

[Svenn]

In all honesty it doesnt need to be an exhaustive test involving the same weapons, or really even the same mobs. This isnt a test to prove Exarosaurs are more lucky than Combibo, or the benefits and drawbacks of hunting the elusive Fugabarba. If I restricted weapon type and mob type the study would be about those weapons and those mobs, not the character itself.

What it does need to be is a test involving characters of comparable level, hunting comparable mobs, using comparable weapons. A comparable return rate should be generated, with small deviations expected, but not continual deviations.

What I am measuring is based on previous studies of economy, which generally suggest that a baseline profit of -20% should be expected per character, with some deviation from this based on individual factors, over time. If a single individual over time consistently scores either far below, or far above this established return rate, the amount of deviation and the time said deviations occur will be noted, and charted compared to characters also engaged in this study.

The name of the game here is consistency. Not profit. There's plenty of studies already out there that can tell you that an economy exists. This one should begin to answer the question "How consistent is a characters luck?"

You just echoed everything I said. The idea is to determine if one character is CONSISTENTLY more "lucky" than the rest. The only way to do this is to remove all outside variables. Have sets of characters that all do the same things at the same time (doesn't matter what it is) and see if one of those characters consistently does better than the others. The best test would be to test on multiple types of mobs with various weapon types.

In order to remove other variables though, each character should be fighting the same mobs with the same weapons at the same time to reduce the effects from outside variables..

I suppose if you gave them each a different weapon and sent them out each time you could see if there was a trend in one weapon giving consistently better returns or if one person got better returns regardless of which weapons everyone was using. The same could go for mobs. Send 1 person to daikiba, 1 to sabakuma, 1 to berycled, etc. Then repeat this multiple times with each person hunting each type of mob once. See if there is a trend in one mob giving better return rates, or whether one character gets better return rates regardless of which mobs everyone is hunting.

 

[Magyar Republic]

I suppose if you gave them each a different weapon and sent them out each time you could see if there was a trend in one weapon giving consistently better returns or if one person got better returns regardless of which weapons everyone was using. The same could go for mobs. Send 1 person to daikiba, 1 to sabakuma, 1 to berycled, etc. Then repeat this multiple times with each person hunting each type of mob once. See if there is a trend in one mob giving better return rates, or whether one character gets better return rates regardless of which mobs everyone is hunting.

In essence given appropriate time this happens on its own. Since this is only a 60 day study I have to take micro-events and attempt to chart a large picture from it. There's a ton of theories out there, and their various proponents and detractors will all cry foul because this experiment didnt cover something the way their theory says it should. The truth of the matter however is this: If the system is truly random then it does not matter what an individual is hunting, or where they are hunting. Given enough hours at the keyboard hunting anything at all, a global or HOF will happen, but most of the time it likely will not!

The observed trend however is that some folks tend to global given very few hours at the keyboard, whilst others tend to never global, despite large amounts of time invested. So far the data I have supports the trend. 58 days of testing left to see if this guy continues to be one "lucky" SOB, or whether it was just a fluke!

 

[DoubleWolf]

Subscribing...

 

[Nobatbbi]

Ran across a very interesting article today on this topic of luck. Worth a read -

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/3304496/Be-lucky-its-an-easy-skill-to-learn.html

 

[Deity A]

Ran across a very interesting article today on this topic of luck. Worth a read -

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/3304496/Be-lucky-its-an-easy-skill-to-learn.html

It's called the Homer Simpson theorem. Just don't think to much; trust your gut and in the end everything falls in place.

So ppl, when you go into EU; put up some music; let the continent drown yo slowly like a warm bath and you might end up doing OK after all.

 

[Magyar Republic]

Ran across a very interesting article today on this topic of luck. Worth a read -

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/3304496/Be-lucky-its-an-easy-skill-to-learn.html

Interesting article on actual luck. As one person pointed out in this thread though, luck in EU is a bit of a misnomer. It should instead be termed of as "Gifting." Gifting, as implied by its meaning at large, would not be based on a particular players playstyle, perceptive ability, or life outlook. Inasmuch as EU is concerned, it would simply be a value. Either you are on the positive side of the value at any given time, or the negative side. The value itself, however, can be dynamic.

The way I am thinking the system works, and this is just off the top of my head, is like this.

Imagine a number scale from 1 to 100 integers of sequential, although varying value. Now imagine there are 4 absolute numbers on it, lets call them A, B, C and D. These numbers are merely positions on the scale of integers. A is the system number. The system number is essentially the value zero on the scale. Numbers to the right are positive. Numbers to the left are negative. A is variable in position. B, C, and D are not variable, they are fixed at creation.

Our scale visibly can look like this:

|----C-------B------------------D---|

Notice A is missing. Lets place A on the scale, arbitrarily.

|--A-C-------B------------------D---|

On this scale, everyone benefits from returns, though C with closer proximity to the prime value benefits greater than B, and far greater than D, who if they are not careful may actually lose still because returns are so small in proportion to potential expenditures.

Lets move the value again.

|----C-------B---------------A--D---|

Notice now D is the only winner, and both B and C lose. C loses at a much faster rate than B, due to its far difference in value from the prime.

This theory, although probaby simplified, allows for both a "dynamic" loot system, and a loot system where as Marco put it, everyone is created equal. You all have equal chance to be winners or losers. On the scale though you will see that D and C have greater chances of losing big, and less chance of winning small, whereas B, being closer to the middle of the chain, Never really loses in an extremely large way, and has increased probability of having smaller winnings to balance out those losses.

This system, due to the nonfixed nature of value A, gives the illusion of random loot processes, when in actual fact the loot model is anything but random, and in fact depends entirely on 2 factors -- where A is, and whether you are B, C, or D!

Thats just my theory. However it seems simple enough that you dont have to be a statictician to design it, understand it, and hire a staff to work with it. Its also highly unfair (as there are 2 extremes which will have fairly large populations, ensuring a constant revenue stream as long as those individuals continue depositing), while at the same time being perfectly random on creation, and thus legally equitable.

 

[Coop_]

Ran across a very interesting article today on this topic of luck. Worth a read -

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/3304496/Be-lucky-its-an-easy-skill-to-learn.html

Interesting article on actual luck. As one person pointed out in this thread though, luck in EU is a bit of a misnomer. It should instead be termed of as "Gifting." Gifting, as implied by its meaning at large, would not be based on a particular players playstyle, perceptive ability, or life outlook. Inasmuch as EU is concerned, it would simply be a value. Either you are on the positive side of the value at any given time, or the negative side. The value itself, however, can be dynamic.

I wonder if fixating on idea of "gifting" is like staring intently at the dot in the center in the experiment in the article. The harder you stare, the more likely you miss whatever else is going on around you that could be of value. Just a thought.

 

[Magyar Republic]

I wonder if fixating on idea of "gifting" is like staring intently at the dot in the center in the experiment in the article. The harder you stare, the more likely you miss whatever else is going on around you that could be of value. Just a thought.

Its not. Fixating on the idea of gifting potentially liberates you. If gifting is identified do you think folks will blow large amounts of money trying to crack a bad luck streak, or do you think they're more likely to simply log off, and check back in a month or two to see if somethings changed?

During that time logged off, you are no longer staring at the computer screen, and instead are doing other things!

Friends - The dot is not your income in game or lack thereof. The dot is the computer screen itself.

Honestly when it comes down to it I enjoy Project Entropia. Its a unique MMO, however it is just an MMO and needs to be considered as such. The virtual world here is totally irrelevant and completely superfluous if all it does is drain my pocketbook on a grander scale than any MMO previous. Ive made my share of money off other games, and can afford to dabble a bit in this experiment, but do I think MA deserves all of my earnings? Absolutely not. I am running this experiment in order to see for myself whether I am beating a dead horse with regard to my character, and providing my data to others so that they can make their own decisions.

This is not motivated by any altruism on my part. Its motivated by the desire to understand cold, hard facts, and the fact I want to understand is simple - Are there certain characters who are more likely to suffer due to disadvantageous placement on a random numerical scale? If yes, then I see no point to continue on with this charade.

I'll chip out, cash out, and go for a swim.

EDIT:

Seriously though, Coop. I know you and I disagree on the practicality or legitimacy of this test, but you do sound like an intelligent guy. I'm sure you can see the value in making the best informed decisions possible about a hobby that can potentially suck up a few hours each day, and cost a bundle doing so. Some folks would confuse this with the desire to play for free, or play for profit. Its neither. What it is however is a reaction to the perception that I, and likely many other players, are paying for other peoples profit, and remaining silent due to our own bruised egos.

Since I have no emotional investment in this game, and don't really feel any ties to the community, I dont mind being the mouthpiece here and making a public effort to uncover some aspect of the truth regarding very widespread rumors of systemic character bias.

The test results I produce will be based purely on the math, as Im actually interested in seeing these for myself. Ive normally been pretty "lucky" IRL, and tend to follow my gut. My gut has helped me to tour the country at 18 as a pop singer, helped me to get 2 college degrees by the time I was 25, own a house in California by the time I was 30, be an active musician in my local scene even though Ive grown up a bit, and see many countries of the world. My gut says Im right... however the analytic aspect of this game attracted me to it, and in all honesty I'd feel shortchanged if I didn't give it a full and fair analysis as best I could.

I really was trying to be as polite as I could about the implied slights of that article. They didnt escape me. I know they werent personally intended, but Im a realist and I know an insult when I see one. Since they seem to be propagating through otherwise reasonable individuals, Ive opted in these paragraphs to put implied personal shortcomings on my end to rest.

In short. Im doing, and have done fine for myself. This is simply entertainment for me.

Cheers

 

[Nobatbbi]

Interesting article on actual luck. As one person pointed out in this thread though, luck in EU is a bit of a misnomer. It should instead be termed of as "Gifting." Gifting, as implied by its meaning at large, would not be based on a particular players playstyle, perceptive ability, or life outlook.....

I disagree and feel that I have proven it to myself for myself on a number of occassions by applying my knowledge of the game, keen observation at both a macro and micro level and following my intuition. This has resulted for me in rather successful runs many times. Whereas doing what some other conventional wisdom would dictate on immediately adjacent timeslots has not resulted in successful results.

You will never know until you get to that level yourself & it takes time, patience and attention to get to that point. But it is sure a great feeling when you get there and step out to a location knowing you are gonna hit a decent loot and then you do it.

Still, I'm looking forward to seeing some of your study's results.

 

[Magyar Republic]

First weeks results posted, using the 4 base avatars as other data was not submitted or not submitted on time.

 

[Svenn]

There are so many variables missing from your data right now. I hope you've got more than that... What were they hunting? Where? With what weapons? How many creatures did they actually kill in that time period (8 hours for one person could be 50 creatures while another kills 150)?

 

[Coop_]

First weeks results posted, using the 4 base avatars as other data was not submitted or not submitted on time.

We really do need more data on the kinds of activities these 4 avas pursue.

For example, I've spent 80-100 hours over the last month hunting small merps. I got a big 0 for globals/hofs during that time, while several of my friends and plenty of others got a global or hof during the same time. Do I feel unjustly ripped off? No, I actually profitted at tt during that hunting time, but small merps aren't big enough to expect regular globals.

I'd say the same for unamped mining and hunting anything smaller than argos or drones. Sure, you can get extra lucky and global doing those things, but just because you don't doesn't mean the odds are somehow stacked against you.

A much better stat to track would be "total ped spent" on "global-likely" activities, such as hunting argo/drone or better, mining with at least 2 ped/drop, crafting SIPS or better. Or if you don't want to track ped spent, at least include only the hours spent doing "global likely" activities.

 

[Magyar Republic]

They hunted, pure and simple. Mostly Snables, Exaros, and Combibos. Nobody mined. Nobody used anything beefier than you could buy from the trade terminal (except myself, I am using an amped P2a, and a Loughlin Cutter One)

It honestly wouldnt be fair to compare globals of someone hunting Proteron with someone hunting Exaros, as that would make the Proteron hunter seem exceptionally lucky.

Getting into any more depth other than establishing comparable criteria for each character involved makes the study more about the object pursued, and less about the individual pursuing it. Putting this into perspective - I will not compare apples to oranges, neither will I, however, choose to debate whether a orange juice is better with or without pulp.

To say "total PED spent" Id say, 22 PED for the guy who got all the globals. Thats my PED, which I gave him in the form of an opalo, plus some extra ammunition I had not cycled back through the TT yet. He has not spent a dime on this game.

I blew through $100 USD this week. 1 out of 4 hunts came back even. The rest were such a severe loss that I have 99 PED currently on my character. For those of you who will cry I did something wrong, spare me the excuses on MA's behalf. My eco is 2.8, my armor has very low decay values since I am hardly ever hit, and I dont spend money fapping cause the mobs when they do hit me only hit for 3 --- and thats healed up before the next punch happens! I havnt even had to fix my armor yet. Its all weapon decay. A weapon with SIB that has been maxed out for the last 9 levels.

 

[DoubleWolf]

I blew through $100 USD this week. 1 out of 4 hunts came back even. The rest were such a severe loss that I have 99 PED currently on my character. For those of you who will cry I did something wrong, spare me the excuses on MA's behalf.

You mean to tell me you had 1000 PED and in one week you're left with only 99? You're either not counting PED tied up in inventory or you are indeed doing something wrong.

Instead of excuses, I'll give you examples. I've been playing on that amount for almost a year now and cycled close to 10,000 PED. My tracker stats are FAR from phenomenal, so you know it's not due to luck...

 

[Magyar Republic]

You mean to tell me you had 1000 PED and in one week you're left with only 99? You're either not counting PED tied up in inventory or you are indeed doing something wrong.

Instead of excuses, I'll give you examples. I've been playing on that amount for almost a year now and cycled close to 10,000 PED. My tracker stats are FAR from phenomenal, so you know it's not due to luck...

Good lord man. No. Just... no. This is not about adding the resale value of an item into the equation. This is about adding the Trade Terminal value. Trade terminal value is pretty easy to calculate.

I have not cycled anything with a decent resale value. I have put it in the bank. But that is totally and 100% irrelevant to the situation at hand.

Thank you for attempting to divert the train back to Economics of Entropia, and not pure, unfiltered avatar luck, and whether or not such a thing can be quantified.

 

[KyrismaStarsong]

Good lord man. No. Just... no. This is not about adding the resale value of an item into the equation. This is about adding the Trade Terminal value. Trade terminal value is pretty easy to calculate.

I have not cycled anything with a decent resale value. I have put it in the bank. But that is totally and 100% irrelevant to the situation at hand.

Thank you for attempting to divert the train back to Economics of Entropia, and not pure, unfiltered avatar luck, and whether or not such a thing can be quantified.

So you refuse to listen to reason, don't take into consideration all the different variables of the game, and you wont learn from people who actually know what they're talking about. Haha, it's like intentionally jumping in front of the bus then claiming you were unlucky because it hit you. You're a piece of work, good luck I guess. Not that it will help.

 

[Magyar Republic]

So you refuse to listen to reason, don't take into consideration all the different variables of the game, and you wont learn from people who actually know what they're talking about. Haha, it's like intentionally jumping in front of the bus then claiming you were unlucky because it hit you. You're a piece of work, good luck I guess. Not that it will help.

There is no reason involved here. There are simply people trying to redefine what I am doing, and make it more complicated than it really is.

Its called over analysis. Its not how a successful experiment is run. You run a set of very simple variables. Then, based on the results of those variables other experiments are run. You dont say "Why is paisley better than plaid" and then answer it with "Because it isnt floral." That introduces a third variable. It does not answer the question.

Honestly this thread is an example of why the US congress doesnt work anymore. Folks there take a simple idea, add 800 pages of garbage to it, and then through a few selected buzz words manage to sell all that garbage to the public. Then the public wonders why it is broke.

 

[DoubleWolf]

Good lord man. No. Just... no. This is not about adding the resale value of an item into the equation. This is about adding the Trade Terminal value. Trade terminal value is pretty easy to calculate.

I'm not talking about resale value either bro. I've PROFITED in the time I've been playing. But it's all from markups. But we're not talking about markups, or the fact that I'm still able to play on that much. We're talking about how there's no way you could've lost that much in one week of play unless you just went out and hunted atrox and TT'd everything you got. Even that, I still can't buy it...

I started tracking my own "TT out versus TT in" values back in October. In that time I've cycled near 7,000 PED and had about a 93% TT return rate. There's certainly people that have spent way more in that time for sure. But to end up with 99 PED in one week after having 1000 means you had, at the worst, a 9.9% return rate in that time. I have NEVER gotten that kind of return even on a single hunt.

I don't want to tell you that you're doing something wrong (cause with those numbers I don't see it possible AT ALL...) but it definitely looks as though your calculations are flawed somehow if you really are coming up with those numbers...

 

[Magyar Republic]

I don't want to tell you that you're doing something wrong (cause with those numbers I don't see it possible AT ALL...) but it definitely looks as though your calculations are flawed somehow if you really are coming up with those numbers...

Ive actually TT'd very little, in comparison to what Ive put in the bank, but the value of what I have in the bank is still quite low compared to what Ive spent. What Ive put in the bank though are items like Snablesnot skins, Animal Oils, etc. I plan to sell those at markup after Im done. I have a few thousand of many items, waiting. I plan to hold onto the animal oil, for instance, until I have over 10k before parting with it, as the possibility of getting full markup and not reseller prices is increased.

The problem is when mobs drop 53 ammo and an oil residue, and ammo takes 200 a shot minimum. There's not much profit there. Or simply you get a large string of yellows before you find a loot during normal hunting of low end mobs. That kind of stuff tends to make the pocketbook shrink really fast, as resale is simply not possible when "This monster carried no loot." I did say that for the first time I had actually broken even during one hunt, but overall yeah... my loot just sucks. I may luck out and pick up a FAP, or a piece of vigilante armor, but the TT value on the items are at almost minimum when I do. Kindof hard to sell Vigilante Legguards when their value is less than 2 PED!

Im seriously not hunting Atrox. I have in the now distant past, but only briefly, as it cost me more money to get the same loot. Though I can kill them, they take slightly longer than 20 seconds to kill, and I tend to wear out an entire sword doing so! The name of my game during this hunt is - Snables, Exaros, Combibos. I dont even bother with Molisks because their regen is too high for the weapon Im using.

Which brings me back to the original point of this study. Im doing it because by all accounts what I am doing and how I am hunting should work. Many folks who know me ingame are absolutely amazed my loot is so bad, and some of them have suggested that I havnt kissed enough rear on Entropia Forum as an explanation for it! It does not add up, so Im charting my results when compared with other peoples.

In all honesty, Lootius simply has a big frown on his grizzled old face when he looks in my direction.

 

[DoubleWolf]

Ok, so to me it sounds like you weren't counting the value of your items stored in inventory. That's very important to do. I'm sure you're aware that you can get on the Planet Calypso website and get a list of every item in your inventory and then copy and paste it into the inventory calc on EntropiaTools. Easy way to get the TT value of your inventory.

If all you're hunting is Snables and Exas, you should be able to hunt virtually indefinitely on 1000 PED. Perhaps it's time to start selling off the stuff you've been stacking up and get back out there?

Either way, I'm curious if you are aware of what your TT return rate is? You said in your first post you cycled near 15,000 PED and had no loots bigger than 42 PED. I don't see a big problem with that if you're not doing things that give regular globals (snables and exas aren't known for globaling...). If your TT return rate is anywhere in the 90 percent range (which I'm guessing it probably is), I'd say your loot is doing just fine. It's not about globaling or HOFing. I could care less if I never global ever again, as long as my overall return rate stays high...

(BTW, Vigi isn't L. It sells at a + markup, not a %, so if you have a Vigi piece with 2 ped on it, it will absolutely sell... just a tip... )

 

[Shapememory]

are you logging you hunts with a spread sheet? maybe you can post a few runs worth and maybe we can see whats going on. need to see mob, armor decay, weapons decay, fap decay, amp decay, and loot total at TT.

im not saying your not unlucky, but could be some changes people could point out that would improve your return. there are for sure wide loots swings in this game and it is damn frustrating when your in a really bad swing. in fact its probably one thing MA should work on to make the gaming experience more enjoyable to a wider player base. anyway, all i can say is hope things change for you.

and why is it hard to sell vigi when the TT is low? unless its L armor, the sale is all about the mkup. vigi shins are about +20 in mkup

 

[Magyar Republic]

Ok, so to me it sounds like you weren't counting the value of your items stored in inventory.

Wrong. I was. Their value has been totaled, and factored into my statement that I make ~80% losses.

I didnt read the rest, as it was likely based off that original assessment.

and why is it hard to sell vigi when the TT is low? unless its L armor, the sale is all about the mkup. vigi shins are about +20 in mkup

Im holding onto valuable things for right now. When I collect the whole suit I'll look at markup.

My spreadsheets unfortunately are simple. I dont hunt in teams, so the Tracker Tools cant look at my logs. Start balance and ending balance is all I track.

Once again for the skeptics or those who wish to infer too much, thats start balance on the PED card and in the storage, and end balance on the PED card and in storage, after repairs have been completed.

 

[Svenn]

The name of my game during this hunt is - Snables, Exaros, Combibos. I dont even bother with Molisks because their regen is too high for the weapon Im using.

Ew, Combibos. You couldn't pay me to hunt them. Their regen sucks and they take too long to die. Exas are okay, but they seem to have too much health. Snables are decent.

Daikiba and Berycled are where it's at. And sometimes merps, merps rule. I can kill Daikiba young in 5 shots, matures in about 10 shots. Berycleds take a little longer but drop decent loot. Merps only take a couple shots each too, even the matures. And they drop some decent stuff.

Something I've found that works well enough is to look for a hot spot... Spend 15-20 minutes in one spot, and if loot is shit, move to another. I spent about 20 minutes killing merps the other day and wasn't getting much. I decided to go back and hunt Daikiba/Berycleds instead. Within 5 minutes I had hit multiple decent sized loots. I even had 2 armor pieces in one loot, and then another armor piece in the next loot, back to back.

 

[Coop_]

They hunted, pure and simple. Mostly Snables, Exaros, and Combibos. Nobody mined. Nobody used anything beefier than you could buy from the trade terminal (except myself, I am using an amped P2a, and a Loughlin Cutter One)

It honestly wouldnt be fair to compare globals of someone hunting Proteron with someone hunting Exaros, as that would make the Proteron hunter seem exceptionally lucky.

Getting into any more depth other than establishing comparable criteria for each character involved makes the study more about the object pursued, and less about the individual pursuing it. Putting this into perspective - I will not compare apples to oranges, neither will I, however, choose to debate whether a orange juice is better with or without pulp.

To say "total PED spent" Id say, 22 PED for the guy who got all the globals. Thats my PED, which I gave him in the form of an opalo, plus some extra ammunition I had not cycled back through the TT yet. He has not spent a dime on this game.

I blew through $100 USD this week. 1 out of 4 hunts came back even. The rest were such a severe loss that I have 99 PED currently on my character. For those of you who will cry I did something wrong, spare me the excuses on MA's behalf. My eco is 2.8, my armor has very low decay values since I am hardly ever hit, and I dont spend money fapping cause the mobs when they do hit me only hit for 3 --- and thats healed up before the next punch happens! I havnt even had to fix my armor yet. Its all weapon decay. A weapon with SIB that has been maxed out for the last 9 levels.

So one guy in your study spent 22 peds hunting exa, snable, or bibos and scored 3 globals?! That is truly sick luck, if so. Or maybe he started with 22 peds, scored the first global, say 80 peds, spent that 80 peds to get the second, spent the second to get the third? Still impressive for those small mobs, to be sure.

 

[Magyar Republic]

Yeah a hot spot for me is how many yellows do I get in a row between crappy loots! I'll spend 15 or so mins in a spot and if the yellows are outrageous I move on! Ive got a few spots, Dakibas notwithstanding, as I spent 2 weeks solid hunting those outside Twins and aside from skills gained I had nothing to show for it!

Speaking of skills gained, the reason why I am hunting Combibos is this: I gain skills faster on them. If my hunts are going to be a loss anyway, I may as well profit silently by skillgain.

Seriously though, its pretty well known that Argonauts yellow alot. Well... imagine if everything yellowed like an Argonaut did. There ya go, now youre playing on my level!

 

[Magyar Republic]

So one guy in your study spent 22 peds hunting exa, snable, or bibos and scored 3 globals?! That is truly sick luck, if so. Or maybe he started with 22 peds, scored the first global, say 80 peds, spent that 80 peds to get the second, spent the second to get the third? Still impressive for those small mobs, to be sure.

Yeh much more impressive than my "I spent 1300 PEDs and have 2700 animal oil plus a few skins and tiering components!"

At least I did get to cycle back 400 PEDs worth of ammunition and animal oil residue!

 

[Coop_]

You mean to tell me you had 1000 PED and in one week you're left with only 99? You're either not counting PED tied up in inventory or you are indeed doing something wrong.

Instead of excuses, I'll give you examples. I've been playing on that amount for almost a year now and cycled close to 10,000 PED. My tracker stats are FAR from phenomenal, so you know it's not due to luck...

Well, he had 3 losing hunts. To go from 1000 to 100 ped in three hunts, all he needed was 3 46.6% return hunts in a row. I know I've had 300 ped hunts hit just above 50% and I'm ultra-eco, so I guess it is at least possible that he could have 1000ped, 465ped, and 210 ped hunts that each returned around 46.6%. I'm glad I've never had such a bad string of hunts in a row, as I'd be extremely discouraged, too.

Magyar, do you also stick to exa, snable, bibo? Or with the bigger weapons do you go for bigger game?
EDIT: Crossed posts. Are you hunting the little daikis just north of Twin, or are there bigger ones somewhere? Also, do you use a finishing weapon?