Loot Drop Rates and Lockboxes: The Breakdown (possibly....)

[Nekkoking]

So, I've been around long enough to ask this question.

What is going on with the drop rate on loot and lockboxes?

Let's start with Lockboxes first....

Lockboxes:
Thanks to dedicated players on the forum, there was a list compiled for the drop rates of lockboxes. Some of you might have seen it. Data seem solid, numbers was good, and it brought hope to the masses.

Until the last few patches. Now, finding a wonderful weapon (lol and I'm not even talking about oranges either. Purple can be just as good ). as almost as hard finding a job in this economy. Not impossible but the stats are so low that it might as well be impossible.

Which is weird. Was the drop rate lowered without our knowledge? I am starting to think so. (However, OP is way too lazy to grind and put out numbers. Maybe on the weekend with enough liquor ....)

Now, this is just on the resources side. Nobody has gathered data on the bits side and there has been a lot of claims the buying lockboxes with bits provides better weapons than buying with resources.

Is it true? Am I once again playing another MMO where the better weapons goes to the people that spends real money?

No one knows. As such, we should compiled data for both bits and resources.

Now for the loot

Loot:

Almost the same as lockboxes but a little different. The drop rate is more or less the same but the quality (I think) has been lowered.

Am I be paranoid? Does anybody else feels the same way?

Let's discuss this....

[imheroic]

Your being paranoid. I buy lockbox mainly with resources, and with bits. I've come to the conclusion that both are completely equal. A tier 4 lockbox is still a tier 4 lockbox. It doesn't matter how you get the lockbox. My best guns/shields/grenades have been from resources actually. Gathered after the last patch. Your chances are the same, it's all just luck of the draw.

[Nekkoking]

Maybe I am. Lol i honestly dont know. Everybody's all hush hush when it comes to this kind of thing.

But then again, bits=real money spend. Why spend bits if you can get the same weapons through resources?

That why I think there (may or may not) be a better chance on quality drops through bits.

That's the theory at least....

[Azumi RM]

If you look at it on a database level, it is possible to separate the boxes bought with Bits and the boxes bought with resources. I mean, although you purchase them at the same vendor from the same menu item, the item issued to you can still be different. That is if a "box" exists at all. I would say it is an event trigger rather than an item. Even then, a stored procedure can be created for both methods of purchase. One with a higher chance of giving items with the value for purple or orange.
This may be possible but I don't think it is how it's set up. Perhaps there is a limited number of each item in the database at one time and now that the game has been around for a while, the numbers are getting lower and thus the chances are going down for things like purple and orange.

[Tekrunner]

It wouldn't make sense for Trion to hide it if buying lockboxes with bits gave you better loot.

Either :
1) They don't want people who pay for lockboxes to gain too big an advantage, and they make all lockboxes identical.
2) Or they're fine with a pay-to-win model, they just want to make as much money from bit sales as possible. In this case they make it obvious that you should be using bits instead of resources.

As for the claim that drop rates have been lowered... either you start a new data collection project, or you can't prove that it's not patch placebo effect.

[Nekkoking]

If you look at it on a database level, it is possible to separate the boxes bought with Bits and the boxes bought with resources. I mean, although you purchase them at the same vendor from the same menu item, the item issued to you can still be different. That is if a "box" exists at all. I would say it is an event trigger rather than an item. Even then, a stored procedure can be created for both methods of purchase. One with a higher chance of giving items with the value for purple or orange.
This may be possible but I don't think it is how it's set up. Perhaps there is a limited number of each item in the database at one time and now that the game has been around for a while, the numbers are getting lower and thus the chances are going down for things like purple and orange.

Rarity cap? It is possible. D2, D3, WoW, etc. The list goes on for games that do that kind of thing. Limit the number of purple and orange and control the market. Too little=inflation. Too much=deflation.

Sorry, I'm going off tangent. Anyways, rarity cap. It's never good. Especially with a game like this. I like a challenge and grinding is second nature to me but such things will drive away the causal player.

And even then, hardcore RPGs are human. If you make purples almost as hard to get as orange, alot more people will be put off. Whites and greens are ok but the way they design this game is pure entrapment. Meaning you want to keep people as busy as possible; give the game replay value.

That is why they threw PvP (and Shadow Wars) in there. And the newest add- Siege Mode. (Co-ops are only fun the first few times and you do one Arkfall you pretty much did them all).

All in all, weapons runs this game. And good ones can take you far.

[Nekkoking]

Yea, I really went off subject.....

[Qbit]

I did a thread yesterday just looking at drops:
http://forums.defiance.com/showthrea...ary-drop-rates

Pretty much drops are only good for ark salvage (white,green,blue), you need to use rewards and lockboxes if you want epics and legendaries.

[Jeng]

I did a thread yesterday just looking at drops:
http://forums.defiance.com/showthrea...ary-drop-rates

Pretty much drops are only good for ark salvage (white,green,blue), you need to use rewards and lockboxes if you want epics and legendaries.

I've been getting Epics(purples) and sometimes two epic from arkfalls after the reward screen comes up at least 90% of the time. I'm always top 5 though mostly 4, 2, or 1 (frequency in that order) . Don't know if this is helpful.

[piercehead]

I've been getting Epics(purples) and sometimes two epic from arkfalls after the reward screen comes up at least 90% of the time.

I call BS on that claim. Just...no.