1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.

Any hope of profit in instances?

Discussion in 'Instances' started by slither, Sep 19, 2012.

  1. slither

    slither Active Member

    Messages:
    388
    Likes Received:
    43
    Trophy Points:
    28
    I've done 20+ instances of various levels and every one has ended up as a tt loss.

    Is there any hope of a tt profit with these things? While hunting I can break even or make a small tt profit, always with the possibility of hitting something big from 1kped all the way up to 100kped+

    I've heard of one or two profit runs, but the profit hasn't been much more than break even. So are these basicaly a system where you effectively pay MA for a chance to loot an item? or is there actualy a chance that I could hof 10kped one day?

    I'm guessing that's the way it is, MA seem to be going more and more down the route where we pay for something that used to be looted normaly. I guess I'll just stay out of them until there's something worth looting (eg. imp v3, wildboar etc) or the arkoins have a high enough value.
     
  2. KikkiJikki

    KikkiJikki Well-Known Member Pro Users

    Messages:
    3,323
    Likes Received:
    440
    Trophy Points:
    83
    Why would you expect TT profit from instances when most people wouldn't normally get that in hunting, mining or crafting? The chance for profit in the instance comes from looting MU items such as weapons, armour or Arkcoins. My big problem with the instances is that the vast majority of the loot is TT food (robot bits).
     
  3. T79x

    T79x Adviser Arkadia Adviser

    Messages:
    375
    Likes Received:
    72
    Trophy Points:
    28
    TT wise it was allways loss
    but few runs whit Gold key parts or armors make it all no so much loss

    selling arkoins helps a lot to get out of loss
     
  4. slither

    slither Active Member

    Messages:
    388
    Likes Received:
    43
    Trophy Points:
    28
    Kikki, I often get a tt profit when hunting and mining. There's enough varience in hunting/mining that profit is always a possibility and a good 1k+ profit a rare but hoped for experiance. Where as instances just seem to be a constant unending tt ped drain.
     
  5. KikkiJikki

    KikkiJikki Well-Known Member Pro Users

    Messages:
    3,323
    Likes Received:
    440
    Trophy Points:
    83
    But in the long run, except for the ubers with ultra eco gear, you can expect to run at a net TT loss. I'll agree the loss is more consistant in the instances. I'll be happy if they can find someway to produce on planet demand for all that robot loot.

    Regards,
    KikkiJikki
     
  6. Neil

    Neil Adviser Pro Users Arkadia Adviser

    Messages:
    3,094
    Likes Received:
    276
    Trophy Points:
    83
    I've profited from instances. Looted a number of high MU items that more than paid for my TT losses. Whether those drops will continue or MU will stay up, I don't know.

    But honestly, if you're only looking to make a TT profit, you're playing a different game than I am.
     
  7. Noodles

    Noodles Member

    Messages:
    23
    Likes Received:
    5
    Trophy Points:
    8
    My reaction is that, if Ark instances loot like Calypso instances (the entire instance gets a single loot multiplier, more or less), 20 attempts isn't a good sample size to draw any conclusions...as it's like looting 20 mobs or mining 20 claims.

    That said, I've no clue if the return % of instances is the same as for hunting or mining, it could sure be different if MA wanted it that way.
     
  8. slither

    slither Active Member

    Messages:
    388
    Likes Received:
    43
    Trophy Points:
    28
    Some of u guys just don't get what i'm saying. I've been in the game 7 years so I know a little about markup, tt losses etc.

    What I'm saying is that, give or take a few peds, I'm getting the same returns from every instance I run. I'm not expecting a long term tt profit, just maybe once or twice I could hit big. Is there any chance I could hit an uber tt loot in the same way as I could hunting, mining, crafting?

    I know it's all a bit of a gamble anyway but these just feel like i give MA 100ped and they give me 70ped back and a raffle ticket for an armour piece, which I'll end up tearing up most the time and just have a poor hunting return.
     
  9. Neil

    Neil Adviser Pro Users Arkadia Adviser

    Messages:
    3,094
    Likes Received:
    276
    Trophy Points:
    83
    Yes. Not all loots are 75% of TT. I think I saw someone get 400 or so on a low level instance (1-3).
     
  10. harmony

    harmony Active Member Pro Users

    Messages:
    911
    Likes Received:
    79
    Trophy Points:
    28
    So far from my experience i would say that the average loot on instances is lower then on mobs, the only times i had a tt profit on runs was when i skipped all the mobs except for the final boss. I kinda distrust the instances loot wise, but my sample size is still too small to really say something.
     
  11. cute781217

    cute781217 Active Member Pro Users

    Messages:
    527
    Likes Received:
    67
    Trophy Points:
    28
    Since you guys are discuss about instance loot, so I want to share some of my results. I have done something like 25 level 2~3 instances solo(3 after the last VU), and like 4 level 3 with friends (all before last VU). so can say almost 30 instances, I have only 1 time in TT profit (covers key, ammo, decay on armor and weapons, not counting markup), and 3 times the loot can't even cover my ammo burned+decay. Don't come and talking shit like use finisher and no over-kill etc.. everyone knows that shit and I did that as well. The items I have got is from the first instance I did with the other 2 friends, rest of instances has absolutely no items at all. I didn't note down every my instance result, I only compare the expense and loot at the end, my average loss is around 30 ped(TT to TT, not counting markup) every instance. Maybe it is because I can only do low level instance result in no items in loot.

    Am I whining about bad returns? Of course not, I know mindark and PP needs money to running company, so I don't mind losing ped. Am I happy about it? Hell no. I agree with Slither the losing streak is very discourage you know, you can get a global occasional in hunting and mining to boost your TT return and can profit sometime. You can always get a global in last big chest in level 3, but it means nothing because it can't cover a shit. I don't mind it leads TT to loss eventually, but it should be something like 110%, 85%,98% etc... at least it would be make me feel alot better and willing to play more. 1 profit run out of 30 is just unacceptable, it's like digging a hole in your pocket and you keep digging make it bigger and bigger. I think you can get more from either hunting or mining easily. It doesn't matter if it all leads a loss at the end, as I said it would be more encourage to do it at least you feel you gain something after every other run. But yeah I know nothing Arkadia team can do about it, just sharing my thoughts and nothing else.

    Have a nice day.
     
  12. harmony

    harmony Active Member Pro Users

    Messages:
    911
    Likes Received:
    79
    Trophy Points:
    28
    Well they could ask mindark for some logs about costs and returns of the instances to see if our suspicions are correct, or that we are just having bad luck, bad record keeping, or have just people with low returns on the forum.

    Edit: Like slither i don't mind that in the end i have 90-95% tt returns, it's the way the game goes. But to achieve 90-95% tt returns you have to have some 100%+ returns to cover for the 70% runs and those appear to be lacking (to me).
     
  13. KMax

    KMax Well-Known Member Pro Users

    Messages:
    1,034
    Likes Received:
    107
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Hmm if you get more hunting, mining and crafting then from instance why do you keep doing instances? I stopped 2 weeks ago because I realized return was bad and no coins were dropping for me. I did a few for fun with friends but never cared for returns it was for fun I could have looted nothing and would have been fine.

    Moral of the story is stop doing something if you don't like it. If your reason to doing it and hating it is to get coins for the auction well then it is just something one must live with. I have been happily crafting and mining for weeks now and not mad about instance loots.
     
  14. harmony

    harmony Active Member Pro Users

    Messages:
    911
    Likes Received:
    79
    Trophy Points:
    28
    Sorry but i have to disagree here kmax.

    If i see something i don't like i report it on this forum in the hope and expectation that the ark-team will look into it and hopefully turn it into something i do like. Because if they change that, more people will like the game, which will generate more income for MA and the ark team, which will give them more opportunities to create even more stuff i like.
     
  15. AlexSolo

    AlexSolo Member

    Messages:
    239
    Likes Received:
    21
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Hello,

    my experience is that i had runs where i got the most return in form of robot loot and in other runs i had more arkoins than anything else leading to a profit after sales on over 10 ped on instance 01 runs at times. The difference in the runs payback is huge. 30 ped TT robot loot or 30 ped TT arkoins is a difference.

    So overal the costs to play instance 01 is not very high i can keep financing more and more runs on them.

    TT profit well i would need a global on the chests i guess or something.

    If doing 10 instances 01 that makes me kill 1780 creatures. Not much to hope for a global on that level i think.


    What I would appreciate as info on UL items loot etc is the chance multiplier to loot them from the chests.

    Like 12 players inside a instance = 12 times the chance to get an item

    or

    12 players inside a instance = not a higher chance to get an item inside that single run

    I know from other games that its always a higher chance to get a unique item from something if more players are inside a team so more players roll the dice on the loot.

    I dont want to know the exact formula and we might never get it but a short note like "a team is probably on its way with a higher chance of success" would help.

    The only thing is then that the instances got to be created with a fix max number limit of participants so that the teamleader cant bring in 500 players or such :D

    But we could test that. Lets gang up with 500 inside instance 10 and everyone does some damage and then see how many items drop :D

    Overall TT returns = a team should be capable to keep the TT losses per head lower than doing them alone ofc. what leads to more possible runs if all throw together.

    Cost per head = lower on one run.

    leads to if you decide to play them alone you will face more costs on your back. (loss on TT return + key)

    so i guess its not the type of activity you do what leads to what looks like high costs if you wont get decent loot on the boxes its the way you are doing them.

    i would always seek for more teammembers the higher level i play inside of them.
     
  16. KMax

    KMax Well-Known Member Pro Users

    Messages:
    1,034
    Likes Received:
    107
    Trophy Points:
    63
    I understand that but the tones of the messages here in the way I read them is.

    I blame MA and PP's for my continuous losses at doing an activity I know I loose at and I refuse to stop doing this activity and I continue to loose and I want my losses back.

    I am saying if you know your losing STOP step back, go back to doing something that your not loosing at. Report your findings in the bug section. Wait for update and responses. Why keep doing the the thing you loose at over and over again when you know you will loose at it? Is what I am saying. It is apparently frustrating people and making their experience suck. Only you can stop it the game will not change magically in 10 minutes between one loss and the next it takes weeks or months for good changes to happen.
     
  17. slither

    slither Active Member

    Messages:
    388
    Likes Received:
    43
    Trophy Points:
    28
    KMax what do u think I'm doing? Whining like a noob while banging my head against a wall, or maybe i'm possibly reporting what i found and getting info from other players so I can make better informed choices.

    Damn, I think i'll go back to PCF at least people don't treat me like a nobrain noob over there.
     
  18. KMax

    KMax Well-Known Member Pro Users

    Messages:
    1,034
    Likes Received:
    107
    Trophy Points:
    63
    sorry if I offended but it did come off that way when I read all these posts.
     
  19. Neil

    Neil Adviser Pro Users Arkadia Adviser

    Messages:
    3,094
    Likes Received:
    276
    Trophy Points:
    83
    Slither, the instances are not meant to give the regular 90-95% TT returns. I don't think beacons do either... it's just the way MA has set up instances. They figure there are other motivations for playing instances than high TT returns.
     
  20. svena

    svena Active Member Pro Users

    Messages:
    319
    Likes Received:
    218
    Trophy Points:
    43
    I can also confirm, loot is sitting at almost exactly 75% tt return including all. Doing an average of 2.85 dmg/pec.

    Come on MA, this is not acceptable. This game needs stuff that gives a better tt return not lower. Pull your head out of your ass before you solidify this games position in the niche corner of the gaming market even more.