I'm recording my instance runs to give a realistic picture of returns. I run instances periodically; I don't typically grind the same levels over and over. I try to be as eco as practical and still run through the instance fairly quickly. This basically means limiting overkill. If I was really, really careful about eco, I could probably shave off 2% from my costs, but it would slow me down more than I like. The longer I spend in an instance, the higher the chance of the server crashing or me losing my internet connection and losing all my loot, hence the need for speed. As you can see below, I use a very economical setup. I'm maxed on all tools and weapons. I can't promise I'll list every instance here, since sometimes it's impossible to give an accurate report (for instance, when in team or if I forget to log all the values). But if a run is excluded, it will not be because the loot TT was too high or too low. When I find a special item that sells has MU, I'll note the estimated MU, unless it's super-secret and I don't want to reveal that I got it. Yarrijak, Snakes: HK110 Ubos: CAP-303 J. I use CAP-101 arctic or CAP-99R or HK110 as finisher, whichever is more appropriate Magurg males: CAP-303 J or Archon's sword with CAP-99R finisher L2: Archon's sword with CAP-99R finisher L6: CAP-303 J with CAP-99R finisher L12: CAP-303 J with CAP-99R finisher Boss mobs: CAP-303 J or Archon's sword Equipment SIR-20 (Beast, headshot 3, seizzt 2000L) 2.828 dpp CAP-303 Jungle (A104, seizzt 2000L) 2.925 dpp (2.861 after MU) CAP-101 Arctic (A103, seizzt 2000L) 2.966 dpp (2.94 after MU) CAP-99R (A101) 2.907 HK110 2.866 Archon's Sword 2.989 dpp GYRO FAP-22 Regen chip III SI heart Adj Pixie + 5B Liakon/Ghost +5B
Results [TABLE="class: grid, width: 95%"] [TD="align: center"]Instance[/TD] [TD="align: center"]Number logged[/TD] [TD="align: center"]Average TT return, %[/TD] [TD="align: center"]Special Items[/TD] [TD="align: center"]1[/TD] [TD="align: center"]1[/TD] [TD="align: center"]80.1[/TD] [TD="align: center"][/TD] [TD="align: center"]2[/TD] [TD="align: center"]1[/TD] [TD="align: center"]79.2[/TD] [TD="align: center"][/TD] [TD="align: center"]3[/TD] [TD="align: center"]1[/TD] [TD="align: center"]73.4[/TD] [TD="align: center"]Golden Key Power Source[/TD] [TD="align: center"]4[/TD] [TD="align: center"]1[/TD] [TD="align: center"]75.6[/TD] [TD="align: center"]Golden Key Cog[/TD] [TD="align: center"]5[/TD] [TD="align: center"]1[/TD] [TD="align: center"]73.6[/TD] [TD="align: center"]Golden Key Interface[/TD] [TD="align: center"]6[/TD] [TD="align: center"]1[/TD] [TD="align: center"]75.9[/TD] [TD="align: center"]Lokhabu Electrifier Sword[/TD] [TD="align: center"]7[/TD] [TD="align: center"]4[/TD] [TD="align: center"]74.5[/TD] [TD="align: center"]Shagadi Disintegration Sword, Dehera Immolation Sword[/TD] [TD="align: center"]8[/TD] [TD="align: center"][/TD] [TD="align: center"][/TD] [TD="align: center"][/TD] [TD="align: center"]9[/TD] [TD="align: center"][/TD] [TD="align: center"][/TD] [TD="align: center"][/TD] [TD="align: center"]10[/TD] [TD="align: center"][/TD] [TD="align: center"][/TD] [TD="align: center"][/TD] [/TABLE]
Key 6 [TABLE="class: grid, width: 500"] Costs TT value Key 120 Ammo and weapon decay 477.91 Defensive decay 11.5 Total Cost 609.41 Loot 462.74 2x Lokhabu Electrifier Sword +1000 TT Return 75.9% [/TABLE]
Key 7 [TABLE="class: grid, width: 500"] Costs TT value Key 140 Ammo and weapon decay 622.84 Defensive decay 12.72 Total Cost 775.56 Loot 566.15 Shagadi Disintegration Sword +1300 TT Return 73.0% [/TABLE]
Key 7 [TABLE="class: grid, width: 500"] Costs TT value Key 140 Ammo and weapon decay 632.55 Defensive decay 12.53 Total Cost 785.08 Loot 582 Dehera Immolation Sword +700 TT Return 74.1% [/TABLE] Note: the last three instances dropped unusual amounts of swords... this is not typical. I noticed that they were dropping lots of items and got in on the fun in time.
Key 7 [TABLE="class: grid, width: 500"] Costs TT value Key 140 Ammo and weapon decay 631.31 Defensive decay 14.1 Total Cost 785.41 Loot 576 Loot MU +0 TT Return 73.3% [/TABLE]
Key 7 [TABLE="class: grid, width: 500"] Costs TT value Key 140 Ammo and weapon decay 634.13 Defensive decay 12.42 Total Cost 786.55 Loot 608.55 Loot MU +0 Arkoins 60.1 TT Return 77.4% [/TABLE]
Key 4 [TABLE="class: grid, width: 500"] Costs TT value Key 80 Ammo and weapon decay 225.12 Defensive decay 3.73 Total Cost 308.85 Loot 233.44 4x Golden Key Cogs +80 TT Return 75.6% [/TABLE]
Key 5 [TABLE="class: grid, width: 500"] Costs TT value Key 100 Ammo and weapon decay 313.09 Defensive decay 6.16 Total Cost 419.25 Loot 308.38 Golden Key Interface +36 Arkoins 28.6 TT Return 73.6% [/TABLE]
Hi Neil, Very good stats. Nice work... Do you think MA are simply not counting the TT cost of the key in their TT loot return calculation at the end of the instance? Cheers, Forrest
The numbers fit for some of the instances (~2-4), but we know that the key value does count toward loot because of the Goldrush event, when players jumped down to the end, skipping all the mobs except the boss; they got loot based on the key value plus the boss. It's not an efficient way to do them (and not possible anymore) but back then the goal was speed. Plus, if key value was not counted, returns would typically be over 100% in level 1.
good data's I usually see 75-80% return as well and with the occasional uber UL item or occasional large hof the average is probably around 90% long term I figure
Ignoring MU, I just can't believe it's as high as 90%. Even small HOFs are rare. In all my time I've never had one. And considering the amount of ped that's lost each time you get, say, a 75% return... a 300 ped hof in a level 7 merely brings that instance's return to 100%. You won't need just a big hof to bring the average up to 90%, you'll need an ATH.
I would take that further to say that if you do your instances at the right time, yes, you can get good stuff, 100% loot return or more (after MU). Your only chance of profit or break even is with UL items like swords that can sell for high MU. Arkoins, though useful, probably aren't going to cut it, since (at the current drop rate) the MU would have to be astronomical (>1000%) to reach a long term break even point, and I just can't imagine their MU going that high. What has angered a lot of people about instances is that the drop rate of good items is erratic. For instance, running 30 or 40 high level instances in a row and getting nothing worth speaking of. So far it's been like this: one week there will be dozens of UL items dropping, then for a month, nothing at all. Maybe MA is still playing with instance loot, trying to balance it, and we will see improvements as time goes on. The past two weeks have been a very good period. I'd like to see more consistency.
Key 1 [TABLE="class: grid, width: 500"] Costs TT value Key 20 Ammo and weapon decay 20.14 Defensive decay 0.15 Total Cost 40.29 Loot 32.27 Loot MU +9 Arkoins 22.38 TT Return 80.1 [/TABLE] With a 140% MU for arkoins, overall is +1 ped.
Key 2 [TABLE="class: grid, width: 500"] Costs TT value Key 40 Ammo and weapon decay 65.35 Defensive decay 0.58 Total Cost 105.93 Loot 83.91 Loot MU +0 Arkoins 0 TT Return 79.2% [/TABLE]
[TABLE="class: grid, width: 500"] Costs TT value Key 60 Ammo and weapon decay 98.96 Defensive decay 3.03 Total Cost 161.99 Loot 118.82 Loot MU (5x Power Source, Arkoins) +25 Arkoins 26.05 TT Return 73.4 [/TABLE]
