"one crate every 30 minutes or less" -- NOPE!! Basic Math Inside

[teclado]

UPDATE: Just so I don't look like a moron, I made this post prior to 5.1.1, back when they were telling us that 250% meant a 2.5x rate. Now we are getting a 3.5x rate (which they called 350%), or which can also be referred to as a 250% increase in CXP. Back then, I didn't know about the chapter farming methods and I was simply using warzones as an example.

 

With all that said, here is my original post in the spoiler tag:

 

 

Game Update 5.1.1 – Coming February 7th

 

[*]New CXP leveling event. This event will run until Game Update 5.2 in April. During this event all CXP earned will be increased by 250%.

• The goal is that you will earn one crate every 30 minutes or less. The 30 minute time-frame is for a Tier 3 crate (meaning 1 and 2 will be even faster).

 

Let's check this, shall we?

 

I'm assuming that running Unranked Warzones would be an activity that would yield the coveted "one crate per 30 minutes or less," no?

 

Ok, well my Merc is at Command Level 87. He needs 3910 Command XP to hit the next level. Running Unranked Warzones, I currently get a little over 700 CXP for a warzone win (even less for a loss), and this is with the +10% legacy perk. I can run about two warzones in 30 minutes when queues are popping really good on Harbinger. That means I get roughly 700 x 2 = 1400 CXP per 30 minutes when I get two wins in a row.

 

So at 2.5x CXP, that means I'm going to get about 700 * 2.5 * 2 = 3500 CXP per 30 minutes (again assuming two warzone wins in a row), which falls a little bit short of making a full level At tier 1.

 

Perhaps the intent is that a CXP booster / Galactic Command daily bonus / Light or Dark bonus has to be used in order to get the crate per 30 minutes? In other words, only under ideal circumstances. If so, this feels very disingenuous.

 

P.S. For those of you wondering how I figure that 250% = 2.5x rate, see here: http://www.swtor.com/info/in-game-events. Although it isn't explicitly stated for Command XP, the regular XP rate is explicitly stated to mean 250% = 2.5x.

 

 

Edited February 16, 2017 by teclado

[AscendingSky]

Remember, these are the same people who originally promised we'd all be getting a Command crate an hour regardless of Command level. I expect they're going to be just as wrong about this new estimate of time as they were the last one, because they are completely out of touch with how people actually play this game.

[Shirvington]

Let's check this, shall we?

 

I'm assuming that running Unranked Warzones would be an activity that would yield the coveted "one crate per 30 minutes or less," no?

 

Ok, well my Merc is at Command Level 87. He needs 3910 Command XP to hit the next level. Running Unranked Warzones, I currently get a little over 700 CXP for a warzone win (even less for a loss), and this is with the +10% legacy perk. I can run about two warzones in 30 minutes when queues are popping really good on Harbinger. That means I get roughly 700 x 2 = 1400 CXP per 30 minutes when I get two wins in a row.

 

So at 2.5x CXP, that means I'm going to get about 700 * 2.5 * 2 = 3500 CXP per 30 minutes (again assuming two warzone wins in a row), which falls a little bit short of making a full level At tier 1.

 

Perhaps the intent is that a CXP booster / Galactic Command daily bonus / Light or Dark bonus has to be used in order to get the crate per 30 minutes? In other words, only under ideal circumstances. If so, this feels very disingenuous.

 

P.S. For those of you wondering how I figure that 250% = 2.5x rate, see here: http://www.swtor.com/info/in-game-events. Although it isn't explicitly stated for Command XP, the regular XP rate is explicitly stated to mean 250% = 2.5x.

 

The wording says "increased by 250%," which literally means x + 2.5x = 3.5x. That may be poor wording on BW's part, so some clarification would be helpful.

 

That being said, remember they are offering a 100% CXP boost on the Command Token vendor that affects Tiers 1 & 2. So at worst ("increased by 250%" really should read "increased to 250%"), with additive bonuses, x + 1.5x + (100% token boost) x + 0.1x (legacy) = 3.6x. So that 661 base CXP for WZ win becomes 2380. Times 2 for 30 mins = 4760. Mix that with heroics or Vet/Master Chapter 1/2 KotFE in between pops for better results.

 

Best case scenario. X + 2.5x ("Increased by 250%) + x(100% token boost) + 0.2 (daily bonus) +0.15 (DvL bonus) + 0.1x (legacy bonus) = 4.95x. 661 for a WZ win becomes 3272. Times 2 for 30 mins = 6544.

 

Again, this depends on what BW really means by "increased BY 250%." But either way, get the +100% CXP token for Tiers 1 & 2 and do Heroics or the quick story chapters in between pops.

Edited February 4, 2017 by Shirvington

[Yezzan]

That's a load of crap and everyone knows it. What can anyone do in 30 minutes that will cause him/her to gain a command level? A Flashpoint? PvP? An Operations? An Uprising? Heroics? What? Cause last I check, none of those things will earn you a command level in 30 minutes.

 

You can only do one FP in 30 minutes and that will definitely not earn you a command level.

 

You can do two PvP matches in 30 minutes, and those will not earn you a command level. maybe you can fit 4 in 30 depending on if the match gets cancelled or if you get death matches than ended quickly (this will result in less CXP earned) So still not gonna net you a command level

 

2 Uprisings in 30 minutes or maybe 2 and a half but still won't net you a level.

 

heroics are out of the question.

 

Ops take forever and you definitely not getting a level after you done

 

Maybe they meant if your command level is zero?

[teclado]

The wording says "increased by 250%," which literally means x + 2.5x = 3.5x. That may be poor wording on BW's part, so some clarification would be helpful.

Yeah. I'd like to give them the benefit of the doubt, but reading this and comparing the wording...

250% BONUS XP EVENT

(FEBRUARY 7, 2017 – APRIL 10, 2017: BEGINS AND ENDS AT 4AM PST/12AM GMT)

LEVEL: All Levels up to 70!

 

From story missions to PvP Warzones to Starfighter battles, level up at 2.5x the speed -- up to Level 70!

...and comparing to this:

250% BONUS COMMAND XP EVENT

(FEBRUARY 7, 2017 – APRIL 10, 2017: BEGINS AND ENDS AT 4AM PST/12AM GMT)

LEVEL: 70

 

Level up through your Command Ranks faster than ever before with a 250% experience boost!

 

Both would seem to indicate that 250% means 2.5 times. The wording could be messed up in that announcement, but I'm just a wee bit pessimistic.

 

And yeah, you might be right Shirvington. It's possible that they were assuming the 100% CXP boost into the calculations. That is a bit disingenuous, as I see it.

Edited February 4, 2017 by teclado

[HelinCarnate]

And yeah, you might be right Shirvington. It's possible that they were assuming the 100% CXP boost into the calculations. That is a bit disingenuous, as I see it.

 

And add the fact that you cannot use that 100% bonus after tier 2, there would be no way for an "average" person at 300+ to be getting 1 crate every half hour unless it was an additional 250%. However them answering other questions on the topic but ignoring the questions trying to clarify the math points to the answer being one we don't want to hear, meaning they could potentially be lying about the 250% and its really +150%.

[americanaussie]

Yeah no matter how many times I try to tell them I don't get 1 crate an hour, they've not listened.

[stoopicus]

And in the end increasing the rate that we get the Disintegration Crates doesn't really fix anything anyway. It's still possible to go 0-300 and end up with nothing, or the same hat five times, etc.

 

5.1.1 fixes nothing, 5.1.2 is the first attempt to fix the real grind issue, the rate of components. But it's a month out and we don't know if it will be enough anyway.

[omaan]

To add something to all your messages i also must remind you that all these changes ARE NOT INTENDED TO HELP US GETTING THE BEST GEAR. The real reason they are doing it is just to move us to a new start of getting new tier 4-5 gear, which means even if we use the benefits of new event we will just get to the new start of getting new tiers.... And with getting tier 4-5 there won't be any event. Thus i really hate when bioware are trying to solve their problems through temporary actions like dvl event or cxp event, many people are missing during these events or their time is on period when people must work or study... Edited February 4, 2017 by omaan

[Kurfer]

Well, for what it's worth i'm getting over 1 level of cxp per level in 7 minutes.

 

Chapter II master mode with a boost gives me 4600 cxp at level 105 and takes just under 7 minutes per run, I only need 4080 to level. Even at level 300 I am close to 1 level per 7 mins...maybe its more like 10 mins per level.

 

Not bad at all!

[Suzsi]

Well, for what it's worth i'm getting over 1 level of cxp per level in 7 minutes.

 

Chapter II master mode with a boost gives me 4600 cxp at level 105 and takes just under 7 minutes per run, I only need 4080 to level. Even at level 300 I am close to 1 level per 7 mins...maybe its more like 10 mins per level.

 

Not bad at all!

 

Not everyone can do this. Not everyone has a character that can do this even.

What they need to do is look at EVERYONE. Not just a couple of players, not just the 'best' players or certain classes or whatever but everyone... and then see time online vrs rewards. Vastly different results.

 

Some servers for example like mine you can wait 10 to 15 minutes for a WZ to pop - and that's at peak time. Much longer at night time my time when the server is quieter. It takes about 2 WZ's right now for a crate.

I can't even do veteran level chapters, let alone any other - not a single toon is even in full 230 gear yet, let alone looking at 240 or higher.

Edited February 14, 2017 by Suzsi

[bncsmom]

I get, on average, 3000 CXP per GSF match I do. Sometimes it's as high as 3900, sometimes it's as low as 2500. It depends on a lot of factors. When GSF is popping, I can get around 4 command crates in an hour on my Sage who is now over rank 100. One day last week I got 7 crates in 3 matches on a toon that was just starting out with her command grind.

 

It is easily possible to get one every thirty minutes, or even more than just one. You just have to seek out the most lucrative activity, command xp-wise.

[Lunafox]

Well, for what it's worth i'm getting over 1 level of cxp per level in 7 minutes.

 

Chapter II master mode with a boost gives me 4600 cxp at level 105 and takes just under 7 minutes per run, I only need 4080 to level. Even at level 300 I am close to 1 level per 7 mins...maybe its more like 10 mins per level.

 

Not bad at all!

 

I've been doing something similar, only on story mode, and I find that it advances me quite quickly usually within about 7 to 8 minutes and I get crates usually every two runs, sometimes three depending on if I disintegrated some stuff. So it works out for me, that I'm getting a crate every 30 minutes or so.

[ThadiusMoor]

I see everyone is doing the chapter 2 runs...

 

GG.

Edited February 14, 2017 by ThadiusMoor

[Kaldron_Fell]

I see everyone is doing the chapter 2 runs...

 

GG.

Beats doing the same planetary heroics again and again. At least the last fight is at least a small challenge

And of course you can bypass almost all enemies even without stealth which is a big plus (5 enemies left to fight). So yeah, tedious but at least fast...

[Kurfer]

I see everyone is doing the chapter 2 runs...

 

GG.

 

I'd much rather do flashpoints and heroics but they are just way too long to compete with the amount of levels and points you get from chapter II runs.

 

I'm so *********** sick of looking at that chapter II area but I can't help but chain run them.

 

I primarily pvp and have been seeing more and more people rocking 242 weapons and set bonus armorings; I need to keep up!

Edited February 14, 2017 by Kurfer

[Kaldron_Fell]

Are you as sick yet as I am of hearing "I have always loved the stars"?

 

[Lunafox]

Are you as sick yet as I am of hearing "I have always loved the stars"?

 

 

I'm actually more sick of 'Millions are dead because of yooooou!' 'We thought you were a hero.'

 

[Kurfer]

Are you as sick yet as I am of hearing "I have always loved the stars"?

 

 

Haha oh man! The horror!

[merovejec]

Running chapter 1 or 2 from KOTFE on Master mode gives you 4600+ cxp with the 100% boost for tier 1,2 and its takes less than 7 minutes to do those with any class. This means that even if you screw up you get 3 ranks in 30 minutes (considering a run takes 10 min cause of screw ups). You can even get 4 runs done in 30 minutes, each run is OVER a rank so in the end you might get a 5th rank together with disintegration cxp.

 

We did SaV HM operation last night and were done in 60 minutes, got 8 gear tokens and i got 4 levels on my Sentinel.

 

What i want to say is that the CXP gain now is good and in my opinion should have been like this from start. HOwever i am not defending the system as it is, I have received over 100 crates since the bonus cxp was introduced and only 3 set bonus pieces.

[Magira]

Remember, these are the same people who originally promised we'd all be getting a Command crate an hour regardless of Command level. I expect they're going to be just as wrong about this new estimate of time as they were the last one, because they are completely out of touch with how people actually play this game.

 

They probably count from cxp rang 1 up to 2 and have forgotten that they have a progression built into their beautiful command system.

[jimmorrisson]

Grind Warzones and you will get at least a crate every 30 minutes.

 

Be sure to close general chat during the grind.

Edited February 14, 2017 by jimmorrisson

[AscendingSky]

Grind Warzones and you will get at least a crate every 30 minutes.

 

Be sure to close general chat during the grind.

 

That's assuming you can get multiple PvP pops in those 30 minutes. Many servers don't even have that kind of activity during PRIME TIME, to say nothing of outside prime time.

[anesvik]

When I saw the math they provided, I really didnt get it. (someone might need to find the post, i cant) They stated that before the change buffs were multiplied equaling 189% i think. And the change made it additive, making it 169% with all the buffs. Isnt 189 bigger than 169? But ignoring that..

I noticed the event was on and thought, "I would love to get a crate for an hour of play." then they changed it to 30min. I thought "wow, and I dont pvp, so most things I do in game will get cxp"

But after 2 hours, I had only leveled once. I run heroics while chain-queuing uprisings and flashpoints. So I tried mixing it up by doing class story/ heroics. A little faster, I leveled in a little over an hour. But as my levels went up , so did that time. Since Friday, I played maybe 16 hours ( about 4 hours a night). I started at lvl 43 and am at 52. I have the tier 1 boost and the legacy unlocks. I really only level fast if I buy a boost with command tokens, otherwise its slow going.

[realleaftea]

They probably count from cxp rang 1 up to 2 and have forgotten that they have a progression built into their beautiful command system.

And there are multiple difficulty settings that provide more CXP.

 

They stated that before the change buffs were multiplied equaling 189% i think. And the change made it additive, making it 169% with all the buffs. Isnt 189 bigger than 169?

I found the original post for you (quote shortened).

 

The way CXP and its respective boosts work right now is that the % increases multiply with each other, hence the term multiplicative.

 

CXP + legacy boost + CXP boost

100% * 10% * 25% = 137.5% CXP earned

 

Here is a more extreme example to see where this gets complex:

CXP + legacy boost + CXP boost + highlighted activity + DvL Bonus

100% * 10% * 25% * 20% * 15% = 189.75% CXP earned

 

As you can see, the more boosts you add into the equation the more difficult it becomes to tell how much of a bonus you are actually getting. Since we are going to be running a 250% CXP event and adding a 100% boost. We thought this would be a good time to make that math cleaner for players to figure out and so that our % boost wouldn’t get difficult to manage.

 

CXP + legacy boost + CXP boost

100% + 10% + 25% = 135% CXP earned

 

CXP + legacy boost + CXP boost + highlighted activity + DvL Bonus

100% + 10% + 25% + 20% + 15% = 170% CXP earned

 

One thing you will notice is that the % you earn with additive is lower than that of multiplicative. That is one of the reasons that we are making this change under the new event, so that you aren’t actually losing any CXP earned. We also will factor this into future changes to ensure that the additive change isn’t a nerf to the CXP you earn. Especially since our goal is to ensure you are earning it faster, not slower.

 

So yes, it's a slight nerf. But it's irrelevant in regard of the new 250% boost.

 

BTW: The argument that an additive system is 'simplier' is IMO quite amusing. It's only true, if you want to calculate the total boost. But it's harder to calculate the benefits of a single boost.

 

Let's assume you receive 7,000 CXP, but only due to the current 250% event. How many CXP do you get, if you activate another 25% boost? (solution: 7,500 CXP)

 

In a multiplicative system, adding another 25% boost always results in 25% more CXP, no matter how many boosts are currently in place.

 

Now guess which variant is more relevant for players and which one for developers.

Edited February 14, 2017 by realleaftea