Theoretical XP distribution question

[Frug]

For ease of argument, let's assume 2 characters in a group, of different levels.

When they group and get party XP, is the XP distributed in such a way that they will:

* Level at the same rate? (eg: their level difference will never change; if they were 2 levels apart when they started, they will forever remain so)
* converge? (eg: the lower level char will gain levels at a faster rate until he matches the level of the higher level char)
* diverge? (eg: the higher level char will gain levels at a faster rate than the lower)
* Something else?

Is this relationship the same if the 2 chars have different xp penalties/curves, or is it invariant?

[Cen]

The mob who dies gives out an amount of experience based on its level, but with a multiplier based on the levels above or below each character, to that respective character. There's a percent bonus for the group applied to each character based on group count after the fact. All of the situations you asked about can happen because of this.

[zaneosak]

If characters are the SAME level they will stay the same forever due to the class/race modifiers giving the person with the penalty more XP per mob than the other, thus keeping it even. So someone with a high penalty gets more XP per kill than a lower penalty and you will ding at the same time, because the higher penalized person gets more per kill to compensate for their penalty.

If they are different levels -- the person with "more XP" gets more of the XP per mob kill and will eventually get further ahead over time. "more XP" is represented by the total amount of XP they currently sit at.

For Example a Human Bard just starting level Level 31 has a total currently earned XP of 41,580,000.
If they group with a 29 Human Druid who has just dinged 29 and has a total earned XP of 21,952,000.

Add the two numbers together and take each players current XP level and divide by the total. That will give you how much percent of the the XP each kill offers each player will take. In the 31 bard and 29 druid example. The Bard takes 65% of each kill and the druid takes 35%. While that seems like a huge problem, it's not THAT bad if you kill fast enough.

Using the same example. If the 31 bard and 29 druid are killing level 27 mobs in a zone with no presumed XP bonus, it should take the Druid no more than 8-10% more kills to complete his current level than the bard did (31-32 and 29-30 respectively)

I made a calculator to test these things theoricially back when Green was in Beta just for fun. It's obviously not perfect because ZEMs aren't perfect but I have tested it with my duo and in alot of zones the numbers are usually within 5-15 kills, so again, not perfect but the XP split part should make sense because that part is just math.

Link is here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...it?usp=sharing

Save a copy to your own google drive if you want to play with it. (directions on right)

[cd288]

Originally Posted by zaneosak [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

If characters are the SAME level they will stay the same forever due to the class/race modifiers giving the person with the penalty more XP per mob than the other, thus keeping it even. So someone with a high penalty gets more XP per kill than a lower penalty and you will ding at the same time, because the higher penalized person gets more per kill to compensate for their penalty.

If they are different levels -- the person with "more XP" gets more of the XP per mob kill and will eventually get further ahead over time. "more XP" is represented by the total amount of XP they currently sit at.

For Example a Human Bard just starting level Level 31 has a total currently earned XP of 41,580,000.
If they group with a 29 Human Druid who has just dinged 29 and has a total earned XP of 21,952,000.

Add the two numbers together and take each players current XP level and divide by the total. That will give you how much percent of the the XP each kill offers each player will take. In the 31 bard and 29 druid example. The Bard takes 65% of each kill and the druid takes 35%. While that seems like a huge problem, it's not THAT bad if you kill fast enough.

Using the same example. If the 31 bard and 29 druid are killing level 27 mobs in a zone with no presumed XP bonus, it should take the Druid no more than 8-10% more kills to complete his current level than the bard did (31-32 and 29-30 respectively)

I made a calculator to test these things theoricially back when Green was in Beta just for fun. It's obviously not perfect because ZEMs aren't perfect but I have tested it with my duo and in alot of zones the numbers are usually within 5-15 kills, so again, not perfect but the XP split part should make sense because that part is just math.

Link is here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...it?usp=sharing

Save a copy to your own google drive if you want to play with it. (directions on right)

Cen seems to contradict you above

[Frug]

Originally Posted by Cen [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

All of the situations you asked about can happen because of this.

I'm failing to see where you can draw that conclusion, other than "I don't know, so all must be possible". As each character gets his share of XP based on what he's gotten thus far, it seems like they would level mostly at equal rates, because even though one gets less, he requires less to advance.

[aaezil]

Math, how does it work ?

[Cen]

Originally Posted by Frug [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

I'm failing to see where you can draw that conclusion, other than "I don't know, so all must be possible". As each character gets his share of XP based on what he's gotten thus far, it seems like they would level mostly at equal rates, because even though one gets less, he requires less to advance.

I was sure I cancelled my reply. Ahh. Well, what i mean is, depending on the time constant, what is staying together is ill defined. I can create group structures where a person gets lost, and has to play catch up, and I can create structures where a person reaches a level that shuts down the exp gain for the group until the highest is removed or replaced.

Get this though: I can also make a rarer structure. One where everyone always stays the same level and experience percentage total for the most part.

That probably satisfies your ultimate question without using maths?

[zaneosak]

Originally Posted by cd288 [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Cen seems to contradict you above

It's just math at the end of the day. The group bonus and ZEM bonus gets applied to the mob before the mob gets split up and rewarded. So with 2,3,4,5,6 people in group, the mob xp reward will change before being divvied up. There's no evidence anywhere that I've found that the mob level difference to the player gives any kind of bonus up or down.

Level X mob has a certain amount of XP to reward which goes up or down based on ZEM bonus/penalty and up via how many players are in group. The only thing class/race penalties/bonus do is determine the players XP bar size.

[Cen]

Originally Posted by zaneosak [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

It's just math at the end of the day. The group bonus and ZEM bonus gets applied to the mob before the mob gets split up and rewarded. So with 2,3,4,5,6 people in group, the mob xp reward will change before being divvied up. There's no evidence anywhere that I've found that the mob level difference to the player gives any kind of bonus up or down.

Level X mob has a certain amount of XP to reward which goes up or down based on ZEM bonus/penalty and up via how many players are in group. The only thing class/race penalties/bonus do is determine the players XP bar size.

So the high green light blue mobs don't take the 50% penalty? I dont parse anything but everyone always claims this. I do notice the drop on greens on bard swarming 25s

(Though not many groups I ever encountered fight greens)

Guys just ignore me i dont know what I'm talking about really. I posted in haste theres so many people who know more about exp calculations

[zaneosak]

Originally Posted by Cen [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

So the high green light blue mobs don't take the 50% penalty? I dont parse anything but everyone always claims this. I do notice the drop on greens on bard swarming 25s

Ok, you got me. I don't really consider light blues as far as grouping scenarios, they may as well be greens with how little reward they give once split. My calculations are always dark blues or higher. I am aware of the light blue 50% penalty, as I am also aware of the 11% maximum XP per kill cap if you're being power leveled and killing red mobs. I don't really take those into account as far as real time examples of leveling with other group members. So there are some "special case" scenarios that give a hard cap or hard fall off of XP but nothing I'd super relevant on the OPs question about duo-ing and characters staying close or far in level.

cheers