More A/B Testing Going On?

[Tin Man]

The title says it all. Is there more A/B testing going on?

Used to be that pretty much all the drops from story level were level 72 once you hit level 70 and completed Normal. Right now? I am five-starring Normal with my mage from the last ANB and almost all the Common drops are level 70. Is really screwing up my search for Grey Ribbon Challenge gear.

Yes, I see still see consistent level 72 drops in other places but this hero is seeing none of that.

Really, really makes me wonder about more testing going on. I have not seen this many level 70 pieces with my fully leveled-up heroes in I do not know when. Wait! I do know when! Since they increased the maximum crafting to at least level 71.

[Turgeon]

Yeah and for some people trial 105 give 60%/40% leg epic drop but for other 40%/60%. For the same trial lvl

[DethStrike]

Tin Man As far as my experience in the last couple ANB's, Normal mode now drops level 67 items, at least Act 1, which is far as I've gone. That and the sporadic locked chests, made me break down and get the BOM for my upcoming Warrior in next Bronze, as farming The Defiler is no longer viable for acquiring BOMs. It was a questionable practice anyway. I see 70+ items in later story modes/Acts, and by Legendary mode, the item levels appear to be as they were pre update.

This is the case with both my account and my room mate's account. I could go through my various toons and get exact Story Mode\Act item drop levels, but this is the general new norm as far as I can tell. This and the proclivity for common/uncommon drops in even Normal Act 4 means I'll probably never pass Act 1 in an ANB again (not that I have in some time), pending a change.

Turgeon The item drop rarity has been in flux for me at all TL's with all 3 classes, and seems to change by the day as much as anything. One example; when arriving at TL 105 with my Silver Mage I was routinely getting 65%/35% epics. After pushing to 120, then returning a day or two later to 105, I was averaging 60%/40% legendaries. By the final day of the ANB, I was back down to about a 50% split.

The numbers are wildly varied for each of the 4 toons I've played in ANB, post update. The one relative constant, is that I find TL 115 to be the best Trial vs difficulty to farm mostly legendary items, with sporadic epics appearing. I think the latest I've seen an epic is TL 120, but I've got no actual data on that, as it's typically higher than I would farm in an ANB.

As an aside, I hope the Devs update the exp gain/TL cap from 103, to somewhere around 120, providing solid worth to those who choose to farm consistent legendaries, at 115+. It just seems appropriate, and even an oversight for synchronicity with the current progression arch.

Even if Exp at 120 was rebalanced to the 103 max of the current system, and previous levels were correspondingly adjusted, it would provide that old sweet spot feeling of exp/material farming. Plus, the further you push the exp cap, the less noticable the crazy Warrior farming advantage would be, as trial times slowly draw to a median at 130-140.

I'm not suggesting an "equalling" of the classes though, as I enjoy each ones uniqueness, and ANB strengths. Ie; Warrior is the best farmer, Mage can run Lily build from level 1 to trial 155+, Bounty Hunter can be one shot at any level... j/k. I suppose BH is the best at Boss Killing in higher TL's.

[Tin Man]

DethStrike You are also seeing enemies that are a solid five levels below your hero, meaning level 65. Outside of ANBs, enemies do not automatically match your hero's level and will, rather easily, fall five levels behind. The enemies are not locked to level 70, without a player's override, once you complete Normal. I did not specify that I was five-staring Normal after having completed normal once. Until recently, after completing Normal all drops were level 72 as long as the enemies were forced below level 70.

Now, my main hero is seeing mostly only level 70 items when running Normal even though I have completed Normal and am facing level 70 enemies. My testing profile? Still seeing all level 72 items under the same conditions. I have never seen this many level 70 items when running Normal with a level 70 hero that has already completed Normal.

Not getting level 70+ items when the enemies are less than level 70 has always been the case.

[DethStrike]

Tin Man Oh wow, that's a trip and sounds inexplicable, sans your inquiry being the cause ... Or another bug. Most bugs recently are mechanical though, not of the "balancing" mathematical variety. Wonder what sort of unexpected engagement lays ahead, assuming you are right.

[Travis | Support Mgr.]

The only active A/B testing has to do with the store listing description of the game on the Google Play Store.

[DethStrike]

Fair enough, time to turn on the VPN's and go log into the Google Play Store from each Continent, to get the international perspective.