is PVE loot a waste of money?

[Ascent]

Maybe I am wrong with my math, but I did some calculations.

I used Maverick's exel sheet to calculate the following:

1.) I calculated how much energy does it cost to surely get a loot item

(clicks X energy / droprate)

2.) Then I ccalculated the total money gains

(avarage payout X clicks / droprate)

3.) Then I calculated how much money is 1 energy worth using the railgun as etalon

($406,000 / (370 X 2) = $548)

4.) Then I calculated how much does each PVE loot item really cost in money

(clicks X energy / droprate) X $548 - (avarage payout X clicks / droprate)

Here are some numbers:

$59,095 Tree Sniper 3 0
$73,061 Mine Ship 1 2
$114,027 Security Officer 0 3
$118,189 Jungle Helicopter 1 3
$142,279 Artillery Truck 3 1
$146,122 Oil Destroyer 3 2
$228,054 Dictator's Personal Guard 2 4
$241,222 Compound Soldier 2 2
$283,818 Comm Technician 2 3
$284,559 Mustafa's Fighter 4 3
$354,568 Battle Tank 3 4
$366,986 Rebel Fighter 4 2
$417,838 Satellite Truck 1 5
$438,365 Oil Aircraft Carrier 3 5
$482,444 Contraband Aircraft 3 5
$522,351 Tower Guard 2 5
$567,635 Armored Cruiser 4 5
$576,428 Prisoner Truck 1 7
$684,162 Dictator 5 5
$698,649 Prisoner Truck 1 7
$722,090 Footpad 10 11
$733,973 Zealous Gunner 5 5
$818,955 Coast Guard 2 6
$828,640 Venal Fighter 39 24
$835,676 Smuggler Jet 6 5
$842,149 Jungle Runner 12 16
$853,676 Strike Zone Colonel 4 7
$893,412 Mountain Soldier 6 6
$979,459 Rebel Humvee 4 8
$1,044,703 Border Escort 4 8
$1,096,396 Chaingun Soldier 6 8
$1,152,856 Mountain Sentry 4 9
$1,225,847 Buccaneer 24 16
$1,327,658 Boneyard Truck 7 7
$1,352,725 Metro Tank 15 17
$1,365,968 Covert Soldier 5 8
$1,397,297 Kamikaze Plane 10 4
$1,430,892 Boneyard APC 5 11
$1,444,180 Caribbean Fox 9 7
$1,447,331 Commander Helicopter 6 6
$1,488,444 Boneyard APC 5 11
$1,524,863 Explosives Expert 12 4
$1,637,766 Steel Cannon 18 15
$1,637,910 Docks Patrol 5 10
$1,648,216 Boneyard Artillery 10 7
$1,657,279 Aquatic Explorer 40 38
$1,684,297 Captain's Choice 8 16
$1,702,365 Heavy Artillery 14 9
$1,702,905 Shipyard Destroyer 8 6
$1,716,000 Heavy Tank 9 9
$1,736,703 Anti-Aircraft Cannon 5 14
$1,786,824 Boneyard Runner 8 8
$1,795,523 Commando Sharpshooter 10 8
$1,857,838 Expert Sentry 4 15
$1,958,919 Market Sentry 5 12
$2,019,964 Artillery Gunner 13 12
$2,023,757 Fortified Sniper 8 13
$2,053,586 Armored Truck 6 15
$2,128,955 Anti-Aircraft Cannon 5 14
$2,192,793 Drop Site Helicopter 9 9
$2,201,919 Iron Bear 7 8
$2,232,937 Bombardment Frigate 13 12
$2,343,221 Mine Deployer 7 13
$2,346,486 Supply Frigate 5 19
$2,418,365 Auto Vulcan 18 15
$2,451,694 Pirate Barge 19 13
$2,507,027 Heavy Bomber 9 7
$2,587,387 Jungle Sharpshooter 17 13
$2,655,315 Oil Collector 8 12
$2,705,450 Aerospace Drone 19 22
$2,731,937 Royal Escort 7 10
$2,736,757 Armed Fanatic 17 7
$2,861,784 Mountain Jet 13 8
$2,939,527 Armed Lookout 7 16
$2,976,887 Train Escort 7 15
$3,020,743 Venal Fighter 39 24
$3,049,725 Clerical Guard 10 13
$3,134,108 Border Commander 7 11
$3,240,180 Tropical Stalker 33 15
$3,275,532 Ghost Hound 22 18
$3,296,432 Siege Hovercraft 14 10
$3,404,730 Capital Mercenary 19 14
$3,432,000 Hardened Commando 13 12
$3,458,568 Mountain Citadel Tank 10 9
$3,461,239 Bombsight 25 15
$3,473,405 Guerilla Battle Vehicle 14 12
$3,591,045 Bomb Truck 15 12
$3,684,752 Pirate Barge 19 13
$3,715,676 Steel Air Cannon 11 20
$4,039,928 Iron Wing 21 16
$4,047,514 Diplomat Helicopter 8 22
$4,107,171 Mobile Computer Station 14 18
$4,191,892 Suicide Bomber 15 5
$4,257,910 Dignitary Escort 4 14
$4,332,541 Silent Thunder 164 120
$4,465,874 Tower Bomber 23 15
$4,686,441 Reinforced Battleship 13 16
$4,692,973 Mech Rover 22 14
$4,836,730 Drone Tank 20 20
$4,913,730 Docks Missile Sub 14 8
$4,971,838 Transport Raider 283 180
$5,052,892 Modified Fighter 228 156
$5,174,775 Eco Warrior 21 18
$5,360,473 Boneyard Commandant 11 12
$5,473,514 Dragon Soldier 20 15
$5,876,757 Market Predator Drone 13 11
$5,879,054 Mercenary Sea Runner 21 13
$6,041,486 Globetrotter Missle 40 38
$6,480,360 Shadowhawk 36 29
$6,578,378 Contraband Plane 10 16
$6,922,477 Black Barracuda 29 24
$7,355,081 Brigand Lightning 99 80
$7,369,505 Napalm Soldier 24 16
$7,965,946 Oil Shipping Truck 11 17
$8,116,351 Aerospace Osprey 33 22
$8,195,811 Royal Ship 12 15
$8,585,351 Unstable Chemist 20 10
$8,930,662 Yaroshenko Gunner 15 16
$9,149,176 Clerical Escort 9 23
$9,826,595 Phantom APC 27 26
$9,889,297 Command Battleship 17 17
$10,214,189 Capital Sky Guard 26 20
$10,296,000 En-Joo's Tank 19 16
$10,420,216 Guerilla Commander 18 18
$10,773,135 Bombing Expert 28 10
$11,147,027 Steel Foreman 25 18
$12,119,784 Iron Commando 26 24
$12,142,541 Elite Brigadier 23 19
$12,321,514 CommTek Agent 21 23
$12,773,730 Ghost Operative 20 19
$13,397,622 Divine Wind 30 21
$14,059,324 Predator Sub 26 14
$14,078,919 Mech Interceptor 26 23
$14,510,189 Enhanced Soldier 31 23
$15,524,324 Green Bomber 32 20
$16,420,541 Sea Dragon Sub 25 23
$17,637,162 Littoral Combat Ship 24 23
$18,124,459 Executive Chinook 450 325
$19,441,081 Siege Tank 410 290
$20,767,432 Wavebreaker 370 255
$22,108,514 Riptide Runner 325 226

[Q Raider]

Nope, not a waste at all Ascent.

It is correct that the Bosses offer the worst overall Value in cash return per energy spent, however they also offer the chance for a better unit.

The Bosses are however a superb way of "banking" funds in preparation for high cost upgrades with minimum risk.

Some of those Boss loots are available at a "discount" price on other maps.

To me Energy is another income source within the game.

I still do not run an economy as such (<40k per hour at Level 141), I use the PVE maps as a source of income instead and target the better value cash payouts which I know offer a chance at an item with a decent stat as well.

[Ascent]

It is correct that the Bosses offer the worst overall Value in cash return per energy spent, however they also offer the chance for a better unit.

The Bosses are however a superb way of "banking" funds in preparation for high cost upgrades with minimum risk.

Some of those Boss loots are available at a "discount" price on other maps.

The main point of my surprise looking at this numbers was that doing PVE for the sake of the loot items is just not worth it... however, as you mentioned, there are other reasons to do PVE and then we can look at the loot as simply an added bonus.

1. based on the list above I would not say they offer a better unit. I can buy 64 SEALs for the "price" of 1 mountain citadel tanks... etc. They may give you units which are not available for cash, especially in the over 50 stat range, but as far as price, it is more economic to farm the railgun and buy many more units with the cash.

2. As far as using PVE for banking I agree whole heartedly. I am about to start doing this, because I reached the limit of what I can upgrade by selling and rebuilding the higher value buildings. Though, I may still continue doing it because it is an easy way to store 40million safely and surely I am not sure PVE banking can provide this much banking... can it?

3. Discounts, yes I noticed it in Maverick's spreadhseet... are those the only ones or are there others as well?

[Poopenshire]

70 venal fighters
40 brigand ligthings
Worth it all. Hint: don't hit the bosses. Some of these units drop at other locations for much less energy.

[manbeast]

$4,971,838 Transport Raider 283 180
$5,052,892 Modified Fighter 228 156

those look like a freakin steal!!!! where can i find these!? whats the catch?? only reason i don't pve is bc of excessive experience gains. once i hit the whale zone i'll be farming those units like crazy though

[Mad]

$4,971,838 Transport Raider 283 180
$5,052,892 Modified Fighter 228 156

those look like a freakin steal!!!! where can i find these!? whats the catch?? only reason i don't pve is bc of excessive experience gains. once i hit the whale zone i'll be farming those units like crazy though

Exactly. They provide some hope in the fight against the whales.

[Ascent]

70 venal fighters
40 brigand ligthings
Worth it all. Hint: don't hit the bosses. Some of these units drop at other locations for much less energy.

would you tell us where?

[Maverick50727]

I said in my thread that many are available elsewhere. I wouldn't farm them off a boss but just consider them a bonus. Staging bosses for money and upgrades does work. I haven't been dumping money or time into my economy for weeks though. I've been upgrading unit and boost buildings and using money for B-52s to push my aircraft carriers out of my attack group. Costly loss they are but rare.

[Ryans67]

Would love to know where to farm the brigand lightning. I stopped working on
My unit buildings a while back, but if it was worthwhile to do pve for units, I'd check it out. I have the energy recovery bonus plane, and the pve cash bonus unit too. I was big into pve until I realized leveling needed to slow down.

[Q Raider]

Would love to know where to farm the brigand lightning. I stopped working on
My unit buildings a while back, but if it was worthwhile to do pve for units, I'd check it out. I have the energy recovery bonus plane, and the pve cash bonus unit too. I was big into pve until I realized leveling needed to slow down.

What level are you currently Ryans67?

[Q Raider]

would you tell us where?

Sent you the info the other day on the three I currently know of Ascent.
Aerospace Osprey
Brigand Lightning
Silent Thunders

Still looking for others and certainly as I find them will let people know.

[Vballmadam]

Sent you the info the other day on the three I currently know of Ascent.
Aerospace Osprey
Brigand Lightning
Silent Thunders


Still looking for others and certainly as I find them will let people know.

Q would you please pm me the info too? Thanks

[Tctiger]

any good farm items i can get at level 92? a pm would be most gratefully received .

[Maverick50727]

FYI, Marine had the brigand and osprey posted for a long time (see link below). Not sure where Q Raider gets the Silent Thunder. I can't rememebr that drop, but when I tested it, it cost too much energy IMO over the Brigand. I only have 2 Silent Thunders currently, one from the boss long ago, the other was a drop outside of it. But to get it to drop cost me more energy than it cost me to get 2-3 Brigands. Maybe you will have better luck. I've been trying other locations to see if I stumble on others.

http://www.funzio.com/forum/showthre...t-spread-sheet

[boardgames rule]

Any good loot around level 40