NeoMatrix
Dec 15, 2009, 12:55 PM
[Warning: A fair bit of text ahead...]
I've seen various threads asking about the rarity of certain weapons, enemy spawns, etc, but I thought it was high time that someone start a collective thread about the rare spawns and drops in PSZ. Why, you ask? Because I'm relatively convinced by now that PSZ operates on a system similar to the beat system from PSO. I have yet to figure much, if anything out, but I'm making this thread in the hopes of corroborating facts with others playing the game, or disproving certain points as the situation may be.
Here's what I have found in my experience playing the game so far (and I've put a lot of hours in...)
* I usually tend to play pretty late in the evenings, say anywhere between 8pm and 2 am EST. Most of that time, I find more common rares and the usual sets of items and armors that drop often.
* On the other hand, I have on a few occaisions, played late morning, between 10 and 12 am. During this time, I have noticed an increase in the number of boosted enemies I come across, and the occaisional rare spawn. Just earlier today, I played a bunch of missions starting a little after 10. The results?
* First mission at Dark Shrine, two rare spawns, one phobos dyna, and then euladaveil. Sadly, no really rare drops.
* Second mission at Arca Plant, I run into the pizza shop for the very first time in my game.
* First mission at Arca Plant, the first room spawns rab rappies. I then get a Curse Answerer drop, the first one I've seen as well. I then come across a boosted Finjer G (which I didn't get anything from, but didn't need anything from anyway)
All in all, having all these events occur in succession within a two hour period, when I have gotten other rare spawns and boosted enemies during that same period, seems significant.
Next, rare spawn blocks. Despite PSZ's mapping system, I think there's a possibility to tell if and when you come across a rare block. By now, I have seen a Rappy Nest, a Booma Nest, and the Pizza shop, though, only one of each, so this is mostly speculation by me.
* In each of these rare blocks I have encountered, I have noticed they tend to be shorther than standard blocks, and usually have a linear, or almost linear path to the midway point/boss portal.
* Also, in the case of a rare room spawn, one of the blocks will also have a rare enemy spawn.
* A friend of mine was lucky enough to find the cake shop (though on normal) and recorded the map layout. He was running the mission, "Mayor's Quest" in the wetlands.
Block 1:
___________ - portal to midway point
cake shop - [ ][ ][ ]
___________[ ]__ - start
Block 2:
____________[ ] - boss
__________[ ][ ][ ]
pelcatobur - - start
(i'm doubtful about those maps looking correct for everyone... The "_" are spacers)
It would be very interesting if this type of layout was more than coincidence.
As a final point, I have noticed these rules don't seem to apply to playing online, as I have come across multiple arenas, a booma nest, and many rare/boosted enemy spawns playing with people at any time.
I think with that, I've relayed pretty much everything I've observed. So, I'll open the thread up to comments, suggestions, and any info people want to add. Maybe we can figure some of this stuff out with relative certainty :D
I've seen various threads asking about the rarity of certain weapons, enemy spawns, etc, but I thought it was high time that someone start a collective thread about the rare spawns and drops in PSZ. Why, you ask? Because I'm relatively convinced by now that PSZ operates on a system similar to the beat system from PSO. I have yet to figure much, if anything out, but I'm making this thread in the hopes of corroborating facts with others playing the game, or disproving certain points as the situation may be.
Here's what I have found in my experience playing the game so far (and I've put a lot of hours in...)
* I usually tend to play pretty late in the evenings, say anywhere between 8pm and 2 am EST. Most of that time, I find more common rares and the usual sets of items and armors that drop often.
* On the other hand, I have on a few occaisions, played late morning, between 10 and 12 am. During this time, I have noticed an increase in the number of boosted enemies I come across, and the occaisional rare spawn. Just earlier today, I played a bunch of missions starting a little after 10. The results?
* First mission at Dark Shrine, two rare spawns, one phobos dyna, and then euladaveil. Sadly, no really rare drops.
* Second mission at Arca Plant, I run into the pizza shop for the very first time in my game.
* First mission at Arca Plant, the first room spawns rab rappies. I then get a Curse Answerer drop, the first one I've seen as well. I then come across a boosted Finjer G (which I didn't get anything from, but didn't need anything from anyway)
All in all, having all these events occur in succession within a two hour period, when I have gotten other rare spawns and boosted enemies during that same period, seems significant.
Next, rare spawn blocks. Despite PSZ's mapping system, I think there's a possibility to tell if and when you come across a rare block. By now, I have seen a Rappy Nest, a Booma Nest, and the Pizza shop, though, only one of each, so this is mostly speculation by me.
* In each of these rare blocks I have encountered, I have noticed they tend to be shorther than standard blocks, and usually have a linear, or almost linear path to the midway point/boss portal.
* Also, in the case of a rare room spawn, one of the blocks will also have a rare enemy spawn.
* A friend of mine was lucky enough to find the cake shop (though on normal) and recorded the map layout. He was running the mission, "Mayor's Quest" in the wetlands.
Block 1:
___________ - portal to midway point
cake shop - [ ][ ][ ]
___________[ ]__ - start
Block 2:
____________[ ] - boss
__________[ ][ ][ ]
pelcatobur - - start
(i'm doubtful about those maps looking correct for everyone... The "_" are spacers)
It would be very interesting if this type of layout was more than coincidence.
As a final point, I have noticed these rules don't seem to apply to playing online, as I have come across multiple arenas, a booma nest, and many rare/boosted enemy spawns playing with people at any time.
I think with that, I've relayed pretty much everything I've observed. So, I'll open the thread up to comments, suggestions, and any info people want to add. Maybe we can figure some of this stuff out with relative certainty :D