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June 29, 2005
Grouping and Level Progress
Server Sample: RP (High), PvE (Medium), PvE (High)
Sampling Period: 6/13/2005 9:00 am - 6/20/2005 9:00 am
Sampling Resolution: ~14 minutes
Parsing Method: The sample unit is each unique character. Each character was tracked across the server logs. Total playing time, lowest observed level, highest observed level, guild affiliation, and zones seen in were parsed.
Data Filter: None
Sample Size: 76,364 characters
Do characters who group more often level faster? We split characters into 4 bands of grouping ratio and then plotted their average progress over the levels. In other words, characters in the 0%-1% band were almoost never observed to be in a group. Average progress was calculated by subtracting the lowest observed level from the highest observed level. Characters who group more often appear to level faster but more so at lower levels than at higher levels.
We plotted the same graph but this time controlling for playing time. For characters between level 1-20, the correlation between group ratio and level progress is .13. For characters between level 21-40, the correlation is .04. For characters between level 41-60, the correlation is .03. In other words, characters who group more often do level faster at lower levels, but this is not the case for higher level characters. The graph below seems to show this break-even point occurs at around level 40.
Of course, grouping for instances increases post-40 and the decrease in levels may be offset by rare item acquisition from instances.
Posted at June 29, 2005 10:31 AM
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Comments
Wouldn't mind seeing these numbers broken up by class.
One would think the priest class would level much quicker as a group than solo.
Posted by: Tol Sirion at June 29, 2005 12:46 PM
Hey Nick,
You probably know this already, but have you seen some of the census data at http://www.warcraftrealms.com/? Thought it might be interesting to you...
Posted by: Helen at June 30, 2005 04:55 PM
I suspect that crafting may throw this data off since crafters are not gaining XP and are almost certainly not grouped. What you want to compare is XPing solo vs. XPing grouped, but it seems like all you can really see is doing-anything solo vs. doing-anything (but probably XPing) grouped.
Perhaps crafting isn't common enough or time consuming enough to alter your conclusions, though.
Posted by: Brent Michael Krupp at July 2, 2005 10:17 AM