arantius
07-08-2003, 08:55 AM
Hypothesis:
In EverQuest, sitting activates meditation, which increases your mana regeneration rate. Sitting on a mount will gain this benefit without the extra dangers from sitting. It may also increase overall mana regeneration rate by allowing continued meditation when the character would otherwise not.
It is believed that sitting on a mount will cause the character to meditate not 100% of the time, but only under certain circumstances. Namely, the character cannot be attacking (melee combat), moving, or casting a spell.
Testing methodology:
A portion of mana will be spent, and the time to regenerate it under different conditions will be measured. To determine when exactly sitting on a mount grants extra mana regeneration, average regeneration rate will be calculated for each case.
This test will be performed with a level 55 vah shir shaman (equipped with FT1). Mana will be spent with an off-specialization skill, namely evocation. Any run with a fizzle will be discounted. Starting from 100% mana, the spells will be cast and the total mana cost recorded. The time to return to 100% mana will be recorded, and the average mana regeneration over time will be calculated.
The single charge horse quest involving the ghost in Befallen was used to obtain the mount used in these tests (Bridle of Sir Ariam). Also, no conditions were changed across tests unless noted. Additionally, the caster's Black Fur Boots were used sparingly during all tests to synchronzie the client's mana bar with the mana pool on the server.
Assumptions:
A "tick" is a unit of time corresponding to six seconds.
Specialization does not exist. Though it will make the overall mana regeneration numbers incorrect, it will apply evenly to each case, and the main goal is to compare cases, not generate numbers.
All mounts are equivalent. It is assumed that all mounts, be they summoned from an item or a skill, or a horse or drogmor, are all equivalent in terms of mana regeneration granted.
Clicking an instant-cast item effect does not effect mana regeneration. This exception is only if the caster stands to cast at the wrong time and cancels the meditation for one tick, but is negligible. Completion of casting a spell, including an instant-cast item effect, will cause the server to update the client's mana totals to be more accurate than the approximation the client makes between casts.
Test cases:
ana regeneration will be tested under the following circumstances:
1. Sitting with no mount (base case)
2. Standing with no mount (base case)
3. Seated still on a mount, with no action taken
4. Seated on a mount, in constant motion
5. Seated on a mount, with constant spell casting
6. Seated on a mount, in constant melee combat
Average mana regeneration is calculated by rounding the time taken to the nearest multiple of six, then dividing this number by six to obtain number of ticks. Average regeneration is then mana spent divided by number of ticks.
Test conditions:
The two base cases and the seated still on a mount case are clearly described by their names. For the other cases descriptions of the testing conditions used follows:
Seated on a mount, in constant motion:
Once the noted mana was spent, auto run was enabled, and trees were avoided.
Seated on a mount, with constant spell casting:
Once the noted mana was spent, with another (non-PvP) player targeted, the effect on the Jaundiced Bone Bracer was activated continually, as rapidly as game mechanics allow.
Seated on a mount, in constant melee combat:
Prior to testing, the caster's resistances were debuffed (Malosi), and the caster was slowed (Turgur's Insects), to make testing easier. Mana was refilled to 100% after debuffs were cast. Again another player was targeted, this time while dueling. Caster enabled auto attack once mana was spent, and the other player kept themselves alive with heals as necessary.
Data:
Case | Mana spent | Time | Appx. avg. mana regen.
------+------------+-------+----------------------
1 | 680 | 2:57 | 22.66
2 | 250 | 12:10 | 2.05
3 | 680 | 3:05 | 21.94
4 | 150 | 6:18 | 2.38
5 | 150 | 0:37 | 25.00
5 * | 680 | 3:06 | 21.94
6 | 150 | 7:17 | 2.05
*Test case five was repeated when the first run proved so short, and it was decided a higher mana cost test would help eliminate timing errors.
Conclusion:
Even given limited data from fuzzy tests, the conclusions are clear. Expected regeneration of 2 mana per tick (1 innate, plus FT1) while standing was matched almost exactly. Sitting (meditating) mana regeneration was estimated at near 22 per tick based on case one. Sitting still on a mount clearly matches that. Moving or meleeing while on a mount clearly match the standing regeneration rate. The surprise can be seen clearly in test case 5, casting a spell will not cancel the meditation being seated on horseback grants a caster, where the test was repeated to use a higher mana cost to help eliminate error.
It is the tester's conclusion that a mount therefore gives three main benefits. The first two are obvious, in that the player need not manually sit. Therefore a lazy player, or one controlling multiple characters, need not be bothered with whether the casting character is sitting or standing. Moreover, the common "sit-aggro" phenomenon is avoided. Further, as a result of these tests, we can say that meditation continues during casting. From the perspective of a JBB equipped shaman, this means that on a mount the extra free clicky damage can be used without sacrificing medititation mana. It is assumed this carries over to regular for-mana spell casting for any character that might spend a large period of time casting spells, for example again a shaman cannibalizing need no longer "canni-dance".
Notes:
680 mana spent means two casts of Blast of Venom.
250 mana spent means one cast of Ice Strike.
150 mana spent means one cast of Winter's Roar.
All testing was performed in a quiet corner of Greater Faydark.
In EverQuest, sitting activates meditation, which increases your mana regeneration rate. Sitting on a mount will gain this benefit without the extra dangers from sitting. It may also increase overall mana regeneration rate by allowing continued meditation when the character would otherwise not.
It is believed that sitting on a mount will cause the character to meditate not 100% of the time, but only under certain circumstances. Namely, the character cannot be attacking (melee combat), moving, or casting a spell.
Testing methodology:
A portion of mana will be spent, and the time to regenerate it under different conditions will be measured. To determine when exactly sitting on a mount grants extra mana regeneration, average regeneration rate will be calculated for each case.
This test will be performed with a level 55 vah shir shaman (equipped with FT1). Mana will be spent with an off-specialization skill, namely evocation. Any run with a fizzle will be discounted. Starting from 100% mana, the spells will be cast and the total mana cost recorded. The time to return to 100% mana will be recorded, and the average mana regeneration over time will be calculated.
The single charge horse quest involving the ghost in Befallen was used to obtain the mount used in these tests (Bridle of Sir Ariam). Also, no conditions were changed across tests unless noted. Additionally, the caster's Black Fur Boots were used sparingly during all tests to synchronzie the client's mana bar with the mana pool on the server.
Assumptions:
A "tick" is a unit of time corresponding to six seconds.
Specialization does not exist. Though it will make the overall mana regeneration numbers incorrect, it will apply evenly to each case, and the main goal is to compare cases, not generate numbers.
All mounts are equivalent. It is assumed that all mounts, be they summoned from an item or a skill, or a horse or drogmor, are all equivalent in terms of mana regeneration granted.
Clicking an instant-cast item effect does not effect mana regeneration. This exception is only if the caster stands to cast at the wrong time and cancels the meditation for one tick, but is negligible. Completion of casting a spell, including an instant-cast item effect, will cause the server to update the client's mana totals to be more accurate than the approximation the client makes between casts.
Test cases:
ana regeneration will be tested under the following circumstances:
1. Sitting with no mount (base case)
2. Standing with no mount (base case)
3. Seated still on a mount, with no action taken
4. Seated on a mount, in constant motion
5. Seated on a mount, with constant spell casting
6. Seated on a mount, in constant melee combat
Average mana regeneration is calculated by rounding the time taken to the nearest multiple of six, then dividing this number by six to obtain number of ticks. Average regeneration is then mana spent divided by number of ticks.
Test conditions:
The two base cases and the seated still on a mount case are clearly described by their names. For the other cases descriptions of the testing conditions used follows:
Seated on a mount, in constant motion:
Once the noted mana was spent, auto run was enabled, and trees were avoided.
Seated on a mount, with constant spell casting:
Once the noted mana was spent, with another (non-PvP) player targeted, the effect on the Jaundiced Bone Bracer was activated continually, as rapidly as game mechanics allow.
Seated on a mount, in constant melee combat:
Prior to testing, the caster's resistances were debuffed (Malosi), and the caster was slowed (Turgur's Insects), to make testing easier. Mana was refilled to 100% after debuffs were cast. Again another player was targeted, this time while dueling. Caster enabled auto attack once mana was spent, and the other player kept themselves alive with heals as necessary.
Data:
Case | Mana spent | Time | Appx. avg. mana regen.
------+------------+-------+----------------------
1 | 680 | 2:57 | 22.66
2 | 250 | 12:10 | 2.05
3 | 680 | 3:05 | 21.94
4 | 150 | 6:18 | 2.38
5 | 150 | 0:37 | 25.00
5 * | 680 | 3:06 | 21.94
6 | 150 | 7:17 | 2.05
*Test case five was repeated when the first run proved so short, and it was decided a higher mana cost test would help eliminate timing errors.
Conclusion:
Even given limited data from fuzzy tests, the conclusions are clear. Expected regeneration of 2 mana per tick (1 innate, plus FT1) while standing was matched almost exactly. Sitting (meditating) mana regeneration was estimated at near 22 per tick based on case one. Sitting still on a mount clearly matches that. Moving or meleeing while on a mount clearly match the standing regeneration rate. The surprise can be seen clearly in test case 5, casting a spell will not cancel the meditation being seated on horseback grants a caster, where the test was repeated to use a higher mana cost to help eliminate error.
It is the tester's conclusion that a mount therefore gives three main benefits. The first two are obvious, in that the player need not manually sit. Therefore a lazy player, or one controlling multiple characters, need not be bothered with whether the casting character is sitting or standing. Moreover, the common "sit-aggro" phenomenon is avoided. Further, as a result of these tests, we can say that meditation continues during casting. From the perspective of a JBB equipped shaman, this means that on a mount the extra free clicky damage can be used without sacrificing medititation mana. It is assumed this carries over to regular for-mana spell casting for any character that might spend a large period of time casting spells, for example again a shaman cannibalizing need no longer "canni-dance".
Notes:
680 mana spent means two casts of Blast of Venom.
250 mana spent means one cast of Ice Strike.
150 mana spent means one cast of Winter's Roar.
All testing was performed in a quiet corner of Greater Faydark.