Entropia Universe: My Take on Looting System

Fact:
Developer-Notes-1
Developer-Notes-2
Developer-Notes-3

Since we know that there is independent lootpools for hunting, mining and crafting, I am formulating my speculation based on that. Since it is stated that efficiency matters, this should also be taken into account.

Disclaimer: Anything below is just my speculation for the purpose of answering this thread, How do you think loot is determined?.

Lootpool
First and foremost, I think that apart from the major "hunting", "mining" and "crafting" lootpools, there should be finer categories as well.

For example, for hunting, there should be smaller-sized lootpools for each individual type of mob, Daikibas, Shinkibas, Snablesnots, etc. For mining, it would be for each type of ore and enmatter, force nexus, lysterium, oil, etc. For crafting, it would be for each individual blueprint (BP).

Each time a person fires off a shot, drops a bomb or does a click on a blueprint, the amount spent (in TT peds) gets added to the respective major lootpools. From these major lootpools, the peds will be distributed into the smaller-sized individual lootpools. The distribution ratio would be dependent on the "costs involved" in engaging in that particular activity.

Each time a monster or claim is spawned, the amount of loot (in TT peds) it carries will be deducted from the individual lootpools. For crafting, the value of loot is tagged to each successful crafting in a queue list.

Item	First	Second	Third	Fourth	...	Last
Basic Bearings	x.xx PEDs	x.xx PEDs	x.xx PEDs	x.xx PEDs	....	x.xx PEDs

Hunting
From my view of things, I seem to think that the loot (in TT peds) of an animal is determined by
1) The cost in peds to "hunt" the animal down...this cost isn't "your cost" but rather on average how much it would require in peds to "hunt" the animal. (In plain terms, the HP of the animal).
2) This HP of the animal would determine the loot range (in TT peds) that the animal can have.
3) The amount of peds in the "independent lootpool" at the time of spawning (perhaps not totally but maybe partially).

The HP of the animal affects the cost of hunting it. The cost of hunting it affects the loot range. The loot range is affected by the amount of peds in the lootpool (to some extent). If the lootpool is low on peds, the loot range may be lowered to facilitate the accumulation of peds back into the "healthy" zone.

If the loot is determined this way, then which animal you "choose" to kill would matter. Hence why sometimes, it is better to log off if your hitting a bad streak...because the hunting lootpool is low in peds at that time, so the animals spawned have bad loot or no loot.

If your asking why isn't the loot determined upon killing or upon looting? My reason is this. If it is determined upon killing or looting, then immediately after an ATH, there should be a significant reduction in the lootpool. Then all the animals across the whole world would be affected immediately and no one would be able to have decent loot at all. But if it was determined upon spawning, then only those which spawn from then onwards would have lowered loot, while those that are already spawned still have the "better" loot. This way, the impact is "smoothed" instead of "immediate".

A probable way to test this out would be to hunt in different locations on the same mob. If the loot is determined upon spawning, then switching locations upon a bad streak would somewhat work (at least until all the pre-spawned ones are killed).

Efficiency would matter. Take this scenario, Castorian Survival EnBlade-A (the 13.50 ped one sold in Trade terminal). It costs around 0.02788 ped per swing. I have not yet maxed this knife and on average I take 5 swings to kill a Shinkiba Young (30 HP). This comes down to a cost of 0.1394 peds per kill.

On this same mob, when I used the Sollomate Kiwio Mk.II (L) to kill it (which I have maxed), I need on average 9 shots to kill it. This comes down to 0.11043 peds per kill.

I get on average, 0.09 peds of loot from these Shinkiba Youngs. During bad times, I get blazar and nova frags, during good times, I get 1 to 2 peds of loot.

* I can only ask that you trust me on these data and give me the benefit of doubt. *

Anyway, if you consider the data to be true, then:
Castorian Survival EnBlade-A (Rate of return): (0.09 / 0.1394) * 100 = 64.56%
Sollomate Kiwio Mk.II (L) (Rate of return): (0.09 / 0.11043) * 100 = 81.50%

This would go in hand with why effectiveness matters (eco). I miss less often using the Kiwio and critic more often. The Shinkibas I've killed all came from the same place, but during different times. Some of them which I've killed are already there when I was hunting, while some of them which I've killed are those that spawned out right in front of me.

Mining
Likewise for mining, I think that the claim is of the spawning type as well. The loot that goes with the claim depends on the amount in the mining lootpool. But when it spawns, it will be at a particular random position and at a random depth. How effective you are with your finder would determine how "deep" of a claim you can find.

At the point when you drop the bomb or probe, whether you find a claim would depend on how deep your finder can go as well as its "range". Then using these two data, you can find your "circle" of influence. And if there is any claims within this circle, you will have a chance to find it. The system will test against each of the claims and its chance to be found. Upon failing it, you will proceed with the next claim and so on until either there is no longer any claims to be tested or until you succeed in finding one.

The chance of finding it, might depend on the finder your using, it might also depend on your mining skills. Whether you find it or not is a chance, but the higher your mining skills, the more chance you have of finding it.

Amping, would most probably just increase the size of the claim (multiplier effect).

Naturally, I think that the size of claim (in PEDs) would scale in accordance with its depth to a certain extent. And perhaps there is a scale to the chance of finding the claim depending on the size of the claim as well.

As for type of ores or enmatters to be found, they are most probably determined upon spawning, but of course, the type is limited by location and depth as you see there is already a test on where a particular ore or enmatter can be found and at what depth ranges.
Mining Depths Data Ores Enmatters Finders
Amethera Mining Resources Maps and Charts
Eudoria Mining Resources Maps and Charts

Crafting
For crafting, upon a successful click you will gain the value of loot designated in the queue list. But nonetheless, the loot range (in peds) will have to depend upon the blueprint (BP) your clicking (costs per click of the materials). Likewise, the loot range may be affected by the crafting lootpool. If the crafting lootpool is low, adjustments would be made to the loot range.

As for the types of items you loot, just like in mining where location and depth determines the kinds of items you get, in crafting, the type of BP your clicking would determine what sort of items you will loot.

Clicking on quantity or condition just acts similar to amping in mining.

These are just my opinion and hypothesis...of course. Feel free to discuss and state where I might be wrong.