What would make 8 people all settle for a tie?

NachoTaterTots

In the PvE event segment that started last night, I found myself running into a group of 8 other folks that all got the exact same score in first place and decided to just stop at that point. While my first inkling is to imagine that they are all bots, that is just a knee-jerk reaction. I do have some questions that hopefully some folks with more experience here than I have could help me with.

1) Why would not one of these folks push ahead a little to keep that first spot?
2) In the 2 months I've been playing I have never seen a tie like this. Has anyone else?
3) What would be an actual indication that cheating or bots are in play?

Here is a screenshot of the improbably 8-way tie for first place:


Edit: Removed player names from the image.

Mercalla

Is this early into the 2 day sub-event? A lot of people do 4 clears of each node and then wait approx. 24 hours for that node to replenish in value and do another clear, and then wait until the last moment of the 2 day event to do the final 6th clear. Only 8 people tied makes me think it's pretty early in that sub-event because I normally see 40-60 with the same score.

NachoTaterTots

Yes, that was at about 5 hours into the 2 day sub-event. Perhaps the 4 time node clearing explains it all. (I would not be able to catch up with them with just 4 wipes of the levels because I am missing Professor X.)

Phumade

this happens all the time. everyone is following the optimum scoring path. Its actually not considered a tie. The players are sorted in the order they got to the score. So the guy is first was the first person to achieve that score.

AlexxKats

A good thing that you decided to ask, I applaud that attitude.

And I'll explain shortly: all those are playing the event optimally and when it ends will have the top scores and spots in your bracket. Unless they get bored, fall asleep, or have work during.

There should be a guide in tips category on how to play Pve optimally, I'd post but I'm on limited time, do look it up.

Hendross

Phumade wrote:

this happens all the time. everyone is following the optimum scoring path. Its actually not considered a tie. The players are sorted in the order they got to the score. So the guy is first was the first person to achieve that score.

Err, Marvel Race Quest

Dragon_Nexus

Points start to drift and vary as time goes on. Someone might not clear the next day as efficiently as others. Some might do their final clear quicker than they planned. Or slower. I did that a few times on the previous PvE where I figured it would take me an hour and a half to do the final clears of a sub event and it took me a little over 50 minutes. So I had half an hour of wasted opportunity. If I had started half an hour later, I'd have earned more points.

And then last night I thought I had enough time on R&G but it took so long murdering Juggernaut and his Muscle friends that I ended up missing out on the yellow required-character node clears.

alphabeta

AlexxKats wrote:

A good thing that you decided to ask, I applaud that attitude.

And I'll explain shortly: all those are playing the event optimally and when it ends will have the top scores and spots in your bracket. Unless they get bored, fall asleep, or have work during.

There should be a guide in tips category on how to play Pve optimally, I'd post but I'm on limited time, do look it up.

Agree with AlexxKats and I'm not time limited so I'll give you the highlight for PVE play.

Optimal path to scoring is;

1. As soon as a sub event begins hit each node 4 time
a. The optimal path if you are being ultra competitive is hit all essentials 4 time until the refresh time appears, then work through the main path hitting each node once to progress until you get to the final node, hit that 4 times then work down the chain in reverse order completing 4 clears to start all refresh timers.
2. Put game down and go away for about 22 hours.
3. Within the last two hours of the sub event come back - by now the refresh timers will have dropped considerably and points on the nodes cleared 4 times in 1. will be higher than when you left them. Now grind each node till it is worth 1 point.
4. Rinse and repeat for each sub - if its a 48 hour sub then 24 hours after starting the refresh timers you do a single clear on all nodes and come back for grind in the final 2 hours of the 48 hour window.

Such is the life of competitive PVE placement - leadership on the board early is irrelevant - this path with always outscore any other form of play and therefore as you progress to higher SCLs you will see considerably more ties early as every hits the 4 clears point and waits.

SummerGlau

that amount is exactly what i have with 4 clears of each node

NachoTaterTots

Thanks for all the responses here confirming that this is expected optimized play. Great help!

Fightmastermpq

Phumade wrote:

this happens all the time. everyone is following the optimum scoring path. Its actually not considered a tie. The players are sorted in the order they got to the score. So the guy is first was the first person to achieve that score.

Just wanted to reiterate this point as it is incredibly important to realize that these people are not tied. The first person finished fastest, which means his node timers started sooner, which means he will have more points available when he decides to start his final grind, AND can likely start his final grind later than the others since he was fastest the first time through.

This is your first glimpse into competitive PvE...it's all about speed.

Pongie

Fightmastermpq wrote:

Phumade wrote:

this happens all the time. everyone is following the optimum scoring path. Its actually not considered a tie. The players are sorted in the order they got to the score. So the guy is first was the first person to achieve that score.

Just wanted to reiterate this point as it is incredibly important to realize that these people are not tied. The first person finished fastest, which means his node timers started sooner, which means he will have more points available when he decides to start his final grind, AND can likely start his final grind later than the others since he was fastest the first time through.

This is your first glimpse into competitive PvE...it's all about speed.

Until you champion a 5* or two and realise you can no longer keep up with the pace due to scaling.

Bowgentle

Pongie wrote:

Fightmastermpq wrote:

Phumade wrote:

this happens all the time. everyone is following the optimum scoring path. Its actually not considered a tie. The players are sorted in the order they got to the score. So the guy is first was the first person to achieve that score.

Just wanted to reiterate this point as it is incredibly important to realize that these people are not tied. The first person finished fastest, which means his node timers started sooner, which means he will have more points available when he decides to start his final grind, AND can likely start his final grind later than the others since he was fastest the first time through.

This is your first glimpse into competitive PvE...it's all about speed.

Until you champion a 5* or two and realise you can no longer keep up with the pace due to scaling.

Except in Heroics!
Oh, snap.