Map run

[SASgold]

Ok, my next AC goal is to complete the first adventure map collection, Aztec Legacy. Hence, a map run is what's next. Trying to figure out the pointers, also taking into account the 7.11 update to bonuses. Anyway, it's a two-step process:

1. Getting the destination maps by Excavations flights

• Flights are limited by number of Exc. maps, so purchase a decent amount of those during a few consecutive Airship stops (only 5 available/each)
• As for bonuses, a Spyglass and/or other bonuses should be active. I'm planning to use the event purchase of Spyglass for the run, maybe in addition to something else.
• Since flights are limited, make sure that I have enough fuel and passengers loaded up to send and complete all flights within the bonus duration.

2. Flying the destination maps

• Flights are limited by map time limit, so have as many planes (of the right type )as possible available to complete flights. My observation is that every plane seem to be able to do two flights without speeding up for every map activation (the latter finishing as the map timer has run out).
• Bonuses (probably the same as in 1, or a new Spyglass bought) should be active for the duration of at least first batch of flights. Speed-up-flights should primarily be done before either the first or the second flight start (to allow the plane used for these to still run 2 un-speeded flights).
• Flights are unlimited, determine how much fuel/passengers I want to spend speeding up flights (or if it's a # of items I want to get) and make sure I have enough of the other resource as well.

What am I missing?

 

[Awesomerowend]

I often buy the excavation maps and fly them overnight, since the six hours is sort of downtime anyway. I’ve only done map runs on 4 of the destinations and I will have to redo Tollan and Machu Piccu.

Ensure you have abundant fuel and do your best to do 120+ flights, I fell short by not using GD and by not having saved up enough fuel.

 

[SASgold]

I often buy the excavation maps and fly them overnight, since the six hours is sort of downtime anyway. I’ve only done map runs on 4 of the destinations and I will have to redo Tollan and Machu Piccu.

So you don't care about having bonuses active for the Excavation maps?

Ensure you have abundant fuel and do your best to do 120+ flights, I fell short by not using GD and by not having saved up enough fuel.

120 is some kind of estimate on # of flights needed to get a full (x6) set of items from one destination? Using how many/which bonuses (+how many %?)?

 

[Barkmi4 (Mike)]

So you don't care about having bonuses active for the Excavation maps?


120 is some kind of estimate on # of flights needed to get a full (x6) set of items from one destination? Using how many/which bonuses (+how many %?)?

Personally I run excavations as and when - no bonuses. In my opinion, it is a waste of fuel to save up and run in one go.
I'll have a look later when I get home, and give some stats on how many flights I've completed vs how many items I have dropped/collections complete.
Typically I was running these maps without (+% drop) bonuses, as I was saving greens for other means. Prior to 7.11 GD was the only bonus (in my opinion) that increased the drop rate.
With turbo props, you'll probably be limited by fuel. As the plane capacity increases, the number of flights is typically limited by passengers you can produce.
Personally I'd pick a destination you have the most maps for first, and aim for so many flights, noting the drop rate you get. It is always worth doing a quick calculation prior for fuel and pax so you know you've the resources.

Edit: Someone suggested here https://www.airportcitygame.com/threads/the-best-method-of-collecting-gold-tokens.29019/ a 1/4 drop rate using GD. Off the top of my head, 10-15% chance without bonus. Note 100 flights will give you 3 stars. Again, I'll dig out my in-progress numbers later.

 

[BrentCrude]

I use my videos each day to fly 10 excavations for free with no bonus on. I get about a 1 in 10 drop rate of maps, so I'm accumulating about a map a day. However, since you need to save up fuel for a couple days, the map runs are only about twice a week, so I accumulate maps faster than I use them, thus no need for a bonus on the excavations.

I'd say that 2,000 saved up fuel from gifts and winnings that go into your inventory will get you around 50 flights in the 6 hour period, and about 4,000 fuel would get you 100 flights on a map run. I get a 1 in 4 drop rate of items with the 150% bonus on, so you need about 144 flights to get 36 of a given item. It helps if you're making fuel and landing guest planes during this period, and using the fuel additive from the event store helps too. You may also want to make your gift request F20 in your name or signature.

I only fly one plane and speed it home as many times as possible. Additional planes flying to that location wouldn't add much. There are no flight items required.

Much like any collection in this game, of the 5 destinations you'll get say 6-1-7-2-3 maps from the excavations. So you'll need to save up more fuel for the map runs where you have fewer maps. I'd get at least 2 maps to each destination as it's very difficult to get 36 drops on one map run but 18 is doable. Then you move on to excavating the next set of maps while you're finishing the runs for this set

 

[SASgold]

All of you then consider optimizing (spending excess fuel on) the amount of maps less important than optimizing the returns of each map - as you get enough maps anyway spending only coins or by watching ads (as the latter is limited it's also kind of a currency). Makes sense, I'll adopt that strategy.

Calculating the number of flights F needed to get X amount of drops in Y % of cases, given Z drop rate, you can use the Excel BINOM.DIST function - put like this
=1-BINOM.DIST(number_of_items_wanted (X); number_of_flights (F); drop_rate (Z); TRUE)
gives you the probability Y of getting your wanted number of items. For example, assume you want a 90% chance of getting at least 18 items, assuming 25% drop rate (base of 1 in 10 that goes to 1 in 4 with 150% bonus):
=1-BINOM.DIST(18; f; 0,25; TRUE)
then vary the # instead of f until you get 90%. Some numbers below, with above assumptions of drop rate and looking at 90% chance of reaching target:
6 items: 40 flights
12 items: 68 flights
18 items: 96 flights
36 items: 175 flights

Note that this is a 9 out of 10 chance to get AT LEAST that number of drops. In most cases you'll end up with more... you could then prepare to do (make sure you have fuel/passengers for), say, 175 flights, and then stop once you get to 36 drops to save some resources for next run (the average finish for 36 items would be somewhere around 146-147 flights).

If you assume a lower drop rate, 20%, the numbers for a 9 in 10 chance goes to:
6 items: 50 flights
12 items: 86 flights
18 items: 120 flights
36 items: 220 flights

Happy flying!

 

[Awesomerowend]

Correct in that I'm saying no bonus active for the excavation flights

And while I should have been able to do it the statistical way, my though process was less elegant:
I arrived at by assuming you will get 15 adventure destination maps from the 100 flights to *** it. Assuming you will get at least two maps per destination, and working off a base drop rate of 8/100 (guess) - it would give 20 drops per 100 flights - then I added some margin (120 flights) so that you might be able to get 36 drops per destination from using 2 maps per destination. Which translate to about 300xF20 (Owls) or 20xF150, 90xF50, 90xF20 (Hawks).

 

[Barkmi4 (Mike)]

 

[VdW]

I just ran 100 flights to Tollan with Sky Captain, got 16 Obsidian Knives.