Implant QL increase: what is the definitive cause?

It is well known that when assembling an implant, the QL of the implant can sometimes go up. However, time and time again, I've seen conflicting information on what causes this:

Theory #1: Implant QL increases when installing a cluster that has much higher QL than the implant

Quote:

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Originally posted by Sigyn in this thread:
A higher cluster can raise implant ql by a couple %. Example: slapping a ql180 cluster into ql125 basic will likely produce a ql127-128 implant.

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Theory #2: Implant QL increases when the character has much higher nanoprogramming skill than needed

Quote:

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Originally posted by BGumble in this thread:
having a cluster of a higher QL than the implant doesnt seem to raise the QL of the assembled implant - what does raise the final QL of the implant seems to be the nano programming skill of the assembler. Get 3 QL30 clusters and a QL30 implant and get them assembled by a level 200 MP you'll end up with an implant maybe around QL35.

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So which one is correct? This is something I've always been curious about, and would like to know the definitive answer once and for all.

I think it's number 2, since when I first got my QL125 imps made it only increased 1-2 QL, but when I made my imps with 1k NP they increased to QL130. Not sure if it was the cluster but...

perhaps it's a combination between the two?

implants below QL50 will not raise their QL either...

To confuse the issue even more. It also seems to depend on the type of cluster. In example when I add one of the basic ability clusters such as Agility or a Max Health cluster the ql of the implant will raise 1 point. When I add a skill cluster such as Shotgun the ql will go up 2 sometimes 3. I can't understand FC's logic of why to keep information of this nature a secret. Possibly its because their formula is so warped that they can't explain it themselvs.

On a side note it is nice being able to fine tune the ql of an implant by adding a cluster then clearing the implant. Often times I'm unable to find the exact ql implant I need and will buy in upwards of 10 faded clusters to bump the implant to where I want it.

O yea I also 99% positive the NP skill is what causes the increase. Just would be nice to know how much skill bumps ql by what amount.

In my (albeit somewhat limited) experience, it seems to me that it's actually a combination of both QL imp/cluster as well as the NP of the person putting it together.

For example, I used my doc (350-ish NP) to put together some basic implants of QL 50-75. I noticed a slight QL increase if the cluster was well above the QL of the basic implant but nothing fancy.

When I went to have my QL 125 imp set created, the QL increase was *much* more noticable since the person creating the finished imps has a much higher (around 900) NP skill, although the difference in QL between the basic imp and the clusters going into them was realitivly similar.

I don't use my doc for much of anything anymore, so if someone would like to try to come up with some sort of a algorithim as to how QL/NP affects finished result and use her as the low-level baseline, /tell ghir in game and we'll hook up to do that as I'm pretty curious myself.

It seems to me to be the nanoprogramming skill.

I can take a QL196 empty implant and after adding 3 clusters it will be a QL200 full implant. Because the cluster QLs are almost always below the original 196, this would seem to me to disprove Sigyn's "high cluster theory" (theory #1). I can do this for any type of implant with all type of clusters which would seem to disprove Unit99s "type of cluster theory". All this leads me to believe that it is nanprogramming skill.

In my experience, the final product is *often* raised 2 levels for 1 cluster added, 3 levels for 2 clusters added and 4 levels for 3 clusters added. This is not a hard rule but a general observation - it varies much.

I do beleive it is the NP skill that determines increase. However, on the type of cluster dependency...

I do notice some faded increase plants by 2ql and some by 3ql. I beleive this is due to the difference in required skill vs. actual skill.

Thus, if a person has 1k NP, a cluster that only requires 100NP to install will increase the QL more than a cluster that requires 900NP.

It is definately true that for ql190ish plants and 1k NP, faded tends to increase the QL by about 3, bright by about 1-2, and shining 0-1. I think the reason for this is that the NP requirement is so much lower on the faded vs. shining etc.

When doing implants, let's say a 125 Implants. I first go buy a low level faded cluster from the basic shop.

I then try and combine that with the implant, know that I don't have the skill and that the cluster is too low.

It gives me feedback on the lowest level cluster I can put in there, as well as the skill needed.

I then proceeded to go buy all clusters between the Lowest End, and QL125.

Whenever I had them assembled by a guildie with 1100 Nano Programming, I found that the Implants were raising dramatically in QL, and thus screwing up all the clusters I bought on the low end.... :P

with 1120 self buffed np i can turn a ql194 imp to ql200

first you need hella np and 2nd you need high ql clusters i tried this with one imp using 3 ql198-200 clusters and again on another ql194 imp using ql170-180 and the imp turned into 198 :x

It is the NP... as to why the increase varies, it's because it is a function of the NP skill verses the required NP skill and faded, bright and shining clusters of the same ql have different reqs... hence the big increase with fadeds, small increase with shinings.
Also, different clusters have different NP reqs, for example life clusters req 5-10% more than other clusters. Hope this helps.

-Dal

The information is not secret. The QL of the result can depend on two things: The item (process) you are doing and your skill.

"Normally" the QL of the result depends only on the QL of the second combine item (the item that is NOT picked up when you combine the two items).

In some of those processes there is a % that increases the QL of the result IF you have higher skill than what is needed to make it.

Those percentages varies with the process. E.g. Improving melee weapons give a large increase, while making dragon armor give no increase at all.

Example: In the process "Sandwich with Fish Eyes", the modifier is set to 140%, and combining requires 100 skill in Adventuring.

The "Sandwich" is QL 10 and the "Fish Eyes" is QL 1. You pick up the "Fish Eyes" and combine it with the "Sandwich".

With skill 100 in Adventuring you will end up with a QL 10 result.

Now, if your skill is 200 - double of what is required, you get the full increase, and end up with a QL 14 result.

If your skill is 150 you will end up with a QL 12 result Etc.

Hope that helps somewhat.

Yes it does help.

But now I have to add another line to my sig. Hope Funcom can afford another raise.