a lack of rares

[Steppenwolf]

Rares can be found on every level, but are much less frequent on normal. Keep in mind that the items that they penalize you for don't have to be on the character you bring online, or in that character's bank. But if you have a "Banned" item on any character in your system.
Here's how I tested it.
I've been playing since April 2003, and had accumulated hacked item before I even knew they existed. Atafter all this time, since it gets rather repetative, I play both Legit and non-legit chars. Around last March or so is when I notice that I wasn't finding rares very often. After I found out that they had supposedly tweeked my system, and I had only found three rares or so from March to May, I decided to test it. I have two xboxes (had to buy a second because my daughters took over the first when they discovered PSO) and I took the 3 1300+ mags, and any 127% weapon I had and moved them over to one of my original characters on my first xbox. To play it safe I sold off any photon spheres I had as well. Then made a run through TTF on ult, found 4 rares on the run. I moved back the 127% weapon, leaving the hacked mags on the old box still. No rares found. Moved the weapons back to the old box, found rares again. Moved just the mags to the newer box, no rares again. I seem to remember that I had to go online again before i started seeing rares offline, but not a 100% sure.

[Omar]

Your experience doesn't actually prove anything about your theory sadly. If you want to prove that certain hacked items are effecting drops, then go to a place with very easy rare drops such as some in Hard/Vhard and do a high number of laps, recording every drop.

The amount of runs of areas I have done without getting any rares, you would think I had hacked equipment and was on a different version...

[Sheik]

I still think that the amount of playtime you have really affects it, I just now have about 70+ hours and I'm finally seeing rare drops. My first rare drop since I corrupted was a diska of liberator....big woop but I was still excited to finally find a rare drop for the first time since before I corrupted.

[Steppenwolf]

It's fairly elementary to me. Seeing that at the time I'd spend approximately 40 to 50 hours per month online, and maybe another 20 hours offline, and over a 3 month period I only found 3 or 4 (don't remember exactly which for sure) rares, and that day that I did the changes, and specifically paid attention, I foud 4 rares in one run, about 10 over 4 hours on a Sat AM (pacific time) also found 6 rares the following week offline (only play online on weekends). RE-equipt myself and the rares disappeared. Since then I have moved them back and forth depending on how I felt like playing. You can hook up with a legit player with hacks in your inventory and find rares, But when I play with legit players, I play legit anyway.
If you're really interested, and if we can hookup I'd be happy to give you items to test for yourself.

Anyway, take it for what it worth.

[Omar]

I am not on Xbox so hooking up would be a problem.

I have also gone stupidly long times without finding rares before. Even when I was hunting in places with easy drops like WHITILL Heat Sword. I am not saying you are incorrect or anything, just that you have to do it a bit more in-depth to prove anything.

Sheik, regardless of what you think, you are wrong Number of hours played has nothing to do with rare drops. I hunt with a certain level 200 RAmarl sometimes and we often don't find anything =/

[Steppenwolf]

Not entirely true, Omar, Time can make a difference on the chance of dicovering rares in that your level can make a difference. There's a much higher chance of finding rares on Ultimate Ruins than Normal Forrest.
But to the extent that if your were to play Ult. for 15 or 1500 hours the drop rate per section would be the same, you could expect to clear the section much quicker if you had 1500 hours behind you though .

Last commemt on hacks vs. rare findings (since we about at a standstill :S ) I can't give you authoritive info per se. I did take the time to visit another PSO message board (hate that one) that is supposed to be the hub of pso info, )also the hub of jerks in my opinion). If you wanted to brave the elements and take the time to search through the board you'd have to agree the preponderance of the evidence does establish that rare drops rate are lowered if you using a 1300+ mag or stacking items. If i understood it correctly this was done through a patch introduced into psox and pso+. Maybe only apply to a number that have recieved that patch (just guessing here).

[mimas]

There's a much higher chance of finding rares on Ultimate Ruins than Normal Forrest

That's because the drop-rate fractions are in the 1/xxxx in Normal when they are 1/xxx in Ultimate.

[Steppenwolf]

Are you using the numbers as an example, or are you sure that it's a ten fold difference?

[death]

i think hacking is a cheap way to level up

[Steppenwolf]

definately inexpensive; but there are much quicker ways if your too lazy to play the game.