Now back to the topic at hand. Time to try and upgrade my crappy computer. It's nearing the 11 year mark since I got it. Which makes it ancient in computer time.
Placing my hand on the computer brought up the panel.
[0/100]
[Upgrade not available]
Ok so it starts at 100 experience then goes to 1000. A 10 times multiplier is pretty steep. But that's ok I'm all for a grind.
Now let's see how much experience I can grind out today!
With a swift click of the power button, the old PC spins to life with the squeaking of an old fan.
Let's boot up Me-tube and see just how quickly I can gain experience.
I'll pull up some Peguindude videos and watch the time.
After a few quick clicks the video was up and running.
Now I'm not an impatient person, however I can get a bit excited, especially when it comes to something I care about.
So before the video could even reach the 1 minute mark my hand was back on the computer.
When the panel opened up for me to see, there it was, a singular glowing experience point shining for me to see.
I quickly double checked the time on the video, just barely passing the minute mark.
So my experience gained when actively using an item is 1 experience point for every 1 minute. Hey, that's pretty good~.
Now does passive income happen as 0.1 per minute or 1 per 10 minutes. Though I suppose it doesn't really matter. Unless I were to stop the income in-between the 10 minute time limit. But, I don't foresee that being a problem.
I can't really do anything about it anyway.
Another question came to mind, what defines passive and active?
Since I don't have to be actively using something to be actively using it. Does that make any sense?
For example a CD player. I could be actively using it by playing background music but not actively listening to the music exclusively.
So where is the line really drawn?
Let's do some quick tests. Quickly running to the door on the other side of the room, from which I entered. I went through the hallway to the storage room, passing the bathroom on the way.
There I pulled out a very interesting purchase my mom made. A solar-powered generator, or rather a foldable solar panel and a massive battery; the size of a Snowy Bigfoot cooler.
The battery once powered the internet, TV, and a few lamps for a couple hours. The battery didn't even go below the 90% mark. A true testament to its long lasting capacity.
Now that the advert is done, so am I, after having dragged both the solar panel and the battery outside.
Setup is easy: the panel flips up, then point it at the sun. Don't forget to plug it into the battery. And, done.
Now passive or active? I just had a thought, what if it's decided by what I think it is? For example, I am actively charging this battery to use it, or I will charge the battery and use it sometime later.
Or perhaps it has to do with whether I'm present or not. Since I don't think the computer is gaining lots of experience right now.
Well let's test it, going inside, grabbing my phone and then flopping down in front of my computer. Let's just scroll social media for 10 minutes and then check.
…
10 minutes later.
Ok, let's check everything's experience gained so far.
[Solar panel] [2/100]
[Battery] [2/100]
[Phone] [10/100]
[Computer] [11/100]
[Monitor] [11/100]
So it does seem to require my presence to earn experience actively. However I think I know of a way around that.
Scurrying back into the storage room I retrieve an extension cord, plug it into the battery outside and run it into the house up to my desk. Then I plug my phone charger into it.
Now I don't have to be there, to be there. I am such a genius.
Now back to the grind.
…
About 2 hours later.
I have upgraded everything.
However the weather outside has gotten progressively worse and it seems like it's about to rain. So I better bring in the solar-powered stuff.
The weather is a dark and turbulent, churning sea of clouds that are just waiting to pour.
After dragging everything in, it's time to really look at what the upgrades are.
The solar panel had more efficiency and greater accumulation of power.
The battery could hold more energy and retain it for longer.
The phone had an increase in everything, battery, camera, processing power, graphics, even the user interface and software got an upgrade. But, what's interesting is that the upgrade to the battery pales in comparison to the other stand alone battery. Perhaps, the upgrade spread out its potency because it upgraded multiple things.
The computer was similar to the phone. A full upgrade, motherboard, graphics card, ram, energy efficiency, everything. The problem was, because the computer was so old the upgrade didn't even reach a modern top tier computer. It basically just made it an average PC for today's standard.
Which raises an interesting question, what would happen if I bought a better computer then upgraded it? Wouldn't that be a more optimal path of upgrade?
Also what if there is an upgrade limit? Wouldn't I be able to go further with a modern computer? Or what if I was able to recreate what I upgrade, wouldn't that be peak optimization?
Hmm, but how would I even go about doing that?
The monitor also had a rounded upgrade, graphics, better refresh rate, and as always better energy efficiency.
Finally I noticed that I could also upgrade the extension cord and phone charger. Both got increased efficiency, by reducing the electrical resistance.