Gal Drops : Study on the deaths at landing

Hello everyone,

I'm a NC player on EU Miller server, I play in a big Outfit (LSD) and we do a lot of Gal Drops. Here is the problem, during the landing of players on the ground, there are always a few deaths.

We made tests to try to determine why do we die.

9 players were involved in a total of 46 Gal Drops. Tests were done last week in the earlier afternoon, Miller server population wasn't high, areas where we dropped were safe, no combats. (No lag, continent wasn't full of players, server wasn't overloaded with players).

I will detail the course of these tests then I will list the conclusions.



Galaxy drops at full speed from over 900 meters of altitude. At the location of our waypoint the ground is at 70 meters of altitude. Players who are jumping aim the ground while falling and landing. They jump by themselves through the Waypoint. Between each Gal Drop all players "refresh" their class (class change then take back their previous class). Apart from the driver, we all change seat randomly in the Galaxy between each Gal drop.

Gal Drop 1 :
Carmen - Engineer - Dead - Fell on a flat ground.
Effaisse - Engineer - Alive - Fell on a sloping ground.
Fenrilh - Medic - Pilot.
Guildion - HA - Dead - Fell on a flat ground.
Vidock - HA - Dead - Fell on a sloping ground.
3/4 Deads.

Gal Drop 2 :
Carmen - Engineer - Alive - Sloping ground.
Effaisse - Engineer - Alive - Flat ground.
Fenrilh - Medic - Pilot.
Guildion - HA - Dead - Flat ground.
Vidock - HA - Alive - Sloping ground.
1/4 Dead.

Gal Drop 3 :
Carmen - Engineer - Dead - Flat ground.
Effaisse - Engineer - Alive - Flat ground.
Fenrilh - Medic - Pilot - Alive - Deconstructed his Galaxy while flying after the passengers jumped out.
Guildion - HA - Dead - Flat ground.
Vidock - HA - Alive - Bounced on a sloping ground.
2/5 Deads.

Gal Drop 4 :
Carmen - MAX - Dead - Flat ground.
Effaisse - Engineer - Alive - Flat ground.
Fenrilh - Medic - Pilot - Alive - Jumped out of the Gal, didn't deconstruct it, fell on a sloping ground.
Guildion - HA - Dead - Flat ground.
Siphy - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
Vidock - LA - Alive - Flat ground.
2/6 Deads.

Gal Drop 5 :
Carmen - MAX - Dead - Flat ground.
Effaisse - Engineer - Alive - Flat ground.
Fenrilh - Medic - Pilot.
Guildion - HA - Dead - Flat ground.
Siphy - Medic - Alive - Sloping ground.
Vidock - LA - Alive - Flat ground.
2/5 Deads.

We all leave the game, we come back and create a new squad.
Gal drops are done in the same conditions as above.

Gal Drop 6 :
Carmen - MAX - Dead - Flat ground.
Effaisse - Engineer - Alive - Sloping ground.
Fenrilh - Medic - Pilot.
Guildion - HA - Dead - Sloping ground.
Siphy - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
Vidock - LA - Alive - Flat ground.
2/5 Deads.

Gal Drop 7 :
Carmen - MAX - Dead - Flat ground.
Fenrilh - Medic - Pilot.
Guildion - HA - Dead - Flat ground.
Siphy - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
Vidock - LA - Dead - Sloping ground.
3/4 Deads.

HA and MAX classes seem to die more often than Light classes. Players in Heavy classes take Light classes, Light classes take Heavy classes.
Gal Drops are done in the same conditions as above.

Gal Drop 8 :
Carmen - Medic - Dead - Flat ground.
Fenrilh - Medic - Pilot.
Guildion - LA - Alive - Flat ground.
Siphy - MAX - Alive - Flat ground.
Vidock - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
1/4 Dead.

Gal Drop 9 :
Carmen - LA - Alive - Flat ground.
Fenrilh - Medic - Pilot.
Guildion - LA - Dead - Flat ground.
Siphy - MAX - Alive - Flat ground.
Vidock - HA - Alive - Sloping ground.
1/4 Dead.

Gal Drop 10 :
Carmen - LA - Alive - Flat ground.
Fenrilh - Medic - Pilot.
Guildion - LA - Dead - Flat ground.
Siphy - MAX - Alive - Flat ground.
Vidock - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
1/4 Dead.

Gal Drop 11 :
Carmen - LA - Dead - Flat ground.
Fenrilh - Medic - Pilot.
Guildion - HA - Dead - Sloping ground.
Siphy - MAX - Alive - Flat ground.
Vidock - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
2/4 Deads.

We now jump from around 600 meters of altitude, apart altitude, Gal Drops are done in the same conditions as above.

Gal Drop 12 - 615 meters of altitude :
Carmen - LA - Alive - Flat ground.
Fenrilh - Medic - Pilot.
Guildion - HA - Dead - Flat ground.
Siphy - Recon - Alive - Sloping ground.
Vidock - Engineer - Alive - Flat ground.
1/4 Dead.

Gal Drop 13 - 613 meters of altitude :
Carmen - LA - Alive - Flat ground.
Fenrilh - Medic - Pilot.
Guildion - HA - Dead - Flat ground.
Siphy - HA - Alive - Sloping ground.
Vidock - Engineer - Alive - Flat ground.
1/4 Dead.

Gal Drop 14 - 585 meters of altitude :
Carmen - LA - Alive - Flat ground.
Fenrilh - Medic - Pilot.
Guildion - HA - Dead - Flat ground.
Siphy - HA - Alive - Sloping ground.
Vidock - Engineer - Alive - Flat ground.
1/4 Dead.

Gal Drop 15 - 589 meters of altitude :
Carmen - LA - Dead - Flat ground.
Fenrilh - Medic - Pilot.
Guildion - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Siphy - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Vidock - Engineer - Alive - Flat ground.
1/4 Dead.

Gal Drop 16 - 620 meters of altitude :
Carmen - LA - Dead - Sloping ground.
Fenrilh - Medic - Pilot.
Guildion - HA - Dead - Sloping ground.
Siphy - HA - Alive - Sloping ground.
Vidock - Engineer - Alive - Bounced on a sloping ground.
2/4 Deads.

We now jump from around 400 meters of altitude, apart altitude, Gal drops are done in the same conditions as above.

Gal Drop 17 - 395 meters of altitude :
Carmen - LA - Alive - Flat ground.
Fenrilh - Medic - Pilot.
Guildion - HA - Dead - Flat ground.
Siphy - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Vidock - Engineer - Dead - Flat ground.
2/4 Deads.

Gal Drop 18 - 402 meters of altitude :
Carmen - LA - Alive - Flat ground.
Fenrilh - Medic - Pilot.
Guildion - HA - Dead - Flat ground.
Siphy - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Vidock - Engineer - Alive - Flat ground.
1/4 Dead.

Gal Drop 19 - 402 meters of altitude :
Carmen - Engineer - Pilot.
Elth - HA - Dead - Flat ground.
Fenrilh - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
Guildion - HA - Dead - Flat ground.
Siphy - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Vidock - Engineer - Alive - Flat ground.
2/5 Deads.

We now jump again from over 900 meters of altitude, the Galaxy stops above the Wayypoint and hover, pilot ejects players manually. Players still aim the ground while falling. Between each Gal Drop all players still "refresh" their class (class change then take back their previous class). Apart from the driver, we still all change seat randomly between each Gal Drop.

Gal Drop 20 :
Carmen - Engineer - Pilot.
Elth - HA - Alive - Bounced on a sloping ground.
Fenrilh - HA - Dead - Flat ground.
Guildion - HA - Dead - Flat ground.
Siphy - HA - Alive - Was afk, didn't aim the ground while falling.
Vidock - Engineer - Alive - Flat ground.
2/5 Deads.

Gal Drop 21 :
Carmen - Engineer - Pilot.
Elth - HA - Dead - Bounced on a sloping ground.
Fenrilh - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Guildion - HA - Dead - Bounced on a sloping ground. Didn't aim the ground while landing, aiming the horizon.
Vidock - Engineer - Alive - Flat ground.
2/4 Deads.

Guildion dies much more often than other players, he goes on Esamir then come back on Amerish with other testers.
Gal drops are now done at full speed from not over 300 meters of altitude. Players now jump by themselves on the Waypoint. Other conditions don't change.

Gal Drop 22 - 300 meters of altitude :
Carmen - Engineer - Pilot.
Elth - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Fenrilh - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Guildion - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Vidock - Engineer - Alive - Flat ground.
No death.

Gal Drop 23 - 300 meters of altitude :
Carmen - Engineer - Pilot.
Elth - HA - Alive - Bounced on a sloping ground.
Fenrilh - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Guildion - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Rangetonbang - Recon - Alive - Bounced on a sloping ground.
Vidock - Engineer - Alive - Flat ground.
No death.

No death under 300 meters of altitude !

Gal Drop 24 - 301 meters of altitude :
Carmen - Engineer - Pilot.
Elth - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Fenrilh - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Guildion - HA - Dead - Sloping ground.
Rangetonbang - LA - Alive - Flat ground.
Vidock - Engineer - Alive - Flat ground.
1/5 Dead.

One death at 301 meters of altitude.

Gal Drop 25 - 260 meters of altitude :
Carmen - Engineer - Pilot.
Elth - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Fenrilh - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Guildion - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Rangetonbang - LA - Alive - Flat ground.
Vidock - Engineer - Alive - Flat ground.
No death.

Gal Drop 26 - 290 meters of altitude :
Carmen - Engineer - Pilot.
Elth - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Fenrilh - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Guildion - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Rangetonbang - LA - Alive - Flat ground.
Vidock - Engineer - Alive - Flat ground.
No Death.

Gal Drop 27 - 294 meters of altitude :
Carmen - Engineer - Pilot.
Elth - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Fenrilh - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Guildion - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Rangetonbang - LA - Alive - Flat ground.
Vidock - Engineer - Alive - Flat ground.
No death.

Players don't die while jumping under 300 meters of altitude. On the ground, the waypoint is located at 70 meters of altitude, so actually players don't die when they fall from a height inferior to around 230 meters relative to the ground.

We go to the North of Amerish to see of the sea level is set at Altitude 0. The Galaxy descend gradually over the water, it explodes at 20 meters of altitude, yet it did not touch the water. The water level is at approximately 0 meters of altitude, but the vehicle can not go below 20 meters under threat of explosion.

Note : The ground at Amerish NC Warpgate is at 70 meters of altitude.

We change Waypoint, it is now located on an aircraft landing pad at an Amp Station, 150 meters of altitude. We jump at full speed. We do not "refresh" our classes anymore between each drop. Other conditions don't change.

Gal Drop 28 - 299 meters of altitude (ground at 150 meters of altitude, so a fall of 149 meters height):
Carmen - Engineer - Pilot.
Elth - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Fenrilh - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Guildion - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Rangetonbang - LA - Alive - Flat ground.
Siphy - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Vidock - Engineer - Alive - Flat ground.
No death.

We now jump from a hovering Galaxy above a new Waypoint, a Biolab aircraft landing pad at 88 meters of altitude. Other drop conditions don't change.

Gal Drop 29 - 390 meters of altitude (fall of 302 meters height) :
Carmen - Engineer - Pilot.
Elth - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Fenrilh - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
Guildion - HA - Dead - Flat ground.
Rangetonbang - LA - Alive - Flat ground.
Siphy - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Vidock - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
1/6 Dead.

Gal Drop 30 - 375 meters of altitude (fall of 287 meters height) :
Carmen - Engineer - Pilot.
Elth - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Fenrilh - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
Guildion - HA - Dead - Flat ground.
Rangetonbang - LA - Alive - Flat ground.
Siphy - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Vidock - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
Skoubi - Medic - Dead - Flat ground.
2/7 Deads.

Gal Drop 31 - 365 meters of altitude (fall of 277 meters height) :
Carmen - Engineer - Pilot.
Elth - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Fenrilh - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
Guildion - HA - Dead - Flat ground.
Rangetonbang - LA - Alive - Flat ground.
Siphy - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Vidock - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
Skoubi - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
1/7 Dead.

We go back to our first Waypoint located at 70 meters of altitude. We still jump from a hovering Galaxy above a the Waypoint. Other conditions don't change.

Gal Drop 32 - 350 meters of altitude (fall of 280 meters height) :
Carmen - Engineer - Pilot.
Elth - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Fenrilh - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
Guildion - HA - Dead - Flat ground.
Rangetonbang - LA - Alive - Flat ground.
Siphy - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Vidock - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
Skoubi - Medic - Dead - Flat ground.
2/7 Deads.

Gal Drop 33 - 320 meters of altitude (fall of 250 meters height) :
Carmen - Engineer - Pilot.
Elth - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Fenrilh - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
Guildion - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Rangetonbang - LA - Alive - Flat ground.
Siphy - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Vidock - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
Skoubi - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
No death.

So there's a possibility to have no death with a Gal drop from a height of more than 230 meters relative to the ground.

Gal Drop 34 - 330 meters of altitude (fall of 260 meters height) :
Carmen - Engineer - Pilot.
Elth - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Fenrilh - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
Guildion - HA - Dead - Flat ground.
Rangetonbang - LA - Alive - Flat ground.
Siphy - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Vidock - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
Skoubi - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
1/7 Dead.

Gal Drop 35 - 325 meters of altitude (fall of 255 meters height) :
Carmen - Engineer - Pilot.
Elth - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Fenrilh - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
Guildion - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Rangetonbang - LA - Alive - Flat ground.
Siphy - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Vidock - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
Skoubi - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
No death.

Gal Drop 36 - 326 meters of altitude (fall of 256 meters height) :
Carmen - Engineer - Pilot.
Elth - HA - Dead - Flat ground.
Fenrilh - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
Guildion - HA - Dead - Flat ground.
Rangetonbang - LA - Alive - Flat ground.
Siphy - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Vidock - Medic - Dead - Flat ground.
Skoubi - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
3/7 Deads.

Gal Drop 37 - 326 meters of altitude (fall of 256 meters height) :
Carmen - Engineer - Pilot.
Elth - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Fenrilh - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
Guildion - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Rangetonbang - LA - Alive - Flat ground.
Siphy - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Vidock - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
Skoubi - Medic - Dead - Flat ground.
1/7 Dead.

We know jump from more than 900 meters of altitude, the Galaxy is still hovering, other conditions don't change.

Gal Drop 38 - 900 meters of altitude (fall of 830 meters height) :
Carmen - Engineer - Pilot.
Elth - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Fenrilh - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
Guildion - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Rangetonbang - LA - Alive - Flat ground.
Siphy - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Vidock - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
Skoubi - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
No death.

It's our first Gal drop from a very high altitude without a single death... we try again.

Gal Drop 39 - 963 meters of altitude (fall of 893 meters height) :
Carmen - Engineer - Pilot.
Elth - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Fenrilh - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
Guildion - LA - Alive - Flat ground.
Rangetonbang - LA - Alive - Flat ground.
Siphy - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Vidock - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
Skoubi - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
No death.

Second huge stroke of luck.
We now drop at full speed, other conditions don't change.

Gal Drop 40 - 960 meters of altitude (fall of 890 meters height) :
Carmen - Engineer - Pilot.
Elth - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Fenrilh - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
Guildion - LA - Dead - Flat ground.
Rangetonbang - LA - Alive - Flat ground.
Siphy - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Vidock - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
Skoubi - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
1/7 Dead.

Generally the deaths seem to happen randomly, but there seems to be a bearing below which no one dies, Drops under 230 meters relative to the ground. We try to confirm this.

We still drop on a Waypoint located at 70 meters of altitude, at full speed, in the same conditions as above.

Gal Drop 41 - 291 meters of altitude (fall of 221 meters height) :
Carmen - Engineer - Pilot.
Elth - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Fenrilh - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
Guildion - LA - Alive - Flat ground.
Rangetonbang - LA - Alive - Flat ground.
Siphy - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Vidock - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
Skoubi - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
No death.

Gal Drop 42 - 295 meters of altitude (fall of 225 meters height) :
Carmen - Engineer - Pilot.
Elth - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Fenrilh - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
Guildion - LA - Alive - Flat ground.
Rangetonbang - LA - Alive - Flat ground.
Siphy - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Vidock - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
Skoubi - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
No death.

Gal Drop 43 - 296 meters of altitude (fall of 226 meters height) :
Carmen - Engineer - Pilot.
Elth - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Fenrilh - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
Guildion - LA - Alive - Flat ground.
Rangetonbang - LA - Alive - Flat ground.
Siphy - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Vidock - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
Skoubi - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
No death.

Gal Drop 44 - 293 meters of altitude (fall of 223 meters height) :
Carmen - Engineer - Pilot.
Elth - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Fenrilh - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
Guildion - LA - Alive - Flat ground.
Rangetonbang - LA - Alive - Flat ground.
Siphy - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Vidock - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
Skoubi - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
No death.

We go back to the Amp Station waypoint at 88 meters of altitude, still at full speed, in the same conditions as above.

Gal Drop 45 - 212 meters of altitude (fall of 212-88=124 meters height) :
Carmen - Engineer - Pilot.
Elth - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Fenrilh - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
Guildion - LA - Alive - Flat ground.
Rangetonbang - LA - Alive - Flat ground.
Siphy - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Vidock - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
Skoubi - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
No death.

Gal Drop 46 - 310 meters of altitude (fall of 310-88=222 meters height, no more than the bearing of 230 meters) :
Carmen - Engineer - Pilot.
Elth - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Fenrilh - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
Guildion - LA - Alive - Flat ground.
Rangetonbang - LA - Alive - Flat ground.
Siphy - HA - Alive - Flat ground.
Vidock - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
Skoubi - Medic - Alive - Flat ground.
No death.

End of tests.

Conclusions :

You have a chance to be killed by a fall of more than 230 meters height during a Galaxy drop.

Things that will not change that fact :
- The class. Heavy or light, whatever.
- Refreshment of the class, useless superstition.
- Gal speed, full-speed or stationary, whatever.
- The drop mod. Forced, managed by the driver, or individually together, whatever.
- Watch the ground, the horizon or the sky. It will not change your fate. (Anyway you should watch the ground to land on the waypoint)
- The type of ground. Landings on a slope, slight or steep, a flat ground or a particular texture will not change your fate. (But it is still better to fall on a flat surface to avoid being pushed where you do not want)
- None of the 12 seats of the Galaxy will allow you to be sure to reach the ground in one piece.
- Log out, log in, change of planet then come back, reboot your PC or not, it changes nothing.

There seems to be some sort of random percentage of landing deaths. It is not clear at all on what is based the selection of those who will die, or the proportion of players who will die. What is certain is that in the current state of what we know, some players clearly seem to have more luck than others.

It is quite possible to have no death during a Gal Drop at high altitude, but it is very rare. The only solution to be sure no one will die is to jump from a height of less than 230 meters. Here there is a problem : How to know the height of a fall between the Galaxy and the ground, because we do not know the altitude of the ground before checking on site. We can't check in combat situation. Learning topography of each continent, no thanks.

So we found a fairly efficient way. Galaxy must pass on the tip of the Waypoint vertical light marking the landing zone for the troops. Its height is around 230 meters.

So, what do you think about this ?
What is causing the death ?
Is there another way to avoid it ?
Could someone of the dev team tell us if Gal drop deaths are normal because it's a feature of the game or if it's a bug ? If it's a bug could you fix it please ? Our deads would thank you very much !

Great job on your research. I think this needs to be addressed. Galaxy drops should have 0% mortality rate because that is what the ship is designed to do. I hope this bug is address because this should be a reliable method of transport and assault.

I ain't no scientician but I'm guessing it probably has mostly to do with that there latency of the indervidual player, ayup.

That sounds like a possible factor that would explain why some players seems to have a higher chance of dieing.

Thank you for doing this research. My outfit has also experienced deaths from galaxy drops, I was told it was because I landed on a slope, which I did. I did not know that it can happen when you land on flat ground too.

I'm close to certain that this is something the dev's will be looking to fix in the next patch.

I'm scared of being in a Gal Drop now. So thanks a bunch, huh?!?!

Very good experiment. I thought I died because of how I landed, but your data shows a problem that should be looked at.

It,s only because you are moving when falling. If you don't, you never die.

I heard that you die when you shoot while falling. Maybe you should have recorded that. Maybe the fact that it's mostly the same people who die shows that it's mostly the same people shooting while dropping.
But I don't know for sure.

I somehow doubt that there is any connection between from how high you fall and deaths. If the galaxy works at 100 metres it will propably also work at 1000metres. And I'm absolutely sure that there is no intended percentage if you die or not.

I will edit my post, we can die after moving when falling and after remaining stationnary.

Actually we never shot while falling, and when we shot while falling we can land alive. I'll edit my post.

Great job. Now SOE needs to fix this.

It seems I can't edit my posts...

This must be some sort of bug, unless they're really trying to steer us away from a ubiquitous style of gameplay.

Half hour timer on editing.

Also, I preform gal drops from max height, yet none of my occupants die. They don't move while in the air, (WASD) therefore they don't die.