Is RNG, RNG or...is something else at play?

based on what i do for a living....there are stats behind it and they are based on a clever algorithm which is using micro and macro variables. Micro for the player and macro for the economy. Same story with all similar games.

Thank god for us they know they are doing. Otherwise the economy would look like hell

RNG is RNG, the issue is a variety of PoE drops are so rare that you are actually lucky to see them at all, for example you read about people getting exalts left and right every league i've got 2 80+'s and 2 70+'s and haven't seen one yet, or a divine. I've had multiple 90s every league the only T1 unique i've ever had drop is a void battery (if that is infact a tier 1 I think it is).

My rate of earning fusings/jewelers/chaos/alchs compared to my friends is very comparable however, because they really aren't that uncommon so if i play twice as long i'll have twice as many.

That sucks and i get a bit butthurt from time to time that I don't get great drops but as long as your having fun it doesn't really matter :p

Don't you know people who always win in the casino?
Or people who have lost in the casino all their lives?

Life's strange. There is something we don't know for sure.

RNGesus givith and RNGesus takith away

Don't fall prey to the Gambler's fallacy.

Random is just that, random. Just because one person plays longer, does not necessarily mean they will receive more/better.

Fortunes are made every day preying on the believe that the above is not true.