Can Anyone Catch the 60mm Butterfly? The Math Behind the Butterfly Gathering.
Hey everyone, Pacelin, the programmer of Butterfly Gathering, here!
I've been amazed by the competition for world records in the game, and I see one question popping up a lot: "Is it even possible to catch the biggest butterfly?" Today, I want to pull back the curtain and explain exactly how our randomness works and why beating the current record is not just possible, but expected.
🎯 The Building Blocks: Average Size & Flowers
Every butterfly species in the game has a base "average size". Think of this as the center point on a dartboard.
But here's the first secret: you can move that center point. The number of flowers in an area directly influences this average. Find a field blooming with 20 flowers, and the "average size" for butterflies there gets a 1.2x multiplier. You're not just increasing your chances; you're shifting the entire scale of possible sizes in your favor.
📊 The Engine of Chance: Normal Distribution
To create a realistic variety of butterflies, we use a statistical model called "normal distribution". This means most butterflies you catch will be clustered around the average size, while truly giant or tiny ones are much rarer.
During development, we tweaked this curve until we got a result we liked: - 65% chance for a butterfly around the average size. - 2% chance to find a real whopper (specifically, around 45mm).
But these percentages are a bit misleading, and that's the key to our record system.
💥 "Unbreakable" Record
You might think a 2% chance is rare. But in a game played by hundreds of people, that 2% happens all the time! The current record of 37.9mm is impressive, but it's nowhere near the theoretical limit.
So, what is the limit?
Let me introduce you to the "White Whale" of Butterfly Gathering: a 60mm butterfly. The chance of it appearing is so astronomically small that we had to express it in "E" notation: 1E-11%.
🎱 If you ever catch this one, don't just screenshot it — go buy a lottery ticket. Immediately.
This means that no single player is expected to ever find it. Instead, the world record will be broken again and again as our community collectively "rolls the dice," getting closer and closer to that mythical 60mm. The record isn't a wall; it's a horizon we're all moving towards together.
🦋 Best Shot at a New Record: The Malachite Woolmoth
Now for the practical part. Remember how flowers affect the average size? To have any shot at the biggest butterflies, you need to target the species with the highest base average.
And that champion is the Malachite Woolmoth.
Theory is good, but practice is better. Instead of just telling you, let me show you the most effective field configurations we've found for hunting the Malachite Woolmoth. These layouts are designed to maximize your chances of a giant spawn:
The current record of 40.07mm, held by Dragon, is waiting to be broken. Your name could be next on the leaderboard! 🏆
Go to these spots, be patient, and happy hunting! I can't wait to see what you catch.
Happy gathering here!