Fascinating work gentlemen! The more I look at it, the more likely it seems that name is an important factor here, perhaps the ONLY factor.
That is, more or less, the idea with these tests. We're trying to eliminate all variables to determine why SOE gives us the professions they do, in an attempt to make them predictable. We can't open up new variables yet, as we haven't attained perfect consistency, but that will be the next step.
For CARLX CARLX, it seems that this test yields a profession that is marksman-based, though this too might be only anecdotally supported at this time. Still, the likelihood of getting 4 pistoleers with other characters (presumably other names as well) of these variables is still extremely unlikely.
For ZERO variability CARLX CARLX characters, the professions thus far as reported are Pistoleer, Carbineer, and, for CARLXX CARLXX, Rifleman (marksman). It's possible this marksmanship is coincidence, likely even, but if it is or not, these are the only 3 truly valid tests we've got. A few more results and we'll know more. I urge those who performed the test to report as savage2005 did:
"CARLX CARLX all sliders to right
all color bottom left
male human
default hair
artisan
rori, restuss
holo said carbineer"
If he'd included server name, it would have been a perfect test. (Tell us server name, Savage?) Carbonfiberr seems to have made a CARLXX CARLXX and have gotten rifleman, which is also a good-looking test (if name proves to be absolutely specific, then CARLXX might not work, but it is still likely to work). If we can get just a few more results, we may have our finalized professions. I appreciate all the work of our early testers before we narrowed down what to do about hair and name, and assure you that your work has brought us to the point where we are today.
A final variable to break down would be Time/Server created. There may be an algorithm in place that says "all characters made on tuesday get Scout (wednesday is Squad Leader), all characters created at from 1-2PM get Carbineer (2-3 is rifleman...), all characters made with 10-15 minutes left in the hour get Artisan, all characters made in the last 10 seconds of a minute get Weaponsmith." Or something along those lines. If that's true, then it would be VERY difficult to test.
One thing the experts all agree upon is that there is no such thing as "Random." Computers are incapable of generating truly random variable strings, as all information must come from a programmed source. The CARL theory is testing whether or not race, looks, name, profession, start location, and experience affect or form that source. We know it is not CD key, and aside from server-specific or time-variable algorithms (or, heaven forbid, SOE station names), one of the variables we've cloned must be responsible. As such, we should see our clones getting the same professions if our sample sizes are large enough.
Good luck in further testing. If we get another three professions, then we'll be forced to admit defeat, but if we get repeats of our primary professions, then we'll know exactly what CARLX needs to become a jedi.
Carver Ormazd Founder of the Rebel Underground Today, Smuggling Armorsmith (Former Master Rifleman, Medic, Doctor, CH, Scout, Merchant, Marksman, Tailor, etc.)
Vendor @ 3400, -7075 on Tatooine, south of Mos Eisley in Echo Base.
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