Duolingo is replacing hearts with energy

[John Little]

I decided to test the energy meter and how much energy a perfect lesson uses over 5 minutes. And the answer is 10 units.

i started with 13 units at 08:56 deliberately taking my time and finished the lesson at 09:01 with 3 units left on the meter and no errors.

Edit: by way of an update. A *perfect 4 minute lesson cost 7 energy points. 25 down to 18

4 minutes one mistake 6 energy points 23 down to 17

So maybe it's just time not errors?

I can't see any pattern at all. I just did a perfect 4 minute lesson and only lost 1 energy point. Down from 25 to 24!

(*Perfect by luck not ability)

[John Little]

Copilot has this to say:-

Energy Units: Users start with 25 Energy units per day.
Depletion: Energy is lost for each exercise, whether correct or incorrect.
Recharge: Energy can be replenished through correct answer streaks, watching ads, or purchasing energy refills with gems.

I think the "correct answer streaks" may hold the key.

For users with the new Energy system, getting a series of correct answers in a row during a lesson can trigger a mini-game that rewards you with a random amount of bonus energy.
The reward amount is typically between 1 and 4 units.
For example, one Reddit user reported receiving +3 energy for a streak of 5 correct answers and +4 energy for a streak of 10.
In contrast to the old Hearts system, which only punished mistakes, the new Energy system rewards correct answer streaks.

I have also made a note of the time to full hearts message. i am 7 units short of a full charge and the message now says (if I do nothing else) I'll have full energy in 6hours 48 minutes that suggests they add one energy point every hour.

https://blog.duolingo.com/duolingo-energy/

[MoniqueMaRie]

I think the "correct answer streaks" may hold the key.

For users with the new Energy system, getting a series of correct answers in a row during a lesson can trigger a mini-game that rewards you with a random amount of bonus energy.
The reward amount is typically between 1 and 4 units.
For example, one Reddit user reported receiving +3 energy for a streak of 5 correct answers and +4 energy for a streak of 10.
In contrast to the old Hearts system, which only punished mistakes, the new Energy system rewards correct answer streaks.

But as far as I've experienced I'm loosing always at least 4 energy points in every exercise.

As I'm actively recharging by watching pubs in one of my target languages I'm learning even then.
Today I learned something new to me by watching one of these French ads for Duolingo super/max or whatever. I'm too absorbed in the language to notice what they are advertising for.

Had some French and two Italian ads. Nice

[John Little]

I think the "correct answer streaks" may hold the key.

For users with the new Energy system, getting a series of correct answers in a row during a lesson can trigger a mini-game that rewards you with a random amount of bonus energy.
The reward amount is typically between 1 and 4 units.
For example, one Reddit user reported receiving +3 energy for a streak of 5 correct answers and +4 energy for a streak of 10.
In contrast to the old Hearts system, which only punished mistakes, the new Energy system rewards correct answer streaks.

But as far as I've experienced I'm loosing always at least 4 energy points in every exercise.

As I'm actively recharging by watching pubs in one of my target languages I'm learning even then.
Today I learned something new to me by watching one of these French ads for Duolingo super/max or whatever. I'm too absorbed in the language to notice what they are advertising for.

Had some French and two Italian ads. Nice

That sounds an excellent idea. Is it a vpn thing?

[lrai]

After reading all the posts in this thread, I now feel like I have earned an honorary MA in "energy" duo style. This is way more info than any of us really needs to know, LOL

[MoniqueMaRie]

That sounds an excellent idea. Is it a vpn thing?

I'm on the app - usually on my tablet (Android)

[NataliaD]

I've been using Duolingo now for 1608 days and I really really enjoyed it. It's not the most perfect language app out there but it's free and easy to use. Until this energy thing. I just did 2 lessons perfectly and started the next one but couldn't finish because the energy ran out. Everyone can't afford to pay to learn things and that's why this app was good but now it makes no sense to learn on it. I used to do upwards of thirty minutes on it, now I'm down to 3 minutes? Come on. Also yeah, you can get added energy sometimes but it's not guaranteed, it's not a standard number, it's like trying your luck.

[John Little]

I've been using Duolingo now for 1608 days and I really really enjoyed it. It's not the most perfect language app out there but it's free and easy to use. Until this energy thing. I just did 2 lessons perfectly and started the next one but couldn't finish because the energy ran out. Everyone can't afford to pay to learn things and that's why this app was good but now it makes no sense to learn on it. I used to do upwards of thirty minutes on it, now I'm down to 3 minutes? Come on. Also yeah, you can get added energy sometimes but it's not guaranteed, it's not a standard number, it's like trying your luck.

You just have to replenish your energy by watching an advert in between lessons. As you might have done to get a heart. Annoying but it gets you through

[vrg]

The new “energy” system seems to have done the opposite—it’s taken the energy out of learning. It’s no longer fun. I’m not a paid subscriber, but I do watch all the ads, so you’re still earning revenue from me. I studied Spanish for over a year and loved it. Now, I’m on a 150-day streak learning Portuguese, and honestly, I’m not enjoying it anymore. I’ll likely switch to a different app soon.
Sorry, Duolingo Marketing team—you missed the mark. Just like Lily, my mood right now is unenthusiastic and disengaged.

[MoniqueMaRie]

I studied Spanish for over a year and loved it. Now, I’m on a 150-day streak learning Portuguese, and honestly, I’m not enjoying it anymore. I’ll likely switch to a different app soon.

Spanish and Portuguese are offered by almost all the apps I have used in recent years. So it won't be difficult to find something else for you – as a supplement or replacement for Duolingo.
Currently, in addition to Duolingo, I also use busuu and Clozemaster (to name just the apps with a free option).
I will stick with Duolingo, at least as long as I still have gems to spend.
I wouldn't want to leave with my "purse" still filled.

[lrai]

This is a little interesting so I am sharing it. Yesterday I broke down and decided to replenish my energy so I could finish a lesson. I never do it but I was so dang close, well you get the idea. This morning I had 25 points and I went to do a lesson that usually uses 12 points sometimes 14. However that lesson today cost me 20 points, what the ?????? So what this has taught me is never again will I spend gems to buy energy! What a waste. Just one more reason to add to my ever growing list of why I totally dislike this new system. Oh for the good ol' days of really free learning.

[JudieLC]

I became aware of the energy thing only recently and it's driving me nuts. I've become a bit of a dilettante as far as Duolingo is concerned. I made my account private because I'm very competitive and trying to keep my place in the leagues was taking too much of my time.

I try to do at least a lesson a day to keep my streak up, but sometimes I forget. Then I have to use my gems to buy a streak freeze.

► Show Spoiler

Streak freezes cost less gems on the website than on the phone app, so I always buy gems on the website via my laptop.

When my gems are getting depleted I go to the Free Chest on the phone app and "watch" ads (or let them play while doing something else ) and I wondered why the heck watching ads was filling up my energy instead of my gems and what the heck is this energy thing. That's pretty much when I became aware that energy had replaced gems. Only when your energy gets back up to a certain level do your gems start to be refilled.

Then I noticed, as others have observed, that even when I do a perfect lesson I lose energy and I wondered what the point was. Correct answer streak or no I end up with less energy at the end of a lesson than I started with. It's the most demotivating thing ever and I guess intended to get us to pay for DL.

There are lots of other changes to DL that are getting me annoyed and demotivated but, after all, this is the thread about energy.

By the way, if you want to use your phone and not lose energy, DL on your web browser still has hearts. For me, anyway.

[PtolemysXX]

The one and only reason for DL to introduce the energy system is an attempt to convert non-paying customers into paying customers. Everything else, talking about more motivation, countless theories explaining how good it is for learning and so on is pure BS. You can't openly tell the public that they are being squeezed to open their wallets so here they are inventing stories just like they did with disappearing hearts in the past.

[Chrisinom]

You're absolutely right, it's all about making money. When they started this energy scam they bombarded me with ads inciting me to give it a try. Now I mostly get other ads because obviously they (or better their AI) have understood that they are preaching to an unsavable soul and just want to make money.

[MoniqueMaRie]

With me, they bite on granite (as a German would say). Meaning: they can do whatever they want. I won't buy.

[MoniqueMaRie]

Today was the first time that I finished a lesson with more energy points than I started it (17--> 19).
I have no idea how that came about.

So: it was the first time I could do three lessons in a row without refilling.

[lrai]

I have noticed a new thing as well, I can recharge up to 2 points free, which is okay I suppose. I think because they have been hearing a lot of venting they might actually give a twit and do something to fix it...but not holding my breath.

[John Little]

I have noticed a new thing as well, I can recharge up to 2 points free, which is okay I suppose. I think because they have been hearing a lot of venting they might actually give a twit and do something to fix it...but not holding my breath.

I usually get at least 3 points and more normally 5 by watching an advert. I always check between lessons and top up if its less than 17

[lrai]

yes I have started to top it up. I don't watch ads...bad me. Sorry but some of the ads we get here in China I think are in such poor taste it would be insulting to have to watch them.