Why does offline progress at 1/3 the rate of online?

[qubit64]

I'm at roughly e10000 energy, and using Level 10 Free amplifier auto upgrade and Level 1 Amplifier auto upgrade for idle play.

The Free amplifier auto upgrade activates once every 5 minutes or so. If I leave the game open, my balls increase levels at roughly the expected rate. But if I close the game and reopen hours later, the level increase is only about 1/3 of what I expect. I note down my ball levels before/after to make this calculation.

Has anyone experienced this? Is there any game/computer settings that cause this?

[Noobly J. L. Walker]

I assume it is to encourage active play.

[qubit64]

It occasionally works but most of the time doesn't. Looks like a bug to me.