Long article, but very interesting to read. To sum up: being a gold farmer in China means you earn as lot cash as you did before in your hometown. With some differences... (1) You are constantly killed by players who think the visible supply is the problem – and not the anonymous demand. (2) If you are killed by other characters, you actually earn less money since you are paid by every 100g you farm. (3) You do 100% repetitive boring actions for 12 hours per day, then leave the sweatshop to pick up some food and then fall asleep right away. (4) You dream of a better life, of saving money, marrying a nice woman – but keep going through the grind treadmill, not going any step further towards a better life. (5) You were better of back home – if there weren't those official and unofficial institutions who made you leave your home base by their actions.
But well, at least you are working in a somewhat safe and vastly growing industry. Your position is safe. So basically you've got a stupid, very repetitive and machinimous job, but at least a safe one. Yay...
The next time you meet a china farmer... Will you still gank him or will you rather think about promoting accusation on the demand, and not on the supply?
But well, at least you are working in a somewhat safe and vastly growing industry. Your position is safe. So basically you've got a stupid, very repetitive and machinimous job, but at least a safe one. Yay...
The next time you meet a china farmer... Will you still gank him or will you rather think about promoting accusation on the demand, and not on the supply?
4 comments:
I think you got a few things "wrong".
First: Yes they have 12++ hour shifts of more or less mind numbing, boring and repetitive grinding. But, as was observed by the author, most "farmers" would go straight to the internet cafe and spend their free time (if they have any) playing WoW.
Secondly: It sounded to me, as if some of them actually had some fun (at least some times). Of course it is a crappy job, just as bad as working in a toy- or clothing sweat shop, but it sounded to me, as if they still did not hate the job that much (one or two were even quoted to have said, the will miss the job).
So while farming gold 12/7 IS a really bad job, it could be worse. The real problem are lazy European and American gamers, who buy the gold... :o
The job may sometimes be a little fun, yes. And some farmers play the games they are working in in their freetime...
BUT: this job just doesn't make any sense. It's one of those "well there is demand so we provide the supply"-jobs. It's a job that you are paid for, not a job people really WANT to apply for. Game QA is a different thing because you are paid for trying out everything... But in the gold farming industry, you get money based on a 100% measurable scale (the amount of gold you farm). A job which has nothing at all to do with empowerment or personal advancement.
Isn't that the case with MOST jobs? I wouldn't want to work at MacD. or folding cardboards, BUT there is a demand for these kinds of services, so somebody has to do them!
Again, i do not say, that it is a good job, or one i would want to apply for, but it IS a job that earns some money. And while i could imagine a lot of better jobs, i could also imagine a lot of jobs that are worse!
On a second thought: Of yourse you are right. What you said is the case with most "low payed" jobs and while it requires neither talent or skill to work at MacD, it at least requires a fundamental knowledge of in-game mechanics and some talent to be an efficient farmer.
The fact that gold farming is such a mindless grind just proves how bad some aspects of recent MMORPGs are designed (time >> all, time sink ftw!)
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