it's utterly pathetic that it IS their job.

Excuse me?

I tell you what, the only one pathetic in that business is the guy who pays real money to these brave and industrious Chinese.

Quote from: signoftheserpentit's utterly pathetic that it IS their job.

It sure beats their alternative...

Quote from: signoftheserpentit's utterly pathetic that it IS their job.

They are providing a useful service for people who are prepared to pay real money to... avoid the intentional, built-in boredom of endless grind which is totally, completely, 1200% the designers' fault. And earning money in a sometimes relentlessly brutal economy, where most of the alternatives are almost guaranteed to be worse. If that isn't a win/win scenario, what would be?

If these folks harm someone, it is the people who sink 40+ hours into the game per week. I will play a tune on the world's smallest violin to lament their plight.

I agree with Melan. Let 'em farm away. That's the free market. What are you, a bunch of fucking communists?

With all of this talk about Chinese farmers, is there a way to incorporate them into a game, let them make money and do so in a way that actually fits into the game.  I guess the closest example I can think of Second Life and games like it.  Anyone with computer skillz can sell their services to people in order to fashion clothing and other items.  Additionally, people can buy virtual plots in order to sublease or open their shop, wonderland, etc.

Quote from: Kyle AaronI agree with Melan. Let 'em farm away. That's the free market. What are you, a bunch of fucking communists?

no that would be the chinese

anyway, these people aren't cultural heroes, they are exploited and earn fuck all.

Quote from: signoftheserpentthese people aren't cultural heroes, they are exploited and earn fuck all.

And this makes them differ from a billion other people in the capitalist system in what way, exactly?

Would they earn much more in other parts of the Chinese economy accessible to them?

Next you'll be saying they shouldn't be able to have little noodle stands on the street.

They've seen a market need, and are fulfilling it by hard work. You gotta admire that. And others want to stop them, because it makes them feel the 40+ hours a week they "invested" in their 25th level drowlesbianstripperninja are somehow even less worthwhile. And so I say to those 30 year old guys living in their parents' basement,

Considering how many gold farmers do their work from hacked and stolen accounts, I find this uninformed attempt to brand them as heroic capitalist entrepreneurs to be highly comical.

Gold farmers are "legitimate businessmen" in the same sense that Mafioso stereotypes are.

Mafiosos kill and torture people. I believe no-one's yet accused the gold farmers of doing that.

Hacked accounts, eh? I find it hard to shed many tears for what is, after all, a game - and therefore its loss is nothing more than an inconvenience.

"an alarmingly high amount comes from hacked accounts"

That's not all, that's just some significant proportion. Even if there were no hacked accounts, there would still be gold farming. The supply exists because there is a demand. If no-one paid real money for in-game goods, then no-one would accumulate in-game goods for sale. It's like drugs, except that drugs do actual harm to people, whereas getting a magical sword in an online game does no actual harm to anyone. I just don't see how it's a "crisis."

I didn't say they were heroic capitalist entrepeneurs, but they're certainly capitalist entrepeneurs.

Quote from: signoftheserpentno that would be the chinese

No, that would be Venezuela, maybe. China is capitalist as fuck, and not too modest about it either. Has been for a while too.

Quoteanyway, these people aren't cultural heroes, they are exploited and earn fuck all.

Nope; not cultural heroes - regular joes making a living by doing work others find boring or irritating. And you say this as if other Chinese workers weren't exploited... So what kind of job alternative would you offer them?

I think they're supposed to be making computers on $150 a month instead of gold farming on $150 a month. That way he can get a nice cheap upgrade for his PC, whereas if they're gold farming then the WoWers who can't be bothered spending 40+ hours a week on the game but have spare cash will kick the arse of his 25th level lesbianstripperninja

They're meant to be exploiting Chinese workers in a way that he prefers, not a way they choose for themselves.

When will the natives learn their place, chaps? :haw:

Quote from: Kyle AaronHacked accounts, eh? I find it hard to shed many tears for what is, after all, a game - and therefore its loss is nothing more than an inconvenience.

"an alarmingly high amount comes from hacked accounts"

.

Don't be a cocksmock, Jimmy-B.  A hacked account means someone paid for that account and can no longer use it for their enjoyment.  That is money out of their pocket and into the pocket of these 'not quite heroic but still laudable gold farmers'.

Theives, Jimmy. You are praising theives.

Personally?  I don't care about the 'legitimate' ones. I've been tempted a few times to use them myself.  But I've lost a game account to hackers, and I didn't much care for the expirence.

Quote from: MelanNo, that would be Venezuela, maybe. China is capitalist as fuck, and not too modest about it either. Has been for a while too.


Nope; not cultural heroes - regular joes making a living by doing work others find boring or irritating. And you say this as if other Chinese workers weren't exploited... So what kind of job alternative would you offer them?

we aren't talking about other chinese workers.

I certainly am. And I suppose so are the gold farmers themselves.