In the game Mingchao, Xiakong, a five-star resonator, has extremely complex materials for cultivation. The layers of low-frequency, medium-frequency, high-frequency and even full-frequency tide erosion sail cores, as well as the huge number of burning phosphorus bones, golden wool, and multi-level crystallized phlogiston, make people sigh that this is a feast of numbers and materials, and it is also a microcosm of modern game culture. Looking at this matter with Qian Zhongshu’s eyes, it is not difficult to find that the seemingly cold “materials” in the game actually contain a complex interweaving of social psychology and cultural symbols.
First of all, the name of the low-frequency to full-frequency “tide erosion sail core” has a somewhat elegant metaphorical meaning. The “erosion” of the tide is like the ruthless wear and tear of time and fate. The interaction between the character and the player is like this gradual erosion process. Only patience and persistence can achieve rock-like tenacity. Here, the game designer cleverly uses the laws of nature to integrate the virtual growth process with real perception, which is worth pondering.
The existence of the Burning Phosphorus Bone is even more “tense”, which is a rare item obtained after defeating the Sighing Ancient Dragon. The two words “burning phosphorus” in its name, like the meaning of burning flames, imply endless intensity and pain. For players, repeatedly challenging strong enemies is no different from the various aspects of life in reality, fighting between power and competition. As Qian Zhongshu’s insight into the world in “Guan Zhui Bian”, this thing is “burning charcoal of desire”, suffering and glory coexist, creating a complex cultural implication.
The name “Golden Fleece” is even more intriguing. The story of chasing the Golden Fleece in ancient Greek mythology symbolizes mankind’s persistent pursuit of ideals. Now in the game, this scarce resource is labeled with “restricted purchase”, which has both a sacred and inviolable aura and is bound by the real capital logic. This kind of contradiction is a typical portrayal of modern social culture – ideals and reality are intertwined into a “beautiful cage”, and the player’s state of mind is therefore complex and multi-layered.
In addition, the advancement of the shackles in Xiakong’s special weapons and the multi-level differentiation of crystallized phlogiston are just like the progressive rhetoric and theme in literature. Simple, basic, modified, and special, these four levels are both a qualitative leap and a multi-dimensional metaphor symbolizing “growth”. The crystallized phlogiston from impurities to high purity is the process of purification and sublimation. If Qian Zhongshu wanted to describe this state, he would definitely use “clear crystal” to compare the wisdom condensed in the hardships of life and the clarity of the soul.
There are many types of resonance circuit materials, complex upgrade routes and various consumptions, just like the repeated revisions and detailed carvings of narrative structures in literary creation. The material consumption of each level is like the connection between paragraphs and chapters. Players seem to be in a grand narrative work, constantly improving the “character arc” of the character. This is not only a technical game design, but also an “artistic” beauty.
The acquisition of “Iris Blooming Day” depends on weekly challenges, which seems to imply the preciousness and timeliness of opportunities. As Qian Zhongshu once pointed out, “Life’s encounters are fleeting and cannot be stopped for a moment.” This setting reflects people’s grasp and loss of opportunities in reality. It is also like those accidental encounters in literature, short but meaningful.
In addition, the “stuffed meat tofu”, a small prop that increases the material acquisition rate, is a “small happiness” in life. Although it is small, it is enough to affect the overall progress. This kind of care for details is the embodiment of humanized design, and it also reflects the subtle mentality of modern people in the complex life: attention to details and desire for happiness.
As for the recharge platform Treabar and its discount code, it is the pervasive penetration of commercial capital into the virtual world. Players use real money to exchange for in-game growth, and the logic of capital is infinitely magnified in game design. If Qian Zhongshu talked about this, he would probably say that it was “the invasion of the spiritual world by material civilization” and “an alternative expansion of modern capitalism using games as a medium.”
In short, from the complexity and diversity of the materials in Xiakong’s cultivation, we can see the various entanglements between modern game culture and real society. Virtuality and reality, ideals and capital, freedom and restraint, are intertwined in this digital ocean to form an extremely rich cultural landscape. For us bystanders and participants, perhaps we can think about the era and the essence of our lives behind this complex material.