Since the birth of the game industry, the so-called “development system” has been like the foreshadowing and foreshadowing in literature, layered and complicated, tempting players to step into the maze and unable to extricate themselves. The complexity of Xiakong’s material system in “Mingchao” is the epitome of this modern development game and a microscopic reflection of contemporary cultural phenomena.
Xiakong’s breakthrough, skills, and special weapon materials are as complex as stars, and the number is magnificent. Low-frequency to full-frequency tide eclipse sail cores, various crystals, and even materials such as burning phosphorus bones and golden wool, all have profound meanings, which are both practical and meaningful. Such materials are not only “hard currency” in the game, but also like all kinds of resources in modern society, symbolizing that players (that is, modern people) need to find a foothold in the torrent of information.
Let’s first talk about the four-level classification of “Erosion Sail Core”, low frequency, medium frequency, high frequency and even full frequency, which seem to indicate the philosophical implication of “quantitative change leads to qualitative change” in the process of player growth. Low frequency is just a glimpse of the beginning, and high frequency is the peak, just like the different levels of life stages. All these just reveal the cleverness of the game designer – using the increasing difficulty of materials as a clue to outline the trajectory of player growth.
Even better, the introduction of “Burning Phosphorus Bone” and “Golden Fleece” is a stroke of genius. The name of Burning Phosphorus Bone reveals the meaning of heat and sharpening, just like the player facing the sighing ancient dragon, after going through many tests, he can win the treasure. This is no different from those who have experienced disasters and gained true knowledge in classical literature. And the purchase limit setting of “Golden Fleece” is just like the scarce resources in the ancient market, limited and precious, showing the state of cherishing and competition, forcing players to weigh the pros and cons, adding strategic meaning.
The shackles of Xiakong’s special weapon materials range from simple to special, and the word “shackles” is particularly intriguing. Shackles are tools of bondage, implying that although players desire freedom to improve, they are actually locked by the system and cannot escape the shackles of cultivation. This contradiction is just like the double bondage of modern people’s social identity-both self-will and subject to external rules. The game here implies a philosophical thinking about freedom and bondage, which is intriguing.
The four-level classification of crystallized phlogiston is like the trial of an alchemist, from coarse to fine, from impure to high purity, and gradually purified, which is a metaphor for the process of self-improvement of players in the game world. It is obtained by brushing the copy “Condensed Element Domain·Confession Abyss”, which adds the symbolic meaning of religious confession and baptism. Players, like believers, constantly pray, confess, and purify, and finally seek the purest and truest.
The name “Day of Iris Blooming” is poetic, but it hides the challenge mechanism of the game. It requires players to pass the weekly challenge of “Wheel of Fate Fragment” to obtain it, which is intended to point out that the road to growth is not a smooth road, but a tortuous and intermittent journey of fate. The game design here contains a deep understanding of the impermanence of fate, reminding players to be both tenacious and adaptable.
Recharge channels and discount codes are like symbols of money transactions in reality. They not only bring convenience, but also imply the real dilemma of linking growth and payment in the game. Players pay for “growth”, which is also a true portrayal of modern consumer society. This design is undoubtedly a bridge between the game and reality, allowing players to repeatedly weigh between virtual and reality.
In addition, the prop of stuffed meat tofu that improves the drop efficiency of materials is also worth mentioning. It is like a “catalyst” in the game, helping players to accelerate growth within a limited time, reflecting the extreme pursuit of efficiency and speed in modern society. Players are like worker bees squeezed by time in the workplace, striving for breakthroughs in a fast pace, but often feel tired and anxious.
In summary, the material system of Xiakong in Mingchao is not only a detail in game design, but also a microcosm of modern culture. It reveals the hardships and efforts of growth through progressive cultivation materials, reflects the limited and competitive social resources through purchase restriction mechanisms and challenge settings, and reflects the entanglement of money and value in the real world through the introduction of the recharge system.
This kind of design not only allows players to experience a sense of accomplishment, but also forces them to face the dilemma of reality. As Qian Zhongshu wrote, the lives of modern people are full of contradictions and humor, and the cultivation in the game is also the same. It is both a road to freedom and a chain of shackles, a challenge and an opportunity.
Perhaps it is this complex and diverse cultural connotation that makes Mingchao and its Xiakong character stand out from many games and become an important part of modern digital culture. Players here are not only consumers of entertainment, but also participants and interpreters of cultural symbols.