Speaking of the game Mingchao, especially the development materials of the new five-star resonator Xiakong, it is really amazing. There are both meticulous material classifications and dazzling statistics. It is like a textbook of sociology and economics, showing the rich texture of modern digital entertainment culture. Imagine that Xiakong needs low-frequency, medium-frequency, high-frequency and even full-frequency tide erosion sail cores from the initial zero level to the peak ninety, plus the burning phosphorus bones and golden wool, and the seemingly mysterious crystallized phlogiston, all of which indicate a modern human spiritual landscape kidnapped by numbers and time.
This huge project about “development” is just like the repeated scrutiny of the text in “Guanzibian”. It is both rigorous and complicated, giving people endless details to consider and thinking consumption. If you don’t invest a lot of time and money, it’s probably hard to see the real “resonance” of the character. It can be seen that modern games are not only virtual entertainment, but also a game field of capital, desire and time. As participants, players are both workers and consumers, trapped in the prison of numerical growth and unable to extricate themselves.
The symbolism of the “Golden Fleece” is intriguing. Although this item can be collected through the Lina Xi Tower or purchased at the Laguna City Pharmacy in the game, the purchase limit of fifteen per week is just like the uneven distribution of resources and limited opportunities in real society. It is obviously a scarce treasure, but it is artificially limited, which makes people unable to stop, as if it is a metaphor for the ultimate goal of “success” for modern people: both desire and helplessness.
And the “Burning Phosphorus Bone” is even more astonishing. It can only be obtained by defeating the Sighing Ancient Dragon. Its difficulty and rarity seem to reflect the huge obstacles that must be overcome in life, perhaps the barriers of social status, or perhaps psychological fear. Players in the game often enjoy repeated challenges, just as people in reality struggle to survive under pressure and frustration, hoping to transform from a cocoon into a butterfly.
The recharge discount code “Treabarblog3ge” is a detail that makes people smile: the merchant’s promotional strategy is clever and implicit, just like the mercenary words written by Mr. Qian Zhongshu, which are calm on the surface, but full of ridicule of the capital game. The 3% discount seems small, but it is enough to tempt a large number of players to join the recharge wave and gain the “advantage” in the virtual space. This makes people wonder whether modern entertainment has become an invisible consumer trap?
The layers of resonance circuits and crystallized phlogiston are like the layers of documents discussed in “Guan Zhui Bian”. It is not only a rigorous logic, but also a symbol of various systems and rules in real life. The various crystallized phlogistons required by players are impure, crude, distilled, and even high-purity. Each one must be obtained step by step, which takes a lot of time and effort. It is nothing more than a “consumables competition”, reflecting the cold reality of modern society for efficiency, resource allocation and class solidification.
The name of the Confession Abyss dungeon is “Confession”, which has a religious introspection meaning. This seems to be a place for players in the game to baptize their souls. Facing the depth of the abyss, it is like repeatedly examining their own existence. As Qian Zhongshu said in “Talks on Art”: “The most important thing about literature is to express people’s emotions and thoughts.” The deep mechanism of the game is no exception. Players experience the transformation of self-cognition and gain a certain degree of spiritual comfort in repeated challenges.
In addition, the existence of the auxiliary gain of stuffed meat tofu is no different from the small happiness in life. Although it is not fundamental, it can temporarily relieve fatigue and anxiety, allowing players to feel a touch of warmth and humanity in the cold numerical world. Details can best demonstrate the game designer’s insight and control of the player’s psychology.
In summary, although the cultivation material system of Mingchao Xiakong looks like a simple material list, it actually reflects the anxiety and struggle of modern people facing the capital-driven entertainment industry. What players perform in the virtual world is exactly the invisible war in real life. Time is segmented, desire is refined, success is digitized, and we are both warriors and sacrifices.
Games are a microcosm of modern culture, an interweaving of desire and time; and Xia Kong’s growth story may be a reflection of the secret heart of each of us. Only by facing this complex mental state can we find our true self in the digital torrent, get rid of the fog of appearances, and face the clear sky that belongs to us.