Jeff's WoW, Warhammer, and other MMORPG's.: Gold Farming…YEAH!!!

[Reprint from my other site: dotNET JEff.spaces.live.com with an update]

Technorati Tags: WoW

In MMORPG's, like everything else – there is an economy.

In WoW, it is based on Gold. In EverQuest, it is Plat (short for Platinum). They all have a system, and Second Life has LINDEN DOLLARS. Second Life's economy (and WoW's) are entering the real world…(Determining Price in Second Life).

I am not talking small amounts either. Lets take our basic mount. A mount is similar to an animal or conveyance a player can ride to increase their movement.

Examples of riding mounts are:

Horse
Zhevra (basically a zebra)
Mist Saber (looks like a Saber-toothed Tiger)
Summoned Horse of the Warlock or Paladin
Talbuck (Animal with BIG Antlers)
Motorcycle

Examples of Flying Mounts:

Drake
Gryphon
Helicopter

So, now you have a basic idea of what a mount is. Why are they so coveted? Well in EverQuest – the Karana's took quite a long time to cross on foot. You could almost make a pot of coffee. If on a riding mount, it went very fast – or if you had SOW (Spirit of Wolf or better) – a buff that made you run very very fast for an hour or more.

In WoW – the same applies. But flying is even better, especially doing some quests where you need an epic mount with great speed to avoid being shot down.

The following table outlines the basic riding mounts and flying mounts available by level and training. I have not gone into the faction mounts or the PVP mounts also available:

Training	Detail
Level 30 (Apprentice)	Riding mount: 100 Gold. Not Bad
Level 60 Mount (Journeyman)	Level 60, also known as the PVP Mount. 600 Gold. Now these are cool mounts. You can get them for free, if you PVP, and the PVP store has certain ones available that normal riding trainers don’t offer. Oh, BTW, YOU MUST get lower level mount training before you can get a higher mount!!! The cost isn’t the mount – its the training. Of that 600GOLD…500 is for training (depending on your reputation…but I will not go there).
Level 70 Flying Mount	UBAH Cool, a Flying Mount. 900 GOLD (800 for training, 100 for mount), and only can be used in OUTLAND! Back in the old world, land mount!
Level 70 Artisan EPIC BABY	This one looks like a big blue dragon. Now, its not just cool because of looks, but see I didn't mention speed. The Level 30 mount has a movement increase of 60%, and the Level 60 mount is 100%. The Level 70 Flying Mount increases speed by 60% SWEET EPIC increases speed by up to 280%!!! and COST: 5000 GOLD

So, there is a breakdown of costs for mounts. Remember you need all the mount training – the subtypes. No skipping.

I am not covering costs for Potions, Armor, and tons of other stuff - ingredients, etc., that are part of the game. These costs have ballooned a lot also.

EPIC Mount: Violet Netherwing Drake

Now earning the money for this...lets say the Violet Netherwing Drake, for the typical working person, isn't easy. Blizzard put in these quests called "Daillies" - at level 70, where you can run to earn cash. A maximum of 25 daily quests, each garnering about 15-25 GOLD. But - depending on your class, many are not soloable. Quite a few are, but some require an EPIC - to avoid being shot down (or so I am told).

So, you might have 3 hours a night, not like some of my friends who play every day, all day...and wonder why I cant do the same!!! These online folks are in their 20's also!! I really do worry for retirement....

Anyway, I figure it would take several months to earn the cash, at level 70 if you could play 3 hours a night, doing at most 10 daillies (each quest does take some time). Excluding – raiding, and any other activities (and raids are FUN!)

The shortcut to happiness, is your GOLD FARMERS. Those people who are hated the most for ruining the economy in all the games. It used to be limited to some people doing this activity in their free time, I met a kid who paid his college tuition doing farming for gold in virtual worlds. But now, its a cottage industry…

According to estimates, around 100,000 people in China are employed as gold farmers, as of December 2005. Chinese gold farmers typically work twelve hour shifts, and sometimes up to eighteen hour shifts. Wages depend heavily on location and the size of the gold-farming company. One gold-farming operation in Chongqing in central China with 23 gold farmers was reported to pay its employees the equivalent of about 120 U.S. dollars per month, while workers at a larger gold farm in Fuzhou earn the equivalent of about 250 U.S. dollars per month. The rising prevalence of gold farming has led to the creation of gold-farm brokerages.

This new industry is making the game no fun. I think the following video captures many players sentiment on the matter. It is a funny machinima video about it, called "Ni Hao" - a disparaging term about gold farmers.

Insulting, probably – accurate – well….

I mean, costs in the Auction House have skyrocketed for many reasons, and the only way most people can afford anything is to have some serious cash now. Every high-level (a person at level 70) makes a twink (a low-level character, geared to the max in great gear) for fun, and now even a twink is costing a lot more.

I am one of the players that hate, loathe the farmers and I think ONCE in a great while I will use them. So I am part of the problem. SIGH! There must be a lot of players like me, a lot of people are making a ton of cash.