In the game Mingchao, Xiakong, as the latest five-star resonator, has attracted the attention of countless players. Her material requirements seem to be ordinary upgrade materials, but in fact they hide a series of thought-provoking secrets and reveal the subtle changes in players’ psychology. This article will explore the connotation behind Xiakong’s material collection from the perspectives of game design, the logic of material collection and player behavior psychology.
There are many kinds of materials required for Xiakong’s breakthrough and upgrade, including low-frequency, medium-frequency, high-frequency and full-frequency tide erosion sail cores, burning phosphorus bones and golden wool, etc. The large number is enough to make any player feel stressed. On the surface, these numbers represent the threshold of growth, but in fact they are a test of endurance and mind. Every player is walking through this “digital maze” and trying to climb to the top.
A closer look will reveal that the game designer cleverly uses the player’s obsession with “completing the task” to disperse the materials into multiple different enemies and levels. This not only prolongs the game time, but also makes players develop a psychological dependence of “constant investment to achieve success”. In particular, the way to obtain the material “Burning Phosphorus Bone” requires defeating the powerful Sighing Ancient Dragon, which has become the “ultimate challenge” in the hearts of many players. The design of this challenge is not only a test of the player’s skills, but also a test of their psychological limits.
The appearance of the material “Golden Fleece” is more like an obscure symbol. In the game, the Golden Fleece can not only be obtained by exploring the Lina Xi Tower, but also can be purchased with shells in the Laguna City Pharmacy Shop, but the purchase is limited to 15 per week. This purchase limit mechanism seems to give players the freedom to choose, but in fact it creates a “sense of time scarcity”, prompting players to return to the game frequently, forming a cycle of “regular feeding”.
In the part of special weapon materials, the level progression from simple shackles, basic shackles, modified shackles to special shackles can’t help but remind people of the metaphor of “shackles”. In the process of continuous upgrading, players seem to be bound by this “chain” invisibly. You know that your freedom is restricted, but you have to continue to invest resources to pursue the “ideal weapon” that is getting farther and farther away. This is a profound psychological tug in game design.
The different levels of crystallized phlogiston – impurities, crude extraction, distillation, and high purity – are not accidental. This progressive design encourages players to experience a gradual sense of growth from simple to complex, from low to high. However, this growth is not linear, but cyclical. You brush materials and upgrade characters, but at some point you will fall into a “fatigue period”, with psychological anxiety and reduced motivation.
In particular, the way to obtain “Iris Blooming Day” is more symbolic. It must be obtained by defeating the weekly challenge “Wheel of Fate Fragmentation”. The name of the challenge itself is full of hints: the turning point of fate and the break of chapters seem to remind players that the road to growth is not smooth. Every success of the challenge is like finding a new fulcrum in the cracks of fate, supporting the motivation to move forward.
The existence of recharge channels and discount codes exposes the commercial nature of the game. Players are motivated to pay to obtain in-game resources faster, forming an invisible formula of “payment = progress”. Through this commercial packaging, players’ investment is not only time, but also money, and the interweaving of the two constitutes an unavoidable reality in the modern game ecosystem.
Interestingly, the introduction of props such as “stuffed meat tofu” in the game to increase the drop of materials has strengthened the concept of “efficiency is value”. Players try to shorten their growth cycle by improving efficiency for a short period of time, but often fall into the constant pursuit of efficiency. Just like the “fast-paced” life in real society, what players experience in the game is not only virtual growth, but also a reflection of the rhythm of real life.
Overall, behind the collection of Xiakong materials is not only the precise control of the player’s psychology by the game designer, but also the process of self-challenge and cognition of the player. In this game and psychological game, players constantly adjust strategies, manage emotions, find motivation, and try to find their own balance point in a complex system.
Perhaps, this is the deep meaning of Mingchao’s design of Xiakong’s character material system: it is not only a tool for players to grow, but also reflects the hidden experience of “persistence and anxiety coexisting” in real life. Only by truly understanding this can players gain deeper satisfaction and fun in the game.
In the future, with the update of Mingchao’s version and the continuous exploration of players, Xiakong’s story will continue. And these complex material collections will continue to guide players to find the true meaning of themselves between virtuality and reality.