Quit using "Farm" ...

[Delamore]

Full title of this thread: Quit Using "Farm" to Refer to farming aspects Within H&H

Warning: This post is fundamentally an argument of semantics.

Short Version: "farm" carries a connotation that does not apply to H&H, and therefore should not be used in reference to H&H.

Full Version:
The term "farm" is used to refer to games (or parts of games) wherein farming between players is a fundamental aspect of that game. Within MMORPGs, this is generally used whenever players or groups of players are expected to farm with one another due to the design of the game. More broadly, the term is also apt for describing games of other genres wherein inter-player farming is fundamental to the design of the game: multiplayer Farms and online farm games are decent examples, but even traditional games and sports like lawnmower racing and potato picker can accurately be described as farming. Even "A Tale in the Desert" has been described as "Farming based" due to the nature of some of its "challenges".

At least one of the devs has indicated that farming is not the purpose of H&H (unfortunately, I cannot find the exact line to which I refer). Rather (and I am now interpreting here), the purpose of the game is to allow players to live in a virtual world with a very limited ruleset on player behavior imposed by the devs. Player farming is a consequence of the design of the game, and not a fundamental aspect of it. This distinction is important. The game is not designed purposefully to encourage player farming, and so it should come as no surprise that some players do not seek out such farming. At the same time, it should be understood that such farming is not completely avoidable due to players being given the ability to create farms. Nevertheless, the purpose of the game is not for players to create farms, and so it is perfectly acceptable for there to be players that avoid creating farms.

Whenever we use the term "Farm" to describe many of the inter-player farming we see in-game, we do a disservice to the game as we inadvertently imply that such farms are the purpose of the game, and thus shape people's opinions as to how such farms should be regarded. No longer would they be viewed as a consequence of not limiting player behavior, but rather would be treated as intrinsic to the game, which is not the case. As a result, people would form an image of the game that is in discord with the design of the game. This is a bad thing, both from a testing standpoint and an advertising standpoint. Furthermore, if some players hold an image of the game different from others due to false impressions, it could result in unnecessary meta-player farms, as I believe we have already witnessed.

In conclusion, "farm" carries with it the connotation that inter-player farming is fundamental to the design of the game. This is not the case with H&H. Therefore, "farm" should not be used in reference to H&H to avoid giving players false impressions that would be toxic to the testing and advertising of the game, and to the player community.

[theTrav]

Lols, TLDR; I assume it's a parody of the quit using PvP thread which I also didn't read...

I probably shouldn't be responding, but I agree with the point that asking people to quit using words because it confuses people is silly.

Also, please stop using the word "goon" it has connotations of cheap, sub-standard cask wine which is drunk frequently by aussie hobo's. It can also be known as flaggons, and with a few pegs and a bit of string you can turn it into a man-bag that holds nothing but wine so you can walk around at a festival and get drunk in the hot hot sun and pass out in the dirt with all the other hippies.

So please stop using the term because you'll confuse the hippies... more...

[sabinati]

aha, find/replace for the win goon sir

[Potjeh]

Doubleplusgood thread

[Jackard]

no

[Ferinex]

I SEE WUT U DID THAR