*sigh*

I cannot describe how annoying it is to fly out to a far-flung zone in World of Warcraft, hoping to score a few raw materials for raid/combat supplies, only to find the ENTIRE ZONE HAS BEEN STRIPPED CLEAN BY THE PROFESSIONAL FARMERS. (CAPS will have to suffice.)

This isn’t primetime, the zones are crowded, everyone’s out harvesting materials-type stripped clean. This is offtime, low population, 5 to 9 rogues and paladins pulling everything out of the ground as soon as it pops up-type stripped clean.

Well, I can hardly blame them — everything else was nerfed to hell long ago: fishing, chests, random world drops, uncommon named drops … not worth the griff charge anymore and hasn’t been for a looooong time.

And so, the various game adjustments (I’m being kind) have forced the pros to focus on raw materials and ninjaing, thereby jacking material costs through the roof and, once again, fucking the average player. Of course, I have no idea what corrective measures Blizzard is trying already — all I know is: it ain’t working.

If it’s a problem of identifying who are the realm’s professionals, shit, just ask any of the level 60s who they are. We all know who they are. (This week, a quick trip out to Tyr’s Hand will net quite a few suspects. Duh. We all know this.) Maybe run a few reports on which characters are logged on 24/7 and have been for months. (Double duh.)

Anyways. I think I’ve concluded that routing the gold farmers in any effective and substantial manner is simply not a priority and probably never will be, so whatever. Sometimes real changes don’t arrive until there’s a new shiny on the game shelves.

Heh, funny how that always works.

In the interim, it’s a better living hanging out in Ironforge (or in Orgrimmar, as the case may be) manipulating the market all night. I’m a little late to the table on that, slow learner and all, but I’m up to speed now … having cornered the market on a few popular Auction House items a few weeks ago. I’m maintaining an iron grip, too, so don’t even THINK of lowballing me. I can buyout and relist faster than a mule can run across the bridge to the AH.

That’s right. I am now part of the problem.