Zib80 [2132015] —
Original article
Carrot has spent the past twelve years playing Torn as a human punchbag. Why does he do this? What does he get out of it? Zib80 investigates to find out more.
To discover your first punchbag is a glorious thing. You take on a player in what you think will be an even fight, yet to your astonishment, you batter them into the ground after a couple of hits. That's someone you'll definitely want to use again, so you save their name to a list for the next time you need an easy win.
Inevitably, these lists get saved, shared, and edited as time goes on. Some of these punchbags may end up quitting as a result, with their lifeless corpses still being beaten by levellers and chainers years after they've gone. But what about those who stick around? Why do they continue to play? What does it feel like to be a living, breathing punchbag?
I reached out to such a player to find out what drives these un-sung heroes to do what they do. Carrot is a level 51 (Master Punchbag) of nearly 4500 days in age. He has become quite the legend with low level players as a target for levelling up and chaining.
I shouldn't have been surprised that Carrot refused to take payment for this interview. A player so selfless as to spend their free time helping others does not seek reward for their actions. But what do people like this want or need? What does Torn give them back?
"Torn does not reward me in any way for being a punching bag, it's simply not designed to reward you for playing in this passive way. The only rewards I get are personal enjoyment from playing how I enjoyed playing and the kind messages I get from other players."
"I did indeed 'play through my friends' vicariously back when they were active. I'd see how fast they'd level up and gain achievements and get money with me, and how they'd soar above competition. It's like playing a healer/support role in a game that doesn't properly have one. I still get plenty of messages from random players saying how I helped them get to level 15."
Despite this lack of recognition from Torn, Carrot doesn't feel the game should reward players like him, and nor does he charge a fee for his services. Sometimes he receives gifts from grateful levellers, but this isn't enough to live on. Carrot used to earn obscene amounts of money by finding rare items in the City and selling them via his bazaar. Despite holding all the useful educations, this tactic is no longer as profitable since being nerfed some years ago.
"I give away my items to the many beggars messaging me. I probably shouldn't be encouraging them, but I don't need items or money so I guess it doesn't matter!"
What matters to Carrot is the ability to keep himself weak. He says he's attacked around 30 times per day, although this can often sneak into the hundreds if Torn is especially busy. He doesn't know if any one person has attacked him the most, but he has noticed that most people stop targeting him once they hit level 15.
"It was a conscious decision to keep my stats low and essentially become a punching bag...I've intentionally avoided most classes that increase my stats or make it difficult for others to attack me, as I want to remain weak."
"For the first year or two I actually attempted to 'win' the game by training my stats and beating other players, but I was never really good at it nor was I that interested. After making some friends in the forums, I decided to dedicate all my game energy to giving free battle victories to my friends instead of spending my energy on training. This lead me to slowly level up over the years, but keep my stats very low."
Pictured: Carrot
As his age indicates, Carrot began playing Torn over a decade ago, having followed in the footsteps of his older siblings. But to still be here performing the same role twelve years on is an incredible feat of endurance. Surely there's something else driving his motivation other than altruism; is Carrot some kind of virtual masochist?
No. He's doing it for friendship.
"I still have one friend whom I frequently talk to who plays Torn, so I have a consistent reason to keep playing until he decides to quit...We have had each other's social media information for a long time now, so technically I don't feel compelled to log in as I don't need to be on Torn to talk to him, and eventually he won't need my help in Torn anymore."
"I also don't need to be active to continue being a punching bag for newbies, so I can leave without feeling like I'm letting my "legacy" die. Obviously, I played Torn because of the social experiences I had with others. It's interesting to see how a player vs. player game still encourages players to work together to succeed, and I've had people willingly give me money and items in exchange for me being a punching bag."
The social side of Torn is often underestimated by many. Making friends and helping them succeed has been the driving force behind Carrot's unique style of play, and he's formed relationships with people from around the world as a result. Strangers also send messages of thanks and apology after beating him up - how polite. But when pressed, Carrot admitted his one main regret is not keeping in touch with some of these people.
"I remember in particular one Japanese player who suddenly became inactive while we were in the middle of a great conversation about our interests and the differences between our countries. If you enjoy talking to someone online, make sure to ask if they'd be willing to share other sources of contact because people quit playing games all the time."
Sadly, most of Carrot's friends have now become inactive or out of reach. He suggests that if his one remaining buddy quits, he may do the same. Even though there are thousands of other players out there, Carrot says that playing without friends means he'd be playing alone. Although it was friendship which inspired his status as a punchbag in the first place, he fears it would be difficult to replicate this situation again.
"It's too hard to find genuine friends when you're a walking wallet."
Carrot freely admits that he doesn't play any other games in the way he plays Torn, but that's because he doesn't play any games which are quite like Torn at all. And even when Carrot does strive for statistical achievements in other MMOs, he still prefers to take a backseat role.
"I've never been a leader-type in games, I prefer being a follower and leaving the management to others...I haven't tried running a company...though my battle stats are low, my personal stats that affect my job effectiveness are high. I'm paid 800k in my Torn job every day, though I've been offered higher pay."
"I would say I'm more selfish in real life purely because it's more difficult to be altruistic in real life, it's very easy to be generous in a game where money and the like come with little effort."
Pictured: The perfect logo if Carrot ever goes into business with [191451]
Carrot's playstyle may seem odd to you, a typical player, but most of you will have benefited from such charitable people during your Torn journey. Without players like this to soak up the punches, many would be far weaker than they are today - some may even have left by now.
Despite their importance to the Torn experience, Carrot and his ilk are often the butt of jokes due to their seemingly submissive playstyle. When asked if he had any negative views regarding Torn, Carrot listed rude people, beggars, and those who saw fit to debate against his religion as being the worst elements.
Carrot recognises that such people are inevitable when a free chat system is provided. However, he has no strong opinions on Torn's players vs players' (PVP) gameplay style as he is simply not interested in this method of playing. Nevertheless, in Carrot's final comment, Torn's most willingly bruised citizen does have some meaningful advice for those who do wish to progress in Torn.
"My advice for new players is to read up on the many new players' guides so that you aren't playing blindly and struggling to make any progress, as well as to be open to making friends. You can't really deviate from training guides without becoming weak, but if you make a friend or two then you can cut deals to progress much quicker."
"Plus, you might make a friend that lasts longer than your interest in Torn."
Inevitably, these lists get saved, shared, and edited as time goes on. Some of these punchbags may end up quitting as a result, with their lifeless corpses still being beaten by levellers and chainers years after they've gone. But what about those who stick around? Why do they continue to play? What does it feel like to be a living, breathing punchbag?
I reached out to such a player to find out what drives these un-sung heroes to do what they do. Carrot is a level 51 (Master Punchbag) of nearly 4500 days in age. He has become quite the legend with low level players as a target for levelling up and chaining.
I shouldn't have been surprised that Carrot refused to take payment for this interview. A player so selfless as to spend their free time helping others does not seek reward for their actions. But what do people like this want or need? What does Torn give them back?
"Torn does not reward me in any way for being a punching bag, it's simply not designed to reward you for playing in this passive way. The only rewards I get are personal enjoyment from playing how I enjoyed playing and the kind messages I get from other players."
"I did indeed 'play through my friends' vicariously back when they were active. I'd see how fast they'd level up and gain achievements and get money with me, and how they'd soar above competition. It's like playing a healer/support role in a game that doesn't properly have one. I still get plenty of messages from random players saying how I helped them get to level 15."
Despite this lack of recognition from Torn, Carrot doesn't feel the game should reward players like him, and nor does he charge a fee for his services. Sometimes he receives gifts from grateful levellers, but this isn't enough to live on. Carrot used to earn obscene amounts of money by finding rare items in the City and selling them via his bazaar. Despite holding all the useful educations, this tactic is no longer as profitable since being nerfed some years ago.
"I give away my items to the many beggars messaging me. I probably shouldn't be encouraging them, but I don't need items or money so I guess it doesn't matter!"
What matters to Carrot is the ability to keep himself weak. He says he's attacked around 30 times per day, although this can often sneak into the hundreds if Torn is especially busy. He doesn't know if any one person has attacked him the most, but he has noticed that most people stop targeting him once they hit level 15.
"It was a conscious decision to keep my stats low and essentially become a punching bag...I've intentionally avoided most classes that increase my stats or make it difficult for others to attack me, as I want to remain weak."
"For the first year or two I actually attempted to 'win' the game by training my stats and beating other players, but I was never really good at it nor was I that interested. After making some friends in the forums, I decided to dedicate all my game energy to giving free battle victories to my friends instead of spending my energy on training. This lead me to slowly level up over the years, but keep my stats very low."
Pictured: Carrot
As his age indicates, Carrot began playing Torn over a decade ago, having followed in the footsteps of his older siblings. But to still be here performing the same role twelve years on is an incredible feat of endurance. Surely there's something else driving his motivation other than altruism; is Carrot some kind of virtual masochist?
No. He's doing it for friendship.
"I still have one friend whom I frequently talk to who plays Torn, so I have a consistent reason to keep playing until he decides to quit...We have had each other's social media information for a long time now, so technically I don't feel compelled to log in as I don't need to be on Torn to talk to him, and eventually he won't need my help in Torn anymore."
"I also don't need to be active to continue being a punching bag for newbies, so I can leave without feeling like I'm letting my "legacy" die. Obviously, I played Torn because of the social experiences I had with others. It's interesting to see how a player vs. player game still encourages players to work together to succeed, and I've had people willingly give me money and items in exchange for me being a punching bag."
The social side of Torn is often underestimated by many. Making friends and helping them succeed has been the driving force behind Carrot's unique style of play, and he's formed relationships with people from around the world as a result. Strangers also send messages of thanks and apology after beating him up - how polite. But when pressed, Carrot admitted his one main regret is not keeping in touch with some of these people.
"I remember in particular one Japanese player who suddenly became inactive while we were in the middle of a great conversation about our interests and the differences between our countries. If you enjoy talking to someone online, make sure to ask if they'd be willing to share other sources of contact because people quit playing games all the time."
Sadly, most of Carrot's friends have now become inactive or out of reach. He suggests that if his one remaining buddy quits, he may do the same. Even though there are thousands of other players out there, Carrot says that playing without friends means he'd be playing alone. Although it was friendship which inspired his status as a punchbag in the first place, he fears it would be difficult to replicate this situation again.
"It's too hard to find genuine friends when you're a walking wallet."
Carrot freely admits that he doesn't play any other games in the way he plays Torn, but that's because he doesn't play any games which are quite like Torn at all. And even when Carrot does strive for statistical achievements in other MMOs, he still prefers to take a backseat role.
"I've never been a leader-type in games, I prefer being a follower and leaving the management to others...I haven't tried running a company...though my battle stats are low, my personal stats that affect my job effectiveness are high. I'm paid 800k in my Torn job every day, though I've been offered higher pay."
"I would say I'm more selfish in real life purely because it's more difficult to be altruistic in real life, it's very easy to be generous in a game where money and the like come with little effort."
Pictured: The perfect logo if Carrot ever goes into business with [191451]
Carrot's playstyle may seem odd to you, a typical player, but most of you will have benefited from such charitable people during your Torn journey. Without players like this to soak up the punches, many would be far weaker than they are today - some may even have left by now.
Despite their importance to the Torn experience, Carrot and his ilk are often the butt of jokes due to their seemingly submissive playstyle. When asked if he had any negative views regarding Torn, Carrot listed rude people, beggars, and those who saw fit to debate against his religion as being the worst elements.
Carrot recognises that such people are inevitable when a free chat system is provided. However, he has no strong opinions on Torn's players vs players' (PVP) gameplay style as he is simply not interested in this method of playing. Nevertheless, in Carrot's final comment, Torn's most willingly bruised citizen does have some meaningful advice for those who do wish to progress in Torn.
"My advice for new players is to read up on the many new players' guides so that you aren't playing blindly and struggling to make any progress, as well as to be open to making friends. You can't really deviate from training guides without becoming weak, but if you make a friend or two then you can cut deals to progress much quicker."
"Plus, you might make a friend that lasts longer than your interest in Torn."
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