Quote Originally Posted by Zenmaster13 View Post

The problem with saying that bad programming or development choices is the reason why people macro, is like saying the reason people steal or commit a crime, is because of bad security, or poorly designed store isles, etc. The point being, it doesn't matter how much you try to prevent something, someone will find a way around the normal route.
That's where you're dead wrong. The comparison being made here is a system that we interact with is creating circumstances and environments that foster or possibly (in extreme cases such as Darkfall) necessitate illegitimate means of self advancement. In the case of reality -- most burglaries, theft, property crime and arson is acted out due to economic factors.

Robert Merton had some very insightful words to say regarding the cause of crime and this is a very good comparison to why macroing exists in xsyon (and other games). Merton's theory summed up and simplified was that Culture A has certain goals and ways of exemplifying status and success. He coined the concept of structural strain which is when these goals a culture has are unrealistic to certain groups in a society. The culture over-emphasizes attaining and having these status symbols (wealth, money in real life -- high levels, great power in mmos), but they do not emphasize enough the legitimate means to acquiring it (education, a steady job -- spending hours grinding and working on a character). The result is a strain between what society says is success, and what some groups of people are able to attain (lack of opportunities irl -- in the case of mmos; not enough time to game for hours due to a job or family).

Crime, then, is what Merton calls innovation - which is the acceptance of the cultural goals and status of success, but the rejection of the legitimate means to acquiring it. In real life, this is where economically motivated crime comes in. In game, this is where macroing comes in. The system has perpetuated this exchange of reactions and the end result.

There's some Criminology 101 for ya.