This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Skriptmonkey
I’ve been on a bit of a productivity kick lately; thinking a lot about note-taking (bullet Journal + Obsidian), time management, and how systems thinking ties it all together. Systems thinking, in particular, has been a big part of my current studies. It’s made me look closely at how I approach learning itself, how I study, take notes, and write, to reinforce what I’ve learned.
Then a thought occurred: one of the best examples of learning through systems already exists in something I love, crafting in MMORPGs.
I’ve always been a bit of an MMORPG addict. I played World of Warcraft for way longer than I’d like to admit, spent thousands of hours buried in the spreadsheets of EVE Online, and still log into Guild Wars 2 when new content drops. These days I'm giving New World a go, and some friends have pulled me into the new Pax Dei game that recently released version 1.0.
While I enjoy the combat, storylines, and endgame content (and maybe a little PvP), it’s the crafting that keeps me coming back. I love gathering materials, refining them, and building things from scratch to sell on the market. There’s something deeply satisfying about turning raw resources into something valuable and leveling up my crafting skill in the process.
And honestly, learning to code (and other skills) feels exactly the same.
In games like World of Warcraft or Guild Wars 2, you don’t start by crafting legendary weapons. You begin by chopping wood, mining copper, and making a lot of basic, unimpressive items. Nobody’s impressed by your mountain of copper daggers, but each one pushes your crafting experience a little higher.
Coding follows the same pattern. You don’t jump straight from “Hello, world!” to deploying a full SaaS app with authentication, payments, and analytics. You get there by building small things, over and over, until the process becomes second nature, until you can forge something great without even realizing how far you’ve come.
One of the content creators that I watch occasionally, ThePrimeagen, has a saying that it takes "time in the saddle". This, to me, means "just start creating". Start small, build up, and learn along the way.
Gathering Resources (Fundamentals)
Let’s start with the basics, what does it mean to “gather resources” in coding?
In games, you begin by collecting the most common, easy-to-find materials: copper ore, herbs, cloth. This stuff is so abundant it practically litters the starting zones. You swing a pickaxe a few times, fill your bags, and head back to town.
In coding, it’s the same. You start by learning the fundamentals: variables, loops, functions, and classes. Resources for these basics are everywhere: tutorials, videos, interactive sites, documentation. A quick search for “how to learn programming” will bury you in guides eager to hand you your first virtual pickaxe.
It’s not glamorous work. Writing a function that adds two numbers is the coding equivalent of mining copper. But without that raw material, you can’t craft anything worth showing off later.
Just like the resources in the game getting better as you level up, the resources you gather when learning also get more advanced. Data structures and algorithms, design patterns, new technologies, and frameworks. The learning doesn't stop, you grow and learn more to continue growing.
Crafting Low-Level Items (Small Projects)
Once you’ve gathered enough materials, it’s time to start crafting - and crafting a lot.
In games, that usually means cranking out 20 basic daggers or 50 bandages, most of which will never see use. You’ll probably sell them to a vendor just to clear bag space.
In coding, it looks a little different but feels the same. You build a simple calculator, a to-do list app, a tiny blog, or maybe a quick script that automates something trivial. These are small projects that probably only you will ever use, but they serve as your training ground.
Will these projects make you famous? Not likely. But every one of them builds muscle memory. You’re learning how to structure a project, solve problems, and debug when things inevitably break. Just like crafting those “useless” daggers, the real reward isn’t the item—it’s the experience points you gain along the way.
Unlocking New Recipes (Concept Mastery)
Grinding out enough low-level items eventually unlocks the good stuff.
In games, the items you craft start to get interesting. They have stats, special bonuses, or unique effects—and as your skill increases, you learn new recipes. You move from crafting basic starter gear to creating useful items that other players actually want.
In coding, the same thing happens. As you build more small projects, your understanding deepens. You start to see how different pieces fit together, how data flows, how logic connects, and how systems interact. Suddenly, things that once felt mysterious begin to make sense. Each concept you master unlocks the next, like learning a new recipe you didn’t even know existed.
Crafting Epic and Legendary Items (Big Projects)
The real payoff comes when you take on big projects.
In games, crafting a legendary weapon is a long-term goal. You need rare materials, patience, and persistence. Some ingredients might only drop from dungeon bosses or raid encounters, which means teaming up with others to get what you need. Even then, it’s still a deeply personal pursuit—the grind, the refinement, the long path to something extraordinary.
In coding, the same idea applies. Building and deploying a large application—something complex and feature-rich—is the equivalent of crafting your own legendary item. It draws on every skill you’ve learned so far: designing systems, structuring data, creating interfaces, and learning how to ship your work into the real world. Sometimes you’ll need help from others, and learning to collaborate is another craft in itself.
But the only way to reach this point without burning out is by grinding through those smaller builds first. Every simple project you’ve ever finished has been quietly preparing you for this moment.
The Grind is the Path
It’s easy to get discouraged when your projects feel small. But here’s the secret: those small projects are not wasted time. They’re your grind. They’re your XP.
Every tiny script, every toy project, every bug you squash, those are your daggers, your copper rings, your stacks of bandages. Without them, you'd never unlock the recipes for the bigger stuff.
The trick is to keep moving forward. Don’t stay stuck crafting the same copper sword forever. Try new patterns. Experiment with different materials. Build something slightly outside your comfort zone. Even failure gives you XP if you take the time to learn from it.
Momentum is everything. The grind is not a punishment—it’s the path. Every repetition, every small improvement, every “failed” experiment is quietly pushing your skill tree upward. And before you know it, you’ll look back and realize: you’ve gone from crafting daggers to forging your first legendary item.
Where I’m At in the Grind
So where am I right now in my own journey? I’m building a simple QR code generator using Python and the Django web framework. It’s not flashy. It’s not a legendary sword. But it’s teaching me how to structure a Django app, work with forms, and think through the flow of a real project from start to finish.
Eventually, I’d like to add more—an API using Django REST Framework, maybe even multi-tenancy. Each addition is another recipe unlocked, another refinement to the craft.
This is my batch of iron daggers. Once I’ve mastered this, I’ll have the foundation to forge something greater. And one day, maybe that “something greater” will be a full-fledged SaaS app—my first real legendary.
Note: I used AI to help with editing and refining the flow of this post. Writing these articles is another part of my own “crafting grind”, a way to practice explaining my thoughts and what I’m learning as I go.
This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Skriptmonkey
Skriptmonkey | Sciencx (2025-10-25T20:25:31+00:00) Learning to Code like Crafting in an MMORPG. Retrieved from https://www.scien.cx/2025/10/25/learning-to-code-like-crafting-in-an-mmorpg/
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