CUEmu - Thread Posts

bawler14

Tue Jun 08, 2004 3:55 pm

Entertainers are unique... Out of all the professions which aid another in this system of interdependency, the second tier entertainer professions are the only professions that can aid others without an in game cost. The only cost to buff or ID someone is time. In a game where devs have "OK'd" AFK macroing in an effort to curtail use of third party programs and in which second and even third accounts are becoming popular, time is in great supply for many people. Thus, we come to where we are today... "BuffBots" People are utilizing there second accounts purely for the purpose of creating an entertainer to buff their main.

Now, due to the fact, that because of the AFK problems and other dificulties plaguing our profession, Master Dancers and Musicians are in short supply, I can understand creating an alternate character to buff your main. However some of these players have taken it a step further. There are now "BuffBots" buffing everyone and there brother across the galaxy for free. No, other "aid" profession can afford to do this do to resource constraints. Doctors, Chefs, Weaponsmiths, and every other crafting or medical profession are limited by a finite supply of costly resources.

Buffing for entertainers has only one cost... time. And when the entertainer is a secondary character their time supply is infinite. Yes it costs them $15 a month, and as subscribers, they have the right to have a secondary character as a Master Musician/Master Dancer. What they don't have the right to do is to deprive an entire profession of it's only static source of income.

Yes, we have Entertainer missions... Broken Entertainer Missions which don't work and pay less than delivery missions... Delivery Missions... like our buffs, the only cost is time, but you can't do them AFK... however Delivery Missions are boring and do not pay nearly as well as buffs. They do not support the devs oh so important player interdependency... Yes, we have tips for healing... but, these are in no way static. They depend entirely on the whims of the patrons, and the patrons are a fickle bunch with tighter wallets than a teenager who just lost their allowance for a year... What about gigs, people pay you for gigs... Again gigs are not static... They come and go and can be rather rare depending on you server...

Our profession depends on the genorosity of others, but when others can get a buff or heal, just a cantina away for free, there is no need to be generous. Thus I offer several methods of dealing with this quandary:

1. Disallow grouping commands in macros, or any command that would prevent or make in considerably difficult to create so called "BuffBots" or at least "BuffBots" who can buff for hours on end. Set up a system to detect looping macro commands and disallow certain commands in looping macros.Yes people could circumvent this with third party software, but cost/benefit is hardly worth it for most people and the game should already have ways of detecting this software.

2. Give Entertainer Buffs a material cost. Furthermore with the introduction of material cost, Entertainers could expirement and make more potent buffs. However, this comes at the cost of continuity and the freedom we've enjoyed of having no or little material investment in out profession.

3. Set up a system that requires orencourages a keyboard presence to buff, similar to what was done in the past to prevent AFK Harvesting. I would love to see an encouragement system that allows for an increase in buff strength/duration in return for ATK presence. Yes, such a system could become burden, just as the harvesting/surveying system has burdened harvestors and surveyors.

This is all I have to offer on this quandary at the moment, but I will respond to any discussion. I hope this can open roads and minds to ways of helping coming to the solution of this puzzling and annoying conundrum.

                        /  \/  \                           
                       /| 0 0 | \                          
+----------------.oooO--|  /  | --Oooo.-------------------+ 
| Doasa Arsim            \_-_/       Events Coordinator   | 
| Master Musician    .oooO   Oooo.   Master Entertainer   | 
| Fifth River Cantina(   )   (   )   Four Rivers, Correlia| 
+---------------------\ (-----) /-------------------------+ 
                       \_)   (_/

bawler14

Tue Jun 08, 2004 7:33 pm

#2

Before reading this: Please write all responses to this threadso as to solidify discussion to one place...

Thank you, Doasa

Entertainers are unique... Out of all the professions which aid another in this system of interdependency, the second tier entertainer professions are the only professions that can aid others without an in game cost. The only cost to buff or ID someone is time. In a game where devs have "OK'd" AFK macroing in an effort to curtail use of third party programs and in which second and even third accounts are becoming popular, time is in great supply for many people. Thus, we come to where we are today... "BuffBots" People are utilizing there second accounts purely for the purpose of creating an entertainer to buff their main.

Now, due to the fact, that because of the AFK problems and other dificulties plaguing our profession, Master Dancers and Musicians are in short supply, I can understand creating an alternate character to buff your main. However some of these players have taken it a step further. There are now "BuffBots" buffing everyone and there brother across the galaxy for free. No, other "aid" profession can afford to do this do to resource constraints. Doctors, Chefs, Weaponsmiths, and every other crafting or medical profession are limited by a finite supply of costly resources.

Buffing for entertainers has only one cost... time. And when the entertainer is a secondary character their time supply is infinite. Yes it costs them $15 a month, and as subscribers, they have the right to have a secondary character as a Master Musician/Master Dancer. What they don't have the right to do is to deprive an entire profession of it's only static source of income.

Yes, we have Entertainer missions... Broken Entertainer Missions which don't work and pay less than delivery missions... Delivery Missions... like our buffs, the only cost is time, but you can't do them AFK... however Delivery Missions are boring and do not pay nearly as well as buffs. They do not support the devs oh so important player interdependency... Yes, we have tips for healing... but, these are in no way static. They depend entirely on the whims of the patrons, and the patrons are a fickle bunch with tighter wallets than a teenager who just lost their allowance for a year... What about gigs, people pay you for gigs... Again gigs are not static... They come and go and can be rather rare depending on you server...

Our profession depends on the genorosity of others, but when others can get a buff or heal, just a cantina away for free, there is no need to be generous. Thus I offer several methods of dealing with this quandary:

1. Disallow grouping commands in macros, or any command that would prevent or make in considerably difficult to create so called "BuffBots" or at least "BuffBots" who can buff for hours on end. Set up a system to detect looping macro commands and disallow certain commands in looping macros. Yes people could circumvent this with third party software, but cost/benefit is hardly worth it for most people and the game should already have ways of detecting this software.

2. Give Entertainer Buffs a material cost. Furthermore with the introduction of material cost, Entertainers could expirement and make more potent buffs. However, this comes at the cost of continuity and the freedom we've enjoyed of having no or little material investment in out profession.

3. Set up a system that requires or encourages a keyboard presence to buff, similar to what was done in the past to prevent AFK Harvesting. I would love to see an encouragement system that allows for an increase in buff strength/duration in return for ATK presence. Yes, such a system could become burden, just as the harvesting/surveying system has burdened harvestors and surveyors.

This is all I have to offer on this quandary at the moment, but I will respond to any discussion. I hope this can open roads and minds to ways of helping coming to the solution of this puzzling and annoying conundrum.

                        /  \/  \                           
                       /| 0 0 | \                          
+----------------.oooO--|  /  | --Oooo.-------------------+ 
| Doasa Arsim            \_-_/       Events Coordinator   | 
| Master Musician    .oooO   Oooo.   Master Entertainer   | 
| Fifth River Cantina(   )   (   )   Four Rivers, Correlia| 
+---------------------\ (-----) /-------------------------+ 
                       \_)   (_/

Siwe

Tue Jun 08, 2004 7:49 pm

#3

I'm not sure I could agree more.

Let me try.

/Urgrgah!

Whew.

Maybe a bit more.

I would absolutley agree with a system almost exactly like the Survey one - some forced interaction each buff.

Well done - nice post.

LeBob

Tue Jun 08, 2004 7:53 pm

#4

2. Give Entertainer Buffs a material cost. Furthermore with the introduction of material cost, Entertainers could expirement and make more potent buffs. However, this comes at the cost of continuity and the freedom we've enjoyed of having no or little material investment in out profession.

3. Set up a system that requires or encourages a keyboard presence to buff, similar to what was done in the past to prevent AFK Harvesting. I would love to see an encouragement system that allows for an increase in buff strength/duration in return for ATK presence. Yes, such a system could become burden, just as the harvesting/surveying system has burdened harvestors and surveyors.

I would equally like 2and/or 3 to be implemented.

How exactly would 2 come at the cost of continuity though, friend?

SWGEntertainer.com
Emperor Palpatine (from "Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith"):
"Every single Jedi is now an enemy of the Republic. Do what must be done. Do not hesitate. Show no mercy."
-I support ATK people and playstyles.
Account cancelled as of June 23, 2005

bawler14

Tue Jun 08, 2004 7:55 pm

#5

Seeing as how music doesn't take anything to do in RL, nor in SW actuality, making it use resources would be a far type of stretch explanation wise... especiallt for RP game immersion people

                        /  \/  \                           
                       /| 0 0 | \                          
+----------------.oooO--|  /  | --Oooo.-------------------+ 
| Doasa Arsim            \_-_/       Events Coordinator   | 
| Master Musician    .oooO   Oooo.   Master Entertainer   | 
| Fifth River Cantina(   )   (   )   Four Rivers, Correlia| 
+---------------------\ (-----) /-------------------------+ 
                       \_)   (_/

ArgentWulf

Tue Jun 08, 2004 8:07 pm

#6

Great post Doasa!

All good ideas!

My preference is #3. We need something to reward ATK presence. Make it worthwhile for both the Patron and the Ent to be there.

Any other ideas ot there?

Leivi Esava
Galaxy Girl for May 2005
Life is a journey, not a destination, enjoy the ride! A special friend makes it even more fun.

Panthu

Tue Jun 08, 2004 8:14 pm

#7

/agree Lei

Number 3 would be my choice... I'd like something cooler and harder to ignore than the Survey message, something really Social would be best... but whatever, I'm ready for it.

Rockin post! *Hug Doasa*

P A N T H U Y GlitterUsagi
M i n d B o d y S p i r i t
Dancer ImageDesigner Doc

LeBob

Tue Jun 08, 2004 8:46 pm

#8

bawler14 wrote:
Seeing as how music doesn't take anything to do in RL, nor in SW actuality, making it use resources would be a far type of stretch explanation wise... especiallt for RP game immersion people

What about having to use a fresh reed for woodwinds or a new mouth piece for brass instruments.... maybe some silver or brass polishing cream or lubricant for any moving parts or pads for nalargon keys?

these could be renewable drag-and-drop-able things that instruments need to have to convey buffs

for dancers.... well that'd be a little harder...... I guess make-up but not all dancers have to wear make-up...... maybe a fresh pair of dancing shoes?

all of these are only to add RP immersion feel to buff renewable needs.... not something actually viewable on the char or anything like that......

hope this helps the cause

SWGEntertainer.com
Emperor Palpatine (from "Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith"):
"Every single Jedi is now an enemy of the Republic. Do what must be done. Do not hesitate. Show no mercy."
-I support ATK people and playstyles.
Account cancelled as of June 23, 2005

Panthu

Tue Jun 08, 2004 9:12 pm

#9

LeBob wrote:

bawler14 wrote:
Seeing as how music doesn't take anything to do in RL, nor in SW actuality, making it use resources would be a far type of stretch explanation wise... especiallt for RP game immersion people

What about having to use a fresh reed for woodwinds or a new mouth piece for brass instruments.... maybe some silver or brass polishing cream or lubricant for any moving parts or pads for nalargon keys?

these could be renewable drag-and-drop-able things that instruments need to have to convey buffs

for dancers.... well that'd be a little harder...... I guess make-up but not all dancers have to wear make-up...... maybe a fresh pair of dancing shoes?

all of these are only to add RP immersion feel to buff renewable needs.... not something actually viewable on the char or anything like that......

hope this helps the cause

I think a crafting option like that would be neato too. I personally wouldn't do it much because I don't like crafting (though I am big on mini games and that drag and drop could be done as a mini game), but as an alternative way to level or heal/buff, I think it's cool. If an Ent is willing to put forth the effort to have this option (money, resource collecting, so on), I think they should be able to use it as an alternative to our "time investment."

Dancer shoes, Dancer Holo recordings to sell, small props we could craft ourselves maybe (that don't fit into the existing Crafting Profs)... they could all be an optional way to heal/buff/make money/have content for an Ent that needs a break from the "time investment."

I think optional needs to be the key. I think attended and free time invested at-the-keys entertaining should be the main means and the one we focus on improving, but I am always open to options.

P A N T H U Y GlitterUsagi
M i n d B o d y S p i r i t
Dancer ImageDesigner Doc

Groovymarlin

Tue Jun 08, 2004 10:10 pm

#10

Well I'm certainly in favor of number 3 but I also think that number 1 is a great idea, because it would immediately eliminate the mechanism for the AFK buffbots.

Really, what legitimate reason is there for putting /join in a macro? As far as I know it's only used by AFK entertainers, either to join groups for xp or to group patrons for buffing. I am unsympathetic to both situations. I think you should have to be actively playing at the keyboard to either buff someone OR get xp.

La'lepa Ofo

Master Dancer :: Master Swordswoman :: Force Sensitive
AFKing is not entertaining - support real entertainers

DarkY0da

Wed Jun 09, 2004 1:53 am

#11

Ummm where did my reply go ??? Pfft I'll just pull it out and type it up again later but darn it... I wonder where that stupid thing went...

Message Edited by DarkY0da on 06-09-2004 02:02 AM

Oh-Orb Rizo Twi'lek
Just hanging out... watching with interest what changes do or don't happen.

I support the NDE. (New Drygo Experience)
Server Pop Snap-Shot Feb. 06 link

kirah_ashlin

Wed Jun 09, 2004 4:20 am

#12

I like both 2 and 3 - leaning more towards 3 since dancers have even less to "craft" than musicians.

Shaizann

Wed Jun 09, 2004 8:12 am

#13

I support option three for sure. I'd also get behind option two, but it is a stretch for RP purposes. I support any type of system that encourages ATK buffing with some sort of interface. An interactive process is a good solution.

Shailas V. Zann
Elder Grand Master Entertainer

"Guess what!?! I gotta fever!....And the only prescription is more cowbell."

Dancer Archive

Thread: The BuffBot Quandary