Dancer Archive

• Social Event Terminals where Dancers can advertise upcoming events in game (like the News Terms)


• A Social Calendar Data Pad tab that Dancers can write to, but everyone can read


• Temporary Decorations that can be placed in NPC structures, in a player structures, and possibly outside


• Temporary NPCs that can serve as "Actors" or possibly even a back up "Band" or "Dance Troupe" that can be taught routines or bandflourished


• Interactive group objects that can be placed for events such as a "Dance Floor" that everyone can use to access dance animations or share a couples dance


• Interactive NPCs that can be placed by Dancers to host games such as: card games, carnival booth games, etc.

What else have we got?

• Ability to "book" NPC structures for private events (with an entry list), charity events (donations taken at door), public events (door fee), open events (no fee)




• Bouncer and Doorman NPCs


• Instanced Ballrooms or Party Suites


• Useful for guild meetings, weddings, or any other in door gathering


• Promotes NPC City usage

I super lurv this one.

The problem with "social content," and "player content" in this manner is that history has shown that players are seldom interested in attending functions, when there are so many other activities in the game that are action packed, danger filled, and rewarding.

It is all well and good to host functions. But the problem many event organizers are having is that their events have to compete with all of the system driven content in the game. We may be good at what we do, but I don't think players, as a rule, will want to spend their time playing cards, when loot awaits them at the DWB, or the destiny of planets hangs in the balance.

Unless we are to facilitate their functions away from the cantina, I do not see players interested in what goes on in the cantina. The great thing about our profession before the CU, is that, as Chessak said, what we did in the cantinas influenced what happened far from the cantina walls.

Something rather elemental that I'd like to see is UI tools for creating player events: templates, either in outline form or a wizard with drop down options (both, preferably) would be nice (especially if there was also an offline form of it as well as in game). The key to a successful event's execution is in the planning. I hear of a lot of great event ideas from people who are unsure of where to start with the planning. I see a lot of events attempted that either don't quite meet their goal or don't draw the attendance to really come off well. Planning tools would really help a lot..not only toward more successful events but to help the people with the great ideas who are unsure of where to start.

Message Edited by Esharra on 08-22-2005 09:58 AM

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PoetDancer wrote:

The problem with "social content," and "player content" in this manner is that history has shown that players are seldom interested in attending functions, when there are so many other activities in the game that are action packed, danger filled, and rewarding.

It is all well and good to host functions. But the problem many event organizers are having is that their events have to compete with all of the system driven content in the game. We may be good at what we do, but I don't think players, as a rule, will want to spend their time playing cards, when loot awaits them at the DWB, or the destiny of planets hangs in the balance.

Unless we are to facilitate their functions away from the cantina, I do not see players interested in what goes on in the cantina. The great thing about our profession before the CU, is that, as Chessak said, what we did in the cantinas influenced what happened far from the cantina walls.

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Message Edited by PoetDancer on 08-22-2005 10:15 AM

My experience has been much like Goldy's. I've never had a problem with too little attendance at any of my events. On the contrary, the last few I've hosted have gone so far over the 100 player mark that I've been concerned that CSRs might want to break them up..so far that hasn't happened, fortunately.

Myonly problem with events is thatI haven't the time to present all of them that I'd like to host! I do heara lot of great ideas for eventsfrom others but they seem either hesitatant to facilitate them or unsure of how to go about it. I would like to see information on how to pull off a great event and tools to help with planning and implementation be a lot more available, thus encouraging those players with the great ideas.

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PoetDancer wrote:

Planning for events is all well and good, but I do not want a game where I have to plan days in advance in order to "play." I want a game where I have the potential to have fun from the moment I log on to the server, and know exactly what I can do today, to have a fun and rewarding experience today.

The problems of this class are not in the ability to plan functions. The problem of this class is that there is nothing to do but plan functions.

I've been there and done that. While I admit that its fun to do a weekly player function: be it a wedding, or a virtual birthday party, what do we do for the other six days we are not doing a function?

Player content tools are all well and good, but we need a system game, a "basic game," and a "daily game," more than player event tools. Because the thing about player events is that the more we do them, the less appealing they become for attendees.

You say you plan an event every month or so. Perhaps it can work every month. But try and do that every day, and it no longer will be anything all that special. Just "boringly typical."

Message Edited by PoetDancer on 08-22-2005 10:15 AM

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I think you're missing the point of this thread then. It is not trying to findcontent to fill in our day to day activities. We are trying to come up with just ideas that will enhance player events that could be placed in the skill set of dancer.

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PoetDancer wrote:

The problems of this class are not in the ability to plan functions. The problem of this class is that there is nothing to do but plan functions.

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Panthu wrote:

Oh yeah -

• Ability to "book" NPC structures for private events (with an entry list), charity events (donations taken at door), public events (door fee), open events (no fee)
• Bouncer and Doorman NPCs
• Instanced Ballrooms or Party Suites
• Useful for guild meetings, weddings, or any other in door gathering
• Promotes NPC City usage

I super lurv this one.

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I like this too but the devs will not go for it... it can lead to griefing (well, the bouncer/doorman bit... the other stuff is fine).

I many times would have loved the opportunity to eject jerks from public cantinas (every time, and I mean EVERY TIME the GES group performs on Naritus, the same pair of jerk Jedi show up and battle the entire time just to grief us and everyone else, and I would love to eject them). But although I know *I* would not abuse this power, it would be too easy to abuse it to lock people out of places like Dant M.O. where they are trying to get buffs to go hunting.

C

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Chessack wrote:

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Panthu wrote:

Oh yeah -

• Ability to "book" NPC structures for private events (with an entry list), charity events (donations taken at door), public events (door fee), open events (no fee)




• Bouncer and Doorman NPCs


• Instanced Ballrooms or Party Suites


• Useful for guild meetings, weddings, or any other in door gathering


• Promotes NPC City usage

I super lurv this one.

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I like this too but the devs will not go for it... it can lead to griefing (well, the bouncer/doorman bit... the other stuff is fine).

I many times would have loved the opportunity to eject jerks from public cantinas (every time, and I mean EVERY TIME the GES group performs on Naritus, the same pair of jerk Jedi show up and battle the entire time just to grief us and everyone else, and I would love to eject them). But although I know *I* would not abuse this power, it would be too easy to abuse it to lock people out of places like Dant M.O. where they are trying to get buffs to go hunting.

C

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hmmm maybe make it some of the lesser used places only. I mean a lot of people use cantinas and to boot them out of their grinding location simply because I wanna throw a party isnt cool. I don't think a lot of hotels or theaters are used often. We used to have a hotel group that performed in Moenia so perhaps it would still be a pain. hmmmm. Perhaps we just gotta apply for the use and have Pex's team approve us for such and such date between X and Y hours? Not that we coudl walk up say this cantina's mine and boot everyone out.

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PoetDancer wrote:
Player content tools are all well and good, but we need a system game, a "basic game," and a "daily game," more than player event tools. Because the thing about player events is that the more we do them, the less appealing they become for attendees.

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I'm not so sure about them becoming less appealing as long as they are varied (the same performance every week would be boring).

But in terms of content tools... I think having real content tools like the ones suggested could give us something more along the lines of a daily or basic game. There aren't a huge number of non-entertaines on any one server into "live performances", but there are enough, provided that they know when and where to find us. People generally do show up for announced social events (weddings, funerals, parties, and the like). And when there are 2 or 3 in a week, they are usually all attended. Now, they aren't attended by the whole server, just a few dozen people tops, but who would want more than that anyway? All we need is a few hundred people on each server who enjoy sociality (and I think we definitely have that), and then some way to organize and communicate it all... and no, this forum is NOT SUFFICIENT.

Players need a way, in-game, to do things like (as the OP suggested) open their datapad and check their "social events" calendar. They need ways to set up an alarm or an automated self-email to remind themselves of when/where the event is. And finally -- and this is key -- they need some assurance that if they clear their real life schedule to go watch entertainers, they will be able to actually find some. Right now, the Mining Outpost full of Zombie-bots aside, whether anyone finds any live entertainers anywhere or not is entirely hit-or-miss. You never know where one will be, and when. If we could find a way to announce that when/where (something way better than /register, which nobody uses because nobody understands it and because it was bugged for so long that we all got out of the habit of using it) we are going to be, people would show up... even if it is just that stubborn knot of veteran players who refuse to give their money to AFK-bots on principle.

Event calendars and things of this nature are a step in the right direction. I do think we need more to offer people than pure entertainment, but even if that is all we have, there are some who would come, if only they could find us.

C