Dancer Archive
Thread: Rumor: end of the bots
Yeah, that didn't go over well. 
Sooo, I don't know guys, it's a big deal to me too, just keep bugging it and I'll keep reporting it. Message Edited by Panthu on 07-26-2004 05:13 PM
Esharra wrote:Originally, our ability to buff was limited to people grouped with us and watching..we didn't get /setp until last September. I remember Panthu saying that one of the devs at FF said our code was very buggy. But the last 2 months I've had a much higher percentage of /setp buffs fail.So where do we go from here? I suppose we've really no choice but to wait and keep dancing.
In the beginning, anyone could get buffed. It was just so small (1/2 what it is now) and short (Half hour max for 10-15 minutes of watching) that few noticed. Adding in /setperform isn't expanding who we could buff, it was limting it, and giving us the control of the limits.
Out of curiosity, how would people feel if the 2 minute thing were removed, and instead the buff percentage were based soley on time performing? Theoretically this is a very small and simple change (Remove the buff percentage increase from flourishing) and it would mean that for a 2 hour buff you'd need to watch for a couple minutes still. Watching for less could still work but produce a smaller buff.
Tiaga wrote:
Esharra wrote:Originally, our ability to buff was limited to people grouped with us and watching..we didn't get /setp until last September. I remember Panthu saying that one of the devs at FF said our code was very buggy. But the last 2 months I've had a much higher percentage of /setp buffs fail.So where do we go from here? I suppose we've really no choice but to wait and keep dancing.
In the beginning, anyone could get buffed. It was just so small (1/2 what it is now) and short (Half hour max for 10-15 minutes of watching) that few noticed. Adding in /setperform isn't expanding who we could buff, it was limting it, and giving us the control of the limits.
Out of curiosity, how would people feel if the 2 minute thing were removed, and instead the buff percentage were based soley on time performing? Theoretically this is a very small and simple change (Remove the buff percentage increase from flourishing) and it would mean that for a 2 hour buff you'd need to watch for a couple minutes still. Watching for less could still work but produce a smaller buff.
I would like that
NewJedi wrote:
I'd like that too, Tiaga. But wouldn't it require re-working the buff code so that it looks to performance duration rather than number of flourishes performed? I have the impression that any proposal to tinker with the buff code gives the devs fits.
Yep, I've been trying not to say this in the HAM thread..mostly because I thought this was going to happen with the Combat Balance, then I thought it would come withthe pre-Combat Revamp stuff (*sigh* all those proposals), now it looks like it will come shortly after the HAM changes and most likely not before.
Our buffing code has to change though at some point, so I think a truly passive buff like the original concept will be considered. Hopefully we can get the much wanted self buffing then too.
I'm going to post it in here first this time so everybody can comment. As usual, ignore the use of "Dancer" if it's something you guys want too, we can add "and Musician" before we make it all official and it goes in the big stack on TH's desk.
As for the end of buffbots, I'm not holding my breath. Maybe an ID-style interface for Musicians would do the trick -- if such an interface were fun to use, which I'm not sure it would be. As one who rarely uses music macros, I'd personally vote to abolish the recursive macro.
I think we're going to get the same fix here that all the other AFK activities get, those are the vibes I've been getting lately. I did submit like 5 proposals with a combo menu option/random code thingy just for us... but I'm a little worried even if it does come with a "mini game", it might still get on Dancers' nerves.
Are you getting a different vibe?
Tiaga wrote:
Out of curiosity, how would people feel if the 2 minute thing were removed, and instead the buff percentage were based soley on time performing? Theoretically this is a very small and simple change (Remove the buff percentage increase from flourishing) and it would mean that for a 2 hour buff you'd need to watch for a couple minutes still. Watching for less could still work but produce a smaller buff.
I would like that. Right now, to stay competitive with the bots, time-wise, dancers have to over flourish and that limits our ability to perform. With buff values based on time instead of number of flourishes, we could compete with the buffbots and perform more enjoyably. It would probably not detrimentally effect the bots. However, considering that I have to change gears from "perform mode" to "buff mode" (to stay competitive)everytime a player requests a buff, a time-based systemwouldbe an enhancement above the current state of my game. I would be very happy with this (especially if, added to this, the level of dance performed was not a factor).
Here's where my mind has been going tonight (and no I'm not on drugs..I'm, unfortunately, off of them for the time being and I'm getting rather grumpy about it). Til decided to work up a reference list of the ATKmaster dancers and musicians on our home server who would agree to be available for buffs. The list is growing but I can still count more public and private buff bots than I canATK masters. Combat players have come to the belief that they cannot compete without mind buffs. Our professions are so decimated on Chilastra that if the developers suddenly nerfed the bots tomorrow,I'm not sure that thelow number of available ATK masters could handle the demand for buffs. And it wouldn't be long until I would start getting whiny because I wasn't able to find time to just dance and perform. TK's suggestion, quoted above, would take care ofmy onlydilemma with removal of thebots.
In discussing with the players I know who frequent buff bots the following factors were of importance to them; 1) ease in locating (the buffbot they use is always in the same place, 23/7), 2) they feel it would be rude to not converse with or tipa live player but don't have to worry aboutsuch things with a bot. These are why the bots exist and I justdon't think we or the devs will ever be able to do anything about these. I don't think it would be very constructive to try further to compel players who don't want to socialize or tipinto a situation where they feel they have to.
If the bots are staying, then we really need to quantify andaddress our 2 big complaints with them; 1) reduced income, 2) spam control. Are there other complaints? (overlooking that they're just an insult to my personal sense of dignity but I'm not too sure that would be considered quantifiable)
(bet you all wish I was still doped up)
Message Edited by Esharra on 07-27-2004 12:21 AM