Dancer Archive

Hey Hijo, I actually agree with you 100% on this one, how bout that?

I have to agree as well; if you are going to RP dancing solo, then you should be doing it far away from the main dance group. If you are standing among or just out in front of the main group, you really have no grounds to claim that you are dancing solo.

I have no problems with solo dancers who entertain in different sections of the cantina, but if there is a large group providing the music and a majority of the dancers, you really are taking away from them by not grouping with them to share the XP on the chance that someone clicks to watch on you among the many options of people who are so close to you.

Like I said, I don't dance with, in front of, or in the general area of the main group. If they are taking the central dance area of the cantina, for example, I stand way off to one side. It is VERY evident that I am not a part of the group. But to say that I am taking XP from them . . . well, if I am the only person dancing in the cantina and a group walks in, should they move to a completely different area? It swings both ways.

well i have no clue what "RP" reasion you could have for NOT joining a group ??

#1 no one can tell if you are solo or not its not like thiers a big flashing neon light saying this player is in a GROUP so no one can tell if they are not in the group that you are

#2 you can close the group chat if you want to and also the windows showing the other members ect so you can be in a group so you as well as the others thier all get the most exp

#3 if joining other people realy makes feel you need to cme here and try to justafy your self with nonexistant reasions like this you should get some help. thirs plenty of clinics where you can work on your antisocal persionality disorder so you do not feel the need to segragate your self like this from others.so get some help and come enjoy the interactions of others

Shak'ira,

I think your explanation for solo dancing is interesting. It's not something I would have considered on my own. I wouldn't be terribly upset by one dancer in a cantina not wanting to group with the band, though I would be confused. If I see it in the future, I will maybe consider that the person has an RP reason similar to yours. I can also understand how others might not feel so forgiving.

However, I have to ask: If you can make one or two concessions to game mechanics, why not just go ahead and make a third concession to the gamedynamic of grouping?

It could be that you have a group of friends in-game, and that's all the social contact you could ever want or need. But it does seem a terrible shame, to me, to play an incredibly social game like SWG and completely cut yourself off from the community of your fellow players -- especially those who are following the same profession as you.

My two credits.

*chuckles* I'm far from anti-social. Our PA is 200+ people, after all. We've got (I think) about 120 in game right now . . . the rest are military and/or overseas and waiting for their copies.

To answer Thenext . . . first of all, there actually IS a sign over people's heads when they group. Grouped people get a little bunch of faces next to their names when you target them. Second, I don't care about the XP gain, and everyone has Ent Heal coming out their ears right now. (Funny, I'm staying dead even. Again. Devs, pay attention again, LOL.) Third, I hardly see how I can be segregating myself when I'm doing the same thing you guys are . . . dancing, RP'ing, talking to people . . . perhaps it may be you who needs the counciling, if you can't see that there's other ways to be social than dancing grouped.

But anyway, enough with day old accounts trying to say what the social dynamic of the game is. *waits for the WAAAH, I was in Beta! screech* So was I, kid.

The "stealing XP' things reminded me: are the other soloists staying even as well?

Here could be a soluation to the non group thing. You say the reason that you and your master came up with was He wanted to show off his property. Well, how bout this. he bought you, now he want's you trained, and in order to be trained as quickly and efficently as possible you need to train with other dancers. He can "Order" you to do anything and still be within the Rp limits. Just because your a slave does not mean you can't group with others. I was in a Slave org in AO, Our mistresses (it was all girl) strongly encouraged the slaves to go out and find teams to lvl, it was meant as an order..to do was you were told. He wants you trained so you are a more valuable piece of property. It makes sense to me. I think forcing yourself to dance solo makes no rp sense..not that i mind solo dancers, i really couldn't care less, though if someone declines my offer of team i get worried they'll want to team later and i'l miss it in tell hell then feel bad because they think i'm ignoring them It may help if your Master occasionally occumpanied you into the cantinas and asked for you to be grouped for you, that way you guys could get some rp in, something along the lines of "Excuse me i need to get my slave trained, could someone please join her to the performance group?" That way you'll get the extra exp, you won't stress the psycho, "YOUR STEALING ALL OUR EXP" people out, and you'll still be able to rp a slave..plus it'll oped up the "i'm a slave" convo once your master leaves to go do his manly missioning that is usually oh so very interesting, at least it was for me ;P

Hmm, you want to "hear our thoughts" but greet even the gentle ones with hostility? LOL... *checks under the bridge*

You got me, I won't be reading your thread any more. Good luck to you and your PA, Shak'ira, on getting your own cantina set up and running. After the times I've had in game, there's no way anyone could convince me that you're not missing out, though

Best wishes

I'm sure not going to critisize your RP without understanding it better...

I do have a few things I don't understand though;

1. You claim you're RPing a slave - where's your master during your dancing? I rather doubt a slave would be in a cantina unatended.

2. As a slave that doesn't think should associate with anyone else is it really IC to carry on conversations with patrons? Just doesn't seem like a lowly slave would feel comfy doing such a thing.

3. When it comes to being trained for new levels - how exactly do you do that IC? You sure shouldn't be accepting tips that go into your own pocket! I'd think the tips would go to your master. So do you buy ALL your training from NPCs? Do you RP doing deliver missions then RP your master ordering to get training with the proceeds? Do you RP your training with some other dancer? Or do you ask other non-RP dancers for training OOC?

Guess I'm wondering, seeing as how you're so picky about the RP non-group solo thing, just how far you take the RP other than grouping (which, btw, is not visible to anyone outside the group).

It's an interesting idea actually...forgive my inquisitiveness.

*Customer walks in. All dancers wink/smile/grin/glow/imput emote. Within 3 customers, someone usually sits in front of me and I start chatting with them.*

This comment from your first post tells me you are dancing too close to the other dancers to be considered solo. From my experiences, people walk in through the front of the Cantina, and just as you get off the stares there is a main floor where the musicians and dancers generally congregate. However, on larger servers, this area tends to extend out toward the walls and right up to the front of the bar as many dancers use this area for doing Formal and Lyrical dancing so as not to interrupt the others. When you get large groups that I am used to (12-20 any given night), that whole area around the tables and the main floor is considered the 'entertainment zone'. If you want to be solo, you'd need to move into the alcoves or well beyond the edge of the bar.

On our server, we don't mind solo dancers because it is so busy and a solo dancer won't take away from a massive main group like we normally have. I don't know your situation, Shak'ira, but if it is a small group there, then you can really be causing a lot of angst among your fellow entertainers. A small group (1-10) needs all the xp they can get and you would be taking from it especially if you happen to be a good roleplayer (customers like that).

In the long term, you may wish to worry about your reputation among your fellow dancers. Even though you are in a PA, other entertainers may work to blackball you and you may find your gaming experience hampered.

I really can't think of a reason not to group with other entertainers if there is a spot open. You don't have to talk to them, you don't have to be near them,and mechanics-wise it benefits you and them to have all the entertainers as an entity for the viewing public.

The problem with Entertaining and behaviour is that there is no moderation. Customers can come in and be rude; dancers can come in and refuse to group and attempt to steal business away from a band. This kind of behaviour would result in some pretty major ostracization for the offending party. This would normally be a deterrent. Unfortunately, in this game, there is no deterrent to poor behavior. A great way to handle things would be to challenge the offender to a duel, and beat them to a pulp. The problem is, a player can decline duels at his will. There needs to be implemented some way to condemn unruly cantina behaviour. Perhaps a group /kick command, with a majority vote ejecting the rude player from the premesis.

*shakes her head*

Well, thanks guys for not paying attention . . . this thread was SUPPOSED to just be a discussion about solo dancing in general, a place where real, legitimate concerns could be voiced, and other soloists could come chat. Instead you all question my RP over and over again and try to get me to change my ways so that I will group, jump down my throat when I answer accusations, and whine that the few solo dancers out there are stealing the XP that you all know you have running out your ears anyways. Pretty much you've gone and proven why exactly I hate grouping in the first place: dealing with people who are completely convinced they know best for people they haven't taken the time to get to know, because it would be in their own best interest.

Thanks for judging how I should best play my character, lumping me with macroers, calling me anti-social, griefer, etc. And thanks for proving that you're not worth grouping with, LOL. I had thought about it from time to time, but no . . . *looks over the posts again*definitely not worth it, for the most part. Just remember that groups DON'T own the cantinas, we ALL share them. Reread your posts again and see who istrying to push playstyles on other players, or force people out of areas, thereby "stealing" XP. It ain't Little Miss Soloist, it's the groups who seem to think they own public playing areas and think they have a right to tell you where you can and can't dance, even if the soloist was there first. *chuckles* Yeah, THAT'S the type of people I want to group with!

*glances at Xahn* I pity you for having to deal with them, bud. CS must be a crock and a half. Oh yeah. Kick Quid for me if you see him around.

*heads back to the sane haven of PA boards*

Well I for one don't have a problem with it. And for the most part I don't get the impression that most people do. However, the biggest thing I see is a lack of understanding. There are a lot of things you aren't considering. Using Jabba as an example, his slave dancers were chained to his throne. This is what most, if not most then just I, can't seem to grasp. As a slave, you are owned. Slaves are not trusted to be left alone. And if they are, they have either bombs, or guards with them. Property isn't permitted far from sight. There is very few actual reasons your RP would be valid. I'm not trying to say for you to join groups, but if you don't at least look at your story and have it make some sense.. Even Shmi (Spelling) had a locator in her that would explode.