Dancer Archive
Thread: Making Mind Bufss more acessible...
PoetDancer wrote:
Us? We don't want to be paid for buffs. We may think we do, but we don't. Otherwise, we would have to think a buffbot should be paid big money for churning out buffs 24/7. We want to be paid, yes. But not for buffs. We want to be paid on the basis of how we were always paid: for being amusing, creative, and fun while we give the buff. This can only happen if buffs become less of an actively targeted choice, and more of an unintended consequence of doing the only thing we really want to do: dance, play, and facilitate cantina fun.
Wrong. That's how *you* feel, that is not how I feel. I want to be interdependent in the SWG universe. I want to have a skill that people need or want, as a dancer, and I want to be paid for providing that service. I want the profession that I enjoy the most to be just as valuable economically as any other profession. I can entertain any old time I please, and I can usually find an audience, that's not my problem. My problem is my supposed economically viable service is becoming more and more nonexistent and I want that to be changed.
Before I would have said no to the idea proposed in this thread. However, as things stand now, I think this is a good alternative to what we have. I want to provide a service (ie, buffs), and I want to be paid for that service--it honestly matters not to me whether they have to be there watching me or if they buy one of my vids. Because, as I said, this is my way of making money as a dancer. All the other stuff related to actual entertaining is something that I already have. The fun part of entertaining is doable. The making money isn't.
Message Edited by Drygo on 07-16-2004 10:03 AM
Goldy_Lhim wrote:
phew! Thanks Drygo. I was beginning to think I was the only that not only wanted to play as a dancer, but be compensated for my services to the galaxy just like every other profession allows them to do.
You're not the only one, believe me. There's always been kind of big division in the entertainer forums in regards to what our roles are. There is a strong contingent that is really mostly focussed on the entertaining aspect and the performance. I totally respect that viewpoint, because, after all, we are entertainers. But, it seems like those that adhere to this viewpoint are often quick to dismiss ideas of interdependence and economic viability. There is another side, however, that believes that while we are entertainers first and foremost, we are also a profession that deserves the same kind of economic viability considerations as every other profession.
The thing of it is, those that don't care too much about the economic viability and providing a service that people need, which in our case is healing and buffing, are always free to disregard all of those aspects of our profession. They can continue entertaining, and doing what they do best, and be very happy doing so. Those of us who feel like we deserve an economic place as a profession, are very much left wanting.
Believe me, I love entertaining. I often do it in places that offer no real game mechanical viability, such as starports. I enjoy taking out my playback droid that has 6 musical bandfill bass selections, and I'll take out my mando or horn and play along with it because it's just fun, and I get to entertain. And, people watch me, and sometimes I get tipped. I was part of a band and made decent credits at gigs. And, I like to think it's because I was, well...entertaining, since again, I often was not giving any tangible mechanical benefits during my performance. There is an audience out there for this kind of stuff, and I enjoy providing this true entertainment that is not bogged down by game mechanic viability.
But, there's a part of me that says it's extremely important that we have a "thing" in this game that guarantees us cash, just like every other profession. When it comes right down to it, it doesn't even have to be buffing. But, that is basically what we have right now, so that tempers most of my postings in regards to economic viability. But, the point is, we need something. And, right now, it's buffs. And, due to the plethora of buffbots, we are hurting...a lot.
And, because it honestly doesn't matter to me what particular needed service that I provide in the game as a dancer, the idea of holovids is not distressing for me. Like I said before, I can entertain whenever I want, and I almost always have an audience, even if it's an impromptu performance out in the middle of nowhere with the hunting party I happen to be with. I have a lot of tools to do so and am extremely happy with this area of our gameplay. Yeah, it's not perfect, some dances need to be fixed. But, generally, I am extremely satisfied with what we have in this area. But, I'm very much dissatisfied with our economic viability at this point. And, I'm definitely willing to entertain, no pun intended, the idea of selling vids for profit, even if I do have to craft. I don't have to participate in this part of our profession if I don't want to. But, I should have that option...or at least some option, of gauranteed making money as a dancer.
Besides, who says we have to do it live? Technology in the Star Wars universe is in many ways better than our real life modern technology. Are people trying to say that in that time frame there were not celebrities? There were not forms of holo-entertainment? Aren't our music videos such as the Cantina Crawl, Windspire, Tiaga's and other videos not a form of entertainment to be used of our enjoyment without being live? Why is it such a weird idea that, as musicians and dancers, we might be able to make music and dance videos of our own for the general public to consume? There is a place for plays and there is a place for motion pictures. There are consumers of both. Entertainment is entertainment. And, the definition of entertainment in no way says it absolutely has to be live. Heck, I think it would be pretty darn cool to be riding around on my swoop bike and pass by a camp that is playing a holo vid of ME dancing away so that they could get a mind buff. Not only would it be cool, but it would be money in my pocket. I like that. 
Having said all that, I doubt this would actually ever come to fruition. However, if it did, I don't think I'd complain about buffbots anymore because I'd be on an even playing field again. And, I also have a feeling this particular buff vid would also be able to allow me to buff myself, which is my #2 dancer priority. So, I'm all for it even though I doubt it would ever happen. But, if it did, and I was making money again as a dancer, and able to buff myself, then I wouldn't be so disgruntled and I'd join in with the group that was pushing for entertainment enhancements and dance and flourish fixes.