Dancer Archive

This was meant for Delia's thread abut squeaky wheels, but I guess it works here too.

I remember a time on these forums when we used to talk about new and exiting ways to entertain the patrons. This was in the time that Sultrina's threads first came out about dancing. There was a time when we took pride in what we did, and other players recognized our contribution to the game. We were those sacred denizens who gave all we could for the benefit of the servers. We were taken care of and tipped by those who we served. We really had the confidence in ourselves and our contribution to the game that these boards were filled with optimism and good cheer.

But then we started getting some players who started coming here bragging about tipping AFKers, insulting live players, coming up with reasons why our contribution was more harmful than helpful, and using every taunt, degredation, and insult to try and convince us that they would rather not have to deal with us at all. Now normally this wouldn't be so harmful, but it occurred at the same time that unattendedness was at an all time high. There was a feeling of resignation on these boards, because we were so disposable. What's more, the developers out-and-out admitted that they were in greater support of one's right to service unattended rather than come to an understanding that these measures made our playing contribution more redundant. And believe me, NeoTheHutt and JasonK spared no time in gloatingly posting Thunderheart's responses as some kind of liecense to grief us on our very profession board.

Morale here was at an all time low around February, and for understandable reasons. Not only did the player base seem to turn against those who play our profession, but the very development staff itself. Every time someone posted a claim that the game would be much more fun for everyone if we actually played, we'd get a ton of disrespectful posts from the player base saying how futile our contribution was. We could say that we would like a craftable item to give them services at all hours. They'd say, "who cares? I'll just watch an AFKer for free." We could say we'd want registration fixed. They'd say, "who cares? I have my bot go wherever I go." We could say we want our dances fixed. They'd say, "who cares about you? You don't do anything anyways. Fix carbineer."

Because every time a developer posted about entertainer concerns, we always responded with the highest amount of respect and class. The "In Concept" thread on dancer and musician content was a very good discussion. But the fact of the matter is that even in the best of times, developers never posted here. And for the longest time, when they did post on an entertainment subject, it was always to further legitimize unattendedness as a valid means of influencing the game environment. Do I need to drag up the old threads by Jeassa and Thunderheart claiming that AFK play is valid under the EULA? No wonder our ranks became decimated around Winter. The anti-entertainer sentiment was institutionalized, and we were all resigned to simply accept the abuse.

But I realized something in late February, Deila. There were many who grudgingly accepted the fact that unattendedness was right. They did in large part because the developers themselves seemed to condone it. But nobody ever stopped to think that just because unattendedness is condoned, that this automatically makes it a legitimate playstyle. Unattendedness by all measures is exploitive play. It is merely an exploit that SOE had turned a blind eye to.

But I also realized that we could never, ever convince anyone that unattendedness was wrong, unless we explained fully why it was wrong in no uncertain terms. How it unfairly places something in the game world that no player operating under the developer's original intent could duplicate. How it places something in the game world that has a profound and unbalancing effect. How it is symptomatic of what Ralph Koster talks about when he claims human nature (or Trandoshan, or Mon Cal nature) is to become self-sufficient at all costs, and that things like this must be actively stopped for the good of a multi player persistant world. That we as dancers had EVERY leg to stand on when arguing that the developers were wrong in their assessment of unattended play as being legitimate.

So when the trolls like NeoTheHutt and JasonK came back to these forums, WE STOOD UP TO THEM. Armed with sound arguments and a passion for a legitmate place in the game, we did not roll over and say, "woe is me." We gave it back in turn, and they left. And if this makes us just as trollish, then it is a small price to pay so that we can feel like we are not held hostage here. Because we needed to come to realize for ourselves that we do more than merely dish out game mechanics, and that we were not okay with a system that rewards non-play over play. For when I can count on two hands the number of people on two servers who actually still do what we do in the manner the developer's originally intended, I understood that unless we as a community took pride in what we did against all odds, there would be no community left.

Maybe its swinging too hard the other way now. Perhaps we have become too emboldened lately to give the same basic respect that was denied to us a few months back to those who would be respectful in turn. When I hear talk about "True" entertainers, and "Bots," or "Social Entertainers," and "Healing Entertainers," I have to think that maybe we are creating divisions where there are none. Because we are all dancers here, and the game itself does not discriminate between those of a different ideology.

But that does not in and of itself mean that rampant unattendedness has the same legitimacy as actual play, and will never in my eyes. I'll hold my passion in check when it comes to questions concerning advice on macros. But Oolah as my witness, I'm going to say what I feel is right when somebody comes in here and tells me their "non-play" has the same legitimacy as my play. Because it doesn't, and if the developers think it does, then they are wrong. PERIOD.

Because what eventually happened after March? In April, we received an indication from a developer finally admitting that unattendedness was unhealthy for the game. Why after all this time did they admit the destructiveness of that which they made an exception in the EULA in all previous posts? Our clear analysis. Our passion for legitimacy. Our ability to convince the developers that ours is a profession worth protecting from the oversight they made last year. As I said before, the "In Concept" thread was a healthy discussion, and we really cannot say that we are disrespectful to the developers here, because we have no precedent. Javier tried to get developers in here, but they did not come. But that really doesn't matter. Because unless one can convince themselves that they are right, nobody else will be convinced by them.

So does the squeaky wheel get the grease? It better, or else the cart will break down. But there is a difference between greasing a wheel that is really squeaking, and creating a squeak just to get more grease. Ours is no Chicken Little plea for attention. Ours is a legitimate breakdown that needs attention.

Madame Sirii Ajaan
August 2003-September 15, 2005
"There is a difference between being /watched and being WATCHED."

Ub-ick Esava
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Bria - Working towards Master Dancer one fall at a time

Lowca - Master Dancer Extraordinaire
*CENSORS* Cantina, Honor's Keep, Corellia,

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