Dancer Archive
Thread: Cooler Heads Prevail
Xyrdre
Tue Nov 16, 2004 4:28 pm
#41
Ravanne_Esi wrote:
A big part of the problem is that many see the next stage in the evolution of the entertainer professions as extinction. The number of true social entertainers is dwindling and the mumber of AFK buff vending machines is growing. The general acceptance of the AFK buffbots is proof that while many claim that they like live entertainers ultimately they couldn't care less if we existed or not so long as they get what they want in the end. It's not surpising that so many reacted so angrily over what they see as one more nail in the coffin of the social classes in this game. When someone with an enhanced level of access and input to the development process makes statements that can be construed as meaning that some players may not have a valid postion in the larger game it's time that the situation be reevaluated.
And I think it is being reevaluated... which is the source of my excitement about the times thatwe're in now.
Instead of being 'healers that aren't healers' or whatnot... what if we had some other kind of niche completely? It's easy to get locked into a line of thinking centered on existing roles as healer/buffers, but what if thatexisting role were to come into question, andwhole new opportunities were to open up for consideration?Some other kind of integrated role, that focused on gameplay for ourselves, using our own skills to generate fun for us, rather than mostly being set asa support vehicle for other's gameplay? And what if the fun that we could generate could be also fun for a good portion of therest of the playerbase?What would that look like? What could that look like?
I don't know yet. But I'm dying to look into it deeper.
These are the kinds of big questions I'd like us all to be thinking about. In broad terms, not specifics. Not yet. It can perhaps be said that most animosity towards entertainers is driven by a sense of a "forced" need to come and see us (for healing, andto a degreebuffing), which leads to resentment. What if that could be turned somehow into a desire to? And it doesn't have to be a desire on every other player's part, any more than every single player particularlywants to do anyother specificthing in SWG. Just enough. The ones who will havethat desireare fun to be around, and if our skills were used for gameplay rather than waiting for some BF on two legs to walk in the door... well, I think there are big possibilities there.
I really don't know yet what the devs may have in mind for us, or if they may be poking around reading here looking for new ideas to flesh out what they've been considering. Or if there's even really a new plan in the works yet or not... truth is, they really are busy with a million things, and we know that. But here's the thing... if one day they come to me and say, "Deila, what do Dancers want that would just rock their gameplay world?", I want to be ready with BOOKS of info and ideas that have come from the social playerbase. Never waste that kind of opportunity to have a helping hand in guiding our own destinies... 
Remember too... we don't just have one Correspondent in there looking out for our futures. We have a team of related Corres, and most excellent Blue Glowies as well... a lot of really good people are watching, suggesting, and safeguarding our chances for real success in this Grand Experiment. I think that we, and the devs, all want this to succeed beyond wildest expectations. We just have to find the right path to do that.
Akaara
Tue Nov 16, 2004 4:46 pm
#42
Why I love the Entertainer Professions...
After performing many, many, many weddings in SWG, I can honestly say that the musicians are one of the MOST important parts of a wedding... before, during and after! The performers set the tone. It has been VERY difficult the last couple of months to find musicians on my server. I pay them extremely well because their service is invaluable when doing weddings in game.
I have been doing weddings before SWG came out, in other online venues and the advantage in SWG is the Music and live entertainment. It really makes it so much more fun to have a reception with a full band, it adds so much depth to the game (especially if you like to role-play).
I LOVE the dancer profession. The Miss Galaxy Pageants on Eclipse have been the MOST fun I have ever had in an online game. I have a chance to use my creativity to make songs and then make up a dance to go with it. The only problem is that I am limited by server. I'd enter all the competitions that require a creative componant if at all possible, but again I am limited due to not having enough dancers/ents on all servers.
I sometimes wonder if the dancer profession couldn't somehow be used to create skill tapes or add temp bonuses to items and players, using some kind of random coding.
One problem that could be fixed quickly (I think) ... is that all dances are not equal, so everyone you see in Cantinas are doing exotic or the highest dance they have. I firmly believe that ALL dances should be equal at Master level so there would be more variety and maybe more creativity when putting buffing routines together.
Message Edited by Akaara on 11-16-2004 03:47 PM
Xyrdre
Tue Nov 16, 2004 4:54 pm
#43
Schardour wrote:
In all reality, the differences between dances are almost completely negligible. I don't believe they make any difference at all in wound / BF healing, and only a slight increase in buff speed (couple of seconds) is realized when using high-level dances instead of mid-level or even entertainer dances.
/nod
People just assume that the highest dance equals the best buff. And if you think about it, it's not too far-fetched an assumption. Highest-skilled specials usually mean best damage, and that's what many of the buff recipients know.
And usually those extra few seconds are easily accounted for between the time you say "okay, you can stop watching now", and the time it takes them to actually do it. I've never had a problem buffing with even Basic 2. Really good for those times when the Accarragm runs out.
Einhinder
Tue Nov 16, 2004 5:03 pm
#44
I've had all my shots ill have you no sure i might bite and claw a little but who doesn't
picklesSW wrote:
For the record, I'll spank anyone, male or female. So be careful what you ask for.
As for SOE employees attending the crawls, who knows, for all we know they've already done so in disguise. I know that's how I'd go if I was going to be in a location with 100 rabid social entertainers.
kirah_ashlin
Tue Nov 16, 2004 5:12 pm
#45
/hugsandkisses to Deila and Virrago!!
/shamelessplug Take a gander at Roho's post in the GCW forum, btw! No flaming going onand lot's of great discussion and debate regarding expanding entertainers' options within the realm of the Galatic Civil War! /endshamelessplug
Warryyr
Tue Nov 16, 2004 5:22 pm
#46
Xyrdre wrote:
It can perhaps be said that most animosity towards entertainers is driven by a sense of a "forced" need to come and see us (for healing, andto a degreebuffing), which leads to resentment. What if that could be turned somehow into a desire to? And it doesn't have to be a desire on every other player's part, any more than every single player particularlywants to do anyother specificthing in SWG. Just enough. The ones who will havethat desireare fun to be around, and if our skills were used for gameplay rather than waiting for some BF on two legs to walk in the door... well, I think there are big possibilities there.
Well, quickly, I think a way to drive people to want to see Entertainers would be to have mini-games that would be fun to play, that an Entertainer could challenge the patron with while they get healed up. Winners would get placed on a server board, so people could try to beat the best of the day/month and stuff. I don't know what games could be used, they could be simple strategy games like checkers or something, but stay true to SW canon.
I would also very much like to have an Entertainer host Sabacc games. It would be neat to have the ability to be the leader of the group and start a Sabacc game.
I don't know, something entertaining that makes the time go by faster for people who don't necessarily want to be there in the first place.
DeathsEgo
Tue Nov 16, 2004 5:26 pm
#47
Wow.....great ideas....put them in tomorrow...now im excited to see em 
sweatyclimber
Tue Nov 16, 2004 6:05 pm
#48
Pappi wrote:
you know what we need?
a good hug, and a moment of slience.
*big group hug*
Deila be careful pappi is stalking you... I heard her try to hire some of the wookiee underground to keep tabs on you when she was at an election or making knitting some shirts....
PoetDancer
Tue Nov 16, 2004 6:18 pm
#49
In my opinion, we do not need newmechanics to sell or enhance our patrons. We need to give them the environment necessary to view the amusing things that are already there. Complexity kills this class, because complexity tends to create too much of a struggle between the parties to find it actually enjoyable.
All Iwant is an audience in the state of mind to be amused. From there, I can take up the challenge of amusing them. How they get there and for what reason is really not as important to meas having my concern free to amuse them, and have their concern free to enjoy the experience for what it is. The more they and I are distracted from the lighthearted and easy atmosphere of the cantina, the less this class works.
Message Edited by PoetDancer on 11-16-2004 11:43 PM
DanceRulez
Tue Nov 16, 2004 7:18 pm
#50
Hmmm, sounds like there must have been some sort of "incident" here today that I missed. I'm not sure what it was, though I do know of one or two things it might have been - at least one of which was hinted at in one of the posts here.
DanceRulez
Wed Nov 17, 2004 3:10 am
#51
The comment I heard about, but there was an apology somewhere? That I would like to see.
Saygin
Wed Nov 17, 2004 5:42 am
#52
Pappi wrote:
Knight776 wrote:
DanceRulez wrote:
Hmmm, sounds like there must have been some sort of "incident" here today that I missed. I'm not sure what it was, though I do know of one or two things it might have been - at least one of which was hinted at in one of the posts here.hehe....I take a few days away from SWG to play EverQuest 2 and all hell breaks out on the message boards...Just my luck! heh
that's what you get by playing another game
p.s.: doh, forgot... summary:
new GCW said something not-so-nice about ents 2 weeks ago. someone found it, folks got pissed. flames on both sides, or so I heard... then GCW corr edited his post and made an apology. now the forums are calming downMessage Edited by Pappi on 11-17-2004 12:33 AM
/poke pappi is it peppermint tea?
Hmm..I don't post on here often enough perhaps its time I did lol. THough it is nice to see an admin name floaitng in here. Entertaining on Shadowfire is rough..I've utterly given up on trying to get anywhere and am on strike for public performing.Though going to theed cantina is fun..there aren't any afk zombies hanging around and we have a great time. We even did band flourishes for formal..truly awesome and reminded me of the old days.