Dancer Archive
Thread: Idea for solving AFK macroing For players and DEVs alike to read
While I see Sorrow's point to a certain extent, AFK dancing is hurting our profession.I getvery frustrated at all the AFK'ers taking up valuable floor space in many of the cantinas, and many of the patrons assume that we're allAFK as a result. I have never dancedAFK other than to maybe go tothe little girl's room or get a soda. I can't see the point in making Master in the most social profession in SWG without being social.
On the other hand,IRL I'm not just a bad dancer, I'm a NON Dancer, but in SWGI dance for the social interaction. So, no, I don't know a lot of the fancy moves, I've never built more than the very basic macros, and often I don't know what I'm doing on the dance floor, but I have fun at it. Don't assume that someone without advanced dance routines is an AFK dancer, maybe just not all about the dancing as much as the social aspects.
Just my 2 credits worth on the issue.
Thanks,
Takneth Starhunter Ardae, Novice Dancer, Tatooine, Sunrunner
For better or for worse, here are my thoughts on AFK macroing. I'll admit, I AFK dance. I don't dance in the cantina. I usually will set up my macro in our PA hall. Our PA hall is a good ways out from anywhere. This way, I get some exp, and our members can get some mind heals without going all of the way back to town. I /love/ going into the cantina's at night. I've got a different macro that I run when I'm there. That way, I don't have to worry about things like the last time that I hit /flourish. Yes, I know that you get higher exp in groups. And I know that you get higher exp the higher dance you're doing. What I'm looking foward to, is being more helpful to my guildmates, and having more time to not worry if I'm getting the best exp/action ration. So, I macro while I'm at work. Or maybe asleep. Kinda depends. But, I'm out of the way, so I don't end up taking tips from someone who's actually there.
just my .02 credits.
Ok, here is what I'm hearing, please let me know if I'm wrong. The whole issue isa few people on here don't like the fact that dancers go afk with a macro running while in a cantina taking up your space. Sound right?
Well, sorry they paid their $15 for the monthly playing and can play as they wish. However there is something us entertainers that are actually there can do - remove them from the group - all they will get is the base xp and trust me if they aren't in the group they won't be getting the tips.
I don't have a problem with people macroing to get xp - its their character and their version of the game but why not take it to your house or in the theater, or the back room of the cantina - leaving the floor for those who are present. But like most of the posts I've found on here it is just a bunch of people whinning because they want everyone to act how they feel they should. This is a game we all share and sorry there isn't going to be a happy solution for everyone. NO! macros shouldn't be removed or limited -to many professions use them. And if this is something that is pushed we will have the wonderful entertianers to thank for pissing off all the other professions from artisian to combats.
I've found that a polite email to someone who does this regulary usually works - you don't have to be rude or mean at all. They usally run the macro away from the main floor of the cantina. But there are exceptions to this. Sorry but lets just grow up and try to talk to each other instead of treating everyone as if we are 2 years old and have to be dictated to.
Bulbous2 wrote:
I am no longer an AFK macroer. I used the tools supplied in game to achieve the rank I was after. I have been a master dancer for some time now. However, I do use the tools provided for me to dance for myself and for patrons, without needing to execute fifty flourishes manually.
Yes, I am defending the use of aliases and macros. These are not the enemy. AFK is the enemy. You are trying to fight the symptoms and not the disease.
i totally agree with u...i used to be a master dancer .. i started back when the game first launched and i was NEVER dancing AFK for long periods of time (maybe to tend to baby or use the bathroom etc but not to sleep)...AFK is the enemy....i gave up dancer to try out other jobs and while i was doing medic and doctor (siting in the cantinas to heal the entertainers) i noticed that the entertainers just arent as entertaining as they were when i was a dancer 
it made my heart hurt.... so after 2 weeks of sitting in the cantina staring and AFK robots i decided to rework my skill trees and take up dancing again...i am determined to change the eisley cantina back into the fun place it once was...no one goes to cantinas anymore because there is no one (entertainer) to talk to...and no one tips any more either because who wants to tip someone who doesnt entertain?
since i started dancing again more and more ppl have started coming into the eisley cantina and staying longer then they usually would...and trust me its not because of my dancing (im still only on rythmic2) i entertain them.....i do use a macro at times while im dancing but ONLY so that i can do other things like play "name that tune" or flirt with customers without having to constantly remember to push buttons (if i had to do that i still wouldnt have dancing 2)
i just want to say this: if ur using a macro and going AFK so that u can sleep/ goto work or something else where u wont be near the computer to interact with other players every so often then STOP dancing/playing music...this is not the skill for u....go right a macro to kill gnorts or something and leave the cantinas to the proffessional entertainers!
Arirok
masters medic/doctor -- moonlighting dancer
eclipse server
all around lover of men -- self proclaimed Jedi Love Master
MamaFalcon wrote:
Ok, here is what I'm hearing, please let me know if I'm wrong. The whole issue isa few people on here don't like the fact that dancers go afk with a macro running while in a cantina taking up your space. Sound right?
Wrong!
This is a point far far behind of the main issues.
Thefirst issue is, that LAMEing is main resposible for the bad reputation of all the dancers. Why do you think, they call us "useless", "lame", "lazy", "profession where you need no skill","you have only to stand there stupidly to become a mastertitle",.....?
You can read this every day in several posts in several forums here.
The second issue is, that LAMEing distroyed bit by bit the ambiance of the Cantinas. Where should be a place of living and prickly atmosphaere, you are now in a lifeless tomb with zombie dancers and dead audiance staring at them. This effects all players out there willing to enjoy a SWG feeling and not only playing a how-fast-can-I-bash-Mobs-as-effective-as-possible game.
It is realy sad that there are still dancers, who not want so see this, and try to excuse LAMEing with the "I do not hurt one", or "I pay, I can hurt others as much I want".
------------------------------
Aniella (Gorath) Dancer
I didn't read all 4 pages of this post, so forgive me if this has been said before...
Macros are FINE the way they are. Working as intended: Many actions strung together into one consolidated button push.
However, that being said, I think gaining xp while afk for hours at a time is a design flaw, and probably not something that the designers thought through completely.
A much easier solution to this whole problem is simply eliminating xp gain while afk. A person can dance while away from the computer for maybe 10 minutes or so, then his/her afk flag pops up and they cease to gain. Problem solved! Afk entertainers no longer can advance while sleeping, and macros still function fine for the rest of us.
And for those of you who think xp gain while away from the computer is ok, you are in for a rude awakening when you finally reach master... Clue: Once you get master, there is nothing to do but dance/play in a cantina, the very action you AFK skilled past. Ironic.
- Djen
I personally don't group with AFK dancers or musicians (I'll /disband when they go AFK). I also refuse to group with entertainers who pull pets out in the cantina (I know, I'm an elitist snob).
But honestly, my personal preferences don't work for everyone. If someone wants to AFK macro, then that's fine, they have every right to, I guess. Sometimes I end up dancing alone - and I still get tipped, and I still get XP.
My biggest beef is not with AFK Macroers, it's that my /denyservice list isn't permanent, like an ignore list.
On my server there is a cantina that used to be packed with live entertainers..
Then as people discovered AFK entertaining it started to become packed with AFK entertainers...
I went there the other day and it was deserted.. Empty.. Only a small handful of entertainers left.. Mostly new people, and the people who had not been the AFK crowd.
I'm sure we lost a few good entertainers to the AFK crowd.. But it just goes to show, that the short term solution is not the long term solution.
I posted this everywhere else might as well here too.
Here is a point for you guys to chew on. Dancing flourishes and effect do not, I repeat DO NOT require any skill to perform or learn. thats right it is an easy profession to advance in all you have to do is invest your time. thats it. The social aspect serves to make friends, generate tips, or find out information in the game. I don't care if you rid yourself of all afk'ers your not going to change the views of others about dancing being an easy profession to advance because it is.
If you want to change how people view the dancing profession you will need to change how experience is awarded, Like perhaps half of your experience having to come from battle camps or something.
flame away.
I posted this everywhere else might as well here too.
Please. It's one thing to restate one's opinion more than once. I've been doing that myself with the issue of Mind Buffs -- but simply copying/pasting the exact same words over and over (at least 3 times today) is simply spamming. Elaborate, enlighten, expand, if you wish, but reposting the same words is a waste of our space and our time.
When the macros are used in other professions, they dont keep other players from levelling. In the case of dancing, it does.
Cheapskates love AFK dancers. They can get healed without the expectation of a tip.
Also, an AFK master dancer (or high lvl novice) can deny the Dance Healing EXP from online players who are lower.
You can't blame the customers.. they want to watch who heals faster....you canonly blamethe game.