Dancer Archive
Thread: Mind Buff Self PLEASE!!!! Docs can do it, why can't we???
Why can't dancers mind buff themselves? I work very hard toward mastering TKA and I am also working for master dancer, but why can't we mind buff ourselves?
I know that many of you agree. Why don't the developers? If Doctors can buff their own stats, then we sure as heck should be able to as well! It simply is "NOT fair!" I am a doctor on another server, and on Bria, I chose to be a master dancer before I knew that we weren't able to mind buff ourselves.
Yes, it's great to be able to entertain others and have a blast in the cantina, and buff the minds out of every poor soul that comes along that needs it--whether it is for tip or not... being part of a group,and being a necessary part of a team...yes. I agree! HOWEVER,sometimes, all our buddies aren't online--and we are forced to face the galaxy alone, and of course--where is a master dancer to buff YOUR mind?? Nowhere to be found.At these times... maybe it would be really nice to be able to buff our own stats.
Has this been in heavy discussion before? Is there a developer out there who will listen? Can someone please speak out for us with the developers and ask for this to change??
My opinion--Doctors can buff their stats... why can't we??Tsk Tsk! This just simply is NOT fair. Not one bit. If we can't buff our own minds, then doctors should not be allowed to buff their own stats either.
Please, dancers, entertainers... bump this up, keep it active, post your opinion... please.
*hugs*
If you had read our correspondants sticky posts you would know it's already on our list.
Until it gets fixed, I suggest playing the dancer as it is meant to be played... as a social profession. If you are a dancer you will know enough other dancers that can buff you for free.
OH, and before a reply happens here, I want to make this very clear. I am a doctor and chemical warfare expert on another server.Yes, doctors have tons of "gathering resources and blah blah blah" but hello???? I can tell you, healing people came naturally to me. It was SO MUCH FASTER to get "master medic" than it was to get "novice dancer".
Entertainers are just NOT as useful as they should be in this game. Not only that, but we can't even buff our own stats. LOL... what is the use?? Where is the balance?? Ok... so not only can we NOT buff our own minds, but we can't heal others on the combat field either? Argh...
Devs, you need to pay more attention to some of us who are more than entertainers. I LOVE to entertain. Oh it's so much fun to flirt and wink and dance my little butt off, but I WANT to be able to be USEFUL on the combat feild. I want to be more than just eye candy!!!
I am going for TKA master as well, and so yes... I am already useful in combat... but as for my entertainer side... come on.. all i can do is heal mind wounds and make other people's minds stronger and better but not my own?
PLEASE, give us the ability to buff our own mind, and PLEASE give us the ability to heal minds out there on the field!!! Take more of our action pool to do it! Give us a huge penalty to cure someone's brain! I would be so willing to give someone a huge mind heal to take one for the team! I just wanna be useful to both myself AND others! Is that so wrong? Is it wrong to ask for this balance??
Ok... this is a lot of venting. I apologize for the capital letters... but please for pity sakes... make us more useful!!! I don't want to be just "eye candy" to the guys... I wanna be able to heal and have fun at the same time. AND DO NOT tell me to be a doctor or a combat medic... LikeI said, I already AM one on another server, and yes I am VERY useful there. Now, let's see this "usefulness"spread out to the entertainment profession where it should be balancedin the first place!
My thoughts here are for the entertainers on this game.We need more balance, and we certainly need to be way more useful other than just in "camp" or in cantina or tavern!!!
*last thought* I read somewhere someone thinks that a droid for dancers/entertainers would be silly.. PULEESE!!!! You know how many times I would pull that sucker out at a starport or keep my droid out during hunting sessions with my guild???How useful woudl THAT be??? Very... if you disagree you're nuts. 
Again, doctors have it all. They don't need med centers. Why should dancers and entertainers need a cantina or camp???
Ahhhh... we entertainers get NO love.
*hugs*
Nvoigt,
This is a huge board, with many many sticky posts. I looked a long time for anything having to do with mind buffs, and the threadsI found related to HOW to do them, not about why we can't buff our own stats.
I'm glad that this is being discussed, and I'm not surprised. I hope that the developers see that it is a great move and decision on their part.
However, as you say... "play the entertainer as it is meant to be played"... lol. Not to start a "flame" or a "fight" with you, hon, but... who are you to say what our "value" is in this game?
Entertainers, yes, are obviously a "social" profession... but why give us the ability to heal wounds then? I mean, if we are there for pure social value, why give us any skill ability at all? I mean, why even call it a profession? Give Combat Medic the sole "mind healing" abilities and see how manypeople come into a cantina for "social" value.
I'm sure there will be many a 16-year old boy who would still visit the cantina often... but come on. All I'm asking for is for some balance in this game, and the ability to be way more useful to a team ON and OFF the battle field.
I really, honestly, don't think that THIS is too much to ask for. And as an entertainer yourself, I would be very surprised if you didn't think this was something fair to ask for as well.
- J
However, as you say... "play the entertainer as it is meant to be played"... lol. Not to start a "flame" or a "fight" with you, hon, but... who are you to say what our "value" is in this game?
I am the uber 1337 0wner of DEV quotes. Bow before me. 
Give Combat Medic the sole "mind healing" abilities and see how manypeople come into a cantina for "social" value.
The same entertainers that have fun there now. We'd probably miss out on all these Macrotainers... no loss.
I really, honestly, don't think that THIS is too much to ask for. And as an entertainer yourself, I would be very surprised if you didn't think this was something fair to ask for as well.
As an entertainer myself I always had another entertainer by my side whenever I needed a buff. So I see no need for a self buff. I wouldn't mind having it, but it's not one of my main concerns. I don't know if it's fair. Let's say I don't care 
BaciGatto wrote:
Why can't dancers mind buff themselves? I work very hard toward mastering TKA and I am also working for master dancer, but why can't we mind buff ourselves?
I know that many of you agree. Why don't the developers?
Actually, the simple truth is that it's not that simple. Sometimes things happen in the game because that was just the way they worked out, not because of any design or conspiracy on the part of the developers. This is one of them.
How do you get an entertainer buff? You /listen or /watch. What happens when you /listen or /watch yourself? Nothing at all. You can only perform those actions on someone else.
That's all there is to it. No big conspiracy by the developers to deprive entertainers of self-buffing. No earth-shaking game balance issues that promoted a design that precludes self-buffing. Just a game mechanic and the natural consequences of implementing a new ability around it.
Will it get fixed someday? Yeah, probably. Is it a priority right now? Probably not. If it appeared on Ravenmist and NewJedi's top five issues then it will get consideration at that level. For now, the buffs work and entertainers just have to get their buffs from other entertainers.
It's not some kind of slight against entertainers. It's just how it is.
But that's not entirely true. From the time the buffs were added, until the 'big' patch before this one, we COULD buff our self. If you targeted yourself, and used /watch , you would get the same buff as anyone else /watching you. I don't doubt that when the additions/changes in the patch were implemented (/setperform became manditory, as well as being watched), that it was simply overlooked.
Hi! thanks for your replies everyone.
I love how you are all mature people here with no flamers. Thank you for that, and thanks for understanding my view (even though I'm positive I'm not the only one who has this view) even if you don't agree.
I worked well over an hour and a half typing fast as a mad woman on this response, so please read. lol!
Slickriptide, I dance in real life. I take 2 dance classes on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and 1 dance class on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I'm a dance minor in college. And you know what?
I can watch myself, and I do, and I would be lost without the big wall mirrors. Those big rooms with those huge mirrors and wide open dance floors--that's where we practice before the big shows. We "see" ourselves all the time. Most entertainers have all been able to "watch" themeslves in a mirror before showing off the moves to crowds of entertained people.
Maybe you could bring this to the devs for those of us who would want the ability to self buff? Why can't we have a special object, such as a "mirror" to pull out and "/setperform" or "/watch self" in front of to buff our own minds? Maybe that's a good idea? It will give all the artisans a new and useful object to make for the community, sell it (adds something new to the economy) and is also very realistic to an entertainer. I don't think it's too far fetched. I could pull out my litte mirror and buff my own little brain, and be so stoked flirting with myself and dacningoff my butt in front of that mirror. How much fun is that?
As far as musicians go, I play piano and a little guitar, and I can 'hear' myself. Why can't I "listen to myself" play in game? I'd be lost on my piano and guitar if I couldn't hear myself play them.
Maybe the devs need to think more about the realistic side of entertainment, and then maybe they would think about including this in the game? No, maybe it's not a big conspiracy (lol--I'm sure it isn't), but maybe a little more thought and care would be appropriate?
Sultrina--I love your dance school, btw
... thanks so much for the great tips! I am loving (especially) the /changedance moves to help my space drifting and change up my routines! How much fun!
Anyway, as far as THIS goes, I just think, bottom line, what if there is NO GROUP? What if it is 4:00AM and you are the only entertainer on Dathomir... who is going to buff your mind for you there? Do I have to travel to city to city to find an entertainer good enough to buff? Does this waste an hour of my time I could be enjoying the game playing? Yes. Sometimes, do you even FIND this "so called" entertainer? yes, sometimes... but sometimes there is simply nobody "there". Even so, they are probably afk and you wouldn't be able to get their attention to GET the buff.
Yes, I love the group buff. I had a great one today. But tonight I was yet, left again, all alone after my guildies got offline on Dantooine, and I would have loved to have been able to reap the reward of my OWN talent, that I worked SO hard for, to buff my own mind and continue hunting alone. I love groups, but girl--sometimes it is NICE to get some space and be that "lone range hunter" out there getting some TKA experience instead of having to travel to cantina to cantina enough to find a skilled dancer that is STILL up at that hour.
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My opinion is simply just that I think it's unfair if docs can buff their own stats, we should be able to as well. That's my first "biggie' issue with the self buff. Maybe I am a bit jealous.
Secondly, when I am alone, I would like to be able to do that for myself. I dont think it's too much to ask for. I worked hard enough to get where I am now, and I want to be able to feel that bit of "acheivement" and buff my mind till my mind is sooooo big that I can barely stand it!
Yes, I know all about passive buffs and active buffs. I had a mind of 2500 today (for an hour, then down to 1500 where my mind is usually at 1000) after grouping with my fave entertainment group in Coronet). So, yes, I love that I can get a mind buff in groups... but, AGAIN... what if I'm alll alone and there is nooooo group? It's those times I think it woudl be great to "pretend" there is a mirror and "watch" myself and "setperform" to myself and flirt in my little mirror! Why not? I do this in real life! (giggles).
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Nvoigt--LOL *bows before you*
I've only been playing for a couple of months now, so I definitely do not know all the developers' quotes. I do know that I (as well as other entertainers I have spoken with this evening about this issue) DO wish that entertiainers were way more useful on the battlefield, just like we are useful OFF the battlefield. This is just my opinion, and the opinions of other entertainers as well. Some like being JUST an entertainer, but out of the group I asked this evening, about19 of them out of the 23 said YES they would like to be more usfeful during a battle.
The others are content with things the way they are. The rest of the entertainers in Coronet were too busy macrotaining so I didn't get their opinion.
*giggles*
I guess it's just how you play the game. Bottom line to this issue, my opinion is that I WISH that entertainers were more useful other than in the cantina.
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*warning: personal side notes do not read unless you really wanna*
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*On a personal level, I so agree with you about afker entertainers. Argh!!! This has been a huge pet peeve of mine even as a doc. I also want you to know, that i'm only 2/1/1/2 in novice dancer and I have NEVER gone afk other than to use the little girls room. My goal is to get to master dancer without having to do huge afk sessions (which is prolly why i'm still at 2/1/1/2 ...) and when I finally get there to be able to say "I was NEVER an AFK entertainer and NEVEr will be!!!" That's just my little goal for myself.
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*Macrotainers--I only like macros because it leaves my hands free to type and have fun in the cantina without losing any xp and forgetting to perform flourishes because I'm too busy yappin away! I'd probably be a master dancer by now if I would have used macros earlier on in the process of becoming a novice dancer. However, I usually like to entertain on "the fly" and not use macros at all, change up my dances with the /changedance I learned at Sultrina's school of dance (THANKS WOMAN!!! you rock!--that's so handy--not only for drifting purposes but for changeups!! how much fun!!!)... However, this is a totally different subject isn't it? lol sorry aobut that... basically I agree that macrotainers bite the... well... they just bite. I disliked them as a doc and I dislike them as an entertainer.
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Nvoigt, sorry for soooo long of response:
Yes, people MIGHT still come to the cantina, if entertainers were soley a social "thing"... but I highly doubt it. Surely some would, I can't say that NOBoDY would come, but I KNOW that the cantina would be a way less busy place than it already is. OH, let me rephrase. Other dancers and entertainers love the cantina, but for what I KNOW, the guys (and girls) I play with who are NOT entertainerslike to use their SWG time to go out, get missions, or pvp, make money, and kick butt!
Most of my friends (that are not entertainers ) visit the cantina JUST long enough to get their minds healed and leave. Rarely do they "stick around" to BS in there, unless they are meeting someone to get a weapon sliced... etc. In fact, I rarely stayed in cantinas at all unless a cute little entertainer was so much fun I lost track of time because they were so entertaining (this is the entertainer I am and hope to always be)... argh off the subject again.
From my experiences, even as an entertainer, hardly anyone really 'sticks' around in the cantina for long... most people come in and out and leave quickly as possible unless they have a different agenda--such as that 16-year old boy who may want to meet some chickie and talk a bit. In which case, we are talking about entertainers being "eye candy" again...
Again, maybe your server is different. Maybe the people on your server like to hang in the cantina LONG after their mind wounds are healed. Yes, I've had "patrons" like that... that LOVE love LOVE to sit and talk to me But, if I was more useful on the field, maybe I would go WITH them, heal them while we are out "missioning" and have fun that way too! I think it woudl be GREAT to have that option!
From what I've experienced on 3 different servers playing this game, is that for the most part, you go inside, watch/listen, grin, smile, laugh a little bit if the entertainment is "there", and get your mind healed, smile, say thanks, tip, and grin, and leave... as quickly as possible.
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MishaD--wow... I wish it were still the same. :/ Thanks for your input.
*hugs you all*
Thanks for listening!
The fact that pure entertainers are next to useless in battle is not a bug or broken or even unbalanced, it was a game design decision from the start. The DEVs thought that in Starwars entertainers should notbe the bards you know from fantasy rpgs, mages with less power and more songs. Entertainers should be just that, entertaining after battle.
In real life, you would never see Madonna at a frontline in the trenches. You will probably see her in a camp behind the lines performing, easing the fatigue of those that fought. And thats the way it is displayed in Starwars.
If you like fighting, you can create a very diverse character that is a flamethrower toting commando musician. ( I wonder what is worse, a flame DOT or SW1 on Slitherhorn... 
). But being a musician will only define your character, not help you in battle in the same way that being a commando will not help you play music.
I think the DEVs decision was right in this aspect ( Make a screenshot of my words, you won't see me agreeing with the DEVs on anything again anytime soon ). It's two seperate things. If you need more fighting ability you are free to add some by adding another class. But not everyone wants to fight and I think giving them the chance to play characters that are focused on other things is what sets SWG apart from games like Diablo.
BaciGatto,
Good point, if there is no group to buff your min then what on earth do you need a mind buff for? <giggle> Shouldn't you stay in the cantina and take care of customers then? I know more people want the self buff then don't, but this is exactly my point if your doing (in my opinion) your job then there is no issue with not being able to buff yourself. The current system cuts down on the amount of peopl taking the entertainer class for its buffs. Im pretty shure that in the end we will get self buff Im just saying I don't like it