Dancer Archive
Thread: I just realized something about entertainers and docs.
Message Edited by MrSemi on 05-01-2005 12:46 PM
NeillM wrote:
Personally after playing the CURB for a couple of days I actually think that Ents have not done too badley out of the CURB (Our action costs do not seem to drain our bars too drastically any more, so it looks like we could perform indefinitely). Sure we have lost mind buffing and mind wounds (and since I am XP capped I cannot comment on XP income) but I think that the essence of Entertainer has not really changed.
At the very least I would say we are no worse off than we were before the CURB. If all the bots, as theyseem tohave been doing, stay out of the Cantina'sfor good we may also be a whole lot better off too.
Where the CURB does seem to be hitting me most is with the many people who seem to be going to quit on the back of it. This is the hardest part for me to take so far, it may also be the part that ultimately decides my future in the game (that said I don't plan on quitting yet). I personally hope that some of them can come to terms with the changes (I'm still not sure if I like the new combat system or not)and that new people come into the game.
As much as I am loathe to admit this, I think you're right. I think the entertainers came out well from the CURB. I still hate and detest the level aspect of the game now. I think it sucks for the combat side of me and all the disadvantages I now have because I did not put all of my skill points into combat. And, the same monster hitting for different amounts of damage depending on level. All of that is stupid and unrealistic.
But, when you look at it, we are certainly no worse off than we were before the CURB, with the exception of the 8 person limit on grouping and its effects on experience gain. Before the CURB I made no money because of the bots. After the CURB, well...Let me tell you what happened yesterday.
I decided that since the 8 person group was implemented, I would go to Coronet, because it was likely that I'd get just as much experience there than in Theed. (On Kettemoor, the Coronet Cantina died due to Bot Wars 2005). At any rate, I'm there, convinced a few people to join me, a couple people came on there own. We were doing our entertainer thing. People would come in listen to us and leave, just like normal. But, the weird thing was, I made so many tips yesterday. Moreso than I do in an entire month. And, it was fun telling people about the new buffs. There were no bots, there was nobody afk, there was no spamming. We had our own little group of entertainers, entertaining like it was in the old days, getting tips, having conversations with ourselves and our customers.
And, well, if the CURB had to happen for this to happen, then...ugh, dare I admit it, the entertainers ended up better than before.
Drygo wrote:
NeillM wrote:
Personally after playing the CURB for a couple of days I actually think that Ents have not done too badley out of the CURB (Our action costs do not seem to drain our bars too drastically any more, so it looks like we could perform indefinitely). Sure we have lost mind buffing and mind wounds (and since I am XP capped I cannot comment on XP income) but I think that the essence of Entertainer has not really changed.At the very least I would say we are no worse off than we were before the CURB. If all the bots, as they seem to have been doing, stay out of the Cantina's for good we may also be a whole lot better off too.Where the CURB does seem to be hitting me most is with the many people who seem to be going to quit on the back of it. This is the hardest part for me to take so far, it may also be the part that ultimately decides my future in the game (that said I don't plan on quitting yet). I personally hope that some of them can come to terms with the changes (I'm still not sure if I like the new combat system or not) and that new people come into the game.
As much as I am loathe to admit this, I think you're right. I think the entertainers came out well from the CURB. I still hate and detest the level aspect of the game now. I think it sucks for the combat side of me and all the disadvantages I now have because I did not put all of my skill points into combat. And, the same monster hitting for different amounts of damage depending on level. All of that is stupid and unrealistic.But, when you look at it, we are certainly no worse off than we were before the CURB, with the exception of the 8 person limit on grouping and its effects on experience gain. Before the CURB I made no money because of the bots. After the CURB, well...Let me tell you what happened yesterday.
I decided that since the 8 person group was implemented, I would go to Coronet, because it was likely that I'd get just as much experience there than in Theed. (On Kettemoor, the Coronet Cantina died due to Bot Wars 2005). At any rate, I'm there, convinced a few people to join me, a couple people came on there own. We were doing our entertainer thing. People would come in listen to us and leave, just like normal. But, the weird thing was, I made so many tips yesterday. Moreso than I do in an entire month. And, it was fun telling people about the new buffs. There were no bots, there was nobody afk, there was no spamming. We had our own little group of entertainers, entertaining like it was in the old days, getting tips, having conversations with ourselves and our customers.
And, well, if the CURB had to happen for this to happen, then...ugh, dare I admit it, the entertainers ended up better than before.
I will work my best to refrain from saying "I told you so" more than just this once. I am very glad, however, to see that my experience of having such a better play experience is happening on other servers too. I've not gotten around Sunrunner very much, but the Starsider NPC cantinas that I've been in have been a thousand times better than before the CU.
Before the CU, C'net was overflowing with spam and buffbots. Last night, I sat and crafted for a bit, then mentioned in the spatial that it was rather quiet. Four of the 8 entertainers I saw started talking and two of the customers agreed with me. (This was at 4 am EST, by the way.) It was the start of a very pleasant interaction between all the awake people, and it didn't all get buried in tip me/heal me/buff instruction spam within seconds. I have one person on my ignore list still and haven't had to add any others since the upgrade.
The people who are still afk macroing are QUIET. Before the CU, my Starsider alt made no tips whatsoever. Now, after the CU, I still chat with my customers and have gotten about 25000 in tips. I think I've danced in the public cantinas a total of 6 hours since the CU, so that not really a bad sum of money for a dancer of my race
. I haven't had to buy accragaram or buffs to keep dancing, so that money is pure profit.The group size and the XP concerns are still an issue though. I hope they're still looking at the numbers and trying to figure out what a fair xp reward is for the time it takes to master dance now, and the 8 person groups means that all 10 available instruments cannot be used in a group.
Kyree-Sunrunner wrote:
I will work my best to refrain from saying "I told you so" more than just this once.
Message Edited by Drygo on 05-01-2005 06:04 AM
Kyree-Sunrunner wrote:
The group size and the XP concerns are still an issue though. I hope they're still looking at the numbers and trying to figure out what a fair xp reward is for the time it takes to master dance now, and the 8 person groups means that all 10 available instruments cannot be used in a group.
There are only 5 unique instrument sounds in the game, some of the instruments sound exactly the same (they just have different volumes). For me the main problems with the 8 limit are just the way it will restrict XP gains and large co-ordinated perfomances.
I'm sure I saw something in the latest patch notes about a "group chat invite" feature so communication may no longer be an issue.
Drygo wrote:
Kyree-Sunrunner wrote:
I will work my best to refrain from saying "I told you so" more than just this once.
Yes, the bots are made useless because of total passivity. But, that still doesn't prove that they wouldn't exist if there were non-afk'able buffs. And, I would still like to see a guaranteed way of interactive income. But, only if it's not afk'able. However, if given the choice between the buffs that gave the bots the advantages vs. having no buffs at all? Yeah, I choose the no buff option.Message Edited by Drygo on 05-01-2005 06:04 AM
You have a guaranteed interactive income. Grab missions from the terminal and talk to your customers and group mates. If everyone in the group does it, it will add up quickly. Now there is no need to buff or use food to keep dancing, so other than clothing, dance expenses have dropped quite a bit with the CU. Yes, I know the terminal missions aren't that well paying, but it IS a guaranteed income. Interaction with your customers while you're doing the missions should pad out the terminal income.
I've read that they are planning to improve the buff and give it to those performers that can interact with their customers. I'd like to see this made absolutely unable to be automated before it's released. THAT will be a service that a live performer can sell.
Push for higher payouts based on entertainer level. That will take the pressure off for having a guaranteed income as well. Who cares if the missions are boring? They're in the background while we entertain our REAL customers.
Message Edited by Drygo on 05-01-2005 10:22 AM