Dancer Archive
Thread: Post-Holocron Cantinas
Page 1 of 4
AnakinSWG
Sat Jul 03, 2004 8:52 am
#1
Today I typed /disband.
Generally, I don't disband a group out of courtesy to those that wish to level their skills. A larger number of entertainers in the groupequates to a greater amount of incoming experience, even if the majority of the group is not at their keyboard, or even near it for that matter.
Chilastra's Theed was different today. Every member of my 8-persongroup was either afk, or intending to go afk shortly. Eight players. None playing the game. A deafening silence smothered me when I opened my mouth to greet the smallcrowd. I spoke with incoming members about moving to the side rooms if their intentions were to leave the keyboard for any extended period of time. This would keep the floor clear for the performers without robbing the afk grindersof their xp. I was met with one of the following responses over the course of 4 incoming entertainers:
- Silence
- Agreement, followed by an afk tag
- "That's silly, I'll just come back to see myself in a small afkgroup and with no healing xp. I'd rather stand here."
- More Silence
I told my misplaced group that they should learn how to play the profession. Then I walked away from them.
I visited Bestine. There was a single atk performer there, and 3 to 4 afk entertainers. I'm quite certain that Coronet would have been similar to Theed in every way.
The demise of the holocron has not brought about the much-anticipated decline in afk entertainment. The tools used by entertainers to quickly level their profession with no input on their end are still available for daily use. True, the proportion of afk entertainers to true performers has experienced some shrinkage, since fewer players need to take on the profession. But we are still massively out-numbered. It's not because entertainers don't enjoy entertaining and interacting. It's due to the fact that the system allows it to continue. Rebuilding our cantinas is going to be impossible without some aid from the development team. As I see it, until these tools are removed from the game, afk entertainment will flourish as new players take the game and attempt to quickly become what they believe they should be. Moving to Master is a long road, and many don't wish to travel it alone. So they walk away from their keyboards while their dancer or musician continues to perform on auto-pilot.
Developers, what are your intentions? These social professions are not "working as intended." I can assure you that the original vision for the entertainment professions was much greater than what we have today. Please address this as soon as possible. You're losing the faith of the entertainer community all too quickly. And we're losing the faith of our fellow players even faster, as basic stereotypes are perpetuated by the continued use of afk macroing.
AnakinSWG
Sat Jul 03, 2004 9:00 am
#2
Today I typed /disband.
Generally, I don't disband a group out of courtesy to those that wish to level their skills. A larger number of entertainers in the groupequates to a greater amount of incoming experience, even if the majority of the group is not at their keyboard, or even near it for that matter.
Chilastra's Theed was different today. Every member of my 8-persongroup was either afk, or intending to go afk shortly. Eight players. None playing the game. A deafening silence smothered me when I opened my mouth to greet the smallcrowd. I spoke with incoming members about moving to the side rooms if their intentions were to leave the keyboard for any extended period of time. This would keep the floor clear for the performers without robbing the afk grindersof their xp. I was met with one of the following responses over the course of 4 incoming entertainers:
- Silence
- Agreement, followed by an afk tag
- "That's silly, I'll just come back to see myself in a small afkgroup and with no healing xp. I'd rather stand here."
- More Silence
I told my misplaced group that they should learn how to play the profession. Then I walked away from them.
I visited Bestine. There was a single atk performer there, and 3 to 4 afk entertainers. I'm quite certain that Coronet would have been similar to Theed in every way.
The demise of the holocron has not brought about the much-anticipated decline in afk entertainment. The tools used by entertainers to quickly level their profession with no input on their end are still available for daily use. True, the proportion of afk entertainers to true performers has experienced some shrinkage, since fewer players need to take on the profession. But we are still massively out-numbered. It's not because entertainers don't enjoy entertaining and interacting. It's due to the fact that the system allows it to continue. Rebuilding our cantinas is going to be impossible without some aid from the development team. As I see it, until these tools are removed from the game, afk entertainment will flourish as new players take the game and attempt to quickly become what they believe they should be. Moving to Master is a long road, and many don't wish to travel it alone. So they walk away from their keyboards while their dancer or musician continues to perform on auto-pilot.
Developers, what are your intentions? These social professions are not "working as intended." I can assure you that the original vision for the entertainment professions was much greater than what we have today. Please address this as soon as possible. You're losing the faith of the entertainer community all too quickly. And we're losing the faith of our fellow players even faster, as basic stereotypes are perpetuated by the continued use of afk macroing.
zzSeawock
Sat Jul 03, 2004 9:09 am
#4
I went searching for some entertainers on Tat last night to heal my BF. Bumped into some Jedi Padawanswho were off to hunt Krayts and they, without asking, force healed all of my stats.
Suddenly the game seemed very, very different to me ...
AnakinSWG
Sat Jul 03, 2004 9:14 am
#5
DragonFire7 wrote:
this is because u can still unlock between 9-10
Go into the cantinas and /examine your entertainers. A good majority are actually just starting the character, as made obvious by the lack of badges and blank bios. Even these new, starry-eyed players have succumbed to the afk disease. I hope to see the entertainers addressed soon. We have not had our grievances considered since the game was launched. It's time for the developers to enter dialogue with the only social professions available in an MMORPG.
Shyysyyk
Sat Jul 03, 2004 9:17 am
#6
I for one think the xp progression is sooooo slooooow that AFK is the only option right now that makes any sense...I have honestly tried to sit there and tap the flourish keys all night....and it was extreeeeemely boring. Any ideas on how to make this better will help I think to get rid of the AFKers. Any thoughts?
arobus06
Sat Jul 03, 2004 9:17 am
#7
One of the reasons people will still afk long after patch 10 comes and the holocron really ends is because at times that prof is really really boring. Like most other profs you stuck till you have the master tag, and thats when the prof really comes into its own. I 45% afked 55% ATK through ent, musician, and dancer. I just had a good group and we had some nice conversations that kept me there talking, but other times it was flat boring to sit there and watch myself dance with no responce from anybody around me. In the truth of it, the only real people that can enjoyingly play an ent prof at the keyboard is masters, because then they can get highered to go to ceremonies, PVP events, ingame weddings and on and on. Sitting in a cantina and not getting out in the game is flat boring, and not everybody wants to watch that till theymaster. Some afkers may actually want to do the ent profs and keep them like I found a few, but getting to master isnt something that can be rushed through fast and it isnt something that can be fully enjoyed atk the entire time. Just let the afkers do their thing and you do yours, dont force people to conform to your views and dont expect them to always want to step to the side rooms.
AnakinSWG
Sat Jul 03, 2004 9:22 am
#8
I'm not forcing anything, simply asking that they move to the sides of the room. Is that difficult? Not really. Does it affect your character? No.
This is a plea for the developers to work toward a solution. Several recommendations have been made in the Dancer, Musician, and Entertainer forums. Many of these proposals are completely viable, in my opinion, and would greatly reduce things such as spamming starports and cantinas, all while enhancing the community feeling.
Yet...I feel that the developers have not begun to discuss our plight in the grand scheme, but have instead assumed that a small quest would placate the increasingly disgusted crowds of true entertainers.
AnakinSWG
Sat Jul 03, 2004 9:23 am
#9
I've also posted this in the Game Guides forum, using the same title. Please respond there if you care to do so 
AnakinSWG
Sat Jul 03, 2004 9:27 am
#10
Please read the following post. I understand the fact that it is extremely long, but please take the time out of your day at some point to understand just how the entertainer professions have been long affected by unattended buffbots and leveling. Then browse the forums for possible solutions. Look at our first several pages on the Dancer, Musician, and Entertainer forums. Sure, there are certain player-led events and programs that make the profession appear to be more appealing, but it losing its appeal with each passing day.
I urge you all to make a concerted effort to utilize atk Masters, rather than those that are afk. But good luck finding them. As you'll see on the forums, our time is often spent elsewhere, now that the cantinas have been invaded by players who refuse to play, and by players who's proposed 'service' to the community has led to the slow degradation of the first social profession to ever be implemented in an MMO such as this.
I thank you in advance for your time
AnakinSWG
Sat Jul 03, 2004 9:33 am
#11
Also, for those of you who are one-starring my posts, could you please explain why this is such a terrible thing to discuss?
It truly doesn't bother me. I know many non-entertainers disagree with some of our suggestions because it may turn finding a mind buff into a hassle. But I would like to hear your arguments in favor of afk entertainment. You must like afk performers if you feel so strongly about this post. Would you rather nothing be done?
Esharra
Sat Jul 03, 2004 9:34 am
#12
AnakinSWG wrote:
Today I typed /disband.
The demise of the holocron has not brought about the much-anticipated decline in afk entertainment.
Yeah babe..I know. Ending the hologrind wouldn't stop the problem because hologrinding is not the cause of the problem. Check out the date on my post in this thread..
http://forums.station.sony.com/swg/board/message?board.id=dancer&message.id=2184#M2184
but don't necropost it! I know how bad you are about that! (btw..I'veglanced atthe post history of the player who posted above me in that thread..I could be wrong..but it appears that the name is just an odd coincidence and it's not the badge-wearing buffbot).
The cause of the problem is boredom. Even those who want to play a dancer or choose a more social playstyle are often bored with our professions (evidenced by one player who often posts in anti-afk threads but just mastered dance on a new server while frequently afk).
I don't think myself better than others because I don't play afk. I'm just less bored, more easily amused, not in as big a hurry. And I'd hate to come back to the keyboard to find Eshie flourishing out of control against a wall or spamming away with a broken macro.
Ok..thinking about it now..it's not just boredom (not in as big a hurry..that got me thinking). It's this weird rush to be master as if there is some pot of gold at the end of it. The boredom just comes along the way. I guess what we need to look at isn't how to break the boredom of the grind but how to make dancing at any level more rewarding so fewer will feel the need to grind to master as quickly as possible.
You know I've had some great times dancing with you while you've leveled up on Chilastra and running into Zephyl that day was a real treat! But as stated..I'm easily amused. What can we do to make it more fun to grow a dancer?
arobus06
Sat Jul 03, 2004 9:39 am
#13
I never asked to be 5 starred (thank you who ever did it though) nor did I ask for anakinSWG to be 1 starred.
With that out of the way, your profession is a great profession and when I did grind it I did have fun with it and it made the grind some what more enjoyable again. It is just hard for people to sit there for hours on end (took me two days of playing from server reset to server reset to just get one prof done, not counting ent) to get to master and without constant healing or buffs you cant even do that continuously so that gets old too. Its a great social profession if all you want to do is socialize, but that just makes the game more seem like a chat room rather than a game. If you want to get some enjoyment out of it again, let your server know your services are for higher at social gatherings. The cantina should not be your only place to call home. Heck, when I was in line waiting for buffs I just played music, and usually be the time I got to the front I had made enough to pay the doc for the buffs. Just find new venues to play at that nobody would expect. Give the afkers all the healing exp so the can get to master and move on or stay at master. If you areamaster you have no need for healing exp and can go elsewhere to entertain, play near buffs lines to lessen the bore, go to big gatherings on your server and get noticed. If I still had it I would go to fight club (SF has the best pvp tournaments period 
) and play there so people get two forms of entertainment. If you are a mster dont limit yourself to the cantina, show your skills off elsewhere and maybe people will view ents in a new light.
) and play there so people get two forms of entertainment. If you are a mster dont limit yourself to the cantina, show your skills off elsewhere and maybe people will view ents in a new light.
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