Dancer Archive
Thread: Two Way Transcation for Heals = $$$ and no AFKers
I'd like to pull a previous concept one step further, as it was really well evolved on the Doctor boards. I'm curious what you think of this version:
CONCEPT:
Patient/Customer requests the heal from a targeted doctor/entertainer, gets a message stating the cost based on wounds/BF etc with the possibility to select ALL or just a couple of priority wounds, and agrees. Payment can be based on something like 1 credit per point of wound, even have min and max possible ie: 300 credit minimum to 1000 credit max. Perhaps this could even be a sliding cost up to 3 credits per wound with 500 minimum to 2000 max for higher skilled players (Master Doctor/Master Dancer). Again just concept here, needs to be tested and worked out.
The doctor/entertainer gets a window up that shows this request, then selects / DENY / ALL / or just the specific wounds they have medicine for (in case they are low or out of one). This thenUNLOCKS those wounds to be healed through the same process as today.
The "work around" for being able to heal friends, PA members, etc is to become GROUPED. This can be like a universal unlock to the two way transaction and allow us to heal our group without this mechanism, especially for new players we are mentoring or during hectic hunts. This fixes the lack of tipping issue and provides appropriate income based on the level of service provided. It also addresses an AFK entertainer issue that keeps popping up in so many threads.
More evolved concept here that should work for everyone. If you don't wish to charge for your services, you can group and give them away! If you need an income from your hard work in your profession and you yourself respect the value that you provide, you have the default mechanism in place. What do you think?
I understand where you are coming from and it's a nice idea in theory... but I would feel too much like a vendor that way. Hehe. ::shrugs:: That might just be me, though.
Actually I see your points to but I feel the same way. A tip is a "reward" for good service provided, NOT an expected payment. Of course there are people who don't tip, as I've stated before I think this stems from the AFK bot problem and that some people don't feel they need to (at least in the entertainer case).
I really like the idea of a disconnect after 15 minutes of no mouse movement, would solve the problem immediately and quite possibly bring back some life into the entertainer profession.
Make the entertainer missions more viable/profitable for us, fix the afk problem and improve our dances but don't make me a "vendor". I'm an entertainer, I dance because I love to not because I think I'll get rich on tips. I have made lots of friends and that is better than any tip I've received.
Calyndra wrote:
Actually I see your points to but I feel the same way. A tip is a "reward" for good service provided, NOT an expected payment. Of course there are people who don't tip, as I've stated before I think this stems from the AFK bot problem and that some people don't feel they need to (at least in the entertainer case).
What Calyndra said. Plus, I personally don't relish the idea of playing "click away" on pop-up boxes when I'm trying to interact with customers. I get enough of that just surfing the net.
I really like the idea of a disconnect after 15 minutes of no mouse movement, would solve the problem immediately and quite possibly bring back some life into the entertainer profession.
That, or just dropping XP to zero if a character is detected as AFK for 10-15 minutes. Personally, I like eliminating XP better but I can be rather vengeful sometimes
The key difference between Doctors and Entertainers though, is that Doctors and Medics can already choose who to treat, as it's an action initiated by them to a target. Entertainers don't have this 'advantage'
So this is really somethingthat Doctors dont really need, as they can request payment before giving treatment anyway if they so wished, but I can't envisage how you could put your suggestion in game.
It also sounds too much like putting Doctors & Entertainers in such a commanding position where they could hold those in need of healing to ransom, which I think is open to abuse. Ifind the verynotion of using /denyService to everyone in the room until they started tipping abhorent as it is, not that I've ever seen it in use, thankfully.
And how do you propose this works with groups? Most entertainers learning stick to groups as it gives better xp, and I think when learning their trade the Ents in training would rather have more xp gain than cash gain.
Maybe I've just spent too long in Anchorhead, where 90% of the players are of the view that being healed is their God-given right, and not something they may have to financially reward people for. So I've grown used to the lack of money - and it makes those that do tip more memorable to me.
"That, or just dropping XP to zero if a character is detected as AFK for 10-15 minutes."
On Sinda's note there....
Is AFK detection in the SWG code really that good? I get the feeling that it's pretty easy to spoof, seeing as I see plenty of Entertainers performing with no AFK over their head but it's obvious that they are not at their keyboards.
I made the same suggestion in beta. The other entertainers who post to the forums hate the idea of having to DO something in order for the heal to work. They just want it to be passive and they want all entertainers to be beggars.
Its why I am concentrating my efforts onaskinf for enhancements to ourentertainer missions... The only method we currently have to make credits aside from few and far between tips.
I seem to be in the minority, but I have to confess I abhor the way 'tipping' works at the moment. I've always done very well indeed for tips...I'm a natural chatterbox and my char is quite attractive and well presented. But I hate it.
I hate having to deal with the unpleasant few who think their tip buys a lot more than a heal. I hate having to reassure the genuinely poor that they shouldn't be embarrassed and that their 50 credit tip is fine. I hate it when players make it plain that they're tipping me because they feel sorry for me because I'm just a dancer (actually I'm pretty well off and have all I need...no reason to pity me). I have it when friends come in and have to wrestle with the dilemma of whether to tip me or not.
The idea of being able to charge a certain amount for healing is an interesting one. Unfortunately I think I'd have a lot of trouble implementing it. Most of my regulars would be offended if I charged going rate. I'm a sucker for a sob story...and gullible too ;P...it wouldn't be hard to get free heals from me if you'd lost your favourite gnort teddy. If this was introduced I think it would have to be implemented with a in-game fixed price that I couldn't alter even if I wanted to.
Personally I'd rather be paid a nice wage for dancing in the cantinas, or a decent payout from decent dancer missions than have to mess about with the buying and selling of my services. [Mostly because when I'm in the cantina I want to dance and gossip 
].
YandTracer wrote:
The key difference between Doctors and Entertainers though, is that Doctors and Medics can already choose who to treat, as it's an action initiated by them to a target. Entertainers don't have this 'advantage'
So this is really somethingthat Doctors dont really need, as they can request payment before giving treatment anyway if they so wished, but I can't envisage how you could put your suggestion in game.
We (the Dancer Forum, through our correspondent) have already submitted ideas to the Devs for giving us targeted mind buffs. We already buff mind pools passively for those who /watch us. The current patch on Test will double (at least) that buff. We want more, though, because that isn't the solution - we want to be able to target those players WE select and /buffmind, thereby giving us a very desirable, tangible product we can offer players. Tip problem solved. AFK problem solved (to a degree). Respect problem solved.
Healing isn't the main issue we should be worried about, I think. My Master can heal huge amounts of mind damage and BF in under 2 minutes, easily. I have no problem providing that gratis to people who frequent my venues. I want more than that, though, because I want them to come to me needing a mind buff that will help them survive PvP. Hopefully, the Devs are working on that.
Ok read the posts some good ideas, but one thing that we need to remember is what about the person who is on at say .... 3am or so, gets backside handed to em, needs to heal mind (along with other things) goes to Cantena and no ones there dancing because they were all booted because they haven't moved? And for the idea of it being a two way street, then the person couldn't heal because the person is afk (sleeping most likely).... so you're punishing the player not the dancer. There is nothing wrong with Overnight (Graveyard) Dancers they fill a need that otherwise would Not be meet, weither it be a macro or just basic 2 and the occasional heal from someone. Macros and afkers During the DAY is another issue completly, and some of the ideas presented here would work to curb them. However you can get around the boot by moving the mouse every so often, would only need to get booted once really to have an idea of what the time limit is.
Personally I wont watch Afker's unless I have to, would rather watch basic 2 then someone doing exotic 4 and being afk ...
Although this idea is a bit out on a limb, perhaps it deserves another look.
It would be a means for entertainers to make money, and give people who need healing at strange and desolate times of day access to the service they need. Plus you might have to buy a droid to record your messages and/or play them back, which gives dorid engineers another purpose in the game.
Of course, the recordings would have to be watched in the cantina/tavern nearest to the vendor where you bought them, to stop people buying 'tapes' then taking them to Dathomir or wherever. Perhaps it could also be arranged that you cna only sell tapes at the place where you record it...meaning that if you wanted to sell them on Dathomir, you'd have to dance there. [Let's assume for the sake or argument that you can't make a recording while you're AFK].
All sorts of other issues that would need to be worked out, such as ensuring that it's always better to watch a live performer than use a tape, and figuring out how much healing you'd get from them and whether the recording artists level makes any difference etc etc, quite apart from the problem of whether you add in animation or just let the consumer 'pretend' they're watching it...but in principle, the idea has a lot of merit imo.
YandTracer wrote:
The key difference between Doctors and Entertainers though, is that Doctors and Medics can already choose who to treat, as it's an action initiated by them to a target. Entertainers don't have this 'advantage'
Don't you think Entertainers should have the same "advantage" available to them, instead of "heal the world by default"?
YandTracer wrote:
It also sounds too much like putting Doctors & Entertainers in such a commanding position where they could hold those in need of healing to ransom, which I think is open to abuse. Ifind the verynotion of using /denyService to everyone in the room until they started tipping abhorent as it is, not that I've ever seen it in use, thankfully.
I disagree that anyone would be capable of "ransom" for this service. Just like any other economy, the elasticity between supply and demand will settle on a range that is commonly used and expected.
You won't see "/denyservice to everyone in the room" because it is:
a) nearly impossible to accomplish given the population and rolling traffic
b) instantly received by the targeted player as a "negative" reaction to his/her presence
c) not in the performer's best interest due to a) and b).
YandTracer wrote:
And how do you propose this works with groups? Most entertainers learning stick to groups as it gives better xp, and I think when learning their trade the Ents in training would rather have more xp gain than cash gain.
Well, I all ready proposed how it would work in groups. Please go back and read the details in my post on groups. I really took a lot of time to work that part out.
YandTracer wrote:
Maybe I've just spent too long in Anchorhead, where 90% of the players are of the view that being healed is their God-given right, and not something they may have to financially reward people for. So I've grown used to the lack of money - and it makes those that do tip more memorable to me.
So we should do what then, continue forward status quo and let the world continue to feel that FREE healing is indeed their God-given (or for now SOE-given) right? Why not fix it globally? People will adapt and accept the changes. Don't think for a second here folks that other professions are going to depart SWG because the playing field on professional income was just leveled. These other players are more focused on their own skills, missions, and what not to worry about a global change to requiring an income to become healed by Entertainers. Some free-loaders may complain for a week or so, but they will complain as they PAY. I say that because they WILL pay, and then go about their business. The Roleplayers will continue to roleplay and be our strongest customers still, andwill continue toprovide tips.
There should be NO shame in getting paid for your efforts. It is a significant flaw in the SWG design that this profession has been left to the mercy of other professions to earn a living.