Dancer Archive

I'm trying not to let this bother me, but I guess it did. Ok - it hurt a little.

I don't just hang out in cantinas anymore - not since reaching Master and branching over into brawling and TK. I've been running missions for cash and xp, trying to afford a large house and build my character into a Teras Kasi artist. When I dance, it's by special engagement and almost always in private establishments.

So I'm standing outside the cantina in Doaba Guerfel, browsing the mission terminals. Another dancer leaves the cantina and is accosted by two passing fighters. They ask her if she'll dance for them as they are wounded. She apologizes but refuses as she's leaving.

So, good old soft-hearted Sinda ... I'm busy too. At that point I was only a few thousand xp from reaching TK Novice. But instead of taking the missions I was looking at, I sent them a tell and said I'd be happy to dance for them.

So I did. I changed costumes and danced for the only 2 customers in the bar for a few minutes. We discussed the area, other planets, bugs ... I thought we had a nice conversation. But after several long minutes (at least one rest for me), one of them stands up and says, "I"m fine now. Thanks," then runs out of the bar with his friend following him.

I have NEVER ... let me repeat: NEVER insisted or pushed for tips. I've been stiffed before by thoughtless or impoverished players and never let it bother me. But this is the first time I've gone out of my way to use my dancing to help another player, and all I got was "thanks"?!

(sigh of relief) D'ago, wherever you are, you may be a really nice guy. I don't know. You didn't show that side of yourself to me. Sometimes all we want is a sign of appreciation, and "thanks" isn't it.

oh ugh I had something like that happen to me the other day.

I perform in a small cantina and many customers know me by name. So I am out in the field, doing missions and working on scouting skills when I get a tell from someone asking me to come to the cantina and heal him. "I'm real beat up, I've got 300 battle fatigue.." blah blah blah.. And, me being flattered that he remembered me, I go to the cantina. A couple of other people had started performing by the time I get there, but no biggie I group up and we all entertain away. The guy stays until he's healed and leaves. Doesn't tip anyone. I dont think he even said thanks. I hope he doesn't come back personally

This was my whole point in another thread on another forum.

Tipping shouldnt be asked for, but it is inferred especially if you are asked to go out of your way for someone, and as i said there i don't always expect a tip in the form of credits, perhaps some hides or bone so i can cover the cost of the stims i make for myself, maybe that old jacket you just looted from a swooper that your gonna just store or throw away. ANYTHING at all will do, but don't ask us to go out of our way for nothing.

Being in the cantina when they come in is one thing, calling someone half way across a planet to dance for you so you can go hunt without so much as 2 credits and a smile and your just being plain rude.

Syl

Yep Sinda the same thing happened to me. But this time I was messaged through the seek procedure andI washeading outwith a close friendon a huntingmission. ButIfelt some compassionfor this poor guy so excusedmyself frommy partner and ran back to help thisguy. Our session was very pleasant and in no timehe was healed and ready to go.But thenhetook off with only a quick thanks.

Now I feel a responsibility to school poor tippers but in a gentle way. So I messaged him about the proper etiquette fordealing with our profession. No response. So I suggested that he could tip me later ifand when he got somemoney. No response.Now that got me mad. But no matter what I said thereafter I got no response. So I let it go.

It could be that some of these guys are so new and disorientated that they have to idea what they are doing. I really haven't had good experiences with beggers. Perhaps they may be too spoiled in RL. But I do understand what you are saying. Hang in there girl.

This is just an Idea...but maybe alot of players dont really understand how Dancers or Musicians do not earn credits other than from tips. I know alot of Dancers constantly spam for tips and that gets annoying too.

How about this ..?.....When a patron enters a cantina a short auromated message Highlighted in a bright color would appear on there screen letting the patron know how we heal there Battle damage , and how

it is customary to tip if you feel the entertainers have healed you.

I have thought about this many times as It so hard to make tips and I dont feel comfortable asking for them either. Just my 2 credits worth

I'll tell you when I will tip! When I don't see more than 50% of all dancers be Twi'leks with big boobs! I hate Twi'leks!!!! Get some funky wookie moves up in dat cantizzle!!!! They are always in the buff too!!!! Stupid Twi'leks! Grrrrr *shows teeth* grrrrrrrrrr

Mashmore.. there are multiple reasons you see so many twi'lek entertainers. First, there are built in game bonuses for it - twi's , from an RP perspective, are known for their grace and litheness, and the fact that they're common as performers. Second, again from an RP, or game type perspective, consider some of the more famous entertainers from the movies - most are Twi's.

All that being said, there are a lot of male dancers, wookiee dancers, and others in most cantinas - if that's your preference, you just have to look for them

Basing your tips on race, however, is not particularly in the spirit of why tips are appreciated anyway. We appreciate tips because we are providing a service - healing you. That service is the same whether done by a large breasted twilek or a no breasted mon cal, so that's something to keep in mind.

'dara

oh, and side note? the breast choices happen to be very badly done, for most character types. You're either way too big or way too small, so that's something to consider as well. I had my character's reduced in game, to hopefully allow for wearing the exotic leotard without the bugs. Problem was that it made all the other clothes look worse, so I had them put back. If I could have split the difference between the two that I tried, I would have happily, but that's not an available option.

Now you know why I left Doaba Guerfel *smirk*.

I don't think its really that different anywhere else now though. Last night I danced for several hours in Moenia where I've spent the past week. I left the cantina with 400 credits in my pocket. There were plenty of patrons and I made a lot of xp butI think my chatting and light flirting just can't compete with the overt sexual conversations of the lapdancers.

Maybe its time to turn my medium house into a cantina..but would that be any different?

Sinda, congrats on making TK. It so rocks! Not to mention that the pay is great

The constant tipping convo. Got to love it. I usually have a greeting that asks people to not forget to tip, but I've stopped using it. Have been pondering changing it, along the lines of "Welcome to the cantina. If you enjoy the show, please show your appreciation by giving your entertainers heals, tips, or a few kind words."

The lowest tip I've ever gotten was 10 credits. I wasn't sure what to make of it, was sort-of insulted, but it's better than no tip at all, so I thanked the guy. For all I know, it's all he could afford. So, I wasn't too miffed after.

I've recently gone back to the Espa cantina. I spent a bit in the one in Moenia. I was there quite a while and didn't receive a single tip, and the place was full. Granted, we had a large group going, but I actually didn't see the usual "Thanks for the tip" stuff from anyone there. So I went back where I at least get a couple tips. It seems "less populated" areas tip more, to me.

I've been thinking of going to Lok or some sort, but the tickets are expensive aren't they? To go to Yavin4, I need to go to Corellia, and then the ticket from there is over 3k, and that place is usually abandoned, so I don't think 6k roundtrip would be worth the effort. Any ideas?

Sinda,

I have the same thing happen to me more and more frequently now (twice on Sunday alone). I find that I can live with most Cantina patronsnot tipping at all or tipping in amounts that would not even pay for a shuttle ticket . I do not believe in asking for tips, and I prefer to dance where other entertainers are not asking either. But for someone to ask you to interrupt whatever you are doing to dance to restore his or her health and then sail out without tipping (or almost as bad to tip an amount like 10 credits) just gets under my skin. If someone asks you to go out of your way to come heal him or her they ought to tell you that they have no intention of tipping.

I think it is kind of a pity. I think the idea of making players dependent on entertainment to restore themselves completely was an inspired idea. I think it helps to foster a role-playing environment where social players can get together. It also makes cantinas a natural gathering place for players looking to buy and sell services. I think the concept was to give entertainers a real role in the game that I have not really seen before. Unfortunately, that environment requires player effort to make it work. I think the Cantinas have lots of people trying to make it work, but this example and other problems are just making it hard to stick with the dancing profession, especiallyonce you have mastered it. It is not a wonderful state of affairs when running deliver missions usually pays better than dancing for the same period of time. I remember in the first week or two of the game, people thought that tipping would get better as the game progressed. It seems to me that that is not happening and that instead tipping is becoming worse and instances of things like you are describing are more frequent.

I do not know what the solutions are.But, an honors system is not working or at least is not working everywhere. I really hate the idea of making it incumbent on dancers totry to force people pay for the service. I think tippingin medical centers and cantinashas to benefit players in some otherway or they just are not going todo it. So for example if f tippingsome cumulative amount increased player factionrating that might help. I seem to remember fromsociology that there was some tribalgroup whose leader proved their status by giving gifts and that the more they gave the higher their status was.If playershad to spend a certain amount in tipsas maintenance for their faction rating that mightalso work, but I thinkthat reqards work better thanpenalties.

I think the same thingcould also work in reverse. Right now ignoringdisruptive patronsdoes not do much other than make you not have to hear them. I think I would like to see a system where every person in your faction (or who is neutral) who is ignoring you detracts from your faction as long as theykeep you that way. People who want to act like sociopaths should have to do it at some cost.

Just some idle thoughts on a slow work day

Sorry to derail your thread a bit Sinda,you have my sympathies-I cannot stand it when people go out of their way to ask me to drop what I am doing to heal them, and they just walk out like that. Thankfully it hasn't happened to me in a while (I'm now usually out in the middle of nowhere hiding from people who want tailoring done! lol)

ChoKang (I know I spelled that wrong, please forgive me), I tried going to Lok thinking I'd get some good heal exp and that maybe people would be happy to see a dancer there. I had been trying to be thoughtful in providing what I thought would be a needed service-making the cost of my shuttle ticket back would be icing on the cake, I was mostly looking to get away from the factory run of hot pink flesh wraps sold with 'AFK flag included at no extra charge!' *smirk* So I went to Lok, and the cantina was empty. I danced for a while. One person came it, wasn't too hurt, left without really saying anything.

Then a small crowd of people came in. Some were pretty hurt, so I thought, 'great, they'll at least be happy to be out of here quickly'. Two of the people sat down and obviously watched me. The other people appeared to be grouped, and two of them with brawler tags showing started dancing...basic. The two people who watched me were out of there before I ran out of action (while doing effects too). I finally had to sit down to recover action, all the while watching a guy with a high-doctor title pumping healing into the two brawlers. I'm not exactly the poster child for 'Tact' so I didn't say anything, but I kept thinking that maybe the gene pool needed a strong hit of chlorine. To be fair, they may have had some good reason for spending over 3x the amount of time healing their mind and BF, but I certainly felt like my trip was a waste of time so...let the Lokians watch the brawlers, I say. They had a choice at some point, and they chose...poorly.

Talk about feeling unappreciated! Again Sinda, sorry to derail your thread but thanks for giving me a place to dump my rant. I feel a bit better now lol.

I think someone should contact the players parents. What gaul to actually teach their childred to say Thank You. What were they thinking, as if saying thank you is any way to show appreciation.

If you need money, negotiate before the dance. If you enjoy dancing then tips will follow.

---

Leana_Txorana wrote:

I think someone should contact the players parents. What gaul to actually teach their childred to say Thank You. What were they thinking, as if saying thank you is any way to show appreciation.

If you need money, negotiate before the dance. If you enjoy dancing then tips will follow.

---

Leana, you're focussing on the wrong thing here.

When someone helps you in the normal course of their day, you expect to get off with no more than a polite thankyou.

If you ask someone to stop what they're doing and go out of their way to help you, then you usually show a bit more gratitude than normal. When Icall a serviceman in on saturday night because my furnace is broken and he comes, is competent, and finishes quickly, you can bet I give him an extra $20 for great service. That $20 probably doesn't make a huge dent in his income in the long run but it goes a long ways towards making him feel that his extra effort is appreciated.

Sinda didn't need the 100cr or so that she likely would have received as a tip. What she would have liked, though, was some "ego-boo" that said "Hey, I really appreciate that you went the extra mile for me, a stranger with no claim on your time."

I don't think she deserved getting a sarcastic reply because of it.