Entertainer Archive

Wanting to try out a dancer, today I made one on Bloodfin. When I first started, I couldn't get anyone to group me because the leader was AFK for a while. Then we finally got everyone who was awake and paying attention to regroup, and everything went well until I had to sleep.

Since waking up, with the exception of the few people I befriended earlier, no one has given other entertainers the time of day. The person currently in charge of the ent. group in Coronet told me that she wouldn't let me in, because all of the AFKers were basically guaranteeing her increased xp.

This is supposed to be a social game, its the way it was designed. That's why you buy everything from other players. That's why there's things -like- groups, and why you're encouraged to gather in them. That's why there's PAs and Player Cities. Its all done to encourage a sense of community.

On Chilastra, I play a musician, and I loved every moment of it. For some reason, on Chilastra, people understand better how a game is supposed to be. In other words, you are supposed to play a game, not hit F10 and walk away for three days, then come back and spend all of your "hard-earned" experience.

I was able to master entertainer in three days on Chilastra. And not because I was powergaming and AFK-macroing, I paid attention to the computer, sat right here in my chair, and maintained the customers' interest by actually *gasp* communicating in something other than a small collection of phrases I put into my macro.

No, I mastered entertainer there because the people support one another. Everyone gets better easier and faster when they cooperate.

Now, before I submit this, let me apologize to anyone who isn't like this on Bloodfin. Honestly, I've only danced in Coronet so far, which I know is one of the busier cities, and might be part of the problem... but that's also where I play music on Chilastra, so I was kind of expecting a similar environment. But I figured if I worded the topic in the fashion that I did, maybe I'd get some attention drawn to this problem.

The people with the always-on internet connections, who don't even play the game but just sit there macroing all the time, get to advance. Meanwhile, honest game players like myself, who cannot afford a cable modem or something similar, get screwed.

Like I said... Coronet is good on Chilastra. I just made the mistake of expecting it to be the same. Glad to know its not that bad everywhere. As it is, I've just joined a Player City not far from there. The xp is nearly as slow, since there's only a small handful of entertainers here right now... but with any luck it'll grow better... and we won't have AFKers to worry about.

I'm sorry you experienced that.

I used to be a master dancer on Bloodfin. When I was group leader in Bestine, i'd kick the AFKers and refuse to let them in my group if they got returned. If I was too lazy to determine who was AFK and who wasn't, I'd just boot people as new entertainers came in and wanted to join.

You just have to find the right group of people. Try Moenia, Mos Eisley, or Theed. Coronet is one of the worst places on the server from my experience. I rarely go there. If you come to Bestine, i'm surea BEG member will make a spot for you in the group. Somehow... our members always end up as the leader.

So I hope you won't deem all Bloodfin entertainers as horrible, selfish people. I've experienced the same thing on other servers... it really just depends on your timing. Just try another city. I usually stay away from those weird Corellians anyway.

She didn't invite you not because she cared about her xp, but because kicking one player to get in another just isn't right. You hurt one, to benefit the other. Just create a second group, that's all.

"She didn't invite you not because she cared about her xp, but because kicking one player to get in another just isn't right."

That would be a valid argument *if* everyone in the existing group was actually playing. The poster said there were AFKs in the group. AFK does not equal playing, and IMO, a live person should always be given preference over a bot. It's not like the bot is going to complain or be offended, now is it?

That's exactly my point.

Its not like there was a group of dedicated, at-keyboard, entertainers. It was people who start their macro and leave their house. These people are going to level eventually, without any effort. Now, I have two choices, take their spots in the group and level at a decent rate, or be screwed over by people who'd rather go with their "sure thing" bots.

Well I don't have a clue who you ran into there leading that group but that is not the norm. at all. I have not seen anyone yet not willing to kick an AFK for an ATK entertainer.

"That would be a valid argument *if* everyone in the existing group was actually playing. The poster said there were AFKs in the group. AFK does not equal playing, and IMO, a live person should always be given preference over a bot. It's not like the bot is going to complain or be offended, now is it?"

Just because someone is AFK doesn't mean it's a bot or an AI. Of course the person will be sad to come after an hour or so and see that he's gained like 5k xp instead of 100k. Just an example.

"Just because someone is AFK doesn't mean it's a bot or an AI. Of course the person will be sad to come after an hour or so and see that he's gained like 5k xp instead of 100k."

Two words. Tough **edit**. (yeah, I know one is going to get bleeped, use your imagination) If that person doesn't care about it enough to stay at the keyboard, I'm certainly not crying a river over their exp 'loss'. No one else is either. Not allowing someone to join the group because of a bunch of freaking zombies is just plain rude--if you want to guarantee your spot in the group, stay at keys.

*rubs index finger and thumb together* Look, this is me playing the world's smallest violin for the pooooooor macrobots.

Look, some people go temp-AFK to go run an errand or something. These people are, usually, active entertainers, the good kind, and certainly deserve the xp they recieve. These ones ask to not be booted from the group while they're away, and I've never seen it happen.

The simple fact of the matter is, if you are never ATK, you aren't a true member of the profession. You can't do any of the other professions while never being at your keyboard, so if you're always AFK you don't deserve the xp as much as someone who is a dedicated performer.

I like to go in there and, in addition to just healing a person's mind wounds, battle fatigue, earning xp and talking people out of their money... I also like to conversate, small talk, make the "I'm going to sit here while my character heals" experience as painless as possible. I di my best to entertain... which is the name of the profession, if you check. So, the way I see it, I and those like me deserve the xp more.