Entertainer Archive

With their for MMORPG's unique concept of player "Entertainers" SoE have an opportunity to attract a public who would never even look at the game in the first place. If Entertainers where taken seriously, and got an expansion of their own, I believe the SWG population would really grow.

To have a role, Entertainers need to break free of the Combat professions, and instead start to act as the pillars of the society, having a whole game on their own, strong on their "I have the contacts, I have a social network" ability.

I say SoE needs to look beyond other MMORPG's to find ideas for the Entertainers, and one such game is The Sims: Superstar!

Seriously, Sims 2 sold more copies than WoW in the beginning, there is a great public out there who would love something like this (i would, if it's good).

This is what it could look like if TheSims: Superstar! stuff where put into SWG:

Entertainer gameplay center around a Fame Ranking System that may even be player versus player.

In the beginning an Entertainer have limited access where they may dance/play. A novice entertainer may have to begin their career on a lousy cantina on Endor or in the outskirts of Tattooine. With Rank you grow into an important role in the SWG society, gaining access to more central cantinas, and in the end the great city cantinas such as Theed or Coronet. Theese places always pays more.

With higher rank you also start to earn rewards. Rewards may come as licenses to customizeable and beautiful instruments (a golden slitherhorn?), new and unique dresses with specific bonuses. They can also earn rewards for their homes, such as personal affishes of themselves, holopads, and other prices.
Maybe they they win great awards that will publish their names in certain places of the galaxy.

Entertainers may form bands, which works as guilds but are still kept separate. Bands may be tied together and share their fame, and receive special bonuses when they work together.

High ranked entertainers are allowed to start player events that earn them more rank and fame, becoming something of a community manager.

Another kind of rewards are followers. An Entertainer can recruit different kinds of followers who can execute specific tasks. Followers like Bodyguards, groupies, photographers (can take out-of-character screenshots).

Entertainer terminals placed in cities may be used to check up cantinas across the galaxy... both to find empty cantinas that needs a working entertainer, or why not your very own idol (if you are not an entertainer yourself).

Entertainers can also act as a spokesperson for artisan products, making advertisements that can play in starports in the grand cities. Badly sold products may ofcourse end up as bad publicity... which is not a good thing.

With high fame comes dangers. Flawed gigs may lead to bad publicity... bad publicity may lead to a loss of income, or maybe a worker drops you and start to work elsewhere. Maybe you attracts fans of the kind you do not want, that may even be dangerous to you unless your bodyguards are around.