Entertainer Archive
Thread: A Command Addition Suggestion Comments Welcomed!
Background:
I'm not a Master Entertainer. I probably never will be, because I preferan amountof gaming the system in most of my video games.However, the two characters I do play have both had some levels in the Entertainer class. (One will be keeping Musicianship I-IV, but no healing boxes due to skillpoint crunch.) I do not AFK macro my music, and I find the concept repugnant. (I do run a macro, but I am not AFK while I do so. I do this to free my hands for talking to other players, which is hard while trying to keep up with the music.)
Purpose of this thread:
I'd like to recommend a command be added to the game. I'd like you all to comment on it. I will provide a rationale for the command, and an explanation of how it would function. I believe it would be useful for all entertainers. I welcome comments and suggestions on how the command, if implemented, could be made to function in a more satisfying/worthwhile fashion that would be useful to all entertainers.
Command Syntax:
/tiptroupe (number of credits) {bank}
This command is executed while the player has a PC target. {bank} is an optional parameter which would allow a player to transfer a tip to the target's group, subject to the standard 5% surcharge as always.
Function:
This command would be used to tip an entire dance troupe or musician band with a single command, with the tip being divided evenly among all band members.
All players with an (AFK) tag would receive no tip. Players in atroupe not currently playing music or dancing would receive no tip. The extra portion in these cases would be redistributed to the eligible players currently engaged in entertaining. If no characters in a group are eligible, then the money is not transferred. (Or perhaps is lost entirely? Which works better by you guys?)
Theremainder portion is distributed to the bandleader, ifthe tipped amountis not equally divisible. (This portion is no more than the number of eligible members of the band minus one, so with ten band members, the maximum 'remainder' going to the bandleader is only 9 credits per tip and hardly alordly sum.)
Rationale:
The function of the /tiptroupe command is to further encourage musicians to form groups, and reduce the competition for tips amongst a group. Currently, when a large band forms, thereare oftenas many as six or seven people playing and dancing. However, if tips are paid at all, they are likely being paid to one or two members of the band, while the remainder go without. This command seeks to alter this by seeking payouts for all entertainers who are actively pursuing their career in a group.
This command would not interfere with targeted tips for good service in entertaining. If an entertainer is receiving a tip for going above and beyond in entertaining their clientele, they could still do so via the /tip command. However, the "average" payout for a typical tipper just coming in for a quick BF recharge could be split amongst the troupe, rather than funneled into the account of an AFK macro entertainer.
This also better simulates the "gig" fee a troupe would typically be paid by the cantina's manager for putting on a show, and does not penalize characters whose avatars are less visible. (As an example, my Rodian character is very short, and thus very easily overlooked in a crowded cantina when playing with three wookies and a host of Twi'lek dancers. Who said size didn't matter? Ha!)
It should be noted that this command could possibly discourage AFK macroing in a very straightforward fashion, by removing some of the monetary benefit these characters currently enjoy through excluding them from the group's gig fees.
Your thoughts?
One thing I realized recently is they do already have a concept of "group credits". I think this was added recently. Typing:
/group split 100
used to cause an error similar to "Split command failed." Now, however, it says something like "No credits in group fund to split."At that point I usedthe "/group menu" command saw a line for "group credits".
I suspect this was added in anticipation of adding a group tip command, or at least allowing it to be handled. I think right now, however, the only way to get credits into the group fund is via looting.
But here's to hope. *clinks glass* 
/group split is already in the game but it is broken, last I heard.
Sinda wrote:
/tiptroupe sounds good at first blush, but quite honestly I don't have any desire to share tips with AFKers in my group. {...}
Please read what I wrote again. You have misunderstood it or misread it. Players who are AFK or not performing would receive NO TIP if the /tiptroupe command is used. None. No AFK player would get tipped, and neither would folks taking a break without leaving the group.
If group split is in the game, are we sure that it's not meant for groups to have a master looter and group split ala EQ? How do we know it's a tipping command used by people outside the group being tipped, if it's not working?
See, that's what I don't know, and what none of us know.
Group fund could well be a global pool of credits looted from creatures, since pooling and then splitting would create less of a residual credits problem than autosplit does.
Thisseems confusing, at first, but looting thirty creatures and then splitting has less "remainder" left after the division than looting thirty creatures and splitting each time. If you don't believe this, then try it out. I'm not sure this is a tip command at all.
Devs? Can we get a clarification as to the intent of this command's functionality?
tethorn wrote:
i think a good thing was mentioned a gig fee from the cantina owner... where is it and why is it no in the game? I think that say over a 30 min timer (if present and not afk) there should be a payment from the cantina... not a big one but say 30cr much like running a jabba mission. I dont know many bands that play in bars for free... and tips are nice but if in a group often missed by many, especially new entertainers.
The problem with an automatically paid 'gig fee' is in the form of AFK Entertainers.
Now, I know lots of you don't do this. I don't do it either. But there are people who do, so an automatically paid fee, based on the time you're performing in a cantina or hotel will not work. Allowing people to tip to the group fund, and have the group fund split amongst the group is a much better way of doing things.