Entertainer Archive
Thread: NPC entertainers...
I'll be making a follow up to this post once there are a number of replies, so come take a look later.
If they remove AFK in favor of NPCs, I'm all into it. If they leave AFK, I don't see any benefits from additional NPCs.
I have a bad feeling about this...
- The afk problem will not be solved. People will still afk to grind for xp. The only afk problem that it *will* solve is the lone entertainer at the outpost afk to help heal. As far as I'm concerned, the lone entertainer is not the problem: it's the cantinas full of zombies. If the players are using npc entertainers, they are not watching the afk zombies, therefore the afk zombies will be in the cantinas for a longer period to get entertainment healing experience.
- The npc entertainers will make us (as entertainers, and not elite professions) virtually useless - unless you have buffs, you can't do anything an npc entertainer cannot do. This would prevent people from becoming master entertainer and would instead use their points to try to get the "techniques" line. It would *encourage* afk-grinding because entertainers would feel completely useless until they got the ability to buff. Buffs would be the only source of income (because npc entertainers would not charge, see below) and I'm not sure of the ramifications of this, but it may cause competition, buffing of the unconsenting, and other unpleasantness.
- Npc entertainers do not want tips. Why on earth would someone tip a live entertainer when he/she can go to an npc for free and not have to worry about hurt feelings, macro spam, etc. Supposing that the NPC entertainers charged a set fee, then only the cheapskates would seek out live entertainers whom they could "stiff."
- The respect for our profession will dwindle to zero.
- What would be the "point" in entertaining besides the socialization? We would only be socializing with ourselves, furthermore, because all our patrons would be at the npc entertainers.
- Why would patrons be guaranteed to visit the npc entertainers instead of the live ones? Because the npc entertainers are ALWAYS there, and we are not.
- You have to find a live medic to heal your wounds. Why is an entertainer so different than a medic that people are pushing for npc entertainers when they don't push for npc medics?
- The entire economy is based on interdependence - with nobody dependent on us, what is our role besides making occasional music at a party gathering?
As it stands now people feel that they are entitled to battle fatigue healing whenever they want for free. The afk craze has only reinforced that notion. I've seen people on these boards talk about making it such that entertainers must affirmatively do something in order to heal patrons in order to make our class more respected, and bring to the foreground the fact that just because a service is necessary, it need not be available at the exact second that the person wants it, or free. People need guns to kill stuff, but guns are not free. People need healing of normal wounds, but that's not free either. Usually, you have to wait, or seek out a crafter/medic, in order to get the gun or the healing. For people to be unwilling to expend that same effort for entertainment is unacceptable, and shows a lack of respect for the profession. I'm strongly against NPC entertainers.
I wonder if Tiaga was thinking of the "bandleader" proposals that have been floated by some Musicians. Those proposals envision that we entertainers would be able to have "pets" who perform alongside us, allowing us to create our own "big bands" in far-off locations like Lok or Dathomir just so we'd sound and look better -- not necessarily for increased healing or buffing. I've often found myself playing solo on an empty stage, and while I can heal and buff everyone fine, it would *sound* better with more people. Maybe each pet would be dressed identically to the "live" PC, to make it clear to the audience that these are NOT AFKers, but instead a live, organized band or dance troupe. I don't think that's such a terrible idea. I kind of like it.
FWIW, though, I've passed such ideas on to the devs, and I've never heard boo back.
NewJedi wrote:
I wonder if Tiaga was thinking of the "bandleader" proposals that have been floated by some Musicians. Those proposals envision that we entertainers would be able to have "pets" who perform alongside us, allowing us to create our own "big bands" in far-off locations like Lok or Dathomir just so we'd sound and look better -- not necessarily for increased healing or buffing. I've often found myself playing solo on an empty stage, and while I can heal and buff everyone fine, it would *sound* better with more people. Maybe each pet would be dressed identically to the "live" PC, to make it clear to the audience that these are NOT AFKers, but instead a live, organized band or dance troupe. I don't think that's such a terrible idea. I kind of like it.
FWIW, though, I've passed such ideas on to the devs, and I've never heard boo back.
Ohhhhh, I love that idea! What may be nice is if the "band pets" allow you to heal patrons faster. Same healing xp, just quicker.
My only request for that is pleeeeaase don't make them run off battery power like droids. I get the *low power* message way too often for my crafting droid - which never moves, it just sits there.
i'm not sure if NPC entertainers would help or hurt.
on one hand, with NPC's around, only the truely dedicated live musicians would be able to survive (or wish to) and it would be more of an incentive to create bands. Because decently run bands are the only thing that can compete with solo NPC's.
on the other, as mentioned above, NPC's would be competition for the AFKers and keep them in the proffession longer.
But then, some patrons think musicians are NPC's. ...
>Npc entertainers do not want tips
Who said that ? I think if they'd actually charge something ( 10-50cr per BF ), it would benefit entertainers in a way that people would be aware that BF healing is not for free. It would be an upper limit for tipping, but then it would remind people that a tip would be in order.
Yes, exactly the same thing, except that AFKers are actually people and helping them helps people, even if you don't agree with what they're doing. NPC entertainers wouldn't be helping anyone.
Since you've made the argument about using NPCs several times, you probably didn't get any kind of response because it's been heard before and the issue is (or should be to most people) self-explanatory.
NotYourAvgEwok wrote:
Yes, exactly the same thing, except that AFKers are actually people and helping them helps people, even if you don't agree with what they're doing. NPC entertainers wouldn't be helping anyone.
There are a whole lot of things wrong with this statement, but in the interest of keeping the flames out, I'll just stick with this.
What if entertainers are completely replaced by NPCs? Those people would be doing something else that you could help them with, so there is no loss there.
Interesting how the only people to actually speak up are the ones who like being entertainers. I guess the rest don't care as long as their way of (not) playing isn't threatened.
The point I am making here is that if you support AFK play, then you might as well support healing NPCs. They are effectively the same thing.