Entertainer Archive

I certainly haven't forgotten about player theaters. not at all.

In fact, just the other day I was going to post a thread as a central place for ideas for Entertainer.

My first idea was extensive overhauling of player theaters. Many things of which you've already mentioned.

Control over the seating area, access fees (ticket fee), attendance-driven Entertainer xp granted for performances (based on how many people show up). Lighting is DEFINITELY something that theaters need. I want follow spots (some kind of droid, maybe?), I want cyclorama lights, flood lights, color washes, backlighting. I want scenery - stuff for the back wall (backdrop), stuff that flies in from the "wings", trapdoors, and so forth.

I'd like Master Entertainer to feature a new ability - Playwright. Stage Management/Directing come to mind as additional roles Entertainers could fulfill. Perhaps Dancers would be choreographers, leading a huge dance troupe through their routine automatically (meaning aside from bandflourishes, we're talking making different Dancers say things, change costumes at the same time, and so on. A Master Entertainer could "write a script" and and any Entertainer could fill in the actors' names before showtime. The Stage Manager/Director would then select "perform" from the script, and based on predetermined commands (like programming a patrol point on droids) an NPC actor or even another PC Entertainer would actually automatically perform the script! They'd walk around, do emotes, everything a normal script would allow. The Stage Manager/Director decides on the pacing of the play, while the NPC or PC actors sit back and watch their character perform. Scripts could then also be copied and sold to patrons who wanted a copy (a readable script, featuring actors' names and such, which any Entertainer could then adjust to use new names and allow someone to put on the show themselves, if they wanted to).

It's this sort of stuff that would make player theaters what they should be - places for artistic expression within the game. Right now they're barely functioning curiosities.

I am more than willing to talk to any Dev who wants more detail. I have a Bachelor's in Theatre Design/Production, with a focus on Set Construction and Lighting. Directing was a little passion of mine, which I discovered far too late in my college career Anyways, let's get player theaters to what they should be - incredibly amazing artistic expriences!