Musician Archive
Thread: October 26 draft report on our top issues: please comment
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NewJedi
Tue Oct 26, 2004 3:41 pm
#1
Dear fellow Musicians,
As you know, the developers have asked us Correspondents to report our Top Issues every three months. Thus it's time for my quarterly report. Accordingly, I've tallied the votes of the poll I began in August 2004 in this thread: Top issues thread
My methodology is the same one I've used in the past. I weight each "vote" according to how high you prioritized it on your list, and I then develop a list of which issues were raised most often and at the highest average level of priority. This process that taxes my knowledge of public-choice theory! This time there were two major methodological problems. The first is that a quarterly poll means the voting booth was open a long time, which might not be the best snapshot of opinion; indeed, a couple players changed votes as things changed over the past three months. I still think I'll run a November-thru-December poll, but I'll make it more clear that one can edit one's vote as the quarter progresses.
The second methodological problem is overlapping issues. Should I treat "Improved buff interface" as a separate issue from "Stronger buff power"? What about the fact that many people mentioned those issues in the same breath? Since the devs pay most attention to the top five, that's like robbing ourselves of a crucial top five slot. On the other hand, they are distinct questions, and now that the devs also see our more cursory next-15-issues, maybe we should list them as separate issues. Other examples of overlap include "content" and "new songs" and "new sounds"; and "content" and "better missions". As always, I've done my best to reconcile all this, but I welcome your comments below; I don't feel strongly one way or another about how to report these results.
Anyway, the next post contains my actual draft rankings.
Cudayn
Tue Oct 26, 2004 3:56 pm
#2
This post intentionally left blank
Message Edited by Cudayn on 10-26-2004 07:04 PM
NewJedi
Tue Oct 26, 2004 4:07 pm
#3
1. Stop unattended gameplay and buffbots! For the first time in the history of SWG, this issue is now the Number One Issue for Musicians. In all previous polls, "new songs" topped the charts. Musicians still want new songs, but above all they are chagrined by the continued prevalence of buffbots and AFK'ers, who convey to the playerbase the impression that entertainers are nothing more than NPCs.
2. Improve the buff interface and increase the power of our buff. Musicians cannot tell whether their buffs have been properly applied. We get no message like those Doctors get ("you have enhanced x's Stamina by y"); nor can we tell by examining the recipient's HAM bar, since we buff only secondaries. In addition, Musicians remain unhappy that our buffs are shorter and less powerful than Doctor buffs, and that we have no self-buff.
3. New songs, instruments, and sounds! Musicians aredelighted to have Western, but we want more! The devs have promised us new songs and instruments "over the life of the game." Could we have an estimate of how many new songs are coming, and when?
4. Better gig missions, and better content generally. Musicians almost unanimously disparage Entertainer Terminal missions as dull and low-paying. A lot of Musicians do enjoy the new quests for Western, but at the same time wonder why there isn't more content like this -- multi-step, immersive quests taking us to different locations, putting us in different roles, giving us more of a "game" to play.
5. Fix /register. The demise of AFK'ers will bring an increased demand for our services, but customers complain that we are hard to find. /register, if it worked, would go a long way to making us more accessible. But it doesn't work! Ideally, moreover, we could be searchable wherever we are, even if we're not /registered at a cantina.
[Note: TH has asked for our top 6-thru-20 issues to be listed with no commentary, so I'll just list them.]
6.Fix the bug (feature?) that requires us to keepthe nalargon and ommni box targeted constantly.
7. Please prevent non-Musicians from moving the nalargon and ommni box.
8. Please give Entertainers more paths to Jedi, including quests at the Village.
9. Player cantinas need better decor and features to draw players to them.
10. Musicians feel like the devs never communicate with us.
11. We don't have a sense of the devs' image or vision of our profession.
12. We'd like more of a role in the GCW.
13. Fix bugs with /startband and /changeband.
14. Fix player theaters so that nalargons/ommnisand healing/buffing work on stage.
15. Many Musicians would like to be able to heal or buff in a greater variety of places.
16. Make instrument quality (and crafting experimentation) matter.
17.Better clothes for Musicians.
18. CSRs need to be more responsive to concerns about abusive chat.
19. Some Musicians request that /report work in chat rooms and non-spatial chat.
20. Flourishes don't always flow together well.
There you have it. As you can see, I opted to meld a couple of issues so that we'd get the most bang for our top-five buck. If you'd prefer that I separate out one or more, please post here, but keep in mind that that will require bumping some issues into the "second tier" of 6-20, which get less attention (in theory). Thanks.
NewJedi
Tue Oct 26, 2004 4:10 pm
#4
This space intentionally left blank, hehe.
Message Edited by NewJedi on 10-27-2004 01:40 PM
Cudayn
Tue Oct 26, 2004 5:37 pm
#5
Well done list NJ,every one of my concerns is in the top 5, so I am happy that we are all pretty much in sync.
I personally like that we have, for example, number 2 as a dual issue so far as they are so very related and they should be able to fix both issues while addressing buff concerns in general.
I wish that we could break credit concerns into its own nitch, because a lack of funds on my part is one of my main issues. I would be happy with the entertainer missions the way they are, if they would just increase the payout 10 fold or more.
I am currently doing the new quest ( yes I know, kind of late, but I haven't had as much time lately ) and so far I am really liking it. In the future however, couldn't the Dev team actually include you and the other entertainer corrs in planning and implementing content like this? My only beef with the quest is how we have to go out and beg people to listen to us if we want to do the quest in a speedy manner. I really like the stage performance, just wish we didn't have to keep getting an increasing number of people to watch us to go on to the next step.
I am impressed with our list and I can see nothing all that is not obtainable. However I can see the Devs looking at it and fixing somethings a lot quicker than others. So my prediction on what gets fixed first ( Yes I am optimistic )........
(5) This one should be the easiest to fix and they will probably do it first.
(2) This one should also be fairly easy since they have code for the doctors buffs that they should be able to mimic.
(4) This one, to me, should be another one that should not involve a huge amount of work. They can use the model that CHs use for their mounts to determine mission difficulty and apply that to entertainers.
(3) Yes I actually think that we have a likelyhood of getting another song and dance from the Devs fairly soon, especially since they have already? been working on the Hutt Casino.
(1) I am sure that AFK play will be eliminated at some point in the not to distant future, but I am not going to hold my breath. I can see this being tinkered with in the combat revamp to some degree, but I am not so sure that this is an issue that can be solved with a single publish.
Again NJ, Great job and thanks for all the work you do for us! 
Durney
Master Entertainer / Master Musician / Master Image Designer
Warplex
Tue Oct 26, 2004 5:49 pm
#6
NJ, its good on all acounts, but this should really be #1, above the buffbots (i agree with the list, but #10/11 need to be combined).
#1) There is a noticable amount of Developer-apathay to Musicians, and entertainers in general. Since the buffs were added, we have been given1 realcontent update. Because the developers don't pay much attention to us, small problems that could have been eliminated have become much worse (such as lack of content, the buffbot problem). I theorize that, if the developers drastically increase communication with us, and with entertainers in general, musician morale would be much higher.
DarkY0da
Tue Oct 26, 2004 6:05 pm
#7
#2 I think the no self buff bit should be a bit stronger in wording. As for the length and strength of our buffs being like docs... isn't that sort of what has been causing such problems with the game turning into solo groups and the like with 90% Comp... /shrug but the no self buff sounded a bit just tacked on at the end and not that important.
#4 I seriously hate the 24 hour fail wait on the quests. As well as the 400k xp cost(mainly as it seems tossed in just to spite us and they took NO notice at all of our problems with it.). If they want to drag the quests out they should have after each pass a 24 wait to try the next step. If you fail you should be able to just try again or go to another manager and try.
But other wise I guess if that's what it all shook out as rated then I say "kick the tires and light the fires".
Fragpuppie
Tue Oct 26, 2004 7:33 pm
#8
NewJedi wrote:
1. Stop unattended gameplay and buffbots!
2. Improve the buff interface and increase the power of our buff. Musicians cannot tell whether their buffs have been properly applied. We get no message like those Doctors get ("you have enhanced x's Stamina by y"); nor can we tell by examining the recipient's HAM bar, since we buff only secondaries. In addition, Musicians remain unhappy that our buffs are shorter and less powerful than Doctor buffs, and that we have no self-buff.
In reverse order on this one....Self buff was previously addressed, and I don't think its an issue of "make it stronger longer", but of "rebalance and comparable". If Doc buffs were reduced in power and duration I would be happy, however they also have the ability to get a crafting bonus and food that enhances the buffing ability that we do not. Hopefully this will be a "rebalance" issue. The interface is the prime issue here. While you're talking buffs.....Not being able to do music and dance at the same time!
3. New songs, instruments, and sounds! Musicians aredelighted to have Western, but we want more! The devs have promised us new songs and instruments "over the life of the game." Could we have an estimate of how many new songs are coming, and when?
Unique sounds? Not just newinstruments with new sounds....new sounds for old instruments with dupe sounds!
4. Better gig missions, and better content generally. Musicians almost unanimously disparage Entertainer Terminal missions as dull and low-paying. A lot of Musicians do enjoy the new quests for Western, but at the same time wonder why there isn't more content like this -- multi-step, immersive quests taking us to different locations, putting us in different roles, giving us more of a "game" to play.
Again...balance to others or them balance to us and keep them comperable. Entertainer access to some themeparks?
5. Fix /register.
[Note: TH has asked for our top 6-thru-20 issues to be listed with no commentary, so I'll just list them.]
6.Fix the bug (feature?) that requires us to keepthe nalargon and ommni box targeted constantly.
7. Please prevent non-Musicians from moving the nalargon and ommni box.
8. Please give Entertainers more paths to Jedi, including quests at the Village.
Cantina in the villiage for healing? For buffing?
9. Player cantinas need better decor and features to draw players to them.
10. Musicians feel like the devs never communicate with us.
11. We don't have a sense of the devs' image or vision of our profession.
12. We'd like more of a role in the GCW.
13. Fix bugs with /startband and /changeband.
14. Fix player theaters so that nalargons/ommnisand healing/buffing work on stage.
15. Many Musicians would like to be able to heal or buff in a greater variety of places.
16. Make instrument quality (and crafting experimentation) matter.
17.Better clothes for Musicians.
18. CSRs need to be more responsive to concerns about abusive chat.
19. Some Musicians request that /report work in chat rooms and non-spatial chat.
20. Flourishes don't always flow together well.
There you have it. As you can see, I opted to meld a couple of issues so that we'd get the most bang for our top-five buck. If you'd prefer that I separate out one or more, please post here, but keep in mind that that will require bumping some issues into the "second tier" of 6-20, which get less attention (in theory). Thanks.
Fragpuppie Uber
Master Entertainer, Master Musician
Guild Leader - Performer United Professional Society (PUPS)
Founding Member - Frag's Puppies
Contact S'ita for bookings
President and CEO - Fragpuppie Enterprises and Uber Instruments
Coronet, Corellia, Chilastra
Fragpuppie
Tue Oct 26, 2004 7:39 pm
#9
DarkY0da wrote:
#4 I seriously hate the 24 hour fail wait on the quests. As well as the 400k xp cost(mainly as it seems tossed in just to spite us and they took NO notice at all of our problems with it.). If they want to drag the quests out they should have after each pass a 24 wait to try the next step. If you fail you should be able to just try again or go to another manager and try.
I have no problem with the 24 hour, but I have yet to fail one, and I've already completed bothmusic and dance. I will add my voice to the 400K cost, though. But I want to put a time delay fuse on it. The delay is until I see the first "post master" content come out without a cost of XP. Jedi does not count as either "post master" or as a cost of XP for content or rewardrather than for skills or a box.
Fragpuppie Uber
Master Entertainer, Master Musician
Guild Leader - Performer United Professional Society (PUPS)
Founding Member - Frag's Puppies
Contact S'ita for bookings
President and CEO - Fragpuppie Enterprises and Uber Instruments
Coronet, Corellia, Chilastra
DarkY0da
Tue Oct 26, 2004 8:12 pm
#10
my point with the 24 hour wait though is that it hits people that get band rolls and lag mostly. While some people just went through it all as fast as they could go. If instead you had to wait 24 hours in between each pass. Then EVERYONE gets hit with the waits. And it wouldn't feel like a punishment to those that get hit by lag or bad audience rolls.
omadnay
Tue Oct 26, 2004 8:24 pm
#11
Thanks NewJedi!
All I'll say for now is that I really like your list.
/cheer
I'll give it a long look over and see what I can add or if I have any different opinions... but from first and second readings, I'm really in agreeance with you.
Would be nice to get #6 in there, but I do agree with all the others being ahead of it.
It has to be really frustrating being a correspondent to any of the entertainer professions these days... hats off to you.
The one thing I will add right now is that I am really in favor of giving the musician some sort of recognition content that would allow entertainers to experience things other professions cannot. Such as performing for Naboo Royalty in a special place inside the palace. Obviously this falls under the content line... just felt like saying that, hehe.
May the force be with you.
- Omadda Szool
Kauri
LeBob
Tue Oct 26, 2004 8:42 pm
#12
- remove Buff Bots (or at least make policy that says they are against policy)
- new instruments
- new songs
morecontent- mobile Ent. buffing
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