Musician Archive
Thread: Dark times and A New Hope (The Jukebox)
I understand what you meant by this comment, but it inspired me to expand on this notion...
Bronski113 wrote:
The problem is that our profession works. Game mechanics wise our profession does what it is supposed to do. In fact it works too well as you can see with buffbots.
Yes the game-mechanics work, but I think the problem is that there is no reward for playing through this game-mechanic other than the enjoyment one gets from doing so.
Every profession and gaming style can be enjoyed by those that choose to enjoy it, but the entertainers are vastly unrewarded via any game-mechanic benefits (Advantages, credits, loots, Theme Parks, NPC interactions, Special Places, etc.)
When this game started and I chose to play an entertainer... we didn't know that there was nothing for us in the game other than performing for other players.
Crafters started making new things, adventurers started making credits and buying new things, crafters earned thier credits, adventurers found new places to go and NPC's to see and theme parks to take part in...
We thought that we'd have places to go and NPC's to meet and theme parks that would open thier doors due to our entertainer skills and reputation. We were part of a brand new profession-type... oh, the possibilities seemed endless.
Time passed and new things were added to the game regularly... Crafters got some interesting legendary & looted schematics, some involving quests.
Entertainers still can only perform.
That's great for those that enjoy doing just that, but these professions should be opened up to more people that would actually want to play them... People other than us crazy few and a ton more of second account AFKers.
Saying that the profession works isn't entirely accurate (Though I totally understand what you meant, it just lead me to want to post this).
The healing and buffing, flourishing and performing aspects of the profession "work", but the overall involvement of these professions in this game are severely broken.
It was a great idea to make such a grand interdependant nature between adventurers and healers and have it all centered around a social aspect of the game (Cantinas and Hospitals).
Since launch the game has been over-develpoed on the adventurering side and completely under-developed on the other side... thus destroying the great basis of this interactive dependancy.
This is why we've all taken such acception to the jukebox.
The only element of the musician's profession that is self-satisfying is the performance aspect.
Once again, it was made obvious that the Entertainers are not prevelant in the Devs' minds when they are working on this game.
The truth is that bots have a lot to do with entertainers disappearing, but many many entertainers were leaving before this started to happen.
They started leaving when they discovered how insignificant they were in the Devs' eyes, since nothing was programmed into the game for the entertaining professions' enjoyment and experiences.
That's why it's so discouraging to see this jukebox thing happen.
All this time and they still don't consider us in thier plans. They don't take into account how the ATK Entertainer will be affected... but they mess around with our abilities to curb the power-gamers and AFKers dabbling with our professions.
I know they've said something's coming, but up to this point, every entertainer is right to feel that they get overlooked/ignored.
When this actually changes (And not when we're told it is going to happen, but when it actually happens) then you can say we're wrong.
I don't think we're fully working properly.
I think we can walk and even run, but there's no where to travel to.
"I've got wild, staring eyes
And a strong urge to fly
But I've got no where to fly to..."
(Had to let that out... it just hit me)
I know... things are coming.
Something announced this week and everyone will get worked on eventually...
Bah, that still left us cold and dry for the past year and a half (Is it more?).
Hehe, anyways... I'm still holding on to this profession, but it is SO hard for me.
Sometimes I feel like a kid looking through a window and watching all the other kids playing outside.
If I have to drop these skills to break through this glass, then that's what I'm going to have to do... but I can't bring myself to do it yet.
- Omadda Szool
Kauri
May the force be with you.
Message Edited by omadnay on 03-02-2005 06:01 PM
Cendatinea wrote:I posted this in the Dancer forums' Jukebox related thread, but wanted it in this forum too.
Y’know what’s really bad? When you promise yourself you won’t post on a topic because you just know you’re gonna shove your foot down your throat…and then you go and do it anyway. So before I begin…
/slap self
Ok. That out of the way, I shall now proceed to shove my foot in my face, possibly make people I like become angry with me, and put my 2 credits into the discussion.
Oh ye, tormenting and tacky wannabe replacement
for a good thing, thy name is "Jukebox."While I was on my non-entertainer alt, a friend and I went and she purchased a Jukebox. She placed it in my house, switched it on, and we went through all the songs. I liked it, it was neat, it had that “bright and shiny” that most new things have that attract you and make you want to try them.
Two days later, after I had time to think about this new thing in my world, I went, on the same character, and bought one myself. I placed it in my house and set it to “Chamber Music” which is one of my favorites. Many, many times I have sat behind the counter where the merchant trainer is in the artisan guild hall in Keren to grind while listening to this tune. It was nice to have it in my house while muddling about with emails and such.
It did grow a bit old, so I switched it to “Naboo soothing” which I have decided I would like a recording of for my bedtime since listening to it did indeed sooth me and make me a bit sleepy. Ah…running water and ambient music…I was quite happy to sit and listen to it.
That’s just it though. Ambiance. This is what the jukebox provides and it was absolutely wonderful to have on as background noise while RPing with friends in my house. I later went to a friend’s cantina to hang out, wanting very much to hear what other deem as “noise,” that of the sound of live entertainment played by live musicians in a cantina.
She had a jukebox...
I was not happy...
It is her cantina though, so I listened and told myself, “that’s ok…it’s our cantina night tomorrow…ah house band…ah live entertainment…ah no ambiance trying to pretend it is the real thing.” And then I got asked this, this afternoon:
“What do you think of using a jukebox tonight?”
NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! WITH EVERY FIBER OF MY BEING, NO!
At least…that’s what I wanted to scream. I realized that the person asking me probably hadn’t used a jukebox, so I tried to be more genteel in my response and explanation. It was after that, that I realized my response to that question was EXACTLY what I wanted to post here…so I am.
They're great for ambient music in a house, but in a place like the Green Room...that'd be like Louis Armstrong saying "hey, instead of me play, lets listen to the radio." There's just something bout a live band you can't replace. Maybe it’s just me, I think it’s pretty tacky to use a jukebox in the cantina instead of a live musician, ESPECIALLY if you have a live musician available.
The concern on the part of the asker was that the usual house band may not all make it and/or would possibly be late. I tried to explain that there are many people out there that actually don't like the jukeboxes, a big reason why I am reluctant to use one. I had one in Deri's house, it does add a VERY nice ambiance, but that's all it is, ambiance, background noise.
It is not and should in no way be a substitute for a band. I'd sooner see one person with an instrument and a playback droid on stage. I don't hate them, I just believe that there is a time and a place for them, and a cantina social event is most definitely not it.
At a wedding? Ok, sure, but use a live band for the reception cause otherwise, that’s just tacky. As ambiance for a private party at your house? You betcha. In a cantina? NO WAY, JOSE.
*tosses 2 credits into the thread and steps off her soapbox*
Thank you.
I love "Chamber Music" too... I used to sit and listen to it in those buildings as well.
I actually love it from way back, when I first heard Max Rebo playing it (In the movie).
I see no need for foot in mouth
You said everything well and many of us feel exactly the same way.
Better to vent than to let it build in your own head...
And there's no better place to vent than here.
May the force be with you.
- Omadda Szool
Kauri