Musician Archive
Thread: AFK Buffing Question (read before flaming plz)
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CoretDenvin
Wed Sep 01, 2004 1:01 pm
#1
Guys, please don't flame before reading this. Also don't 1 star it just because I'm talking about afk buff bots. Just like you I am constantly working to improve the game. I also fully agree with you that at the keyboard players should be given a reason to be ATK and that buffbots need to be removed.
Now, that being said, here is a proposal to consider.
One of the problems that the other players say towards entertainers is thats it's very difficult to find an entertainer. The entertainers say that they are tired of afk buff bots and as such theres no motivation to be an entertainer. Thats a little bit of a double edged sword.
My proposal is this... instead of removing the buffbot entirely - what if a buffbot's exp and tips are shut off if an at the keyboard player arives and is playing/buffing? That would potentially eliminate both parties concerns.
For example, my guild is located in the wilderness of Lok. Thats 1 Space Port for the entire planet. The nearest cantina with entertainers is either Naboo or Tatooine. Throw in a couple of bad shuttle hops and you buff process could take 30+ minutes. Most of our hunting is done on Lok around the city (Mercs and Gurks!). A buff bot in our player city isn't going to take away from an entertainers traffic on Naboo or Corellia.
However, in places like Dantooine and Dathomir where buff bots are killing entertainers - if they were cut off the moment an ATK entertainer arrived - that would please both parties. The ATK entertainer(s) always gets the buffs / tips while the buff bot(s) gets any business when there isnt anyone else around - such as during non-peak hours. No matter when an ATK entertainer goes to work - even in player cities - they get the credit.
Obviously we would need a system to identify ATK entertainers but TH and the Devs already have that idea for specific flourishes, etc ( I do like that idea ).
What do you think of this?
picklesSW
Wed Sep 01, 2004 1:08 pm
#2
Let me ask this. How many combat people are in your guild? How many crafters?
How many entertainers?
See where I'm going with this?
How many entertainers?
See where I'm going with this?
Amythen
Wed Sep 01, 2004 1:27 pm
#3
I personnally welcome all ideas. Your idea has been forward to the devs and many similar thoughts. I think we have covered all the possibilities. Why people keep trying to appeal to us now that they're game is being affected, I'm not sure.
I still don't understand why we, as entertainers,should have to put up with competition that puts no effort into the game?
I'm sure combat players would prefer to take back the hunting grounds from campers and dislike campers just as much as we dislike AFK entertainers. I really feal there shouldn't be anyone AFK. It takes up server resources, effects everyones gameplay, and destroys any hopes of an immersive universe. I would rather see the automatic healing of cantinas fixed so that both wounds and BF get healed, much like medical center heals people automatically. Buffs on the other hand, should not be so absolutely neccesary and truth be told they aren't. Missions that people go on that they say they MUST have buffs for are probably ones that are intended for groups. AFK gameplay has no merits that I can see except for the selfish that "have to be master". If you don't like the levelling experience, you probably won't like being a master either. Why should we allow such a destructive force to have a place in the game?
Ikewe
Wed Sep 01, 2004 1:54 pm
#4
Just like you I am constantly working to improve the game. I also fully agree with you that at the keyboard players should be given a reason to be ATK and that buffbots need to be removed.
My proposal is this... instead of removing the buffbot entirely - what if a buffbot's exp and tips are shut off if an at the keyboard player arives and is playing/buffing? That would potentially eliminate both parties concerns.
So uhm.. first you say you *FULLY AGREE* that buffbots need to be removed and then your proposal is to have them available UNTIL an ATK entertainer arrives? /sigh
Since you asked, I think either the buffbots go completely or we don't bother. I was on Lok on my server the other day and I couldn't find a doctor to buff me. If only there were some method for me to contact a master doctor to see if I could pay one to travel to my location to buff me. Some way of knowing if my friend the Master Doctor is actually online and then send them a personal message.... if only such a system existed.... How about your guild try to recruita fewof those entertainers from the Theed or Coronet Cantina to help you with your healing and buffing needs?
Ikewe, Master Dancer Shadowfire
Sikek, terrible musicianWanderhome
XeroAnarian
Wed Sep 01, 2004 3:39 pm
#5
The reason ATK aren't around, is because of buffbots. It's hard to compete with them, heck it's hard to even be around them with their constant spamming and lagging up of the place.
Once buffbots are gone, ATK entertainers will be back. There will be a short period of time where there won't be many entertainers around, but that will pass, and the cantinas will once again be flourishing with real, ATK entertainers.
Removing buffbots is a permanent solution that will work.
Tarnak_Archvold
Thu Sep 02, 2004 9:28 am
#6
CoretDenvin, in your suggestion there is little difference between buffbots and NPC's, well there never is. But it would be a lot easier for SOE to programme NPC's that would be turned off when a entertainer registries in the cantina.
And guess what, we do not like being replaced by NPC's anymore then every body else. What would the looter say is any and all loot was sold by NPC's?
And guess what, we do not like being replaced by NPC's anymore then every body else. What would the looter say is any and all loot was sold by NPC's?
Springbok
Thu Sep 02, 2004 3:10 pm
#7
The best idea to your solution has been hinted to and said twice already, I would llike to reinforce that:
How much money would you and your friends or guild spend on entertainer buffs a night? Include travel costs, the time vs money wasted, everything. If your talking 5-10 people and your answer is less than 100k then there are issues this possible solution will not fix to begin with, however still workable.
Take that amount of money invested, spend an hour or so, or 15 minutes each night when you generally get buffs for the night anyhow. If your going to get entertainer buffs twice then even better. Find a master musician and/or master dancer (could easily be one person) and strike a deal. Example: "Our guild will pay you ($amount) to come out to our PA on lok between 7:00-9:30pm to buff anyone who enters the cantina." Most musicians or dancers will perform an unequivocal speed in getting to your PA cantina to fullfil such an offer. And if it becomes a nightly basis? Even if you get one person to come one night out of the week as per the job (paying them after each night completed (so they can enjoy the game in other ways too)) then you solve your buffbot issues and you embrace and applaud the live entertainers out there.
While I can see the benefits of having a buffbot this is simply more proactive in solving the issue. Personally? If I was at your cantina on Lok one or two or even three nights out of the week for 2 and a half hours and someone logs on 45 minutes later....I would come out again as a special trip to hook the person up, because I would not want to lose this contract as not being bendable in serviceing an entire guild.
dimmu-borgir
Fri Sep 03, 2004 5:08 am
#8
this doesnt fix anything. the difference between npc and pc buffbots, honestly, is $15 per month.
getting buffs isnt that hard. make friends with a decent amount of Musicans/Dancers, hit major cities, ie, theed, coronet, etc, there will probably be someone there, might even find them in outposts on planets like dathomir, dantooine, endor, yavin, hell, i used to frequent these locations prebuffbot.
getting buffs isnt that hard. make friends with a decent amount of Musicans/Dancers, hit major cities, ie, theed, coronet, etc, there will probably be someone there, might even find them in outposts on planets like dathomir, dantooine, endor, yavin, hell, i used to frequent these locations prebuffbot.
Chalame
Fri Sep 03, 2004 11:16 am
#9
I agree with you Dimmu. I used to play on bloodfin, with you actually, but I am on Ahazi now, I havea master musician, and I love it. Play because you want to play, there is no excuse for AFK entertaining.
-Cian Thurio
Master Musician-Ahazi
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