Musician Archive
Thread: To clarify a bit regarding this entertainer protest...
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Warryyr
Tue Jun 15, 2004 8:05 am
#1
First of all, it's great to see people get their feathers ruffled over us. It's nice toremind peoplewe're in-game and we actually do play our characters, and we're not little animatronic robots for their mind healing pleasure. Unfortunately, this is very much the mind set of some other professions. And when we actually start talking, they want us to remain silent. But we've been silent for a long time.
I'm also surprised at how much of the Smuggler community enjoys our forum 
However, some folks have made very valid comments regarding what the focus our "protest" should be. Now, I'm all for trying to get attention from the Devs, and that was one of the original focuses of our big jam session. I've never organized something like this, and have always felt that the feedback from the community will guide how this should play out. It is constantly a work in progress. So, perhaps it's time to clarify this all a bit, and focus a little more on what we really want to achieve.
I think our intended audience should be the other players in game. Not the Devs. There aren't going to be any Devs in-game that see us and think "oh, gee - we need to kick their revamp into high gear!" It's doubtful they're even playing...or that what we say will TRULY impact development schedules. They, very obviously, have nowhere near the resources they need on SWG (as opposed to JTL) and that's not going to change. As a programmer, I know this is true - i'm sorry to say it, but it's true. They have a schedule, and it's all very complicated stuff, so us barking will NOT speed up our changes or add programmers. It's not how corporations work. So, I fear that having us shout about getting changes done soon might be rather ineffective. First, only fellow players will be listening, mostly. Second, us shouting about things won't make them happen - honestly. Third, anger breeds anger - and the last thing we need is hostility towards us. Hostility would be worse than indifference, I'd think.
SO - my point - our Jam for an Entertainer Revamp is still on. However, PLEASE, if you've read this and can communicate it to folks, let's try to keep the angry requests about fixes to a minimum. We will be seen as "whiners" and brushed off, or griefed. I don't want this - we don't need it.
Instead, let's put on a SHOW for the Theed Starport folks. Let's remind them we're real! We ARE players, and we LOVE what we do (as exemplified by the passion shown for having this get together!).
Let's make our purpose be that we got so sick of the AFK entertainers and buffbots that we moved out of the Cantina to actually perform for the Starport crowd. People will love it.
I really want to keep this a positive event, a positive atmosphere.
This jam session's underlying motive IS to get us a revamp - do not get me wrong - but we need to do it in small steps, not huge leaps.We need tomakeourselves much more VISIBLE to the playerbase atlarge. It's easy for them to not think much of us, as we're stick in our little cantina somewhere - unless their mind is shot or they need a mind buff. Then we sure are important, aren't we? We need to remind them that we're performers. That we do entertain - not just stand around for their healing needs.
Let's take this chance to get together, come alive, have fun, and play to ENTERTAIN - not to be Mind healing robots.
Please pass this clarified information on to as many folks as possible.
I hope none of you think this is a cop-out, it's not - but I don't want to incite any animosity towards us with this. I want us to get together, show just how many of us there are - and separate the healing from the entertainment in people's minds. If anyone /tells you and asks why we're all together, by all means, tell them how frustrated we are with our professions. Tired of AFK'ers, buffbots, and the like stealing our cantina space. Inaction by the Devs has made it worse, etc. Let's work to change people's minds about us - that we like to have fun, but we have some serious issues that are slowly damaging our professions. But keep it outside of Spatial if at all possible. If we're angry, people will get angry at us..."our profession needs it more, etc etc etc." We don't need that, we're depressed enoughas it is 
Ok, discuss - I'm tired of typing, ha.
Thank you, everyone, for the feedback you've provided. And I mean everyone - flames and all. We need your comments to focus our efforts, so that our Jams will be as productive as they can.
What excites me the most about this is that we'll actually have a big group of LIVE entertainers! Gee, I haven't had that in months! No more zombie performers! Weee!
Warryyr
Tue Jun 15, 2004 9:20 am
#2
Don't forget to head into Coronet and Theed cantinas to recruit fellow entertainers to jam in front of Theed Starport! They may not read the forums...
Also, anyone is welcome to play in front of Theed Starport at any time - it would be great to keep bands together there ALL the time.
Keep the comments as positive as possible, make AFK'ers and buffbots our primary focus! Ask questions of the Starport visitors, like "If you're a Doctor, wouldn't it bother you to have someone next to you buffing for free, all day long? Entertainers deal with that situation everyday. Get rid of the Entertainer buffbots!"
I know we're all frustrated, but we need to keep this as positive as possible. Make people laugh. Make people think. Let's make this a good time, have fun, and really perform for some folks at the Starport! Let's get out of the AFKantina and out where folks can see us!
To reiterate, I think we need to address the player base's view of us first, show how we're just as much entertainers as we are mind healers and buffers. We're not little animatronic healbots at their disposal. If we focus our efforts on our displeasure with AFK'ers, lots of people will likely support us - they hate em, too. They cause a tremendous amount of lag in cantinas. Their Spatial spams are annoying.I think we'll get a lot more support out of people for attention to our problems if we make that our focal point. The other fixes will come, once we get some attention.
Let's have fun and NOT be AFK in front of Theed Starport tonight! Have a good time! Enjoy yourselves and your bandmates!
Thanks.
Warryyr
Tue Jun 15, 2004 9:23 am
#3
DUPLICATE POST - please reply to the other post, not this one. Sorry, can't edit! NewJedi, can you just delete this?
Thanks, sorry - the forums did a little freak out on me.
Khristen
Tue Jun 15, 2004 10:09 am
#4
This makes much more sense to me. I'll update my forums and guild with the new information.
Break a leg, everyone!! Well, not literally, but you know what I mean
Xyrdre
Tue Jun 15, 2004 2:52 pm
#5
Too bad I didn't see this thread before adding my post to the actual protest thread....
I cautioned about almost exactly the same things. There's a subtle semantic difference between "protest" and "entertainer awareness day", but a very powerful difference in approach. Nice to see the clarification of intent.
Warryyr
Tue Jun 15, 2004 4:53 pm
#6
Xyrdre wrote:
Too bad I didn't see this thread before adding my post to the actual protest thread....
I cautioned about almost exactly the same things. There's a subtle semantic difference between "protest" and "entertainer awareness day", but a very powerful difference in approach. Nice to see the clarification of intent.
Yes, this first time was a chance to just throw some our gripes at the playerbase at large - to show them that we really play the game. Because this update didn't hit soon enough, there was still some thought that this was to demand Dev attention - it partly is, but more importantly, it shows we're not little dancing robots and music robots, slave to the combat classes.
The Jam is over on Starsider, not a big turnout, but a lot of fun. We got some interesting reactions, and a good sized crowd - considering how few there were of us. I'll report more later.
What we need to do is get a HUGE group of players out there, only to have fun and play - not for healing or buffing, just for playing.
If you love your profession, and have fun doing it (annoyances aside) just group up with a lot of other entertainers and play for the fun of it!
Xyrdre
Wed Jun 16, 2004 5:07 am
#7
That's pretty much how we spun things on Ahazi. More of a reminder that live, ATK entertainers were still here, and that we weren't just about the game mechanics. That there were still those of us who cared about entertaining, and making the cantina scene the fun place it was always supposed to be. And asking players to come on over and show some support for their local entertainers.
We set up at the stage area (with the mike stands and loudspeakers) just off of the starport entrance. We did have a lot of people stop by and thought it was one of the cooler things they'd seen, and mention that they had never seen anyone playing and dancing there before. Our spot may have been just a bit off the main track, but we were pretty much at the edge of the main spam zone, and were still heard at the starport entrance if we decided to /shout once in awhile.
All in all, we had a decent turnout. As some entertainers left, others arrived, and we kept our numbers reputable until after 11:00 pm. Yes, it was a long 7 hour gig for me... but well worth it. I think that some more people became aware that not all entertainers are AFK, that we are still trying to be a vital part of this game, that we care about what we do, and that the "social playstyle" is threatened.
I personally responded to all tells asking for buffs during the eventthat I was busy with theEntertainer Awareness Free Concert (just started to sound better than "protest" to me, so I took some license), and that I was sorry that buffs didn't work outside of the cantinas in Theed, but that we had been driven from the social hubs by AFKers and their spam. *shrug* I couldn't pass up the opportunity for a bit of politicking on that issue.
Gulgoth
Wed Jun 16, 2004 4:31 pm
#8
Okay My character is on Chimeara and well it's europe and I'll protest what i it Tuesdays as I can. However if I wanted to chreate an ent on another server for US Tuesdays, what server would be suggested?
Warryyr
Thu Jun 17, 2004 12:17 am
#9
Xyrdre wrote:
That's pretty much how we spun things on Ahazi. More of a reminder that live, ATK entertainers were still here, and that we weren't just about the game mechanics. That there were still those of us who cared about entertaining, and making the cantina scene the fun place it was always supposed to be. And asking players to come on over and show some support for their local entertainers.
We set up at the stage area (with the mike stands and loudspeakers) just off of the starport entrance. We did have a lot of people stop by and thought it was one of the cooler things they'd seen, and mention that they had never seen anyone playing and dancing there before. Our spot may have been just a bit off the main track, but we were pretty much at the edge of the main spam zone, and were still heard at the starport entrance if we decided to /shout once in awhile.
All in all, we had a decent turnout. As some entertainers left, others arrived, and we kept our numbers reputable until after 11:00 pm. Yes, it was a long 7 hour gig for me... but well worth it. I think that some more people became aware that not all entertainers are AFK, that we are still trying to be a vital part of this game, that we care about what we do, and that the "social playstyle" is threatened.
I personally responded to all tells asking for buffs during the eventthat I was busy with theEntertainer Awareness Free Concert (just started to sound better than "protest" to me, so I took some license), and that I was sorry that buffs didn't work outside of the cantinas in Theed, but that we had been driven from the social hubs by AFKers and their spam. *shrug* I couldn't pass up the opportunity for a bit of politicking on that issue.
Great job, guys! Keep it up! That sounds like a blast!
Next Jam in Theed on Starsider is happening at the stage - I always forget that's there, myself!
Anyone happen to know the purpose of the microphone? I know it can be turned on/off, but I don't know what it really does....does it actually amplify the performance?
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