Bardingling

[Ocotillo]

Hi.

I'm trying to get a feel for playing a bard and very specifically being a tuluki bard, and some of the work and culture associated with it. Without going into exhaustive and largely pointless detail, I was hoping some others could point me at logs, specific songs, and documentation to help me get into the mindset.

I'm starting with the memoirs Rairen put up, and I need somewhere to go afterwards.

[Ourla]

A Bardish Prankster Takes on Kurac

<3 bards.  I spent hours and hours and hours IRL for my one Tuluki bard, writing and rewriting songs.

[Good Gortok]

This advice may seem a little strange, but I would recommend that you avoid being too intrusive.

People play bards, which is great. Sometimes someone's really enthusiastic about their bard, which is cool. But sometimes you get a guy who just really wants to be the best goddamn bard in the city, and whenever more than two PCs gather in a public location, he'll come sprinting in with his banjo and churn out a sea of emotes and lyrics that makes it really difficult about doing anything else. I really like bards and think that they're a vital part of the northern culture, but once in a while one gets a bit too eager and becomes a nuisance. Sit on a street bench and play when someone walks past,  provide discreet background music in the tavern, offer your skills to the rich. There will be plenty of competitions and public events for you to really show off without having to Jack Black the shit out of the Sanc every IC night. People will start ignoring you if you stress them out like that.

[tortall]

Read books where people write about someone playing something, so you'll get the feel for what you can put in your emotes. Coming up with new songs is really hard, so to start with don't worry about that. There's tons of songs already available for you.


Also, wikipedia whatever instrument you use. The mdesc's of them arn't very good at describing what they look like. YouTube your instrument. You can see real people playing what you are.

[palomar]

Check http://www.armageddon.org/general/music/index.html if you haven't already.

[Niamh]

Don't be so worried about annoying people if you're playing a bard.  If you sit around and let that sort of worry discourage you from doing what your bard would do, you're not going to enjoy the character.

If you find that you have any questions that you don't have answers to after reviewing the docs and such, feel free to email the bards staff.

[Rairen]

I'm starting with the memoirs Rairen put up, and I need somewhere to go afterwards.

Though, actually, those are more OOC survival tips than anything.  I should do an IC version that's less sarcastic and profanity-driven.

Anyway, if you've already checked out the main documentation and the Circle clan documentation, make sure you don't skip the "music" section in the Circle documentation *cough* likeIdid *cough*.  It takes you to a link separate to the main submissions page - I don't know why, exactly, the Circle has a separate music page except to make us cooler, but it has some of my most favorite logged performances on it (Anya Konviwedu, I don't know who you were, but I can has your brainz, pls?  kthnxbai.) 

Also, on a quiet night, read back through the longer threads and older posts on the forum.  There's a wealth of information in those, including just some plot ideas.

[Voular]

Playing a mediocre/failure of a bard is a very enjoyable experience. Recommended.

[Delstro]

Especially when you grow from a little annoyance into a major party/political animal.

[Xagon]

Here's a question:

You're a bard playing a purely instrumental piece. You have a sound file in mind that you could never hope to describe in accurate detail through text. Would it be considered bad form to OOC a link to the music, saying your bard is currently playing it?

I think it would be great for solo budding musicians.

[spicemustflow]

Would you think it would be a bad form if I only had a link to a picture in my desc?

[AmandaGreathouse]

I would only think it was bad if the ooc was used instead of IC playing. Now if you were emoting the playing out, and ooced the link to go with it, I think it would actually be a rather nice touch, because, over time, it would lead me to know what sounds the bard's player used what words for, and eventually, I wouldn't need to even use the links, while still having a great idea what the music sounds like.

[AmandaGreathouse]

Would you think it would be a bad form if I only had a link to a picture in my desc?

Yes.
1. It would replace the IC description.
2. It would be constantly OOC.
3. It would be so entirely different from any other description in the game, I would find it jarring.
4. I likely wouldn't follow the link, given the obvious lack of work put in on the players part to even -try- to describe the char.

[Malken]

Here's a question:

You're a bard playing a purely instrumental piece. You have a sound file in mind that you could never hope to describe in accurate detail through text. Would it be considered bad form to OOC a link to the music, saying your bard is currently playing it?

I think it would be great for solo budding musicians.

In the past, I've always wanted to record my own music with the mandolin that I own, and link it to what my player emotes.

Unfortunately, I can't seem to keep a bard PC alive long enough to do so

[spicemustflow]

Would you think it would be a bad form if I only had a link to a picture in my desc?

Yes.
1. It would replace the IC description.
2. It would be constantly OOC.
3. It would be so entirely different from any other description in the game, I would find it jarring.
4. I likely wouldn't follow the link, given the obvious lack of work put in on the players part to even -try- to describe the char.

I was trying to say that I feel the same about a bard linking to a sound file.

[AmandaGreathouse]

how so if it were in complement to the roleplay and emoting?

[Ampere]

how so if it were in complement to the roleplay and emoting?

Thanks for answering your own question:

Yes.
1. It would replace the IC description.
2. It would be constantly OOC.
3. It would be so entirely different from any other description in the game, I would find it jarring.
4. I likely wouldn't follow the link, given the obvious lack of work put in on the players part to even -try- to describe the char.

[Ampere]

Here's a question:

You're a bard playing a purely instrumental piece. You have a sound file in mind that you could never hope to describe in accurate detail through text. Would it be considered bad form to OOC a link to the music, saying your bard is currently playing it?

I think it would be great for solo budding musicians.

In the past, I've always wanted to record my own music with the mandolin that I own, and link it to what my player emotes.

Unfortunately, I can't seem to keep a bard PC alive long enough to do so

Not trying to be a bitch. I think it would be cool on the submissions page, very cool --- but this game is a written narrative and I suspect most would find the flipflop in formats detract from, more than add to, their immersion.

[tortall]

Here's a question:

You're a bard playing a purely instrumental piece. You have a sound file in mind that you could never hope to describe in accurate detail through text. Would it be considered bad form to OOC a link to the music, saying your bard is currently playing it?

I think it would be great for solo budding musicians.

In the past, I've always wanted to record my own music with the mandolin that I own, and link it to what my player emotes.

Unfortunately, I can't seem to keep a bard PC alive long enough to do so

Not trying to be a bitch. I think it would be cool on the submissions page, very cool --- but this game is a written narrative and I suspect most would find the flipflop in formats detract from, more than add to, their immersion.

Gotta agree here. I know several of the songs on the submissions page are modified from real songs. Likely more than I know about. I'd suggest to anyone submitting a song that if it's based off a real song to link it. There's mini's of nearly every song out there, or even youtube it.

[Taven]

Not trying to be a bitch. I think it would be cool on the submissions page, very cool --- but this game is a written narrative and I suspect most would find the flipflop in formats detract from, more than add to, their immersion.

I'd agree with that. However, remember not to send copyrighted stuff that isn't your own to the Armageddon Submissions page. I think, however, if you link or mention the title of a RL song it's modeled after in your submission, or suggest where to go to a soundfile if the reader wants further reference, that would be awesome (for those of us unable to play instramentally out the songs, and this option wouldn't work for sheer music songs.) I'd also say that you should really always say in a submission if a song is based of a RL one, because that's just a common courtesy.

But, please, no OOC links. The only time I'd think a link in any situation should be given in the game, even OOCly, is links to Arm Topics or Docs for new players you're helping out, and if at ALL possible, in a private, secluded area.

[SMuz]

Hmm.. I wouldn't like OOC links. Heh, pretending to be a music person in a text-based game is weird, impossible to emote, but no links, please. I've heard music students describe a tune well; if you really like, you could look more into music theory & music appreciation, just don't use jargon

I do love bards IRL, but the fact that music is almost impossible to describe by words is what makes it a great challenge. If you could do it, I'd have a huge amount of respect for you, and even toss you a kudos (heh).

[Niamh]

I would really rather not see OOC links used as a substitute for IC actions.

[Synthesis]

The burly, ape-like man says, out of character:
     "That kick looked sort of like this:"

[Malken]

The burly, ape-like man says, out of character:
     "That kick looked sort of like this:"

You think you're kidding, but a couple of years ago I was in a clan, and the person that would train my PC used to OOC me links of cheaply made videos of some sort of karate clips, or something, and she'd tell me that this is her in it, and I'm the other guy, and that's how we were training, ICly..

I didn't even know that person ooc'ly, she'd just pop in OOCly and link me to youtube and her homemade karate clips.

[Delstro]

Hah Hah.

When I was once a young Bynn Runner and a no Karma Noob of three weeks, I was told to watch a bunch of combat clips on youtube and that they would help me in my emoting.

[Synthesis]

The burly, ape-like man says, out of character:
     "That kick looked sort of like this:"

You think you're kidding, but a couple of years ago I was in a clan, and the person that would train mudsex my PC used to OOC me links of cheaply made videos of some sort of karate clips sex tapes, or something, and she'd tell me that this is her in it, and I'm the other guy, and that's how we were training kanking, ICly..

I didn't even know that person ooc'ly, she'd just pop in OOCly and link me to youtube and her homemade karate clips sex tapes.

Come on now, Malken, be honest.

[SMuz]

The burly, ape-like man says, out of character:
     "That kick looked sort of like this:"

You think you're kidding, but a couple of years ago I was in a clan, and the person that would train mudsex my PC used to OOC me links of cheaply made videos of some sort of karate clips sex tapes, or something, and she'd tell me that this is her in it, and I'm the other guy, and that's how we were training kanking, ICly..

I didn't even know that person ooc'ly, she'd just pop in OOCly and link me to youtube and her homemade karate clips sex tapes.

Come on now, Malken, be honest.

That made so much more sense

[Rairen]

That's such a great question.  My gut reaction is that, while it would be interesting in that situation, the myriad of ways players could take the idea and apply it elsewhere would detract from the game.  A lecturer at one of my classes once commented that movies were the worst thing to happen to good writing because writers try to emulate a movie script and leave it at that.  My concern would be that this would have a similiar 'dumbing down' effect on Arm, if popularized.

If the first time I linked out to a song and got a room full of "OOC: omg, wtf are you playing?" and "OOC: Love that song.", a little part of me would die on the inside.   

[Niamh]

When I was once a young Bynn Runner and a no Karma Noob of three weeks, I was told to watch a bunch of combat clips on youtube and that they would help me in my emoting.

That isn't a bad idea for people who aren't sure how to describe things when they're emoting.  You can find a lot of inspiration through videos, or listening to music, or books/magazines for the descriptive process.

[Agent_137]

btw, allanak needs moar bards to hate on.

[tortall]

btw, allanak needs moar bards to hate on.

HEHEHE, I've watched what people do to bards in Nak. There's a reason they don't stick around. The style of player than WANTS to play a bard, ALSO wants their music to be liked. Isn't going to happen in Nak.

[SMuz]

My character threw the first punch in the mob killing of a bard once in 'Nak. But he wasn't a very good one. And was a bit of a jerk. I saw another bard get thrown by a HG (could've been a Tuluki bard, I was too nervous to check).

It's cool, though, a lot of characters do miss bards and sing the same songs off-key. Just don't be a bad bard in front of a 'Naki templar and have a large list of good songs and one to placate a templar in case you ever need to

[Niamh]

btw, allanak needs moar bards to hate on.

HEHEHE, I've watched what people do to bards in Nak. There's a reason they don't stick around. The style of player than WANTS to play a bard, ALSO wants their music to be liked. Isn't going to happen in Nak.

There are plenty of bards in Allanak, and there certainly have been PC bards there in the past.  House Fale loves bards and all sorts of other entertainers, and they hire them all the time.  One has to keep in mind that if one wants to play a bard in Allanak, that musical and entertainment styles are vastly different than they are in Tuluk.  In Tuluk they want to be as artistic and aesthetically pleasing as possible.  They love to play with the words, hide meanings, use symbolism, be poetic and fancy and flowery.  In Allanak, it's simpler, blunt and a lot more in-your-face.  They're more about getting the point across rather than giving people something to think about and analyze.

[Semper]

It takes a -lot- of effort to play a successful bard due to the nature of the role. It's not only IG effort that needs to be put in, but there's also a whole lot of OOC effort that goes into it, at least for the musical bards.

For a bard in Allanak as well, unless you are a very talented individual, other races will generally be biased against from the start. So a human bard that does so-so would still be picked over a half-elf of similar skill most any day. Might still happen in Tuluk, but it's based more on skill rather than appearance.

That, and if you want to be successful, as with any role, don't try picking fights and quarrels with the wrong people, or with too many people. You want to be as liked by as many people as you can in public, while in private anything can go. A good bard's reputation is pretty powerful, after all, even in Allanak.

[Taven]

Allanaki Lullaby
Dirty Nakki Song
Soldier's Song

I've heard more songs ICly in 'Nak that aren't in Original Submissions, that were very nice. I've heard soldiers sing, Byn sing, Rinthi sing, and, of course, Fale Whatsits sing. Not all of the songs have been public, and typically 'Nakki prefer to see a good Arena fight, but there's the potential there. I just strongly suggest not barding as a main job and going solo in 'Nak, it would be very challanging. I also think that 'Nak really preffers well-told, interesting stories that include battles and the like. It would be doable, but much more challanging then in Tuluk.

[RogueGunslinger]

I could pull off a 'nakki bard. Not to brag or anything, but seriously, if I didn't hate the "nothing ever happens" situation whenever I play a bard, I'd do it. I liked making original songs and having people react to it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywUn4_hss88