Entertainers!

[JollyGreenGiant]

I didn't want to clutter up the other thread I started with comments on what I'm about to post, so I started this thread, although it is related.  I've found the other thread very informative, by the way, and thanks go out to all the people who have taken the time to respond.

Something to consider - people who play entertainers of various kinds frequently spend a significant amount of time OOC developing their act, or song, or poem, or whatever they do.  It is very disheartening for these people to spend time OOC working up something for people to enjoy, only to have these efforts go completely ignored in an IC context.  Now after reading the other thread, I realize there are many valid reasons not to respond, IC.  But who goes to a restaurant where there's a live band playing and then doesn't even bother to offer some polite applause after they've finished a set?  Granted, not everyone does, but generally, there's at least a smattering of approval, even if the band sucks (I've clapped before because I was happy it was over...)

The point is, people who play entertainers have no incentive to come up with colorful and interesting acts to perform unless they are acknowledged in some form for their efforts.  This doesn't apply to performers who have been hired - they're getting paid, and therefore, are being recognized for their efforts already.

So, my new question is, have you played an entertainer/performer before?  What sort of responses did you get?  Would you ever play another character of that sort?

[Agent_137]

in another mud i was a bard. We were just as under appreciated there. It takes a strong roleplayer to notice music that they can't hear.

[Delirium]

So, my new question is, have you played an entertainer/performer before?  What sort of responses did you get?  Would you ever play another character of that sort?

Yeah, I have, and I enjoyed it immensely.. it could be quite a challenge to come up with unique stuff, and figuring out how to emote music is a metagame all in itself. What I normally did was write up a general layout of how the song would be sung and emoted, and then adjust it each time to fit the scene wherever she was playing.

I would mostly perform before PC crowds, but sometimes only (v)NPC crowds.. I usually got at least some polite applause from PCs, but didn't really mind if no one responded - especially if it was a busy tavern. The v(NPCs) were usually the test subjects.. me running through the performance to make sure it all looked good onscreen, noticing places that could use fixing or adjusting.

I'll admit it feels pretty great OOCly to have everybody clapping, cheering, and/or obviously enjoying what you just made up for them. I would definitely play another bard someday, I still miss the one I had like crazy. Maybe after a few more characters have gone by. :)

[Seeker]

Entertainers are rough, and, unfortunately, only a very small portion of the player-base is in a position to enjoy and appreciate entertainers.

Caught between a couple of different facts:  
1) many excellent RPers play characters who don't give a rat's ass about entertainment.  They are hungry.
2) many players appear to be sponges with an odd sense of entitlement, believing that entertainment is owed to them through no effort of their own

it is easy for a hardworking player to feel slighted in playing an apparently underappreciated entertainer PC.

The point is, people who play entertainers have no incentive to come up with colorful and interesting acts to perform unless they are acknowledged in some form for their efforts

If the incentive for this role doesn't come from inside you, you face a long, painful struggle.  Validation is hard to get, friend.  You gotta love what you're doing and expect to suffer for your art.   :wink:  

Seeker

[SpyGuy]

Suffering artists anyone?

Also, Tuluk has a Bard's circle and 'nak has lazy nobles.  Both are routes to go if you want some sort of validation for your art.  Just don't expect everyone in the Gaj, or even the Barrel, to faun over your song.  Keep trying, you might get caught up in getting hired, getting famous, blah blah blah blah blah.

[WarriorPoet]

I tried a bard, once. I tried and tried to write songs and stories, but RL lyrics and anecdotes kept creeping into it, so I felt like it was cheapening the atmosphere a bit. I've seen others use a lyric or three from a rl song, and didn't mind it at all, but for me it just felt dirty...

That said, I enjoy any and all entertainers, OOCly. I like to see how you incorporate the world into your tunes, how you emote that particular *plunk* of the string, or how you pinch at a barmaid during a bawdy tune.

IC, though, I can't speak for my characters. Sometimes a song is a fine backdrop for wooing a woman at the bar, or to slip through and try to lift a dagger when attention is on the bard, and I get so caught up in my own scene, that the song fades into the din of the room. That's not to say it's not important, because for me it makes the sometimes monotonous atmosphere of the tavern or camp come alive.

In my opinion, that is the most important thing you can do in the game: Make the atmosphere and surroundings come alive for yourself and your fellow players. That way you're not just 'playing' a role in a game world, you're living that role in a working, thriving environment.

But, I'm an ass so you can probably ignore me...

[Anonymous]

I'll be honest here.  I appreciate the effort entertainer PCs put forth, but it's really a very, very dry affair to RP a member of the audience for me.  Take, say, a frightening beast.  It's easy to RP being frightened becase, even as a player, on some level you do feel fear, albeit fear of losing your PC.

Conversely, it's hard to feel real amazement and wonder or enjoyment over some text that rolls across the screen that's supposed to represent a song.  ASCII works really well when dealing with dialogue and not so bad when dealing with descriptions, but for music it's...just really hard.

Trust me, I do my best to interact with entertainers, but I'll exit stage left as soon as I can.

Edited to add: On rereading this I think it comes off more down on entertainers than I meant.  I think some people really enjoy it, but for me it's just not my thing.  The above explains why.  I don't mean to dissuade or discourage people from playing bards.

[Agent_137]

a suggestion to entertainers, something i used to do with my bard:

Forget the music bid unless you're trying to woo some chic. Go for theatre. Do plays. Do stand up comedy. Do skits. Do magic tricks. (there's a thread on the possible danger in doing magic tricks...) But like CRW said, music in ascii sucks.

[SpyGuy]

To go off of what Agent said, songs that try to act like modern music generally suck.  Epic ballads though, which tell some sort of story, can be kind of fun.  Put them all into context, mention the elements and native flora and fauna, parody events and such and it all makes an interesting bit.

Writing down that your playing the drums isnt going to make people notice much, singing a song about a Templar's love affair with his mul militia sergeant -should- turn some heads.  Plays may be tough to write as one man, stand up comedy may be hard to translate into text, but a good story can go a long way.

[Agent_137]

actually, i'd honestly LOVE to hear some body get up in a tavern and start telling BAD jokes. And then we can boo them off the stage. It'd be great!

That's something my next char might do. My current char would probably just throw something at them.

[Maybe42or54]

well shit.
Everyone is supposedly "good" iG, not a single bard ever skrews up, (I've seen a couple and applauded for them)
You want to make me happy, Have a great song with a small mistake in thier, And I will clap.

[Angela Christine]

I generally respond about three times per performance: 1) when I notice the entertainer, but this might be just glancing over while talking to someone else at my table 2) once durring the performance I might emote tapping my toe or laughing, etc., 3) at the end I'll usually applaud and throw a couple sid at the entertainer's feet.  That is about as much enthusiasim as I can muster for passive audience participation.  Particular audience members may not want to emote TOO much, because they don't want to steal the spotlight or they think there is already too much tavern scroll so they don't want to add "unnecessary" text.


A couple tips:

Set it up ahead of time so you can get the whole song out in a reasonable amount of time.  If a song takes more than 5 minutes of OOC time you are probably OOCly boring people.  

Make it really, really obvious when you are finished the song.  No one will applaud if they think there might be another verse comming.

Consider the event.  Is it a concert or contest where your performance is supposed to be the focus, or are you doing "background music" in a busy location?  If you are a freelance busker doing your thing in public, then you can't expect everyone to react.  In real life many people walk by street musicians without even looking at them.


Polite tavern camping:  Are you performing in a tavern or other location that is essentially someone else's private property?  If so, it is probably polite to give the house a portion of your tips, say 20%, unless you have some other arangement.  If you are in a PC (or animated NPC) establishment you will have a contract determining if you pay them to use the space or they pay you for entertaining them and their customers, a contract that determins how you split what the audience pays.  With inantimate NPCs or vNPCs you have no contract, but giving a portion of your earnings to the house gives your presence some legitimacy.  


AC

[Yang]

I've played a lot of bards. It takes a lot of skill to play the role properly, and its hit and miss. I found smaller crowds are the best, people who know you ICly and have a role that appreciates music. It gives it a sense of being elite, and creating a smaller following will eventually trickle into a larger one.

Also I'd have to imagine that nobles of the north would pride themselves more on being 'in the know' about music, because the arts are such a huge part of Tuluki culture and always have been. It's one of those things that distinguishes them from the barbarians in the south.

The real challenge playing a bard, is that you pretty much have to have artistic talent in real life. It helps to be able to sing, song-write and even play an instrument, so that your lyrics and emotes are accurate.

The hardest part was already mentioned: not cheapning the atmophere by bringing RL influences in. It's a subtle process, making a song that tackles issues at the heart of every Zalanthan (or at least the audience in front of you). I've been rather successful in all my bardic endeavors, and I've found it to be the most rewarding role to play.

It's worth a shot. Don't get discouraged. And remember, you don't have to be a passifist hippy or anything. Arm bards are based on Dark Sun bards, who are pretty hard core.

Later!

-Yang

[jmordetsky]

People can also view bards as unwanted spam.

[ashjpd]

If a character I am playing is not the one to even bother clapping, I will be kind, if the act was good enough in my opinion as the player, of emoting something like this:

em sighs heavily, sipping from his ale as a group of commoners clap for ~bard.

Something like that, I think that would be enough to show that me as the player is thankful for what they did, without doing something like:

ooc: Good job dude, just ignore my char's spit flying on your face  :wink:
He didn't like it, but I did.

At least that will encourage them to keep trying. shrug*

[Sanvean]

Armageddon bards are based on the traditional fantasy notion of bards - performers who travel, and often act as emissaries, spies, assassins, and thieves as well as being historians and lorekeepers. They are teachers - the history of Zalanthas is passed along orally, for the most part, and bards are usually interested in gathering stories of battles, magickal encounters, or other events that they can turn into a good song. They are respected - having a bard write a nasty song about you can make you the laughing stock of an entire city-state, a power bards are not hesitant to use.  They are popular because they are entertainers - a renowned bard is much like a rockstar, their company sought after by people of all social stations.

There's some information on the Tuluki bards at http://www.armageddon.org/general/music/bards.html  They have a more formal structure than their southern cousins, who tend to be looser and less structured.  If you're interested in running a bard from Poets Circle, or having Poets Circle in your character's background, I do ask that you clear it with me first, so I can provide feedback and add you to the GDB forum for northern bards.  I'm leaving on vacation in about 3 hours, though, so don't expect a reply until next week.