Storytelling / Performing

Cathy

As to the overhearing thing, I would quite like if even non-listeners in the room hear snippets, like a proportion of even in the style of the mutter type of speak.

Kyrra

That's like saying only Scarlattans are allowed to participate in the Bardics. Anyone is able to tell a story, some just have a natural gift for it while others need to go to college to learn technique.

Would rather see this as a trade skill so those interested in it can use it. Make it like Seafaring perhaps where you need to do X, Y, and Z before you can have access to it, but I would see it as a mini/trade skill than a class ability.

Koe

Art should not be exclusive to two classes. Lusternia has a performance skillset that works fine with all classes. It's dedicated to influence there but the same idea applies. Bards do have chorale at this point but it's a bit harder to convey the idea of music over text than a story.

Cathy

Koe said:

Art should not be exclusive to two classes. Lusternia has a performance skillset that works fine with all classes. It's dedicated to influence there but the same idea applies. Bards do have chorale at this point but it's a bit harder to convey the idea of music over text than a story.

While this is true, there is nothing stopping the other classes from using the currently implemented methods of performing. I believe setting bard and jesters (and possibly members of Lord Scarlatti's Order) as the "expert" performers would be a better step than just allowing anyone to access.

An example would be saying that serpents are the masters of stealth. Other classes can still do stealthy things, like shroud, but none can quite come close to the actual inherent nature of the serpent.

Sylvance

This seems to be a new version of an interesting question that I've seen raised (ICly, in fact) many, many times over the last 14 years. Essentially it is this: What is the difference between a bard, a Bard and a Bardd?

bard: Anyone can pick up an instrument with emotes, tell a story or dance a jig. They could quite likely do a good job of roleplaying a bard. Many of those people (e.g. Scarlattans) have been the best performers in Achaea.

Bard: Some people use Art to physically change Achaea, then they choose the Bard class. Some of these Bards are also bards, whilst some instead are part of <insert combat House that takes Bards> and have very little care for performance.

Bardd (I include CIJ for the purpose of this discussion): A person who wants to live Art, and thus joins an Art House. They are often Bards, and almost always bards. But, let's be honest, not all Bardds are created equal.

To be sure, I don't think that the above is a good (or even valid) explanation, but just goes to illustrate a trichotomy that seems relevant to this discussion. To bring it back strictly on-topic, I would say that anybody should have access to the proposed skill. Bards (small b) will use it to dabble in Art, sing shanties over ale at the Ram's Horn, tell their friends about that ring-tightening moment that they barely made it out of the Naga Househall, or support such things as the Commune. Bards (big may have absolutely no use for it whatsoever if they aren't also bards. A Bardd or member of the Carnivalis will likely put it to the very, very best of use and incorporate it into their House roleplay.

TL;DR: I really don't think that opening this to all classes will, in the end, take away from the 'fact' that Bards and Jesters are supposed to be Achaea's best entertainers any more than the fact that Bards and Jesters have not necessarily been Achaea's best entertainers. Those who currently put a lot of effort into performance will continue to be the best performers.

Koe

Cathy said:

Koe said:

Art should not be exclusive to two classes. Lusternia has a performance skillset that works fine with all classes. It's dedicated to influence there but the same idea applies. Bards do have chorale at this point but it's a bit harder to convey the idea of music over text than a story.

While this is true, there is nothing stopping the other classes from using the currently implemented methods of performing. I believe setting bard and jesters (and possibly members of Lord Scarlatti's Order) as the "expert" performers would be a better step than just allowing anyone to access.

An example would be saying that serpents are the masters of stealth. Other classes can still do stealthy things, like shroud, but none can quite come close to the actual inherent nature of the serpent.

You have a point there. I do like the idea of a skillset being available to the order better than just jesters or bards though. Perhaps with the classes being the only ones able to give exp through performances.

Kaden

Well, maybe the person initiating the skill can hand access to the special emotes/says to adventurers inside the performance so that they can act as facilitators for larger groups.

As for experience: what if you aware minimal experience for specific performances? Have three people perform an encoded skit, poetry, dance, etc. perfectly to gain an experience bonus and then not give it experience otherwise?

Nim

I think the idea of limiting performances to bards, jesters, and Scarlattans is kind of sad - and, given the number of people who buy staff of illusions just for the sake of rituals and performances, somewhat overly limiting. Although I don't personally plan to use it, I think it should definitely be openly available, whether it takes the form of a trade skill, an artefact, or just something anyone can do. It'd be extremely disappointing otherwise.

For example, currently, illusions are the prime performance ability. Jesters are outright the best, having timed, colorful illusions, but serpents, bards, magi, dragons, and anyone with a staff of illusions are capable of it as well. Under the logic that grants performances to jesters and bards, there's little reason to grant it to any other class, even though the CIJ, a performance house, currently accepts serpents primarily because they're capable of illusions (and, with their stealth, they're pretty good at pranks too).

Cathy

Nim said:

I think the idea of limiting performances to bards, jesters, and Scarlattans is kind of sad - and, given the number of people who buy staff of illusions just for the sake of rituals and performances, somewhat overly limiting. Although I don't personally plan to use it, I think it should definitely be openly available, whether it takes the form of a trade skill, an artefact, or just something anyone can do. It'd be extremely disappointing otherwise.

For example, currently, illusions are the prime performance ability. Jesters are outright the best, having timed, colorful illusions, but serpents, bards, magi, dragons, and anyone with a staff of illusions are capable of it as well. Under the logic that grants performances to jesters and bards, there's little reason to grant it to any other class, even though the CIJ, a performance house, currently accepts serpents primarily because they're capable of illusions (and, with their stealth, they're pretty good at pranks too).

Shoulder pads of Dramatic reactions: Cost 300cr.

Xith

I had a similar idea a year or so ago when I first brainstormed that Mime class, where you get experience based on the number of onlookers.

But to prevent "gibberish" xp farming, I'd propose this:

• flat xp per visible mortal in the room
• the room(s) performed in have a cooldown during which people may ACCLAIM PERFORMANCE to grant the performer(s) an extra dose of xp per acclaim
• critics can also CRITICIZE PERFORMANCE for a penalty (much less than the acclaim bonus would be so as not to suffer from trolls)

I don't know how experience points are measured in Achaea but for example, 500 points per person, an additional 1000 points per Acclaim, and -500 points per Criticize, essentially giving them the ability to withdraw the points they provided by just watching the performance.

I think group performances such as bands or acting troupes might even grant a multiplier per additional performer. Except we would have to prevent simple experience orgies like the bland Chorale.

Other options:

• Observing a performance grants you 5 spectator points
• Performing costs the performer 25 performance points, they get 1 point per observer
• ACCLAIM/CRITICIZE PERFORMANCE <1-10>, sacrifice your own points to either donate or take away from the performers' points pool. max vote of 10, 1 vote per performance
• Points can be absorbed for experience, with a monthly cap

So spectators could decide just how much to "tip" their performers or if they want to save their points pool for later performances. To make it really fancy you could even add Performer Rankings. :O With honours lines and all.

Faur

I'm not sure I like this idea. I sometimes have a "Story Time With Faur," with those interested in hearing a bit about the Dwarven Clans or Dwarven history or whatever I decide to do, and I usually choose a quiet corner of Cyrene to do so. Why should I be rewarded in any way, shape, or form aside from thanks?

Blackharp

Faur said:

Why should I be rewarded in any way, shape, or form aside from thanks?

I honestly don't give a damn about rewards. I just want to see this skill happen as another way to tell stories and maybe make storytelling and performing in the realms a focus of the game again.

Accipiter

I thought the theatre on Delos allowed you to do these kind of things already?

Sabah

I love this idea because allowing people the option of joining into the audience or not would enhance RP, in my opinion. It could just be another addition to the emote system for performers to use without any xp-related stuff, and it'd still make me really happy. It would be the emote equivalent of actually putting yourself on a stage and choosing whether to put yourself in the audience, rather than just emoting out that you're going onstage and being in the tavern or wherever.

Isaiah

Faur said:

I sometimes have a "Story Time With Faur,"

Does this scream pedaphile to anyone else?

Soulfyriani

Cathy said:

Koe said:

Art should not be exclusive to two classes. Lusternia has a performance skillset that works fine with all classes. It's dedicated to influence there but the same idea applies. Bards do have chorale at this point but it's a bit harder to convey the idea of music over text than a story.

While this is true, there is nothing stopping the other classes from using the currently implemented methods of performing. I believe setting bard and jesters (and possibly members of Lord Scarlatti's Order) as the "expert" performers would be a better step than just allowing anyone to access.

An example would be saying that serpents are the masters of stealth. Other classes can still do stealthy things, like shroud, but none can quite come close to the actual inherent nature of the serpent.

Unless they switch to blade master and buy the artefacts. /bitter

Blackharp

I've been gone quite a while, new job and moving to Texas and all . . . did anything ever happen with this?

Shirszae

Nothing yet, unfortunately

Blackharp

Darn, I was hoping with the new trade skills having been implemented it may have been one of them

Teghaine

So... in response to the bit about restricting it to bards and jesters or not, how about having it that only those classes can initiate a performance, but once they have set it up, they can RELINQUISH STAGE TO <adventurer> so that any other class can take up the stage.
I think this can make both the people who want it to be a performance-class-only thing, @Shirszae , and those who want it open to everyone happy.
Just a thought, shutting up now until summoned.