There is a reason why you don’t see very many troubadours performing in public. In part, I think it’s because you take over the room to a certain degree and it’s a bit intrusive to other conversations. For example, I love playing my bard and posting actual verses and the chorus. It’s fun to compose original works, but I don’t usually do it unless I ask people if they want a song. Still, I get the impression more often than not the average player isn’t a big fan of the spam because they want a chance to type as well. This is the case even when you post verses and wait long enough for everyone else to emote. Therefore, consider the following:
Simple Version:
1. Post your performance in the, “Fan Fiction, Artwork and More” section of the website.
2. Emote your intro and that you’re starting to play the song.
3. Type an Osay command with the link to your fan fiction string so any who wish to read it can.
4. Continue pmote commands every now and then as you play and other people conduct their business. This will seem more like background music or flavor, as opposed to concert speakers drowning out everything else.
Coded Version:
Performance Feedback Toggle: If set to on you will see detailed verses when performances SCRIPTS are played. If set to off you will only see short description strings that signal when a song starts, the skill level indicator and when a song ends. Note: the standard perform mechanic could stay like it is for any who love to do that style of RP.
Lifted Spirits - If there was a tangible benefit to a performance and it didn’t disrupt a room overly much people would be willing to sit thru a quick display. What if a bard performance functioned in a similar manner as a spell with a long activation time and when complete it bestowed a state called, “Lifted Spirits?” Upon completion of a performance, the Lifted Spirits effect is given to all within the room at the end, functioning as a small luck bonus. The greater the performance skill of the player the longer the duration of the bonus.
Performance Editor – The song editor would allow you to enter song name, alias keyword, performance skill, performance type, custom verses, etc. Even a dance can be described in 60 character wide verse format, using the {/ modifier to create line breaks or @f. Therefore, the player would see:
Song Name – This is the title of the song and will appear in the feedback
Alias Keyword – special alias assigned to trigger the song script when entered.
Performance Skill – The song can be set to a specific skill. Unless it is singing or dancing the item appropriate instrument must be in your hand to perform it.
Performance Type- Battle, Love, celebration, Reflection, dirge, general
Verse <number><text> - 60 character line limit with {/ for line breaks and neatness.
Instruments – Song type setting will dictate what skill and skill level are displayed in the feedback. Thus, you could have a lute equipped and yet still be singing because of how the song was configured in the editor. However, instruments could grant a bonus to the performance level depending on the quality of its construction and an additional modifier based on the secondary performance skill.
For example, a grandmaster instrument might raise the modified performance skill an entire category higher, while one of poor quality has almost no effect. A performance flagged for singing is used, but the performer has a lute equipped. The feedback will be based off the singing skill, but there will be a modifier from the skill in the instrument as well. This could range from a negative modifier for low skill to a significant enhancement for high levels of skill. Dancing shoes and perhaps a costume coat item could be the equivalent instrument for enhancing dance and acting.
The feedback of the script could look something like this:
(user enters the alias wingle1)
Joe Shmoe begins performing a <song> of <type> called, “The Wingle.”
Joe Shmoe is proficient in singing
<Verse one>
Joe Shmoe mangles a <song> of <type> called, "The Wingle."
20 second timer before you can enter a command to continue
<Verse two>
Joe Shmoe adequately plays a <song> of <type> called, "The Wingle."
20 second timer before you can enter a command to continue
<Verse three>
Joe Shmoe beautifully plays a <song> of <type> called, "The Wingle."
20 second timer before you can enter a command to continue
Joe Shmoe finishes the song called, “Wangle”
You feel your spirits uplifted by the music!
If the performance feedback toggle was off, the user will only see a generic performance string every 20 sec or until the songs activation ends, to include how successful they were at playing each attempt. There should be a minimum of 3-4 verses/chorus so people aren’t just turning off the feedback and instantly getting the effect of a performance.
Performance as Trade: Optimally, when created the song could go into a formula list, reproduced and sold as a trade skill item in the form of sheet music or play/dance scripts. Once purchased and read the song could be performed by anyone at their current skill levels
Yes, this automation would feel robotic compared to actually roleplaying out a performance, which is still an option when desired or if need be but I don’t see much love for that. However, this suggestion would streamline the process; provide the option to eliminate performance spam and taking over the room; provide a tangible benefit to sitting through a performance; turn performance into a trade, and give more value to instruments and special performance clothing as a means of enhancing the performance.
