Illarion.org

Why do you increase skill when you play an instrument? What difference does it make, seeing as playing the instrument has absolutely no effect on anyone 'listening' aside from receiving an automatic #me (which could be written by the user).

I think, the only good having a playing skill which can increase is doing, is causing people to spam the screen with Shift+Clicks to the instrument....

Can we have the skill increase removed, until there is actually SOMETHING done with the instruments? (For example: Bardic Spells [. . .], or having a few short midi files of playing, including some which sound really bad (low skill), and some which are nice (good skill)?

Agreed....

Playing a lot helps you move your fingers faster etc. and slide your fingers into the right place with chords. Practice on the flute/saxophone etc. makes perfect. You need to practice a lot over a long period of time to get very good at it.

The point is that nits very anoying to have the screen spamed. Maybe a sound or somthing would be better? And it is hardly any point, as you can just make a #me instead. As long as there is no such thing as bard magic, it makes no diference. Maybe bard music could help moral or somthing? making closes friends fight better? The programmers have way to much to do now, i reckon. In the meantime, please go play far from town, or just make #me's.

"There is nothing you can do with a lute in your hand, that you can't do with a good #me" - Hadrian's law of lute playing

I still hope, that we get the sounds to the current messages for the instruments. Then it makes sense. ^^

I have to agree that #me's work alot better than doing skill ups for music insterments. A bard gaining money for good playing should be baised on how well they can rp the insterment. Sure they have to be realistic. If their characters main insterment is the flute and they just picked up the lute, it doesn't mean that they should be able to play it perfectly.

It would be an interesting idea if something like the health increased just very slightly with the playing also. Some just have their chars play while waiting for something (being a little bit easier to pick up one instrument versus 3-4 things to try to skill in other areas).

A very interesting use of the instrument was when a player didn't speak English well (and I don't speak German) and my char was talking with him, every once in awhile, would play the instrument. It worked very well.

(It might be nice to be able to skill on an instrument using whisper mode also)

Achae Eanstray wrote:It would be an interesting idea if something like the health increased just very slightly with the playing also. Some just have their chars play while waiting for something (being a little bit easier to pick up one instrument versus 3-4 things to try to skill in other areas).

Great idea. Even MORE people will powergame music.

Achae Eanstray wrote:A very interesting use of the instrument was when a player didn't speak English well (and I don't speak German) and my char was talking with him, every once in awhile, would play the instrument. It worked very well.

Yeah, well when someone's blathering on about something and you can't understand, playing your instrument to block them out is always a good idea

Achae Eanstray wrote:(It might be nice to be able to skill on an instrument using whisper mode also)

Great. Encourage powergaming. Now they can do it and noone will even notice!

So, playing an instrument is always powergaming then? Seems like it according to your post. If that's the case, why have instruments at all, they can be RP'd totally?

There is no such thing as powergaming with instruments. You simply do what you would do to learn how to play them. Unlike for instance, standing still against 50 mummies to train your parry, which is powergaming (i think)

Yes, that'd be powergaming Retti.
On another little note:
In my eye it's those powergamers that should change, not the game because of the powergamers.

Achae Eanstray wrote:So, playing an instrument is always powergaming then? Seems like it according to your post. If that's the case, why have instruments at all, they can be RP'd totally?

Have you ever walked past the tavern nowadays and seen rp is even being disrupted by people practicing lute for an hour straight? This is powergaming.

Incorrect. This is someone roleplaying, with the system producing too many messages needed.

Again, powergaming is doing something that you would not do in reality, to raise a skill.

playing an instrument to get better, nothing wrong with it.

Retlak wrote:Incorrect. This is someone roleplaying, with the system producing too many messages needed.

Again, powergaming is doing something that you would not do in reality, to raise a skill.

playing an instrument to get better, nothing wrong with it.

You wouldn't practice lute for 3 hours straight, so you shouldn't shift click a lute for an hour straight. That is overexcessive AKA pging.

you simply cannot say that. People ig dont shift click for half an hour, perhaps 10 mins or less you see them doing it, equivilant of 30 mins real life, and thats nothing.

My friend practises piano 2 hours a day, is he powergaming?

yes i will sit in my room and play guitar for many hours straight when i have nothing to do, i don't see why if your alone in the tavern you cannot do the same thing.

I think this thread is very not needed. Ofcourse we should have instruments and the skill for every instrument. How fun is it to play a bard without an instrument and only 'RP' the insturment being there and the like? I myself play a bard and she asks me to tell you to stuff it. ;p

The problem is that the messages are anoying, not that it is powergaming.

Wyrda wrote:yes i will sit in my room and play guitar for many hours straight when i have nothing to do, i don't see why if your alone in the tavern you cannot do the same thing.

People pg for 3 hours straight sometimes. That's 9 ig hours. I doubt you practice in your room for 9 hours straight, and if you do; are you some kind of robot? And if so, what kind of powers do you have? Do you use them for good, or for awesome? Would you like to join forces? I just happen to be the greatest criminal mind of our time.

-Alexrose

To sum up: if your character practiced 9 hours straight, his fingers would come off.

Cuthalion wrote:The problem is that the messages are anoying, not that it is powergaming.

Why is the person Shift+clicking? To gain skill.

No other reason

.: Its powergaming

Added: Its soo powergaming due to the fact that the skill itself is useless...

[Look at the MOTIVES not the action]

ps- 2/3 hours of practicing in RL isn't uncommon.... (for a mere hobbyist)

Everyone shiftclicks to gain skill hun. I shiftclick a tree with my hatchet to gain lumberjacking, and logs. These logs I can use to up my skill in carpentry.

Unless you have been away for 3 years, skill is what the game is about. Roleplaying is a hobby, at most. Rather sad, isn't it? I am anticipating Nitram's new system though, because I have the feeling things will improve.

Misjbar wrote:Everyone shiftclicks to gain skill hun. I shiftclick a tree with my hatchet to gain lumberjacking, and logs. These logs I can use to up my skill in carpentry.

Unless you have been away for 3 years, skill is what the game is about. Roleplaying is a hobby, at most. Rather sad, isn't it? I am anticipating Nitram's new system though, because I have the feeling things will improve.

For me Roleplaying is what the game is about and skill is the bane of the game.

I know, I know. The game is about roleplaying presumably, but many of the players inside the game value skill over roleplay.

You shift click to get logs, because you'll get more logs faster with more skill

What difference does more skill in playing make?

I think they just enjoy putting the number up

(maybe they lyke colours)

You can't roleplay a carpenter without awesome carpentered items. You need to practice for 999 hours at an end to become a half-decent carpenter. The skillbased game is created.

Do I need to make myself more clear or?

Misjbar, you are so right i love you.


most must understand the concept of a game. A Game needs some sort of Work and reward factor, or else it won't really be a game.

Classic snake! Work your way through, gain new levels as a reward.
Runescape! work, get skill reward.

You get the jist of what i mean.

Illarion without skills is just, blobs on the screen talking, that cannot do anything but talk and pretend. Not really a game, more of MSN chat.

*sighs*

My point is, currently, the skill is USELESS.

So increasign it is USELESS, and all it does is p*** off the poor person who has to hear you practice