Beneficial Cantina Incentives

[FSimser]

I really hope there is some sort of plan, perhaps in a way similar to Star Wars Galaxies, to make it beneficial to hang out in Cantinas while you're waiting for Warzone/FP/OP queues, chatting to guild mates, sorting inventory, etc. The cartel bazaar zone on the republic fleet (just as a for instance) is a fantastic looking area with a huge amount of convenience built directly into the zone (A GTN terminal, etc.) and the best designed cantina I have seen yet. It's screaming for attention, and making it beneficial, even in a small way, to hang out there would go a long way toward organically encouraging a stronger social community. There could even some small little fun things to do while you're standing around and waiting. Designers as talented as those employed by Bioware could come up with something terrific, I'm sure.

 

Are there any plans for this? Does anyone have any suggestions for what the incentive could be?

 

My idea: (I'm just throwing random numbers in here, I'm not sure what would really be appropriate)

 

Cantina Rested Bonus: A +4 bonus to all stats that exists for 20 minutes after leaving the cantina space. This bonus is gradually increased as the cantina becomes more crowded up to a max of +10. In warzones, this bonus could automatically default to the maximum value as long as you already have it (It won't automatically give you the buff if you don't already have it). That way, it isn't penalizing the faction with a smaller population on the server, but it is offering an incentive to all participants to be in the cantina before a que.

 

Now, this is going to generate some controversy because people will argue that they might want to be queued while performing dailies, leveling, etc. and I think there's a way to solve this issue also while still helping to promote the cantina. At the bar in the cantina sell a special drink that also provides the bonus, but only lasts in your inventory for 4 hours before it "goes flat" or something like that and then you have to revisit the cantina to purchase one again. It would be very inexpensive and just designed to help promote visiting the cantina. There could even be a functionality to allow you to "buy someone a drink." Or maybe that's the only way to get one of these drinks in the first place! "Hey! One of you lucky reps buy me a drink!"

 

Input is appreciated!

[Bstr]

The purpose of this game is to not waste your time sitting around in the Cantina and actually do something.

 

Cantinas already give 2x XP after resting in them for a certain amount of time. They also sell certain stims and items to help you quest.

 

Now, I support having more vendors in the Cantinas with different items so that we go to them more often. I don't support making people wait there while a queue pops to get a boost.

 

PS: There is a Suggestion Box above that this belongs in.

[DOHboy]

no, cantinas already provide a rest boost, beyond that is music. Could there be more to do, sure, pazaac or other mini games would be nice.

 

But adding a stat boost would essentially make them required. Adding the stat boost to a drink just makes that even more important than the cantina since now you just stake those and use them like stims.

 

Really what you want is something to do while waiting, and answer to that is mini games.

[FSimser]

no, cantinas already provide a rest boost, beyond that is music. Could there be more to do, sure, pazaac or other mini games would be nice.

 

But adding a stat boost would essentially make them required. Adding the stat boost to a drink just makes that even more important than the cantina since now you just stake those and use them like stims.

 

Really what you want is something to do while waiting, and answer to that is mini games.

 

What I'm really looking for is a way to boost zone specific social interaction so that the community is strengthened. The only way I could think of to do that was to offer some sort of small stat incentive. I am not a game designer, however, and won't pretend to be. That specific way of supporting social gathering might be absolutely awful, I'd just like to see something, not necessarily what I have suggested here. I am in no way attached to my specific suggestion, my desire is just to see the cantinas populated and fun to hang out in and the natural social/community benefits that will then grow out of that.

[ImpactHound]

It's depressing when the ideas Galaxies established are bashed, moreso by people who actually played Galaxies and somehow think this game is a step forward in the genre. I like OP's idea but this is a pretty close-minded community.

[GangaWolf]

I played Galaxies for several years until the "Let's all be a WoW clone with lots of Jedi" update, and yes did go to Cantinas, but by the time I left it was mostly bots/macro'd players and the rest biding their time for the buffs. I think having player towns run by guilds did much more to build the social element.

 

Rather than implement this I'd prefer to see Guild Capital Ships that players could quick-pass to.

[DOHboy]

there are two issues here:

 

What to do during down time?

 

How to increase "social" interaction?

 

I think the social gear and social levels is pretty much done, they have no plans (as far as i know) to do anything new with it. As such we're stuck with sparkles and junk gear. IF there were incentives for social levels and ways to get that outside of flashpoints think there may have some hope here.

 

Dueling and social rewards for that could be a way, I.e win N number of duels etc. And have gear/pets/other social items that are attached to it (i.e rep vendors).

 

As for what to do during down time, again mini-games or gain social with dueling.

[LordArtemis]

I was a cantina supporter. Without a buffing class of some kind however, presence alone will not likely encourage folks to gather. Also the lack of chat bubbles makes it even less likely IMO.

 

I think right now Guild stations or ships would be the best bet. However, I would support some kind of buff from cantina presence other than an XP buff.

[Drudenfusz]

I think more reasons to go to cantinas would be nice (especially when at level cap you don't get anything from being there). That said, it should not be a stat bonus.

 

Buffs: How about getting a 1% Presence buff when you buff other people in cantinas, would be like the class buffs hold for an hour.

 

Crafting: Maybe get a 1% crit chance bunus on craftion while in a cantina. Or a 5% bonus on reverse engineering.

 

Social: implement something players can do together in a cantina (this don't has to be a whole new minigame, just something for a little RP flavour). Wouldn't mind if one could get social points for whatever that might be.

[FSimser]

I think more reasons to go to cantinas would be nice (especially when at level cap you don't get anything from being there). That said, it should not be a stat bonus.

 

Buffs: How about getting a 1% Presence buff when you buff other people in cantinas, would be like the class buffs hold for an hour.

 

Crafting: Maybe get a 1% crit chance bunus on craftion while in a cantina. Or a 5% bonus on reverse engineering.

 

Social: implement something players can do together in a cantina (this don't has to be a whole new minigame, just something for a little RP flavour). Wouldn't mind if one could get social points for whatever that might be.

 

I really like these ideas. I never thought about including crafting in the bonus, but that's a fantastic idea. Maybe gathering and crafting could also be sped up by 5% or something. Another fun feature, once season one of PvP is under way later this year, would be to have a big display with the top 5-10 solo que players and group teams listed just for bragging rights. I'll never be up there, but I think it would be neat for those that are.

[Storm-Cutter]

I would opt for a few more, and with larger spaces and backrooms for people to interact, and maybe get social points for conversations in them. Maybe a social point after a few convos over 5 mins or something, stopping farming by whispering "?" and "! "to one another all night . A few NPCs to chat to would be great, but knowing how SWTOR works, I can't see that hapening unless there is wads cash to be made....

[BrianDavion]

here's my concern. let's say they bring in these incentives for people to hang out in cantinas for MECHANICAL bonuses.

 

this enchourages power gamy types to hang out in cantinas which tend to be RP hubs.

I think you're seeing what I'm getting at here of course,

now plenty of min maxers/power gamers what have you are nice guys, don't get me wrong, but this is gonna enchourage a certin element to hang out in Cantinas whom once there will be bored and proably harass the RP community.

 

TLDR if they impliment a system enchouraging people to be in Cantinas it's gonna lead to more greifing of roleplay

[LordArtemis]

Here is my suggestion to get folks to frequent cantinas.....

 

http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?p=6662849#post6662849

 

They could add this to all cantinas, especially on Nar Shadaa.

[AlrikFassbauer]

Social: implement something players can do together in a cantina (this don't has to be a whole new minigame, just something for a little RP flavour). Wouldn't mind if one could get social points for whatever that might be.

 

Sounds very good to me !