New Layout

Well, you want feedback, right? I hate to make my first post a critical one, but the new layout of the club was driving me crazy last night. It looks absolutely great, I can't complain about that, and the backstage area is a nice touch, but for the dancers, there are a couple big issues. The biggest by far, at least to me, is the distance apart of the poles; the dancers on the side poles can only hear the dancer in the middle, there's no way to interact or work with the dancer on the other side. In my opinion, and I know several other dancers and many of the patrons agree, the shows are a -lot- better when it's not just each dancer on their own, when we can play together a bit. I know I've been waiting to put on a little show with one other dancer in particular, who I was finally at the club with at the same time for enough time to work with last night, but with us on the end poles, we may as well have been in different sims.

Maybe this complain is far too nitpicky, but I'm not a huge fan of the way the couches are set up now, either. The way they're separated so obviously by which couch is close to which dancer makes the patrons have to obviously choose which dancer they're supporting, which seems to be like it's all too likely to inspire too much competitiveness when one dancer has all the patrons in from of him or her, and make others feel or look bad when "their" couch is empty. More importantly, though, is the same issue as with the side dance poles; with the poles in the back corners, a lot of the patrons, including the ones watching dancers on the other side pole, can't hear the dancer there.

If only SL let you hear avatars just a bit further away, the new club would be near perfect, but as is it's very hard to work with, at least for me. Any other dancers have any opinions?

I actually appreciate the critical eye, Serra.

The couches can certainly be worked on. The distance between poles, not sure what to do about that, but it can be worked out too. Perhaps one of them, the middle, could be a dual pole like in the back? That'd allow for 'working together' better, though would obviously require two willing participants and the spontanuity wouldn't be there.

Hopefully more of you guys get on here and we can hash out some more ideas.

I prefer the pole layout the way it is now compared to before. You may have been able to hear another dancer, but as for being on the side poles, you may as well have not existed. There appear to be less poles as well, which makes the club look more full when there are dancers on each one.

The way you could fix the layout problem right now is by pulling the stages a little closer in, and making the couches more a line and less an arc. I do think the larger dance floor attracted more people, though.

I like it, overall.

That's true, I can't really argue that, only the dancer on the center pole got much attention with the old layout. I can't say whether it will be different or not with the new one; It still seemed like most of the patrons were at the center pole last night when I was there, but Dmitri seems to have made himself quite popular very quickly, so it may have had nothing to do with the location.

How much closer would the stages need to be for the dancers, and everyone on the couches, to hear each other? The very outside ends of the couches might be a bit of a problem, without bringing the stages much closer, which could end up making the club look odd, with everything bunched in the middle and nothing on the ends.

The benefits outweigh the drawbacks in this case. I am not sure how else it can be done to look both aesthetically pleasing and not draw attention only to the dancer who's in the middle. The segregation of the patrons isn't a good thing in the least, but I have no other suggestions to get around that. Except of course having one stage with three poles in an even line, but that would probably backfire and take away some of the 'one on one' between dancers and patrons that everyone seems to like so much.

Asria Fhang wrote:Except of course having one stage with three poles in an even line, but that would probably backfire and take away some of the 'one on one' between dancers and patrons that everyone seems to like so much.

One of the things Sakky said she liked about the new layout was what you've just pointed out: the 'intimacy' that it gave back to the club. It makes it less of a giant warehouse rave and more of a classier one on one club, which I hope to strive for an even balance somewhere in-between.

I'm sure there's something that could be done to improve still and someone just hasn't thought it up just yet.

I'm looking for a decent, new dual dancepole to add to the club. I've seen a couple that look interesting, but I'd have to visit the store to get a preview of the animations.

I have to admit to liking the new layout. Its not finished yet, there still needs to be some fine tuning, but its as has been said before, a much more intimate setting now rather than this large empty space that felt empty even when it was full.

It will constantly go through refinement and feed back like this is what we need to tweak the place just right.

*boots carl in the tush*

I have to say I liked the design of the club when I first came to the AX and no, not just because I want my chair back Tini.

Originally there was the entrance and you entered into what looked like a show room with a fair sized, uplifted stage. The poles were close to each other and allowed the dancers far more realistic "interactions" with each other as well as multiple patrons at one time. Behind the stage was the dance floor, which from the showroom side was not entirely visible which, according to SL's and my own personal internet latency meters, helped to sever the lag in twine and helped separate those who wanted to dance, from those who wanted to watch making things, and in the end all it was less crowded per area.

The only real problem with this set up though, was that patrons in the seats could not really interact with patrons on the dance floor, though the dancers had a very good view of both.

Chazore wrote:I'm looking for a decent, new dual dancepole to add to the club. I've seen a couple that look interesting, but I'd have to visit the store to get a preview of the animations.

I'm willing to help purchase a better dual pole if need be. The dances on the current one look.. strange. To me anyway.

Asria Fhang wrote:

Chazore wrote:I'm looking for a decent, new dual dancepole to add to the club. I've seen a couple that look interesting, but I'd have to visit the store to get a preview of the animations.

I'm willing to help purchase a better dual pole if need be. The dances on the current one look.. strange. To me anyway.

If you can tell me, or send me a landmark of the place where you found some decent dual dancepoles, that'd be great.

I like the club, I just notice that people who tip from the back of the dance floor, never get to hear the dancer's rp their thanks... just makes us look like ungrateful beggers.

Yeah but if they cannot hear your replies then they can't hear you to begin with, so no worries.

And I rescind my previous statement, I like the new design.

For the outside part of the club, the tunel thing gives it a kinda sofisticated look that I like, then entrance seems way better.
Honestly the inside part changes so much that I haven't really looked at it yet :S

I like the new layout overall of the club, but the tunnels on the inside of the club going to the outside kind of ruin the atmosphere, it makes it feel less club like.

I liked the dance floor bigger too, I can get wanting to hear everyone but it feels like a can of sardines in thar!

Just thought to throw my opinion out here. =) Overall, everything looks great though, I love the way the two sims come together.

Chazore wrote:

Asria Fhang wrote:

Chazore wrote:I'm looking for a decent, new dual dancepole to add to the club. I've seen a couple that look interesting, but I'd have to visit the store to get a preview of the animations.

I'm willing to help purchase a better dual pole if need be. The dances on the current one look.. strange. To me anyway.

If you can tell me, or send me a landmark of the place where you found some decent dual dancepoles, that'd be great.

I saw one at Sinewave but haven't tested it with two people yet. It didn't look like the same one that was in the club before.