The Guild Counsel: Expansion pains
With winter comes a wave of MMO expansions, like EVE Online's Incursion, EverQuest II's upcoming Destiny of Velious, and, of course, Blizzard's Cataclysm. It's always exciting to have new content, but for guilds, a new expansion can lead to growing pains, competition, and major drama. The cohesive team atmosphere you worked so hard to build can quickly dissolve the moment servers come up, as members race towards the new level cap, new skills, and shiniest toys.
How can guilds wade through the chaos of an expansion and keep an even keel? Read on for a few tips on how to avoid having a cataclysm within your own guild.
"Ohai! Nice to see you again!" An expansion will always mean the sudden return of members who stepped away from the game. This can cause friction as members who stuck it out might resent all the prodigal sons suddenly returning home. While it is "just a game," and you can't penalize people who stopped doing something they weren't enjoying, you should make sure that those who toughed it out are given proper appreciation for doing so.
"The Uber Sword of Uberness goes to..." Loot is always a drama magnet, but it's even worse when the brand-new, shiniest items go to the people who weren't around when the going was tough in your guild. Make sure to shore up your loot rules, or that amazing sword that just dropped on your raid will end up going to the person who stopped playing and was sitting on 500 dkp or to the member who returned after a six month break and seems to have the luck of the gods when randoming for loot. The easiest solution is to let the guild know that if you take an extended break, you need to participate regularly for a certain amount of time before you can put in for loot during guild events. But make sure you announce this early and often!
"You should give that to..." Another sensitive issue is what members should do with valuable items they acquire either on their own or in guild groups. While many members are happy to donate valuable spells, components or gear to the guild bank, some prefer to keep it so they can trade or sell it and gear themselves up. Both viewpoints are valid, but you need to make sure that everyone's on the same page with whatever you choose to do.
In Revelry and Honor, people understand that it's up to the individual to decide whether to keep something or donate it. There's nothing more awkward than having someone win something nice in a group and then have four people telling him, "Oh, so and so can use that," when he was actually planning on keeping it. Ironically, even though we don't require it, people usually choose to pass items along to other members. As a result, the "pay it forward" attitude tends to spread quickly, and that's always a great atmosphere to have in guild.
Do a refresher on guild rules. It's wise to use the launch of a new expansion to review your guild rules. Some might be outdated and need to be cleaned up a bit. It's helpful for you and the guild to have them fresh in your mind as you tackle new content.
Let the class negotiations begin. Whether you are a guild that groups or raids, class balance is always important. A new expansion often is a mixed blessing, as some members inevitably will want to switch classes. While this can be a tricky time for your guild as players jockey for new roles, it's probably the best time for it to happen. A new expansion usually brings a gear reset, meaning it's easier for someone to catch up on equipment. Plus, those who switch probably won't miss too many guild events, since everyone else is also busy working on levels and exploring new areas. If you do approve class changes, make sure to go over expectations, so that both of you are on the same page about what the member is responsible for doing on his own in order to catch up.
Let players kick the tires. Whether you're an active raiding guild or that gnomish tinkering global domination guild, your members have probably been used to a regular schedule of planned events. When an expansion launches, don't be afraid to take a little time away from organized activities. Everyone will want a little freedom to check out the new content. Keeping to a normal schedule cuts into the opportunity to explore the new stuff, and if you do try to raid, chances are your mates will be too distracted to give you a good effort.
Keep a central focus. Giving players a breather from organized events doesn't mean you're off the hook from leading. In fact, your leadership is even more important during a new expansion, although your role is different. Your job shifts from being a coach to being a dispatcher. As everyone scatters in 20 different directions, it's your job to get feedback from the guild on rewarding quest lines, easy upgrades, and handy tips, and then relay it to everyone out there in the field. It's a much more satisfying experience when players are sharing discoveries with each other, and this is where guilds really shine.
When you resume raiding, do you stick with the old or bring in the new? With gear resets being the norm in many current expansions, your choice may already be made for you. But this is something you'll want to research a bit. Members in your guild will most likely choose the fresh new content over the old, stale stuff. But if you haven't properly farmed the previous expansion, you might not be prepared enough to make a dent in the new raid encounters. It may be that you can fill in pieces through group instances or certain new quest lines and avoid a continued farm of older raid content. But jumping into new content without preparing can set your guild back and waste valuable time.
Slow down recruiting during the early stages of an expansion. You already have lots of changes in the guild and in the game that carry the potential for drama. Adding an influx of new members can only add to that. Unless you really need the numbers, go slow on inviting new people into the guild and screen thoroughly.
There will be a gap, and that's OK. Every guild has a split between members who progress faster than others. Often, that leads to the feeling that you have two separate guilds, and what comes with that is the dreaded "team A, team B" mindset. As guild leader, it's your job to quickly identify what goals you have for your guild and set a reasonable pace to get there. Ideally, you want to find the midpoint -- a goal that slower members feel is attainable and faster members feel is acceptable to wait for.
Don't forget the fun. Sure, everyone wants the "Uber Sword of Uberness," but how cool is it to run around new zones in /cutemode? (see above picture) A new expansion can sometimes bring out the worst in people, and a light moment here and there can usually help diffuse the tension.
How has your guild handled the launch of a new expansion? If you have any handy tips on how to make it through the frenzy of new changes, share them below.
Lastly, drama is coming! So far, we've looked at ways for a guild leader to avoid or mitigate issues within the guild, but drama is unavoidable. We'll be shifting gears soon to look at how to best to handle things when emotions get high and personalities collide. I'm seeking your feedback, so if you've experienced drama first hand or you're currently trying to figure a way deal with conflict in your guild, send your stories to karen@massively.com.
Do you have a guild problem that you just can't seem to resolve? Have a guild issue that you'd like to discuss? Every week, Karen Bryan takes on reader questions about guild management right here in The Guild Counsel column. She'll offer advice, give practical tips, and even provide a shoulder to lean on for those who are taking up the challenging task of running a guild.
