guild-recruitment
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The Daily Grind: Does guild recruitment annoy you?
Developing and growing a guild can be a formidable challenge, especially if an MMO doesn't provide adequate tools for recruitment (hint hint, studios). There are many ways to go about it, from word-of-mouth to posts on the official forums. But I've noticed that one tactic that certain guilds use is to spam recruitment messages over and over in lowbie zones and city centers. This... started to really bug me the other day while playing WildStar. Seeing a message once was fine. Seeing the same message every five or 10 minutes felt like there was an annoying alarm clock that kept going off and the only way to shut it up was the ignore button. Does guild recruitment annoy you? What are some dos and don'ts that guilds should follow in this regard? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
The Guild Counsel: Seeking a guild? Watch for these red flags
Each week in this column, we explore common issues in guild management, with a focus on tips to be a successful guild leader. But this week, let's turn the tables a bit and look at things from the perspective of an unguilded player. With the rise of free-to-play in many MMOs, there's a larger pool of players from which guilds recruit. But before you take that guild invite, there are a few red flags to be wary of when joining a guild. For every good guild, there's a guild out there that makes you regret clicking that "join" button and leaves you wishing you had those misspent hours back after you leave. In this week's Guild Counsel, let's look at what to avoid when you're considering joining a guild.
The Guild Counsel: There are no bad players, only bad guild matches
If you had to pinpoint the source of what causes most guild drama, it almost always comes down to the guild's screening process. We've certainly looked at recruiting before and how important it is to create a system that effectively matches up your guild with like-minded players, but all too often, when there is a problem with a new member, the frustration boils over and the finger pointing begins. Is it the player's fault for being a bad seed, or the guild's fault for poor management and vision? Guild leaders and players often hold long-standing resentment, and you can see it in the comments section here at Massively as well, but it's time for a change. In this week's Guild Counsel, we'll look at why even the "worst" player has a good guild match out there and why popular thinking needs to change when it comes to judging who is "bad" and who is "good."
The Guild Counsel: Recruitment tips in the age of free-to-play
Free-to-play is here to stay, and in just a few short years, the MMO landscape has changed dramatically. It seems like just yesterday that games like SWTOR and RIFT were adamantly insisting that the subscription model was the best plan for them. And four years ago, if you had suggested that most MMOs would adopt a free-to-play business model, people would question your sanity. Today, if you claim that the subscription model is the best bet, you'll get funny looks. The change has had an impact on guilds, and it's caused many guild leaders to have to rethink the way they recruit and manage their guilds. Let's take a look at how the free-to-play movement can actually help guilds build and maintain a healthy roster.
The Guild Counsel: Is it time to shift your vision or just shut down?
A big part of running a successful guild is having a clear idea of what type of guild you want to have and knowing how to make that work. Everything revolves around your vision for the guild, from recruitment to scheduling events to guild rules and even the overall tone and atmosphere. But what happens if your guild philosophy ends up clashing with that of the bulk of your members? Massively reader Mbbrazen, who commented on a recent Guild Counsel article, illustrated the issue: The other issue I've seen, which is not specifically mentioned in the article, is what should the guild leader do when the people who originally joined the guild because they all had similar interests are gone (burned out, gone to other games, etc.) and the majority of the new people have more varied interests? Should the guild leader shut the guild down or adapt to the new membership? I actually think a guild I was in recently is dying a slow death because the leaders needed to decide to either shut it down or adapt to needs of the active membership. Thoughts? This is a tough situation but all too common. Let's take a look at some options in this week's Guild Counsel.
The Guild Counsel: Building a roster from the ground up
When you're running a guild, it's essential to choose wisely when you're filling out your roster. Longtime guilds are successful at weathering the ups and downs of guild life because they've put together a team of like-minded people and have established a guild culture that suits everyone well. But it's hard to build a guild from the ground up, and it's no surprise that most new guilds don't last very long at all. Guild leaders need to grow their roster quickly because if there isn't enough manpower to take on guild goals, the few who have agreed to join will have second thoughts and end up leaving. How do you recruit quickly but avoid building a guild that's primed for drama? Let's take a look in this week's Guild Counsel.
The Guild Counsel: What's the worth of a website?
On the "to-do" checklist of practically every guild leader is setting up and maintaining a guild website. It's a central hub that serves as a source of news, a resource base, and a virtual locker room where members can bond with one another. But websites come with their fair share of drama and potential problems, and game changes through the years have put into question whether guild sites are still relevant. Have guilds outgrown guild sites? Let's look at whether they're worth it in this week's Guild Counsel.
The Guild Counsel: How to find the right guild for you
Each week, no matter what the topic of this column, there are always comments from players who have had a bad experience with a guild or who have sworn off guilds entirely. Unfortunately, there are quite a few guilds that are poorly managed, and they come with their share of drama, stress, and frustration. But for those that aren't currently in a guild, I'd like to use this week's column to (hopefully) convince you to rethink things and perhaps give it another try. In this week's Guild Counsel, Let's take a look at why unguilded players are in a great position to find a good match, and what things to look for in order to find that perfect guild.
The Guild Counsel: Making guilds fun
Last week, we looked at common traps that guild leaders should avoid, and the one word that came up the most in comments was "fun." Let's face it, when people think of guild leadership, the last thing they think of is fun. And the replies echoed that sentiment. Guild leadership is often described as a job, although I don't agree with that sentiment. And being in a guild is also seen as work, which I understand, but I don't think that has to be the case. Guilds sometimes take themselves too seriously, and while focus is important for progress, it doesn't mean guilds have to stamp out fun. In this week's Guild Counsel, I'd like to look at how guilds can in fact be fun, and why even the most hesitant gamer should consider giving them a try.
Guide to choosing the right style of guild
Are you searching for a guild of "friendly, mature people" who "have fun" in either a "social" or "raiding" context? You're in luck! You'll find those terms in most guild recruitment ads for WoW's 10 million players worldwide. On second thought, that may be more than good luck; it's more like an avalanche of virtually identical guild profiles. Will those terms help you discern any meaningful distinctions between these groups of players? That's a lot of "friendly" people to sort through. Many guilds are fairly easily described by their schedules and raid progressions (or their lack of either). More likely, though, the essence of your group -- the part that gives it its flavor and makes it stand apart from other guilds -- is somewhat trickier to describe. "Social," "casual," "raiding" ...These terms describe most guilds. And even terms that seem fairly self-explanatory at first glance can be problematic for players trying to evaluate a potential fit. "We're a dedicated roleplaying guild." OK, so what's the spin? One RP guild might maintain a military structure and campaign, while another plays out some very adult-themed interpersonal dramas -- definitely not interchangeable concepts! Our experience is that player and guild drama becomes inevitable when members end up unhappily guilded in a group that doesn't truly fit. The Drama Mamas frequently get mail from players who find their guildmates nice enough but still have that itchy feeling that something just isn't clicking. The fit you want is probably out there, but the terminology and labeling for these guilds hasn't quite caught up yet. What are you looking for in a guild? What sort of group will help you enjoy playing World of Warcraft? Let's figure it out -- and if you're looking for a particularly specialized type of guild, we've included a few niche group suggestions to kickstart your research.
Drama Mamas: How to find a World of Warcraft guild
There's so much more to joining a guild in World of Warcraft than clicking an uninvited newbie zone popup or replying to a random whisper while you're trying to quest. We wouldn't go so far as to say there's a science to getting it right; joining a guild is more of an art, an intersection of careful screening and social serendipity. While it's true that you can successfully fumble about in the relatively unpopulated leveling zones or run the dungeon and raid finders on your own, you'll enjoy a richer, more complete game experience if you play with other players as intended. This guide is not about figuring out what type of guild might best suit you. (We've cover that in a future guide.) If you're unguilded or dissatisfied with your current guild but not quite sure how to describe the kind of group that would make your online gaming experience feel just right, consider this week's pointers as food for thought until we can analyze your own guild needs. If you're ready to find a new guild right now, read on for the best ways to connect with a quality organization.
The Guild Counsel: Cutting back on wasted time
If there's one thing that every guild has trouble with, it's making the best use of everyone's time. When someone's soloing, she's free to play at any pace, any time. But when you're trying to coordinate groups and raids, it's a lot more complicated. Not only are there overall guild goals, but each individual has different needs and goals as well, and it's not always possible to nail them all at once. Wasted time is a quiet problem, but the worse it gets, the more likely it can be a potential guild-breaker. In this week's Guild Counsel, let's look at a few ways that players' time gets wasted and examine some options to prevent it.
The Guild Counsel: Making rebuilding less painful
One of the toughest times in a guild's life is when a guild has to face the prospect of rebuilding. Every guild has some extent of attrition, but there are times when roster numbers dip so low that it puts the future of the guild in jeopardy. For a guild leader, it might be tempting to just close up shop and move on, but there are some things that make the tough task of rebuilding more manageable. Let's look at a few options in this week's Guild Counsel.
Enjin offers guild recruitment system
Guild hosting service Enjin has added a new tool to its ever-increasing arsenal: guild recruitment. The site's new global game recruitment system allows organized groups to post their "players wanted" ads for searching souls to discover. The recruitment list is sortable by category and includes an MMO-dedicated section. Using the system, guilds can post a lengthy introduction letter to convey its purpose and history, where it's located, how many games it's a part of, and what voice communication (if any) it uses. At the time of this writing, Guild Wars 2 has the most recruitment ads, followed by World of Warcraft and Star Wars: The Old Republic. [Source: Enjin press release]
The Guild Counsel: Help, other games are stealing my members!
I have to start off this week's column with a hearty show of sympathy for current guild leaders because in some ways, it's much harder to manage a guild now than it was a decade ago when MMOs were just in their infancy. When I first created a guild in EverQuest with a friend, we had the luxury of knowing that "our way or the highway" really did apply. If you got booted or chose to leave, your choice was to join another guild (which was pretty hard to do if you were a problem because word got around) or basically hang up your MMO hat for good. Now, there are more MMOs to choose from than ever before, and with the flurry of game launches over the past year, it's sometimes hard to manage the ebb and flow of guild members on the roster. Guild departures are a fairly common problem, but what if the reason for the departure isn't a "grass is greener" guild but a "grass is greener" game? In this week's Guild Counsel, we'll look at what to consider when treating the issue.
Guilds recruiting this week
Looking to find those special someones to shack up with each night and go kill a giant internet dragon? Can't find enough warlocks to DI every shadow priest you have? Then you've come to the right place! Welcome to the return of our weekly guild recruitment post. Every Friday, we'll bring you listings we've been sent, even featuring a couple guild's websites right here on our front page. Hopefully this will turn into a great resource to help guilds and guildies connect to go kill some dragons and elemental lords. Knights of Tranquility http://kotguild.shivtr.com Recruiting Mage, shadow priest, warlock, arms warrior, death knight tank More information Our guild, Knights of Tranquility, is a tight knit group of laid back, fun, sociable older people (30+ years old) who like to progress and see new content, but we strongly believe in the social aspects of raiding, and WoW-life balance. We have a good sense of humor and are respectful of other people's values and beliefs. We place a high value on the individual worth and contributions of our guild members, and pride ourselves on putting enjoyment of each others company over loot/achievements. We have some sort of guild activity going on every day, and each night guild members will be sitting on Vent chatting with each other and having a good time. We have a Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday raid schedule, between 7:30-10:30 p.m. PST. We are a level 25 guild who has currently gotten down 1/8 Heroic Dragon Soul. Our guild has been around for six years, so we have a long history of mature raiding. Conquest http://www.cqgaming.com Recruiting: Resto and Balance Druids, Holy Paladin, Hunter, All Priests, Mage, Warlock More Information: Conquest is a 25 man Alliance World of Warcraft raiding guild on US-Ner'zhul. We're currently at 3/8 hard mode and are close to pushing heroic modes. We formed at the end of Burning Crusade and are one of the oldest and most stable guilds on the server. If you'd like to see your guild in here next week, just copy and paste the following info (along with your specifics, of course) to adam@wowinsider.com or leave it in the comments: Guild Name: The name of your guilds, we won't publish racist or R rated names, so don't be that guy. Guild Website: Give everyone a link! If you've got no website, just leave it blank. Recruiting: Tell us what classes and specs you're looking for. About: Give everyone a short (250 character or less) blurb about your guild. Again, no racist or R rated material will be published. Onward for this week's list of guilds, collected from Twitter and Facebook.
The Guild Counsel: Why you need these seven samurai in your guild
More often than not, when the subject of recruiting comes up, guild leaders can easily explain what they don't want from a potential member. We've all seen the usual reasons for wanting to turn someone away, and there have even been a few write-ups that neatly label and describe troublesome members. But what qualities define "good" members? Sometimes, it's harder to pinpoint what makes a good guildmate, and the saying "I know it when I see it" usually results. But there are certain types of people that really make a difference in a guild, no matter what playstyle, and we have to look no further than the film The Seven Samurai for a rundown of those types. Recruit these seven members and you'll be well on your way to creating a great guild atmosphere that will last. Let's look at who they are in today's Guild Counsel!
Breakfast Topic: How's the Guild Finder working for you?
This Breakfast Topic has been brought to you by Seed, the AOL guest writer program that brings your words to WoW Insider's pages. When Blizzard first proposed the Looking for Guild tab, I remember talking with my officers about whether we'd have a presence on it. The stated reason for the tab was to help people looking for a guild find one without having to stand in Stormwind or Orgrimmar and hollering, "Level 85 tank LFGuild!" My guild is rather specific in what we do and to whom we would appeal. Our recruiting is generally word of mouth and, I admit, winning one of the last WoW Insider Guilds of the Month titles helped, a lot. But we came to the conclusion that we should have a presence in the Guild Finder interface. You never know who is out there looking for a guild like us. So I drew up a sales pitch and opened up the interface the first day it was available. Honestly, it's a pretty generic format. We run all content and raid pretty much any day. We don't have class restrictions so if we have more hunters than anything else, well, we have more hunters than anything else and hunters are still welcome to join. The only way to really distinguish yourself was your carefully worded sales pitch at the bottom. Would that be enough for people to find us?
The Classifieds: Surveys for great science
The Classifieds brings you weekly news from around the WoW community, including our famous Random Acts of Uberness shout-outs to players who make your WoW sessions memorable. This is survey week on WoW Insider. We have a quick player wealth survey below, and then Nick Yee needs your help behind the cut. What's the point of having a multimillion-player community if it can't be exploited for science? This is what Xsinthis of Shadowmoon (US-A) had to say: I'm looking for more people to complete my World of Warcraft Wealth Survey. Using this quick, painless 4 question survey I hope to answer questions about wealth in the World of Warcraft. The survey can be found here: http://www.xsinthis.net/survey Everyone is encourage to take the survey, data is needed from all walks of digital life, from the copperless lvl 50, to the players who need guild banks to hold all their gold, the more data collected the more accurate the results will be!
The Classifieds: Final day before the party
The Classifieds brings you weekly news from around the WoW community, including our famous Random Acts of Uberness shout-outs to players who make your WoW sessions memorable. Okay, folks. Here we go. Tomorrow night, we get to enjoy the good times at 2011 BlizzCon Reader Meetup at the Anabella hotel. Live stream, celebrities, and mingling with your fellow players. What's not to love? Come hob-nob with your intrepid staff of WoW Insider writers, have a few drinks, and get ready for BlizzCon. Did we mention the Horde and Alliance each have their own drinks? Oh yes, it's true. The Horde cocktail and Alliance cocktail are both delicious, tasty, and plentiful. You should feel free to sip from the glass of your faction and raise your mug in celebration.
