Guest Post: Guild wars pit friend against friend
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World of Warcraft is a social game. Blizzard made this clear with the recent addition of the Real ID system. I myself have made use of this. Being an officer in several small roleplaying guilds on both Alliance and Horde sides of Cenarion Circle (US), I have found that there is a great bit of planning and organization required in running official guild wars. Currently, the Alliance guild I am an officer in is in a heated battle with a Horde-side guild. Both are roleplaying guilds. Both guilds (in the roleplaying sense) have similar ideas -- both are pro-Horde/pro-Alliance, respectively. One may hate the other side more than the other, but the hate is there.
These guild wars bring a certain fun dynamic to the game. Having a sworn nemesis, whether it is for a character of your creation or a friend from an opposing faction, is just a great way to enjoy the game. Plotting someone's demise, thinking of strategies to take him down? It adds another layer to an already multifaceted world. However, there are a few tips I have noticed that really help with these particular battles. Some things come in handy in a roleplaying context; others focus on fair play, so that people will want to continue to the "war" and not just want to ignore/report your taunts!
Remember the other players
This is something that my Alliance-side guild drills into the minds of our new recruits. This is a game everyone wants to play. We want other people to keep playing with us. Corpse camping and blue-flagging are bannable offenses. Why is this? Mainly because it takes away from the enjoyment of other players. Flight masters are generally off limits, as well, as are starting areas (level 1-6 areas; Goldshire and Crossroads are fair game!). If someone is 10 or more levels below you? Don't attack first.
Of course, all of these are commonsense ideas. Remember, there are human beings on the other side of the computer, controlling their characters. You can hate the character as much as you want, but don't hate the player! Others want to have fun, just like you.
Communication is key
If you want to arrange a planned battle, you need to communicate with your other players. If you are comfortable with it, I suggest sharing your email for Real ID; if not, use various other ways to keep in touch. Use your realm's forums; make a thread to chat about times, locations and rules of engagement. If you're a roleplayer, make a thread to keep a log, and update (in character) all of your engagements with the opposing faction. Roll a toon on the opposing faction so you can hop over and chat with the other leaders and players in game. Exchange AIM/YIM/MSN screen names. Use Vent or Mumble to chat with people from the other side while you are fighting. There are even some people who use Skype to keep in touch with their guildmates; you can also do this to keep in touch with folks from the other side.
Roleplayers: Don't rush to combat
Sometimes you may want to go right into the fight. You want to see the bad guys dead, right? But remember, there is a story to be told! It's always fun to see an exchange of words before you go for each other's throats. I know my realm has a roleplaying guild that can help with this sort of thing -- they provide neutral translators. This is a great way to not only integrate more roleplayers into your ongoing storyline, but to also clear up communication and add that extra touch, rather than simply going for one another's throats.
Consider locations, as well. If your guilds are respectively based out of Stormwind and Undercity, setting a battle for Hillsbrad Foothills makes sense, whereas Ashenvale may not make quite as much sense. Remember, roleplaying is about a community making a story together. If you're doing RP-PvP, whether it is on a RP or RP-PvP realm, you still are a part of this story.Rushing into combat could affect not only your reputation as a player, but your character's reputation in the world.
To sum it all up: In order to create an active war that will be fun for everyone, you really want to keep your "enemies" close. Some of these people may turn out to be wonderful people and become a big part of your gaming experience. You know the old adage, Keep your friends close and your enemies closer? To be successful in game and keep guild wars fun, you probably want your enemies to be your friends!
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