Keeping up with the Jonses...er Guild members

Talen · #1 12-31-2007, 10:34 PM

Link to blog entry

Note on linked entry: I'm having trouble finding the time to develop my own character(s)/advancing and completing my own titles/quests/missions because I'm so busy with guild initiatives/helping members. The entry provides more commentary. Feedback welcome here or there. Thanks!

Talen

Hades-LotD · #2 01-01-2008, 04:50 PM

I usually level up one primary character on our guild setup schedule when we go into a new game. Beyond that I'm usually busy playing politics, organizing events, etc so any other characters I level up I do so based on available opportunity. Sometimes I can work it out with my junior leadership so that I can get twinked. That basically means they put me in a PL group and carry me around while I continue to do my daily activities, and they understand that by me doing those things that they don't have to do them.

As a leadership team though the guild leadership should have shared responsibilities so that no one person is overloaded, and then they should work together to level up any secondary characters. If they aren't willing to help each other out, then their guild loyalty should be in question.

Talen · #3 01-01-2008, 07:58 PM

Do you find it hard to balance guild loyalty and the learning curve required to bring new officers up to speed? I've officers with much loyalty, but when a few need to take a break for whatever reason, or they go out to start their own guild, decide to leave the game, etc., etc., I find the learning curve for new officers makes delegation particularly difficult. I'm not saying that I don't delegate; on the contrary, I sometimes feel I delegate too much and then end up administering to those I delegated. It's an interesting balance, and I suppose there's no 'fix' to the problem, but still worthy of discussion, I think.

Hades-LotD · #4 01-01-2008, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Talen

Do you find it hard to balance guild loyalty and the learning curve required to bring new officers up to speed? I've officers with much loyalty, but when a few need to take a break for whatever reason, or they go out to start their own guild, decide to leave the game, etc., etc., I find the learning curve for new officers makes delegation particularly difficult. I'm not saying that I don't delegate; on the contrary, I sometimes feel I delegate too much and then end up administering to those I delegated. It's an interesting balance, and I suppose there's no 'fix' to the problem, but still worthy of discussion, I think.

Yeah I do. When I post about giving guilds the tools to help balance out the competing interests. Its based on Dr. Nick Yee's studies of MMORPG gaming guilds.

Talen · #5 01-01-2008, 11:38 PM

Yar - that's a long and complicated thread that seems awful one sided in those providing and critiquing ideas. Somewhat frustrating to begin with, but threads like that exacerbate the problem.

Hades-LotD · #6 01-01-2008, 11:51 PM

Actually that is based on the research on guilds from Nick Yee. He has a Ph.D in online gaming, and has studied why guilds fail and why guild leadership burns out. I took parts of his interviews and simply made some suggestions. Others made some decent suggestions, but most of the negativity comes from the few there who dislike guilds. Those that dislike guilds prefer a gaming environment where people can solo, and not have to rely on anyone else.

Actually in small not too visible sites discussions between gamers and developers happen all the time, and threads can go several pages long. If you want to interact with developers, you've got to find out where they post and then be able to put together a comprehensive post to argue your case. You can also go to their blogs and get into some good discussions there. Discussion with devs doesn't exacerbate any problems because without discussion, they just keep redesigning the same old stuff over and over.

HexIceglimmer · #7 10-07-2008, 05:07 AM

As bad as it sounds...some of us officers/leaders in our alliance have "offline" time where we're in game, but still offline. That way, you can have your time while letting the alliance or guild run itself, but you're still there if something horrible should pop up.

BigDaddyDre · #8 10-23-2008, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HexIceglimmer

As bad as it sounds...some of us officers/leaders in our alliance have "offline" time where we're in game, but still offline. That way, you can have your time while letting the alliance or guild run itself, but you're still there if something horrible should pop up.

That is actually not as bad sounding as you think...
Myself and others in my previous and curent guilds often have "time away" from the game to take care of politics, site upkeep, meetings, etc, but stay in touch live with the guild via teamspeak, or 3rd party software that lets us monitor the in game chat box without being in game. Thru these measures you can see who changes personality when the "boss" is away to keep grudges/griefing to a minimum, or the foul mouth junky who talks nothing but sweetness if they think the leadership team is actually online.

Running a guild is hard and is not for everyone, it takes excellent skills in delegation, and the ability to just say NO, but in a positive manner sometimes to the overly needy players who just cant grasp the concept that we all wanna just play sometimes. A good way to ensure that "new" officers fit the learning curve you seek.... well loyalty to your friends is important, but simple observation of your guild mates will often show you the best candidates for a promotion, without them having to ask for it.

In my experience the leaders just show and do the job, without asking for the recognition, they always make the best staff, whereas the good buddy who is begging to be a raid leader or whatever the case may be, may end up power tripping and costing you several of your good players to another guild or even game...

I do wish you good luck in finding a solution to your dilemma

Scick · #9 10-23-2008, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HexIceglimmer

As bad as it sounds...some of us officers/leaders in our alliance have "offline" time where we're in game, but still offline. That way, you can have your time while letting the alliance or guild run itself, but you're still there if something horrible should pop up.

I usually end up as officer when I play MMO's, so I use this way of doing things. I make an alt, and play it without telling anybody from the guild who it is. If they figure it out, I don't lie though.
Of course, I level my main to max before I start doing this, as I think that's only fair to the guild.

HexIceglimmer · #10 10-23-2008, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigDaddyDre

In my experience the leaders just show and do the job, without asking for the recognition, they always make the best staff, whereas the good buddy who is begging to be a raid leader or whatever the case may be, may end up power tripping and costing you several of your good players to another guild or even game...

Yes, that is what we've started telling people interested in this position. We simply say "be an outgoing, proactive part in the guild/alliance and act like you would act as an officer. once we see you acting as an officer should, the promotion will come." Then there are no more questions for promotion and (if they really want it) we not only eventually get another officer, we get a very good member until the promotion comes.