Massively http://www.massively.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://www.massively.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[The Guild Counsel: Surviving the dreaded plateau]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/17/the-guild-counsel-surviving-the-deaded-plateau/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/17/the-guild-counsel-surviving-the-deaded-plateau/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/17/the-guild-counsel-surviving-the-deaded-plateau/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Vanguard
One of the challenges of running a guild is avoiding the emotional peaks and valleys that tend to come up. In fact, one of the scariest times for a guild is when it's just accomplished something big because once the cheers stop, there's a void left and people begin to wonder what's next. It's not uncommon for a guild that's just hit an amazing goal to lose some members shortly after, and in some cases, it can actually lead to a guild withering and drying up because there's a letdown and apathy sets in.

How do you survive the dreaded plateau? Let's look at a few ways in this week's Guild Counsel!

Continue reading The Guild Counsel: Surviving the dreaded plateau

MassivelyThe Guild Counsel: Surviving the dreaded plateau originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 May 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Archlord
Plenty of guilds talk the big talk and DPS the raid meters, but when the chips are down and the final call is uttered, which one guild will stand on top of the mountain of geek corpses and be proclaimed "Champion?" In most MMOs, that would be rhetorical nonsense, but not in Archlord, where guilds will compete in the first World Guild Championship to earn a $10,000 prize and the recognition of their peers.

The game's first combined server guild tournament kicks off on June 11th and features pitched PvP battles between guilds to climb the bracket and claim the big prize. All participants will be given a preset character with standard gear in order to minimize any in-game advantages.

In order to preregister for the tournament, guilds will have to complete a special in-game quest. Registration for the World Guild Championship runs from now through May 30th, with the official brackets announced a few days later on June 4th.

Archlord will be hosting special in-game events and handing out fun prizes for everyone during this time.

MassivelyArchlord hosts first combined server guild tournament originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 May 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>archlordbracketchampionshipcontesteventf2pfree-to-playguild-pvpin-game-eventpvppvp-tournamenttournamentwebzenworld-guild-championshipworld-vs-worldThu, 17 May 2012 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Guild Counsel: Saluting Scott Andrews on five years of valuable guild advice]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/10/the-guild-counsel-saluting-scott-andrews-on-five-years-of-valua/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/10/the-guild-counsel-saluting-scott-andrews-on-five-years-of-valua/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/10/the-guild-counsel-saluting-scott-andrews-on-five-years-of-valua/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

guild leader's handbook
This past Monday marked the fifth anniversary of Scott Andrews' Officers' Quarters, a weekly column on WoW Insider that deals with guild issues in World of Warcraft. He's also the author of The Guild Leader's Handbook, which is a must-read for any guild leader. It's a terrific accomplishment to keep a column going for so long, and week after week, he's provided valuable advice to reader questions on guild management.

Whether you've just heard of Officers' Quarters or you're a longtime fan, let's look at a few reasons Scott Andrews deserves a tip of the hat and a hearty salute.

Continue reading The Guild Counsel: Saluting Scott Andrews on five years of valuable guild advice

MassivelyThe Guild Counsel: Saluting Scott Andrews on five years of valuable guild advice originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 May 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionadviceblizzardblizzard-entertainmentfantasyfeaturedguildguild-adviceguild-counselguild-leadershipguild-managementguildsleadershipofficers-quartersopinionscott-andrewsthe-guild-counselthe-guild-leaders-handbookwarcraftworld-of-warcraftwowwow-insiderThu, 10 May 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Guild Wars 2 wants you to play with your friends no matter what]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/08/guild-wars-2-wants-you-to-play-with-your-friends-no-matter-what/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/08/guild-wars-2-wants-you-to-play-with-your-friends-no-matter-what/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/08/guild-wars-2-wants-you-to-play-with-your-friends-no-matter-what/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Guild Wars 2
"Whenever we design a new feature we always ask ourselves how it impacts our players' ability to play with their friends," ArenaNet's Eric Flannum stated about Guild Wars 2. In an interview focused on connecting players together, Flannum made it clear that the team was looking for every possible opportunity to pave the way for social hookups.

Flannum addressed the specifics of how Guild Wars 2's servers work in relation to transfers. While there is a traditional paid transfer service (which can be used only every seven days), all players will have the ability to hop over to friends' servers as a guest. Player team-ups are further made possible by the dynamic level-adjusting system that scales players down to the zone they're occupying.

This process is made easier by ArenaNet's decision to make friend lists and guilds account-wide instead of specific to a server. So while each guild has a home server, other chapters can exist elsewhere. Flannum also said that the team is carefully structuring its PvP system so that it will be free from potential abuse by server guesting.

MassivelyGuild Wars 2 wants you to play with your friends no matter what originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 May 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetbetaeric-flannumfantasyfriend-listfriends-listgroupgroupingguildguild-wars-2guildsgw2home-serverhome-worldhookupsinterviewncsoftpc-gamerpvpserverserver-transferssocialteamteamingteamupsTue, 08 May 2012 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[TERA gives players a guide to guilds]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/03/tera-gives-players-a-guide-to-guilds/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/03/tera-gives-players-a-guide-to-guilds/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/03/tera-gives-players-a-guide-to-guilds/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

If these players were in a guild, they'd be having at least 30% more fun right now.
Maybe TERA is your first MMO, maybe you want to learn about what TERA offers its guilds, or maybe you just want to see guilds defined as something other than small-scale drama generators for once. There are a lot of reasons you might want to look at TERA's new guide to guilds in the game, but whatever your motivation, the guide will provide you with all the answers you need to start guilding away with ease.

The main benefit to being in a guild in TERA are the guild quests; available all across the game, each guild quest provides players with Catharnac Awards that can be used to improve the guild's level and buy special items from vendors. You also need to be part of a level 3 guild to run for public office, which is all the more reason for politically minded players to make friends. But don't take our word for it -- after all, there's a guide to tell you all of this in detail.

MassivelyTERA gives players a guide to guilds originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 May 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blueholebluehole-studioscultureen-masseen-masse-entertainmentfantasygame-mechanicsgame-systemsguideguidesguildguild-benefitsguild-questsguildsnewssystemsteraThu, 03 May 2012 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Guild Counsel: What's your guild really worth?]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/03/the-guild-counsel-whats-your-guild-really-worth/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/03/the-guild-counsel-whats-your-guild-really-worth/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/03/the-guild-counsel-whats-your-guild-really-worth/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

RIFT chest
One age-old debate in MMOs revolves around the buying and selling of characters, and the argument becomes especially contentious when it involves the exchange of real-life money. The members of one camp will staunchly defend the practice, saying they put the time and effort into the toons and that those characters are theirs to do with as they please. Others argue the opposite, saying that there are plenty of characters who were given help from others in leveling and acquiring gear, and it's not right to take that collective effort and market it to the highest bidder.

It's a complicated issue for sure, but it's mainly centered around one single character. But what if it involved an entire guild? That's a question that players have had to tackle recently in World of Warcraft, as the practice of buying and selling guilds has become more and more popular. Would you buy a guild if you were just starting out? And would you sell your guild if you were done with the game? As usual, there are three sides to this coin, and it's something that we might see more of in other MMOs, so let's take a look at some of the arguments both for and against in today's Guild Counsel.

Continue reading The Guild Counsel: What's your guild really worth?

MassivelyThe Guild Counsel: What's your guild really worth? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 May 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advicebuying-guildsfeaturedguildguild-adviceguild-counselguild-leadershipguild-managementguildsleadershipopinionthe-guild-counselThu, 03 May 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Guild Counsel: When do you trust the new guy?]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/04/26/the-guild-counsel-when-do-you-trust-the-new-guy/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/26/the-guild-counsel-when-do-you-trust-the-new-guy/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/26/the-guild-counsel-when-do-you-trust-the-new-guy/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

swtor
When you're running a guild, there are lots of clear, right and wrong, cut and dried issues to take on. It might not be easy to carry them out, but it's pretty easy to know what the right decision is. There are some, however, that aren't so clear, and it's hard to even gauge which variables might help reveal the best solution. One of those naggingly difficult areas is knowing when to put your trust in a new member. A good recruitment policy will help filter out bad matches, but at what point do you know that a new member really is a good fit with the guild and can be trusted? As much as I'd like to just say "you'll know it when you see it" and leave it at that, I'd like to touch on a few areas that might come into play as you evaluate new members. Read on for a few ideas in this week's Guild Counsel, and add yours to the discussion below!

Continue reading The Guild Counsel: When do you trust the new guy?

MassivelyThe Guild Counsel: When do you trust the new guy? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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swtor facepalm
Guild-leading can be a very enjoyable and rewarding activity, but it's not always a walk in the park. In many of the columns here and the discussions that follow, the most common theme is how leading guilds is both the best and the toughest role in the game. When things are all falling into place and everyone's clicking, it's extremely satisfying to see it all come together. But when it's not, it can be extremely frustrating and stressful.

We've often looked at the benefits of running a guild, but in today's Guild Counsel, let's look at a few areas that can sometimes make guild leadership almost seem not worth it. Hopefully by discussing and recognizing these moments of misery, guild leaders can find some solace in knowing that they aren't alone, and members can help make life easier for their leaders.

Continue reading The Guild Counsel: What makes a guild leader miserable?

MassivelyThe Guild Counsel: What makes a guild leader miserable? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advicecalling-a-raidchallenges-of-running-a-guildfeaturedguildguild-adviceguild-counselguild-departuresguild-leader-distrustguild-leader-turning-people-awayguild-leadershipguild-managementguild-miseryguildskaren-bryanleadershipopinionthe-guild-counselThu, 19 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Guild Counsel: The six most embarrassing things you can do in a guild]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/04/05/the-guild-counsel-the-six-most-embarrassing-things-you-can-do-i/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/05/the-guild-counsel-the-six-most-embarrassing-things-you-can-do-i/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/05/the-guild-counsel-the-six-most-embarrassing-things-you-can-do-i/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Vanguard riding a camel
There are some things in life that just go hand in hand, like peanut butter and jelly, Bert and Ernie, sun and sand, and guilds and embarrassing moments. In fact, one thing that makes guild life so memorable is our collection of those little screw-ups that leave us laughing and wondering what on earth someone was thinking. There are tons of things people do in game that leave them flustered (believe me, I know!), but some go down in history as classic moments of mortification. Let's take a look at a few epic embarrassments in this week's Guild Counsel.

Continue reading The Guild Counsel: The six most embarrassing things you can do in a guild

MassivelyThe Guild Counsel: The six most embarrassing things you can do in a guild originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Apr 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advicefeaturedguildguild-adviceguild-counselguild-leadershipguild-managementguildshumorleadershipmistellopinionthe-guild-counselThu, 05 Apr 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMO Family: Do kids belong in guilds?]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/04/04/mmo-family-do-kids-belong-in-guilds/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/04/mmo-family-do-kids-belong-in-guilds/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/04/mmo-family-do-kids-belong-in-guilds/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Guild Hall in EQII
In my regular columns at Massively, I enjoy taking a look at various topics surrounding family-friendly MMOs and common issues in guild management. So it seemed natural to take the two subjects and combine them for this week's MMO Family. Gamers are growing older, and we're seeing an increasing presence of younger players, even in the more serious "adult" games like Lord of the Rings Online and EverQuest II. For those who play MMOs with their children, it might seem reasonable to seek a guild tag for them, but that might not sit well with your guild peers.

Should kids be allowed in guilds? Are there any benefits to sharing a tag with your children, or are they better off staying unguilded?

Continue reading MMO Family: Do kids belong in guilds?

MassivelyMMO Family: Do kids belong in guilds? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advicecasualchildrenchildrens-mmosfamilyfamily-friendlyfeaturedguildguild-adviceguild-leadershipguild-managementguildskaren-bryankid-friendlykidskids-gamesleadershipmmo-familyopinionWed, 04 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Some Assembly Required: Revisiting Origins of Malu]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/03/30/some-assembly-required-revisiting-origins-of-malu-an-intervi/http://www.massively.com/2012/03/30/some-assembly-required-revisiting-origins-of-malu-an-intervi/http://www.massively.com/2012/03/30/some-assembly-required-revisiting-origins-of-malu-an-intervi/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Some Assembly Required
Many moons ago when the air just started to cool from summer's heat (aka, last September), Some Assembly Required had the opportunity to talk shop with a new outfit that is developing a promising new sandbox MMORPG, Origins of Malu. And you know me: Sandbox is the magic word! As skeptical as I knew I should be, I still came away from that interview with renewed hope that a game with some of the features for player-generated content could exist again.

Back then, Burning Dog Media made the bold statement that it would absolutely release its flagship game in 2012, with a target of early 2012 to boot. But as the first quarter of the year quickly drew to a close with scant information available, it became pretty clear the game is still a ways off. In the realm of games, no news is not necessarily good news... and we definitely hit a drought in news.

Now that drought has ended. In our second exclusive interview, we spoke with Michael Dunham, Producer, Jason Mitchell, Senior Developer, and Dave Cruikshank, Art Director, to learn what's been going on behind the scenes and get the scoop on more details about those very features that have sandbox lovers salivating.

Continue reading Some Assembly Required: Revisiting Origins of Malu

MassivelySome Assembly Required: Revisiting Origins of Malu originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Mar 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>burning-dog-mediaconstructioncraftingDave-Cruikshankeconomyexclusiveexclusive-interviewfaction-warfarefactionsfeaturedgame-mechanicsguildsinterviewinterviewsJason-Mitchellmassively-exclusive-interviewsmichael-dunhamopinionorigins-of-malupgcplayer-contentplayer-economyplayer-generated-contentPvEPvPsandboxsarsome-assembly-requiredFri, 30 Mar 2012 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Guild Counsel: Time for a mutiny!]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/03/29/the-guild-counsel-time-for-a-mutiny/http://www.massively.com/2012/03/29/the-guild-counsel-time-for-a-mutiny/http://www.massively.com/2012/03/29/the-guild-counsel-time-for-a-mutiny/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Guild Counsel
In last week's Guild Counsel, we looked at some of the qualities required of guildleaders for those who might be thinking of trying it out. But what if you're someone who's already a member of a guild? If I had a nickel for every time a guild member thought to himself, "I could do a better job," I'd be able to retire and buy a ticket to fly in space. In some cases, it's just an issue of backseat driving, but in others, there's some merit to that point of view. When is it time to step in and replace the guild leader? And if so, how do you do it without the usual Hindenburgesque drama that ensues?

Continue reading The Guild Counsel: Time for a mutiny!

MassivelyThe Guild Counsel: Time for a mutiny! originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Mar 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advicefeaturedguildguild-adviceguild-counselguild-leadershipguild-managementguild-mutinyguildsinactive-leadersleadershipnick-yeeopinionthe-guild-counselworld-of-warcraft-inactive-leaderThu, 29 Mar 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online's The Mittani issues formal apology for crossing the line [UPDATED]]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/03/27/eve-onlines-the-mittani-issues-formal-apology-for-crossing-the-line/http://www.massively.com/2012/03/27/eve-onlines-the-mittani-issues-formal-apology-for-crossing-the-line/http://www.massively.com/2012/03/27/eve-onlines-the-mittani-issues-formal-apology-for-crossing-the-line/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

EVE Online title image
Sci-fi MMO EVE Online is famed for being set in a cold, harsh universe where no player is truly safe. The line between griefing and gameplay is more subtle in EVE than in many other MMOs. Activities like scamming or Goonswarm alliance's Ice Interdiction operations could be seen as griefing in other games, but as long as it all stays in-game it's all a legitimate part of EVE's unforgiving sandbox universe and open PvP ruleset.

Yesterday we reported that Goonswarm's leader and elected CSM chairman The Mittani mistakenly crossed that all-important line during a drunken presentation at Fanfest 2012. In his talk, he gave out the name of another player and told viewers to "find him" if they wanted to make him kill himself. Today The Mittani landed following his flight home from Fanfest and reportedly was ashamed to read the transcript of what he said during his panel. He issued a full apology via the forum, describing himself as "utterly ashamed and sickened by [his] behavior."

"This has been hanging over my head since Thursday when I stumbled away from the Alliance Panel with a vague sense that I had done something horrible," he began. "Then I landed, and saw the article listing my actual quote." He told players, "It's one thing to play a villain in an online roleplaying game, but I am not that character in real life, as anyone who has met me can attest. I went way, way, /way/ past the line on Thursday night." CCP's investigation is still underway, and we'll bring you the results of that investigation as soon as we get them.
[UPDATE: This post has been updated as part of an apology for covering the story in a sensationalist manner]

MassivelyEVE Online's The Mittani issues formal apology for crossing the line [UPDATED] originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Mar 2012 02:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apologyccpccp-gameseveeve-onlinefanfest-2012goongoonswarmmittanisandboxsci-fithe-mittaniTue, 27 Mar 2012 02:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Making the 'jump' from Guild Wars to Guild Wars 2]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/03/26/making-the-jump-from-guild-wars-to-guild-wars-2/http://www.massively.com/2012/03/26/making-the-jump-from-guild-wars-to-guild-wars-2/http://www.massively.com/2012/03/26/making-the-jump-from-guild-wars-to-guild-wars-2/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Black Citadel Forest, Guild Wars 2
The second Guild Wars 2 press beta weekend has come and gone, and Massively was there every step of the way. Stay tuned throughout the day today for even more guides, impressions, videos, and Q&As to get you ready for the highly anticipated sequel to Guild Wars.

Guild Wars 2 is on the way (when it's ready), and classic Guild Wars players probably understand that soon they'll be competing with a younger sibling -- a smarter, more attractive one who's sure to get more of mom's attention. And while we're sure that some of the more stalwart Guild Wars 2 fans are also Guild Wars players, not all veterans of the first edition are dedicated to licking up every drop of sequel info squeezed out of blogs, conventions, and betas. Those veterans might just be wondering, what exactly can Guild Wars 2 offer them, other than Hall of Monuments tie-ins? What's changed? What's the same? What will they love, what will they hate, and what could possibly make them jump ship to the new hotness?

The first and most important thing you must know is that yes, you can jump in Guild Wars 2! Seriously, though, jumping is more than just a thing you do with your spacebar when you're bored; it's a symbol of boundlessness. Guild Wars 2 itself is trying to jump a lot higher than its elder brother, and probably the essential difference between the games is that feeling that the walls have come down and gravity is letting loose. That alone should urge classic players to take a peek, but if that's not enough for you, fire up your Jeremy Soule soundtracks (yes, he's onboard for an encore!) and read on...

Continue reading Making the 'jump' from Guild Wars to Guild Wars 2

MassivelyMaking the 'jump' from Guild Wars to Guild Wars 2 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Mar 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetauction-hallbetacash-shopcharacter-creationclosed-betaclosed-beta-3comparisondeathdeath-penaltydungeonsdynamic-contenteconomyendgameeye-of-the-northfantasyfeaturedgeargemsgroupgroupingguideguidesguild-warsguild-wars-2guild-wars-2-betaguild-wars-2-guideguild-wars-2-previewguildsgvggwgw2hall-of-monumentshands-onhominterfacejumpjumpingloremap-travelncsoftpreviewpreviewspropheciespvpquestsrenown-heartrmtsidekickingskill-pointtrading-posttyriauiuser-interfaceworld-vs-worldworld-vs-world-vs-worldwvwwvwvwMon, 26 Mar 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Guild Counsel: Are you ready to lead a guild?]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/03/22/the-guild-counsel-are-you-ready-to-lead-a-guild/http://www.massively.com/2012/03/22/the-guild-counsel-are-you-ready-to-lead-a-guild/http://www.massively.com/2012/03/22/the-guild-counsel-are-you-ready-to-lead-a-guild/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

SWTOR
The Guild Counsel has explored lots of tips and advice that make running a guild more enjoyable and (hopefully!) more successful. But I'm constantly amazed at the number of players I meet in MMOs who would probably make great leaders and would probably enjoy it but don't give it a try. Making the leap from player to guild leader can be both tempting and daunting, and unfortunately, there's no easy way to tell who will make a good leader and who won't. Plenty of us have come across people who really should not have taken on the guild leader role, but for every bad guild leader, there are probably dozens of good people who could become great leaders if they chose to make the leap.

Granted, there are many who are firmly set on staying away from the role, and that's understandable, but this week's column is devoted to those who are considering stepping forward to lead but aren't sure if they have what it takes. Are you ready to run a guild? Let's find out!

Continue reading The Guild Counsel: Are you ready to lead a guild?

MassivelyThe Guild Counsel: Are you ready to lead a guild? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 Mar 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adviceare-you-ready-to-run-a-guildfeaturedguildguild-adviceguild-counselguild-leadershipguild-managementguildskaren-bryanleadershipopinionthe-guild-counseltips-on-guild-leadershipThu, 22 Mar 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Guild Counsel: Raiding and dealing with the dreaded 'bench']]>http://www.massively.com/2012/03/15/the-guild-counsel-raiding-and-dealing-with-the-dreaded-bench/http://www.massively.com/2012/03/15/the-guild-counsel-raiding-and-dealing-with-the-dreaded-bench/http://www.massively.com/2012/03/15/the-guild-counsel-raiding-and-dealing-with-the-dreaded-bench/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Kobe benched
The good news for guilds these days is that you don't need as many players in order to form a raid and tackle endgame content. However, this is also the bad news because it means guild leaders need to keep a watchful eye on their roster and face the unenviable task of telling certain members they can't be part of the raid on any given night.

In this week's Guild Counsel, we'll look the time-honored tradition of benchwarming and cover some tips on how to avoid the drama that comes with it. You may not be able to completely avoid having to sit members out, but there are some ways to cut down on how often you do have to say no.

Continue reading The Guild Counsel: Raiding and dealing with the dreaded 'bench'

MassivelyThe Guild Counsel: Raiding and dealing with the dreaded 'bench' originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 15 Mar 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Red Sox
When looking at the dos and don'ts of guild leadership and member interactions, usually the don'ts tend to dominate the discussion. And when it comes to evaluating player types, usually it's the negative types that get described, like the Henny Penny, the Mr. Wiggly, or the Guild Turkey.

But what about a player who might be interested in trying his hand at joining a guild? There are definitely some tips that help make you a respected guild member and won't have you feeling like pretending to be someone you aren't. In this week's Guild Counsel, we'll look at some easy ways to leave a good impression and be seen as a great guildie by your mates!

Continue reading The Guild Counsel: Four ways to be a great guildmate

MassivelyThe Guild Counsel: Four ways to be a great guildmate originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Mar 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hyperspace Beacon: One Step Forward...
You might notice that the Hyperspace Beacon changed its face a bit. That's because I'm reporting from the Guild Summit in Austin, Texas -- BioWare's headquarters. Over 250 guilds and fan sites were invited to not only see the team's plans for Star Wars: The Old Republic but also voice their ideas for what they want from the game.

Of course, a game carrying the Star Wars name appeals to a large diverse group of people, and not just because of the Star Wars IP; BioWare has created a name for itself with incredible story-driven games like Mass Effect 3, which released this morning. Among the pre-summit discussion was the question of whether and how much BioWare leans on the Star Wars IP for the success of the game. The consensus among the guild leaders I spoke to was an interesting and surprising one: Although BioWare certainly leaned on Star Wars for the story elements of the game, the lack of huge success for the most recent LucasArts games suggests that the Star Wars IP actually leaned on BioWare's reputation.

When I jumped into Q&A with the guild leaders, I half-expected a bunch of over-enthusiastic fanboys. I was pleasantly surprised to find that, although they were fans, those invited to this summit were very level-headed and oftentimes critical of the game's development. Thankfully, during the course of the summit, the developers were equally willing to address these concerns.

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: One step forward...

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: One step forward... originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 Mar 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ask-a-jedibiowarechris-elwoodcombat-logcondemneddamion-schuberteaelectronic-artsevent-coveragefeaturedgear-grindgeorg-zoellerguild-summitguildshyperspace-beaconlucasartsold-timers-guildopinionport-nowherePvEPvPsci-fistar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicstoryswtorthe-old-republictorupdate-1.2Tue, 06 Mar 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SWTOR's Guild Summit kicks off -- and lurkers are welcome [Updated]]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/03/05/swtors-guild-summit-kicks-off-and-lurkers-are-welcome/http://www.massively.com/2012/03/05/swtors-guild-summit-kicks-off-and-lurkers-are-welcome/http://www.massively.com/2012/03/05/swtors-guild-summit-kicks-off-and-lurkers-are-welcome/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

SWTOR
BioWare has assembled guilds from all across the world this week for a Star Wars: The Old Republic Guild Summit, and proceedings have already begun. Over 160 guilds have assembled in Austin, Texas, from places as far away from Norway, Brazil, and France.

The good news is that even if you're not reading this post from a spot on the summit floor, you can still tune into the panels and discussions via livestream. Today's events include a patch 1.2 presentation (which is coming "soon"), discussions about operations and flashpoints, and panels covering PvP, the Legacy system, the economy, roleplaying, guild features, and the user interface.

BioWare also announced its Friends of Star Wars program, which will give all current players the ability to give three one-week trials to others to check out the game. Finally, BioWare teased a new world events system.

Check out all of the action on SWTOR's Guild Summit livestream right now!

[Update: TORWars managed to record a shaky-cam version of the GU 1.2 Legacy video. It's now tucked behind the cut!]

Continue reading SWTOR's Guild Summit kicks off -- and lurkers are welcome [Updated]

MassivelySWTOR's Guild Summit kicks off -- and lurkers are welcome [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 05 Mar 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1.2-patchbiowareeaelectronic-artsfree-trialfriends-of-star-warsgame-update-1.2guild-banksguild-summitlegacy-systemlivestreamlucasartspatch-1.2sci-fistar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicsubsubscription-feeswtorthe-old-republictortrialupdate-1.2Mon, 05 Mar 2012 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Guild Counsel: New game, new guild, cold feet - now what?]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/03/01/the-guild-counsel-new-game-new-guild-cold-feet-now-what/http://www.massively.com/2012/03/01/the-guild-counsel-new-game-new-guild-cold-feet-now-what/http://www.massively.com/2012/03/01/the-guild-counsel-new-game-new-guild-cold-feet-now-what/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Yoda
There's an eerie similarity between gamers and guilds when it comes to game launches. The day a game goes live, there's often a huge rush of players, elbowing each other as they gobble up content. But as quickly as they arrive, some players decide that this isn't the game for them, and they move on.

The same is true for many new guilds. If you consider the size of the Star Wars: The Old Republic pre-launch guild database, for example, there were over 78,000 guilds signed up to deploy, but the total number of guilds still active today is undoubtedly only a fraction of that. In some cases, guilds that signed up probably never got off the ground, but in other cases, it's possible that the guild soured on the game. Now, it's one thing if you're just one individual who gets cold feet, but it's much more complicated when you're the guild leader and you've got a roster full of members tagging alongside you. In this week's Guild Counsel, we'll consider what you should do you do when you've made a guild in a new game and then realize the game just isn't your cup of tea.

Continue reading The Guild Counsel: New game, new guild, cold feet - now what?

MassivelyThe Guild Counsel: New game, new guild, cold feet - now what? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advicefeaturedguildguild-adviceguild-counselguild-leadershipguild-leading-cold-feetguild-managementguildleader-leaving-guildguildskaren-bryanleadershipopinionpre-launch-guildsstar+wars+the+old+republicstarwarstheoldrepublicswtor-guild-databasethe-guild-counselThu, 01 Mar 2012 18:00:00 EST