How long is too long? - Guild Wars Forums

Scarlett Romanov · Jul 09, 2006, 08:15 AM // 08:15

Over the past eight months I've been in and out of four guilds. The problem with the guilds seems to be that they can't seem to get organized. For example, we can't get to a point in which we can setup times to go to Fow or UW. There doesn't seem to be any effort from the guild leader or officiers to adamantly move towards doing things like this.

The guilds I have joined were of course brand new guilds. I spent approximately 2 months in each of them. Am I just being too harsh on the guilds? Does it seriously take over two months to get a guild organized? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Opal Bridewood · Jul 09, 2006, 12:42 PM // 12:42

Well, scheduled organisation of guild activities is a tricky thing, in a smallish guild, if you say that FoW is on Tuesday 2100 and UW is on Saturday 2100, you have the risk of not only not being enough online players, but also, what if someone doesnt feel like going there at the time, it may get awkward, and spring up bad feelings.

In a largish guild (we are medium so i am just guessing this), it can still turn out that people want to do something else, or on the contrary, too many people turn up (usually not enough to make whole teams though) which can make dividing up parties, getting friends, pugs for leftover places a pain.

We mostly try to arrange long or special events up ahead (like wholenight UW/FoW clearings, elite missions, PvP nights, etc.) but the rest is organised on the spot, which also has some downsides, like too much time until everyone gets there, or people leaving while waiting, but this is still working to some extent. Also sometimes we just add to the announcement that soandso will happen tonight, sign up on forums, though these have increased chances of failing organisation-wise, but at least it doesnt hurt too much either (while an UW-trip scheduled for whole night, would hurt if failed in last minute)

Also I am sure that there are guilds that have pretty tight schedules having something for every night, but I think that should be a bit too scheduled for my taste, but it might work for you...

just some random thoughts from me on the subject.

Forbes · Jul 09, 2006, 07:29 PM // 19:29

I agree with you Opal scheduling can be tricky, especially when you have members in different time zones. Having a forums is a plus to help organize, also if you designated certain days for some activities, then people know what to expect (though it does not guarentee people will show up). An example of what our guild did was to poll members (on our forums) of what were good days and times to hold events. That has helped us a bit. We also don't do events every night, more like twice a week (with impromtu groups all other times).

Former Ruling · Jul 10, 2006, 07:13 PM // 19:13

A small guild is NEVER going to be able to organize like "UW at 8 tonight". It just isn't going to happen. Not enough people for it, or conflicting interests in what to do.

Marodac Evilbane · Jul 11, 2006, 10:47 AM // 10:47

A small guild can organise an organised event only if they know before hand who will be there for sure (signups FTW!).

Larger guilds have it easier, but signups still help a lot organising stuff. Events planned without sign up can be underpopulated (3/8, who else is coming?), or over populated (15/8, can we have 1 more so we can do 2 groups?).

Forums really help, and people willing to organise stuff are a major plus. Often it's the same person(s) organising stuff. Organisation can go wrong, especially if someone is still learning how to organise events. Just have patience with them, or help organise stuff.

Right now RP is big and active, getting to a lot of events a week. But is hasn't always been that way, and I think the forums and the process of organising things definately had a hand in it.

A lot of players want to join a big and active guild. Few want to help a small guild grow and organise things themselves.

=HT=Ingram · Jul 11, 2006, 12:12 PM // 12:12

Does it really matter? IDK? Our alliance is not focussed on Farming or PvP or Faction building for elite missions. we are just a bunch of friends tha enjoy playing with each other. and have made it easir to find each other by joining the alliance and having fairly decent sized guilds.. Call it a social club if you wish. Whatever... But for some thats all we want. If we get on and pop in the guild and see a few people up, go for it, lets do something. need a few more to fill out a team instead of a PUG, try alliance chat and see if anyone wants to come. That seems to work for us... Last resort is PUGs outside the alliance. and that only happens on occassion.

About the only time I have ever scheduled an event was for alliance and Guild Battles... We don't even bother with Hall anymore. It has lost its luster for most of us. the rankest attitude in there was enough to drive us away and never look back. I have no idea if its better or worse now. My assumption is its worse now. when we stopped doing it, it was Rank 6 or better required. I would imagine its rank 9 or better by now... anything else get out... so we did...

as to UW and Fissue. Well, common, 90% of the time you just go down in 2 man teams anymore... I rarely go down with a pug or a full party. but when we do its a nice full night of fun normally... Thats about the only thing in the game that you can play of hours and hours on one area... IF you really want too... Maybe the elite missions as well... seems I was down in those for a few hours at least as well.. so thats good.

BrutusV · Jul 11, 2006, 01:54 PM // 13:54

Organizing does take time, even for a decent sized guild with a forum. If you want to go to UW or FoW, instead of asking the officers to make it happen, maybe you can lead it yourself? Maybe you can ask alliance members to fill in if you can't get a full team? (I'm assuming that's what you want)

That's the kind of activity that will make you to deserve an officer position in a well organized guild.

Still, if the guild's vision and actions don't match, let the leader know, and if you don't see any action to change things, leave for a better guild.

nohooiam · Jul 11, 2006, 03:44 PM // 15:44

if you're into organized pve, find a large pve guild.

small ones won't have enough to consistently field a near/full team.

Jul 09, 2006, 08:15 AM // 08:15	#1
Scarlett Romanov Guest Join Date: Jul 2005 Profession: Me/	How long is too long? Over the past eight months I've been in and out of four guilds. The problem with the guilds seems to be that they can't seem to get organized. For example, we can't get to a point in which we can setup times to go to Fow or UW. There doesn't seem to be any effort from the guild leader or officiers to adamantly move towards doing things like this. The guilds I have joined were of course brand new guilds. I spent approximately 2 months in each of them. Am I just being too harsh on the guilds? Does it seriously take over two months to get a guild organized? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Jul 09, 2006, 12:42 PM // 12:42	#2
Opal Bridewood Academy Page Join Date: May 2005 Guild: Guardians of the Stars - SoF alliance Profession: Mo/	Well, scheduled organisation of guild activities is a tricky thing, in a smallish guild, if you say that FoW is on Tuesday 2100 and UW is on Saturday 2100, you have the risk of not only not being enough online players, but also, what if someone doesnt feel like going there at the time, it may get awkward, and spring up bad feelings. In a largish guild (we are medium so i am just guessing this), it can still turn out that people want to do something else, or on the contrary, too many people turn up (usually not enough to make whole teams though) which can make dividing up parties, getting friends, pugs for leftover places a pain. We mostly try to arrange long or special events up ahead (like wholenight UW/FoW clearings, elite missions, PvP nights, etc.) but the rest is organised on the spot, which also has some downsides, like too much time until everyone gets there, or people leaving while waiting, but this is still working to some extent. Also sometimes we just add to the announcement that soandso will happen tonight, sign up on forums, though these have increased chances of failing organisation-wise, but at least it doesnt hurt too much either (while an UW-trip scheduled for whole night, would hurt if failed in last minute) Also I am sure that there are guilds that have pretty tight schedules having something for every night, but I think that should be a bit too scheduled for my taste, but it might work for you... just some random thoughts from me on the subject.

Jul 09, 2006, 07:29 PM // 19:29	#3
Forbes Academy Page Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: East Coast Guild: Boston Guild Profession: Mo/Me	I agree with you Opal scheduling can be tricky, especially when you have members in different time zones. Having a forums is a plus to help organize, also if you designated certain days for some activities, then people know what to expect (though it does not guarentee people will show up). An example of what our guild did was to poll members (on our forums) of what were good days and times to hold events. That has helped us a bit. We also don't do events every night, more like twice a week (with impromtu groups all other times).

Jul 10, 2006, 07:13 PM // 19:13	#4
Former Ruling Grotto Attendant Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Cedartown, Georgia Profession: R/	A small guild is NEVER going to be able to organize like "UW at 8 tonight". It just isn't going to happen. Not enough people for it, or conflicting interests in what to do.

Jul 11, 2006, 10:47 AM // 10:47	#5
Marodac Evilbane Site Contributor Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: The Netherlands Guild: Rite of Passage Profession: E/Mo	A small guild can organise an organised event only if they know before hand who will be there for sure (signups FTW!). Larger guilds have it easier, but signups still help a lot organising stuff. Events planned without sign up can be underpopulated (3/8, who else is coming?), or over populated (15/8, can we have 1 more so we can do 2 groups?). Forums really help, and people willing to organise stuff are a major plus. Often it's the same person(s) organising stuff. Organisation can go wrong, especially if someone is still learning how to organise events. Just have patience with them, or help organise stuff. Right now RP is big and active, getting to a lot of events a week. But is hasn't always been that way, and I think the forums and the process of organising things definately had a hand in it. A lot of players want to join a big and active guild. Few want to help a small guild grow and organise things themselves.

Jul 11, 2006, 12:12 PM // 12:12	#6
=HT=Ingram Forge Runner Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Anchorage Alaska Guild: Haz Team [HT] Profession: R/W	Does it really matter? IDK? Our alliance is not focussed on Farming or PvP or Faction building for elite missions. we are just a bunch of friends tha enjoy playing with each other. and have made it easir to find each other by joining the alliance and having fairly decent sized guilds.. Call it a social club if you wish. Whatever... But for some thats all we want. If we get on and pop in the guild and see a few people up, go for it, lets do something. need a few more to fill out a team instead of a PUG, try alliance chat and see if anyone wants to come. That seems to work for us... Last resort is PUGs outside the alliance. and that only happens on occassion. About the only time I have ever scheduled an event was for alliance and Guild Battles... We don't even bother with Hall anymore. It has lost its luster for most of us. the rankest attitude in there was enough to drive us away and never look back. I have no idea if its better or worse now. My assumption is its worse now. when we stopped doing it, it was Rank 6 or better required. I would imagine its rank 9 or better by now... anything else get out... so we did... as to UW and Fissue. Well, common, 90% of the time you just go down in 2 man teams anymore... I rarely go down with a pug or a full party. but when we do its a nice full night of fun normally... Thats about the only thing in the game that you can play of hours and hours on one area... IF you really want too... Maybe the elite missions as well... seems I was down in those for a few hours at least as well.. so thats good.

Jul 11, 2006, 01:54 PM // 13:54	#7
BrutusV Academy Page Join Date: Apr 2006 Guild: Aequitas Deis [AD] http://aequitasdeis.guildportal.com Profession: W/N	Organizing does take time, even for a decent sized guild with a forum. If you want to go to UW or FoW, instead of asking the officers to make it happen, maybe you can lead it yourself? Maybe you can ask alliance members to fill in if you can't get a full team? (I'm assuming that's what you want) That's the kind of activity that will make you to deserve an officer position in a well organized guild. Still, if the guild's vision and actions don't match, let the leader know, and if you don't see any action to change things, leave for a better guild.

Jul 11, 2006, 03:44 PM // 15:44	#8
nohooiam Lion's Arch Merchant Join Date: Apr 2005 Guild: Forsaken Sanctuary Profession: Mo/Me	if you're into organized pve, find a large pve guild. small ones won't have enough to consistently field a near/full team.