Redh
15th March 2009, 06:42
Hi all,
I thought it would be useful to create a discussion on what the intended plans for the Exodus guild are. Please feel free to add your thoughts to this - the nice thing about joining a new guild rather than a long established one is that you can shape how the guild forms and play an active role in its development.
Current Priorities
As a new guild, we are mainly attracting new players of the game. We have been fortunate that the creation of Exodus co-incided with the free Warhammer trial accounts, so many new people are checking the game out and joining us in the process.
Our current focus is to rank up the guild as quickly as possible. This will become increasingly important as players reach tier 4 and beyond, as there are certain tactical advantages to a higher guild rank that we would like to take advantage of. These include:
1. Claiming keeps - essential for the new zone domination system.
2. Guild recall scrolls (guild rank 17) which allow you to teleport back to Sigmar's Hammer in Altdorf.
3. Guild standards and tactics (which we have already started earning).
At guild rank 10 we can choose the heraldry and colours for the guild, but these will not be displayed on our banners or guild cloaks until guild rank 20.
All members contribute to the ranking up of the guild whenever they are active in the game. Whether they are earning Experience, Influence or Renown, the guild benefits.
To this end, we are actively recruiting members on a casual basis to try and attract new and re-rolling players to the guild on a "no strings, no commitments" basis. We have not set any guild taxes, and we have no membership criterea before joining. From these players, we will establish a core membership who will form the long-term heart of the guild.
Tier 4
When our members start reaching tier 4, the landscape will change dramatically. This is where all the long established guilds are already set up, and there are greater expectations put on each player to play for the "realm" and be part of a larger team.
There are some simple 'rules' that we should all follow when taking part in tier 4 RvR (which should also be put into practise in earlier tiers):
1. Always follow the warband leaders instructions.
2. Move in groups. Target your warband or group leader when moving, and stay within range of them.
3. Do not "chatter" in region /1 or /2 chat, especually during organised, cross-alliance RvR.
With the new zone domination system, tiers 1-3 no longer have as much of an impact on the overall campaign, so these should be treated as a training ground for tier 4. Try to lead a few warbands, see if you enjoy the responsibility. Practise targeting your leaders and moving in groups.
Dungeons
Dungeons are a nice way for the guild to get to know each other in a more relaxed, less pressurised environment. And in "endgame", dungeons are required to get the necessary warded gear to take part in fortress / city raids.
The following dungeons, in order of level, are available:
1. Altdorf Sewers (best in a pick-up group)
2. Mount Gunbad (can run the dungeons as a warband, but the boss fights are separate party instances of 6 players)
3. Bastion Stair (can run the dungeons as a warband, but the boss fights are separate party instances of 6 players)
4. City Dungeons (level 40, 6 party instances with 3 day lockout timers. Requires lesser wards)
5. Lost Vale (level 40, 6 party instances with 5 day lockout timers. Requires greater wards)
As the guild 'grows', and we have enough players to start taking part in these dungeons, we will start to arrange set dates in the guild calandar. Later in the game, for the city dungeons, this will become essential if you want to get the most out of endgame.
RvR
Realm vs Realm open combat is where the heart of this game is at. And as a guild, it should always be our focus. When the guild reaches endgame, it should be our goal to be able to field full guild warbands during organised events.
A pre-made warband will always beat a 'pug' (Pick Up Group) warband through better communication, tactics and organisation. We have a guild Ventrilo server, and while some don't like using Vent, it makes a huge difference. Members should be encouraged to use this whenever possible.
Alliances, Cross-Alliances and War-Orders.com
At Guild Rank 6, we earned the ability to join an alliance with up to 9 other guilds. However this is not something we will be taking advantage of until later in our guilds development.
Before the server transfers (mainly fro Karak-Hirn), Order was struggling. There were no leading guilds, and many of those who had the membership base to raise strong numbers were failing to do so through inadequate leadership. However this is rapidly changing, thanks to an influx of much better organised Order guilds from other servers. And Order are beginning to push back in the campaign, and finally beat Destruction.
We set up the website www.war-orders.com (http://www.war-orders.com) on behalf of the Order community on the Karak-Norn server. This is a cross-alliance website for all Order guilds and players, and has been at the heart of our combined strategical attacks against Destruction. All members have been personally verified in-game so that this remains a private forum.
In setting this up, we have established an excellent relationship with many of the guilds on our server, especially those focused on the endgame campaign. So while Exodus is a new guild, take pride in the fact that we play a leading role in the Order campaign on this server!
When we choose an alliance, it will be with other top guilds on the server. And we will be best placed to do this when we have an established presence in tier 4.
Hardcore vs Casual
All members want to play the game in their own way, and at their own level. As a guild, we should be able to cater for both hardcore and casual players as both will provide a valuable contribution to the guild and each other.
We will use the guild ranks system to be able to quickly reference players based on their preferences and gear. And we will have officer positions available in the guild for established leaders - for example a "Field Commander" position for members who are comfortable leading a warband.
Above all, we will keep our focus on enabling all members to enjoy the game together. This is about having fun on many different levels - fun in chatting and getting to know each other, fun in playing the games many different aspects, and hopefully fun in crushing the enemy!
Your Guild
As with any guild, you will ultimately get out of the guild experience whatever you put into it. I hope that at all times members will feel that their ideas and contributions are valued. This game is as good as the people you play with, and my goal for Exodus is to create a fun, friendly and active environment for players to enjoy Warhammer in a better way.
If you become frustrated in the guild at the lack of a specific activity, then please speak to one of the officers. If it's something that we can do, and others are interested, then we will do our best to organise it. We will always be looking out for members who are keen to put more into this side of the guild, and officer positions will always be available to members who demonstrate that they are willing and able to take on certain responsibilities.
A few Rules to get us started...
In the long term, as our guild grows into what we want it to be, we will develop a more complete guild code. However for now, the following would make a great starting point:
1. No swearing or chat of an adult nature, either in guild chat, warbands or Ventrilo.
2. Try to be disciplined when in RvR. Follow the leaders instructions, and try to move in groups. Do not give conflicting orders in region chat!
3. Have fun!
And finally...
Thanks for reading! Or if you just skipped to the last part without reading the rest, thanks for faking it! Please feel free to leave your comments, suggestions and ideas.
I thought it would be useful to create a discussion on what the intended plans for the Exodus guild are. Please feel free to add your thoughts to this - the nice thing about joining a new guild rather than a long established one is that you can shape how the guild forms and play an active role in its development.
Current Priorities
As a new guild, we are mainly attracting new players of the game. We have been fortunate that the creation of Exodus co-incided with the free Warhammer trial accounts, so many new people are checking the game out and joining us in the process.
Our current focus is to rank up the guild as quickly as possible. This will become increasingly important as players reach tier 4 and beyond, as there are certain tactical advantages to a higher guild rank that we would like to take advantage of. These include:
1. Claiming keeps - essential for the new zone domination system.
2. Guild recall scrolls (guild rank 17) which allow you to teleport back to Sigmar's Hammer in Altdorf.
3. Guild standards and tactics (which we have already started earning).
At guild rank 10 we can choose the heraldry and colours for the guild, but these will not be displayed on our banners or guild cloaks until guild rank 20.
All members contribute to the ranking up of the guild whenever they are active in the game. Whether they are earning Experience, Influence or Renown, the guild benefits.
To this end, we are actively recruiting members on a casual basis to try and attract new and re-rolling players to the guild on a "no strings, no commitments" basis. We have not set any guild taxes, and we have no membership criterea before joining. From these players, we will establish a core membership who will form the long-term heart of the guild.
Tier 4
When our members start reaching tier 4, the landscape will change dramatically. This is where all the long established guilds are already set up, and there are greater expectations put on each player to play for the "realm" and be part of a larger team.
There are some simple 'rules' that we should all follow when taking part in tier 4 RvR (which should also be put into practise in earlier tiers):
1. Always follow the warband leaders instructions.
2. Move in groups. Target your warband or group leader when moving, and stay within range of them.
3. Do not "chatter" in region /1 or /2 chat, especually during organised, cross-alliance RvR.
With the new zone domination system, tiers 1-3 no longer have as much of an impact on the overall campaign, so these should be treated as a training ground for tier 4. Try to lead a few warbands, see if you enjoy the responsibility. Practise targeting your leaders and moving in groups.
Dungeons
Dungeons are a nice way for the guild to get to know each other in a more relaxed, less pressurised environment. And in "endgame", dungeons are required to get the necessary warded gear to take part in fortress / city raids.
The following dungeons, in order of level, are available:
1. Altdorf Sewers (best in a pick-up group)
2. Mount Gunbad (can run the dungeons as a warband, but the boss fights are separate party instances of 6 players)
3. Bastion Stair (can run the dungeons as a warband, but the boss fights are separate party instances of 6 players)
4. City Dungeons (level 40, 6 party instances with 3 day lockout timers. Requires lesser wards)
5. Lost Vale (level 40, 6 party instances with 5 day lockout timers. Requires greater wards)
As the guild 'grows', and we have enough players to start taking part in these dungeons, we will start to arrange set dates in the guild calandar. Later in the game, for the city dungeons, this will become essential if you want to get the most out of endgame.
RvR
Realm vs Realm open combat is where the heart of this game is at. And as a guild, it should always be our focus. When the guild reaches endgame, it should be our goal to be able to field full guild warbands during organised events.
A pre-made warband will always beat a 'pug' (Pick Up Group) warband through better communication, tactics and organisation. We have a guild Ventrilo server, and while some don't like using Vent, it makes a huge difference. Members should be encouraged to use this whenever possible.
Alliances, Cross-Alliances and War-Orders.com
At Guild Rank 6, we earned the ability to join an alliance with up to 9 other guilds. However this is not something we will be taking advantage of until later in our guilds development.
Before the server transfers (mainly fro Karak-Hirn), Order was struggling. There were no leading guilds, and many of those who had the membership base to raise strong numbers were failing to do so through inadequate leadership. However this is rapidly changing, thanks to an influx of much better organised Order guilds from other servers. And Order are beginning to push back in the campaign, and finally beat Destruction.
We set up the website www.war-orders.com (http://www.war-orders.com) on behalf of the Order community on the Karak-Norn server. This is a cross-alliance website for all Order guilds and players, and has been at the heart of our combined strategical attacks against Destruction. All members have been personally verified in-game so that this remains a private forum.
In setting this up, we have established an excellent relationship with many of the guilds on our server, especially those focused on the endgame campaign. So while Exodus is a new guild, take pride in the fact that we play a leading role in the Order campaign on this server!
When we choose an alliance, it will be with other top guilds on the server. And we will be best placed to do this when we have an established presence in tier 4.
Hardcore vs Casual
All members want to play the game in their own way, and at their own level. As a guild, we should be able to cater for both hardcore and casual players as both will provide a valuable contribution to the guild and each other.
We will use the guild ranks system to be able to quickly reference players based on their preferences and gear. And we will have officer positions available in the guild for established leaders - for example a "Field Commander" position for members who are comfortable leading a warband.
Above all, we will keep our focus on enabling all members to enjoy the game together. This is about having fun on many different levels - fun in chatting and getting to know each other, fun in playing the games many different aspects, and hopefully fun in crushing the enemy!
Your Guild
As with any guild, you will ultimately get out of the guild experience whatever you put into it. I hope that at all times members will feel that their ideas and contributions are valued. This game is as good as the people you play with, and my goal for Exodus is to create a fun, friendly and active environment for players to enjoy Warhammer in a better way.
If you become frustrated in the guild at the lack of a specific activity, then please speak to one of the officers. If it's something that we can do, and others are interested, then we will do our best to organise it. We will always be looking out for members who are keen to put more into this side of the guild, and officer positions will always be available to members who demonstrate that they are willing and able to take on certain responsibilities.
A few Rules to get us started...
In the long term, as our guild grows into what we want it to be, we will develop a more complete guild code. However for now, the following would make a great starting point:
1. No swearing or chat of an adult nature, either in guild chat, warbands or Ventrilo.
2. Try to be disciplined when in RvR. Follow the leaders instructions, and try to move in groups. Do not give conflicting orders in region chat!
3. Have fun!
And finally...
Thanks for reading! Or if you just skipped to the last part without reading the rest, thanks for faking it! Please feel free to leave your comments, suggestions and ideas.