When I first started playing Dark Age of Camelot I was ever so opposed to guilds. By the time I made it to World of Warcraft, I craved belonging to a guild more than anything else. The reasoning for my distrust in guilds were from the days of MUDs, where as a young child, I was unable to grasp the complex nature of adult interaction on a mostly adult Internet at the time. However, I now truly appreciate the idea of having essentially an army to assist you within the world and a legion of friends to come to your aid whenever you reach a road-bump. Considering I hear a lot of moaning about MMOs not being social enough, I've put together five easy tips on ways to reach out more and be more social.

Help Others

One way to make a game be very anti-social is to never assist anyone. Why? Well, if you build a reputation as someone who doesn't help, then odds are good that others won't come to your aid because they don't see value in it. As hard as it is to stomach, Humans work very much on a scratch my back and I'll scratch yours mentality. You have to provide utility and worth in order to engage others in doing the same for you. This isn't a bad thing, it's completely reasonable to give and take. For instance, if a friend asks you to help with a quest and you refuse (especially if you're trolly or a jerk about it), odds are they won't come to your aid in the future.

It's not so much the negative side either - if you're known as someone who is helpful, then others will want to help you as well. It's just standard give and take behavior. MMOs are mostly known for chill groups of players who generally aren't as aggressive as other mediums, so there is rarely a risk in helping - if that person doesn't return a favor, word gets around fast and people are more than willing to talk about your positive and negative exploits.

Join a Guild - Even if it's a Bad One

Guilds are the foundation of getting to know people. A lot of players take pride in being guildless until the perfect guild comes along, but the harsh reality of the situation isn't so much that it's a positive to avoid the "we'll invite everyone guild" but more of a negative, since even in bad spammy guilds, there is still usually a large playerbase that are sticking around. I understand that a guild formed today inviting everyone on the server isn't specifically compelling to join, but a lot of large guilds that have a huge playerbase just means you have a large pool of active players to network with, versus sitting around waiting for the small tight knit group to welcome you into their fold.

It also helps with the social aspect. While the previous tip focused on getting people to come to your aid when you need help, this one gets you in front of other people who are actively talking.

Build a Friends List

Don't be afraid to add a friend. In World of Warcraft you don't have to give your personal info to be a friend with someone. You can exchange battletags or even just add as a friend with the regular in-game tool. Both options work well to keep a list of players who are ready to chat. It's good to also know when someone is online to keep in constant contact with them. If you neglect talking to someone in a video game for several weeks, odds are you'll be a faint memory unless you've known them for a long time (in which case it'd be odd if they weren't seeking you out frequently).

Don't Be Afraid to Talk in Dungeon Finders

In FFXIV, I make it a point to talk to everyone in a dungeon, especially during slow portions or while someone is watching a cutscene. It's useful to build friends and makes the game much more social. We're all more than willing to grind away dungeons without wanting to talk, but generally it's because no one wants to engage and break the ice. Sure you'll get some of those internet tough guys showing up and wanting to throw down with you, but realistically you'll more than naught find new friends to hang out with.

Virtual Shyness = Virtual Loneliness

In real life, there is a lot of barriers between you and another person, and a lot of persistence in social interactions. If you violate etiquette or come off as odd or a billion other things, then you could be in a bad situation, which can justify shyness. Online though, there is less of a reason to avoid others and all the more reason to join them. The part of an MMO that is engaging for most is the fact that you get to interact with others without the physical barriers in place. Typing to someone is as easy as striking a few keys on your keyboard and pressing enter and the worse that could happen is that someone doesn't want to engage back with you. Considering the reward is far greater than the risk, it's smart to put yourself out there - I promise you'll have more fun in a game.

Have you ever been a wallflower online and then found the joy of talking with your fellow gamers? Let us know in the comments below and share your tips for making MMOs more "massively multiplayer."