Last week, Aunraye gave the newb's-eye view of guilds…this week,
in a grand finale of this series, Martuk gives the old-timer's view.

One of the greatest elements of an MMO is the social atmosphere these
virtual worlds provide. One such atmosphere is that of a guild. We as
players may join a guild for any number of reasons, ranging from the social
interaction, to the ease of finding a group, to the support that an adept
raiding guild can provide. These are all valid reasons and often the reasons
we find ourselves joining with a large number of like-minded players unified
under a guild banner.

When I first started playing Everquest I was completely alone in a massive
world filled with people, monsters, and dragons. I had no guild and very
few friends except a few I had met along the way. Later, I managed to
talk a friend of mine into giving Everquest a try and pretty soon we set
out on our adventure into Norrath. After many battles and a few weeks
of gaming, we made a few new friends who were members of a family-style
guild. They convinced us to join their ranks--subsequently I was invited,
found myself wearing the guild tag and was part of my first MMO guild.

It was fun at first, since it was a family guild, so we had many friendly
players and it was easy to find a group. Lots of people were willing to
help and have fun, but like most things it did not last. After a few months,
dissension began to grow within the guild. The guild leader was away for
extended periods of time, and pretty soon the whole guild suffered from
problems that no one could seem to resolve. Slowly, the guild began to
fall apart, as several players left in search of something different.
A big key to the survival of a guild is the leader. If the leader is not
present, then oftentimes the guild will falter.

Through my many adventures in Norrath I have joined several different
types of guilds. I have been a member of family guilds, role-play guilds,
as well as raiding guilds. Each one has its use in an MMO. Like the MMO
itself, not all guilds are for all people, so you may have to search a
bit until you find one that fits your needs. What one player finds enticing
and satisfying will repel another. Then again, the search for the right
guild has always been one of the fun journeys in an MMO world.

While raiding guilds can be fun, they often can require vast time commitments
that some can not invest. Role-play guilds can be ideal for role-players
as they provide that needed atmosphere, which in some cases is mixed with
raiding. Family guilds, on the other hand, seem to be the most casual
of the three in my experience. The family guilds I have been a part of
will often accomplish what they want to in the MMO world, but they get
there at a much slower pace.

On a couple of occasions and in a couple of games I have been a guild
leader as well. The biggest challenge I see from a guild leader's viewpoint
is managing the guild when it comes to scheduling events. Many raiding
guilds require you to commit to certain time blocks for raiding. The guild
I created, however, was not a raiding guild. I tried to be a more family-oriented
guild, but with raiding. I did accomplish this to some degree. In Everquest
when I formed my guild, we had several nights where I would schedule events
for the guild and we would then follow through on those events. Sometimes
it would go smoothly, and at other times we would find ourselves in for
a long night. The problem with each remained the same though and that
was balancing the events between when people could make it.

When it comes to the great spirit of competition, guilds are one of the
greatest aspects an MMO can offer. When you join a guild you are in essence
joining a team. I think everyone can agree that in anything, if you are
part of a team, you want to be number one. That holds true for MMOs. Guilds
compete for spawns and to be the first to discover and conquer new content.
This overall is great for the game. After all, what good is a game without
a bit of competition?

Whatever kind of guild you are looking for, you can find it in an MMO
world. There are no shortages of guild types in these games, and there
is something for everyone. The great thing about selecting a guild is
that there are so many types to choose from. All you have to do is select
what is right for you, and enjoy the ride.

Vanguard
promises to have a sophisticated system of handling guilds to make it
easier for the players to find each other. As Jeff Butler told Lady Sirse
in an interview in Las Vegas during Fanguard Beta, "A system will
be available upon subscription to the game that will allow guilds to effortlessly
be created, maintained and even transfer from other games. Not only that
but it will allow you to find those long lost gaming friends that you
have had in the past and possibly lost track of." (This full
interview can be seen at Vanguard Silky Venom.)

With tools like this, creating the kind of guild you want will be much
easier than before, and FINDING the guild you want will be a piece of
cake.

It has been my pleasure to bring you the veteran point of view in A Tale
of Two Players. I have enjoyed working with Aunraye to bring a balanced
version of each topic. With Aun's enthusiasm and wonder as the newb to
play against, it has been a lot of fun. But every tale must come to an
end, and this tale has run its course. Thanks for being a part of it.

Editor's Note: Watch next Friday for a brand new column
from VTTH's hardware expert, Moghedan Carn, as he opens the doors for
TECH TACTICS. Mog will be alternating with Martuk on Fridays to bring
his bi-monthly news and views to amuse and inform. See ya then!