Brisc Rubal's Guide to Player Associations
by Brisc Rubal
Brigade Executive Officer,
Tarkin Memorial Brigade
Since well before was released, a friend of mine and I made plans to create a Player Association. We mapped out ideas, settled on a name, and developed a plan to get to where we are.
Now, the Tarkin Memorial Brigade is firmly established, with its core leadership and members present and our guild hall built and outfitted.
There have been a number of guides on here about how to run a PA - what commands you need to know, how much it costs, etc. But there haven't been many about the basic mechanics of being a PA member, recruiting for a PA or trying to find the right one, if you are not a member and don't have a friend starting one. This one plugs that gap.
I have a lot of experience running and recruiting organizations like SWG Player Associations. In college I was President of one of the largest and most well respected general (this means the drinking kind) fraternties on campus, and I also ran a guild for a while in DAoC before leaving the game.
I hope that once you finish reading this guide, you'll have a greater understanding of the general nature of PAs - one that makes your experience in the game more fulfilling and enduring.
This is NOT a recruitment document for the Tarkin Memorial Brigade - merely an aid to those who wish to learn more about this segment of the game.
A SHORT PRIMER ON PLAYER ASSOCIATIONS
Player associations, also known as Clans or Guilds, are organizations made up of players within the game. They vary as widely as each of our characters do. There are "umbrella" PAs, where all types of members are welcome; "specialty" PAs, where only certain trades or professions are welcome; "Faction" or
"PvP" PAs made up of players from one faction in the Galactic Civil War who focus on fighting other characters; the list is nearly endless.
This creates a lot of opportunity for the unguilded player out there - you have a wide array of PAs to look at joining, or if you can't find one you like, making your own. The choice, as in so many things with SWG, is yours.
WHY JOIN A PLAYER ASSOCIATION?
When I ran a fraternity, the most common question that I answered was "why should I join?" It got to the point that I could rattle the answer off, and the hardest part of answering it was sounding sincere.
Each individual out there has their own motivations for joining Player Associations. A few of them include:
- Friendship: You have a group of friends who enjoy playing together
- Fame and Glory: You want to be instantly recognizable as a "power" in the Universe, so you want to join the most uber, elite and biggest group out there
- Help with your character: You join so that you have an instant market for your goods and services, if you are a crafter, or someone who can make gear for you, or help you level of PvP
- Social interaction: You want to have a group of players you can always count on to have a good time with, and be there when you are around
- Everyone else is doing it: After a while, some players don't like the fact that they don't have a after their name, and want to join the club.
Whatever your reasons, there is a PA out there for you.
I WANT TO JOIN A PA - SO WHAT DO I DO?
This is a tough question, because there are so many different types of PAs across the the game. This question can be answered from two perspectives: the actively recruiting PA and the highly exclusive PA.
PLAYER ASSOCIATIONS THAT ARE RECRUITING/NONSELECTIVE - HOW TO JOIN
Generally, you can find a list of PAs that are trying to recruit very easily - they'll be advertising. Check all of the fan websites (Like Alakazaham and Warcry - they post my guides so they always get a plug :) ) for PAs that are recruiting. Also check the SWG Server forums, because each has a listing of the PAs and their status with information on the group and what they are looking for.
PAs that are recruiting tend to make it easy on the new player to find an join them. They'll have a relatively straightforward application process, if they have one at all. You can usually find out the rules by talking to the group leader, any group member or by visiting their website or message boards.
PLAYER ASSOCIATIONS THAT ARE NOT RECRUITING/HIGHLY SELECTIVE - HOW TO JOIN
For some, there is no fun in joining a group where everyone can get in. Some people place a lot of ego and self-worth on being members of organizations that are highly selective and don't take many in - and that's a world truth, not merely in SWG. So many of you may have your eyes cast upon a guild already, but can't figure out how to get in. There are a number of tips that you can use to get the most highly selective groups to want to select you.
As with most selective organizations, it pays to have a patron. Find a player who is a member of that group and befriend them. Offer them to go hunting, take them on a PvP trip, or do fun things that will create a friendship. Over time, this friendship may blossom into an invitation to join. It may also give you a chance to see if the group is really the best fit for you, find out exactly how they operate, and meet the other players. This is really the only way to get into some of those highly exclusive groups.
Another way is to make a name for yourself - either by being the best in your class, or by being notorious. The biggest PvPers are constantly being bombarded with offers to join PAs, because everyone wants the "famous" name. Players like Enott, Daddar, Squidwalker, Mystery, Leezard, Cyrus, myself, Caella, Sakura, Jesuit, Duct and others are well known for many different reaons - some are great PvPers. Some run guilds. Some are master crafters. Some just post too damn much on the message boards. We all get offers to join guilds or requests from players to join ours because we are well known (even though not always well liked) and that makes a difference to some groups.
Finally, you need to know what that elite group is looking for and doing your best to show them you have it. For some groups, it may mean having a hard edge and being a constant PvPer. Others want friendly, outgoing people. Some want elite, master powergamers. If you've got your heart set on joining a group, don't expect them to change what they are to let you in - if you want in bad enough, be what they want you to be. This grates against some people, especially those of us who are Americans and have been fed a steady cultural diet of ruggest individualism, everyone being unique and special, and that other cultural conditioning crap I vaguely remember learning through my sociology courses that weren't blocked out by a hangover.
Here's a quick listing of things to NOT do when trying to join a highly selective PA: Annoy the guild leader; ask to join without knowing anything about the members or the arrangements; not be able to answer basic questions about why you want to join; pester all of the players to let you in; get aggressive, annoyed or upset and act like an idiot. These things may make you feel better, but your goal isn't to feel better, it's to be accepted by the PA of your choice.
WHAT QUESTIONS SHOULD I ASK? - RECRUIT'S PERPECTIVE
Before joining any group, you've got to know some basic things. What's the name? Who's the leader? Where is the PA Hall? How many members? What's the focus? What's the application process? How are decisions made? What are the dues? Will I be able to advance? What are the benefits of joining? What are the rules?
Asking these questions ahead of time give you all of the information that you need to make an informed decision - one that could affect the level of happiness, fun and satisfaction you get playing the game.
WHAT QUESTIONS SHOULD I ASK? - GUILD LEADER/MEMBER'S PERSPECTIVE
As important as asking questions is for a recruit, it is also important from the perspective of a guild leader or member. You are going to have to do some recruiting, at some point, so knowing what you need to know about a new member is critical.
I always ask three things - 1.) What made you want to join our group? 2.) What are you looking for in joining and what are your long term goals for the game? 3.) What do you prefer doing in game the most (PvP, roleplay, crafting, hunt, chat, etc.).
I can tell a lot from these answers. If I ask someone why they want to join and they give me a quick anwer, and its sincere, this goes a long way. Getting a response like "Well, I've seen you around, and you've got a good reputation, and I know and he's cool, so I wanted to know more about you" is exactly the answer I'm looking for. "I dont know" or "Ur cool and uber" are a first strike with m e- and sometimes you'll only get one chance to make a good impression. For the second question, if the recruit gives me a good answer like "I want to do this, or that, and hope to do this when my character is done..." I'm happy. He's thought about it, and that's good. If he says "I want to open my FS slot" or "I don't know", I'm not happy. To be asked question 3, I usually expect good answers from the first two. If you don't get question three from me, go somewhere else. Remember - people are always judging you when you least expect it. So always expect it.
At the fundamental level, it is important for a PA leader to know and understand while all of his members are there. This way, he can keep providing those players with what they need to stay active and happy. Being guild leader isn't simply a job where you have the title and show up. You need to put in a good amount of work.
THE APPLICATION PROCESS - WHAT SHOULD IT BE LIKE?
As with the recruitment procedures, these should vary based on the type of organization you want. But fundamentally there are a number of goals that the application process should set out to attain:
1.) It should provide the members with information about the new recruit - Members want to know this stuff, so the application process should give them this information. They want to know what the new recruit is like - their playing style, sense of humor, maturity, age, location, progress in their play, etc. This needs to be a factor.
2.) It should help weed out unsuitable candidates - Having a form on the website that lets you add names to a list isn't a good application process (unless that's what you want). You need to have a process that will send up red flags when a candidate isn't suitable for your group. Make sure to include this in the list.
3.) It should give the members a chance to meet the new candidate - Face-to-face interaction beats emails and /tells anyday. You really won't get a good idea as to the skills, abilities and style of a player until you've gone out in a group with him. Here's where you'll find the cowards who run when they think they can't win; the ninja harvesters and looters who don't care about anyone but themselves; the whiners and babies who need constant action to survive; the truly brave players who will run into a crowd of creatures to /tenddamage a friend who's about to be DBed; the players who will share loot, or offer up an item they don't need. These are all things that you want in a guildmate that you can't see by reading a webform or talking to them in-game.
4.) It should be fast - No one likes to be waiting for someone to tell them if they are in or not. Do your best to process applications and plan events as quickly as possible. This will make the group look good, and it will keep people happy. At the same time, make sure you've adequately checked out the new member (if you do that) so you are sure that they are worth it. For recruits, be patient. Don't pester a guild leader every twenty minutes about the status of their application. This can get tedius and if you are "on the bubble" it could be what puts you in the reject pile. At the same time, don't simply ignore them and wait. They may have misplaced your info, missed your name, or merely forgotten. A casual question or email after a day or so is more than adequate. Treat it like you'd treat a new job.
WHAT DO I DO IF I GET REJECTED?
So you put in the application, you gave them all your info, you went out and they turned you down. What do you do?
Well, you could be immature, start griefing their members, dueling everyone you see, putting out bounties on peoples heads, get their enemies to crash their events, and generally make a big old nuisance of yourself. But this is a bad idea - if you want to get into ANY guild, griefing one that you didn't get into is a VERY bad first step. It shows immaturity, and its the kind of thing any good guild leader wants to stay away from - if you've done it before, you probably will do it again.
The best thing to do is to accept the rejection like a man (or woman) - ask what the problem was, ask if theres any way for you to fix the problem or if its possible to attempt to join at another time when your skillset or level changes. Do your best to be understanding, because you never know - they could ask you back at any time, and having not burned a bridge may turn out to be a benefit to you in the long run.
In general, put yourself in their shoes. If they are normal, likeable people, they probably are dreading having to tell you that you didn't make it. They probably don't want to have to turn you down because they are specifically worried about you taking the immature route. Being mature and understanding is the best way to cultivate a relationship or friendship with a player that down the road could prove important to you.
WHAT DO I DO IF I GET IN?
Go pat yourself on the back.
Then figure out your role, determine how you can best serve the needs of the guild and get to work. :)
TIPS FOR RUNNING A SUCCESSFUL PLAYER ASSOCIATION
I thought I would throw a few tips in here to give those who are either just starting their PAs or who are prospective PA leaders a head start in setting up a successful PA.
1.) Organization - You need to develop an organization quickly. This can be hierarchical, it can be committee based, it can be based on a military model (the TMB is loosely based on a military model), or some hybrid of all of these. Which organization type you choose is based on your personal preferences, but the main point is to have SOME kind of organization. This will save you time, effort and lots and lots of grief down the road. You can easily determine who has decision making authority, who can speak on behalf of the guild, discipline, etc. and you can set up rules and regulations that people will agree to abide under and thus the calls of "unfair" or "BS" will be more insignificant. Organization is the foundation upon which a successful PA rests
2.) Goals - What's the point? This is a goal that many PAs run into after they are first established. Generally, you get a bunch of people working together to make a large amount of money, or to get a large amount of resources in order to start the PA. So you've got a pre-made goal that is attainable and attractive: setting up the PA Hall. Once you get there and the guild is formed, its very easy to sit back on the floor of you brand new, furniture less guild hall and think you've made it. But in reality, you're just being born. Thus, you need to setup longterm and short term goals for the PA. For example, the TMB has a short term goal of raising 1,000,000 credits for our guild account. We have a long term goal of maxing out all our characters and gaining as many Imperial ranks as possible, as well as aiding our members in opening up an FS slot, once we have a better idea on how that is done. Set up both long term and short term goals as soon as possible so that once you are up and running, you don't start to stagnate.
3.) Recruitment - Identify the kinds and types of players you want early, and do your best to recruit only from those players. If a guy is good, but not great, don't get rid of him if you think he has potential to grow. If you are looking for a TKM and a Master Entertainer comes along - if that's now what you are looking for, don't be afraid to turn them down. The selectivity of the group is based on your visions and the visions of the members for where the group is going. Always keep those in mind.
4.) Website or chat board - Have a means outside the game for your members to talk and work out differences. When you are in the game, you want to play - not sit in a camp and play politics. Do that outside the game, when the server is down or you are stuck at work. This can also be a good recruitment tool, if it looks good.
5.) Multiple levels/internal rewards - Provide your members with little incentives, like an increase in guild rank or greater responsibility when they reach goals you set for them. The TMB has a rank system based on your level of experience. New players are privates. They get a comission to Lieutenant when they master a skill tree. They move up to Captain when they master a basic profession, and Major when they hit a hybrid or elite one. Then we've got our regimental commanders (the founding members). This provides everyone with a further incentive - besides the ones they get in game - to achieve. And achievement reflects well on all of the members.
6.) Rules, regulations and discipline - Every group, after they hit a certain level, needs rules and regulations to function. Otherwise, its simply chaos and no one wants that. Set these up early, and get everyone involved in their creation so that you have "buy-in" from the members. Second, set up a disciplinary process in the event that someone gets out of hand or you get complaints about players. A PA only has its reputation, for the most part, and if that gets tarnished by bad players, it can cause problems for all the members. Take a look at a recent issue on Bloodfin with ALLY.
7.) Have fun - If this stuff isn't you, don't run a PA. Always remember that the point of SWG is to HAVE FUN. If you aren't having fun, scrap what you are doing and go back to what you did enjoy doing.
I hope that this guide is helpful to new recruits, new group leaders and seasoned members of PAs and their leaders alike. PAs are one special feature of MMORPGs that help make them fun, and using some of these tips and bits of information, you can make your experience even better.
Brisc
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