It has been an interesting few months as I learn to make things happen in a guild. Being raid leader has definitely been a stressful "job" and not to be taken lightly. I think I read on wow.com that if you are thinking of starting a guild... don't. I think that's pretty good advice for the most part if the raiding is your eventual goal. Well, that is, unless you are a "glutton for punishment" as the old saying goes.
The larger a guild gets the more "issues" you have as people are all unique. Player A can't come on early, player B can't stay up late, player C can only attend x days per week. As raid leader, it took me a while to learn that I cannot solve that equation. I can only provide the activity and see what happens. So, the basic plan is this.
Axiom 1: Schedule raids and schedule them consistently. That is, have them regularly scheduled and at the same times. What this does is setup an expectation from the members. They know when raid is, they know when raid will be even if they don't sign up to go.
Now, this does not mean you will get full attendence or full subscription. However that brings us to the next Axiom.
Axiom 2: The show must go on (or at least attempt to go on). If you don't get the numbers, fill in the gaps. It's a skill to know what you need and how to get it by trolling the "looking for group" channel or trade channel. I try to build up a list of acceptable fill-ins.
But why not just call it? I know I read Big Bear Butt once say his guild just calls a raid rather than PuG. This is completely dependent on the group, though. If you consistently are short, you won't be raiding much and there will be resentment. I sometimes get the feeling that even though my guildies are nice and like me and also wouldn't take a moment to help fill my shoes, they would politely just wisp away and find another leader that will satisfy their itch. So, you can wait until they leave, I suppose, or you can just give them what they silently want. Believe me, I much prefer the quiet players than those that nag.
So, I think a good college try goes a long way compared to benching.
Axiom 3: Don't wait for folks to be ready. Well, this one is kinda situational. However, if your guildies are all goofing off at raid time, it means you aren't laying down the law. They expect no raid or they are holding out on the good spirits of the other guildies. I am more frustrated by the person saying, "let me finish this daily" just before a raid than anything else. People are waiting and its difficult to make progress when 25 people all want to piddle about. If someone isn't ready, you give late comers 5 minute warning and then replace them. They will know. Now, I don't hold it against them... at least not in a hard way. They make their choices and I make mine. Ce la vie. But, if they know you want wait, if they REALLY wanted to go, they'd be ready.
I am sure I have more to response later.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Thursday, June 4, 2009
"Of Teeth and Claws" no more
It looks like "Of Teeth and Claws" is handing in his claws for some other digital medium. I can definitely be sympathetic in that regard once you've seen it and done it, eventually it is time to move on. I am sure there is a day in my future as well. It was some good reading though.
The Rush-ing-ator
We have an old friend join up to WoW for the first time. He has gone from level 1 to 74 in only a couple weeks and all I can do is share my lament for him how he will burn out of this game so quick that we will be saying goodbye in a few more weeks. Seen-it-done-it in a month or less.
That, to me, is one of the sadist parts of WoW, the pressure or desire or created desire to be with the rest of the server, hanging around at level 80 getting tired of the same instances over and over hoping for something more to come along. Though, that isn't how I feel about it, I can sense that feeling in others. You know it..
That, to me, is one of the sadist parts of WoW, the pressure or desire or created desire to be with the rest of the server, hanging around at level 80 getting tired of the same instances over and over hoping for something more to come along. Though, that isn't how I feel about it, I can sense that feeling in others. You know it..
Leading a VERY Casual Guild
One of my main stressors as a GM is the idea of making everyone happy. The problem is, you can't. So, if you can't make everyone happy and making everyone happy is your goal, you defacto lose and will be unhappy yourself. As much as I understand this as a guild leader, it doesn't make it easier to live with or deal with. The fact is that you either come to terms with it or you are unhappy.
My other big problem, that I am coming to grips with is how differently I approach playing the game compared to others. Far too often, I project how I feel in a given situation to how others should also feel even if it isn't the case at all. In-so-much as I never want to feel left out, I also never want others to feel the same way as well. I suppose this also sets me up for further disappointment and frustration.
Obviously, these two issues are rooted in the same emotional grounding.
Realization #1: I cannot make people be available.
That is, if I schedule a raid in my oh-so-casual guild, I cannot either get people to agree that they may or may not show up as well as I cannot get them to actually show up at all. The net result is the pressure that you might feel when they do not show to the ones that do. What can you do? Nothing really. It does no good to complain or whine or opine or whatever about those that are absent. All you CAN do is put it on the calendar and see what happens.
Realization #2: PuGs are a pain
Duh. You could have guessed it. If you get almost enough to go, then you have the overwhelming pressure from those present to PuG the remaining slots. I am going to have to make some executive decision here and I'll post more on it when I decide.
So, I guess where I am heading is what is, there is casual, and then, there is CASUAL. People fall somewhere between lowercase and upper and somewhere in there has to be some unhappiness.
My other big problem, that I am coming to grips with is how differently I approach playing the game compared to others. Far too often, I project how I feel in a given situation to how others should also feel even if it isn't the case at all. In-so-much as I never want to feel left out, I also never want others to feel the same way as well. I suppose this also sets me up for further disappointment and frustration.
Obviously, these two issues are rooted in the same emotional grounding.
Realization #1: I cannot make people be available.
That is, if I schedule a raid in my oh-so-casual guild, I cannot either get people to agree that they may or may not show up as well as I cannot get them to actually show up at all. The net result is the pressure that you might feel when they do not show to the ones that do. What can you do? Nothing really. It does no good to complain or whine or opine or whatever about those that are absent. All you CAN do is put it on the calendar and see what happens.
Realization #2: PuGs are a pain
Duh. You could have guessed it. If you get almost enough to go, then you have the overwhelming pressure from those present to PuG the remaining slots. I am going to have to make some executive decision here and I'll post more on it when I decide.
So, I guess where I am heading is what is, there is casual, and then, there is CASUAL. People fall somewhere between lowercase and upper and somewhere in there has to be some unhappiness.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
New Tauren Cat Forms
I am extremely excited about the new Tauren cat forms. Yea, people are griping, but they are so much better than the old ones. I can only hope that the alliance kitties will not be disappointed.
http://www.wow.com/gallery/adams-wow-gallery/2051777/full/
http://www.wow.com/gallery/adams-wow-gallery/2051777/full/
WoWie
So yeah, another WoW blog. The web needs one, right? Probably not. But if I use it for some sort of catharsis and it makes me feel better it's all good.
I am approaching my first year of WoW and it has definitely been an adventure from level 1 to 80 and now the whole GM thing. I didn't volunteer to be GM it just sort of happened. We moved our group from another game and it just created a guild for a guild bank. The whole idea of doing a raid was something we saw in the distant future and nothing to even consider.
But all that is past now. All the content is seen (well to a point) and we are at the last few raid pieces of the game. Being a guild leader is definitely a pain in this bear's rear end. I really love the guys that I play the game with, but everyone does their own thing, you know. They all have their own schedule and way of playing and it feels like pure luck sometimes that we ever accomplish a thing.
I am approaching my first year of WoW and it has definitely been an adventure from level 1 to 80 and now the whole GM thing. I didn't volunteer to be GM it just sort of happened. We moved our group from another game and it just created a guild for a guild bank. The whole idea of doing a raid was something we saw in the distant future and nothing to even consider.
But all that is past now. All the content is seen (well to a point) and we are at the last few raid pieces of the game. Being a guild leader is definitely a pain in this bear's rear end. I really love the guys that I play the game with, but everyone does their own thing, you know. They all have their own schedule and way of playing and it feels like pure luck sometimes that we ever accomplish a thing.
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