Just a Small Idea for Guild Property

Not being very well versed in the plethora of games that have been created I have no idea if an idea that I had recently has ever been, even in part, implemented. If so then I claim full ignorance and am not liable for any damages of any kind to any person or entity that may wish to claim that I stole their idea.

That said I was thinking about real property in a gaming environment, and how a guild could take advantage of the vast spaces in the wilds of Azeroth or beyond to strengthen and fortify themselves. I realize that the idea of player created property in the game world isn't a new idea, I'm sure I've read of it many times before, but I'd like to go into some depth on what I think would be an entertaining use of this "real, virtual, land".

To start with, let's assume that the purchasing of land in any zone in the game is limited to guilds only, so a single, guildless player is unable to purchase land while a guild officer, in the name of the guild, has power to buy a spot of land in, let's say, Arathi Highlands.

PHASE 1: LAND PURCHASING
The purchasing of a plot of land would need to be approved by 50% or more of the guildies with the rank of officer or higher. So, for example, if a guild with only 1 player wants to purchase land he/she can do so simply because of the 100% ownership. A 2 person guild would simply require one of the 2 to buy the land, and a guild with 3 or more at rank of officer or higher would require 50% or a majority, depending on whether internals have an even or odd number of eligible voters.

So, this rule being simple to apply, if someone wanted to be a radical and attempt to go to zone X to the "Land Officer" and try to purchase a plot of land without anyone knowing, they will be surprised to find out that they are unable to complete the buy without the vote of the eligible guildies. They then smack their keyboard and make a stupid joke in guild chat about how "it was worth a try", while the rest of the guild gives them sideways glances wondering if that will be the first person to defect in the upcoming patch.

The vote system would be initiated via an in-game pop-up once an eligible voter logs in. The location of the desired plot of land will be displayed on a map, and that officer may cast his/her vote before of after any discussion with their fellow guildies. Once a site has been approved, the next phase of my idea begins.

P.S. Buyable land will be marked by a zone's Land Officer, and only a finite number of sites per zone will be allowed. However, just becuase someone else buys a certain plot of land, doesn't mean they get to keep it forever, but I'm getting ahead of myself. Moving on.

PHASE 2: SETTING UP HOUSING
The most difficult part about this is how to maintain the beauty of the game world while providing real estate for guilds to enjoy. The solution is not an easy one, and I won't pretend to assume that any idea I have is a perfect one, but I'll attempt to explain myself no matter the cost. Understanding this issue and being one who does not desire to disrupt the balance of nature or of the world that has been so carefully at artfully crafted, the building created in the establishment of the guild housing will need to be carefully phased, let me explain.

The starter building created on each plot of land will only be visible to the members of that particular guild at first. There is planted outside the front door a sign, one that has style, coloring, and material of the zone in which it is located so as to not disrupt the artistic balance too much. This sign is visible to all who pass by, and is the means of communicating with the guild inside.

The building itself is instanced, so a guild member upon entering will appear to disappear to an outsider watching them, but will be transported into their housing. Back outdoors is left the friend from a diffent guild, wondering if he'll ever be able to see this cool new guild house. Well, all that's required is to click on the guild sign/standard and a menu will appear.

Part of this menu will be a "I come in peace" salutation. If anyone is inside the guild house, they will receive a message that person X from guild Y and/or faction Z is outside the door and wishes to see your guild house so that he/she may then enter. If you agree, you click yes and suddenly your guild housing becomes visible and the friend may enter to see your beautiful shack.

While your guild house exists, you may step out to see how life progresses on your new property. Phased workers appear here and there bringing in new loads of trade goods from all over the world to help support the guild and build a stronger fortress and powerful empire. The amounts of goods and materials are minimal and possibly random (possibly not, I haven't decided), nevertheless what you see is a real, living property in action, one that you and your guild built and can be proud of.

Over time you can build additions to your house, your land ownership can expand to a fixed space from it's humble beginnings, and the more land you own the more goods and materials your workers bring to you. But there exist enmies to beware of, both in your faction and the opposing. Let's talk about how those issues are handled.

PHASE 3: PROTECT THIS HOUSE
Recall the guild sign posted in your front yard, the only thing visible to outsiders who don't have permission to view your palace/shack and enter your gates. There may be a time when a rival guild wishes to challenge your guild for the resources of your land. An enemy may come to the posted sign and click on an option that reads something like "Challenge from Opposing Guild (same/rival faction)". If someone is in your guild house they may step out to view the threat or send a spy to check out the enemies movements. One way or another they will need to assess the threat and decide whether they wish to accept the challenge.

If nobody is in guild housing, a message is still sent to an officer online that a challenge has been made. The terms of the challenge may include 1 v 1 duel, a BG wargame challenge, maybe even one of the new Scenarios or Challenge mode dungeons where their time is compared to your team's time. However the challenge is constructed, you can accept the challenge and be instantly teleported to your guild house, ready to protect your guild's integrity.

Losing a challenge means a small percentage of your property's goods and materials collected by your loyal workers will be automatically re-routed to the winning guild's vaults. You may reclaim this portion by issuing a challenge to them in return, possibly making for some entertaining, and heated rivalries.

Obviously I don't have all the details worked out completely, but the general idea still exists. Guild housing can have a minimal impact on the environment, can be both shared with outsiders and its honor and prestige protected through targeted and victorious challenges. Your guild's power and influence can be increased, or decreased through a reckless and gambling nature of just a few wildcard guildies. Thus making guild management a truly complex but rewarding duty.

A FEW MORE THINGS
Just a few loose ends to tie up my idea, a guild house can never be destroyed. Even if you are a solo person guild, if you have the money to purchase land and plop a small house there, you may keep it and the small rewards that come with the minimum. But if you are an extremely astute and skilled player, even solo, you can expand your empire through careful and targeted challenges, ones that play to your strengths. No reason to just cater to large guilds. After all, if a guild does not want to accept a challenge, they don't have to. They keep their house at whatever size they wish, and live contently in their playstyle. Large or small guilds, both can flurish if they are smart enough, and skilled enough.

There were other things that I wanted to throw out there, but forgot them for the moment. I will continue to refine this idea as much as possible because I see potential in it. Fun, excitement, rewards, and potential and epic failure. Tell me, do you think this idea has any possibility or am I simply in a dream world and don't know what I'm talking about?

That's all for today, cheers peeps!

"We were on a break!"

Anecdote
My wife made me watch an episode of Friends one time, years ago now. I did it out of love and loyalty to her, not willingly or because I liked it. In this particular episode, Ross and Rachel had stopped dating per Rachel's request, Ross ended hooking up with a Chole chick. Well Rachel finds out about it, gets mad for Ross being "unfaithful", and Ross spends the next four years of the show justifying his trist by yelling "WE WERE ON A BREAK".

Not Emmy worthy stuff, I admit, but it made its way enough into pop culture to have some sort of a lasting impact.

So, why do I bring this up? Because I noticed I haven't written anything since July. I've lost all my 7 readers, probably, and well that's ok. I guess you could say I'm taking a break due to real life crap. Being unemployed for 10 months with a family of four to shelter and feed is tougher than you may realize. But it's not like I'm being unfaithful and writing a separate blog on the side or sworn off MMO's and went back to board games. No, I just spend most of my days trying to find work as a partially disabled dude, and worrying about how to pay my power bill (which is like, really important here in the 110 degree desert).

Surprises
One thing I've done is continued to play in the evenings. I have tried something...refreshing. I decided to not throw all my alts into my main guild and branch out a bit, meet new people and all. It's been such a pleasure. I've seen debates in my guild chat about how it's so hard to split toons between guilds on the same server, but really I think that only applies to serious players or raiders, not casuals like myself.

It ceases to amaze me how many great, friendly, and helpful people are out there. People willing to laugh at me and themselves, but never in a way to make anyone feel worse about themselves. People willing to commit to having a good time and doing it together. Oh yes, I'm all for splitting time between guilds, if I didn't I'd meet fewer and fewer of you fine folk out there.

Observations
I haven't been ignorant of the goings on in the blogosphere, I never am. I see there continue to be more and more discussions on game design. I still try to stay away from that since I don't really wish to think too much about it. For myself (and myself only) I try to ask "am I having a good time" (per my personal standars). If yes I keep playing, if not I stop. The one thing I noticed is that as soon as I went multi-guild I started having a better time again. Proving to me, and me only, that these personal connections are useful in fulfilling my gaming satisfaction quota for the night. I still enjoy the freedom of playing multiple classes in all kinds of roles, but it's still the interactive nature of MMO's that helps me to come back, even if I'm feeling down cause I just went through another day with nobody wanting to hire me.

Plans
What do I have planned for the future? I enjoy writing, I enjoy connecting with readers and other bloggers. I will continue that, but later. Once I can find a good job and have my family in order, I'll be back and with a bang. Probably I'll re-brand myself as a more sociopathic personality, and make you constantly look over your shoulder wondering if I'm watching you read my stuff right now...like I really am, just look behind you!!!!

Peace out! I'll talk to ya'lls later.

So You're More Important? Is that it?

There has been, since the start of the Cataclysm, a devaluation of lower level characters. But let's understand the context in which I wish to place this statement. While guilds were emphasized to a large degree, it's been made clear that only the highest level characters are valued.

What?

I wondered to myself the other night, as I was trying to reach honored with my guild with my level 85 DK, why is it that I deserve more guild reputation than someone questing from level 10-80? I can go from 80-85 far faster than from 10-80, yet I seem to be valued by the system in such a way that my guild reputation increases significantly faster than my level 33 Hunter.

I have no doubt that GC or someone has made a blue post on this subject, and I'm just not aware of it, but it got me thinking about one's value in a guild. I suppose accept it the same way I accept that I'm not granted with the same amount of experience for completing a quest at 20 as I am at 83, it would only make sense that the same level 20 toon of mine is not worthy of any guild reputation.

For me it think of it very simply, is your quest more important than mine? Is is more valuable? Are you, then, more important? Now I'm not one to talk too much about game design because I'd rather leave those discussions to people with more experience and knowledge of these things. I'm just sharing my observations based on my experiences, not attempting to design the perfect game. But in this game I play, I can't but help feel devalued by the devs as they tell me that all the time I put into leveling this toon to 80 is so much less important and significant than those who level from 80-85.

In leveling my alts I do all things I'm allowed in order to help provide experience for the guild. I quest, I BG, I dungeon, I gather and I craft and I even give gold to the guild bank. But what am I given for my efforts? About 30 rep points in 30 levels, that's what. On the other hand, if I log into my DK I can do 1/4 of the things that I do at lower levels but earn more rep. This must mean that I'm more valuable, more important.

The only reason to be in a guild for the first 70-80 levels is to take advantage of guild perks. Well not the ONLY reason, there is playing a game with friends or other good people, but that's a different subject, I'd prefer sarcasm in this post. So for the sake of making a point, let's assume tha the only reason is for guild perks. But what emperical evidence can I produce at lower levels that proves that I even deserve these perks? I'm not a source of significant experience or reputation (for myself), so why bother? Why even grant access to low level toons to guild perks if they can't actually show they've contributed?

I don't really have a solution, I'm just a bit upset by this reality. I like to earn what I get, but that's just me. Ah well, it's the system and I guess I just need to get used to it, right? It doesn't stop me from enjoying my games, but it just doesn't seem to make sense to me, that's all.

Have a wonderful weekend!

There's No Crying in MMO's!

Thanks to actor Tom Hanks, we know that "There's no crying in baseball". I guess certain basketball players from the Miami Heat didn't get that memo, or at very least didn't watch that movie, as their coach threw them under the bus the other day saying during a press conference that there were a coupld players in their locker room crying after a particularly difficult loss.

But what about gaming? Is there crying in gaming? I'm not referring to complaining, but rather real emotional outpouring in the form of real tears, difficulty breathing, all out crying. Should I share anything that's ever happened to me where I allowed myself to cry or perhaps stopped myself? Maybe...I'll think about it.

What brings on that powerful manifestation of emotion anyway? Death? Joy? Pain (physical or mental, etc)? Certainly everyone has different thresholds, different breaking points for different situations. I just wonder how much crying in front of the monitor actually goes on in online gaming. What would cause you or me to flood our cheeks with the salty moisture of the entrance to our souls?

Crying in General
I just had this talk with my kids the other day, where they mentioned to me that "if you cry in school your life, your reputation, everything that you love and want out of school will be destroyed...forever...never to recover." A bit of an overreaction, I suppose, but what do you expect from an 8 and 10 year old boy? My basic stance on crying is this: There's a time and place for everything, usually, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with crying in general. It would be wise, like my kids say, to control yourself in public if you can. But there are definately circumstances where it's acceptable to cry in public, for example if you were told of a death in a public place, everyone would understand your emotional response, even mean little kids in elementary school.

Crying is natural, we were all born crying, or cried soon after birth and long into our first few years of life. It's a means of communication, it let's people know that we have a need, whether that's physical or emotional comfort, and let's others know that we deem some issue important. Frankly I despise the macho male society that I live in. Especially in sports. As a "MAN" I'm not supposed to cry, like ever. I'm supposed to, per some unwritten cultural rules, remain stone faced and play the role of the tough, good solier. THAT'S BULL CRAP! There is nothing, I repeat, NOTHING WRONG WITH CRYING. Anyone who says any different is, in my sole-important opinion, mentally disturbed and example of a repressive household. How are humans supposed to make any lasting bonds if their not allowed to express their true emotions? We're NOT animals, we're above that, our capacity to think and feel make us so.

But I still teach my kids to be aware of your surroundings, and protect themselves from unnecessary ridicule by expressing themselves, ALL OF THEMSELVES, to the appropriate person at the appropriate time. This means they work hard not to cry at school, but when they get home, I let them and encourage them to pour out their hearts about the pain they suffer at school from bullies and other affects of really bad kids. So, if you want to cry I got nothing against you. The more the better I say.

Crying in Games
So I'm not raiding anymore. Like...ever. Unless I get a new back or something, it's done, I'm done. And for me that's a touchy subject. It's a recent decision, really. I tried to get strong for Cataclysm raiding, but when it came to it I just can't take sitting in a chair for 3-4 hours, it's too difficult on my body. I had to tell my guild leader, and that was difficult.

My wife tells me I take everything too seriously, and she's probably right. It's my personality to take ownership of my life's activities, to give them meaning. Even sitting in the park on a blanket with my kids, that's important because it's a time of bonding. Equally the last couple years I've come to bond with the people I raided with. We're not lovers or lifelong friends, but I internalize my contributions and view them as significant because I've had to suffer through some painful nights, nights which physically hurt me for days after in the real world, for the sake of contributing to the team and driving us to success. That success meant something to me, it meant that I had sacrificed physical comfort for an opportunity to achieve something with 9 other human beings, even if it was a game, it was done with other real people.

So when I had to tell my guild that my body was just too broken and I couldn't contribute any more, I do recall my eyes watering. So for me, I guess there is crying in MMO's. Who woulda thunk it? I'm not ashamed, I am proud that I feel, and more than that that I value human connections enough to allow myself to feel loss when I cannot enjoy those connections as much or in the same way that I used to. I have my breaking point, and for the first time ever playing a video game I reached it. In the end it's about the people. Because I helped form the guild, I'm allowed to stay and do whatever I can whenever I can, and I still help cut gems, make flasks, etc. I still run some fun things on the weekend when I don't have to give up too much time. It's nice.

Crying and You
There is a time and place for everything, for the most part. I still feel that while on vent or whatever, people should control their emotions, or at least control to whom they express them. It's ok to let it out to the right person at the right time, but I still think one should protect him/herself from general ridicule. What we do, what we play, because it's with other people who feel, I think in principle there is no feeling that needs to be repressed, nor any manifestion of those feelings. Just do it at the right time. Most circumstances in gaming really don't merit crying, but I think there are a few that do, and all of those deal with the relationships we forge with other sentient beings.

So, Tom Hanks, there may not be crying in baseball, but maybe there should be...in private.

Sample Sizing

I remember, oh yes, I remember all the speculation before the expansion hit about the new guild rewards system and what that would mean for all size guilds. I think that after all the speculation, and now about a month into Cata, I've come to realize something...size matters, sort of!

To test my theories I have taken various toons of mine and found guilds of different size and purpose. Regretfully, however, I haven't played my DK much, and so an invitation that was extended to me here on my blog to join a certain Llane realm guild has not come to fruition. But if I ever do log into my DK I'll do what I can to contact that person (you know who you are).

I have a couple of my toons at level 85 and are in a raiding guild. There's approximately 70-80 characters, with about 50+ accounts, and currently we stand at the precipice of guild level 8 (as of today we're at 7). I dropped one of my son's toons, a level 82 DK, into a guild with more than 740 people, and at the time they were close to level 9. I haven't checked their level in the last few days, but they were making very good progress.

I have a lvl 25 mage (and leveling fast) that I threw into a guild with 5 people. Right now we're still at level 1. Ugh. And just the other day Gronthe joined a casual, leveling guild with nearly 200 people that currently stands at guild level 3. Of all these guilds, only the 5 man guild is inactive. All of the others are active in their own way. My raiding guild has, on average, 4-8 people on at the same time most of the day and into the night. My son's guild (740+) has about 40-50 active on at any time of day. Gronthe's new guild is also very active, about 15-20 on most of the time.

Size, it seems, has an impact on guild leveling, but only to the point that those people who log in actually do things. My raiding guild, albeit somewhat smaller and not everyone has even played since Dec. 7, seems to level fast despite smaller numbers because everyone is extremely active and doing things to progress their character, in terms of leveling, professions, pvp, dungeons, etc. Nobody just sits around and chats in Stormwind like I've seen in the other guilds. To be fair, the other guilds that I have mentioned are "casual", i.e. not particularly interested in raiding or maxing out professions or things like that. I'm just making anectodal observations, that's all.

I happen to enjoy the different guild I'm in, and all for different reasons. They each offer me what I seek for those particular characters. Serious on one hand, nothing but ridiculous fun on others. I think the only exception is the 5-man guild I'm in with my mage, I think I'll look for a bigger one. I enjoy the perks, it's nice to not have to pay as much to repair gear, really nice.

I don't have the resources to gather the appropriate information to make a proper analysis about which guilds are leveling the fastest and what is making them do so, but if I were to guess the answer is simple, ACTIVITY. Not just logging in but DOING things. Some guilds don't need all the guild perks, so to level the guild slowly because you enjoy chatting or telling jokes or going off to do silly things in your own time is perfectly acceptable. Guild perks are nice, but only if that's what you seek out of the game. If you enjoy leveling slower (which is difficult nowadays), you don't want the bonuses you get from guild leveling, so you may just wish to join my 5-man guild. :)

Take anecdotes for what they are worth, just one man's story from his own perspective. I still have some guild joining to do, that's for sure, I'd like to spread my toons out when I can, just to get some flavor in my game experience. So, although larger guilds have an advantage, they can only capitalize on that if they actually do stuff. But, like I said, not all guilds are the same. A smaller raiding guild with only 4-8 active people at a time can level more than twice as fast than a guild with more than 2-3 times the about of logged in players if they want to.

I hope that everyone is enjoying themselves, doing what they want, and in the guild that brings them the greatest utility (and/or enjoyment). If you're not in a guild, and not by choice, I wish you luck in finding a home that suits your style. Be active, but more important than that, have fun!!!

Response to Responses

First of all, to all those who posted a comment on my How do Introverts Find Guilds? post yesterday, (thanks to WoWInsider.com), thank you. I published all comments this morning when I woke up (Pacific Time, USA). I have a few things to say in general to all of you.

#1) Lol, I don't have a clear understanding of the exact differences between introversim (is that even a word? you know what I mean, so I move on), social anxiety and shyness. That's ok, I hope you all understood the purpose even though I get the specific psychological terms mixed up. Thank you for not making fun of me and my ignorance.

#2) What I found funny is that for me, who is someone with social anxiety, I became extremely nervous when I saw that WoWInsider and linked to another article of mine. They did it once before and I was happy. They have now done it twice and it made me scared to think that people out there were actually reading MY words. I became scared and thought about deleting the post because I wasn't sure I was comfortable with so many strangers taking a glance at my thoughts. It's funny, right, that someone who blogs is nervous about others reading their blog? Well, that's how I felt.

#3) I was overwhelmed by the number and tone of responses I got. Wow, it's amazing how many people share similar trials, it makes me wonder how many more out there are a bit anxious about trying to meet new people in the virutal community, even when we know that we'll never see these people face to face. It brought a smile to my face to see such comments from every one of you. Thank you for your visit, I am honored, albeit still a bit nervous.

That's all for now. Have a wonderful day, and may your gaming be fun!

In Flux - Interaction between life and games

It's annoying, really, how real life can get in the way of a good game. My oldest son makes me aware of this often when I ask him to take out the trash while he's on the XBox. 'C'mon dad, I'm almost done, just give me a few more minutes.' Yep, life gets in the way of his enjoyment big time!

I want to immerse myself, or at the very least take some time out of my life to enjoy some good stories or a fun quest or getting Gronthe to 80 (I'm so close, 79 and more than half way there). But life doesn't always let you finish, sometimes life wants you to take out the trash and it means NOW!!!

I don't apologize for not writing for over a week. I mean, who am I offending? My readership is small, but THE BEST IN THE WORLD, yet I feel as if I've been caged, hutched and desperate, unable to express myself in the most free way that I've found yet.

We live, we play, we love, we cry, our pulses race and our emotions are stirred. I've worked with people I viewed as cold-hearted, persons who believed that work was the only life worth living. I personally felt pity for them as I did not share that same sentiment. I've always believed that good leisure time was a good life spent. To take those precious minutes or longer each day to rest the mind and the heart, to escape the troubles of life and the pressures of work is a gift to oneself that should not be denied. But still some denied themselves time with...themselves. And done in the name and for the sake of money, power, prestiege, and show.

In times and seasons of change, where an old world is coming to an end and the ravaged world of Deathwing is upon our doorsteps, life interrupts the liesure and gaming of the strongest and the weakest of us. For some life has more to say, for others its existence is evidenced occaisionally while the "me time" that one enjoys is of longer duration than another. So now priorities must be examined and a plan of action followed. How boring, right? Yet life won't accept you if you take "just a few more minutes", it needs to be attended to, and it needs it right NOW!!!

I don't hide the workings of my personal life, for if I've said it once I've said it again, and is the basis for this blog, that me and my toon are one. When one experiences grief, so does the other. When my raids failed, my life was affected (or so my wife complained often). When life failed, it affected those that I created and played with over hundreds of levels.

Life, games, it's all connected to me. Why? Because real people play games. People with blood flowing through their veins and electric signals being passed along the corridors of the brain. These people, you and me, we control our toons, and our toons influence us. Or the world our toons live in influence us, and can change habits that we develop in real life. So it is that we're always connected, and I'll never stop talking about my real life here. It's who I am, and what I do, and nobody will stop me. You can stop reading, that would suck, but I'll continue to write.

That said, I'm in a season of change. I'm recently unemployed in one of the worst job markets in the US of A. I'm handicap with a disability that is only getting worse. I'm a shell of my former poetential self, and don't know where or how I will keep a roof over my wife and kid's heads two months from now. Forget Christmas, I've already told my kids it ain't happening this year. But the amazing thing is this, and listen closely, I still try to make time to sit down with my eight year old boy and play some wow when I can. Why? Because it's him...and me...us...together...sharing something we both love, and we laugh and sing and dance and cry together and love it.

Ladies and gentelmen, don't ever think that the interruptions of life need to stop you from taking some leisure time with yourself, and if you have some, with your kids. Mental health is important, and money isn't the only thing in this world that lifts us up out of slums. Love, family, friends, and even the companionship of friendly guildies that you probably have never seen can make your life better, even when life not only interrupts your life but throws a screw ball at your head (baseball reference, Congrats to the SF Giants for winning the World Series). In my case, my employer, after knowing that I just picked up my wife after a week in a hospital and hours from potential death, sent me packing with little pity in their eyes and fat wallets in their pockets. Curse them!

But bless you, dear readers! I am not gone, I'm just interrupted by life and have to take out the trash. I'm around and will continue to bring you music (yes, I rememered, but as I've said life is sucking right now and demanding much more time of me than anticipated, but I WILL NOT back out on my promise to deliver a really bad musical song). I will continue to offer opinions, share stories, report fake news, and ponder endlessly about the connection between us and the games we play. Until next time, adieu!

Overselling Yourself

On the heels of my conundrum yesterday, a trailing thought, lost in a daydream, walked right into the front of my head. Has that ever happened to you? It didn’t hurt, don’t worry about me. And the thought is in good shape as well. Some of us are fortunate enough to play WoW and other games with their RL friends. Together they can form groups, raids, guilds, activities, premades, whatever. Others come in solo, but are able to latch on to guilds, sometimes for better other times for worse.

Then sometimes we require, or at the very least desire, change. For those who raid seriously or who PvP seriously, there is often a process whereby they are accepted into a new guild. It’s called an application process. Although I’ve never gone through it personally, I believe that applications are used by high-end guilds and not your average, ordinary, everyday, run-of-the-mill raiding/PvP guild. Classify it how you like, there are guilds that do and guilds that don’t.

In the real world we do similar actions when searching for a new job. There is usually some application process involved, followed by an interview, which results in either acceptance or rejection. When I was in college, I was taught that a great resume stood out from the rest. A potential employer will only look at for about 15 seconds or less. That’s it. That’s often how long you have to impress, to sell them on you as a candidate that they need to take a closer look at. So how does one accomplish that? I’m not going to give away my secrets (because my resume absolutely rocks the house). What I will say is that they need to be able to quickly see what you’re good at and what you achieved. Therefore, your information must be obvious.

With the need to impress, and the belief in many that they are capable of doing the job if only given the chance, some are led to exaggerate a little; some exaggerate a lot, although I’ve never been counted among those. They oversell themselves in the hopes that they can land the interview and then perform “well enough” to be considered for the job. If they don’t know something Mr. Exaggerate will say “just give it to me and I’ll get it done, sir.” While that may indeed work in some professions, it doesn’t work as well in a raid situation.

“Just throw me in the raid and I’ll DPS.”

Well of course you will, idiot, you’re a hunter. You are literally incapable of doing anything except DPS. Tell me something that will impress me, something to prove that you know what you are doing AND that you can do it better than the hunter I’ve got waiting in the sitting room flirting with the receptionist.

How would someone attempt to oversell themselves? They could make claims on their application of having reached certain damage output on a certain fight, but have no logs to back them up because their previous raid leader, in a fit of rage, deleted all the logs. How could the new guild verify the accuracy of the statement without taking that player for a trial run. But just like the “just give it to me and I’ll get it done, sir” guy, a trial run is what the person was seeking. This is an interview, in effect, a chance to prove himself. But in the attempt he opens himself up to ridicule if he doesn’t produce at the rate he claimed to. In the end, Mr. Exaggerate is rejected either because the guild had strict rules about presenting logs (which this guy could not), or was given the benefit of the doubt, offered a trial run, and performed miserably.

What happens when there is an interview process, and Mr. Exaggerate answers the questions but, according to the guild the answers are wrong. Out of desperation Mr. Exaggerate says that “according to all my theory-crafting, this has proven to be the optimal stat setup for my class/spec”. Once again, an oversell that’s difficult to prove. If Mr. Exaggerate doesn’t have the simulation data to present, it’s his word against the recruiting guild’s. And his attempt to oversell his knowledge is foiled once again.

The more I think about it, the more it seems that it’s incredibly difficult to oversell yourself to an organized, strict guild. Application processes tend, from what I’ve read, to challenge a player to prove his experience, skill and knowledge. Unable to do just that, the applicant won’t even get a sniff at a probationary period to prove himself.

In life we can use other intangible skills to get a job. Charisma, influential language, determination, short skirts or expensive suit (oh, people use what they’ve got, and I’ve known many a pretty lady use her body to influence stupid men to get a job before). We can give rehearsed answers to common interview questions. There are a lot of “tips and tricks” to a good interview – but one thing you’ll never see in any guide is “just be honest and be yourself”. No, it’s always about putting on a good show, because evidently employers are stupid and can be tricked. But an intelligent raid leader looking for a competent Holy Priest will have a hard time being duped by someone overselling themselves. Either they know what spells are optimal for fight X and encounter Z or they don’t. Either they know the mechanics of every phase of the LK fight or they don’t. And usually all that stuff gets flushed out in the application process.

In conclusion, I have come to believe that for those guilds with strict application processes, it’s nearly impossible to oversell yourself. Funny, because out in the real world, in places that pay you $60K a year, it’s far easier to trick your way into a job just by using some flattering words and coy misdirection in your conversations to keep on topics where you are strong and stay away from subjects you know little about.

I’ve never lied on a resume or in an interview. I’ve never lied to a RL just to get in either. But if I were given the choice of trying to dupe somebody, I would stay away from that guild who requires an application and go for the CFO position at Bank of America (who, btw, is a significant investor in ATVI).

What do you think? Is it possible to be accepted into a high-end guild by fudging your way through an application process by overselling your skills? Have you ever tried it? Shame on you if you did, but you can still admit it – it’s good for the soul and all.

Have an absolutely wonderful weekend. I’ll be working on my song still and planning the destruction of my employer, who laid me off yesterday. CURSE THEM!

How Do Introverts Find Guilds?

Pain. Agony. My lonliness burns through the cavernous caverns and this awful smelling cave..."Hold on, wait just a second! Did you see this place? I mean, really, get an interior decorator in here and give me a new lyricist cause these words are just, DANG!"

Ok, enough making fun of the Cataclysm Cinematic. Yes, the writing could have been better. I am not here today to talk about that. I'm looking for a bit of advice, and maybe your soul too, if your offering. A couple or few months back, I can't remember exactly, I realm transferred my levl 80 DK from my main's realm (Malfurion-US) to Llane-US. I had to change his name, bummer, but he now rocks that joint as the only Trezzoth in all of Azeroth. Go figure!

I sent him there for two very specific purposes: 1) to help my boys level their characters by providing them with occaisional mats, gear purchases (I don't give them gold, I work with them if they need a big upgrade, but it'll always be nothing more than a green item of the AH that is more appropriate for their level). And what else? Let's see, oh yes, I brought many of the heirloom gear items from my main's realm - which, by the way, I have but all replaced for my Worgen whatevers that I'll be rolling in Cata. Reason #2) To get away, find some peace and quiet, free of guild chatter, social pressures, raiding requests, and so forth.

For these months everything has worked out perfectly. Although my play time is far more casual as a non-raider (currently), the whole peace and quiet thing is pretty easy to come by any time I want. Because of that, something else has taken it's place, anxiety. My DK is beginning to become anxious about Cataclysm. Why? Because he stands guildless. The anxiety is not due to the loss of guild perks that many others will enjoy, I believe rather that it stems from a desire to want to get to know new people on a new realm but I'm really scared to do so.

Despite my putting myself out there on this blog for all you hundreds of thousands of readers to see, I am still quite introverted and incredibly shy. My main's guild grew out of a merger, and my initial guild that I joined when I hit 80 was as a result from a compelling recruitment post in Icecrown general chat. I had responded to the post and talked with the GL for 30 minutes before joining. Everything else just flowed from there. But here I am now, a max level toon on another server, and I don't know a soul. I no longer feel peace but emptiness when I log on to Trezzoth. I really do want to talk to people, to come out of my shell more, but the same anxiety that drives me to meet people keeps me away from them. Each force pulls simultaneously and equally strong, and I'm being ripped apart.

So, what do I do? I tried going online and checking a couple popular sites (including the official forums) for any guilds recruiting for anything that isn't HM1CC25/RS (Need Holy Priest, Feral Druid w/0/33/3 spec). Plus, and this is where the forums are messed up, the recruitments aren't sorted by realm, that I can see. What else have I done? Well, I try to pick up the weekly and try to be somewhat conversational during the 10 minutes I'm with people of the same realm. My thought is that maybe I'll click with someone or I'll be asked why I'm guildless or I'll be inspired to speak up to someone who impresses me. But so far I've had no inspiration or any conversation that would lead to becomming part of a guild.

I also keep my eyes posted to chat, because I've noticed that guilds have started recruiting again in preparation for Cataclysm. Knowing that numbers are good, the more the better in many cases, I'm keeping my eyes out for a guild that meets my needs. Which are:

*Mature (knowing when and where it's appropriate to use certain language)
*Friendly (I will not stand for a guild with people who troll)
*Allow and encourage any/all activty (raiding, pvp, RP, laughing, etc)
*Active - One thing that bugged me that I learned while leveling is that many casual guilds recruit heavily only to find their players never logging in. So one week you'll have 15 people online, and a month later you are flying solo day after day. I don't want that kind of guild.
*A guild with connections, friendly with other guilds who raid. Even though I don't raid right now, I'm rehabbing my back so that one day I'll be able to get back into it. I'm terribly excited to raid in Cataclysm, I don't want Wrath to be my only experience. Especially considering that by the time I was raiding seriously, Naxx & Ulduar were obsolete and ICC was the new IT thing to do (ToC remained something that people did who were desperate for 1 more thing or just really, really bored). I want to be able to experience the first tiers of raiding, but I need time to be phycially strong enough to do it, which means I need a guild who is casual enough to let me hang but progressive enough to want to raid as well...eventually.

I know, I'm a hard case at best. I have strange and diverse needs, and they often are conflicting and don't make much sense. But there they are, as murky as ever. I've seen what happens to people who post in chat "LF Guild", as they get lambasted and told to 'be specific', etc. Do I post a reverse recruiting message of my own with my own requirements (shortened, of course)? It's a possibility. Are there other resources that I don't know about that I can tap into to find guilds that may meet my needs and I theirs? If I knew, I wouldn't be asking.

It's remarkable to me how I've gone from someone who didn't want interaction with anyone to somebody who craves it as much as I do now. I wonder if other people go through similar things in their games. Have you had a change like this before? How did you resolve it?

Introverts want interaction with others, I believe, they're just too afraid to make the first move, like me. Yes, some may always feel like they want to be left alone, but I think even those fine folk want to feel like they are a part of something, something that involves the good will of other people.

If you know anyone on Llane-US (Alliance side, I'm not faction changing), let me know so I can given them a shout-out. Thanks!

Guild Recruitment

There are a few forms of guild recruitment currently available to wow players. You can post a "classified ad" on the official forums or on a forum of some other well known wow-related website. There are the local chat channels in-game, where you can spam your ad 100 times a day, if that's the kind of game you want to play. You can make a "mostly guild" dungeon or raid run and bring along others (guildless or not) and attempt to recruit them away from their current status and into your guild. You can have people fill out applications, go through interviews, prove themselves in a trial run somewhere, take them into the middle of knowwhere blindfolded then leave them to find the quickest way back to your guild's secret hiding place in some obscure cave in Winterspring. Bottom line is there are many avenues to follow, and all with differing results.


But what if there were an easier way, a more streamlined way of recruiting people, while keeping the previous avenues open (because as we know, some people like to do things the old fashioned way or not at all). I have an idea which may be totally insane or somewhat useful, I'll let ya'lls decide.


LFGLD Tool
An in-game browser designed to bring people of the same server together. Functioning somewhat like the previous LFG tool, players searching for a guild would be able to list their names (which listing would not disappear upon logging off, only manual removal by player would work). The named players would designate their primary and secondary (if applicable) spec, their race and class would be included. Race because there may be somebody out there who wants to create an all-Worgen guild or something, who knows? There would also be the options to classify your primary objectives: Raiding, PvP, Social, Leveling, Trolling, Gold Selling, Goblinism, Hacking, etc. The player would be able to select up to two additional objectives, but the primary is the reason you seek to be recruited.

Meahwhile, guild leaders who seek to recruit can browse the system, filtering according to their needs. So let's say that a PvP guild seeks to recruit a max-level, Horde BM Hunter who's primary objective is PvP, they can filter by race, class, spec, and primary objective and BAM! They found a few potential candidates. From there they can choose to approach them in whatever manner they see fit. They can have them fill out apps, run live with them to test their skills in real time, whatever they want.

Purpose
I have spoken before about the position some players (not all, btw) find themselves in once they land in a guild, primarily raiding guild. They may want to run as one spec but are asked to perform a secondary role. I am not going to discuss that further in this post, but the reason I'm suggesting the implementation of this LFGLD tool is because I believe one of the solutions that would allow more people to play their preferred spec is more targeted recruitment by guild and raid leaders.

It's my opinion, targeted recruiting helps all parties involved. One, it fills the exact roles a guild is searching for AND it allows the person being recruited to play the spec he/she prefers and is most likely best at. This, I believe, produces an effective and happy raider, less prone to conflict and more likely to perform well due to their intimate knowledge of the spec they love the most.

Ugh, I can't believe I'm going to say this, but out of a disclaimer attitude I feel I must. I know there are tons of people who perform exceedingly well in their dual specializations, I myself was an excellent healer and melee dps with my Shaman, both became natural and comfortable. But like I said, I don't want to go too far down this path, so...

Will it Work?
Is this a tool that would work on a realm to realm basis? Would it only work if you could list yourself over your battlegroup, or is realm only sufficient? Would you use it if you were looking for a guild? Would it be better than trying to post in trade chat, "LF Guild", then getting mocked at by trolls saying, "Go make your own, noob!"? I really don't know, it's just an idea.

I believe that it would be a useful recruiting tool, and it would allow someone who's guildless to just list themselves then go along their merry way playing the game until somebody responds. At that point both parties can do whatever they want to determine if the union will be a good fit or not. Personally I would use it, and given the changes to guild structures upcoming, I think guilds could use a tool to help them recruit better than sending out random invites to a list of people they are told are guildless (happens to me all the time and I decline every one).

Please, feel free to share your opinions or demolish my own, I don't claim to know if this would work or not, but I'd be curious to hear from you.

Masquerade!

Have you ever been to a Masquerade ball? I would not attempt to compare a Halloween party to an old fashioned Masquerade ball, the latter drips with elegance and beauty, while the former is simply another excuse for people to dress up like a pregnant nun and get sloshed.

At a Masquerade it's required for everyone to come ingognito, in other words to wear some fashionable, elegant mask that is intended to hide their true identity. Now if you throw a Masquerade party for/with close friends, you'll probably know who is behind each mask without too much effort. Even if you cannot deduce identities by sight, a short verbal exchange and some well thought out questions will reveal the true identity of your party guest.

Now imagine that one of your friends brings a date, somebody you don't think you have met before, but you can't say for sure because, well, you don't know who's behind the mask. Is the person beautiful or plain looking? Do they have freckles? How about a birth mark or other defining feature hidden somewhere behind the mask? Are these the kind of questions that you'll be asking yourself when you see them walking in the front door, or will you be wondering about the nature of your friend's date. Is this person kind? Is he/she smart? What qualities attracted my friend to this person?

World of Warcraft is a giant Masquerade Ball/Party. In the melodious words of Andrew Lloyd Webber:

Masquerade! Every face a different shade...Masquerade! Look around - there's another mask behind you!
Masquerade! Burning glances, turning heads...Masquerade! Stop and stare at the sea of smiles around you!

We, all of us, show up to this party in WoW completely ingognito. Nobody can help but see the masks that we put on to play. Some of us put on elaborate masks and some try to keep it simple so that they don't stand out.

There are those that frolic to the trade chat channels and spin gems of countless colors into their masks that they will hope to make themselves sparkle and shine more brightly above everyone else. There is the introvert who puts on a flesh colored cloth for a mask, with holes for eyes to see and nose to breathe, and never wishes to be noticed by anybody. There are some who show up with no mask at all, but are handed the mask that they are told will help them to fit into the party, they take that mask and begin to mingle in the manner they were taught.

So many masks, so many shiny things to grab out attention.

Masquerade! Grinning yellows, spinning reds...Masquerade! Take your fill - let the spectacle astound you!
Flash of Mauve, Splash of puce, Fool and king, Ghoul and goose, Green and black, Queen and priest, Trace of rouge, Face of beast...FACES!
Drink it in, drink it up, till you've drowned in the light...in the sound!

You may not have another chance to interact with any of these masks. Look around, see all the kinds that populate this game world. Run in a PUG, make an attempt to lift the mask from their faces to see what they are hiding. Sometimes you don't even have to try, for some will be willing to show their true selves without asking. Others will hide their face, hide their soul at all costs, however, which makes lifting the mask a near impossible task.

For me, the mask is not as interesting as the story behind the masks, however, and is something I try and make a point of here at my little blog. But our stories are our own, and what right do I have to even ask you to remove your mask and present your true self to me and all the others you play with? Your mask is your friend, it's your protection against unwanted attention and unwanted persecution.

Masquerade! Paper faces on parade...Masquerade! Hide your face so the world will never find you!
Masquerade! Leering satyrs, peering eyes...Masquerade! Run and hide - but a face will still pursue you!

Unless you play WoW completely alone, there is no running from those that would want you to join their Masquerade ball. Some face, some mask will continue to ask you to join a guild, jump into raiding, do end-game PvP, become a Loremaster or World Explorer. There's always some masked person or thing that wants you to join them in their own little Masquerade, but you have the power to take that mask off or put on one that others think will be good for you. Even with this power, however, it does not mean that you can escape into the crowd and be forgotten. Somebody, something will always be either trying to take off your mask or handing you another to wear that's a better "fit" or "design" than the one you have on.

Masquerade! Seething shadows breathing lies...Masquerade! You can fool any friend who ever knew you!

In all the masks that we wear as online gamers, of all the designs and gems and frills and lace, you must decide on what you want to wear to the party. And once you get there, you must decide whether to take it off of try and fool everyone into believing that you are something that you are not.

One thing I enjoyed about my guild was that there was a time (when I was more active with them) that I felt comfortable enough to take my mask off and show everyone who I really was. Then I could put on whatever mask I wanted to and enjoy the game out in the world any way that I wanted to. It created an intimacy from human connections, from the real stories behind the masks of my guildies, that made coming back and coming back to the game more and more inviting. I honestly don't know what the future of guilds will be, whether there will be more larger guilds or if the smaller ones will fight their revolution, keep their masks on and refuse to put on the masks apparently being handed out by Blizzard. I don't speculate because it won't affect me. I know what mask I want to wear in Cataclysm, do you?

If not, then all I have to say is this:

FACES!...Take your turn, take a ride on the merry-go round...in an inhuman race!

I hope to see you all at the party, but hope to see you all wearing whatever mask makes you feel comfortable. May the Masquerade begin!


p.s. Phantom of the Opera is one of my favorites. I always found the character of the Phantom to be pitiable, singing at the very end:

Masquerade! Paper faces on parade...Masquerade! Hide your face, so the world will never find you!

He was taught to be ashamed of his face, of his deformity, which drove him to madness and to murder. But Christine realized what I love to see while playing online games, that is there was a story behind both the mask and the face, a story of a life ruined by ill treatment and cruelity. He was taught to be ashamed of his face, Christine taught him that he didn't. Don't be afraid to lift your mask every now and then, you may just find someone who understands who you. You've got a story, go ahead and share it...not with everyone, but with someone.

Preferences - Guild Structures - People: And What's Important

As clearly stated here on the front page of my blog I live in Las Vegas, NV. You will never find out my real name, so good luck stalking me. I also went to college here and am a big supporter of the basketball program, the Runnin' Rebels. A college basketball super-power from the mid 70's to early 90's, we defeated Duke in the national championship game in 1990 by the largest margin of victory ever in a championship game. Of course we lost the next year thanks to corrupt refs (bitterness on my part), but that's a different story.

Bottom line is, I'm proud to be a Rebel. The question is, are you a rebel?

Background
I don't pretend to know everything about guilds as I have not been a member of every WoW guild in history nor have I a degree in guildship. But I've been around, witnessed various leadership styles, loot distribution systems, and hierarchal structures. I've also been a student, reading about guilds online from some who have written books on the subject to commenters blasting their guild leaders. Currently, Gronthe (my Warlock), doesn't have a guild. One day I woke up and was guildless, don't know why. But my main raider is in a "casual" raiding guild, and enjoys it there...even if it gets weird at times.

I'm not very good at finding old threads on forums, so when I went to MMO-Champion this morning to try and find a post from about a week ago I failed miserably. Please don't laugh, I don't even have a cell phone, ok! I can code an Excel spreadsheet to reconcile over 4,000 transactions from a mortgage banker's 1 Billion credit line in 30 seconds, but can't find an old thread on a website...so sue me!!!

Anyway, someone was looking for advice because his guild decided to NOT continue their attempts on LK 25 hard mode, but rather move on to Halion for a while. The poster was attacked viciously, many reinforcing the same basic theme..."You do whatever your raid leader tells you to do...period!"

Overreacting
I may be an overreacting git here, but many of the comments to this guy made it sound like when you are in a raiding guild that you follow the raid leader’s wishes without question. If the raid leader says you're doing Naxx 25, you do it, no questions asked. It really surprised me, and it got me thinking about guild structures, rules, government, and other guild related subjects. I'd like to share a few observations and some opinions on a few of these topics.

Playing the Game Your Way...or the Guild Leader's Way
All too often I hear and read about people who play the game their own way, according to their desires, and don't enjoy being part of a group that tells them to play in a manner that's not conducive to moving the "fun" meter. I've seen people, bloggers included, encouraging others to play the game how they want to, something in my heart I support. Krizzlybear is another of these, playing and raiding as a Frost Mage and doing a great job at it.

But how many of us capitulate to a guild's request to play the game in way that we don't enjoy? Perhaps that’s too strong, maybe I should say we’re asked to play the raiding game in a role that wouldn’t be our first choice. Grow up a Fury Warrior only to have your raid leader tell you that you MUST gear up and become a tank? I've seen it. I've always made my preferences known to my guild that I’d rather not heal, but even so I was “encouraged” to become a healing Shaman, though that’s not my preference. Even though I do enjoy healing now, I mean I really do love it, I yearn for opportunities to raid as Enhancement. An argument I have heard quite often is that when you join a raiding guild you need to be ready to put off some of these selfish qualities and subjugate yourself to the will and needs of the guild/raid group, abandoning those things you may desire most for "the good of the group."

When faced with scenarios like mine or the Warrior, you come to a point where you ask yourself, "is it worth it"? Is playing the raiding game with these particular people worth playing the game in a manner you would not have chosen for yourself? You begin to examine your motives for raiding; is it loot, the challenge, the society, or something else. After taking a rapid look into your soul you decide, to submit or to be a rebel? I think my old college friends wouldn't take too kindly to my decision, to bend my will to that of the needs of my guild – we’re supposed to be Rebels. But at the time, as I thought the request a reasonable one, and seeing the need and my ability to fill that need, I decided that it was best to be a help rather than a hindrance. But was this best for me, individually? I can say with conviction, definitely not. For the simple reason that it’s not my first preference.

Governemnt
Also curious to me is how easily and readily people accept the guild structure at the raiding level. It acts almost like a fascist government, with some additional freedoms. Fascism seeks to organize people within a nation (or guild in this sense) according to "Corporatist" perspectives, values, systems (like political or economic). Corporativism "views a community as a body based upon organic social solidarity and functional distinction and roles among individuals". Corporativism is common throughout the world in many major world religions such as Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. It has also been found in many political ideologies such as, for example, fascism, capitalism and socialism. I found the evidences in Christianity most interesting, especially how it relates to the game.

A Bible author taught, generally, of a form of politics and society where all people and components are functionally united, like the human body. Is this not how a raid group interacts, how it's structured? All parts, tank, dps, and healers alike form one whole body, but each function important to the betterment of the whole. You will not succeed with the loss of any body (raid) part. The necessity to work and function together is essential, and this idea is that of Corporatism.

Further notes on the subject discuss how "In Italy, various function-based groups and institutions were created in the Middle-Ages, such as universities, guilds (a mix between a union, cartel & secret society) for artisans and craftspeople, and other professional associations. The creation of the guild system is a particularly important aspect of the history of Corporatism because it involved the allocation of power to regulate trade and prices in guilds, which is an important aspect of corporatist economic models of economic management and class collaboration."

Maybe to call guild fascists is too much, (definitely too much), but to call them Corporatists is not. Where fascism views violence and its use as positive, I've yet to meet a guild leader who used violence to marshal the guild into following him/her. Still, Corporatism is prevalent in all raiding guilds. If it's noticed that a thumb is missing (i.e. Holy Pali), then there is a recruitment period to fill that role so that the body can function as a whole again. But if one can't be found, often some Pali in the guild will be asked to build and offspec gear set and fill that role.

The raid leader has the power to regulate the raid groups, to ask someone to sit out or to invite someone else in. When a body piece is missing and somebody's offspec can fill that role, that raid leader can and should, according to many, demand the use of that offspec for the good of the raid. And the individual, in order to be a part of the Corporatist group, either feels pressure to fill that role so that once again, as I said before, the raid body can be whole and functional, or they do so willingly because they truly enjoy acting as different parts of the body. I think both scenarios can be good, depending on motive.

Disconnect
There is a disconnect out there that I can't fully understand. I saw a lot of comments (in this MMO-Chamption thread that I still can’t find – darn the internet and my ignorance) and opinions saying that you/I should remember that if you/I want to be a part of a team that we should be ready and willing to lay down our will and desires at the feet of the guild and raid leader and become whatever part of the guild body that is needed. But there's an awful lot of people that say "play the game how YOU want to play it". Maybe there is absolutely no overlap, and half the people who raid feel one way while the other half feel the other way. But if there is overlap, that can only be described as hypocrisy or sheer luck of being able to do have your cake and eat it too.

I'm in a guild with some who have to eat cake they didn't want, or have a cake they cannot eat. They don’t whine and complain that they have been asked to change specs for one fight, their willingness does them credit. I've seen it in other guilds, in discussions online, and I'm left to wonder what the reality is. In a game with such freedoms to do things by ourselves we're often reminded, once we get into group content, how much of ourselves don't really matter, and that collective consciousness is the only thing that's important. Maybe it's the curse of anyone who plays a non-pure dps role that they will be expected, or sometimes demanded of them to perform a role they would not choose for him/herself. But at what cost? What, of ourselves, are we sacrificing for the good of the group? Personal satisfaction? Can I be satisfied performing well in a role not of my primary choosing? Even if I grow to enjoy that role, deep in my mind I/you know that you're missing something.

Counterarguments
I’ve been the recipient of this counterargument a few times:

"If they don't want you as your favorite/chosen spec, go to a different guild. It's your game, play it how YOU want to."

I am not just speaking for myself, because I have known far too many people who have given up their "favorite" spec to be part of a group of people that fit exactly who they are. Each of us seeks something different from the game, in small degrees, and from raiding. But I believe (with only anecdotal proof however) there are many people out there who have given up what they wanted when so many others didn't have to. Is it your fault you love playing a Druid more than any other class? You've played all the others, maybe have multiple 80's, but the Druid class just "clicks" with you, and you love it. But the only thing people ever want from you is to tank or heal (or whatever). You can't just "play another class if you want to DPS", because why should you give up even more of what you want just to be invited to the party or chosen to be on the team?

Recruiting
If I own a business, a bank for instance, it's my job to hire the right people to fill the roles to make the bank successful. I don't hire a janitor to be a teller, just because he does the home budgeting in his family. I don't hire a marketer to be an accountant, even though she does her own taxes. I hire people who are good at what they do and have proven in the past that they can get the job done that I need done. For the most part, it should be the guild and raid leader’s job to fill the open roles with those who have an expertise in that role. Need a tank? Recruit a tank, not a Ret and ask him to switch. Regardless of whether the Ret Pali is willing to switch, I think the raid leader should do all he/she can first to recruit a tank who’s first preference is tanking.

I understand that there are limitations in recruiting, such as server population. And with the large number of guilds raiding in Wrath, it makes sense to ask some of your current guild members to build that tanking offspec set, that’s what dual-specs was made for. My point, however, is that I think the “offspec” route is taken more often than the recruiting trail when looking for that tank. That’s clearly a result of the dual-spec feature, but whether it’s good for people is the question I’m asking.

An individual may, by choice, offer to perform in a job that he/she is qualified for but not hired for if they choose, but the more I think about it the more I believe that that raid leader is taking something away from the gaming experience of someone who doesn't want to, for example, tank. Yes, it is taking away the enjoyment of a game by applying social pressure to fill a role unwanted or not primarily preferred by another player. It's obviously different if, as a Paladin, you enjoy both tanking and DPSing, because both play styles are favorable to you. You made a choice to have them both because you enjoy them both. But I still believe there are many who take on that offspec role not out of preference, but out of the social and situational pressures. There is no compensation for the loss of time, even if the newfound role is enjoyed.

There's no compensation because you cannot give back time, it's impossible. Once time has been taken it's gone into the abyss of the universe, never to return unless a wormhole is opened and time travel made possible. It's sad that we've allowed ourselves to be subjugated to a collective thought, not all of us, there are many who find that their role is perfect, for fate was kind to them. Many truly love all specs of all the classes they raid with. And there are still many who like what they do for their guild, but it wouldn’t be their first choice.

A Bit Too Personal – But here’s Why I do what I do!
My bitterness is too obvious at times, and I am embarrassed for showing too much of myself here on the blog. But it's how I feel. So why don't I quit my guild and join another? Because for everything that was taken away from me in a particular way in which I could have enjoyed this game in my preferred role (however large or small that level of enjoyment could be), I have been the recipient of far greater rewards.

Camaraderie, understanding and empathy of my disability, laughs, a sociality that I was unable to find in many previous guilds. So please don’t think that I'm here railing on my own guild for applying that social pressure I find unwelcome, because one act does not condemn a leader. My raid and guild leaders have been more understanding and supportive of me than I have ever found, and maybe, just maybe could ever hope to find. I look forward to chatting and laughing and sharing weird stories with them every day, which lifts me up to a place where I need to be. All too often my physical disability weighs me down, depresses me in reminding me of all those things I cannot do. The sociality of my guild quickly lifts me up, so I continue to play the game in a role that's not my Perfect or Preferred Role, but I do it for all those other reasons.

I know I'm not alone, I know there are others out there who have traded a favorite spec for the friendship and sociality that came with their guild. It's not a bad tradeoff, but it is a tradeoff. In general guild and raid leaders do a great job running things. It’s a difficult job to put together the right groups with the right makeup, I don’t deny that. I guess in a perfect world (for me) those leaders would recruit more to the tastes of the individual, but that’s not their job. They need to explore all options available, and dual-spec offers a powerful option.

I am not claiming to speak for everyone, we all have different experiences in the raiding game. My thoughts are based on experience and anecdotal evidence, not on research performed at Stanford or MIT or even my beloved UNLV. But I think many of us do give up something in order to play with some really great people. They matter, for me it’s THE reason I give up what I do. What I get back in return is worth it and always will be.

In summary: Guilds are not fascist groups, they are Corporatists. Corporatism lives large in guilds today, and even though it's A form of guild governance, it's not the best. I’d like to see more freedom from social pressures, more targeted recruiting. I hope that Cataclysm will fix some of these issues by making more specs raid viable. Perhaps this will allow people to play more a spec they prefer and thereby give our server populations the variety needed to recruit all kinds of people.

I love the people I play with, they make my life more fun and my choice to do something I wouldn’t have at first chosen, one of the best decisions of my gaming life.

Flying Solo

Disclaimer: This post will contain short stories, personal reflections, and in-game experiences in order to convey the message intended. If you wish for a more controversial, theorycrafted, or general topic you are welcome to return on a day that I touch one of those subjects. Today...is not that day.

I'm quite positive that my story today won't reach many out there. What I mean is that some won't be able to empathise with my side, while others just might. But that's ok, because this story is about one man's perspective playing a game he loves. Glean from it what you may, you are welcome to stay and participate.

Alone
I play this game alone. Yes, my two main characters belong to a guild, and yes there are some really wonderful people in that guild that I've had some terriffic and stimulating conversations with. But really I play this game alone. To explain further, I have NO real life friends that play WoW. There may be some past acquaintences that play the game, but I'm sure I don't know about it. Additionally, I do not consider any person that I've met while playing WoW to be a real friend.

Friend and Friendly are definately two different words with two vastly different meanings in my book. Friendly involves being open, warm, inviting, courteous, helpful, polite, and generally nice to others. Sharing times and moments of success or laughter with other gamers is a good way to pass an evening, I believe. So often those in your guild are friendly to you, and you reciprocate the sentiments because that's what guildies do. Being friendly is a skill many, wonderful players have. Many a night has gone by where I've encountered a dozen or more truly friendly people. The game is filled with all kids of friendliness for me, that is indisputable in my case.

As I said, I don't consider anyone I play WoW with as a Friend. Friend to me carries a significant weight and meaning. There's not one other player who has held me in their arms when a family member died. Nobody has offered to watch my children while I go to yet another doctor who can't seem to help me fix my back. (Granted, most don't live near me, but that's not the point). I'm pretty sure that nobody I have every played with would be willing to die for me. Whatever definition you or I choose for a Friend, for my part I can say that I do have many true friends that are a part of my real life. It's just that currently, none have the habit of embarking on a virutal life in the same realm that I have chosen.

Impressions
Definitions aside, it's always been an interesting journey playing this game alone. Interesting in that some of my experiences occured precisely because I don't play with anyone I know or anyone who I consider a friend. I'm a hard nut to crack as is, I just don't like letting people into my life until I feel that they are really serious about being a real friend to me. As a result I close myself off to a lot of people, sometimes to my detriment. Often I have seen two people questing together and can't help wonder if they always do that. Are those two real life friends? Maybe they are even married? When I see people like this bouncing around Azeroth I can't but help feel a little jealous for not having the opportunity to share my experiences with someone else.

I've gone on quests with guild-mates before, but somehow it always seemed like working in my back yard on a Saturday...instead of watching College Football. I've had to, out of courtesy and necessity, shared with a few guild-mates my physical handicaps because it's affected how active I can be with others. But even those times when people display simpathy for my condition, I may feel gratitude for thier kindness but I know they still can't be my friend. I have friends in real life who have come to my home to lift me off the floor when I can't get up. There have been others who have taken my children to the park because I can't get up and play soccer with my kid. I can't tell you how much I wish that they could enjoy this game with me, where we could be the two people to run around Azeroth together getting high on falling from the tops of mountains or raiding the lair of a particularly nasty bear.

I am happy to have real life friends who care for me and laugh with me. I'm happy to have friendly folk in WoW that I can play with. But oh how I wish that I could have a friend play the game with me. I play because I don't move around so well. I mean, I could watch TV a lot, but I don't. I already read A TON each year, so I'm still educating myself. Sitting at the computer for a couple hours a day is a relief to me, it's something I can do. I just wish that I could do it with someone else I knew.

Two Friends
I lied. I am not alone. My kids play with me...sort of. I only have one account, so they sort of just watch me play. But it's still a lot of fun. Last night I was in Pit of Saron, and upon approaching the final boss both me and my youngest son began chanting the opening words of Scourgelord Tyrannus together. It was innocent, fun, a diversion and a good moment with a boy I love. It may be cheating, to consider a son a friend, but since no other friends my age play this game, he's about the closest thing I get to playing with some kind of friend. And I love it.

Summary
I don't resent not having a real life friend to play with. I don't really care if it seems childish to want to have a playmate. Actually, I think it's probably natural. I've seen and heard stories of people in-game becoming real friends with others, I think that's great. I don't think it could ever happen with me, but that may come from my personality's unwillingness to let people into my life to such a degree that they could even approach friend status. Unless I met some of my guildies in real life, they will never be friends. I'll continue to play with these friendly folk, and be friendly in return. Perhaps one person, one day will surprise me. Maybe I'll strike up a conversation with someone who will one day become my best friend. I'm not completely closed to the idea.

If you have friends you play with, good for you. I really envy you and your friends. It's got to be a great thing to share such a unique, common interest. Thanks for stopping by and reading some of these words today. It was very...friendly of you.

Expansions of All Sorts

I decided to write about two very different kinds of expansions, one relates to the social aspect of WoW, the other to the more technical, theorycrafting side.

Talent Tree Expansion
I hope that all know about or have seen the new, revamped talent trees (31-point). There are many opinions on them, myself I am reconsidering some previous positions and have had other reinforced. But I was wondering, what about instead of dramatically reducing the number of talents available, we increased them by...a lot.

Let's stick with the Wrath style trees and add 20 talents points to them. 10 for levels 1-10 and 10 for 81-85 (two talents awarded each level). What would be the ramifications of adding 20 talent points to your pool?

For one you could really start to reach down into a secondary talent tree and maybe pick up 1 or two formerly especially unique abilities that before you didn't have a chance to get. A good example would be a Priest that could cast Penance and Circle of Healing. Overpowered? Who freakin' cares!!! Then we'd all be over powered and therefore nobody would be.

Admittedly the difficult part would be when trying to create tricky hybrid builds, like Feral Druid. What real benefit would they gain from 20 extra talents? Would they delve deeper into Restoration tree only to be gimped by the lack of Resto gear as a part of their normal Feral set? What about an Enhancement shaman that went deep into Elemental? Would that build benefit from more Intellect/Spell Power and therefore cause debates on gear drops?

I think the winners of the debate would be PvPers, potentially being able to pick up a lot more pvp talents than they can currently. Some are saying that the current 31-point trees gimp PvPers, and that maybe the cutback on these trees was too severe, taking away too many important and useful PvP abilities. But if you go the other way, expanding access to even more PvP abilities, then that means that those players will have more tools at their disposal, more choices to make in a very short amount of time.

I'm all for specialization and getting some iconic abilities at level 10, it will really spice up the leveling experience. But since we're gaining more levels and therefore more power, let's really make it more complicated and significantly EXPAND the talent trees. Dual-spec would still be around, you wouldn't be able to fill out two complete talent trees. But if they really want healers to DPS, then give them more talent points to spend in the DPS trees to further enhance their healing capabilities.

I know it probably won't happen, but I can dream, can't I? What good or bad do you think would come of a significant expansion of the talent trees, as opposed to the reduction that has recently occured?

Guild Expansion...The Good and the Bad

Have you ever been in a relatively small guild? I mean 20-30 people, 10-15 of which are on most of the time. The individual personalities that make up a guild each have their own point of view as to the best kind of guild as far as numbers and requirements for entry. For example, I view massive guild expansion as a bad thing, I think huge guilds take away from any intimacy that could have otherwise been present. Smaller, not tiny, but smaller guild I think have a greater chance at providing positive social experiences. It's easier to really get to know people, not just their avatar but their person. The larger the guild the less time and opportunity there is to get to know other people, unless you particularly single somebody out.

Maybe I'm just feeling remorseful about my own guild's recent expansion, which has been significant in the past 3 months, adding well over 70 new recruits. It's made raiding easier, sure. I no longer, however, have the chance to talk to my older guild-mates like we used to. There's far more idle banter (not that I'm against it, but in small and clever doses only). Any significant conversations are no longer, there's just too many ears and fingers scrambling for attention.

Ah well, that's the growing pains of a growing guild, I suppose. There's still the core group of a year ago, but it's not the same anymore. Then again, maybe it is just me...it probably is.

In summary...Talent Expansion Good (imo)...Guild Expansion (massive expansion) Bad. That's my story and I'm sticking to it...for now.

Quick glance at my Ignore list and...

So I was glancing at my ignore list last night and guess what I found? Wrong! Sorry, you lose. Still guessing?...........Time's up! I'll tell you. A new guild member, maybe two weeks young now, is in my ignore list.

I don't know why. It was probably one of the following:

1) During a dungeon or pug raid they were being a jerk to me or other group members.
2) They are a chat troll who tells vile and insensitive jokes and/or makes fun of others without cause or provocation.
3) Yep, the first two basically covers it. They definately said something jerkish at some point and I considered them complete morons unworthy of my association.

Now they have been invited into my guild. Wow, this is awkward. So what do I do if I'm grouped with this person by our guild leaders? What if they need something made or a gem cut, do I take somebody off my ignore list just because they are now part of the "in crowd"?

I honestly have no idea what to do. For now they remain on my ignore list, I hope we're never in a group together, and I hope that we have the same professions so they never need me or they always get help from other people on that front.

I don't put someone on my ignore list just because they get upset one time. You really have to say something that is truly bad. I account for people's tempers and frustrations, but there is a point where you just don't call someone a 'fag' because you think it will help prove your point. What to do? What to do? What to do? I know they deserved it, so does being in the same guild automatically make them a better person? Maybe they have reformed and are nice to people? Maybe that one instance that got them on my ignore list was a one-time thing? Even if it was, it definately was pretty bad. /sigh

Any advice?

Overstepping Your Bounds

Are you in a guild? If no, then this doesn't apply to you, but you are most welcome to say and share your thoughts anyway.

Assumption...You're in a Guild
Are you the Guild Leader or an Officer or one of the guild's Raid Leaders (if it's a raiding guild)? If you answer yes then you too are welcome to stay and offer your perspective, but I'm not directing this directly to you.

Assumption...You're in a Guild but your Not in ANY leadership role
Nice, now we can all settle in with our Dasani bottled water and chewing gum and get to work.

The question I'd like to address is this: Can a regular guildie in a non-leadership position ever overstep his/her bounds but it be the "right thing" to do? Ugh, I know, I never should have introduced the term "right thing", there's too much room for interpretation. So let's narrow it down then, shall we? Let's say, rather, "for the good of the guild". There's still some interpretation to be made, but I think most will agree that creating drama that would result in a slew of /gquits is not "for the good of the guild".

Mode of Declaration
What would happen if a memeber of the guild unexpectedly mentioned in guild chat one night that they were considering leaving for another progression guild that was closer to killing the lich king than your current guild? How would you treat that person? Now what if this happened when there were no guild leaders/officers online, how would you proceed?

1) "Dude, if you want to go just go."

or

2) "I think you should stay, you're really good and we could really use you."

or

3) "Jerk! How dare you talk openly about leaving our guild. You should just /gquit and do the rest of us the favor of kicking you!"

or

4) "Tell me, what are your motives for raiding? What is it exactly that you would be looking for in either staying or changing guilds?"

The Answer
So what would be the response closest to yours? If you wanted to keep somebody in your guild, a) How truthful would you be with them about the real progress of your guild's most advanced group? and b) Would you result to flattery?

Well I wouldn't flatter anybody, I don't care who they are, and I would do my best to be truthful with them and leave the decision in their hands, not mine. But I would ask them #4. I would want to know why they raid in the first place? Is it to boost their ego by boosting their gear score and showing off to everyone in town? Is is for the challenge of the raid, in which case it wouldn't matter at all what guild you were in, you can be challenged in different ways in any raiding guild you join. Or do you, at this point in the expansion, have the specific goal of doing one thing and one thing only...Killing Arthas?

I realize there are some people who believe that sociality has no place in raiding, and that the progression and attaining your end goal is the only motive. Still others consider the social aspects of raiding guilds and soak up the warmness of the friendships they make along the path, even if it takes them a bit longer to get there.

But here you are, a regular 'ol guildie, facing this potential traitor to your goals; but you want to keep them because they are, quite frankly, one of the best at what they do. So you speak up, you ask them to consider their motives, you tell them the truth about the progress you have made in your group in the guild and how close you are to downing the Lich King. You encourage them to consider what's important to them and let them know that you would support them in whatever decision they made.

Impatience vs Understanding
See I think a guild leader would react differently than a drone (someone like me). I think someone who has led the guild would feel more betrayed by the open declaration of a guildie that they were seriously considering leaving. I think many GL's would /gkick their butt with the obligatory "don't let the door...", etc., etc., etc.

But a drone guildie, who has no real stake in this person as they are not in the same raid group, but share the same motives, has a better chance to make the choices and say those things that are "for the good of the guild" than a GL or officer. You are on their level so it's easier to empathise with their plight.

How good would you feel if you convinced that player to remain? Pretty good, I suppose, and the leadership doesn't have to know. I guess now the question is, should you say anything? Have you, at any time, overstepped your bounds by doing something that you KNOW the guild leader would not have done?

As Spongebob says, "Well good luck with that."

Good News...I Still Have a Guild

A few days ago I talked about how the increased raiding efforts of my guild had been difficult on me physically, due to my disability with my back and other physical pains and afflictions I have. I knew I needed to talk to my raid and guild leaders, but wasn't looking forward to telling them that one of their oldest, most reliable, and versitile raiders needed to cut back. Simply put this would mean that I could 1) only run raids with my main two nights a week, 2) no more 25mans, 3) my alts could not participate in additional 10-man groups the guild was forming.

So Wednesday night I logged in and sent a tell to those leaders.

I told them I had to cut back and all the reasons why.

I also explained that it didn't mean I wouldn't be online during raid times, I would, but a casual play night for me is much, much different than a raid night - meaning the way it impacts my physical body.

I asked for their feedback, I wanted to know what their reactions would be.

AND..................

To a man they each said they were "Cool with it" and that they "Understood". It helped that one of them has a back injury himself, so he knows better than most what I was talking about.

I was left to hope that they meant what they said, and given what they have preached before ("Real life comes first") I knew they were truthful in beintg "cool with it".

What a relief. The good news is that the two nights I can stand to raid I'm part of the 10-man group that has progressed the farthest into ICC. No, we're not a super-powerful guild who does hard modes, we're far too casual for that. We stand at 10/12, and if it wasn't for just some piss poor bad luck on Sindragosa we'd be at the Lich King's feet.

So, while my guild was doing their weekly 25-man, what was I doing? During the same three hours I tanked with my lvl17 Pali, I watched TV with my kids, I farmed some Lichbloom, I played some basketball on XBox 360, and I ran a random on my new DK. It was one of the most stress-free nights I've had in a long time.

I was asked in a comment why I had any trepidation in the first place. I believe I answered that it was difficult to explain, but the best thing I can say is that mabye 15-20 years ago I would have had no difficulty, but that's when it was easy to be confident about everything in life. There are times I can't even sit up without help, or put socks on, let alone work enough to provide for my family - not being able to do stupid, simple stuff doesn't exactly instill confidence in people.

But I mustered enough to speak up for myself, and wow what a relief. I do love to play this game, and I enjoy the goodness of the people in my guild. I no longer have to stress about a raiding night disabling me (literally) for the next two days, I can go back to a well rounded approach to the game, which is how I've always loved to play it and it's how I can continue to approach it from here on out.

Have a great weekend, may you achieve your goals and burn up the baddies!

When Making an Easy Choice Becomes Hard

Life is an experience throughout which we make a series of choices that alter and shape present and future experiences. Yeah, I know, not the best description of life, but it'll do for today.

Blizzard recently announced some changes they're making for Cataclysm, Wowhead had a nice writeup on it here. I've seen various opinions on the changes, especially those related to Path of the Titans and the Guild changes. Frankly, I don't care what they do with guilds, it won't really affect how or why I play the game or what my in game activities will be. I'll still pretty much do whatever I want, and if it helps the guild then fine and if not then fine. Yep, I'm not a controversial wanker regarding any guild changes in Cataclysm. I don't say crap just to get a rise out of people no matter the motive. I speak my mind and am truthful about my perspectives.

The changes to Path of the Titans doesn't surprise me, namely the removal of it. I was wary of this feature from the beginning as I felt that there is no real way for a class to venture from the "best spec for X" because there will always be the theorycrafters telling us what gems to use and what glyphs to insert and what spell rotation is the ONLY rotation for maxing out DPS. For as much as I respect and appreciate these incredibly smart people, for they are the ones that I turned to when wanting to learn how to optimize my performance, I feel that my behavior has only fed the theorycrafting machine.

I think I was ignorant of the long-term effects of my reliance on these min/maxing experts. I didn't realize that when I started searching the web for help on weapon enchants or talents that there were guild and raid leaders ready to use this knowledge as a benchmark for admittance into their organization/party. I didn't know when I started searching out the theorycrafting knowledge that it would mean that I wouldn't have a choice to apply my talents as I wanted if I wanted to be among the raiding class. Sure, if I really did "whatever I wanted" and didn't care about competitive raiding or pvp just solo work nobody would care what talents I have. But thanks to people a lot smarter than myself, we all have to concern ourselves with the "best" of this or that.

My fear was that Path of the Titans would further that dependence on theorycrafting, as certainly those elite mathmaticians would devise the "best path" for me and my chosen main spec. Blizzard, I feel, had the right intention of wanting to provide people with a way to be different while sharing the same class and spec as your next door neighbor. In theory it was a good idea, but in practice I think it would have deepened our dependency on the theorycrafter. So I'm glad it's out, it wasn't what draws me to Cataclysm anyway.

I don't know if these were difficult choices for Blizzard. My guess is they weren't necessarily easy. But we're all faced with choices as Cataclysm approaches. To burn from 80-85 and start raiding by the first weekend or to level one ore more new alts and see the new world? To join a guild and stay with them or to experiment with being guildless as the maverick you are? To be a serious raider or a casual player who does this and that but has no one end-game focus? To keep playing or to stop, since what's the point now that Arthas is dead?

I myself am faced with a difficult choice of something that is easy to decide as well. I've talked before here about my disability, I'm not afraid to say I have a bad back. Not bad as in "yeah, my back hurts sometimes, it can really bother me. No, mine is bad as in "I can barely hold down a job because of the pain" bad. My guild has been growing lately, and we've started to do more stuff. We can now fill a weekly 25 man and we have 3 10 man groups, working on a 4th.

I was in the original guild when all of this started, so I've been here from only having 6-7 people in the guild to a full raiding guild. I've worked very hard to become an outstanding Restoration Shaman, even though my first and true love is with Enhancement. I've sacrificed in the best interest of the group and it's paid off, my 10-man group is progressed farther than any in the guild and it feels good.

However.

You know when a group of people get together and say "Hey, let's do X", but you don't want to? It's not because you don't have time or don't like the people, but there are other circumstances that you just don't feel comfortable sharing in front of everyone like "Can't tonight, guys, I've got syphilis tonight boys, can't play with ya'lls." That's both uncomfortable and private, right?

The peer pressure can be great in a guild, especially when there are 25 people online, 24 are in ICC and asking the one that isn't "Why can you be online but not with us? What's the difference?" Could you be able to stand firm in the face of such pressure? Surely your guild-mates will be talking about you in vent and about how you don't want to help the guild progress. Or maybe they don't say anything overt, but are passive aggressive towards you and your situation.

Simply put, my pain cannot allow me to raid more than twice a week...AT MOST...yet my guild is wanting me to committ to 4 nights a week. Do I need to quit the guild now because the terms of being a part of the guild are different than from when I joined? And since those terms are terms I never agreed to am I stuck with the new rules regardless, which necessitates my departure?

There's a lot more to it, and I won't take much more of your time today. But I know I have to speak up tonight and am terrified to do it. I want to be in a guild, but I can't fulfill the new "unwritten" rules. It'll hurt the guild too because I am one of the best three healers AND dps in our entire guild (yes I get to DPS sometimes). But is the choice of whether I stay or go not mine to make but the GM? Yes, I know I can choose to leave at any time, but I don't want to. I also don't want to raid 4 nights a week, it's just too much.

PotT out = not all that bad
Guild changes = whatever
Back pain = bad
Stay in guild = no idea
Explain my situation and not have it gossiped about behind my back = impossible
What Should be an Easy choice (health comes first) = Hard