I'd really like to see a sticky post on the announce board about newbies seeking guilds, encouraging them to write letters and send messengers, even reach out in tells or something to arrange scenes, to public members of the various guilds they're seeking. Preferably, there would even be something nice and bold about that in the chargen rooms if there isn't already.
The thing is, as much as I want to be responsive, I have a lot of things going on, and so many times the newbies seeking my guild are popping on when I'm in the middle of a scene, sometimes with some pretty high level people or when I'm training a new member of the guild, and it just doesn't make sense for me to just drop everything to and seek this random person out when I have no idea where they're at, no plan, and no idea if they're even available for RP.
I really need people to be a little bit proactive about it.
Newbies Seeking Guilds
I agree with this - a lot of times people will just put up their seek flag and seem to expect existing PCs to do all the work of hunting them down. There just isn't the time in a lot of cases for that to make sense. Encouraging them to use messengers, tells, pboards, mail, anything and everything to make the first step would really make things so much easier on guild members.
As it is, I feel I spend a LOT of time giving seeker interviews to people who then don't hang around or RP too actively within the guild, which is a very frustrating feeling... the frustration is doubled if the impetus sits on the guild member to be proactive about recruiting people.
As it is, I feel I spend a LOT of time giving seeker interviews to people who then don't hang around or RP too actively within the guild, which is a very frustrating feeling... the frustration is doubled if the impetus sits on the guild member to be proactive about recruiting people.
(Rough draft?)
Newbie's Guide to Seeking a Guild
Definition of "Guild" within the scope of TI:
Guilds on TI both suit and don't suit a late medieval concept of "guild." For the purpose of organization, everything from the semi-historical Merchant's Guild to the upper echelons of social society (the nobility) are considered guilds. All code-supported player organizations are looped into a single system, whether or not they are technically "guilds." In summary, try not to get too hung up on the name. It's a group of people with a similar purpose as your own, that's all!
Considering Seeking:
If you've never played TI, the idea of a guild may seem somewhat daunting. A big group of older players that you're supposed to get a shoe-in with? Horror! As someone who was new not so long ago, I can attest to the process not being anything like most newbies expect. The player culture on TI is not one which contributes to unpleasant cliquishness. I'll get more into what happens when you're seeking a bit later on; in the meantime, consider whether or not your character belongs in a guild. It's both an immediate means of accessing purpose-driven roleplay and a means of inserting you into a group of like-minded characters, but is that right for your character? Does he or she have a reason to want to be a Troubadour? Or a Merchant? Is he determined to risk his life in the Reeves or Knights? Not every character has to be in a guild. It's a good first step to think about whether or not it's right for your character.
If you've thought about it and the answer is, "Yes!", type "seek <guildname>" into the MUD. Your interest is now public to all members of the associated guild!
The Seeking Process:
Guilds on TI have activity-based requirements to join their ranks. A guild with a small number of codedly active players might require 1 sponsor to join. A moderately populous guild might require 2. The most sponsors you'll need to join a very popular guild is 3. It might seem like a lot, but the more active the guild is the more members are available to roleplay with you. The scaling nature of sponsorship is representative of how little or much face-time you will need to become established in the guild.
The seeking process involves thrusting yourself into roleplay with members of the guild. It creates immediate guild acquaintances and starts you down the path toward becoming part of the social and professional circle.
When you first enter "seek <guildname>", you will see a message providing the names of your would-be Guild Leader(s), advising you to contact them. This is a good first step. Note, however, that a Guild Leader cannot admit you into the guild without sponsors.
Sending a letter to the Guild Leader has many purposes: Inquiring for information about the guild or how it functions, establishing rapport with the person or people who will have the final say in your admittance, and asking for advice or direction on how to proceed. Often a guild leader can tell you who the best people are to contact for sponsorship, but you will still need to contact those people and roleplay with them.
Another method of finding people in the guild to contact for sponsorship is the "guildlist" command. By entering "guildlist <guildname>" into the MUD, you will see a list of all public members.
Though IC methods such as mail and couriers are generally preferred, dates and times for scenes can be arranged with potential sponsors through personal board notes or tells in the event you're having difficulty getting together. No matter what, don't lose hope! It might be a longer process than some imagine, but the process itself is a worthwhile experience.
Final Notes:
Be proactive! Though most guild leaders and guild members will try their best to reach out to seekers, there will be times they are simply too embroiled in other things to notice the seeker tag on the wholist. Send mail, couriers, and when all else fails, drop a tell to ensure you're getting yourself out there and moving toward the end goal of membership.
Newbie's Guide to Seeking a Guild
Definition of "Guild" within the scope of TI:
Guilds on TI both suit and don't suit a late medieval concept of "guild." For the purpose of organization, everything from the semi-historical Merchant's Guild to the upper echelons of social society (the nobility) are considered guilds. All code-supported player organizations are looped into a single system, whether or not they are technically "guilds." In summary, try not to get too hung up on the name. It's a group of people with a similar purpose as your own, that's all!
Considering Seeking:
If you've never played TI, the idea of a guild may seem somewhat daunting. A big group of older players that you're supposed to get a shoe-in with? Horror! As someone who was new not so long ago, I can attest to the process not being anything like most newbies expect. The player culture on TI is not one which contributes to unpleasant cliquishness. I'll get more into what happens when you're seeking a bit later on; in the meantime, consider whether or not your character belongs in a guild. It's both an immediate means of accessing purpose-driven roleplay and a means of inserting you into a group of like-minded characters, but is that right for your character? Does he or she have a reason to want to be a Troubadour? Or a Merchant? Is he determined to risk his life in the Reeves or Knights? Not every character has to be in a guild. It's a good first step to think about whether or not it's right for your character.
If you've thought about it and the answer is, "Yes!", type "seek <guildname>" into the MUD. Your interest is now public to all members of the associated guild!
The Seeking Process:
Guilds on TI have activity-based requirements to join their ranks. A guild with a small number of codedly active players might require 1 sponsor to join. A moderately populous guild might require 2. The most sponsors you'll need to join a very popular guild is 3. It might seem like a lot, but the more active the guild is the more members are available to roleplay with you. The scaling nature of sponsorship is representative of how little or much face-time you will need to become established in the guild.
The seeking process involves thrusting yourself into roleplay with members of the guild. It creates immediate guild acquaintances and starts you down the path toward becoming part of the social and professional circle.
When you first enter "seek <guildname>", you will see a message providing the names of your would-be Guild Leader(s), advising you to contact them. This is a good first step. Note, however, that a Guild Leader cannot admit you into the guild without sponsors.
Sending a letter to the Guild Leader has many purposes: Inquiring for information about the guild or how it functions, establishing rapport with the person or people who will have the final say in your admittance, and asking for advice or direction on how to proceed. Often a guild leader can tell you who the best people are to contact for sponsorship, but you will still need to contact those people and roleplay with them.
Another method of finding people in the guild to contact for sponsorship is the "guildlist" command. By entering "guildlist <guildname>" into the MUD, you will see a list of all public members.
Though IC methods such as mail and couriers are generally preferred, dates and times for scenes can be arranged with potential sponsors through personal board notes or tells in the event you're having difficulty getting together. No matter what, don't lose hope! It might be a longer process than some imagine, but the process itself is a worthwhile experience.
Final Notes:
Be proactive! Though most guild leaders and guild members will try their best to reach out to seekers, there will be times they are simply too embroiled in other things to notice the seeker tag on the wholist. Send mail, couriers, and when all else fails, drop a tell to ensure you're getting yourself out there and moving toward the end goal of membership.
Maybe each guild forum should have a private section on seekers? Just let people know there is someone out there for them to reach out to, and poke people to meet them. Ideally the seekers will take the initiative, but I don't think more established players should really sit back either. We should try to make it as easy as possible for people to seek. I know I've been bad/lazy for a long time, but it's something I'll make a more conscious effort on too.
Obviously it'd be important to keep IC info out of that though, but I think "I RPed with this seeker and you should reach out to them too and weigh in ICly" wouldn't be out of line. And an OOC poke can remind you to give an IC poke too. "Hey Lord Smarmypants, have you spoken to Seeker Fluffybottom yet?"
Obviously it'd be important to keep IC info out of that though, but I think "I RPed with this seeker and you should reach out to them too and weigh in ICly" wouldn't be out of line. And an OOC poke can remind you to give an IC poke too. "Hey Lord Smarmypants, have you spoken to Seeker Fluffybottom yet?"
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