Photo-Receptor Focus on: Guilds
By Maer
One of the first things that excited me about SWTOR was the ability to search out and join a guild through the game. Sure, I still had to apply to the guild and get accepted, but that’s pretty much a requirement with any good guild. So what’s the attraction to being guilded? And what do I look for in a guild?
More after the jump…
Being in a guild can offer so much to add to the gaming experience. For me, it’s mostly about the social aspect. In fact, I joined my guild and was meeting and socializing in Vent with my new guildmates a full five months before the game even came out. That made the waiting so much easier. And it also ratcheted up the excitement level, having folks all into the same thing.
Once I was in-game, it was great to have so many friendly people I already knew. There was no real adjustment for me because I went in with a lot of new friends. And anyone with our guild tag could be counted on to be a friend, as well.
Most of all, I want to have fun. This is a game, not a job, so I looked for the Fun Factor when I was searching out guilds. I was very pleased to find it since I adore my guild. I’ve been here a year now.
In addition to socializing, I look for a guild that’s friendly and helpful. Being in a large guild fulfills this, too. We don’t really have to solo, unless we want to. We can almost always find someone to do things with, even if it’s only to chat. And belonging to a big guild gives us access to things we wouldn’t normally have. We have guild crafters who willingly make gear. We have special events to keep us entertained and we have organized Ops and PVP groups. We can almost always get an answer to questions. Even helpful answers, too.
Since I love raiding, Ops was another important factor in looking for a guild. Our Ops groups run from super casual to hardcore, so there’s something for everyone. I love that diversity in one place. It makes it easy to find exactly what I want.
The same holds true for the PVP contingent. There are those who are serious and those who are more casual about PVP. I haven’t done much yet, but I know I’ll be able to find someone to play with when I do get ready to explore that aspect of the game.
Most of the time, there is no drama. I contribute that to our age restrictions. You won’t’ find any youngsters in our guild. And yes, I looked for a mature guild when I was doing my research.
Some people might think that being in a guild requires you be a hardcore player. There are certainly a lot of guilds that fit that category. But there are also a lot of others who just want to play and have fun.
No matter what your play style, there’s probably a guild for you. Unless you are one of those who simply doesn’t want to be guilded at all.
A lot of people don’t like joining guilds because of the application process. Many guilds have one, though. They want to see if you’ll be a good fit for their guild. Once you do the research and chat with some folks from your prospective guild, here are some tips for filling out that application.
- Be sure to fill the app out with care. Partial answers and skipped questions don’t show you off well. No, it’s not a job, but it is a relationship built on mutual likes and teamwork. The more you can say to show that you’re a good fit, the better off your eventual experience will be.
- Keep your personal life out of the application, except in general terms.
- Don’t be negative. Don’t bash your former guilds, guild leaders or guild mates.
- Try to show some personality. This can be tough to do in an application, but do try. No one expects brilliant comedy, but do attempt to show that you have the qualities they’re looking for.
So what do you look for in a guild? Or are you one of those who prefers to play alone?
That’s my two credits. What’s yours?
Ready…set…discuss…
SWTOR is the first MMO that I have actively been involved in a guild, sure I was in a guild in other games but this is the first I’ve actually talked to and interacted with other members daily!