The Next Expansion: Cataclysm's Guild Retention Techniques Aren't Enough
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[caption id="attachment_9215" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Guild hopping must be stopped!"]
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One of the much ballyhooed announcements at this past BlizzCon was Cataclysm's inclusion of Guild Achievements and Guild Talents. The features are being implemented for one reason, to return guilds to the long-standing and well-respected structure that they were in vanilla WoW. Since then, and more specifically since Wrath of the Lich King, the strength and draw of a guild has waned. The social structure was once required to get anything done. Now, guilds are more of a tool of convenience, helping to do the job instead of being required. Because of that fact players jump from guild to guild at a moment's notice, ninjaing and being complete assholes as they go. Cataclysm's upcoming guild features can change that, but the requirements need to be strengthened.
The last anyone heard, the benefits from a guild's talent tree will apply as soon as you are made a member. Why not levy these perks against members, specifically against those who just hop around on the guild pogo stick. Instead of giving a brand-spanking-new member access to those sought after game modifications, cheap repairs, guild summons, etc, let's give guilds the ability to withhold them for awhile. Give GMs and officers the power to only enable the benefits if a player has remained in the guild for x months, achieved a given guild score (awarded for contribution to a guild's success), or been assigned a specific rank. Everyone knows that you pay for work after it's done.
Guild Talents are a fantastic idea. No longer will guilds be just a social setting, or an ends to a means, but something that players are able to grow alongside and help contribute to. However, if members aren't required to do something to gain access to the perks, then there's nothing to stop them from continuing to bounce from guild to guild. Conversely, if the perks have a pre-requisite, members will be more apt to settle any differences and disputes in guild, rather than running to a new home.
What other measures would you like to see Blizzard put in place to lower guild member turnover?
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One of the much ballyhooed announcements at this past BlizzCon was Cataclysm's inclusion of Guild Achievements and Guild Talents. The features are being implemented for one reason, to return guilds to the long-standing and well-respected structure that they were in vanilla WoW. Since then, and more specifically since Wrath of the Lich King, the strength and draw of a guild has waned. The social structure was once required to get anything done. Now, guilds are more of a tool of convenience, helping to do the job instead of being required. Because of that fact players jump from guild to guild at a moment's notice, ninjaing and being complete assholes as they go. Cataclysm's upcoming guild features can change that, but the requirements need to be strengthened.
The last anyone heard, the benefits from a guild's talent tree will apply as soon as you are made a member. Why not levy these perks against members, specifically against those who just hop around on the guild pogo stick. Instead of giving a brand-spanking-new member access to those sought after game modifications, cheap repairs, guild summons, etc, let's give guilds the ability to withhold them for awhile. Give GMs and officers the power to only enable the benefits if a player has remained in the guild for x months, achieved a given guild score (awarded for contribution to a guild's success), or been assigned a specific rank. Everyone knows that you pay for work after it's done.
Guild Talents are a fantastic idea. No longer will guilds be just a social setting, or an ends to a means, but something that players are able to grow alongside and help contribute to. However, if members aren't required to do something to gain access to the perks, then there's nothing to stop them from continuing to bounce from guild to guild. Conversely, if the perks have a pre-requisite, members will be more apt to settle any differences and disputes in guild, rather than running to a new home.
What other measures would you like to see Blizzard put in place to lower guild member turnover?
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