If you're like most Warcraft players who've been playing for a while, it's quite likely that you're not in the same guild you were when you first started the game. I was without a guild for most of Vanilla, only partially aware of what they could add to the experience. See, World of Warcraft was my introduction to the MMO genre, and frankly I was too lost and enamored to really notice a void at that point.
Then on one fateful evening, I'd answered a call for a Scholomance run. It had been by far my favorite Vanilla dungeon, and I rarely passed up the chance to head in. A few of us made our way to the meeting stone to summon the rest of the party. Turns out the four were guildmates. We headed in and the run was going rather smoothly, something that wasn't ever guaranteed. Then, we came upon Ras Frostwhisper. This encounter also went flawlessly, but something new to my experience happened right then: for the first time since I'd began playing, I was greeted with a loot roll window that had a purple-colored item: [Alanna's Embrace]. A cloth robe, and one that my warlock could technically equip.
Exclamations shot through party chat, and the priest who'd been healing our run was beside herself. I'm sure they were holding their breath, thinking of this poor unguilded warlock who probably wasn't carrying her weight to begin with. In seeing their reaction, I wrote, "Take it, I'll pass," which seemed to floor all of them in turn. After a healthy round of thank-you's, the priest paused and asked, "Would you like to join our guild?" Seeing their genuine excitement over the flash of purple (I felt the same thing) coupled with the fact they were so gracious in that moment, I felt honored. My first guild.
That guild turned out to be raiding MC and Onyxia. Though I wasn't skilled or dedicated to contribute much, they brought me along on a couple of nights when they were short players, and it's something I'll never forget. While that group didn't last long into the Burning Crusade, it taught me the invaluable lesson of having a strong, friendly community to surround one's self with---it's something that's never left me, and also one of the main reasons I'm still playing this game.
So I ask: what were the circumstances for you when joining your first guild? And if you're still in your original guild, what is it about your community that keeps it strong?
I don't remember my first guild any more, but I am sure it was as simple as sending a /w to someone who advertised their leveling guild. There never was much of help, or leveling together, but there was always healthy banter and talk. I think I joined my first guild for social reasons. I like to see an active guild chat, no matter the hour of the day.
ReplyDeleteMy first encaounter was with an RP guild called Rhyme and Punishment during the first appearance of Naxxramas in the plaguelands.
ReplyDeleteAfter spending a good while taking down the elite mobs with a few of their members after a last second `bail out help`, they asked me to join and I stayed years with them (basically, until faction changes became available and I finally could turn to a Blood Elf with my main)
My first guild was, to an absolutely brand-new WoW player, an overwhelmingly large 900+ member guild on an overwhelmingly overpopulated server. It was no doubt similar to a new player today getting whispered/spam-invited to a gold-generating, unhelpful guild today. When I left, I didn't join another guild for years. Then when I did join a "real" guild, after things had started well and after most of us putting in a lot of effort for us all to become a real raiding guild, the whole guild blew up so unpleasantly that to this day I refuse to set foot on that particular realm. :D
ReplyDeleteThink I'll stick with the guild my main is in now. ;)