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Clans/Guilds/Gaming Groups etc. Your Thoughts?

  • 26-02-2012 3:09am
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,353 ✭✭✭Sasquatch76


    Howdy.

    What are your thoughts on game clans, groups, guilds etc? Ever been a member of one? Are they more or less obsolete now with the advent of Steam, Xbox Live, Playstation Network etc?

    I'm toying with the idea of starting a clan related project, so just looking for opinions and thoughts, and any personal experiences you'd like to share would be great! :)


Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 4,909 ✭✭✭nix


    What game are you thinking of setting up a guild/clan for??

    Its an important factor to help you with your decision is why i ask :D

    From a general perspective there will always be clans/guilds, they are the perfect way of getting to know people and making friends for online gaming.

    I usually always join one if im enjoying the game and see myself dedicating all my gaming time too, have done since i started online gaming over 15 years ago.

    If you already have alot of online friends id just play with them, if you get a good group of people and wish to take your game more seriously (tournaments etc) then id make a clan and do the whole website thing..

    Its hard to run and maintain guilds/clans so id only make one myself if i had a decent amount of people from the get go, otherwise, just join a clan yourself :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,353 ✭✭✭Sasquatch76


    Thanks for the reply nix - hugely appreciated!

    I should clarify, I'm not looking to set up an actual clan. Rather, I've had an idea for a project that is related to clans and online gaming in general. Before I put any serious work into it however, I need to do a wee bit of informal research to see if it's worth my while, if that makes sense!

    So, you've obviously had positive experiences playing with clans. Any downsides to clan gaming from your point of view? Have you ever joined a clan and thought, "Actually, I don't really want to play with these guys"? Did you compete in any tournaments?

    Any feedback from yourself or others would be greatly appreciated :)




  • I used to be in a clan, somewhat, well more a group called Happy Penguin in Return to Castle Wolfenstein.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,909 ✭✭✭SeantheMan


    Hi Sasquatch,

    I've been in the same clan the last 7 years {DoWUK} , they've been going 10 years I think, having our 10th celebration this year.
    http://dowuk.co.uk/news.php
    Most people who are currently there have been so for a number of years, as we don't just let anyone in.

    It has been mostly for FPS, starting with MOHAA, through COD, COD2, COD4 etc and now and again taking in some other games that some of us play.
    (which we did/do play in leagues)

    We did set up DoWUK guilds when we played some Guild Wars and LOTRO , but we found that the people who joined weren't as active on our forums or on ventrillo as our longterm members.
    As with MMO communities are normally ingame things, whereas for FPS it's nice to have a forum etc to go back to after.

    Clans /Guilds should have a charter or ruleset so as filter applicants etc, else sometimes it can get diluted.
    You will see communites like Lotus , with 1000's of member accross multiple games where nobody knows anyone.
    I can safely name all 20+ in my clan by name, real name and voice.

    They are an excellent social forum outside of actually playing too, as you come to meet different people and form real friendships.
    Most of the lads are in England, but 1 or 2 are from abroad.
    Each year we all meet up for a weekend at a central location though for pints and whatever, and it's never weird, as we know each other like normal friends.

    As far as downsides go, now and again you can get someone in your clan who totally upsets the balance of things, and he has to be kicked.
    For this reason we have implemented the rule where any new member has a 2 week trial and afterwards has to achieve a 70% pass rate on a forum vote of members.

    There only negative, I wouldn't call it bad experience, was before I joined DoWUK after my original clan split up, I wanted to move to a more competitive clan in the league. After a few weeks I realised the "fun" aspect was missing, as it was all about practicing, tactics and matches....there was no late night chats or fun games of random stuff like Starcraft or Civ5 etc....so I left them and found my current clan a few weeks later.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,283 ✭✭✭Ross_Mahon


    There is too much drama and dedication involved with clans, i would rather play casually with close mates and have a laugh


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  • Registered Users Posts: 6,909 ✭✭✭SeantheMan


    Ross_Mahon wrote: »
    There is too much drama and dedication involved with clans, i would rather play casually with close mates and have a laugh

    That is one of the most uninformed statements I have read this year.
    You obviously don't have a clue.
    You may be mixing clans up with "competitive gaming franchises"
    My clanmates are all friends, I've known for 7 or so years, and I don't play in any competitive leagues.
    When a new game comes out I can easily grab a few and say, lets try this L4D2, Civ5, BF3 etc...most recently a load of us downloaded the Mass Effect 3 demo so we could do its Multiplayer.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,353 ✭✭✭Sasquatch76


    Excellent post above there Sean, thanks!

    I've been in a clan myself on and off for a few years now, and your experience is quite similar to my own - playing for fun with more easy-going types rather than an ultra competetive clan. One or two individuals, and then some health problems, kinda made me less active, but overall, it was a good experience.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,909 ✭✭✭sarumite


    I think clans/guilds in MMO's are great. I only ever really played Guild wars, however it was being in my guild that made it worth playing. I play COD with friends, some of whom I don't know in real life. We personally don't maintain a forum or anything, though in many ways it is effectivly a clan. I don't play COD when they are not online. There are many different clans available, so its not as if every clan will be uber competitive.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,283 ✭✭✭Ross_Mahon


    SeantheMan wrote: »
    That is one of the most uninformed statements I have read this year.
    You obviously don't have a clue.
    You may be mixing clans up with "competitive gaming franchises"

    I'll concede I may not have had the same experience of clans that you've had but that doesn't automatically render my opinion invalid just because it differs from yours. ANY feedback means any feedback; good or bad. My negative experience wasn't meant as a negative reflection on you or any clans you may have played with; it is merely My opinion. I respect yours, I'd appreciate if you could do the same.
    Any feedback from yourself or others would be greatly appreciated :)

    Any research into Any topic requires consideration from multiple view points, does it not?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,353 ✭✭✭Sasquatch76


    Ross_Mahon wrote: »
    ANY feedback means any feedback; good or bad. My negative experience wasn't meant as a negative reflection on you or any clans you may have played with; it is merely My opinion. I respect yours, I'd appreciate if you could do the same.
    I'm anxious to hear all sides and views, definitely!

    But it probably would have been better if you had qualified yours, as otherwise it looks like a generic blanket statement. However, I'm genuinely interested - what experiences have you had to lead you to that opinion?

    To everyone else; if you've been in a clan, how did you join? Did you stumble upon each other whilst playing, actively search out a clan or what? What made you choose the clan you ended up joining?


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  • Registered Users Posts: 6,909 ✭✭✭SeantheMan


    Ross_Mahon wrote: »



    Any research into Any topic requires consideration from multiple view points, does it not?

    As sasquatch said, I felt it was a general blank statement that seems to apply to every/any clan.
    Of course you are entitled to your opinion, and feedback should be honest, but give reasons as to why you feel such


  • Registered Users Posts: 22,929 ✭✭✭✭ShadowHearth


    Well no one talks about guilds :D

    Let me be the nerd here so!

    I met few lads when I started playing WOW. We were getting on very well so made our own guild. After alot of time messing around we got ventrilo server. Turns out most of the lads are from northern Ireland with a few from uk! That's was 5-6 years ago. In that te out guild was getting bigger. At one stage we had 2x25 raids full time. Then pfc drama and guilds falls apart, but our main core people always stayed together. So 6 years in we are very good friends. We all gather up in northend Ireland for 1-2 weeks atleast once a year for total nerd fun! LAN party, paintball, air soft, movies, restaurants, pubs, general nerd shoping in Belfast :D. We are not playing wow for 1-2 years, just drop in drop out now and then, but we are always on ventrilo server playing lol, BF3, company of heroes. Last night lads bought farming simulator too.... This is the first time I told them: lads, your a a bunch of ****ing idiots!! :)

    No matter what I play or where I am, I am always under the banner of British bulldogs!!! [BB]


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,229 ✭✭✭Chairman Meow


    I remember the days of clan gaming in BF:V. The TiG/NRG stuff on here used to be epic drama. Wouldnt bother with clan gaming nowadays tho, dont have the time for it, and alot of clans take it far too seriously.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,905 ✭✭✭Chavways


    I think a lot of people take clans way too seriously these days,especially in FPS games.Theres rules and limitations on what you are allowed to do and not do.I dont understand why they just cant play casually and enjoy the game without putting barriers in place to restrict themselves.

    I understand people getting a few friends together to try to win matches but taking the games way too seriously is just annoying to me.


  • Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 25,866 Mod ✭✭✭✭Doctor DooM


    This stanks of college research to me, but I will bite.

    I'm part of the Irish Fighting Game community which is probably at this point the single most active gaming group in the country (although probably not largest). I record or play in 3-4 tournaments a month and we have a healthy relationship with quite a few colleges in Ireland, often holding events at their conventions. There's casual meets at least twice a week. Quite a few of us have travelled now internationally to tournaments and it's not unheard of for someone to walk up to me at one now and shake my hand knowing who Dr. DooM is.

    We've had the odd event with games and prizes from Capcom even but I think either we need to get some players sponsored or get a weekly stream going to push further.

    I'm also part of a smaller group known as Team Doomy (which is a spoof of the well known american sf video makers team spooky) who make a significant amount of the irish FG youtube content. There's no real rules or regulations to it though, it's almost a joke group, but it helps "brand" our more serious or professional videos with a TD title card.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,353 ✭✭✭Sasquatch76


    "Stanks of college research" (sic) ? :confused: Thanks for the rest of your input though.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,353 ✭✭✭Sasquatch76


    Chavways wrote: »
    I understand people getting a few friends together to try to win matches but taking the games way too seriously is just annoying to me.
    So do you reckon it's hard to find clans/groups who are more about playing for fun, ie do they seem to be in the minority?


  • Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 25,866 Mod ✭✭✭✭Doctor DooM


    "Stanks of college research" (sic) ? :confused: Thanks for the rest of your input though.

    (Bear in mind I am not a mod of this forum so this is not telling you what to do, I'm just saying this from experience of other forums around these parts)


    Usually on Boards if you are doing some research you're kinda expected to contact the mods of the forum and explain what you want to do before doing so. I've seen people getting banned etc. for not doing so.

    I will shut up now and stop off topicing the thread.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,353 ✭✭✭Sasquatch76


    (Bear in mind I am not a mod of this forum so this is not telling you what to do, I'm just saying this from experience of other forums around these parts)


    Usually on Boards if you are doing some research you're kinda expected to contact the mods of the forum and explain what you want to do before doing so. I've seen people getting banned etc. for not doing so.

    I will shut up now and stop off topicing the thread.
    I couldn't find any reference to conducting research in the forum rules when I looked the other day. If I missed it, and it's against the rules, I'll gladly desist.

    For the record, as alluded to in my OP, this is research, of the unofficial type. The project I'm considering (and it is highly unlikely to be taken any further than this preliminary dipping of toes in the water) would be a hobby only and not academic or business related.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,909 ✭✭✭SeantheMan


    So do you reckon it's hard to find clans/groups who are more about playing for fun, ie do they seem to be in the minority?

    It depends where you look.

    One could look at any game, find a league relating to it, and all the teams in the top half would more likely be a competitive kind of clan.
    The ones near the bottom , making up the numbers, would probably be more casual and in it for the laugh.

    Each clan would have a link to it's website and you could research them that way.

    However, this would not be the way I would advise to go about finding a "casual" clan.
    The best thing to do is to play on servers of the game you like, you will then come accross some friendly people (amongst all the douches) , and may form online friendships with them, and will find out they are in a clan.
    Most clans would have their own servers of said game, which you would then favourite and frequent and get to know the players.

    In recent times on here, in BF3, [CI] have become very popular, with all the Irish lads on boards.ie going on their TS and gameserver every night to play alongside them, though I'm not sure if they are an 'official' clan with a website / active recruitment / ruleset etc.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,353 ✭✭✭Sasquatch76


    So 6 years in we are very good friends. We all gather up in northend Ireland for 1-2 weeks atleast once a year for total nerd fun! LAN party, paintball, air soft, movies, restaurants, pubs, general nerd shoping in Belfast biggrin.gif. We are not playing wow for 1-2 years, just drop in drop out now and then, but we are always on ventrilo server playing lol, BF3, company of heroes.
    Thanks ShadowHearth, nice that you've become so close :)
    SeantheMan wrote: »
    The best thing to do is to play on servers of the game you like, you will then come accross some friendly people (amongst all the douches) , and may form online friendships with them, and will find out they are in a clan.
    Most clans would have their own servers of said game, which you would then favourite and frequent and get to know the players.

    Thanks Sean. To anyone who's been involved in the admin side of guilds/clans, did you actively persue new recruits, or were ye popular/active enough that players were finding you anyway like Sean describes above?


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,732 ✭✭✭Magill


    Thanks Sean. To anyone who's been involved in the admin side of guilds/clans, did you actively persue new recruits, or were ye popular/active enough that players were finding you anyway like Sean describes above?

    Depends entirely on the game and the type of clan/guild you are.

    I've been in my fairshare of clans and guilds over the years. I was in the same CS clan for about 5 or 6 years before everyone stopped playing the game, there would have been players come and go but it pretty much had the same core 5 or 6 people for near the entire time i was in the clan. Nobody took the game too seriously in this clan either, but we still played in leagues and had a laugh.. generally doing quite well for the amount of practice and **** we put in.

    On the other hand i've been in cs:s clans that were all about being as good as possible, practicing 4, sometimes 5 nights a week... going to lan etc. Still had a lot of fun in these clans aswel tho and probably some of the best times i played cs was in my last competitive css team, just wouldn't recommend taking a game that seriously to anyone.

    I've also been part of a few guilds when i played wow quite a lot. Completely different mentality (For the most part). Players come and go quite regularly so your almost always recruiting, especially in the early 40 man raid days. I always enjoyed the guild side of wow, its the only reason i played teh game in fairness. I even liked all the drama (Not that i'd start it)... was funny sometimes.



    Overall clans and guilds are great, sometimes you might not fit in but in general you'll make friends and have a much better time playing the game than you would if you played on your own. still talk regularly to my old cs mates who i've known for nearly 10 years now.


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