So, you want to join an organization

It seems to happen to everyone at some time. You've been playing for a while, and you realize you can do so much more when you have a regular group of friends you can team with. Maybe you want the benefits that owning towers can bring. Maybe you just want a group of like-minded people you can chat with, without spamming the OOC channels.

You can always look for an organization you've enjoyed teaming with. That's always a good start. But what if you're totally new to AO (or playing on a different server than usual) and don't really know anyone? Well, there are a few tools available for you.

The first tool is AUNO.org's character database. This tool lets you search for characters by name, server, faction, class, and level, making it the most powerful tool around for finding potential teammates. In many ways this is far superior to Anarchy Online's character lookup service, which only lets you search by name. Auno.org's service also provides you with a history each specific character's level, which is nice when you want to find out whether that level 207 soldier you're interested in has been playing since release or started 3 months after the last expansion.

Both services will also provide links to information about organizations the characters belong to. This is where you should take a close look once again at Anarchy Online's character lookup service. See those letters below the text input box? You have all the organizations in AO conveniently listed in alphabetical order.

For example, if you click the letter "S," you will see a list of all organizations with names beginning with "S." Click the name of an organization, and you'll see why Anarchy Online's organization database is superior to what AUNO.org provides. AUNO.org's organization database simply tells you server, faction, and members. The official AO database, on the other hand, conveniently provides charts showing how many of each breed and class belong to an organization, as well as some additional information like goals and organization history. Some organizations will also include URLs for any websites they havein this information.

If you want the fastest way to learn about organizations suited to your character, use AUNO.org to look up characters, cut and paste their names the official AO database, and click on their organization names to find out the most about their organizations.

Now, that's actually just the timesaving part. You can find oranizations by other means (like reading the "life on Atlantean/Rimor" forums), but using the database you get information people often forget to post, like faction, level requirements, etc. This shows you that Adrastus II won't accept your level 5 neutral MA, and that Shattered Dreams isn't interested in your ability to tweak for PvP. Also the databases are faster than talking to everyone you meet, and at the same time they show you more options than lurking (or even posting) on the forums.

The last (and most essential) step in finding a new organization should be common sense: Get to know the members. Talk with org officers, and team with org members. This is where you learn whether that "uber PvP guild" holds their own in tower battles, or if they're just a bunch of losers who camp reclaim terminals waiting for flagged people to show up. It also shows you which groups are the most fun to be with, which is the name of the game after all.

[edit] Emiko has started an excellent thread in the Reet Retreat forum.

Good luck, and happy org hunting. :cool:

***********************shameless plug************************
This message is brought to you by Conquistador Coffee Inc.--proudly providing the frontlines of Rubi-ka with all their caffeine needs.

Since I started AO I've had characters in at least eight different organizations, and no two were quite the same. Some were more interested in PvP, some are stricty for roleplaying, etc.

There are a few general trends I've noticed.

[list=1][*]It's good to be in an org with real-life friends.[*]If everyone in the org knows everyone else in real life except you, you'll always feel like an outsider, and often be treated as one.[*]The best organizations usually have some sort of interview process or trial membership period. Sure it's a little inconvenient when you're trying to join, but if you know all the members have "passed the test," you can generally trust them more.[/list=1]

Really awesome thread you guys:) This information helps a ton:) I am still deciding on what I want to do atm, and the advise on researching about other guilds I am sure will be an invaluable tool for me. I dont want to go into a guild blindly nor do I want to start an org blindly either. I am content being w/out an org, but I do know that ultimately I will want to be in one. Thank you for the information here:)

Rule #1 about organizations on Rubi-Ka:

Don't join organizations who randomly solicit you. Sometimes you'll just be standing around in a city, when suddenly the "Do you want to join RandomGuild?" window pops up on your screen. Think hard. If you do join, you end up in a guild full of people who probably didn't want to be there, but hit the "Yes" button for one reason or another. The founders are probably more interested in posting a large member base number than running an organization properly. A guild who recruits indiscriminately is a guild with no standards of membership... and as a result, any leech, newbie, or jerk that was in the right place at the right time has the opportunity to be a member. Save yourself the trouble. Don't join a guild who randomly recruits you or offers to pay you to join.

If you're new, you might think that you'll benefit from being in a guild, ANY guild. Not likely. Intelligent, veteran players don't join guilds who recruit randomly or promise "teh phat lewts" to applicants. You're better off asking questions over OOC than trying to ask that level 178 Enforcer guildmate of yours who's still farming Nascence hecklers for cash.

Good info. This needs to be stickied~!!!

Anyhow, another bit of advice while looking for a good org: keep your eyes and ears open. Clan, Omni, and Neutral all have different hang-outs. Stick around and notice what orgs you see and how often (good time zone indicator), notice who the friendly people are, the ones who are willing to help out fellow players with (polite) buff requests (assuming you are looking for an org of nice people). Notice what orgs the beggars and asshats are in (assuming you don't want to be saddle with that sort of reputation, that is). You can target any org'd person and type /org info and you'll get a blurb about their org, info about their towers (if any) and also what rank the targetted person is so that you know if you are talking to an Applicant or an Advisor, etc... Do you see these org members KSing or causing trains in static dungeons? Things to think about. Of course everyone has bad days and any org can have a few bad apples, but you want to pay attention to any constant trends. This isn't a check list, but just some things to keep in mind while you are out and about on Rubi-ka or the Shadowlands. :)

There are plenty of good orgs out there, just gotta keep your eyes open for them.

Quote:

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Originally posted by Humna
Rule #1 about organizations on Rubi-Ka:

Don't join organizations who randomly solicit you. Sometimes you'll just be standing around in a city, when suddenly the "Do you want to join RandomGuild?" window pops up on your screen. Think hard. If you do join, you end up in a guild full of people who probably didn't want to be there, but hit the "Yes" button for one reason or another. The founders are probably more interested in posting a large member base number than running an organization properly. A guild who recruits indiscriminately is a guild with no standards of membership... and as a result, any leech, newbie, or jerk that was in the right place at the right time has the opportunity to be a member. Save yourself the trouble. Don't join a guild who randomly recruits you or offers to pay you to join.

If you're new, you might think that you'll benefit from being in a guild, ANY guild. Not likely. Intelligent, veteran players don't join guilds who recruit randomly or promise "teh phat lewts" to applicants. You're better off asking questions over OOC than trying to ask that level 178 Enforcer guildmate of yours who's still farming Nascence hecklers for cash.

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Couldn´t have said it any better!

A guild should be a gameplay experience, not something you join to gain quick levels and get the fat loot. Especially for beginners it is nice if you have someone who can guide you through your first steps and that you make some friends early in the game.

Just make sure at least a couple of players are in the same timezone with you, else you end up playing lonely and the only difference is that a second name appears above your head. ;)

Keldros thanks for starting a post with some really great advice :).

If you have ever been in a really great guild in a game you know how much that adds to your gaming experience. Unfortunately the reverse is true too, if you have ever been in a lousy guild.

Another bit of advice: If you don't feel you fit in in the new guild, try to get to know some of the players, be friendly ect... But if things really aren't working out, then get out of it. Don't stay in thinking that things will change. Maybe they will but in the mean time you wont be having alot of fun and that is the whole point of logging in in the first place. Nothing is wrong with quiting a guild because it isn't the right one for you. Not all guilds fit all people, nor should they.

Another one: If you don't like some of the guild rules, maybe it isn't the right guild for you. The guild is like a peice of property, it is owned by the guild leader and sometimes the officers. They have set up the guild how they want it, if it goes against your grain, don't try to change it unless you are willing to work yourself up the chain of command to do it. Again maybe it isn't the guild for you if you find you aren't fitting well.

And last suggestion: Research and narrow your search down to a few guilds that are possible and talk to all of them, getting to know a few of the members of each if you can, maybe even playing with them a bit before ultimately deciding on one. It is tempting to just go with the first guild that sounds good to you, but there is always more than one good guild in any game and you might be limiting your choices.

I have always felt that along with the "interview question" of what can you offer to the guild, is the equally important if not more important question of what can this guild offer me.

Before going to any guild interview type thing, ask yourself "What do I want in a guild?"

Things like number of active people, what time zones, what levels are the players, is it a role play org, pvp org, casual gamers, what is the age range of the people, is the guild strict with rules enforcement or a much more informal group of just friends, do they powerlevel, twink, is the guild full of alt chars, and I am sure there are more than questions than that.

Go over in your head what you want, then go out there and find one that fits you. If you do find one that fits, it will add alot to your gaming experience :).

really great advice keldros.

The most important advice I think was the -talk to players- part. Its surprisingly how much you can learn of an org by seeking out a couple of its members and ask some simple questions.
Do you find yourself teaming with people from a certain org most of the time? Ask them about theyre org and what kind of play theyre into. If it suits you speek up and let it be known you want to join. If they cant invite, they prolly can direct you to someone who can.
If you ,later, find out that the org your in dont fit you that well simply tell them it wasnt what you were looking for and leave. :)

Great work Keldros

A couple more words of advice. Don't expect people in your new guild to be mind-readers or automatically drop everything they are doing at your whim. If you need help, ask for it, but be patient to give people time to respond.

Don't be afraid to try and make things better for your new guild. Clear projects with an officer but most gluilds are very happy to get someone with a take-charge attitude that organize events for the guild.

One last thing. If you do a /org info on a person in a guild and you get back little or no info, take a hard look before joining. If the Guild leader can't be bothered to give a brief discription of their guild or it's objectives..........

Another thing to look for is a webpage. A well done webpage with active can be an indicator of people caring about their guild and having active members. A forum with 10 posts from three months ago probably isn't very active.

I agree on the above... most vital from a new member imho is that they interact with the guild, be it just in the chat, show respect and that the first sentence they pop in guildchat aint "Could someone plz give me some gear/help me get this uber item... etc."

Join a guild and try to get in the flow of that guild and good thing will fall on you... be it the feeling of helping others or getting help with the gear that you cant get without either a strong guild or a very rich main.

Godspeed ;)

Edit: And it might be hard sometimes to get into the "group" of members... for some this have been their home/family for one, two or even three years. But if you feel that the guild is something for you, then dont worry, you will at some point be one of the family aswell.

My .02: If the org isn't going to help it's members then I don't see the point of me joining. The fact is that FC has created this game so that players must rely on other players. (The best example is buffs. No character is an island as far as buffs go. They are all going to need something at some points. FC could have made those a "shop item" but didn't.)

There are other equally good examples, especially in SL. Many of the quests are not at all soloable at the level you would want to do them at (eg adonis garden quest, Trash King, Inner Sanctum permanent key).

I do realize that everyone is trying to move their own toons along. But if the org doesn't have a specific, organized policy about questing for lower players (or isn't willing to take the time to talk to me about the org), then I don't see any reason to join.

NOTE: I am NOT talking about the person who joins an org and 30 seconds later asks to borrow 10M credits. We all know what is soloable and what isn't.


Cheers,

Vetsudia

Another point is; if you are directed to the org website, then go.

I can't tell you the number of ingame requests I get for membership and usually when I'm in the middle of something.

I'm not trying to brush you off but if someone can't take the time to go to our guild site, read what we are all about and post a request then in my mind this is not someone I want in the guild.

Our website is very active and a ton of information and coordination is done through there.

As the New Arrivals section is crowded at the top, I think this should be stickied in both the Life on Atlantean and the Life on Rimor fora. :)

*cough* bump *cough*

That is a good idea Jajangmyun.

Sticky in a good place please :).

hmm... has this been bookmarked or stickied in some thread somewhere yet?

oops... bump. :p

Common, stop sniffing the glue and sticky this one, great post :p

[necromancy]

OOps, I seemed to have *bump*ed onto this thread, but managed to miss a patch of glue... how is that ?

[/necromancy]

Ooo, I want to join an organization!

(bump)