I want to cry every time I see them as a prerequisite.
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There are usually good reasons for such things; the most notable to me being to mitigate trolls and problem players. Guild apps can serve to help ensure oneās commitment or otherwise ensure that one will be a good fit. Beyond all that it makes it easier for officers to receive potential recruits, ensuring they donāt need to be logged on at every hour to receive queries.
Of course itās not a perfect system, and I admit it sometimes would be better to just join a guild without the rigmarole, but it is, in my experience, usually effective.
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Until all people have joined the hivemind, or we get better tools to manage social interaction in video games, people are gonna find their own solutions to the problems.
Do people really do websites anymore though? I was under the loose impression discord shook up the old dynamic.
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I like them, but then again Iām a nerd who likes homework.
I think some guilds still do have websites, but Iāve used (and seen a few other people use) a Google Forms survey as an application platform instead.
Are applications really that much of a hassle to fill out? Iāve never felt clear on what the objections to them are.
Overall itās just less convenient than asking for and receiving an invite in-game then and there. For many, myself included at one point, you see a guild advertising in Trade, think āThey sound pretty interestingā and want to join up immediately; only to be told to leave the game at take extra steps to achieve what you were aiming for.
I think my main issue with them is I donāt like to go in-depth with my characterās backstory before thinking up a character.
I mainly just like to get a feel for them with interactions and stuff. Not to mention I donāt know a lot of lore on hand, so my solution is to keep it vague during RP. An application kind of forces you into the process. A fun barrier of sorts.
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Not knocking anyone whoās pretty chill about their gaming time.
But on both sides, I remain unsure of both anyone who would just join a guild from a random trade advert, as well as any guild with no or minimal screening whoās recruiting in trade.
Much as thatās a sort of ātimeās changeā thing, getting more robust guild tools (iām looking at you blizzard ui guild search function) would, honestly, solve a lot.
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Mind you, Iām all for an OOC chat and IC interaction.
I think making someone fill out an application when you and the person who wants to join are both online is a bit pedantic. Iād just ask the person those questions in game. However, its not something that particularly bothers me.
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As long as they have some sort of ic/ooc interview before just sending the invite, Iāve had better luck with random trade chat guilds than anywhere else.
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I see what you mean. I suppose it could be a bit of a momentum breaker. Itās been a really long time since I joined a guild based on in-game adverts, so I didnāt think about it from that angle.
Also fair. I can see how an application that requires a lot of backstory information would be difficult and stifling for a character that hasnāt had a lot of time to evolve organically in RP already. I donāt think all applications are like this, though; it might be worth it to ask any given guild whether this is a big part of the application, or whether theyād be interested in a newer character for whom many of the questions are still unanswered.
I suppose Iām biased in favor of guild applications as a concept, though I think there are varying types of information they can be focused on, and also that some are better designed than others.
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Feels worth agreeing with this directly. Itās not gotta be a needlessly structured system and all.
Iād agree with that too, but thatās why I had that specific bit about next to no screening.
I could also make loose allusions to how wow and gaming interactions in general function in a pseudo time capsule where simultaneously better tools exist outside of the medium but people are predisposed to and more comfortable participating through the game itself with all the pros and cons it carries but then I worry itād be pointless rambling easily unwraveled as anecdotal at best.
In my experience a good IC interview is all you need. You can see the quality of the writer and the character and it helps to filter out people who you might not think would be a good fit in the guild. It also gives the player the chance to think āis that what I really want? Are they a good fit for me?ā
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If the recruiter is online and not currently involved in an RP scene or guild event, then I agree. I wouldnāt say that applications should always be required for all recruits even when talking directly would be quicker, but rather that theyāre a useful tool for allowing some basic information to be conveyed (in both directions) without the recruit and the recruiter having to play online phone tag.
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I think the way guilds add members is a good hint at their overall style ā fast and improvisational vs slow, deliberate and organized. Itās probably best to just stick with what comes intuitively.
Whatever the process, I think itās best for a guild to give as much as it asks applicants to give. If thereās a lengthy application, there should be some substantive guild info available too (like a charter or FAQ). Figuring out if youāre a good match is a two-way street, after all.
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Maybe itās just my experience, but I noticed a huge difference in guild quality from from that require an application vs. just IC interview vs. ask for inv.
I think when a guild requires an application, it sets an expectation and tone for what you should expect from the guild and that they are very community involved and immersed in their story and environment.
I think in theory it would be a good bet. In practice, Iāve noticed (anecdotally) that they just as easily fall into the same pitfalls as other guilds.
In about 3 of those guilds - before fingers are pointed at me, Iāve been playing WoW for a long time - Iāve found the newbie experience to be just as ostracizing. A lot of them have a well established heirarchy both OOC and IC, and breaking through is tough.
(This is one example for the sake of argument)
While this is an issue that spans every guild, I would rather not have my information in a website if Iāll be treated the same.
Not surprising. Humans are humans, but I totally get where youāre coming from.
On one hand I can totally see how somewhat more rigorous application processes can help set the tone for your guild, filter out griefers and jerks, and create an environment that is maximally fun and safe for everyone.
But on the other hand, Iāve been a solo player since the end of WoD because I am afraid of being judged
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