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Casuals: There's no need to worry.

LinikerLiniker Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
edited July 2023 in General Discussion
Leaving the whole freehold situation aside, and speaking as a guild leader of a large competitive guild of over 1600 members;

We often see conversations here that come from both casual and hardcore players but most often than not, they reflect worst-case scenarios of both sides, both of toxic guilds, griefers, as well as lazy or entitled solo players and are simply not reflective of an MMO's community overall.

Yes, there are toxic players, griefers, and guilds that enjoy dominating and pushing away casual players because they feel superior - and there are also casual players who want to get everything without having to actually play the game, and want large groups of players to be punished by a game's design, but this is not reflective at all of the 2 groups of players.

My guild for instance, and many, many other large guilds getting ready for AoC, want to compete for the highest objectives, my particular goal is to compete for a castle - and in a game like AoC, it would be very stupid to not look after the casual playerbase in our castle's region - by game design, we will be protecting casual players in our Region - and attacking players from Other regions - the same will happen with guilds in these other regions.

I feel confident enough to say that most likely, the most successful Large Guilds in AoC will be the ones that actually understand that without support from the casual players in your region, you will not stay at the top for too long.

This, of course, applies to freeholds as well, if a big guild is trying to dominate their region's economy getting all the freeholds they possibly can even tho it is not a necessity why should players in those regions support them? and why would the other big guilds not fight back? this makes no sense - and this is why conversations about these particular systems also don't make any sense

and even for the largest guilds, it is absolutely ludicrous to think there will be +1000 or +2000 player guilds that are Only made of hardcore players that play 12h a day, tbh I don't think there will even be 2000 hardcore players in any server, usually the biggest guilds have a core for a few hundred HC players and the rest are *dedicated players that play for 3 to 4 hours a day, making them what most consider as a "casual". This is the case even in the most hardcore games like EVE, ARK or Mortal Online.

AoC will be a game where politics is involved, and the best, biggest guilds that will "be in charge" won't be the guilds that push away casual players, those won't remain in charge for too long - and probably guilds that do that will probably be the smaller to medium "pk" or "red" guilds that will be constantly being put in their place by the top dogs.

Remember, to hold the castle, there are weekly events that require support from other players in your region, there will be mayors that do not necessarily belong to your guild, and there will be world events and content that require good relations with other players, there's also guild drama which is responsible for 90% of guilds failing, and most often than not affects these guilds that are hated by their server even more.

So I'd like to leave this message to reassure the casual players reading through these discussions, don't worry, you will be protected and you will be a valuable member of your node and community, and the best guilds on your server will make sure of it.

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Comments

  • SongcallerSongcaller Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    I think this post is patronisation lol.
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  • LinikerLiniker Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    Neurath wrote: »
    I think this post is patronisation lol.

    I had to look up the definition of that word lol

    it really isn't tho - it's just the reality of what happens and will happen with how large guilds treat casual players on social / community-driven MMORPGs
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  • SongcallerSongcaller Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    Yeah I understand your stance and I hold the same stance but some things are better left unsaid I have learnt. There's a time and place for all things. People want the option to grow a toon, not grow a guild they aren't even in.
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  • Individuated SoulIndividuated Soul Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    Neurath wrote: »
    Yeah I understand your stance and I hold the same stance but some things are better left unsaid I have learnt. There's a time and place for all things. People want the option to grow a toon, not grow a guild they aren't even in.

    What? I think a post reassuring the casuals is called for given the amount of flawed arguments and fear mongering proliferating the forum currently.
    jfpdwtk
  • BlackBronyBlackBrony Member, Alpha Two
    I accept the sentiment. On the other hand, I know humans and gamers.
  • SongcallerSongcaller Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    edited July 2023
    Neurath wrote: »
    Yeah I understand your stance and I hold the same stance but some things are better left unsaid I have learnt. There's a time and place for all things. People want the option to grow a toon, not grow a guild they aren't even in.

    What? I think a post reassuring the casuals is called for given the amount of flawed arguments and fear mongering proliferating the forum currently.

    You think casuals want to learn about a 1600 zerg guild who will most likely try and own half the map or more?
    2a3b8ichz0pd.gif
  • BlackBronyBlackBrony Member, Alpha Two
    Neurath wrote: »
    Yeah I understand your stance and I hold the same stance but some things are better left unsaid I have learnt. There's a time and place for all things. People want the option to grow a toon, not grow a guild they aren't even in.

    What? I think a post reassuring the casuals is called for given the amount of flawed arguments and fear mongering proliferating the forum currently.

    The only argument from the hardcore is "this game is not for you". That's all I've heard. Not many gave reasons why people should fight for nodes when they don't own property. Or what else a casual or small guild can do.
    What are they gonna do? Farm mats, which everyone can do. If everyone can do it, it holds no value.
  • As someone for whom the best use of a guild below my character's nameplate is not being asked why I'm not in a guild or if I would want to join their guild, here are parts of my thoughts...

    From what I can remember from way back in my early days playing mmos (EQ, DAoC and so forth), I've never had to interact with "mega-guilds" or very large ones. Either they weren't common enough at the time or I've been lucky to always be on a different server. There were powerful ones, it has always been so, but maybe only on a smaller scales. It was the beginning of Massively Multiplayer games after all.

    From my anecdotal experience, people would still mingle a lot thought. Guilds felt like large friend lists with with their own chat.

    As time went on, guilds seem to have become more and more turned onto themselves, as if the players focused more on the green chat than the other coloured ones. Not all time, mostly when they were doing guild things together. Things changed with voiced chat. As soon as Ventrilo and Teamspeak became popular, guild people often didn't even read, or care, what players around them were doing or saying.

    In WAR, big guilds didn't even care to communicate with the rest of the faction in the PvP zones. They were doing their things, capturing "their" castle.

    Seen from the outside they feel aloof. But that's the thing: I don't think most guilds consider other players as being of no importance, we're just outsiders to them. And the more perks a game gives to its guilds (bank, guildhall, etc.) the more it pushes the guilds to turn onto themselves and shut the others in the role of, well, others. Outsiders.

    I guess it makes more sense in a factionless game, but when there are predefined factions it feels so strange.
    Be bold. Be brave. Roll a Tulnar !
  • FantmxFantmx Member, Phoenix Initiative, Royalty, Kickstarter, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    How much for your protection?
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  • LinikerLiniker Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    Fantmx wrote: »
    How much for your protection?

    I don't think you fit the "casual" profile that will need protection lol

    You have been around longer than most of us ahah
    img]
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  • FantmxFantmx Member, Phoenix Initiative, Royalty, Kickstarter, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    😂😂😂
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  • LudulluLudullu Member, Alpha Two
    And anyone who just wants to chill with me in a divine node in the snowy mountains (of potentially Sujoma) - come join my super casual node guild.

    This message was brought to you by a person that somehow got the biggest guild on an L2 server by just saying "if you don't put pressure me on what this guild supposed to be - I won't pressure you on what you should do in the game".
  • DygzDygz Member, Braver of Worlds, Kickstarter, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    LMFAO
  • SongcallerSongcaller Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    Dygz wrote: »
    LMFAO

    The wanderer has returned!
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  • CROW3CROW3 Member, Alpha Two
    It would be a shame if anything happened to that Freehold of yours... maybe if you joined our guild...
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  • ChicagoChicago Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    So basically a big guild recruitment post? Obviously we post the worst case scenarios but more often than not they are also the most common scenarios, not only does murphys law apply here but people play mmos a different way in 2023, the days of 2003 are gone and the mmo culture is all about minmaxing so obviously people are concerened about things when it doesnt take a rocket scientist to predict how the game is going to playout,
  • LinikerLiniker Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    edited July 2023
    NiKr wrote: »
    And anyone who just wants to chill with me in a divine node in the snowy mountains (of potentially Sujoma) - come join my super casual node guild.

    Isn't Sujoma where cyclops come from? doesn't sound like a good place to chill
    img]
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  • LinikerLiniker Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    Dygz wrote: »
    LMFAO

    Only people playing at launch are allowed to comment

    vqyhhffkl5u0.png
    img]
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  • SongcallerSongcaller Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    Liniker wrote: »
    NiKr wrote: »
    And anyone who just wants to chill with me in a divine node in the snowy mountains (of potentially Sujoma) - come join my super casual node guild.

    Isn't Sujoma where cyclops come from? doesn't sound like a good place to chill

    Any snowy place is a good place to chill lol.
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  • LudulluLudullu Member, Alpha Two
    Liniker wrote: »
    Isn't Sujoma where cyclops come from? doesn't sound like a good place to chill
    I'm gonna be a local though. They know me. They won't touch my mates.
  • LinikerLiniker Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    Chicago wrote: »
    So basically a big guild recruitment post?

    I'm not gonna be playing in your region/server don't worry about me lol
    Chicago wrote: »
    ... Obviously we post the worst case scenarios but more often than not they are also the most common scenarios

    if worst case scenarios were the most common... they wouldn't be called "worst case scenarios"
    img]
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  • FantmxFantmx Member, Phoenix Initiative, Royalty, Kickstarter, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    These young whipper snappers got no respect for their elders.
    q1nu38cjgq3j.png
  • DepravedDepraved Member, Alpha Two
    hey who wants to join some interlude or h5 and play for a bit meanwhile. no casuals plz
  • AbaratAbarat Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    Neurath wrote: »
    Dygz wrote: »
    LMFAO

    The wanderer has returned!

    I summoned him.
  • SongcallerSongcaller Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    Abarat wrote: »
    Neurath wrote: »
    Dygz wrote: »
    LMFAO

    The wanderer has returned!

    I summoned him.

    I thought Dygz was the Warlock?
    2a3b8ichz0pd.gif
  • VyrilVyril Member, Alpha Two
    edited July 2023
    Liniker wrote: »
    Leaving the whole freehold situation aside, and speaking as a guild leader of a large competitive guild of over 1600 members

    Tell us when you chose a server. I don't want to play on it. That will likely be a boring server to play on.
  • DepravedDepraved Member, Alpha Two
    Depraved wrote: »
    hey who wants to join some interlude or h5 and play for a bit meanwhile. no casuals plz

    im actually downloading an l2 essence starting today hahaha
  • DolyemDolyem Member, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    To maintain a balance and create fun game content, I shall do my best to be the reason casuals need protection. May we work together to bring the world of Vera to life!

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  • OkeydokeOkeydoke Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    edited July 2023
    Liniker is right. If you style yourself a "casual" you probably have more in common with the pvp mega guilds than the smaller, more elite pvp guilds. The mega guilds create a certain order, they're predictable, they have rules of engagement to some extent usually (politics, diplomacy).

    But there's only so many pvp mega guilds. Just roll on a server where they're not. Most servers will eventually evolve into mega guilds and alliances, factions so to speak. But I think I'd rather be on one where that happens more organically, instead of the Game of Thrones set pieces being already mostly known on day 1. Depends on who I end up playing with. I may end up on a mega guild server anyway with certain people I might play with. But my inclination right now is to not.

    There's probably going to be a lot of servers. Many of the best pvp mega guilds often end up rolling on the same server, as they should. And they announce it. So just avoid that server or those few servers.

    But I believe there are some mega guilds out there that are a little more roguelike and not looking for competition, just domination, and they try to pick a server without other mega guilds. But anyway, you can help yourself a lot by just doing your homework and picking a good server to roll on.

    Some servers are going to feel like a completely different game than other servers. I cannot overstate that.
  • CawwCaww Member, Alpha Two
    as a casual I feel it is important that AoC pander to us alone...
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