When you show up to Archimonde attempts on a Monday night, you don't really expect much apart from a fun night with lots of wanton death and slaughter, albeit not for Archimonde himself. Killing Archimonde is pretty much out of the question at the moment. He's the kind of type-A boss who likes to demand absolute perfection out of his visitors, and that's not really what we're prepared to offer right now. We are more of an experimentation guild, the type that slaps things together with duct tape and then cheerfully proffers them for inspection, the type of guild that wanders off while important historical events are occurring, absorbed with what's going on with that duck by the pond or an interesting tree. Despite this, or possibly because of it, we've progressed pretty quickly. Too quickly to avoid leaving people behind, according to some, in the wake of an ugly blow-up that happened early in the evening and continued for the rest of the night in a flurry of tells, vent binds, and and anxious messages.
All guilds have problems and all guilds have drama; if you read the site you have the opportunity to see a lot of what goes on elsewhere if your own guild isn't host to a ton of trouble. My own wasn't for the most part until last night, and I tend to read Officers' Quarters and Guildwatch with the sense of clinical detachment you might expect from a surgeon's dispassionate survey of a necrotic limb. Not so much so anymore, I think. Guild-ending matters are usually the result of a slow burn you recognize only in hindsight, and when I read of of break-ups it's hard not to think about the names you don't know and wonder who was the whistle-blower, who tried to save the ship, who abandoned it altogether, and who was simply lost along the way.
All guilds have problems and all guilds have drama; if you read the site you have the opportunity to see a lot of what goes on elsewhere if your own guild isn't host to a ton of trouble. My own wasn't for the most part until last night, and I tend to read Officers' Quarters and Guildwatch with the sense of clinical detachment you might expect from a surgeon's dispassionate survey of a necrotic limb. Not so much so anymore, I think. Guild-ending matters are usually the result of a slow burn you recognize only in hindsight, and when I read of of break-ups it's hard not to think about the names you don't know and wonder who was the whistle-blower, who tried to save the ship, who abandoned it altogether, and who was simply lost along the way.
Guilds are fragile families. This will be an interesting week.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-18-2008 @ 10:44AM
Pingmeister said...
You're right. Well written. Hindsight can be both eye-opening and downright depressing after a Guild collapse.
While my close friends have stayed close there are several good acquaintances who have chosen different paths in the game and I will miss them.
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3-18-2008 @ 11:15AM
Semirrage said...
Mmmm.
I feast on your delicious emo tears.
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3-18-2008 @ 11:23AM
Cray said...
Well written, I am in a guild that was much the same way. In SSC i used to play heal tag another healer. they would swim in the water line of sighting me while i threw on hots.
It was the way i thought our guild was. Then one night a huge blow out, drunken words on vent, some yelling. then people started leaving. first the ones that felt they were carrying everyone else, they made it clear anyone could come, but they wanted a new mission statement, something more hardcore. Keep in mind these are still some of the most laid back people i have ever run with, it just came to a breaking point for a few.
I saw it coming two days before it did. I posted in the forums, asking what people thought, what they wanted from the guild, i wanted everyone to figure out how to progress and keep the friendly atmosphere that is needed to avoid burnout.
All the casuals replied, all the hardcores left.
Essentially it sucks that the people preaching guild loyalty were the ones to jump ship as soon as a conflict arose. I feel a bit burned as does the rest of those that stayed simply because there could have been a solution. Heck we could have even been a feeder guild for them if they had left on better terms, having fun, leveling guys for them, and then when we were bored go for runs our selves on whatever they are farming.
Point is. communication is the key, use the forums, and speak plainly and without emotion. That is how things are solved, when you don't, guilds split.
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3-18-2008 @ 12:10PM
Alex said...
This same type of thing just happened to my guild. We went from not having downed anything as a guild to 3/5 MH, 4/9 BT in a little less than two months. However, after two nights of wiping on Azgalor and with multiple people quitting until WOTLK, our guild leader decided to give up raiding and out guild fell apart.
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3-18-2008 @ 12:15PM
Sara said...
You know, this post sounds too much like what my guild went through on Monday, almost exactly how our night went.
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3-18-2008 @ 1:14PM
deafwolf said...
My guild has survived 3 such break ups and this last one felt the most devastating because we were at a strong point of advancement. Guild made rank 7 in the realm, downed Void Reaver, Lurker, and finnally Hydross. But some disaagreement and wipes on a Friday blew the guild to fight and BAM... dissolution.
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3-18-2008 @ 1:25PM
Shumina said...
If it's a raiding guild, I'd suggest the following:
-Communicate early and often any issues nagging at you.
-Check your emotional baggage at the door.
-Focus on the guild's progression needs foremost.
-Before pointing out faults in others, make sure you're geared, gemmed, and enchanted so you don't look like a hypocrite.
-The meters are a tool, use them as such. They're not E-peens.
-Again, check your emotional baggage at the door.
-Before speaking out in anger, count to five aloud to yourself. Something better will come out of your mouth.
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3-18-2008 @ 4:22PM
Jack said...
My guild was also trying out Archimonde for the first time last night, but happily we didn't have many drama issues (or at least no new ones.) In any case, I really like the fight, not least because of the absence of trash and ability to avoid repair bills. And the flying though the air. Whee!
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