| Anyone who has had to deal with people knows | | | | etc. As people ask questions about the guild in |
| how difficult it can be. Dealing with groups of | | | | guild chat or in your online forum, add their |
| people who are from different locations, different | | | | questions and answers to your FAQ and then |
| cultures, and who speak different languages adds | | | | point future questions or potential members to |
| layers of complexity and nuance that are nearly | | | | the FAQ so that they can see what you put up |
| impossible to overcome. With the additional | | | | with and more importantly, what you don't put up |
| misunderstandings that come with text chat and | | | | with. |
| lack of body language, tone, inflection, slang | | | | Consider creating subforums for announcements, |
| words, and the differences of types of humor | | | | group tactics, character leveling guides, trades |
| that peoplehave, it's almost a miracle that people | | | | want ads for gear and weapons, and a private |
| can agree on anything without getting their | | | | forum for guild chat. |
| feelings hurt, feeling left out, or feeling like they're | | | | The second way to communicate with your |
| not being heard. | | | | members is via guild chat or group chat in your |
| If you are a member of a guild, the leader of a | | | | specific game. There are a couple things you |
| guild, or want to start up your own guild there | | | | can do to make sure that your members know |
| are a lot of things to take into consideration if | | | | that their leader is taking an active role and is |
| you want to minimize your administrative time, | | | | helping to ensure everyone's success. The |
| maximize your guild effectiveness, and provide a | | | | easiest thing to do is to say hello to everyone |
| safe and fun environment for your members. | | | | and goodbye to everyone when you login and |
| Communication is the most important part of | | | | logoff to the game. It's most important to do |
| providing your members with effective | | | | this in the earlier days of your guild creation, but |
| leadership. There are three main ways of | | | | it's a good habit to get into no matter how old |
| communicating with your members. The most | | | | your guild is. |
| important way of conveying your vision to the | | | | The third method of communication is more tech |
| masses is via online forums. There are any | | | | heavy - create a voice chat server using |
| number of free forum providers, and it's not that | | | | software such as Ventrilo or Teamspeak. I've |
| expensive to buy your own domain to start your | | | | had more success with Ventril, but your mileage |
| guild off right - or make it distinct from the other | | | | may vary. Realtime chat helps out a lot during |
| guilds in your game - and install forum software. | | | | raids, or in games where you need to work as a |
| The most important part of your forum is going | | | | unit in realtime such as Call of Duty. |
| to be your guild rules area or FAQ. Create a list | | | | As the guild leader, it is your responsibility to |
| of rules that you want your guild members to | | | | ensure that the rules are clear, violations are dealt |
| enforce, such as, no kill stealing, Guild practice day | | | | with quickly and that everyone is hearing your |
| and time, power leveling, or raids, allowed | | | | message. Communication is the key! |
| comments - such as no racism, no swearing, | | | | |