Guilds... In General

While I find the article about guilds "A Guild by Any Other Name" by Games Domain Review to be interesting and well researched for present time, I did find the choice of Guilds somewhat interesting.

Now before anyone gets all wound up, I'll be straight forward, I have only heard of one of the guilds mentioned. That being "The Syndicate". The Syndicate is very active in EQ and UO (or was). What the guild is now, compared to their entrance into UO, is a testament of persistence and growing. Now their yells of, "LLTS!" are common place in EQ and are no longer met by scorn or dislike. The Syndicate has indeed grown into and well earned the reputation as one of the premier guilds on line. This is fact and can never be refuted by anyone with any knowledge or time spent on line.

The other guilds mentioned in the article I quite honestly have never heard of before in close to 10 years of actively playing on line games. This doesn't mean they are not good guilds, this doesn't mean they do not deserve to be noticed, this doesn't mean they in fact may be the best guilds on line. What this does mean is that the author based his discussion on guilds being over two years old.

Two years is a relatively short time to most people, and many guilds that last two years will not last to a third or fourth. The strength of a guild when based on time established is seen after multiple leadership changes with in the guild. A player may lead a guild for 2 or 3 years and then step down for whatever reason and that guild will head into self-destruction with the appointment or battle for power of a new guild leader.

The same may be said when a small group disbands from a guild to form their own only to crumble into dust. Persistent leadership is needed to make a guild survive the tests of time. Does this mean the guild will not change over time? Not at all, change is needed to survive the changing worlds games create and challenge the guilds and players with. But the foundation of a guild must stay the same or the guild will perish as to much change is just as deadly as no change at all.

A good aligned guild in UO, will not be able to follow the exact steps as the same guild in EQ. Shadowbane, it self being full of new ideas, creates a whole new challenge to most guilds, as to how they will follow their standards, and yet, be effective within the new world. Only how these challenges are met will decide the fates of many guilds. Be they new or old, Good or Evil, the guild structure and the guild dedication to that structure is what makes a guild survive.

But I digress from the reason for this. As I was saying earlier, I do not write this counter article to insult or demean any guild listed in the other article but to point out the exclusion of some guilds, that when based on age and success, should be at the top of anyone's lists.

The two oldest online Guilds that I am aware of were formed in NWN on AOL. Those being KAAOS and Crusaders of the Realms. Both, if I am not mistaken on my dates here, are approaching their 8th birthday as an online guild. Both guilds although totally opposite in gaming style are alive and well and show no weakening in the coming years. The Mercs also come to mind as a long time guild. (BDA) Bregan D'Aerth, another NWN guild, has survived the test of time with a very strong and loyal foundation of like-minded players. Syndicate with out a doubt has proved they will not disappear any time soon and although not as old as the above guilds, in many ways may out survive the above guilds, but again, time will tell the story.

The strangest thing about guilds are, none of the above mentioned guilds had the largest member roster in any game (exception to COR in NWN). None seem to be mentioned in multiple upon multiple articles spanning across the internet regarding guilds (exception to Syndicate in "A Guild by Any Other Name"). And really, if you ask any of the long time members of those guilds, that would be just fine with them. Yet these guilds in some way helped create the boom that has become "Online Gaming Guilds". Be it through their actions or just giving the idea to someone else to make a guild, which happened to notice them and wanted something just a bit different.

I truly doubt that any of the older guilds will ever reclaim the reputations they once had in games with the new creation of ubber guilds who swallow up members based only on levels and items. But it nice to know that many guilds out there that have survived and matured, are available for those who look beyond the visible aspects of a game. You may never get rich, but you will rarely be bored with any of the above mentioned guilds!

Kalfear
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(Edit from Div, added a link to boards)