One of the fundamental components of nearly all MMOs are guilds, teams, or other grouping options. You team up with friends and like-minded individuals – it’s about having fun together, achieving common goals, glory and honor; it’s about items and loot, it’s about defeating virtual and real opponents that wouldn’t be conquerable alone, and so on – in other words: It’s about a whole lot! It’s about the MMOG itself!
The fact is: Even if it’s not absolutely necessary for every player, MMO groups are still one of the cornerstones of the multi-massively-online game!
Whether voluntarily or forced by the architecture of many MMOs, even dedicated solo players cannot entirely do without other players or groups in most online games. At least if they want to experience all the game content that they typically paid for in one way or another.
And the MMO creators themselves? Yes, they want you to play together too! Taking the classic example of the vintage game World of Warcraft, some almost mandatory measures stand out that are intended to “excite” players about the benefits of playing together: guild bonuses, group achievements, and a multitude of instances that are hardly manageable alone, to name just a few examples. The actual background story of WoW cannot fundamentally be followed as a solo player without participating in some form of group play.
And now let’s be honest, why not? In the past, it was said that these freaky gamers would one day sit alone with square eyes in front of their machines and cry because they have no real friends left (or never had?). Well, think again, today half the world is “on the line” and hardly any smartphone owner can imagine a life without Facebook, Twitter, and who knows what other apps. So, get out there and form groups!
Success depends on many factors
OK, I admit, bad experiences with lousy groups can really spoil the fun of the game. Grumpy raid leaders who play dictator in Teamspeak, know-it-all pro gamers who have to mock every newbie, and stinky ninja farmers who snatch loot right in front of you can really get on your nerves. 😉
BUT, despite that – a really great group can enhance the enjoyment of the game for months and create unforgettable moments. And if the “foreign” grouping doesn’t work out, well then just create your own and do it better! Grab your friends, keep an eye out for other players you can cooperate well with, be selective, but also give others a chance to become part of your community.
Those of you who have already been leaders or at least officers in an administrative role will probably groan out loud and say: “Ohh, man, if it were only that easy!” And all we can say to that is: “You’re right!” – the success of a well-functioning group, a guild, or a team depends on many factors and does not necessarily come overnight. And that’s exactly why, because we love MMOs and know that groups are a fundamental part of what we love, we’re making this a major topic here. 😀
This area will focus on how to successfully form your groups, which tools, add-ons, or other aids can help you, what you can do to keep the guys and (not to forget!) the girls engaged, and what makes your members damn well go to the darn fanpage and even be active there. 😉
In this spirit,………..may the group power be with you!
