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Will there be in-game player created guilds?
Archived Post
Member Posts: 5,050,278 Bounty Hunter
Title says it all. There's a thread discussing guilds, but no one has really come out-right and asked. So, I'm asking.
*pokes StormShade*
*pokes StormShade*
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I hope someone from Cryptic responds to this; I am interested as well. Nothing has been mentioned yet (as far as I know), but I would love to have this functionality.
I wonder, though, what it would actually mean to have player-created guilds? I doubt NPCs would react in any way to them. Without some type of directory, other players would not really know what each guild was all about. Also, if anyone could create a guild, you may end up with countless smaller guilds that don't really mean anything.
Still, though, I like the idea of forming some type of recognized in-game group.
Since Cryptic go for a multiplayer co-op RPG instead of a usual MMO model, I think it's safe to assume that the small (3-6?) adventure group is going to be the norm, not overarching factions/guilds.
Players are free to do as they please, and I suppose forming guilds/factions playerside could work in some form, though I doubt they'll have much impact on the game nor mechanics.
However, with the current layout from Cryptic, I think you have to visualise a pnp adventure group instead of huge masses of people huddled together in various guilds/factions.
Factions is completely different from guilds. For example, in STO the Federation and the Klingons would be factions. On the other hand there are player created fleets which would be the guilds of that game.
Depends on the game, doesn't it? Not everything here is going to resemble STO. For instance, there'll (hopefully) not be any Klingons in Neverwinter ..
As for player-created groups/guilds/factions/whatever, I believe I already commented on that in my earlier post, as something the players can probably make up if they wish to do so, although it appears this game is mostly catering to the smaller adventure groups. Would you call such a group a guild? A faction?
It is always possible of course for people to organize guilds outside of game. OTG does that all the time
No idea about what cryptic's naming system is, but my conception of grouping sizes goes something like
Player < Party < Guild < Faction < Player Base
In my experiences with DnD, factions generally seem to be organized along lines of nationality / race / religion / alignment, while guilds are organized for a more specific focus, such as trade / adventuring / craft / other specific goal.
Of course, these categories are loose and ultimate categorization as guild or faction rests in how the creators choose to define a particular group. My test of the whether or not something is a faction or a guild: If a group arises or is largely defined by what it is against or in conflict with, then it is a faction. Otherwise, it is a guild.
Lastly, guilds and factions do not necessarily have to be mutually exclusive. One could argue, for example, that the Zhentarim are a guild in that they are organized for crime and extortion. But, being in opposition to forces of law, they are also a faction.
Not sure if any of this makes much sense; basically, guilds and factions are usually defined differently but may end up as one and the same.
If guilds could build their own custom made guildhall with a special (or not so special) Foundry... Hmm.. Actually, technically speaking, assuming we are able to customize our NPC's in the Foundry, you could actually build a replica of what you feel your guildhall (or lands) would look like, and actually build in tribute characters modeled from your actual players.
Back in CoH/CoV we were able to create our base using what I imagine was like first gen Foundry. Of course I would also like to be able to design a private residence as well. Those could become something similar to mini-games, and playable versions could let you actually go and raid another player's private residence or guildhall, and have NPC replica's of the guildies/character come out and defend.
Obviously for bragging rights and same loot/coin drops as a similar level dungeon.. It would give us a place to spend extra coins though, buying fortifications, building additional structure and conveniences in our guild/private residence. There could even be a Sim type mini-game inside, where your lands become more and more populated, and soldiers (red shirts) are better geared and trained and leveled... lol
Yes, I did digress, pardon me. I am all for guilds, obviously..
E
Factions headed by external forces probably should be company controlled. Red Wizards, Bregan D'aerthe, and the more organized churches/faiths. Although that could easily be delegated. (You player have earned the title of head of the Bregan D'aerthe in Neverwinter.)
Guilds will probably be unofficial at launch as well, but I could see them easily leading to something after launch, as they would be effective lobbies. I'd like to see more IC guilds and organizations rather than imported alliances.
- Bar
You can use the custom chat channels UI (the chat channels being part of the Cryptic Engine core UI and pretty much likely to work identically in Neverwinter) to create a members only Guild channel that people subscribe to without needing a guild.
For seeing if people are logged in or not your Friends list has the same functionality if you don't mind cluttering that up with guild mates and the Friends list also has the same functionality for showing what instances your friends are in for teaming up with them or swapping around to be in the same one as them.
About the only thing that a Guild does really that another part of the UI doesn't is put a guild name tag floating beneath your players name and giving you a guild bank to use.
And since this isn't a MMO and they are avoiding apparently a lot of typical MMO stuff we don't know how / if banking will be implemented in the game (much less whether guilds will be).
That said, there is a section on these forums labelled "Guild Recruitment" so I'd be really rather surprised if they didn't include guilds in some form in the game since they've been providing a site for them to organize at on these forums since they launched.
+1
And I think they already confirmed "guilds" or some social units in the game in some of the first interviews.
Anything that enhances the social aspect of the game, I am for. Guilds do that.
The pnp game had registered adventuring companies, so why not call guilds that? Makes them work rp wise in game that way.
I think the person is more interested if you will have guild halls and other guild related accoutrements; something your other games lack.
thhbt
Sorry, couldn't resist
They have done guild bases before. CoH/CoV had SG bases two years before Cryptic ceased to be associated with that game.
More recently, CO is getting Hideouts next Wednesday (July 6) so customizable sort of housing will be in-game there then.
Personally have mixed feelings about guilds, they can be very useful and cool, but need balance and oversight. Very abusable.
- Bar
Why do they need balance and oversight? All guilds do is make it easier for like minded players to game together. Abuse only comes if an individual allows themselves to be abused in a guild. If you join a guild ran by an egomaniac then it should not be to hard to determine you might want to leave.
Except hideouts are personal bases, not guild bases.
Oh that's not the issue. Yes exactly players vote with their feet.
More like they can coordinate to game the system. Like getting all their friends together to rate a Guild Vanity module highly. Or if exploits are found use them heavily, and hide the results. Facilitate muling (sharing of items and resources across characters). All sorts of things that can unbalance the economy and potentially alienate other players. Like most things good guilds are great, bad ones can be destructive.
- Bar
True, but it is a step in the right direction towards them again.
Again, this isn't an MMO so there's no global economy to be unbalanced. And if people want to twink their characters it does you no harm. There's no pvp, raids, gear checks, etc. and even if there were you don't have to participate in them or even share the same shard with people who do those things. And as for skewing results with guilds voting up their own modules it will quickly become evident that's the case and people will avoid those sorts of things. And better still, there'll always be groups of people that run counter to that. Whom you like and whose opinions you respect. They'll generally have similar tastes so those are the people you'll be paying attention to on their feedback of modules you haven't run and itf they're worth it, and vice versa.
I think I can honestly say without reservation at this point that this is one aspect of the game you will not have to worry about.
Sorry I don't agree, "this isn't an MMO so there's no global economy to be unbalanced". Just because there are limits on the interactions, its horribly short sighted to think there is no economy and therefore no reason to worry about the side effect of actors working in concert.
The city/lobby has been described as a PW and I can assure you that economies exist in a PW.
This coop approach and lack of PvP changes the economies and its effects, no doubt. But I strenuously disagree with your statement.
As for the rest, you do describe some mitigating factors. If there is such a rating system for example that helps. Although I have to tell you it would have to be well designed for that to actually to work well. Which is why we should worry now... so that it can be good later.
- Bar
But what are you expecting the guild to provide for the player(s)? Storage? A place to hang out? A PvP (GvG) option? A chat channel?
I definitely see the benefit of having a guild like chat channel. The local / zone chats from other games drive me nuts and are the first things I turn off.
So if having guilds, even in no other capacity than that of Champions (i.e. a big friends list and SG channel), than I'm all for it.
Oh come now any group of friends or a persistent world from nwn could do that too. Do you really think most guild leaders have that type of power to order all there guild mates to vote there crappy module as good. Not many in the scheme of things. Most large mmo guilds will probably not be drawn to this type of game anyway. I am one in few of 400 players that has some interest in this title.