What do you want in a cabal?

[Ravynswind]

What is something that you look for when choosing a group to play with? Are there certain things that you would love to see in 9S? What are some of the things that you would hate to see in the group?

[Maxwell Blue]

For me the important thing in a guild/cabal are the people. If it's fun to play because all the guildies can enjoy the game and there are no requirements to grind content or to do anything else not fun to everybody, all the rest doesn't really give me a headache.

Don't get me wrong here, I find structures are necessary when you aim for a certain size and I really enjoy reading up on the knowledge others have to offer and I'm more than happy to share my knowledge with others, discuss things, try to improve and help others improve. So all the stuff currently on the site and planned to be there (telling by the already existing structure there is) is very interesing and helpful and cool and I really appreciate the work you put into that, really.

But for me a cabal/guild is not a knowledgebase, strategy forums or help thread. It can be all that and I find it helpful to have people around I know (usually it's easier to find help from them and to see how to rate their comments, because you probably know from which angle they see certain aspects of the game), but to me a guild/cabal is mainly a group of people I like to hang out with, I enjoy (role-)playing with and of which I know to have a similar attitude.

maybe I can come up with something more helpful once I saw what others think about the whole topic but for now this is it and I hope I got the point across I wanted to make: it's the people that matter.

[Cephas Ironclad]

Just working together really.. I've been in alot of guilds and this is how it usualy is.. 90% of the guild doing their own thing 10% of the guild actually communicating and every now and then meeting up to do some pvp or quest. It should be constant working and playing together to create a close community and military order! >:O!!! kill!!! kill!!! dem dragonzzz!!! kill dem lumieZ!!!!!

[Xeeyon]

In a cabal, I want...

Fairness for all, clarity in rules & expectations & decisions & etc., respect for members regardless of their rank, as little drama as possible but not at the cost of neglecting to address problems when they arise.

I want to have fun, and fun people to play with. I like a group (guild, cabal, etc.) that can be supportive without being invasive (if I want to do stuff on my own and just chill, or if I want to blow some steam by keeling schiite, I wanna do so without receiving more or less subtle comments aiming at guilt-tripping me).

We don't all play the same way, we have different schedules, each player has a different life setup beyond the screen. We can't possibly imagine all the situations out there, and my life is complicated enough (and private enough) that I don't see why I should have to justify not wanting to go on a raid if I sit at the computer and know that I'll have to afk in 5 minutes... and again 10 minutes after that... If I have to explain the why and the how of that, it's invading my privacy. Not something you want to do to a Scorpio

[Katelin]

What do I want in a cabal - or more specifically from 9S? Hard question to answer because when I really think about this question, I probably want too much - and you all reading this will think I am an even crazier woman than you already summised!!

First and foremost, I want good strong relationships.
The openness, the unwaivering feeling that everyone wants to listen and to ensure everyone is heard, trust and hopefully in many cases, friendships.

To support those relationships, I want clarity and frameworks
To know where I stand, where others stand.. and what we are doing- an overall sense of structure, focus and goal driven goodness.

I want a sense of being - to feel like I belong, and that everyone around me does too.

I want 9S to all do this together - no puppets, just much participation and involvement from everyone when they can and also my space to just enjoy being part of cabal chatter if I want to just sit on a bench and do nothing.

[Maxwell Blue]

To me it seems like there might be some conflict between what Cephas said about playing together always and what Xeeyon said about playing on your own schedule.

I can totally understand both of them. Regarding Cephas comment, we're not in a guild to avoid each other and play alone. You really don't need a guild to do that. But I can understand Xeeyon, too. Sometimes you just don't have the time to join the others in whatever they planned and sometimes you might just not be in the mood to join them. Maybe you're tired, had a bad day or just generally don't like the content the rest of the guild planned to tackle on that day.

There is not really a problem for me having both points of view as a guideline in the cabal. I think we should try to play as much together as possible but I won't frown at people telling me that they just can't or don't want to do whatever it is everyone is doing today. After all we really got our own preferences of how to play a game and we all got a real life (at least I hope so).

Do you think there is a problem to integrate both opinions into 9S? Are there any problems I didn't mention or are you all OK with both types of players (if they are different types of players at all)?


Looking at Katelin's post I really feel that I want the same things.. respect and friendship should solve the above mentioned problems, too.
What came to my mind are social in game events the cabal might have. Depending on size and interest in 9S that could be a regular hour/night in 'The Horned God' (with following or preceding raid event) once a week or month, cabal picnics once every year or anything in between.
What do you think about social in game events? Are they viable? What would you like to do?

[Corenna]

For the people we have now, I think social events would be totally viable. We all enjoy each other's company, chatting all the time. It seems as though we are the reverse of what most cabals would be, meaning that we spent most of our time together just talking and some of the time playing games.

I think I have to agree with Katie's point about belonging. I really tend to be a solo player, as I don't like playing in groups with people I don't know. And in a lot of the guilds I used to play in, I never really felt a part of them. I was usually in them because Pluto told me to join or my other friends just added me so people would stop pestering me with guild invites. But I didn't really belong. That's what I'm hoping for from this cabal, that since I am so close to everyone and I am doing so much to build it, that I will feel that way when we are established. I'm really looking forward to it.

[Xeeyon]

When I read what Cephas wrote, I felt I needed to bring the counterpoint, as an excess of hugging can end up in choking

(On a completely unrelated note, it's been surmised that in the movie "Gladiator", Commodus didn't actually try to kill his father but "hugged him to death"... O_O)

I'm a firm believer that a good balance between the two is not only attainable, but something to strive for. Otherwise, either we grow apart or we grow on each other's toes...

[Pluto]

Don't f*ck with me and we'll be peachy keen. Golden rule after all.


......actually I planned on that being a joke but it seems that is actually a crude statement on my entire thought on the matter. I stay in cabal/guilds cause it seems to be the most ideal choice for being social in an MMO and easily maintaining friendships...I work cause I want to contribute and I usually rise fast through ranks when I want to stay in a guild/cabal.

So....I pretty much just for people that are willing to lend a helping hand to lowbies, have a sense of humour, and aren't jackasses...well they can be if its just hilarious (I have axen in mind while I'm typing this XD)

[Xeeyon]

(I have axen in mind while I'm typing this XD)

I had axen in mind before reading your parenthesis