Guild package deals are usually mail bombs
It is inevitable as a guild leader or officer that you’re eventually going to need to fill a certain role in your organization. It is also inevitable that you’re going to have a chance to fill that role with someone who comes with baggage. That baggage is usually another player that you don’t necessarily need and, if you’re extra lucky, it might be more than one! What do you do when faced with the prospect of a package deal? There is no easy answer to the question but there are some key points that will assist guild administrators in making good choices.
Why a package?
The first question you should always ask is “why are these people packaged together?” That may seem like basic information but the answer will tell you a lot about your chances of success. Are these players a real life or in character couple? Are they friends who’ve always played together or do they come from the same guild? Finding out why a package exists will give you a hint at their motivations for staying together. It is obvious that a real life husband and wife would want to play together. It is less compelling, though, if this “couple” is nothing more than an MMO only internet fling that could easily end in drama. Knowing really is half the battle!
Why avoid the package?
In dealing with packages I am a hypocritical and bias source. Historically, I’ve had a lot of trouble when dealing with them as a guild leader. I had so much trouble with it that in Iniquity we pretty much told packages no immediately. At the same time, however, I am quite frequently part of a package deal with my close friends. I don’t want to play an MMO without these friends and rarely want to be in different guilds. It is due to this that I try to ensure our team doesn’t raise the warning flags of packages.
Packages frequently cover a weakness. I’m sure I’ll get a lot of disagreement here but in my experience this is true most of the time. In a package you’ll find one or two hardcore players who want to take the next step but don’t want to leave their buddy behind. They use their preparedness, skill and ability to mask that their friend is really more of a casual guy just along for the ride. If you’re willing to take one or two bad plays for a good one this isn’t a problem. In a competitive raid guild, however, this is a major issue.
Packages are less likely to be loyal. Packages are loyal to themselves before they are to the guild at the onset. When they’re in the recruitment process they feel more confident than a single player and will gladly go to another guild that will have them. They are also inclined not to cut friends loose and will all leave if even one of them fails the process. Are you willing to spend time and effort on four players just to lose them all when one doesn’t make the cut?
Package leaders might want bribes. This doesn’t happen a lot but you will occasionally get a package that wants something to bring their amazing talents. This is frequently an officer slot of some type to “represent” them. In short, all trying to just explain things and let you make a decision aside, this is the worst possible thing you could ever do. Caving in to recruits is dangerous. It shows them that they do have power and it also hurts the morale of your current members.
Couples can be volatile. I’ve found over the years that married people in real life that play together are extremely safe packages to take. If you lose one you will lose the other but, in general, I’ve had huge success with this demographic. On the other hand an internet lovers package is one of the most volatile, drama-attracting substances known to man. One side might fall for someone new in guild and then you have catastrophe. Just be careful!
You probably don’t need it. Sometimes you will be hurting for a tank, healer or support class. It might be one that is just recently amazing and previously underplayed. Is it really worth getting a 12th tank to sit on the bench to get one? Generally, no. You just add frustration to the other 11 benched tanks and now have one more. If you absolutely don’t need the tag along I’d suggest looking elsewhere.
Avoid Sub-Cultures. If you’re bringing in a larger package you might create a sub-culture in your guild. These players may not see the game as you do and start pushing for changes you don’t want to make. If they are a big enough group you might have to make them to keep them pleased! This is a bad situation to be in. Try to avoid letting your new package stay segregated. Put them in different groups on a raid and encourage the individuals to group with others.
Not all packages are bad
I am hugely against packages coming into a guild but truthfully they’re not all bad. As I mentioned in the bullets I’ve had huge success with real life married people as a package. You may also find a package like mine that is willing to see a guild succeed and happy to go along with their program. We’ve never joined a guild and made demands. We also didn’t try to make sweeping changes or stay introverted. Reaching out to other guild mates was just our method. It worked out well for everyone but that is more of an exception. Always contemplate the risk vs reward when you’re trying to decide if you’ll accept a package. Expect the worst but hope for the best and you just might be surprised.
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I’m the product of a package deal, and I can tell ya it’s all true. Leading a small elitist guild in WAR, we decided to merge into a much larger guild and alliance to get in on some of the hot RvR action that we had been missing out on.
Weakness
Two of my guildies simply were not good at the game, one was a GF, and the other was our token guild girl. Very nice players, but not as hardcore as the rest of use.
Loyalty
My loyalty, and my guildies, were to each other way before the loyalty to the guild/alliance we were moved into. Although this has diminished over time, it’s still there.
Bribery
Although I didn’t ask for it, the new guild leader assumed that I would require an officer position for bringing over my elitist players. The guild in response is marginally responsive to my command. A warband left in my hands usually degenerates within the hour, and leadership has nothing to do with it.
Volatility
Situations like this disrespect offend my guildies more than it does to me. They, being elitist jerks, tend to get on people and rub them the wrong way. Just inflaming the problem further.
Excess and Subculture
We don’t fit in well because we’re all used to running with each other anyway. If one of us fills in with another group it’s because they need one more person, not because they see us as the best solution for the group. This goes both ways if we’re running our own group as well.
Overall, being part of a larger group is better for as even with all the caveats. Before we were a small guild hooked into a dying alliance. Inactivity was rising and our communication with other guilds throughout the game was flailing horribly. After merging, our inactive players came back to the game again and people that I had seen perhaps once a week are now regular players again. My personal challenge is getting to know the large guild and establishing myself as the officer I’ve been assigned to be. Something that is resisted every step of the way…
I’ve been part of a “package deal” a few time in the past. The one time a raiding guild in WoW asked our small guild if we wanted to come along to shore up their numbers. It worked out pretty well for all involved, I think. I will agree that we were more loyal to ourselves than to the guild, but I don’t think it’s realistic to expect people to have complete loyalty to only the guild.
The “bribe” thing kind of worked against us in our next guild, though. One of our friends became an officer to “represent” the rest of us, and got sucked into guild politics. The rest of us left but he stayed because of his responsibilities.
More recently, I was recruited into a guild in LotRO and got my GF in as well. Except that she was playing a needed class and she happens to be really good at her class (healing specced Captain).
Worked out great for the kinship, I think.
It’s probably a case-by-case basis thing in general. Just one more thing to look out for in social dynamics of the guild. A good leader should keep these in mind anyway, I think.
I see what you did there.
Do you really! Really? =D