I get what yer saying.
I've already covered how you should try and go about recruiting, but creating the enviroment of a family is a whole other spectrum.
What makes a family? Understand? Friendship? Fun? The answer is all three. The main way to create a good atmosphere in your guild, is to give your guild a reason to actually come online. I've had and have a lot of members in my guild who have told me that they would have left the game a long time ago if it wasn't for my guild. And THAT is what you should try to shoot for for every single member.
But how do you go about this? Well, I suggest using this sort of method:
- Start small. Give your new members a big, warm hello as soon as they join. Explain to them what the guild is like, ask them if they need help with anything. Get to know them.
- When your guild starts to grow a little, try and take them out on little guild activities, like sailing, privateering, looting, or even a game of tag. You'll want to show them that you aren't just some guild who sits around and does nothing.
- As your guild grows further, try and organize some pre-planned guild events, like parties, "Game Nights," and other things that will help your members become motivated to come online.
Over time, this will help you get closer to your members, and make your guild nice and cozy. Of course, you should always attempt to do the following things, as well:
- Say hello when a member comes online! This may seem small, but saying hello to your members when they come online really makes them know that you know they exist.
- Stimulate conversation! A quiet guild is not a guild at all. You want your guild chat to be nice and active, to create relationships between the members (and no, I'm not talking about BF/GF relationships :P)
- NEVER isolate other members. Inside jokes, one way conversations, and favoritism/grudges is what you DO NOT want in a guild. Isolating a members is the best way to close one.
- Try and open up your quiet and shy ones! Whenever one of my members is often quiet, I like to go, find them in game, and play around with them a bit. You might just be able to open up that member, and show it's true colors.
Last but not least, it comes down to you. Your the Guildmaster, the leader of the guild. If you really want your guild to succeed, the Guildmaster...
- Cannot be a dictator. A Guildmaster with absolute power is less of a friend, and more of an Overlord. Creating barriers between you and your members does just that - it creates barriers.
- Cannot be a pansy. As a Guildmaster, there are times where you will have to step up for yourself, and your guild. Don't be afraid to say "No," or "Excuse me?"
- Must set examples. Your members will often look up at you as their main advisor as to what they should do. And as such, you need to set examples for your guild members, by being kind to all pirates, being helpful, being supportive, and overall, being firm, yet gentle.
- Must have a trustworthy heirarchy. You need to make your that whoever you promote, you would be willing to let run your guild in your abscense. It often takes 6 months to a year in my guild to even be considered for a promotion, regardless of who they are and what their social status is.
Again, good luck with your guild mate. It won't be easy, but you just need to keep the faith
Good luck, and Happy Pirating!
