So you think you're ready to start your own clan? But are you really ready? This article may be a helpful checkpoint. From here on be ready for your old clan mates to brand you a traitor, your amount of enemies in game to increase, and a number of problems you have never had to deal with come up.
On the flip side, much like starting your own business in real life, starting a clan is for many a freedom that is one way road worth every inch of the challenge. Be it the privacy and safety of your own hideout, a common message board with unforgettable friends, or the win-win scenarios that clanning together brings about, life will never be the same. But are you ready? Here are some things to consider:
Finances
Most clans that fail is because of gold. Another reason would be inappropriate content for the game. However, we can not give advice on this last one. If you deliberately violate the rules of decency, do so at your own risk. But back to finances... Did you know every member could cost you up to 30 k gold a month? And your basic fee of 10 members can be partially waived with a good website? Do you have one lined up? And speaking of website, are you aware that if its not its own dot com, you probably won't get more then 8 points discount because of annoying pop up adds? Is your website viewable by blind players also (like are your pictures correctly tagged)? A good idea is to send some money - at least 10 dollars as a donation - if you are the one starting a clan. This is insurance money to cover unforseen events as you start growing the clan. And that's just a minimum.
Membership and Dues
Now that you know each member is not free, how many are you planning on having? Will you be charging dues? If so - how much? how often? Will you give clan members loans from the clan account? Do you know what a clan account is? What happens if someone can't make the gold payment? If you haven't considered all of this, now a good time to consider it.
Clan Channel, Commands, and eldering
Be sure to know clanset as a command and clan related commands such as: cwho, ct, clan, dues, etc. As the creator of the clan you need to know these things before you let others in. Also, only elder in your clan people you absolutely trust. Elders have a lot of power. You should also make it clear to people coming in if they can ever be elder or not and what the criteria would be. Not making this clear can cause people to leave.
Reason for existing and Runs
What is your reason for being? How does no one else have it? Is there a theme or a common history of running from a within a group of friends ? Are runs mandatory? If so, how often? Can non-clan members join? Are there a number of test runs people have to make before joining?
Criterias
A good rule of thumb is the better criteria you have, the more you are sorting who fits your clan and who will stay in the long run. If you open your clan just to any joe blow, don't expect much loyalty or much regards for what you are doing. The same for eldership. And, in this criteria, you have to delegate decision making very clearly - who can decide what and how can it be changed? The more criteria you have, the better off you are. Have you refined your criteria?
Your Base
Do you have a plan of what you want your base to be like? Or is it something you want to discuss with members after you get some? Are you counting on a god to do it (that may take time) ? Or can you learn the commands and make it fun that way?
There are a few things to remember with bases. First, you want them safe. This means you have to be able to control teleporting, summoning, etc. into your clan area. Also, you have to know how to do access control to where some rooms are only accessible by some people. Second, you need to get your logistics down: are rooms just fancy names or do they have operational purposes? For example, climbing to a room can help clan members develop the climbing skill in the long run. Another example, a room where casters use their magic can lead to clan members heading home to be healed between runs. Also, access control: are some rooms limited access ? to whom? Mind you your basic clan fee only entitles you to 19 rooms so say you have 10 clan members, do they each get a personal room???
Even if you are not pk or ppk, I recommend building your base as if you were. YOu never know who will join your clan or what will happen to you in the future. The safer your base, the better. So, for example, when people want to mutually link clan headquarters with you, refuse ! There is no reason whatsoever for others to be walking around your base. That's how things go missing, people get killed, and problems get started.
Encouragement / Psychology
I want to encourage you to go all the way if you are starting your own clan. Don't hesistate to ask the right people for advice along the way. And learning is half the fun !
Be psychologically prepared for others who are either jealous or trying to say they are better then you to bombard with harassing messages about you starting your clan. Just ask yourself why you are such a threat to them starting a clan and everything will be okay from there.
By now you have the hang of quests in AA. Maybe a few people helped you get some beginner level ones. You probably figured one or two on your own along the way. Its time to hit the hard stuff...
It will boil down to two things: figuring out the puzzle and having the manpower or raw strength to pull it off. Whatever happens, you have to understand its going to take several steps to achieve a difficult quest. Don't expect results right away. Maybe not even the same day. Ever wonder why some people get mad when others help with quests?? Its because they had to do it the hard way. And that's what this article is about - the new quest for you.
Going at it alone. Here you find what you can. A big part is exploring the area. Search and scan every room for sure. Use spells to locate items or mobs. Do what you do but don't get discouraged. You're pre-screening so to say.
Your first level friends. Some people you team with. That's third level. Others you team with often. This can be unidirection or mutual help. Your regular team amtes are your secodn level friends. Now here comes the friends that you do the most dangerous thing in the world with: exploring. That's your first level friends. You've pulled out of life and death often. You have a rythm all are part of. And you're not afraid to explore - with them. Well its time to call them in.
Putting it together. By now several first level friends probably tried the quest alone already and got stuck. One idea leads to another. Here a variety of skills and spells, as well as system commands help you out. For example, you don't know where to go looking for a mob needed to talk to? Maybe the area command can help you if you know who did the quest - its probably in one of his or her areas. That was a small example.
Beyond the nutshell. Some quests may need more then a handful of tough guys and gals. But if you're thinking of getting a platoon or an army together, you better make it worth everyones time. So on the witches deed - for ex. - if you're gathering numbers to get Lich - make sure everyone else in the group is up to par on the previous steps to the quest. Make ift worth others time so they come with you again. If you burn them and use them, its only a matter of time before they stop gathering.
The reward. After looking at your puzzle from many different views, trying several days, associating with trusted friends, the pay off comes along... and the sense of pride in having EARNED your quest.legal, so-so, and illegal options
If you're here you're in trouble. It means you already tried to get off the list and now you're having problems. The thing is this: AA is largely based on players handling their own problems. So the good news is... you may still have options.
First you go with the legal options. One good rule of thumb is that every 10 players who add you as a friend makes up for every person who got you on ignore. Do the mathematics... you're better off being removed from ignore lists. However that is not easy without going around ignore. So if you want to do this legally, what can you do? Here are some thoughts:
Once you are done with legal options, and before going into illegal options, you may try some so-so options. By so-so options we mean things that are either unclear if they are legal or not or things that are illegal but no one really cares to enforce them for the sake of players handling their own problems. The basis of so-so options is that a lot of times an asshole is on ignore by a variety of friends who tried to show loyalty to another friend but to whom the guy on ignore never actually did anything wrong to. Here are some so-so options that have been tried by players on ignore:
Well that cuts the legal and so-so ways. And though I do not recommend any of the following illegal options, they have been done before so I am listing them. Many of them are purely nasty.
The best option by far is the so-so negotiation option.