CLOK BBS

As a new player it is very frustrating how to join a guild. The wiki doesn't even really give tips on this, and this would be nice.
Second, my understanding with most guilds the GMs have to be a part of that, why not let players do it? The guild itself could have a set of tasks setup that the GMs approve, and applicants would have to successfully complete to get in. I think this would work better for all.

Very few guilds require GM input to join.

They currently include the Claws, Thieves, Templars, Lorekeepers (I believe) and 2 pretty secretive guilds. I may be missing one.

They're set up like that, because they're supposed to RP-intensive, and very selective about the type of people they'll allow join.

Dorn wrote:Very few guilds require GM input to join.

They currently include the Claws, Thieves, Templars, Lorekeepers (I believe) and 2 pretty secretive guilds. I may be missing one.

They're set up like that, because they're supposed to RP-intensive, and very selective about the type of people they'll allow join.

for a game that is supposed to be more rp driven, there is sure a lot of grinding. I'm lucky to get people to stick around and rp for five minutes. I guess it's because I'm new, but either way the bordom sets in quickly at this point.
Hopefully the things I've started in rp go somewhere to keep my interest enough to play.

ydia wrote:

Dorn wrote:Very few guilds require GM input to join.

They currently include the Claws, Thieves, Templars, Lorekeepers (I believe) and 2 pretty secretive guilds. I may be missing one.

They're set up like that, because they're supposed to RP-intensive, and very selective about the type of people they'll allow join.

for a game that is supposed to be more rp driven, there is sure a lot of grinding. I'm lucky to get people to stick around and rp for five minutes. I guess it's because I'm new, but either way the bordom sets in quickly at this point.
Hopefully the things I've started in rp go somewhere to keep my interest enough to play.

That's a common complaint and one I've felt at points before. However, I will say, a lot of people don't grind at all and I know of at least one character who mostly sits around roleplaying with those who wander past. The biggest piece of advice I can offer is that a ESP amulet isn't a luxury in Clok, it is a necessity and using it and talking on there I find is a quick way to get yourself involved in a lot of things.

I sometimes really wonder if a good thing to do would be to remove the amulets from the stores, leave the tuning crystals, and just make the ones we start with permanent.

The grinding bothers some people, others don't mind it, and yet others enjoy it being part of the game. It sounds like you're the first case. CLOK is what it is, and won't be able to please everyone. Literally any system change we make gets us complaints from someone. I know I see (what I consider to be) quality roleplay going on daily, so it's definitely there. In CLOK, we're at a sort of middle ground where you need to put effort into developing your character's skills (i.e. "grind") rather than just claiming them and playing that role - mechanics back a lot of things here, but it's also roleplay-enforced. I know we've lost a number of people due to not being at their standard of roleplay, or requiring skill grinding to develop a character's skills, but it works for us and our players we do have and maintain.

As to the original point of joining guilds: The vast majority are open to join by anyone without any GM interaction or attention whatsoever. Unless things were changed recently, you don't need a GM at all to get you into the Guild of Thieves. (They don't put out leaflets informing people how to find/join them, though.) Joining a guild typically takes a bit of effort. You must first A) Learn about the guild to begin with, B) Find where their recruiter is (an easy way is to ask via ESP), and C) Ask the recruiter about joining (the command is literally ask [NPC] about join). Then bam, you're in.

A few guilds require other members to initiate you (no GM action required). Some guilds require you to go through automated tasks first, and you are initiated upon completion (no GM action required). A very select few require GM initiation, such as Knights Templar and the Monastic Order, because the RP requirements and standards are particularly demanding, as are the guilds themselves as far as whom they are willing to accept. In general, you'll be able to find out what you need to do by asking on ESP how to join the guild you're interested in. Exceptions would be the more secretive guilds, which don't exactly talk about themselves over public ESP. Those ones are supposed to be harder to join.

Ultimately, it's supposed to take a little effort to join a guild. This requires people to think about the choice at least a little bit instead of just joining a guild on a shotgun decision, only to realize it's not the guild for them, and then we get into discontentment over the fact that it's nigh impossible to join another guild once you've joined (and presumably quit) one already.