Regarding Guild invites/blind pm's

Mars Dragonblade

Mars Dragonblade

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: May 2006

Awesometon.

Ministry of Fate [MoF]

W/

The top two results for the search I carried out didn't contain a specific suggestion related directly to what I'm about to say, and neither did I see this under the 'Guild' section of the ideas index, so if this has already been suggested then I apologize thoroughly.
I thought about this after reading a thread in the Guilds Discussion forum and this is regarding guild invitations. The OP of the forum I mentioned was asking: How many people, like him, had made a guild in which you were the one single member? Various reasons were said but one in particular I related to more - escaping blind guild invitations and constant annoying PM's. So, for the population of GW that wish to remain guildless and instead enjoy being a free agent, this is my suggestion ("finally!" I hear you say): Add an option in the [H]ero screen which can be toggled on/off that clearly displays on your character (when highlighted/selected) whether or not you are deliberately remaining guildless, or, maybe, if you are actively looking for one. It serves three purposes. The first is the most obvious: a considerable reduction in the number of blind invites and constant PM's asking if you want to join a guild, allowing free agents to enjoy themselves without being hounded. The second is that people who are eagerly looking for a guild will be asked more frequently, and can choose from a large list of invites which guild they think they'd be happiest in. The last purpose is to eliminate the need/want/implication/hinting of a recruitment channel, and so it minimises trade spam.

Comments or contructive criticism is appreciated.

BrotherGilburt

BrotherGilburt

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Feb 2006

USA

Mo/

Sure.

But were would it "appear" on your character? I don't think anything else should be listed under your characters name.

Or would it appear next to your characters name where the guild initials usually are?

Brother Gilburt

Mars Dragonblade

Mars Dragonblade

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: May 2006

Awesometon.

Ministry of Fate [MoF]

W/

Well my initial thought was to have the message similar to that of how titles are displayed, but since you may be right about adding more text under your name then maybe it could be displayed above your character, similar to the party size icon or profession icons. Maybe a crossed out shield indicating that you are willingly remaining guild free and an uncovered shield icon indicating you are actively seeking a guild invitation. It would only be an extra two icons, and since the option to turn them on or off (once you've found a guild) exists then the screen wouldn't get too cluttered.

Why_Me

Why_Me

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Apr 2006

New Jersey

Mo/

/Signed
I think something in the place of the normal [(you guild abbreviation here]
like (insert name here) [looking]

Bane of Worlds

Bane of Worlds

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Mar 2006

Meadow

Rt/

it's pointless since you can make a guild with only 100g and you could add a cape for like 2k so there's very little reason to add that to the game.

Sli Ander

Sli Ander

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jul 2006

Deep in Maguuma, by the Falls

Liberators of Agony

Mo/R

As for the guild invitations themselves: How about have it so they are simply returned to sender if you don't want them? As if your 'guild invite box' is set to do not disturb/ignore(like on your friends list).
Unfortunately can't think of anything to do for pms, except maybe switch your status or something. Course that cuts you off from your friends list, honest questions, etc...

Carl Butanananowski

Carl Butanananowski

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Mar 2006

Arizona

We Have Big [Meat]

Just ignore PM'ers.

Terra Xin

Terra Xin

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Mar 2006

New Zealand

Me/R

A better way to implement that shield idea would be to have it on the persons health bar. Because you cant display enchantment/hex arrows and conditions... that sort of thing (In town), it could possibly display that shield with a cross/no cross.

Kaguya

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Jan 2006

Moon

Mo/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sli Ander
As for the guild invitations themselves: How about have it so they are simply returned to sender if you don't want them?
That would ruin the idea totally. There isn't much blind guild invitations sent thanks to the cost, but if that money was refunded, they could spam invites as much as they want, resulting in the chaos that it was after launch for people without guilds. A big collection of guild invites. :b

Sli Ander

Sli Ander

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jul 2006

Deep in Maguuma, by the Falls

Liberators of Agony

Mo/R

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kaguya
That would ruin the idea totally. There isn't much blind guild invitations sent thanks to the cost, but if that money was refunded, they could spam invites as much as they want, resulting in the chaos that it was after launch for people without guilds. A big collection of guild invites. :b
I never said refunded, because that would ruin the idea...I meant more that they'd get a message more to the effect that you weren't accepting invites or something. If they are stupid enough to shell out the gold to invite a random person(I've had someone attempt to badger me into a guild at one point, citing that 'otherwise I just wasted 100g'), then they deserve to lose the money.

bigwig

bigwig

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Oct 2005

Nova Scotia

#Dismantle

actually i think an icon of some sort above your head to signal that you are looking for a guild wouldn't be such a bad idea. Useful and cuts down on guild recruitment in local chat.

Oven

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jul 2006

E/N

I was thinking maybe a specific cape for people who want to join a guild. I also kinda like the idea of an icon or something above their heads or in the name in outposts. So people who turn these icons/cape off can be automatically considered as 'not wanting to join a guild'.

Mars Dragonblade

Mars Dragonblade

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: May 2006

Awesometon.

Ministry of Fate [MoF]

W/

Thanks for the input .

Making a single member guild raises a different point. Free agents shouldn't have to spend 2100 for a new cape and guild registration if they feel that that's the only way to be left alone, for any other reason then fair enough. It's not a huge amount of gold, but it's still gold that could be put to a better use than fobbing off recruitment. I like your idea Sli Ander, maybe if someone's guildless they can still press "g" and set an option on the menu that notifies the person trying to recruit that you wish to remain guild free at that time. I also like Terra's idea, if it's on the health bar it would be obvious because it would be the only icon visible on your health bar in town.
Keep the ideas coming.