Everyone please read this closely and comment on the bottom indicating your understanding.
Ironsong Tribe Code of Conduct:
Why are we even doing this? We're doing this for the same reason we do everything that we (Ironsong) do: to make a good thing even better. As of right now, we are recognized as one of the best Horde guilds on Silver Hand. We are highly respected by our peers, and we hold events that are second to none. We grow by a couple of new members a week, at least, and this shows no sign of abating. Our weekly moots have attracted several other people with no intent on joining us, simply because we are that much fun. But as we grow, we run the risk of losing that cohesion. We will continue to grow, and we will continue to add new minds and new talents to our pool of heroes. We must remain unified by the cohesive vision that is Ironsong, and we will continue to be the excellent, successful, and above all, enjoyable group that we are now.
1. Be respectful. At all times. This is not optional. Show respect to your Tribemates, and to your fellow players, regardless of their faction or affiliation. We are all playing this game to enjoy it, and being rude or disrespectful to another player does not enhance anyone's enjoyment. If it enhances your own enjoyment, you are probably in the wrong guild. Being respectful is easy enough if you think about it. Even players that you dislike or seem unable to get along with can be treated with respect. When all else fails, the IGNORE filter is in place for a reason.
2. No cursing or vulgarity in guildchat. Try to keep everything reasonably PG-rated.
3. Maturity. We have many young members, and that's not the kind of maturity I'm talking about. Many of our younger members have already displayed a great deal more maturity than I had at their age. Specifically, maturity means the ability to deal with issues in a rational, reasonable, adult manner. It means being able to have the clarity of vision to be critical and honest with oneself, and to act based on the greater good rather than the personal good. It means being able to rise above pettiness, and to recognize that some conflicts are simply not worth getting into. A mature player knows better than to get involved in a confrontation with someone who is griefing them or engaging in some other irritating behavior. Members of the Ironsong Tribe are able to put their pride aside and respond appropriately.
4. Role-playing. All members of the tribe are expected to be familiar with the history of Azeroth. While some of us take this to a level bordering on the encyclopedic, a working familiarity with basic timelines will suffice. In addition to this, all players are expected to have a character concept that makes sense within the context of Azerothian history. This concept should be readily communicable through the player's in-character words and actions, and players are expected to remain in character a majority of the time. Guildchat should be in character (IC) as much as possible, but out of character (OOC) chat is permitted as long as it is clearly defined by double parenthesis ((as such)).
5. Keyboard skills. Ironsong Tribe members should have a high degree of competence in typing. We are a Roleplay-based guild, and as such we need to have high standards of personal expression. Capitalization, punctuation, and spelling all count. Nobody's perfect, but everyone is capable of improving. Emoticons are not an acceptible substitute for a well-posed emote. Please try to type out words, such as "you" rather than "u" and "thanks" rather than "thx".
6. Knowing when to quit. Azeroth is a tough, nasty place, and a lot of our characters are tough, nasty people. This is fine, and can make for some really good roleplay. But let's make sure that people understand the difference between in-character and out-of-character interactions. This is why use of parentheses on OOC stuff is so important. You are not your character. Sreng and Dayv are not the same person, though they may be similar in many ways (my tusks are bigger). Make sure that a player understands that you are roleplaying something potentially negative, and avoid that kind of roleplay with people you don't know well. Be prepared to explain yourself (OOC /tells are a great way to do that). Essentially, your right to roleplay your character stops as soon as it negatively impacts someone else.
7. Humility. Here's something to think about. When you read a book, you're reading a story about one or two or more characters, usually. These characters are the central focus of the story, and though they may meet other characters, typically the main characters remain the focus of the story. This is a pleasant and useful device in fiction and storytelling, but it doesn't work in real life, and it becomes a bit clumsy when applied to World of Warcraft. Each of our characters are central to their own stories... and everyone else's character is central to theirs. Nobody else loves your character as much as you do. When coming up with a story for your character, remember this. Other people may not get involved. Other people may not care. Other people may not comply. Part of being a mature player is recognizing when your character isn't supposed to be the center of attention. Sometimes other players' characters need to shine, and it is your honor and privelege to stand aside and give them room in the spotlight. Heck, play along. We're Horde... what happens if we end up coming across some plucky young Alliance heroes who end up defeating us? You know what? Let them have their victory. Let them have triumphed over the Savage Horde monster! Find a way to fit into THEIR story now and then.
8. Recruitment. New applicants will be invited to the guild after an informal interview with an officer. They will receive a trial period, during which they will hold the rank of Peon. During this trial period they are expected to sign the Code of Conduct and submit an application to the forum. Typically this period is no more than a month, but it may be extended if the Farseers, Blademasters, or Warlord decide that more time is needed. If after that time the applicant is deemed to be a good fit for the Tribe (and vice-versa) they will be promoted to Grunt and welcomed as a full member of the Tribe.
9. Invariably, out of character conflicts will arise between guildmates. Rifts within a guild can have very damaging long-term consequences, and while you may feel you have every right to be angry with someone for all eternity, that conflict can hurt many of your guildmates if it is not resolved in some way. I have seen this range from petty verbal jabs to the refusal to heal or ressurect someone during a raid.
If you have a dispute with a guildmate that is negatively affecting you in any way, discuss it with an officer. This should not be seen as "telling on" someone. I have seen people who would rather leave the guild over one person who had been rude to them than discuss it with an officer. Their refusal to name the person just left that individual in the guild to hurt someone else in the future. It is important to the health of the guild as a whole that these things be brought to light.
How it is handled will vary by the situation, but will likely result in a discussion between those involved and one or more officers in a separate channel. Guildchat is not the place to air out your personal grievances. Generally, disagreements in MMORPG's are the result of a breakdown in communication, and it is our hope that a discussion will bring some clarity and resolution to those involved.
Finally, always remember the following when you feel you have been wronged by a guildmate: Do not assume the worst of other people's intentions. Mistakes are far more common than maliciousness.
Ironsong Tribe Code of Conduct:
Why are we even doing this? We're doing this for the same reason we do everything that we (Ironsong) do: to make a good thing even better. As of right now, we are recognized as one of the best Horde guilds on Silver Hand. We are highly respected by our peers, and we hold events that are second to none. We grow by a couple of new members a week, at least, and this shows no sign of abating. Our weekly moots have attracted several other people with no intent on joining us, simply because we are that much fun. But as we grow, we run the risk of losing that cohesion. We will continue to grow, and we will continue to add new minds and new talents to our pool of heroes. We must remain unified by the cohesive vision that is Ironsong, and we will continue to be the excellent, successful, and above all, enjoyable group that we are now.
1. Be respectful. At all times. This is not optional. Show respect to your Tribemates, and to your fellow players, regardless of their faction or affiliation. We are all playing this game to enjoy it, and being rude or disrespectful to another player does not enhance anyone's enjoyment. If it enhances your own enjoyment, you are probably in the wrong guild. Being respectful is easy enough if you think about it. Even players that you dislike or seem unable to get along with can be treated with respect. When all else fails, the IGNORE filter is in place for a reason.
2. No cursing or vulgarity in guildchat. Try to keep everything reasonably PG-rated.
3. Maturity. We have many young members, and that's not the kind of maturity I'm talking about. Many of our younger members have already displayed a great deal more maturity than I had at their age. Specifically, maturity means the ability to deal with issues in a rational, reasonable, adult manner. It means being able to have the clarity of vision to be critical and honest with oneself, and to act based on the greater good rather than the personal good. It means being able to rise above pettiness, and to recognize that some conflicts are simply not worth getting into. A mature player knows better than to get involved in a confrontation with someone who is griefing them or engaging in some other irritating behavior. Members of the Ironsong Tribe are able to put their pride aside and respond appropriately.
4. Role-playing. All members of the tribe are expected to be familiar with the history of Azeroth. While some of us take this to a level bordering on the encyclopedic, a working familiarity with basic timelines will suffice. In addition to this, all players are expected to have a character concept that makes sense within the context of Azerothian history. This concept should be readily communicable through the player's in-character words and actions, and players are expected to remain in character a majority of the time. Guildchat should be in character (IC) as much as possible, but out of character (OOC) chat is permitted as long as it is clearly defined by double parenthesis ((as such)).
5. Keyboard skills. Ironsong Tribe members should have a high degree of competence in typing. We are a Roleplay-based guild, and as such we need to have high standards of personal expression. Capitalization, punctuation, and spelling all count. Nobody's perfect, but everyone is capable of improving. Emoticons are not an acceptible substitute for a well-posed emote. Please try to type out words, such as "you" rather than "u" and "thanks" rather than "thx".
6. Knowing when to quit. Azeroth is a tough, nasty place, and a lot of our characters are tough, nasty people. This is fine, and can make for some really good roleplay. But let's make sure that people understand the difference between in-character and out-of-character interactions. This is why use of parentheses on OOC stuff is so important. You are not your character. Sreng and Dayv are not the same person, though they may be similar in many ways (my tusks are bigger). Make sure that a player understands that you are roleplaying something potentially negative, and avoid that kind of roleplay with people you don't know well. Be prepared to explain yourself (OOC /tells are a great way to do that). Essentially, your right to roleplay your character stops as soon as it negatively impacts someone else.
7. Humility. Here's something to think about. When you read a book, you're reading a story about one or two or more characters, usually. These characters are the central focus of the story, and though they may meet other characters, typically the main characters remain the focus of the story. This is a pleasant and useful device in fiction and storytelling, but it doesn't work in real life, and it becomes a bit clumsy when applied to World of Warcraft. Each of our characters are central to their own stories... and everyone else's character is central to theirs. Nobody else loves your character as much as you do. When coming up with a story for your character, remember this. Other people may not get involved. Other people may not care. Other people may not comply. Part of being a mature player is recognizing when your character isn't supposed to be the center of attention. Sometimes other players' characters need to shine, and it is your honor and privelege to stand aside and give them room in the spotlight. Heck, play along. We're Horde... what happens if we end up coming across some plucky young Alliance heroes who end up defeating us? You know what? Let them have their victory. Let them have triumphed over the Savage Horde monster! Find a way to fit into THEIR story now and then.
8. Recruitment. New applicants will be invited to the guild after an informal interview with an officer. They will receive a trial period, during which they will hold the rank of Peon. During this trial period they are expected to sign the Code of Conduct and submit an application to the forum. Typically this period is no more than a month, but it may be extended if the Farseers, Blademasters, or Warlord decide that more time is needed. If after that time the applicant is deemed to be a good fit for the Tribe (and vice-versa) they will be promoted to Grunt and welcomed as a full member of the Tribe.
9. Invariably, out of character conflicts will arise between guildmates. Rifts within a guild can have very damaging long-term consequences, and while you may feel you have every right to be angry with someone for all eternity, that conflict can hurt many of your guildmates if it is not resolved in some way. I have seen this range from petty verbal jabs to the refusal to heal or ressurect someone during a raid.
If you have a dispute with a guildmate that is negatively affecting you in any way, discuss it with an officer. This should not be seen as "telling on" someone. I have seen people who would rather leave the guild over one person who had been rude to them than discuss it with an officer. Their refusal to name the person just left that individual in the guild to hurt someone else in the future. It is important to the health of the guild as a whole that these things be brought to light.
How it is handled will vary by the situation, but will likely result in a discussion between those involved and one or more officers in a separate channel. Guildchat is not the place to air out your personal grievances. Generally, disagreements in MMORPG's are the result of a breakdown in communication, and it is our hope that a discussion will bring some clarity and resolution to those involved.
Finally, always remember the following when you feel you have been wronged by a guildmate: Do not assume the worst of other people's intentions. Mistakes are far more common than maliciousness.