View Poll Results: Should Supporting Members Get Special Benefits

**Adrielle** · 04-28-2006, 06:04 PM

My only concern with allowing SM's to have priority in raid signups all the time, is that you may have the same people going on every single raid and blocking out others. For example, I know TG was (at least, in the past) very pally heavy. If the same 3-4 SM pallies sign up everytime, then the other pallies may never get the opportunity to go; or rarely at best. Perhaps a merit system could be implemented for this perk as well. For every x amount of merit points one recieves, they get the SM-status-priority for raids for either the raid of their choosing or a week or however you'd choose to work it out.

SM's get a lot of benefits out of game, like the Photo Gallery, e-mail, webspace, access to the arcade and certain demos (I believe), ... and that's just what I found while I was an SM. Personally, I don't think that while I was an SM I would have felt it necessary to have in-game perks. However, it is a nice way to show appreciation to the SM's. It just needs to be done in a way that is fair enough where it won't cause a rift between SM's and non-SM's, or create a percieved heirarchy.

It's important to try to cater to both groups of people because both are important assests to the guild. I think that more importantly than arguing the pro's and con's of giving SM's perks in game, perhaps we should discuss more ideas for solutions that would give SM's the recognition they deserve without having the non-SM's feel out in the cold.

Some people just can't afford to support, and instead contribute as much as they can to the guild. If in-game SM benefits are given to those who support TG, maybe the guild itself can devise a system where SM's and non-SM's can earn perks equally through in-game contributions as well.

EDIT: I second the motion to get SM's more tacos.

**Silchar** · 04-28-2006, 07:14 PM

I understand the need for SM's. I also feel that they should not be given special treatment ingame. To give an SM raid signup priority would automatically start leaving non SM's on the sidelines during popluar raids. Priority raiding would also sku DKP in their favor. Guild Bank priority would also be a problem, because real world money would give them access to game generated loot and materials. In any case special treatment would result in a cast system for our guildies "have" and "have nots." I feel strongly that what TG offers adds to the ingame experience, but we as WOW subscribers pay for servers and content each month. An additional $9 a month for access to TG's TS server and Forums can be a stretch. I feel that SM's and non SM's need each other. We need a well rounded guild of people to make end game a reality, and I think it would be sad to lose people because we had to pay to be on a level playing field. I think because of the nature of WOW we need to make SM a choice and leave it at that. Why seek to drive a rift between any of our players? I know that those who have the means and feel stongly about the TG will step forward and support TG. But allow others to contribute in their own way and still be a part of TG.

**orion808** · 04-28-2006, 07:27 PM

Re-reading this I've come up with a different answer. Being a Supporting member is just that...you are a member that supports the community...not the community supporting you. This in no way should find it's way into the game. That is not fair. I support with my monthly dues because this is my home, the place where I feel my time...and money....is warranted and worth putting towards. This place (TG community) is where my heart is. The guild will come and go. This community deserves my respect and money. I should not be rewarded in game based on what I do out of game. That is unwarranted. I give because I like this place, not because I need rewarded in return.

**crim** · 04-28-2006, 07:33 PM

First off, who has access to this poll?? Everyone and their brother?? If we are taking a poll and want accurate results, then we need to limit this poll to just guildies. Anyone who is not a guildie has no business taking the poll. Secondly, if this is truly being considered then get ready for alot of people to leave this guild. Just because some of us are SMs does not mean we are better then anyone else, nor should we be treated as such. I know that I for one would not be a part of any guild that gave any kind of preference to DKP, drops, or anything else to do with raiding. People need to remember that everyone pays their monthly fee to wow to play the game. So how do we as TG think we have any kind of right to say that SMs are going to get more DKP so as to get epic loot???

**orion808** · 04-28-2006, 07:41 PM

Although crim said it in a harsher tone, he is saying exactly what I just said.

**Manny** · 04-28-2006, 10:25 PM

I'm pretty sure this sucka is settled.

Pay your dues if you want to, I know I will

but I'm not expecting anything uber from it, besides a place to call home.

**Vinzalf** · 04-28-2006, 11:53 PM

It may be closed as far as gameplay bonuses are concerned, but it is still my opinion that someone should be recognized as a SM in game... The Ranking thing, works I suppose, but In all honesty, the ranks need more definition and structure.

In the other games I play here where the distinction is made, as something that peaks interest, like icons in the Natural Selection servers. A little icon that displays next to a players name when looking at the scoresheet. It was enough to grab someone's attention for a while, but It does not affect the game whatsoever.

Unfortunately there really isn't anything that Blizzard has like that. And I'm doubtful that there ever will.

It's nothing that demands respect, or anything like that, it catches people's eye, gives the SMs something to be proud of, and shows that the Guild Truly does appreciate them. But its appearing the guild could care less.

I would also like to point out that though the majority are, TG SM's are not necessarily all within the guild. So limiting it to guild only wouldn't necessarily make it accurate.

**Adrielle** · 04-29-2006, 12:35 AM

Originally Posted by Vinzalf

I would also like to point out that though the majority are, TG SM's are not necessarily all within the guild. So limiting it to guild only wouldn't necessarily make it accurate.

I suppose that the stipulation would be whether this is a 'guild' decision to have SM's getting in-game perks, or if it's a Tactical Gamer community decision to have these in-game perks for the WoW guild.

**Altor** · 04-29-2006, 03:59 AM

Give all my perks to Addie

**CingularDuality** · 04-29-2006, 05:58 AM

I'm finding this discussion quite interesting.

I'm not quite sure about how a "raid" works, but I think we had a similar discussion about prioritizing sign ups for scrims against other clans/communities in BF2 not long ago.

In BF2, SMs absolutely get priority in signing up for these. From this discussion, I'm getting the impression that a "raid" is similarly limited as to the number of people that may participate. I think that "membership has its privileges". Is there a reason why this won't work for WoW? If participation is so intense that all the slots are taken by SMs, why not simply have more raids? This would not only increase the slots available for raid participation, but should also force new people to step up into leadership positions to organize them. It's a win/win situation.

And just because SMs get perks that non-supporting members do not get, does not mean they're better than anyone. That's quite an immature attitude to have.

**crim** · 04-29-2006, 09:23 AM

Vin,
Is this something that is going to affect TG as a whole or just the WOW community and our guild??? Thats right it's going to affect our guild!! The only people that should have any say in this matter should be guildies. I really feel that some people need to think more about the GUILD and all the people in it, instead of just what can we do for the SMs. I really feel like this guild is family to me and I don't want to see anything happen to hurt my family. I think this kind of subject is going to hurt people (especially non SMs).
This is just my opinion but I for one would like to see this thread get pulled from the forum. I wouldn't stand by and watch someone trying to tear my RL family apart and I won't stand by now, FOR THE GOOD OF THE GUILD GET THIS PIECE OF CRAP THREAD OFF THE FORUMS NOW!!

**crim** · 04-29-2006, 01:57 PM

This is why this thread is so messed up. You have people that don't even play the game and are not in the guild that are putting their 2 cents in. People who are not in the guild need to keep their comments to themselves. This is a guild decision and not a TG decision so take your bat and ball and go play in your own damn ball park!

**Apophis** · 04-29-2006, 02:17 PM

Originally Posted by crim

This is why this thread is so messed up. You have people that don't even play the game and are not in the guild that are putting their 2 cents in. People who are not in the guild need to keep their comments to themselves. This is a guild decision and not a TG decision so take your bat and ball and go play in your own damn ball park!

While your statement does have some merit. This is a WHOLLY inappropriate way to present it. Not only is it extremely hostile and offensive, but does nothing but further alienate the WoW players from the rest of the community.

Please try and keep it civil and mature.

**Drizzid** · 04-29-2006, 02:24 PM

Originally Posted by Apophis

While your statement does have some merit. This is a WHOLLY inappropriate way to present it. Not only is it extremely hostile and offensive, but does nothing but further alienate the WoW players from the rest of the community.

Please try and keep it civil and mature.

Agreed Apo now I know why there is so much drama in this game

**Cerevox** · 04-29-2006, 02:30 PM

Originally Posted by CingularDuality

I'm not quite sure about how a "raid" works

Originally Posted by CingularDuality

In BF2, SMs absolutely get priority in signing up for these. From this discussion, I'm getting the impression that a "raid" is similarly limited as to the number of people that may participate. I think that "membership has its privileges". Is there a reason why this won't work for WoW? If participation is so intense that all the slots are taken by SMs, why not simply have more raids? This would not only increase the slots available for raid participation, but should also force new people to step up into leadership positions to organize them. It's a win/win situation.

Ill explain why this won't work with an example. There is a place called Molten Core that everyone wants to raid, great items drop there and you get large amounts of reputation with a faction. To actually kill a boss and get the items we need 40 people(no raid can have more than 40 people in it at once) and of those 40 people we need a balance of classes. The best balance is 5 of each class since there are 8 classes. If SMs have a sign up priority we could end up with 10 paladins and no mages, which would mean we can't manage to kill anything. If we split it by class then you would often have the same 5 paladins in on the MC raid every time. Every other non-SM paladin in the guild would never have a shot at it. If, suddenly, a couple of those SM paladins find they can't go on a raid due to RL issuses. We of course look to he non-SM paladins to fill in but, not suprisingly, after sitting on the sidelines for a month, the non-SM paladins are gone since the only thing they could do with the guild would be chat in the guild channel while farming which, while profitable, makes watching paint dry a laugh riot.

As far as being able to create more raids, that is one of our fondest dreams. With a need for 40 people to be able to do MC that is going to take a good chunk of our guild and a good chunk of VB, a guild we are doing a lot of runs with. Because of game mechanics a person can only participate in one raid of MC a week unless the other raids consisit of pretty much the same people as the orignal raid so no one could double dip and get in on two raids. Without the ability to have someone in on both raids teh second raid would have 20 or so people and all they could do would be farm trash mobs in MC.