Realms Beyond Dreams [RBD]

[Lurker Wyrm]

Ok, so here's my proposal:

The current guild would stay the same as it always has been, relaxed and easy-going. However, a group of 8 of us would split off from the regular guild and become a PvP focused group with regularly scheduled PvP events competing on both the ladder and in the Tomb of Primeval Kings. We would still get together with the main guild for events and casual get togethers, but the scheduled PvP would take priority.

This would mean that we would be doing GvG/HoH at least 4 of the 7 days of the week. We could take weekends off if we so choose, or have another day or two where we wouldn't have the obligation to sign on (really, everyone needs a break every now and then, I don't think any of us want to play on a War Machine schedule).

I've already got a good chunk of the guild members on my friends list, so staying in touch really shouldn't be a problem, and with guest guild memberships available and guild alliances on the way it should be even less of an issue.

Ok, now that all of the introductory stuff is over and I've alleviated everyone's fears of the guild falling into ruin due to a split, let me get on with the actual proposal.

The new guild would be called "Realms Beyond Dreams" with the tag [RBD]. Now, I've had a bit of inspiration about the cape and hall of choice. The first choice would be to simply use the same cape and hall of the main guild, but really, that'd be boring. Alternatively, we could embrace the yin-yang emblem on our capes and run with it. What this means is we would have a Black background with a Gold emblem (black and white are opposites, silver and gold are close enough). I did a bit of a mockup at the guild emblemer, so here's Remy modelling the thought (I'll put a lot more effort into the real thing, I promise):

For our guild hall, we could use Nomad's Isle, the desert one or Burning Isle, the lava one. Both are pretty opposite to the current Frozen Isle. Nomad's Isle seems more so to me (sea of ice vs. sea of sand, same, yet completely different).

I know the biggest "wedge in the gears" for this has been the fact that, as it stands, we're pretty unorganized and uncoordinated for PvP. That's also one of the reasons I think we need to do something like this. As it currently stands, we don't have any set times for PvP because there are too many conflicts of when people will be signed on or not, and whether they actually want to PvP at the time. This is where having a core group comes in handy.

First off, instead of trying to balance the schedules of the entire guild, we would only have the 8 of us to worry about, which is a lot easier. Secondly, with just us 8, we would start working as a team a lot faster since we'd have the same people all the time rather than having groups of different people who could potentially be working together for the first time ever.

Possible times to meet (first draft, all times EST):
MWFSa 1-4 PM
TR 10AM - 1PM, SaS 2-5PM
MTWRF 2AM - 5AM

Or we can do a mish-mash of those to get something that's convenient for everyone. Those are all just first random thoughts that currently work for me and won't interfere with my schedule next semester (as it stands). I tried to use times that were sort of "middle road," which wouldn't be too early or late for others. In other words, I didn't suggest something like 11PM or midnight on a weekday because that would pretty much rule out GG right there (making him get up at 5-6AM would be unfair, unless it's something he really didn't mind doing. I feel less guilty making the west coast people get up at 10AM). I don't have AM classes this semester, so I don't mind staying up late, although I can imagine other EST people probably would.

Now, on to the unpleasantries (aka requirements):
- You would have to commit at least 1-3 hours a day while we're in competition, at least 4 days out of the week (exact times TBA). The exact times we meet can be worked around with, so don't let being in an awkward time zone discourage you from doing this.

- Using a form of voice communication would be required. There's way too much stuff going on and trying to coordinate without it just won't work. There would also have to be rules for using the server (i.e. no casual chatter while we're in combat). I know that I've been slightly hesitant to do this since I like the anonymity normally associated w/the internet and lack of using real identities and the like, but that's just something I'll have to get over.

- We would also need to have a non-in-game way of communicating with each other in real time (aka chat). One possibility would be to use an IRC chatroom on one of the many servers that exist out there.

- Having a PvP character slot isn't required per se, but it's something that's incredibly helpful. If you've got a PvE character made that will suit your PvP self, or have the skill points needed to adapt, then feel free to use that.

- We're going to have to come up with a steady build and game plan. There are a lot we could copy to get things started, but eventually we're going to have to get our own style. This means you need to think about what skills will benefit and compliment other builds, not just that you want to bring a build that you like or that works well in PvE.

- When we do go into PvE to work with the main guild or to do unlocking/missions/whatever, henches are a thing of the past. The PvE game is so pathetically easy anyone can take a group of henches and complete the entire game start to finish (except the two pre-quests which require a partner, but those don't really count). That sort of thing makes you overestimate your abilities and when you do that, you make yourself a mediocre player. Besides, it doesn't matter how many changes are made, hench ai will always be bad and irritating.

I'd really like this to work out, so I'm willing to be pretty flexible on most of these points. Here's hoping this can work out.

[Seijin]

I'd love to be a part of this, but its going to be hard for me to juggle my schedule around.

I want to post more, but I have to get to class!!! I'll edit my post later tonight hopefully.

[Zed-F]

I don't know anyone who could commit to 4 days a week of GW. Most people have other irons in the fire. But good luck finding someone, or seven.

[FoxBat]

I like PvP. I would like to get better at PvP. I would like to be more organized at PvP. I would like to do much GvG and tombs. I would like to actually win playing with some RBers. If that means scheduling things and creating small, consistent teams, then great.

I don't really care for a high ladder ranking, Which is I suspect the main reason for the large time commitment you are asking, and half the reason for forming a seperate guild. I wonder what priority this is for other RBers.

[Lurker Wyrm]

I don't know anyone who could commit to 4 days a week of GW. Most people have other irons in the fire. But good luck finding someone, or seven.

Most people who are still active on a regular basis are active pretty much every day.

I like PvP. I would like to get better at PvP. I would like to be more organized at PvP. I would like to do much GvG and tombs. I would like to actually win playing with some RBers. If that means scheduling things and creating small, consistent teams, then great.

That's 1! GG also was intersted, which is 2. I think Roland also expressed some interest, but I'm not sure. And if Seijin was able to work out his schedule that's another.

I've got 3 friends that I've known for about 5 years who might also be joining us. One of them already has the game but can't sign on yet for various reasons (he should be joining us in a week or two though, he's already got an account and is in the guild). One is planning on getting the game in the next few weeks (with any luck). And the other I'm still trying to convince to get the game, and I think hearing about Factions really inticed him into doing so (he's getting tired of the bland PvP in WoW). I've invited them all to the Factions preview this weekend, so hopefully we'll all get a chance to get together during that.

I don't really care for a high ladder ranking, Which is I suspect the main reason for the large time commitment you are asking, and half the reason for forming a seperate guild. I wonder what priority this is for other RBers.

To be honest, a high ladder ranking doesn't really matter that much to me at all, although it would be nice to break into the top 100. The main reason for the time commitment is so that we can actually get good and be a threat on the ladder and in HoH, not be just another one of those guilds you see being walked over by the higher ranked guilds. Even if we lose to them, I'd still rather take them to "Victory or Death!" than end up losing in 4 minutes. To do that, we're going to need practice, hence why we need to schedule times for meeting. Scheduled times also help with one of the guild's current problems, which is that you never know if someone else will actually be on when you sign on. If 12 hours a week turns out to be undoable, we can cut it to only about 2 hours a day scheduled, which would be 8/week. I'd rather stick with 12 for now though.

[Green_Gloom]

Possible times to meet (first draft, all times EST):
MWFSa 1-4 PM
TR 10AM - 1PM, SaS 2-5PM
MTWRF 2AM - 5AM

Took me about 1/2 hour to puzzle those out... Google was suggesting some mining corporation and other similarily unrelated stuff

3rd suggestion is 100% certainly not possible for me. Unless I win a massive fortune so I can drop any notion of a job in the forseeable future.

The first would fit me best but the second should be a possiblity though I may have to meet late on Tuesdays & Thursdays.

An alternative to going 4/2 would be going 3/3 if time was a constraint.

Something that would help making builds would be a list of professions or roles that people are comfortable playing. I generally prefer an active (dps, hexing) role to a reactive (healing/prot, interrupting) one.

Elementalist: A while since I last played but Air or Earth spike worked fine for me then.
Mesmer: I'm good at being a PitA as long as I don't have to interrupt someone to do so.
Monk: If I have to play Monk then Smiter is my choice.
Necromancer: Blood spike, Dark Bomber or Curse.
Ranger: I can figure out how to deal decent damage with a Bow but interrupting, trapping or using a pet are not among my strengths.
Warrior: Not too good with timing a Hammer but Sword and Axe work fine.

One thing to remember when talking about Warriors in PvP is that tanking is extremely rarely useful. PvP Warriors are dps first and survivability second.

anyone can take a group of henches and complete the entire game start to finish

According to the various GW fora that statement would be a lie on the scale of "USA is run by fundamentalist muslims." Some people just can't play well enough with henchmen (or at all...). Heck, Gaile said, during a LA chat, that THK with henchmen was cosidered one of the hardest things to do in the game by the devs.

That said, henchmen do promote a different style of play than is possible with players. That may be enough to drop them unless we're critically low on players for something in PvE. On the other hand, many of the things you learn in PvE can be thrown right out the window the second you step into a PvP arena, and the other way around.

[Seijin]

As I said, I'd like to do this, but I think time is a really big issue for me on this one.

I get can get on here and there, but I can't say for certain when I will be on at this point in time. Right now it is just random when I go on, inbetween classes, after work, after playing basketball, etc.

If I'm on and you guys need an extra person or just want to discuss things and practice, hit me up and I'll do it.

Right now the only time I can be sure I'll be on with any consistency (if I don't plan anything else) is Sundays after 4 PM PST.

I have two accounts in the guild.

Main Account: No extra character slot. All are level 20.

Ranger/E - completed story, all ranger elites
War/N,Mo - completed story, titans, most war elites
Mo/N - completed story, all monk elites, most nec elites
E/Me - Fire Chain Islands, still capping stuff

Secondary Account: 1 extra character slot and my nudist character

Mo/R - Nudist
N/Me - lvl 15 - only at Gates of Kryta
R/W - lvl 10 - still in Ascalon City

[FoxBat]

Well I guess I didn't really look carefully at the scope you have in mind. Where I'm at now, getting a few consecutive wins in TA would be a real treat. Seeing the HoH or competing with top 100 guilds on the other hand is not even in my radar of possibilities. You might've seen me on alot in the past month but that will change as I near the "end" of the PvE content and school gets going, and what time I do devote to GW I would rather not be taken away so much from the main guild to do "serious" practice.

Considering how bad I've seen RB do in TA, I was looking to get somewhat more organized to try and have some successes there, and nothing more ambitious than that But if you can find the people for the kind of thing you want to do, then great. Sorry I can't be more of a help on this one. :/

[Havral]

Now, I'm no expert on PvP (Though I am getting better), but I do like capes.

Instead of gold, why not make the emblem black? My thought is that the current cape is a very light silver on white, which in most lighting makes the cape appear totally white. I figure that a black emblem on a black cape would be a nice counterpart that achieves the same effect as our main cape on the opposite end of the spectrum. I've always liked the main cape, I've always felt that the neat optical illusion of a symbol made to be the same colour as the cape was a tad special.

And anyway, it doesn't matter what colour the actual base cape is in PvP, since it's only the symbol that appears. Black would make a more striking counterpart to the white of our main in actual PvP.

Besides, gold and silver aren't opposites. They're kissing cousins on the periodic table

[Lurker Wyrm]

Instead of gold, why not make the emblem black? My thought is that the current cape is a very light silver on white, which in most lighting makes the cape appear totally white. I figure that a black emblem on a black cape would be a nice counterpart that achieves the same effect as our main cape on the opposite end of the spectrum. I've always liked the main cape, I've always felt that the neat optical illusion of a symbol made to be the same colour as the cape was a tad special.

Point taken. I went back to the emblemer and mocked this up in a few seconds:

I can make the emblem a lot darker too, there was still some room on the slider. I like the regular cape also, it's very unique and has a nice sleek look to it.

Besides, gold and silver aren't opposites. They're kissing cousins on the periodic table

Well, yeah, I know they're not opposites. I was thinking of the song from the claymation "Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer" called "Silver and Gold" (or something like that, great song) when I thought of it.

Well I guess I didn't really look carefully at the scope you have in mind. Where I'm at now, getting a few consecutive wins in TA would be a real treat. Seeing the HoH or competing with top 100 guilds on the other hand is not even in my radar of possibilities.

The more we actually work together, the better we get. The past few times we've gone into TA we've had more and more consecutive win streaks (well, we improved on our record of 2 with a record of 3, but progress is progress). The point is, we're all improving and starting to work as a team.

As for seeing the HoH, why not? PuGs make it there all the time and a lot of them have won, so why not us?

You might've seen me on alot in the past month but that will change as I near the "end" of the PvE content and school gets going, and what time I do devote to GW I would rather not be taken away so much from the main guild to do "serious" practice.

First off, "serious" practice means going into a rated GvG or Heroe's Ascent and making a go of it, then afterwards having a discussion: what worked, what didn't; if we won, what did we do right, if we lost, what didn't we. That sort of thing.

As you get to the end of the PvE content, that's even more of a reason to delve into the high-end PvP, to keep things fresh and interesting.

Not having time due to school/work is something I can fully understand and appreciate, so don't worry about that. That's also why I posted the schedule up above and said it was just a first rough draft of what worked for me. My schedule may change in the next few weeks, so it's by no means rock solid. I was just trying to come up with times that might be workable for people about 12 hours apart.

An alternative to going 4/2 would be going 3/3 if time was a constraint.

That could easily work if it's better for people's schedules. I had a pretty big setback earlier when Mentat told me the only time he could be available is EST evenings, which means a very very am for you. Well, that's one more problem on the list.

Something that would help making builds would be a list of professions or roles that people are comfortable playing.

That's step 3. We're still on step 1. But since it's been brought up anyway, I'm comfortable in a few roles:
- Monk. That's where the brunt of my experience lies and also where I'm the most comfortable. I can put together a monk with scraps and keep a party alive for a pretty long time.
- Mesmer. Mostly a domination/energy denial role. I really like the domination mes I was using in TA yesterday that had an Arcane Echoed Energy Surge (for 2 of them), Energy Burn and Signet of Weariness for a total of -40 energy to the target. It was great.
-Ranger. The first character I ever made was a ranger and I still like the whole archery thing. It takes me slightly longer to think up a build, but they're usually solid. Traps are really fun.
-Warrior. More of a mindless target call smash than anything else, but it's fun on occasion.
-Elementalist. To be honest, the class doesn't really interest me at all. Nuking is boring to me and when I do use ele skills it's usually the ones that have an effect other than damage (Gale, Enervating, Blinding, wards, etc.).
-Necromancer. I've got almost no experience with this class and it's the one I'm the worst at. I could probably pick it up after a while, but it'd probably be a waste for me to try.

And, thinking ahead...
-Assassin. I'm liking it so far. A lot of people don't like the whole combo thing, but I find it pretty fascinating and enjoyable as a change of pace from the standard warrior combos. There are some potentially devastating combos for it that I can't wait to try.
-Ritualist. This one is a little wishy-washy to me. Sort of like half-way between a ranger and a monk. I can't say I don't like it yet, but all of the prebuilts deal only with summoning spirits, which I don't like (I don't like long activation times in general, which is probably another reason I don't think I'll ever be a fire nuker).