Player Associations Archive

Guild Leaders rejoice! I've been working with the Devs to solve one of the biggest issues Guilds have faced for a while now and that is how to change guild leaders. It has become painfully obvious the current method for allegiance, while a good idea, was not good in practice. The Developers have come up with a solution to solve our issue! Read below for details!


PA Hall Leadership Succession

Overview
In the current live environment, a PA does not automatically handle the case where a PA leader has retired from the game. This condition results in leaderless PAs, often with active members who wish to continue to run the guild. In order to resolve this system, we will implement an automated PA succession system.

Allegiance
The existing “Allegiance” system interface will be removed. Instead, guild leaders will be able to turn on voting at any time. Every two weeks, the votes will be tallied and a new guild leader selected. This is to allow guilds the option of a democratic process. Not all guilds will want to enable this option. Guild leader voting will default to off.
PA Hall Leadership Succession
There are now two methods for PA Hall Leadership Succession: direct leadership transfer and leader elections as explained below.

Direct Transfer
Direct leadership transfer is executed by the current PA leader at the PA management terminal. The leader would select the “Transfer PA Leadership” option at the terminal. They are then prompted to enter the name of the person who will receive leadership. This person must be online and be standing near the terminal. The person who will receive leadership must also have enough lots free to take ownership of the PA hall. If they satisfy the requirements, the PA leadership and the PA hall ownership will be transferred to them. If they do not satisfy the requirements, the existing leader will receive a message as to why the change could not be made. Trial accounts are not eligible for leadership or PA hall ownership.

Elections
During the regular weekly PA maintenance, the system will examine the last login time of the PA leader. If they have not logged in for one month, the system will send an email warning to the PA members. The warning will explain that the leader has not been active and that a voting process for a new leader has been opened.

The voting process will use the same interface as player city voting. Three options will become available on the guild management terminal during voting:

1. Register / Unregister - Any full PA member may run for election. They would select this option to add themselves to the ballot. Only members on the ballot are eligible for election. Any guild member in normal standing can register to run. Sponsored applicants will not be eligible to run.
2. Cast Vote - This option allows a member to select who they wish to vote for. They may also choose to abstain. A member may change their vote at any time
3. View Standings - allows the player to look at who is currently registered and how many votes they have received.

Exactly two weeks after the election is started, the votes will be tallied. The individual with the most votes will become leader of the PA.
After an election is complete, the PA terminal will become locked. The new leader must select the option “Accept PA Hall Lots” in order to unlock the terminal. Attempting to use the terminal while it is locked will explain this state & instructions to the leader. By selecting “Accept PA Hall Lots” the system will give the PA hall ownership to the new leader and unlock the terminal. If the leader does not have enough lots free to accept ownership of the PA Hall, they will be instructed to free lots and attempt the transfer again.


For more, read the Test Center patch notes here: Test Center Patch Notes

Message Edited by Rothin on 03-14-2005 09:48 PM

A note to the new system: PA Leaders WILL need to own a PA Hall and this PA Hall will transfer between the leaders of the guild as leadership changes.

It's unclear how this will effect multiple guild hall guilds at the present time. Hopefully testing on Test Center will reveal this. I'm also still waiting for more details on the "claiming" process for guild halls. More info will be edited in as I get it.

---

Rothin wrote:
A note to the new system: PA Leaders WILL need to own a PA Hall and this PA Hall will transfer between the leaders of the guild as leadership changes.

It's unclear how this will effect multiple guild hall guilds at the present time. Hopefully testing on Test Center will reveal this. I'm also still waiting for more details on the "claiming" process for guild halls. More info will be edited in as I get it.

---

Does this mean that the guild leader has to hold the PA Hall in their lots? And if the guild leadership is transferred the PA Hall will transfer as well? (Like City Hall does now) Just trying to figure out how that will work lot-wise.

Glad to see the changes, though!!

---

Khristen wrote:

---

Rothin wrote:
A note to the new system: PA Leaders WILL need to own a PA Hall and this PA Hall will transfer between the leaders of the guild as leadership changes.

It's unclear how this will effect multiple guild hall guilds at the present time. Hopefully testing on Test Center will reveal this. I'm also still waiting for more details on the "claiming" process for guild halls. More info will be edited in as I get it.

---

Does this mean that the guild leader has to hold the PA Hall in their lots? And if the guild leadership is transferred the PA Hall will transfer as well? (Like City Hall does now) Just trying to figure out how that will work lot-wise.

Glad to see the changes, though!!

---

Yes, the PA leader will need to own a PA Hall so they will need to free up 5 lots. I'm not sure if this will be required as soon as this goes live or only when the guilds leadership changes for the first time. (Testing will answer that one though)

Yes, when Leadership is transfered, the Guild Hall will transfer to the new leader as well. They must accept the hall to be able to use the terminal again. So the new leader must have 5 free lots as well. So basically, it is like the City Hall, except that Guild halls still cost lots. (I did ask for the system to act just like City Halls and Mayors with the 'true' guild hall costing 0 lots so it was truly belonging to the guild and not the player, but I don't think that's a possibility at the current time)

Guild halls were meant to be used for guilds only and not homes, so I completely understand the reason for requiring a leader to own it and not someone else. The problem is that the game has allowed it for over a year and a half and it's going to have a big adjustment cycle. I think the cost is well worth it though.

My biggest concern isn't with a guild leader needing to own it, it's the process of aquiring it that concerns me. If a guild leader can pick any guild hall that a guild member owns and it becomes theres, then we have a huge issue. I'm hoping that isn't the case. Unfortunately, I have no way to test this on TC, no guild hall or guild that I control there to test it. Hopefully the TC community can get that tested for me.

I know once it goes live, I will be testing the thing like crazy with my guild to find its in and outs and write a new guide for our community on the process.

---

CommanderFarley wrote:

Rothin, this is a WONDERFUL fix to one of our major issues! Great job, and keep up the good work.

---

Trying my best for everyone. Guilds are starting to move in the right direction now, I'm going to make sure they keep going that way if I can. I'll be working on a new top 5 list soon since we're getting these things knocked off one by one.

Message Edited by Rothin on 03-14-2005 11:14 PM