Swordsman Archive
Thread: Bria Swordsman PA
I'm a commando. Been a commando since before the launcher pistol even gave heavy weapons xp. In other words, I've been playing a busted profession for quite some time. All throughout, the person I group with the most is Sliwo. You know, your co-founder? The guy who has essentially bankrolled you so far, too? He's a good friend of mine and I've grouped with him enough to have a very high appreciation of what a swordsman can do. So a couple weeks ago, while commando was still busted, I started training up my 2 handed sword skills too. About that time he got involved with you guys on forming this guild, which sounded very cool. I even figured I'd end up joining myself, toss a couple million credits into the maintenance pool on the hall and what not.
I have standing offers from something like two dozen PAs to join them. I've never accepted any of them. This one interested me enough that I figured I'd even ask to be let in, without being approached to join even.
But you know what? Once you guys actually HAD a guild, you started coming up with stuff like trials and ranks and tests. My reaction to that is exactly the same as Vhal's.... I wouldn't be caught dead in a guild that behaved that way. It's silly. It's pointless. Are artificial tests that the test-ee is expecting REALLY going to give you a better insight into their character then simply grouping with them occasionally to see what they're like? It's.... well, no offense guys, but it's pretty jeuvenile. It sounds like 12 year old boys inventing secret handshakes and code-words.
Would I pass your tests? You betcha. No one knows patience and dedication like a former master armorsmith turned broken commando.Would I ever, in a million years, want to be in a guild that bases membership on such a thing? No. I'd rather be in a guild that if it values high quality members, looks for high quality members -- not members who can pass artificially contrived scenarios.
You wonder why your membership is growing slowly? Allow me to reiterate everything Vhal said (hiya Vhal, btw). It has merit.
I on behalf of the Heron Order would like to thank you for you input and insight into our guild recruitment methods. As everyone is entitled to their own opinions I cannot feel bad at what you have said.
A few things I can say are this though. We are not looking for a gigantic guild, and we are purposefully having our guild grow slowly. Actually, in the co-founders opinions we have grown a bit too rapidly in the last week. Almost 10 members now. We do not even consider a possible member for tests untill at least of our members has played with that person and can vouch for them. Also, I can say that not all of the tests are carried out in one sitting, and usually happen while we are grouped together with the recruit, all the while having fun playing the game.
So to answer your question. "Are artificial tests that the test-ee is expecting REALLY going to give you a better insight into their character then simply grouping with them occasionally to see what they're like?"
Currently none of our recruits have figured out that we were testing them until the testing was over. This meens that they could not be "expecting" our tests. Also, based on what i have just said, i can say: Yes, the tests we give, in addition to the play time and get to know time we put into each possible recruit, really do give us a better insight into their character.
I would appreciate if you would contact us in game and ask us a few questions on our methods before posting something like you have again. Its hard for even me to believe someone who bases their opinions on, well, their own opinions and not enough hard evidence.
In conclusion. I would like to say that we have possibly one of the hardest guild to get into in this game. We have strict guidelines, and most importantly, all our members have to like the recruit we are testing. In the end, our small, tight nit group has proven to be of A1 1000 OQ calibur and that we are all proud of our guild, and of each other. We are not friends, we are brothers, we are family.
Now, on another note, off of my response to Romana's post.
If you feel that you are interested in joining the Heron Order, Please contact either myself, K'ysick, or sliwo. And be aware that we will be testing you though you wont know it. And if you seem to have figured out one of the tests and that we are testing you, please send us a tell that you have done so. But do remember you still must pass the test.
Note. If you dont pass all the tests the first time, dont be angry. We constantly monitor all our past recruits and even test them some more unknowingly. You may log on one day to recieve an email inviting you back to join us. We show compassion, and we show mercy. We also show forgiveness, and always give people another try.
"I would appreciate if you would contact us in game and ask us a few questions on our methods before posting something like you have again. Its hard for even me to believe someone who bases their opinions on, well, their own opinions and not enough hard evidence."
You did actually read my post, right? Y'know, the bits about one of your co-founders and co-creators being my best bud in the game, whom I talk with pretty much daily?
You read that, right?
So do you really want to tell me I haven't contacted the Heron Order in-game to ask you questions on your methods? Do you really want to say that SLIWO wasn't a good enough contact person for me? Especially since you yourself write:
"If you feel that you are interested in joining the Heron Order, Please contact either myself, K'ysick, OR SLIWO. "
I'll reiterate my point. My best bud and hunting partner is the co-founder of your guild. I had an interest in joining. Learning of your methods was all it took to completely turn me off to the idea.
If it were my guild under discussion and I had it pointed out to me that numerous players who had an interest in joining completely lost any desire to once they heard of my methods, I'd consider it a problem. Apparently, you do not.
All I can say is I am suprised at how well the tests have shown the character of the person who wishes to join... If you had taken them and passed you would understand what I mean. The tests are for your character.. and people who are not the right kind of people fail. People who are pass. It has been very effective. We cant say to much about it because it will become ineffective otherwise.
There is nothing wrong with wanting to be in a guild of just anybody and everybody. That just isnt what we are looking for.
On a side note you make it sound like sliwo is unhappy with the guild and us? Is that true? If it is he has not mentioned a word to us? 
I did? Based on what? My opinions are my own, not his. Nor did I ever presume to speak for him. For me, yes. For Vhal, yes. For the four or five others Vhal mentioned, yes. For Sliwo? No. Nothing in my post speaks of Sliwo's opinions.
Ok, that is just sort of the feeling I got from your post when you mentioned sliwo... glad to hear that...
Once again I am sorry that we are not what your interested in. I respect the fact that you chose to stay with a profession even though it was not the most powerful profession out there. Thats why I stayed a swordsman. And will always be one. Simply because it is something that I love.
<< It's.... well, no offense guys, but it's pretty jeuvenile. It sounds like 12 year old boys inventing secret handshakes and code-words. >>
Hi, I am a new member of the Heron Order. There is some truth in what you say Romana.The truth is,we are all participating in some form of fantasy when we play a game like SWG. But I am far beyond 12. I was 22 when Star Wars premiered in the theatre. That doesn't mean I am mature though. Taken to an extreme, there are thosewho would say thatanybody playing SWG is childish. So lets go beyond that and assume it's OK to play MMORPGs (maybe this will help open my FS slot). I'll clean my glasses,put on a fresh black T-Shirt, and get back to my point.
Until you have participated in the tests it's very hard to understand howeffective they are. I can only tell you that they are very meaningful, andfar removed from sophomoric ritual. One can hunt with a person for days and not really know anything about the true nature of one's companion because hunting is a very focused endeavor, with a fairly well-known and expected mode of participation. On the other hand,those that passed these tests didn't even know they were doing it; I am a witness to that, having both undergone it, and having helped to administer it.
The people I have met, and they are butfew at this time, in The Heron Order are bright, sensitive, and considerate people. I hope people looking at this 'testing' scenario can applaud it, for it isa good thing in my opinion (its' not just, "Right, you're in !"). In fact, it even steeps one furtherin the depth of the game; at the point of acceptance one has already achieved a bond of mutual experience with the guild. And this is the very purpose behind any other ritual in modern society: graduation, merit badges, driver's license, degrees, fraternates, sororities, clubs, societies, political parties, etc, ad infinutm. Once you cross whatever threshold has been arranged, you have a common frame of reference, a milestone passed, that you share with those that have gone before. That is a heck of a lot more meangingful than clicking on a message box response to join a guild.
But there is no hidden agenda; in fact the Heron Order isspecific tosword wielders, so right up front it is not asking for game-wide participation; it is preferential by design.As I write, I see thatI may be trying to distance myself from the notion of being juvenile. Yet... yet, I remember the days of youth with imagined sabres, and swashbuckling, fighting the imaginary bad guys, having secret caves and warrens, secret words, secret signs. I remember them fondly.... I daresay passionately. That'smuch of what I am here for.
We might just need to get a secret handshake. 
Set your decoder ring to XX.
Jcxg c pkeg fca !
Very impressive post Argus. That could not have been written or explained any better. I am going to paste your post into the other threads in other forums...