Stormwind has been that way since the earliest days honestly. The Cathedral Square has always been infamous for having statues that stood around to be seen rather than to actually roleplay. It might be annoying but frankly I’d rather we had people actively trying to recruit others for roleplay than the alternative. The day when we’re unironically complaining about random RP occuring (as hollow as it might be) is a dark day to me. Most guilds don’t even post here to avoid the scathing criticism or mockery the forum’s known for. Not everyone has a pre-established friend group with quality RP etc etc.
It’s not. It annoys everyone but to me it’s a necessary evil. I’d rather new roleplayers had an alternative than having to jump from public event to public event trying to impress people that are often lukewarm to newcomers because they’ve already established their own little clique. That’s not directed at anyone FYI that’s just the state of things. Bubble RP is very common nowadays when it was otherwise seen as a taboo to be so exclusionary and hostile in the past. I would prefer that we had ‘annoying’ people trying to establish guilds in a public setting than not at all. Like when certain paramilitary guilds used to press gang homeless people outside the Pig and Whistle. If anything I would say most people are far too touchy, withdrawn and generally closed off from approaching strangers. Atomized doesn’t begin to describe the Alliance side.
In my experience and general observation, modern Stormwind tends to treat randoms approaching others to make conversation or engage in roleplay like they’re ‘weird’ or doing something entirely meta. Long gone are the days when you can strike up casual conversation with just about anyone with out being treated like you’re a martian. Whether as Horde side generally couldn’t be anymore accomadating.
The first reason Stormwind is used for is guild recruitment and since it’s used by a lot of guilds, casual roleplayers revolve around the activity pretty much.
Personally I think the old “I see you lack a tabard” is a dull tactic and spares no time for either the recruiter or the recruit to know about the character, the player’s roleplay etc.
My favourite way is roleplaying casually with people, get to know their character and see how much of a good roleplayer people are and if the recruit is enjoying the roleplay as much as you are, they could be interested in getting involved with your guild and the like minded roleplayers in it.
My second favourite way of recruitment is drawing in players through your guild’s roleplay. Basically doing whatever roleplayer between your guild mates and make a nearby player think “wow those guys are cool”. It’s a method I use from initiating conflict RP with someone because apparently people are so into guilds who get involved in that sort of thing, since that kind of RP draws people in, in general.
For the short time I officered a guild, I always thought taking the extremes when it comes to recruitment felt like it was the fastest/most fun approach to each side.
I always converse with the person normally and never mention or imply recruitment until I’m actually walking away from the conversation after it finishes.
Or I approach them holding a flag showing the icon of my guild and speak as if I’m that Vault Tec rep from FO4 knocking on the door.
Always felt like sticking between felt dishonest to the mutual rp respect between you and the person you’re recruiting. Unless you have a squad that can play off of each other in the RP and maybe show the person the activity, atmosphere they could be part of.
After four years of WoW and roleplay (which is short by the standards of most here I know) I think I have seen every possible way of recruitment.
Personally I arrived at the conclusion it is pointless. Why try to sell people something that they might not want? It’s a waste of time really.
So about a year ago our team decided we will not recruit anymore. A slow and steady growth by people who seek the guild out themselves is to prefer imo. Because most of these people actually stay since it’s their choice in the first place. Not to mention the bonus of time saved.
It’s not entirely the case but I’d need convincing IC and OOC on whichever character with personal caveats and nobody wants to deal with that.
It’s such an awkward thing. Why even use it? How do you quantify lust? The very notion is just another societal malaise brought about by commodification.
As an officer I sometimes have found myself in random rp conversations where the other party tangientally starts talking about work, and I start sweating thinking “do they want me to ask…? Or would that be rude? o no.”
That tiny non-issue aside yeah, I can see it can be initimidating to approach guilds for rp if you have to worry about getting a recruitment spiel all the time.
I’ve been on both sides of this and I don’t like it. It feels incredibly impersonal to bombard people with “would u like to join? Hehe.”
Our guild doesn’t really ‘recruit’ per se. Not in the sense of walk ups. We tend to just put a little note on our guild page that lets people know we’ve got space for some new friends and then see if anyone bites.
If you’re interested, you’ll join and stick around (we hope). If you’re not, don’t apply. Ez.
Granted we haven’t opened recruitment in a long time because we’re pretty content with the current roster. :3
Personally, it’s more the unpleasant feel that I’m only approached because the person wants another face in their guild and not RP with me for the love of it. There’s background noise to every interaction, though.
I like to ensure that ‘not recruitable’ is always respected, and we won’t go for anyone about recruitment that doesn’t look like they’d fit well with us so that’s a lot of civilian Goblins off the list. It’s important if you do recruit to make it interesting, an experience for both, like the Battalion blurt out our recruitment pitches like actual army recruiters trying to drum up support!
At one point Trautfizzle was caught around Orgrimmar bribing people to talk to his soldiers to ‘get them to have friendships outside of the Battalion’.
It is especially grating to have such lines delivered when actually wearing a tabard. Not a guild tabard of course, but like… if someone is wearing an elaborate Alliance tabard and matching set of armour, they probably aren’t exactly unemployed y’know?
I once had a great time playing my hunter years ago with the Free Company. My dude just walked around to anyone who was milling about or standing around and he offered them a wage and a tent and a world of adventure. As far as my character was concerned no one was unapproachable. Their guild tag didn’t matter. He walked up to people offering work, some even had tabard with an allegiance. He once got into an argument with some guild’s sergeant for poaching. “Hey, if he wants better pay than what you’re offerin’, then that’s on you, mate,” he’d say and saunter off. Some people didn’t take it kindly OOC, some unkindly IC. IC was great craic, because I was an immoral mercenary looking to get paid a bonus for hiring more idiots to die as a mercenary.
OOC people took as I was legitimately trying to take guild members.
Really it was just a fun way of talking to strangers and giving myself something to do. I wasn’t involved in the recruitment process at all.
People will do what they want, it’s up to you how you choose to respond to people standing in Cathedral Square.
If you multiply your positive lust bar number by 5% you get the chance for your character to scream awooga once they see someone of their prefered sex (source: dude trust me)
I believe that recruitment has to come a natural way, either through campaigns or a forum thread for example. Walking up to people and telling them “Ya wanna join the guild” without EVER speaking to them, is just a weird thing I believe.