There are thousands of high quality single player games out there. I can understand not wanting to join a guild, but these MMO solo players boggle my mind. They are basically paying to play a social game that is years behind most single player rpg's. These casual anti-social gamers are killing the genre.
And lashing out against people who like to play as a loner isn't anti-social at all.
/sarcasm
lashing out? Really?
Dontaze is just pointing out there are MUCH better opportunities for players that enjoy a solo experience.
There are thousands of high quality single player games out there. I can understand not wanting to join a guild, but these MMO solo players boggle my mind. They are basically paying to play a social game that is years behind most single player rpg's. These casual anti-social gamers are killing the genre.
I couldn't agree more.
Just because you enjoy playing with a large group of friends every week, or being a part of a guild or what not, doesn't mean that everyone is looking for that. Some people like to just interact with their surroundings and real people, while not necessarily join in some group. Guilds are not the only way to socialize on MMO's. You're idea lacks depth of human understanding, IMO.
I don't think that there should be implicit rewards for guilds, I think it should be based more upon 'you do somehting and you get rewarded for it,' like in solo play. So perhaps have a participation metre for guild rewards, and any lazy players who aren't constantly helping out with things will lower the rewad count for the whole guild, so the entire guild has to work together, either to pick up the slack, or to find better suited people.
That kind of guild reward I could get behind, but not the sort of rewards where, hey, everyone gets something free for being grouped together in a database somewhere.
No, people naturally working together = good community. So I don't see how giving non-guild players benefits, over guild players, will help benefit this idea of people working together. If people don't want to join a guild, then they won't. Why reward them for such a choice?
I can see that being true. When there's a sense of family, a community does tend to function better. The problem is, this is also an RPG, and while there are benefits and disadvantages to being in a guild, not everyone wants to be in one. By giving bonuses and rewards to people who choose to join a guild, you are, in effect, penalising anyone who does not wish to run with a guild. I think all the OP is wanting is to have some sort of bonus for not being in a guild. Acheivments showing that you've forged your own path without the need for a guild. You're own hideout to yourself that doesn't have the trappings of a guild hideout. You know general rewards for being awesome by yourself in a way.
I know that it's an MMO and community is good, but this can be achieved with loners involved as well.
Again, why reward players for being a nomad/loner/solo-player in an MMO like Guild Wars 2, when the game is already doing enough for them. You have your own personal achievements, so why the need for more, when the guild achievements are only there for those that want to work together for them. You have your own personal neighbourhood, so why the need for another hideout. You can even go into WvWvW, be a lonewolf and still have something meaningful to accomplish.
So the way I see it; if all that Arenanet is doing doesn't satisfy those that wish to remain guild-less, then there's nothing more they can do, without making the game seem far too appealing for soloplayers. Like I said before, soloplayers don't need an incentive to solo, but people may need an incentive to guild up. Kinda why Arenanet are trying to make "the best Guild system of any MMO ever."
HEY! thats a great idea! I too want to play a game called Guild Wars and not be part of a guild. I was hoping that maybe they might change the name to " Wars". Another thing I am having issues with is all this violence. Do you think they could get rid of the Wars portion as well and just call the game " "?
/end sarcasm
They use the benefits of being a guildmember to promote guild play. They are trying to urge people towards playing with a guild. Why would they offer rewards for not being in a guild? Thats kind of like giving your dog a treat if he fetches, but then also giving him a treat if he doesn't for being an independent thinker.
All of my posts are either intelligent, thought provoking, funny, satirical, sarcastic or intentionally disrespectful. Take your pick.
I get banned in the forums for games I love, so lets see if I do better in the forums for games I hate.
I enjoy the serenity of not caring what your opinion is.
Yes. You will be able to advance your character to the maximum level without ever joining a group if you so desire. Most content will be designed in a solo-friendly way, though often with mechanisms for scaling up in difficulty when more players are involved. This will give players the option to experience the game however they prefer.
At the same time, it is important for an MMO community to join together to overcome challenges. Guild Wars 2 will feature challenges that require players to join forces.
So, play by yourself, and get gameplay that you want, or join others to become part of a community, its your choice.
I have to wonder...what do you guys mean by getting rewards for being in a guild? A guild bank - all items there are supplied by players in the guild. This means that no reward is being given at all, just the players in the guild are contributing to their guild. Guild groups and raids aren't a reward for being in a guild. They just happen to work out like that because its a group of players who are connected every time they log on. A guild house. Almost always if there is a guild house you can get, there is also a normal house for the solo person. And if you get enough money, you can get a guild house too.
I'm just not seeing what people mean by guilds giving rewards. They don't give any rewards. There are no passive bonuses for being in a guild. Everything you get in a guild is supplied by a guild member. The raiding works in a guild because of the general structure to a guild, and not because of any special guild reward. You could raid with your friends if you liked, but it would be harder because the guild structure is not in place.
I don't understand why you're complaining that you don't get rewards if you go nomad. Do you want a guild bank? Ok you get one, but it won't have anything in it cause no one supplied any items. Do you want a guild house? You can buy one, but you need to pay 1000 gold for it. If you are in a guild, everyone contributes 50 gold and they get a guild house. Do you want a passive bonus to attack? People in guilds don't get that, but you expect the solo player to?
What I'm trying to get at is this. You get no rewards for being in a guild. The guild community allows for things to occur that you may not get solo (like a guild bank w/ items or a guild house), but its about the guild community. Its not about the fact that you exist in a guild making you get rewards. A solo player won't get the same things a person in a guild will get, and that is all because all players in a guild contribute to the good of a guild, while the solo player contributes to the good of himself. Therefore, more resources are gotten by people in the guild and more things can be done by the guild.
You thinking you should get something extra for being solo when people in a guild get nothing extra boggles my mind.
HEY! thats a great idea! I too want to play a game called Guild Wars and not be part of a guild. I was hoping that maybe they might change the name to " Wars". Another thing I am having issues with is all this violence. Do you think they could get rid of the Wars portion as well and just call the game " "?
/end sarcasm
They use the benefits of being a guildmember to promote guild play. They are trying to urge people towards playing with a guild. Why would they offer rewards for not being in a guild? Thats kind of like giving your dog a treat if he fetches, but then also giving him a treat if he doesn't for being an independent thinker.
Conclusion: "Guild Wars" is actually a very stupid name for a game which also offers plenty of solo content.
HEY! thats a great idea! I too want to play a game called Guild Wars and not be part of a guild. I was hoping that maybe they might change the name to " Wars". Another thing I am having issues with is all this violence. Do you think they could get rid of the Wars portion as well and just call the game " "?
/end sarcasm
They use the benefits of being a guildmember to promote guild play. They are trying to urge people towards playing with a guild. Why would they offer rewards for not being in a guild? Thats kind of like giving your dog a treat if he fetches, but then also giving him a treat if he doesn't for being an independent thinker.
Conclusion: "Guild Wars" is actually a very stupid name for a game which also offers plenty of solo content.
I'm not very keen on Guild Wars lore but I think it has to do more with it than what an MMO player would think of.
No, people naturally working together = good community. So I don't see how giving non-guild players benefits, over guild players, will help benefit this idea of people working together. If people don't want to join a guild, then they won't. Why reward them for such a choice?
I can see that being true. When there's a sense of family, a community does tend to function better. The problem is, this is also an RPG, and while there are benefits and disadvantages to being in a guild, not everyone wants to be in one. By giving bonuses and rewards to people who choose to join a guild, you are, in effect, penalising anyone who does not wish to run with a guild. I think all the OP is wanting is to have some sort of bonus for not being in a guild. Acheivments showing that you've forged your own path without the need for a guild. You're own hideout to yourself that doesn't have the trappings of a guild hideout. You know general rewards for being awesome by yourself in a way.
I know that it's an MMO and community is good, but this can be achieved with loners involved as well.
Again, why reward players for being a nomad/loner/solo-player in an MMO like Guild Wars 2, when the game is already doing enough for them. You have your own personal achievements, so why the need for more, when the guild achievements are only there for those that want to work together for them. You have your own personal neighbourhood, so why the need for another hideout. You can even go into WvWvW, be a lonewolf and still have something meaningful to accomplish.
Not sure he's specifically talking about guild achievements. I'm not completely sure what he's talking about, it sounds more like a game is giving a bonus or extra credit stuff to a player for being in a guild, while there is no such thing for someone who goes it alone.
So the way I see it; if all that Arenanet is doing doesn't satisfy those that wish to remain guild-less, then there's nothing more they can do, without making the game seem far too appealing for soloplayers. Like I said before, soloplayers don't need an incentive to solo, but people may need an incentive to guild up. Kinda why Arenanet are trying to make "the best Guild system of any MMO ever."
I'm not talking about GW2 specifically, I was speaking more generally, but in a way it all works together. Everything you meantioned though are offered to both single player and to guild players. He wasn't addressing those type of things, he was talking about things offered to guilders and not to nomads from what I can see. Which, IMO, shouldn't be the case. There should be equal offerings to both players. Yeah it's an MMO but if you're going to try and force people to join a guild, then you're themparking.
You say soloplayers don't need an incentive to solo, but your logic is faulty. Yes, solo players will play solo, but some people need an incentive to guild up? Youldn't people that want to guild-play not need an incentive to join a guild? It's a two way street. People who want to play in a guild don't need an incentive to, and people who will soloplay don't need an incentive to solo. The idea behind making guilds more inticing is to draw players together, which in turn will make those that want to play in a guild more likely to find guilds. To go even further it makes it more likely that these players will continue playing. It's a money thing in the end just like other things. The question is how well do the mechanics you use to hook people work.
How exactly is that lashing out? If anyone is lashing out I think it may be you sir. Playing an MMO solo is like having a facebook page, but refusing to add any friends.
Think of it from an RPG standpoint - a nomad, roguish character would show up and join the team sometimes for a common goal but they by nature they were a lone traveler. Think Mad Max from The Road Warrior in terms of story. Remember a player who goes "Nomad" would still group with people to help do dungeons and will still drop into dynamic events to help. They would just get different bonuses because people in guilds get things like resources for crafting etc.
For me, I've never really like being in guilds. There were a nessasary evil I suppose. The drama. The "rules". The members who didn't like you for whatever bizzarre reason. The cliques. Clocking in to raid like it was a job. It just isn't my style. Too many bad things for me while for others they love their guilds and friendly circles.
So this isn't an anti-social idea, as much as it is an option for the more casual guy who doesn't have time or desire to do the guild thing.
If you don't want to join a guild, don't... But then don't ask for bonuses for not doing so. The guys in a guild have some advantages over the unguilded ones, but they also have to make some extra effort. You want the advantages without the effort. As has been posted already, so typical...
So now we've gone from the old "I don't want to get into a guild but I want to have all the advantages that the guilded guys have without making the same effort" to the new "and on top of that I want bonuses". Pft.
HEY! thats a great idea! I too want to play a game called Guild Wars and not be part of a guild. I was hoping that maybe they might change the name to " Wars". Another thing I am having issues with is all this violence. Do you think they could get rid of the Wars portion as well and just call the game " "?
/end sarcasm
They use the benefits of being a guildmember to promote guild play. They are trying to urge people towards playing with a guild. Why would they offer rewards for not being in a guild? Thats kind of like giving your dog a treat if he fetches, but then also giving him a treat if he doesn't for being an independent thinker.
Conclusion: "Guild Wars" is actually a very stupid name for a game which also offers plenty of solo content.
I'm not very keen on Guild Wars lore but I think it has to do more with it than what an MMO player would think of.
I don't know, I think you're putting the game in a box in your mind because of the title. Just because it's "guild Wars" doesn't mean the entire game should be focussed on only guild wars. Of course the more negative you feel against a game the more likely you are to nitpick and be prejudiced against anything that might appear to be a flaw. I don't mean that in a malicious way, that's just how the human brain works. It also follows suit with fanbois and there blantant ignoring of obvious flaws in a game.
I mean the same could be said about the title "Star Wars". I have yet to see an actual star fight anything in their galaxy
I kind of see what the OP is talking about. it seems they are giving bonuses for being in a guild beyond all the benefits one receives for being in a guild to begin with. I don't really agree with giving unguilded players an alternate bonus, just don't give even more bonuses to people to enter a guild. Odds are most people will join one or make one just to get those extra conveniences anyway.
Also, being unguilded, doesn't mean you're always soloing or have no friends. often I am not in a guild and rarely solo. I group up a lot, have a big friend list, etc. I usually only join a guild when I find a significant amount of static players I group with.
The title of a game doesn't necessarily have to represent the gameplay either. I don't remember Everquest really being about the quests, hehe.
You dont have to group up, play your story, and if you think there is not enough story, then get some friends. Grouping up=more content. People like active games, if you play by yourself, dont exepect everything to be easy either.
Seeing a lot of interesting discussion here. Sadly, it seems like a few people are missing the point of the idea of going "nomad". Perhaps that's my fault. I didn't want to elaborate too much on it and let people discuss ideas involving the concept of a nomadic character. I kinda wanted to hear different ideas on how to make it work rather than it just won't work because...well just joing a guild already.
I'm seeing people say "If you don't joing a guild you get perks of not dealing with drama!" That doesn't work for me. It pretty much states that all guilds are alike and they most certainly are not. It shouldn't be a "perk" to not have to deal with a guildmembers BS. Someone even made an analogy that your dog should be rewarded for doing what it's told and not for independant thought...Wow...haha. How dare we have independant thought.
Then I see "Well, that's the price you pay for not joining a guild." Price I pay? So you are saying that I have to join a guild or else pay a price and somehow it all magically balances out in the end? Again this doesn't make sense to me. I shouldn't have to pay a price for not joining a guild. I should be able to have choice with realistic pros and cons attached instead of being funneled into playing with a guild.
Another said that guilds have no real benefits - which we know isn't true - especially these days when we have terms like "Guild Progression""Guild Banks" and "Guild achievements" for a reason. Then I see people say that Arenanet expects you to join a guild, but trully I don't see them as this short sighted - they are the team that questioned mmo archetypes and did away with the trinity after all. They are giving us solo content for a reason and they are allowing us to level from 1-80 via PvP only if we want for a reason: They want players to have choices.
So I start to see a lot of parallels between this discussion and the old debate about Arenanet dropping the trinity. I've been in some intense discussions - more like debates with people about the trinity and they tell me that MMOs need the trinity and that's final - and Arenanet doesn't seem to think so. Can we all stop and step back a second and see that? It's the same basic arguement: New idea vs. standard MMO concepts. Just think about that for a moment and remember how Arenanet has been approaching this game.
I just think that a player shouldn't feel punished for not joining a guild and have their own set of perks for rolliing solo. It's exciting to think that a guilded character has different advantages over an unguilded one and vice versa, rather than a guilded character has advantages and an unguilded one...doesn't have to deal with...drama?
Remember the perks for a nomad could be very different than the guilded players'. And that variety, that choice ability would really help keep this game exciting to a broad spectrum of gamers.
Would you be upset if nomad settings were in the game? Would it really hinder the community in a game where grouping is easier than ever and soloing through it is already possible? If I had an unguilded player I would still totally interact with everyone - I would just be playing the mysterious, loner type whos along to slay the same megabeast you are and then move on to the next adventure.
ArenaNet have said in one or 2 interviews that the value of allowing players to have solo, coop, group and large mmo content is important and you cannot underestimate the solo slice. There's obviously the Personal Story instances and DEs no need for parties etc.
As for the "Guild" "Wars" ~ read about that recently actually being an epoch reference in the gw lore timeline... though it follows the game of that name should have worthwhile guild opportunities & options. ; ) Martin Kerstein the CM over at gw2g seems to think highly enough of the current iteration for guild options currently, that they have not revealed, in his latest interview.
I'm sure I can find a use or 2 for being part of a guild given all the lore and pvp available.
Seeing a lot of interesting discussion here. Sadly, it seems like a few people are missing the point of the idea of going "nomad". Perhaps that's my fault. I didn't want to elaborate too much on it and let people discuss ideas involving the concept of a nomadic character. I kinda wanted to hear different ideas on how to make it work rather than it just won't work because...well just joing a guild already.
I'm seeing people say "If you don't joing a guild you get perks of not dealing with drama!" That doesn't work for me. It pretty much states that all guilds are alike and they most certainly are not. It shouldn't be a "perk" to not have to deal with a guildmembers BS. Someone even made an analogy that your dog should be rewarded for doing what it's told and not for independant thought...Wow...haha. How dare we have independant thought.
Then I see "Well, that's the price you pay for not joining a guild." Price I pay? So you are saying that I have to join a guild or else pay a price and somehow it all magically balances out in the end? Again this doesn't make sense to me. I shouldn't have to pay a price for not joining a guild. I should be able to have choice with realistic pros and cons attached instead of being funneled into playing with a guild.
Another said that guilds have no real benefits - which we know isn't true - especially these days when we have terms like "Guild Progression""Guild Banks" and "Guild achievements" for a reason. Then I see people say that Arenanet expects you to join a guild, but trully I don't see them as this short sighted - they are the team that questioned mmo archetypes and did away with the trinity after all. They are giving us solo content for a reason and they are allowing us to level from 1-80 via PvP only if we want for a reason: They want players to have choices.
So I start to see a lot of parallels between this discussion and the old debate about Arenanet dropping the trinity. I've been in some intense discussions - more like debates with people about the trinity and they tell me that MMOs need the trinity and that's final - and Arenanet doesn't seem to think so. Can we all stop and step back a second and see that? It's the same basic arguement: New idea vs. standard MMO concepts. Just think about that for a moment and remember how Arenanet has been approaching this game.
I just think that a player shouldn't feel punished for not joining a guild and have their own set of perks for rolliing solo. It's exciting to think that a guilded character has different advantages over an unguilded one and vice versa, rather than a guilded character has advantages and an unguilded one...doesn't have to deal with...drama?
Remember the perks for a nomad could be very different than the guilded players'. And that variety, that choice ability would really help keep this game exciting to a broad spectrum of gamers.
Would you be upset if nomad settings were in the game? Would it really hinder the community in a game where grouping is easier than ever and soloing through it is already possible? If I had an unguilded player I would still totally interact with everyone - I would just be playing the mysterious, loner type whos along to slay the same megabeast you are and then move on to the next adventure.
I don't disagree with you in some ways. If a guild does get things that a solo player doesn't - guild progression, guild achievements (I still think a guild bank doesn't count in this at all), then I think it makes sense for solo players to get something too. The real issue I see here is...does that mean people in the guild don't get the things the solo player gets? So say a solo player gets a trophy room w/ all his exploits - does that mean people in a guild won't get trophy rooms? In being a solo player, you have to somehow declare yourself a lone wolf. After that, it might be possible to give the solo player something special that only solo players get.
So maybe as a lone wolf you get access to certain other ways to customize your character - different dyes, different styles of armor/weapons. But you only get access to those things if you are declared as a lone wolf, or solo player. That gives some players incentive to play as a lone wolf, and also may be a way to make the lone wolf players feel like they're getting a fair deal. Another idea would be to give lone wolf players trophies from their conquests. Maybe they get the head of a boss and can use it for a piece of armor/weapon. Maybe they can just put the head on their belt to display their prowess in battle. These things are definitely possible, and not completely unreasonable either.
I don't disagree with you in some ways. If a guild does get things that a solo player doesn't - guild progression, guild achievements (I still think a guild bank doesn't count in this at all), then I think it makes sense for solo players to get something too. The real issue I see here is...does that mean people in the guild don't get the things the solo player gets? So say a solo player gets a trophy room w/ all his exploits - does that mean people in a guild won't get trophy rooms? In being a solo player, you have to somehow declare yourself a lone wolf. After that, it might be possible to give the solo player something special that only solo players get.
So maybe as a lone wolf you get access to certain other ways to customize your character - different dyes, different styles of armor/weapons. But you only get access to those things if you are declared as a lone wolf, or solo player. That gives some players incentive to play as a lone wolf, and also may be a way to make the lone wolf players feel like they're getting a fair deal. Another idea would be to give lone wolf players trophies from their conquests. Maybe they get the head of a boss and can use it for a piece of armor/weapon. Maybe they can just put the head on their belt to display their prowess in battle. These things are definitely possible, and not completely unreasonable either.
Ah ha! Interesting stuff there. See the nomad thing is merely a concept so these ideas are good to get a brew going. It would tricky to balance out perks from nomadic vs. guild, as some players may get genuinely bothered by something as simple as a weapon or dye color that they can't obtain. Delicate balance there. What if you rolled a nomad and used your perks to help a guild? See where problems come in? Let's see, some idea off the top of my head:
Once you check the "Go Nomad" box your character is a nomad and gets special bonuses. Nomad would be shown instead of a guild name. You get perks that help your character with solo style play but only slight ones. Perhaps stat bonuses or more resources from harvesting or a little extra gold from kills or it could be as simple as different achievements, rewards from quests, or better drops when it comes to looking for recipes, etc. And it could effect your character's story a bit or at least their accomplishments as you stated. All off the top of my head. There's so much more to explore here.
It's a good concept but an open book when it comes to how to balance and implement it. For me, I just love the idea of a roguish character and the idea that I don't need to feel punished for not joining a guild. I still love to group with people and meet all kinds of people rather than playing with the same people over and over. I'd also totally love supporting my server in PvP and team with any guild to help bleed people out in the Mists. I just think there's a place for the nomad types, in lore, story, and when it comes to gameplay.
Yet I doubt Arenanet would give guild-less players all these incentives, because it would just go against the community building aspects of the game. Also like someone pointed out earlier, guilds aren't just given rewards. The members have to put in extra effort, moreso than a guild-less players, to actually get anything from it. Well in the end, none of this even matters because I doubt Arenanet would actually add even more features to enhance your nomad experience, when there major focus now seems to be on group mechanics...
Martin Kerstein: I cannot give you any details about guilds yet, except that we are working on it. We have a whole team taking care of guild functionality and all its aspects. Our guild system will be very robust, the best one of any MMO in my eyes.
There are only two aspects of the game that would require guilds and that is competetive PvP and dungeons.
You still have WvW which is going to be open for all and you can make a lot of contribution either with soloing or teamplaying with the whole server being your guild (if you played DAoC or WAR you'll know what I mean - if you demonstrate you're a good strategist and a jolly good chap in chat you'll lead the whole server and no one will ask you what's your guild). Then there are dynamic events and personal story. Btw the three things I listed are the main selling points of the game so I don't think you'll be missing much if you decide to go guildless.
And besides, there's nothing stopping you to pug dungeons and PvP, it's just you probably won't be able to be the top dog in them. Big deal imo.
Yet I doubt Arenanet would give guild-less players all these incentives, because it would just go against the community building aspects of the game. Also like someone pointed out earlier, guilds aren't just given rewards. The members have to put in extra effort, moreso than a guild-less players, to actually get anything from it. Well in the end, none of this even matters because I doubt Arenanet would actually add even more features to enhance your nomad experience, when there major focus now seems to be on group mechanics...
Martin Kerstein: I cannot give you any details about guilds yet, except that we are working on it. We have a whole team taking care of guild functionality and all its aspects. Our guild system will be very robust, the best one of any MMO in my eyes.
Still have yet to hear how people playing solo kills an mmo's community. A community isn't just guilds. Being social and part of a community in an MMO does not mean you have to join a guild. An MMO is social by nature. It's having a choice on how to approach these social aspects of the game and still feel like your character is benefiting that's important.
Yup. As I thought - they are working hard to be the best guild experience out there - meaning they better make the solo one the best they can too and a little perk here or there to help balance it out for people who don't enjoy the guild system isn't too much to ask.
With a guild I can have members craft me something or simply go to the guild bank and grab a recipe and possibly the resources to make it and make it there and then. With a solo character I have to raise money for the recipe or run dungeons hoping it drops. I have the harvest the reasources and take the time to make the item. It's obvious that one side of this coin has more perks than the other. And wait a minute...it doesn't take effort to run solo in an mmo but being in a guild is an effort? Oh.
In the end, it's about the idea. The idea that your are forced to join a guild in order to feel like you are progressing and experiencing everything in the game and to get the advantages your character desires. I say give solo players a little unique experience on their end too. Keep it even.
Oh well, I've rambled enough. Just thought it was an interesting concept that many MMOs like GW2 seem to be leaving out. I think it would be cool to make a character who's in a guild and also have your lone wolf character and be able to see the pros and cons from both character situations and judge which is best for yourself.
In the end, it's about the idea. The idea that your are forced to join a guild in order to feel like you are progressing and experiencing everything in the game and to get the advantages your character desires. I say give solo players a little unique experience on their end too. Keep it even. Oh well, I've rambled enough. Just thought it was an interesting concept that many MMOs like GW2 seem to be leaving out. I think it would be cool to make a character who's in a guild and also have your lone wolf character and be able to see the pros and cons from both character situations and judge which is best for yourself.
And how would you go about not progressing or not experiencing everything as a guild-less player in Guild Wars 2? As a guild-less player you do events, you get XP, you level up, you gain abilities, you gain achievements, you progress. Also if you want to experience everything, then you PUG, or just join a massive group in one of those major events. So there, simple solution to your problems. Also solo players have the advantage of the unique experience known as the personal story... Where's my guild story? :P
In the end, it's about the idea. The idea that your are forced to join a guild in order to feel like you are progressing and experiencing everything in the game and to get the advantages your character desires. I say give solo players a little unique experience on their end too. Keep it even. Oh well, I've rambled enough. Just thought it was an interesting concept that many MMOs like GW2 seem to be leaving out. I think it would be cool to make a character who's in a guild and also have your lone wolf character and be able to see the pros and cons from both character situations and judge which is best for yourself.
And how would you go about not progressing or not experiencing everything as a guild-less player in Guild Wars 2? As a guild-less player you do events, you get XP, you level up, you gain abilities, you gain achievements, you progress. Also if you want to experience everything, then you PUG, or just join a massive group in one of those major events. So there, simple solution to your problems. Also solo players have the advantage of the unique experience known as the personal story... Where's my guild story? :P
Either you don't get what I've been driving at for many posts now, or you intentionally don't get it. Either way no biggie. Rationalize it how you want. We don't have to agree. I'll just say that I'm excited for how outside the box Arenanet has been on their approach to this genre and I have hope that while they will deliver an enriching guild experience that the solo experience will meassure up too. Who knows? They might set up such a good guild system that it will make players like me want to try it out. Now that would be an accomplishment.
Ok im going to put it in a way that everyone here understands why guilds work the way they do.
Asking for nomad content to be equal or unique as guild content makes no sense either in fantasy or in real life.
If im starting a company i will need people, lots of different people for different tasks. Getting people to work for me takes time. Its not like the best of the ebst are gona pop up the second i search for them.
It applies to guilds too. Your talking as seting up a guild takes some hours. Its a lot of trial and error. Your recruit people but a lot of them seem useless and at first a lot of them NEVER log on after you add them. After you finally get some that are helpfull and active you gota help them lvl up, give them items etc. maybe after some weeks you get some fame and decent players join your guild. But you see for the so called "benefits" you need LOADS of cash, some people dont want to contribute so sub leaders ahve to beg or put in their money. IF they put in their money they normally expel people who dont do anything and dont contribute to the guild in other ways, and they can be pretty demanding.
I could actually keep this up for hours but what im trying to get by explaining the initial stages of a guild is that it takes time
In that time a soloer could do a lot more since you dont have to worry about others or anything else but you.
Now if you joina guild that is already well established comes another issue. You need to be active and contribute when asked.
That means that you are under orders from someone and a lot of your actions are expected to help the common good and not just yourself. So lets say you are running an event and you want to get a prize from it. The leader says something like "no you are high lvled/have a lot of money etc etc and they decide that the work you are giving goes to a another member who is not as good as you but didnt contribute much for this event.
A lonewolf doesnt answer to anyone and can do what HE wants with his time, he gets all the spoils he collects and can group with people with no strains attached.
Another thing that strikes me is that it seems that some of you are treating other people as npcs. Why am i saying this? well its simple, two people doing two different things at the same time should take less time than doing it solo.
What your asking when you ask for bonuses is like asking that the time spend by someone getting a recipe while someone else gets the ingredients at the same time.
So lets say someone hunts recipe for 5 hours and another is hunting for ingredients for 5 hours, together that makes 10 hours. So what your telling me is the person who gets bonuses for soloing does it all in 5 hours?. Sorry but that is unfair its like your making them become 1 person or something. TWO people are putting in their effort, so the result should be the double of only ones person effort
First off, the game is all about building community. Guilds are not the only way to build community but anytime you give a person a perk for not joining a guild, you make them choose. Do you really want people to say, "you seem like a great bunch of people but I can't join your guild because I don't want to give up X, Y, and Z" ?
Also, if the bonuses are even worth having, then you have to worry about people gaming the system. Suppose it is a stat bonus and it's significant. Then everybody in the guild disbands right before the raid and goes lone wolf, only to join up again right after. Or they disband for the day to get the increased harvesting. And so on. Or you make them choose to be permanently lone wolf, and that's forcing people to make the horrible choice that they're never going to join a guild.
As far as the perks go, I think you just vastly overestimate guilds in general. You mention having access to the guild bank and just taking stuff out of it. Who puts it there? Who ran the dungeon to get the recipe to put in there? And how long do you think that you'll have access to it if you don't contribute items of equal value in return? And if you're going to do that, you might as well sell the thing you have and buy the thing you need. It works out just the same. If you're in a guild, you can have someone craft something for you, but shouldn't you be maxing some other crafting profession to help those people out? That's more work than if you're solo and just find someone to make it and tip 10g or something. Access to a large guild hall? Why does a nomad need a large guild hall?
Even in a traditional MMO, a guild is basically just a glorified chat room. The goal of those games is endgame raiding, so it helps to have a reliable method of communication to all the people, as well as knowing they've signed up for a common purpose. But it's not necessary. You could still do the same raid with 25 people on your friends list. In WoW, you could actually get decent PUGs to see a lot of the content that was a tier or so behind the bleeding edge. So it's available and you can still feel like you're progressing, it just wouldn't be as convenient to manage. In GW2 though, the hardest content, whether PVE or PVP, might only be 5 people. So a guild is even less of an advantage.
I guess I don't understand the idea of guild = progression, or how your idea addresses that. If there is content only guilds can do, whether it be raiding or PVP objectives, then being a lone wolf doesn't let you do those things by yourself. So all you'd be getting is just a bone being thrown to you so you can not feel so bad about being left out when you're the one excluding yourself.
I mean, what do you have against guilds? Is it just the tag that offends you? Why couldn't you start a guild? Then you could shape it the way you want, whether it be that all you do is capture PVP objectives every friday, or you don't do anything but trade recipes out of the guild bank and have a guild hall. Then see if you can find like minded people to fill the ranks. It's the same as going lone wolf with a friends list, only you can chat easier.
"Gamers will no longer buy the argument that every MMO requires a subscription fee to offset server and bandwidth costs. It's not true you know it, and they know it."-Jeff Strain, co-founder of ArenaNet, 2007
Comments
lashing out? Really?
Dontaze is just pointing out there are MUCH better opportunities for players that enjoy a solo experience.
Just because you enjoy playing with a large group of friends every week, or being a part of a guild or what not, doesn't mean that everyone is looking for that. Some people like to just interact with their surroundings and real people, while not necessarily join in some group. Guilds are not the only way to socialize on MMO's. You're idea lacks depth of human understanding, IMO.
I don't think that there should be implicit rewards for guilds, I think it should be based more upon 'you do somehting and you get rewarded for it,' like in solo play. So perhaps have a participation metre for guild rewards, and any lazy players who aren't constantly helping out with things will lower the rewad count for the whole guild, so the entire guild has to work together, either to pick up the slack, or to find better suited people.
That kind of guild reward I could get behind, but not the sort of rewards where, hey, everyone gets something free for being grouped together in a database somewhere.
Again, why reward players for being a nomad/loner/solo-player in an MMO like Guild Wars 2, when the game is already doing enough for them. You have your own personal achievements, so why the need for more, when the guild achievements are only there for those that want to work together for them. You have your own personal neighbourhood, so why the need for another hideout. You can even go into WvWvW, be a lonewolf and still have something meaningful to accomplish.
So the way I see it; if all that Arenanet is doing doesn't satisfy those that wish to remain guild-less, then there's nothing more they can do, without making the game seem far too appealing for soloplayers. Like I said before, soloplayers don't need an incentive to solo, but people may need an incentive to guild up. Kinda why Arenanet are trying to make "the best Guild system of any MMO ever."
HEY! thats a great idea! I too want to play a game called Guild Wars and not be part of a guild. I was hoping that maybe they might change the name to " Wars". Another thing I am having issues with is all this violence. Do you think they could get rid of the Wars portion as well and just call the game " "?
/end sarcasm
They use the benefits of being a guildmember to promote guild play. They are trying to urge people towards playing with a guild. Why would they offer rewards for not being in a guild? Thats kind of like giving your dog a treat if he fetches, but then also giving him a treat if he doesn't for being an independent thinker.
All of my posts are either intelligent, thought provoking, funny, satirical, sarcastic or intentionally disrespectful. Take your pick.
I get banned in the forums for games I love, so lets see if I do better in the forums for games I hate.
I enjoy the serenity of not caring what your opinion is.
I don't hate much, but I hate Apple© with a passion. If Steve Jobs was alive, I would punch him in the face.
"Quote From ArenaNet"
Will Guild Wars 2 be solo-able?
Yes. You will be able to advance your character to the maximum level without ever joining a group if you so desire. Most content will be designed in a solo-friendly way, though often with mechanisms for scaling up in difficulty when more players are involved. This will give players the option to experience the game however they prefer.
At the same time, it is important for an MMO community to join together to overcome challenges. Guild Wars 2 will feature challenges that require players to join forces.
So, play by yourself, and get gameplay that you want, or join others to become part of a community, its your choice.
I have to wonder...what do you guys mean by getting rewards for being in a guild? A guild bank - all items there are supplied by players in the guild. This means that no reward is being given at all, just the players in the guild are contributing to their guild. Guild groups and raids aren't a reward for being in a guild. They just happen to work out like that because its a group of players who are connected every time they log on. A guild house. Almost always if there is a guild house you can get, there is also a normal house for the solo person. And if you get enough money, you can get a guild house too.
I'm just not seeing what people mean by guilds giving rewards. They don't give any rewards. There are no passive bonuses for being in a guild. Everything you get in a guild is supplied by a guild member. The raiding works in a guild because of the general structure to a guild, and not because of any special guild reward. You could raid with your friends if you liked, but it would be harder because the guild structure is not in place.
I don't understand why you're complaining that you don't get rewards if you go nomad. Do you want a guild bank? Ok you get one, but it won't have anything in it cause no one supplied any items. Do you want a guild house? You can buy one, but you need to pay 1000 gold for it. If you are in a guild, everyone contributes 50 gold and they get a guild house. Do you want a passive bonus to attack? People in guilds don't get that, but you expect the solo player to?
What I'm trying to get at is this. You get no rewards for being in a guild. The guild community allows for things to occur that you may not get solo (like a guild bank w/ items or a guild house), but its about the guild community. Its not about the fact that you exist in a guild making you get rewards. A solo player won't get the same things a person in a guild will get, and that is all because all players in a guild contribute to the good of a guild, while the solo player contributes to the good of himself. Therefore, more resources are gotten by people in the guild and more things can be done by the guild.
You thinking you should get something extra for being solo when people in a guild get nothing extra boggles my mind.
Conclusion: "Guild Wars" is actually a very stupid name for a game which also offers plenty of solo content.
My brand new bloggity blog.
I'm not very keen on Guild Wars lore but I think it has to do more with it than what an MMO player would think of.
I'm not talking about GW2 specifically, I was speaking more generally, but in a way it all works together. Everything you meantioned though are offered to both single player and to guild players. He wasn't addressing those type of things, he was talking about things offered to guilders and not to nomads from what I can see. Which, IMO, shouldn't be the case. There should be equal offerings to both players. Yeah it's an MMO but if you're going to try and force people to join a guild, then you're themparking.
You say soloplayers don't need an incentive to solo, but your logic is faulty. Yes, solo players will play solo, but some people need an incentive to guild up? Youldn't people that want to guild-play not need an incentive to join a guild? It's a two way street. People who want to play in a guild don't need an incentive to, and people who will soloplay don't need an incentive to solo. The idea behind making guilds more inticing is to draw players together, which in turn will make those that want to play in a guild more likely to find guilds. To go even further it makes it more likely that these players will continue playing. It's a money thing in the end just like other things. The question is how well do the mechanics you use to hook people work.
If you don't want to join a guild, don't... But then don't ask for bonuses for not doing so. The guys in a guild have some advantages over the unguilded ones, but they also have to make some extra effort. You want the advantages without the effort. As has been posted already, so typical...
So now we've gone from the old "I don't want to get into a guild but I want to have all the advantages that the guilded guys have without making the same effort" to the new "and on top of that I want bonuses". Pft.
I don't know, I think you're putting the game in a box in your mind because of the title. Just because it's "guild Wars" doesn't mean the entire game should be focussed on only guild wars. Of course the more negative you feel against a game the more likely you are to nitpick and be prejudiced against anything that might appear to be a flaw. I don't mean that in a malicious way, that's just how the human brain works. It also follows suit with fanbois and there blantant ignoring of obvious flaws in a game.
I mean the same could be said about the title "Star Wars". I have yet to see an actual star fight anything in their galaxy
I kind of see what the OP is talking about. it seems they are giving bonuses for being in a guild beyond all the benefits one receives for being in a guild to begin with. I don't really agree with giving unguilded players an alternate bonus, just don't give even more bonuses to people to enter a guild. Odds are most people will join one or make one just to get those extra conveniences anyway.
Also, being unguilded, doesn't mean you're always soloing or have no friends. often I am not in a guild and rarely solo. I group up a lot, have a big friend list, etc. I usually only join a guild when I find a significant amount of static players I group with.
The title of a game doesn't necessarily have to represent the gameplay either. I don't remember Everquest really being about the quests, hehe.
You dont have to group up, play your story, and if you think there is not enough story, then get some friends. Grouping up=more content. People like active games, if you play by yourself, dont exepect everything to be easy either.
Seeing a lot of interesting discussion here. Sadly, it seems like a few people are missing the point of the idea of going "nomad". Perhaps that's my fault. I didn't want to elaborate too much on it and let people discuss ideas involving the concept of a nomadic character. I kinda wanted to hear different ideas on how to make it work rather than it just won't work because...well just joing a guild already.
I'm seeing people say "If you don't joing a guild you get perks of not dealing with drama!" That doesn't work for me. It pretty much states that all guilds are alike and they most certainly are not. It shouldn't be a "perk" to not have to deal with a guildmembers BS. Someone even made an analogy that your dog should be rewarded for doing what it's told and not for independant thought...Wow...haha. How dare we have independant thought.
Then I see "Well, that's the price you pay for not joining a guild." Price I pay? So you are saying that I have to join a guild or else pay a price and somehow it all magically balances out in the end? Again this doesn't make sense to me. I shouldn't have to pay a price for not joining a guild. I should be able to have choice with realistic pros and cons attached instead of being funneled into playing with a guild.
Another said that guilds have no real benefits - which we know isn't true - especially these days when we have terms like "Guild Progression" "Guild Banks" and "Guild achievements" for a reason. Then I see people say that Arenanet expects you to join a guild, but trully I don't see them as this short sighted - they are the team that questioned mmo archetypes and did away with the trinity after all. They are giving us solo content for a reason and they are allowing us to level from 1-80 via PvP only if we want for a reason: They want players to have choices.
So I start to see a lot of parallels between this discussion and the old debate about Arenanet dropping the trinity. I've been in some intense discussions - more like debates with people about the trinity and they tell me that MMOs need the trinity and that's final - and Arenanet doesn't seem to think so. Can we all stop and step back a second and see that? It's the same basic arguement: New idea vs. standard MMO concepts. Just think about that for a moment and remember how Arenanet has been approaching this game.
I just think that a player shouldn't feel punished for not joining a guild and have their own set of perks for rolliing solo. It's exciting to think that a guilded character has different advantages over an unguilded one and vice versa, rather than a guilded character has advantages and an unguilded one...doesn't have to deal with...drama?
Remember the perks for a nomad could be very different than the guilded players'. And that variety, that choice ability would really help keep this game exciting to a broad spectrum of gamers.
Would you be upset if nomad settings were in the game? Would it really hinder the community in a game where grouping is easier than ever and soloing through it is already possible? If I had an unguilded player I would still totally interact with everyone - I would just be playing the mysterious, loner type whos along to slay the same megabeast you are and then move on to the next adventure.
ArenaNet have said in one or 2 interviews that the value of allowing players to have solo, coop, group and large mmo content is important and you cannot underestimate the solo slice. There's obviously the Personal Story instances and DEs no need for parties etc.
As for the "Guild" "Wars" ~ read about that recently actually being an epoch reference in the gw lore timeline... though it follows the game of that name should have worthwhile guild opportunities & options. ; ) Martin Kerstein the CM over at gw2g seems to think highly enough of the current iteration for guild options currently, that they have not revealed, in his latest interview.
I'm sure I can find a use or 2 for being part of a guild given all the lore and pvp available.
http://www.gdcvault.com/play/1014633/Classic-Game-Postmortem
I don't disagree with you in some ways. If a guild does get things that a solo player doesn't - guild progression, guild achievements (I still think a guild bank doesn't count in this at all), then I think it makes sense for solo players to get something too. The real issue I see here is...does that mean people in the guild don't get the things the solo player gets? So say a solo player gets a trophy room w/ all his exploits - does that mean people in a guild won't get trophy rooms? In being a solo player, you have to somehow declare yourself a lone wolf. After that, it might be possible to give the solo player something special that only solo players get.
So maybe as a lone wolf you get access to certain other ways to customize your character - different dyes, different styles of armor/weapons. But you only get access to those things if you are declared as a lone wolf, or solo player. That gives some players incentive to play as a lone wolf, and also may be a way to make the lone wolf players feel like they're getting a fair deal. Another idea would be to give lone wolf players trophies from their conquests. Maybe they get the head of a boss and can use it for a piece of armor/weapon. Maybe they can just put the head on their belt to display their prowess in battle. These things are definitely possible, and not completely unreasonable either.
Ah ha! Interesting stuff there. See the nomad thing is merely a concept so these ideas are good to get a brew going. It would tricky to balance out perks from nomadic vs. guild, as some players may get genuinely bothered by something as simple as a weapon or dye color that they can't obtain. Delicate balance there. What if you rolled a nomad and used your perks to help a guild? See where problems come in? Let's see, some idea off the top of my head:
Once you check the "Go Nomad" box your character is a nomad and gets special bonuses. Nomad would be shown instead of a guild name. You get perks that help your character with solo style play but only slight ones. Perhaps stat bonuses or more resources from harvesting or a little extra gold from kills or it could be as simple as different achievements, rewards from quests, or better drops when it comes to looking for recipes, etc. And it could effect your character's story a bit or at least their accomplishments as you stated. All off the top of my head. There's so much more to explore here.
It's a good concept but an open book when it comes to how to balance and implement it. For me, I just love the idea of a roguish character and the idea that I don't need to feel punished for not joining a guild. I still love to group with people and meet all kinds of people rather than playing with the same people over and over. I'd also totally love supporting my server in PvP and team with any guild to help bleed people out in the Mists. I just think there's a place for the nomad types, in lore, story, and when it comes to gameplay.
Yet I doubt Arenanet would give guild-less players all these incentives, because it would just go against the community building aspects of the game. Also like someone pointed out earlier, guilds aren't just given rewards. The members have to put in extra effort, moreso than a guild-less players, to actually get anything from it. Well in the end, none of this even matters because I doubt Arenanet would actually add even more features to enhance your nomad experience, when there major focus now seems to be on group mechanics...
Martin Kerstein: I cannot give you any details about guilds yet, except that we are working on it. We have a whole team taking care of guild functionality and all its aspects. Our guild system will be very robust, the best one of any MMO in my eyes.
I don't understand the concern here..
There are only two aspects of the game that would require guilds and that is competetive PvP and dungeons.
You still have WvW which is going to be open for all and you can make a lot of contribution either with soloing or teamplaying with the whole server being your guild (if you played DAoC or WAR you'll know what I mean - if you demonstrate you're a good strategist and a jolly good chap in chat you'll lead the whole server and no one will ask you what's your guild). Then there are dynamic events and personal story. Btw the three things I listed are the main selling points of the game so I don't think you'll be missing much if you decide to go guildless.
And besides, there's nothing stopping you to pug dungeons and PvP, it's just you probably won't be able to be the top dog in them. Big deal imo.
Still have yet to hear how people playing solo kills an mmo's community. A community isn't just guilds. Being social and part of a community in an MMO does not mean you have to join a guild. An MMO is social by nature. It's having a choice on how to approach these social aspects of the game and still feel like your character is benefiting that's important.
Yup. As I thought - they are working hard to be the best guild experience out there - meaning they better make the solo one the best they can too and a little perk here or there to help balance it out for people who don't enjoy the guild system isn't too much to ask.
With a guild I can have members craft me something or simply go to the guild bank and grab a recipe and possibly the resources to make it and make it there and then. With a solo character I have to raise money for the recipe or run dungeons hoping it drops. I have the harvest the reasources and take the time to make the item. It's obvious that one side of this coin has more perks than the other. And wait a minute...it doesn't take effort to run solo in an mmo but being in a guild is an effort? Oh.
In the end, it's about the idea. The idea that your are forced to join a guild in order to feel like you are progressing and experiencing everything in the game and to get the advantages your character desires. I say give solo players a little unique experience on their end too. Keep it even.
Oh well, I've rambled enough. Just thought it was an interesting concept that many MMOs like GW2 seem to be leaving out. I think it would be cool to make a character who's in a guild and also have your lone wolf character and be able to see the pros and cons from both character situations and judge which is best for yourself.
And how would you go about not progressing or not experiencing everything as a guild-less player in Guild Wars 2? As a guild-less player you do events, you get XP, you level up, you gain abilities, you gain achievements, you progress. Also if you want to experience everything, then you PUG, or just join a massive group in one of those major events. So there, simple solution to your problems. Also solo players have the advantage of the unique experience known as the personal story... Where's my guild story? :P
Either you don't get what I've been driving at for many posts now, or you intentionally don't get it. Either way no biggie. Rationalize it how you want. We don't have to agree. I'll just say that I'm excited for how outside the box Arenanet has been on their approach to this genre and I have hope that while they will deliver an enriching guild experience that the solo experience will meassure up too. Who knows? They might set up such a good guild system that it will make players like me want to try it out. Now that would be an accomplishment.
Ok im going to put it in a way that everyone here understands why guilds work the way they do.
Asking for nomad content to be equal or unique as guild content makes no sense either in fantasy or in real life.
If im starting a company i will need people, lots of different people for different tasks. Getting people to work for me takes time. Its not like the best of the ebst are gona pop up the second i search for them.
It applies to guilds too. Your talking as seting up a guild takes some hours. Its a lot of trial and error. Your recruit people but a lot of them seem useless and at first a lot of them NEVER log on after you add them. After you finally get some that are helpfull and active you gota help them lvl up, give them items etc. maybe after some weeks you get some fame and decent players join your guild. But you see for the so called "benefits" you need LOADS of cash, some people dont want to contribute so sub leaders ahve to beg or put in their money. IF they put in their money they normally expel people who dont do anything and dont contribute to the guild in other ways, and they can be pretty demanding.
I could actually keep this up for hours but what im trying to get by explaining the initial stages of a guild is that it takes time
In that time a soloer could do a lot more since you dont have to worry about others or anything else but you.
Now if you joina guild that is already well established comes another issue. You need to be active and contribute when asked.
That means that you are under orders from someone and a lot of your actions are expected to help the common good and not just yourself. So lets say you are running an event and you want to get a prize from it. The leader says something like "no you are high lvled/have a lot of money etc etc and they decide that the work you are giving goes to a another member who is not as good as you but didnt contribute much for this event.
A lonewolf doesnt answer to anyone and can do what HE wants with his time, he gets all the spoils he collects and can group with people with no strains attached.
Another thing that strikes me is that it seems that some of you are treating other people as npcs. Why am i saying this? well its simple, two people doing two different things at the same time should take less time than doing it solo.
What your asking when you ask for bonuses is like asking that the time spend by someone getting a recipe while someone else gets the ingredients at the same time.
So lets say someone hunts recipe for 5 hours and another is hunting for ingredients for 5 hours, together that makes 10 hours. So what your telling me is the person who gets bonuses for soloing does it all in 5 hours?. Sorry but that is unfair its like your making them become 1 person or something. TWO people are putting in their effort, so the result should be the double of only ones person effort
Sorry, but the nomad idea is a bad idea.
First off, the game is all about building community. Guilds are not the only way to build community but anytime you give a person a perk for not joining a guild, you make them choose. Do you really want people to say, "you seem like a great bunch of people but I can't join your guild because I don't want to give up X, Y, and Z" ?
Also, if the bonuses are even worth having, then you have to worry about people gaming the system. Suppose it is a stat bonus and it's significant. Then everybody in the guild disbands right before the raid and goes lone wolf, only to join up again right after. Or they disband for the day to get the increased harvesting. And so on. Or you make them choose to be permanently lone wolf, and that's forcing people to make the horrible choice that they're never going to join a guild.
As far as the perks go, I think you just vastly overestimate guilds in general. You mention having access to the guild bank and just taking stuff out of it. Who puts it there? Who ran the dungeon to get the recipe to put in there? And how long do you think that you'll have access to it if you don't contribute items of equal value in return? And if you're going to do that, you might as well sell the thing you have and buy the thing you need. It works out just the same. If you're in a guild, you can have someone craft something for you, but shouldn't you be maxing some other crafting profession to help those people out? That's more work than if you're solo and just find someone to make it and tip 10g or something. Access to a large guild hall? Why does a nomad need a large guild hall?
Even in a traditional MMO, a guild is basically just a glorified chat room. The goal of those games is endgame raiding, so it helps to have a reliable method of communication to all the people, as well as knowing they've signed up for a common purpose. But it's not necessary. You could still do the same raid with 25 people on your friends list. In WoW, you could actually get decent PUGs to see a lot of the content that was a tier or so behind the bleeding edge. So it's available and you can still feel like you're progressing, it just wouldn't be as convenient to manage. In GW2 though, the hardest content, whether PVE or PVP, might only be 5 people. So a guild is even less of an advantage.
I guess I don't understand the idea of guild = progression, or how your idea addresses that. If there is content only guilds can do, whether it be raiding or PVP objectives, then being a lone wolf doesn't let you do those things by yourself. So all you'd be getting is just a bone being thrown to you so you can not feel so bad about being left out when you're the one excluding yourself.
I mean, what do you have against guilds? Is it just the tag that offends you? Why couldn't you start a guild? Then you could shape it the way you want, whether it be that all you do is capture PVP objectives every friday, or you don't do anything but trade recipes out of the guild bank and have a guild hall. Then see if you can find like minded people to fill the ranks. It's the same as going lone wolf with a friends list, only you can chat easier.
"Gamers will no longer buy the argument that every MMO requires a subscription fee to offset server and bandwidth costs. It's not true you know it, and they know it." -Jeff Strain, co-founder of ArenaNet, 2007