Guilds of Historica New Member Guide

[Jacob Nion]

I'm curious what all those girls will do who play with friends and the elves theme today. Lego seems to have finally a successful strategy for reaching girls nowadays. Maybe those will have dark ages in a few years and then return as AFOLs. But in general I think having toys as an adult is a typical male thing. That little boy inside you that remembers the old days when Lego was the most awesome thing when coming home from school. No idea if women have a similar little girl inside them.

[MiloNelsiano]

I'm not sure the problem is necessarily with keeping females to stick around, it's getting people in general to stick around. When I look at the older builds from book 1 I see so many people I don't recognize or I've seen maybe post one or two MOCs. Granted I haven't been a part of GoH forever but it's over a year now. So many other members have joined since I have but they don't really seem to post that often, or at all after so long. Several never do anything after introducing their character. I'm not trying to say these numbers are at all reflective of reality, but say 90% of members in general become inactive. If there have only ever been a dozen or so females active, 10% that stay would only give you...well, Kai. There have been lots of great MOCers--male and female--come here but disappear. I'd half guess part of it is because of the lack of "inspiring" castle sets. The Pirates forum seemed to be dead for a long time, besides Captain Braunsfeld, but since the current pirate theme came out, there has been a lot more activity. I'm really not sure the best way to get people to stick around longer, but I have given it some thought, because I reeeally hope there's a book 3 in the future.

Kai, you could always posting an invite topic in the Ladies Lounge, assuming you have access there without having a Lady's Title Thingy.

[kabel]

Yeah maybe you are right. As for myself, summer is always a big blow to my activity, but this year the Kaliphlin challenge almost killed my interest for good. There were just way too many mocs to follow ... Luckily we are having our Algus project in Mitgardia. But yeah, I think it's down to me, Eccs and Soccerkid who joined the guild within the first weeks four! years ago. Not much better in the other guilds ...

[MiloNelsiano]

Yeah, I hate to say it because it was so successful, and it produced so many amazing builds, but the Kaliphlin contest seems to have burned a lot of members out. I think that type of challenge was really a brilliant idea, and is worth doing again, but maybe separate of GoH, in more of an annual CCC type setting. Andromeda's Gates also seems to have pulled some members interests at least partially if not fully. I am exciting about Brethren of the Brick Seas (is that what it's called?) but am also worried it will pull more members from here. Time will tell I guess.

[gedren_y]

I believe SarahJoy, who seems to be on hiatus right now, was the last female to join Kaliphlin. A lot of the current loss seems to have been from the deluge that was the Kaliphlin Civil War. I built some stuff for it, but after a while I stopped even voting. Right now I am working on my story builds, and dismantling my big embassy build. Like many, I am waiting on the Nocturnus Civil War prelude builds.

The Tavern also seems to have fallen by the wayside.

[Garmadon]

Although I did enjoy it to a certain extent, I do agree with you about the Kali challenge - it was way too intensive for GoH and seems to have burned a lot of people out, at least temporarily... besides, I just had to volunteer to work with the voting threads too One of the best thing about GoH is the rather lax rules that pretty much allow people to build what they want and when they like, and I'm afraid the Kali challenge rather messed that up with about three or four builds a week possible, and though of course no one needed to build them all, at least some people did (try ). Posting constrictive criticism also becomes rather difficult ( ) when you have two pages of new builds to comment on every Monday morning.

I do think that the Nocty challenge will pull some of those who dropped out back in though, at any rate I hope so!

[Sorrelon]

I'm still discovering about the guilds, landscape of the regions and tribes/families, and I really like the idea so far! All four of them are very interesting and while I often find myself leaning towards Avalonia(which looks like it'd suit most to my planned character, a half elf), I've yet to completely decide on a guild for myself. Also, I totally loved the idea of the Grand Griffon Tavern and Inn. It's a shame that place is almost deserted now, I hope the place will get more lively soon, I'm sure Master Gabbold could use the gold.

Also, I heard there is another place called Varlyrio, but couldn't find much information about it. Can anyone tell me about that place as well, please?

Edited September 18, 2015 by Sorrelon

[halixon]

I agree with Milo, Kai. I think you should step in there. Out of my 4 months in GoH, i've seen a lot of male builders, but no females.

[Garmadon]

Welcome to GoH Sorrelon, it's certainly "a very fun happy place to be!"

Also, I heard there is another place called Varlyrio, but couldn't find much information about it. Can anyone tell me about that place as well, please?

Varlyrio is a fifth guild (created by Mikey B and the winner of a GoH challenge for a fifth guild), and while builders are allowed to place MoCs in it, it is not open for membership... so it's sort of a semi-guild in that respect. You can read pretty much all about it here

[TitusV]

Thanks kai for the more than two cents. Except you, i don't know a FFOL,but that's a sign we need more of them.

Ok, this is built by a FFOL. Maybe we should invite her or so?

http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=114617#entry2334474

Edited September 19, 2015 by TitusV

[Mike S]

Honestly, I don't know why it matters if we have 10 FFOL or 1 FFOL... There is nothing gender specific about GoH, so I don't get why it is a big deal.

Just to let you know I haven't forgotten about Dronds Feeld build, just have had a hectic schedule for the last few months.

[Kai NRG]

@those who asked about the Ladies' Lounge - Nope, I'm afraid I don't have access; I didn't even know it existed. I've thought about getting a Lady star, but after I get to Arch Duke (just so I can hit all the levels). But that might be a while!

Yeah, I hate to say it because it was so successful, and it produced so many amazing builds, but the Kaliphlin contest seems to have burned a lot of members out. I think that type of challenge was really a brilliant idea, and is worth doing again, but maybe separate of GoH, in more of an annual CCC type setting. Andromeda's Gates also seems to have pulled some members interests at least partially if not fully. I am exciting about Brethren of the Brick Seas (is that what it's called?) but am also worried it will pull more members from here. Time will tell I guess.

Yes, I have to agree with you - in one way it's kinda ironic! AG is probably taking a lot of time away from those who are involved both in it and in GoH, but I don't think you have to worry about anyone completely switching (as long as you're on EB, you'll probably at least pop into GoH once in a while). The good thing about AG however is that it has a potential end (might take a year or two, but it does have an end - which, when your talking something as intensive as a build a week, is really necessary).

I also agree with Milo's analysis of the problem - getting people to stick around in general. (That might have been obvious from my previous comment though!) Seems like several of the MOCing RPGs are at this phase... they've been going for a couple of years, so how do you keep the original groups involved and attract new builders?

Also, as it begins to seem like these RPGs are almost "permanent" it makes it easier to say, "I'll take a break and come back later." I'm not suggesting that GoH has to end however (I think what we've got with the various Books is good in terms of that), but we seem to be at the stage where some sort of innovation is necessary, probably after the Nocty challenge.

I actually have been thinking for quite a while (since about the middle of the Kali challenge) that it would be really cool to do a collab between all the active FFOLs of GoH. But I figured I'd wait until one or two actually showed up... and so I waited... and waited...

[Exetrius]

@Kabel, Yeah. We had three. Whoohoo! (Not at the same time really, though.)

I think it might have something to do with it being less "cool" for a girl/lady to be interested in LEGO as opposed to a boy/man; it probably comes across as more weird and thus is easier to drop. And it's also probably harder for a FFOL to get as "addicted" [caveat: I don't like that word, but nothing else seems to fit here!] in the first place (though, I didn't seem to have any trouble ).

(...)

Kaliphlin also had (we seem, sadly, to have lost it a bit last challenge, but hopefully it will be back!) a strong team feeling with a sort of permanent inner core that kept everything together... though perhaps that permanent core isn't so permanent after all. However, having that did help to keep me (and probably others) interested, I think.

So basically, if you want my opinion, I don't think the loosing FFOLs syndrome is GoH's fault (though, to be sure, the last challenge may have contributed slightly. In one way, it was a tremendous success, but in another way, it seems like we're still recuperating from the burn out!). I think it's more that it's just plain harder for a FFOL to find time and will to be part of the FOL community - not the broader community, there seem to be quite a few FFOLs there, but the select Medieval MOCing community.

I don't really think that there's a quick fix solution. But I do think that things that will attract more members from the ranks of those who aren't already Medieval MOCers will also attract (though in proportionately smaller numbers) FFOLs as well. Speaking of which, it does seem to me like we could maybe use some new blood!

Well, GoH has a lot of lore. Lore that (in this case) consists for a considerably large part of battles/conflicts between or within the guilds. Obviously, one needs to be attracted to this lore and the Historica continent, the role-play and the story writing, to decide to build for GoH. I think that in general, having a great dedication to a RPG in a fictional realm is something typically male, especially when it is status/rank and battle-related. I think that women are much more likely to dismiss something (like this) as "just a game", rather than an alternate form of reality and interaction with people. Yet, I have the impression that there are way more story-obsessed females (both in reading and writing) than males, which is the quite opposite of the ratio of MFOLs and FFOLs in GoH. I think the same goes for the amount of (hobby) creative types. Maybe it is a rare combination to be both the creative builder and the one that likes to read or write stories as a female, I don't know?

So, about the Kali challenge. It was too intensive, it is indeed almost impossible to comment on (let alone to give constructive criticism!) on every build. We all enjoy to get many comments on our build, right? It proves that people enjoy the thing that has cost you your spare time, maybe even while nobody in our everyday life social circle really approves of you doing so. If people don't get time to process things, to respond and to appreciate your work, then what is it worth? The rush is at exciting and very stimulating at first, but it leaves only time to move on, not to fully enjoy what you've built and, eventually, leads to a exhausted interest. The greater the break-down, the greater the reluctance to jump back in it.

On a side note, I think a long lasting civil war is not the best thing to keep FFOLs, who tend to enjoy this competitiveness less, in the guild.

Finally, about the fresh blood thing. I felt a certain threshold for joining GoH because of all the lore that I didn't know anything about. How could I fit into something so big, of which I knew very little? Maybe others are experiencing this too? I feel like it would be immensely time-consuming to plough through all the threads in order to become more familiar with the more comprehensive history of Historica. I think it would be awesome to have a real, written book with the most important and greatest MOCs and stories of GoH of the past years. It would help to keep things overseeable. I do realize that this is very hard to pull off and may even lead to conflicts regarding what (who) should be included and what not. This is Guilds of Historica after all .

So, these are some of my thoughts on the topic, glad to share them with you!

[Kai NRG]

You bring up a really good point about the lore. A lot of people seem to find that a hurdle. I think actually though that that's sort of a misconception; once you get into it, I think most members in general would agree that this is one of the most loose RRGs in terms of story - there really is no official cannon that anyone needs to know. As long as you read the pinned topics and get a general feel for what sort of geography is located where and maybe a few of the main towns, you shouldn't have any trouble fitting in. However, I can see how someone coming to it would look at the thousands of threads and go, "I am so out of the loop!" But really, it's not necessary to know all that to join - there's way more stuff you really need to wade through to join LoR, for instance, and possibly even AG since it's a fairly complicated rule system.

It does seem difficult to get that message across to a potential joiner. "No, seriously! You really don't have to know all that stuff!" (Hey, even I don't read it all. )

As for a written book... wow. That - would be an undertaking.

[TitusV]

@Kai and Exetrius. You're right. When i started, about the begining of the summer, there's seemed so much to read for me, and all in different sections. The guilds threads, the new meber guide, the wiki, the lorepage... I think this is to much for people who have spare time to build, but not for anything else. Whe should bundle this information.

About the FFOL, maybe because we simulate a bit the medieval society, where women didn't have anything to say, they rather go to the City Section. I mean, Kai got a male sigfig too, but that's not something every woman wants.

[halixon]

Yeah, I hate to say it because it was so successful, and it produced so many amazing builds, but the Kaliphlin contest seems to have burned a lot of members out. I think that type of challenge was really a brilliant idea, and is worth doing again, but maybe separate of GoH, in more of an annual CCC type setting. Andromeda's Gates also seems to have pulled some members interests at least partially if not fully. I am exciting about Brethren of the Brick Seas (is that what it's called?) but am also worried it will pull more members from here. Time will tell I guess.

Hey Milo, when can we expect another chapter in Osric's story?

[Taluva]

Now my two-cents about those F and other FOL's.

(Oh, as an aside: I am a FFOL myself)

I can relate to the lore stuff and looking as to where my people could fit in, being not that easy.

I already kind of decided to join Kaliphlin, but didn't do it yet, due to space-issues here and another thing: I built some MOC out of the bricks of a set I dismantled which I thought looked pretty cool, but I couldn't get it photographed decently, so I didn't post it anywhere.

I probably would've been able to have come up with a story so it could fit in GoH, so in a way that's a pity too.

I also was fiddling with making a vignette to make my entry, but it didn't look "good enough" and I don't have the right pieces to make it the way I want.

Now I know I'm sometimes too much of a perfectionist, but I guess I'm not the only one out here and when one sees what the GoH people make out of their Lego...

So the high quality of both the builds and the photographs might be another thing that keeps people away.

[MiloNelsiano]

I can understand that feeling, and thinking your builds are "unworthy" as I felt it before joining as well. But honestly, that exactly why people should join. The focus of GoHis not about producing superior MOCs. Not at all. The focus, and reason why (as I understand it) GoH was started was for people to improve their building abilities. Later today when I'm on my desktop I can share some of my first MOCs to compare with my more recent ones. Not only the builds have drastically improved, but also my photography (though neither is perfect yet). So many people here are really willing to help you to improve, which is why I love GoH so much--not because of the amazing MOCs (they're nice too), but because of the great community. You have to start somewhere, and it doesn't matter how nice your MOC is. You will receive feedback, and if you take the feedback into consideration in your next MOC, you will improve, and figure out something else you can do better. It can be a long process, but I've found it to be worthwhile. Give it a shot!

[Kai NRG]

Oh yes! Give it a shot anyways - we're all about improving. Trust me, it would be really hard to be worse than I was when I first joined... I was building stuff like this:

Now I can build this sort of stuff... still got a ways to go of course, but I dare say it something of an improvement!

[kabel]

Wow Kai, totally don't remeber the first one, it's terrible

[Kai NRG]

Wow Kai, totally don't remeber the first one, it's terrible ������

I'd have to agree there.

[halixon]

I think i'll be joining Kaliphlin in Book III.

[dzidek1983]

Hello i would like to join Avalonia but i dont have the figures displayed in the Avalonia thread.

Will it be a big problem?

I currently have figs with blue lions and blue crown symbols.

[Exetrius]

Hello i would like to join Avalonia but i dont have the figures displayed in the Avalonia thread.

Will it be a big problem?

I currently have figs with blue lions and blue crown symbols.

Though I'm from Nocturnus, I am almost certain that blue lions and crownies are just fine. What is more important, is the atmosphere that you give your mocs in order to fit in with a certain guild. Anyway, great to see yet another builder wanting to join GoH

[dzidek1983]

Thank you for your answer, i just saw in the topic the figures are using green themed torsos and thought that my blue ones will look bad on Avalonia MOC's.