Joining Your First Star Trek Clan

Before becoming a member

Whether it be in Quake, Wolfenstein, Doom, EVE, EverQuest, BattleField series or any other online game, you will find one single constant in all of them...clans.

Doesn't really matter what they are called.  In guild wars they are called guilds, in Quake they are simply called clans, in some games the publisher likes to call them "player groups" in trek gaming they are either fleets or clans.  One thing remains constant in all instances, clans are part and parcel of ANY major online game.  You can't run from them, you cant hide from them, they are, and will always be there.

Some people (like me) think the clans are doing the job they were made for, keeping the online game alive.  Other folks think clans are a blight on the gaming scene to get rid of, and other folks are neutral.  Whether you are on the hate or love side of clans one thing would have crossed your mind at one point in your life as an online gamer..."should I join one?  This is where this first part of "The Role Of The Clan Member" steps in.  This first part is probably the most important part of this section.  This part will help YOU decide whether or not you want to join that massive trek clan that's been hounding you for months to join them.

Even though I have ran the biggest sites dedicated to the life of clans in Trek gaming I can count the amount of times i joined one on one hand, and still have fingers left spare.  Yup, it's true, I'm basically a solo player.  However running one of trek gaming's biggest clan sites at the turn of the millennium did put me in the posititon to hear both sides of the story, the side of the gamer looking to join a clan and the side of the clan leader looking to recruit more members.  Both sides have completely different reasons for getting more members.

Normally when a clan asks you to join them it's for one of 2 reasons.  Either they are generally on a recruitment drive, or you are deemed a "good player" by higher up members in the clan recruiting you and they have sent people after you to recruit you especially.

Either way, in each case you need to ask yourself some basic questions.

Before making a decision think of your gaming life right now...

The first thing you should look at is your gaming life at the present moment in time.  This can have several aspects.  The main one is how many people you know in the game you are playing.  Until Legacy is released at the end of 2006 the current trek games are all there has been for the past 3 years and they are starting to die off.  I seriously doubt anyone reading this before September of 2006 will be a new trek gamer but even if you are not a new trek gamer you need to ask yourself one simple question at the start..."am I having fun with enough gaming friends?"  That's the basis of all online gaming, to meet new folks and to have fun gaming.  If you don't know a lot of people online in the game you are playing then joining a clan may be a good opportunity to get to know a lot of new folks. If however you would rather keep yourself to yourself then joining a clan really isn't for you right now.

Clan have one thing in common no matter what kind of system they are using, they are essentially a group of players joining in on games to have fun.  That's the basic ethics of any clan.

What does the clan have to offer me?

If you have decided to join a clan the next question you should ask the recruiter or the clan leader is what they have to offer you as a gamer, when a clan is recruiting they are wanting YOU to join THEM.  Remember that.  Don't accept things like "its not what we offer you, its what you offer us" if they say anything like that then move on.  A clan should always have something to offer a new member.  Whether it be new ways of playing the game(s) or simply a friendly community for folks to play and have chats in.

Also, ask them the basic questions..

1: Does the clan have a website?
2: Does the clan have a forum?
3: Does the clan use a voice chat system?
4: How long has the clan been around for?
5: Is the clan in any current state of war with another clan?

Those 5 questions will help you determine if the clan you might be joining wont suddenly fold in a few months time.  If the clan has been around a while they will already have a well established site and forum along with a voice chat system (like teamspeak or Ventrillo).  Even if the clan is a new one, if they have a good site and a fairly busy forum it looks like they are in for the long haul.

The last question, about war, is always one that should be asked.  Sometimes, as most of you know, clans end up having an argument with another clan and end up settling the argument in game with a clan war that can last days...or even weeks.  If the answer to that question is yes then it might be fair to assume that the recruiter is looking for more players to help wage there war, basically dragging you into a war against a clan you might not have even heard of.  It's up to you if you would want to jump straight into a clan which is at war with another, personally I wouldn't.

What can I offer the clan?

The next thing to ask yourself is the same as last time but reversed.  If you join a clan the clan will expect something back.  Even if it's just your time spent online wearing the clans tag and doing a bit of recruiting, that is generally enough.  However if you have other talents associated with online gaming and clans it might prove useful further down the road of your clan career.

Such talents which will lead you on the road to gaining rank are things like...

1: Being good at web design.
2: Having a good knowledge of image apps (forum signatures...etc etc).
3: Having knowledge of running and maintaining gaming servers.
4: Having friendly ties with other clan leaders.
5: Being skilled at modding or map making for the games your clan plays.
6: Being skilled at the game's your clan plays (although not normally essential)

Now, if your like me and the answer is yes to all of the questions above then you'll probably find yourself in the position of having at least 2 emails a day from clans you have never heard of trying to recruit you, i know I do. 

Even if you're only good at one of the things above, or maybe NONE of the things above the fact that the clan contacted you first (or maybe you contacted the clan) and they are interested is all that matters.  The last point of being good at the game your clan plays is something that you will find you will eventually be good at as your clan will more than likely start training you on the tactics of the games you are involved in with the clan.

Once you have weighed the pro's and con's you should make a decision.  Remember though to spend an hour or so to think it over, being in a clan is completely different to solo gaming.

The First Few Weeks

The first thing any new clan member needs to do is read the clans forum, and I mean READ.  All posts in the announcements or clan news section of your particular clans forum should be read to get you up to speed with what your clan is up to.  Other parts like the diplomacy or contact forum where other clans contact your clan should also be read to see what diplomatic ties the clan has.

The next important thing in the forum is the gaming areas.  If your clan has different sections for games then it is advisable for you to read those sections as well to get to know your CO of that particular gaming section.  It's also a good idea to read those sections just to generally get a grasp of when your team mates will play and if there is any special needs (like mods) that your team plays online in that game.  After that it's mostly just generally browsing the General Chat forums of your clan to see what the gossip is.

Being a new member in a clan is much like starting a new job, you need to find your feet first.  The biggest thing you need to do though (after reading there forums) is to hop into game.  Clans are always based on playing the games online in a group and that's something you will need to get used to.  Playing solo usually means you are your own boss but depending on the rank and system of the clan you may find that you might have to start taking simple orders from a CO (Commanding Officer) of your particular clans gaming division when you are in game.  Simple things like "don't fire on an ally" and stuff like that.

The ordering thing goes really deep though when you are in an rpg clan, but that's a whole other section of the clan community which we wont get into in ClanBase for now.

Many aspects of solo gaming does tie into clan gaming.  The biggest difference you will see though is that if you joined a big clan (or even a small one) you may start to notice a lot more people ask you for a game.  Clans have an inherent "ignore mode" when it comes to solo players with no tags.  Unless that solo player have slapped around a few clans in game they will usually get ignored...unless they run a big trek gaming site, then everyone knows them..don't get any ideas now.

The one major difference in the first few weeks of gaming depends on the actual size of the clan.  Smaller clans with 20 or less members wont has as many folks online at one time and will act more like a close knit family during the weekends which is usually the main gaming time for smaller clans.  With smaller clans you don't get overwhelmed with all the new people you meet however being in a smaller clan does have disadvantages, the main one being the amount of people online wearing the tags at any given moment in time.  The next disadvantage of being in a smaller clan is that you may find it harder to find people in your own clan to play games against.

When you move into the realm of the major online clans with massive amounts of members (over 50 + members) things change a lot.  First of all in the major online games your clan plays you will find a lot more people online wearing your tag.  It is a good thing to see a lot of people online with the same tag as yours as it enables you to blend into the background...there's nothing worse than being the only member of your clan on in that particular game chat lobby.  Bigger clans have a major advantage over the smaller clans due to the sheer numbers of there members, you'll find a lot of people with the same tag as you welcoming you to the lobby and wanting a game with you.  However bigger clans also come with disadvantages.

Larger clans due to them having a major online presence in the game will attract a lot of attention.  With attention comes a lot more other clans and solo players wanting to play them.  The wrong word, said at the wrong time can spark something which haunts bigger clans...wars.  It's a known statistic in the STG that if your clan has over 50 members you are 3 times more likely to engage in a clan war than a clan of only 20 or so members.  The next big disadvantage for the more reserved player is the numbers thing again.  Just due to the sheer amount of players in the game wearing the same tag it can be overwhelming.  When legacy comes out these things above will happen in the space of a few weeks, big clans will join in the game and smaller clans will be formed early on.

It's up to you to decide how to proceed in your first few weeks of being in the clan, however, whether you are in a small or large clan, we can offer you some pointers...

1: Always be willing to play a game with your clanmates

Kind of obvious that one.  The more willing you are to play a game with your clanmates the better chance you have of getting to know the other players in your particular gaming division.

2: Always make sure you are seen in the clans forum and voice chat system

One of the many rules which most clans share is that there membership actively participate in the clans forum and voice chat system.  The forum is there for there members to catch up on any news and the voice chat system is there to co-ordinate any team battles that might be going on.

3: Always be willing to lend a hand

Whether it be the webpage, making new forum signatures, or simply applying to be one of the clans diplomat...making a good impression in the first few weeks by willing to lend a hand in the day to day running of the clan will make the higher up's notice you faster.

4: Never fade into the background

Some people who play clans get so overwhelmed that they just wear the tag and melt into the background of the clan.  That's the worst possible thing you can do.  By fading away no one will notice you which will lead on to no one wanting a game with you. Your better off being a solo player if you go down that road.

The trick in your first few weeks is to always be seen but not seem too eager.  Play those games, help that webmaster and do all the necessary day to day tasks.  If you stick with it in the first few weeks you will have a much better chance of being accepted as "the new guy" rather than being talked about as "the n00b who no one sees online".

The Long Haul...The First Few Months

When your first few weeks of being in the clan is over the next thing you know you might have got a small promotion and you've spent your first few months in the clan. 

You reach a certain point in time, normally after your second month, when you start to feel at home cause by that time you basically know everyone in the clan and the leadership.  By the third month of being in the clan you should have gotten to know all the basics of clan life and if you haven't then it means you either ain't been on line enough or you are too secluded within the clan and you didn't get to know anyone.  If that is the case then it might be a good idea to leave the clan and go back to solo playing again.

The third month of being in the clan is kind of the break off period which a lot of clans seems to associate with.  Month one and two is usually spent playing games and training raw recruits, month 3 is when the new folks in the clan are basically sent out to the big wide world.  It's also the time when you'll have learned more about the state of other clans...which leaves you with several decisions.

Clans, no matter what game they are playing in have major things in common.  Depending on what kind of system they are running the basics are usually the same.  Most clans have diplomatic or ally systems which tie several (in some cases dozens) of clans into what can only be described as a "NATO" of clan gaming.  Also, some larger clans run tournaments, ladders, bracket ladders and other tournament systems.  On top of all that the basic running of the clan, moderating the forum, web site updates and the likes is running underneath.  This is the point you have a choice.

You can either do one, or if you want all, of the following...

• Help with the diplomatic area of the clan

• Help with webdesign (IE: updating news etc)

• Help with any tournament systems that are running

• Help with moderating the forum

It all depends on you.  You can of course just continue as normal and game away with your friends.  The biggest bulk of clan memberships is made up with the gamers who are in the game wearing the tags.

However if you want to have more of an insiders view on how clans are run then volunteering for one of the above jobs will not only give you an insight as what what is needed to run a clan but it will also give you a more stronger position in the clan.

At this point in time this is where you have to start thinking of being in a clan as not only a fun way to game, but a serious "voluntary job" system.  You can continue gaming away in the games but it's entirely up to you.  If however you are like me and get bored with going into games all the time and having nothing constructive to do then a sideline job in the running of the clan would be something for you to consider.  You can even do something that's off your own back, posting in other clans forums to get to know them.  Most clans don't mind if there members post in other clans forums (as long as they are not at war with them) and making sure your clan has good ties with other clans will make your diplomatic officer's job a HELL of a lot more easier.