Clan (computer gaming)
Encyclopedia
In computer and video gaming, a clan or guild is an organised group of players that regularly play together in a particular (or various) multiplayer games. These games range from groups of a few friends to 1000-person organizations, with a broad range of structures, goals and members. The lifespan of a clan also varies considerably, from a few weeks or months to over a decade. Numerous clans exist for nearly every online game available today, notably in first-person shooter
s, massively multiplayer games, role-playing games, and strategy game
s. There are also meta-groups that span a wide variety of games.
which provides access to resources, knowledge, and help needed to accomplish many game related goals. In addition, banding together with like-minded players seems to fulfill a human desire for social interaction. Taken together, these two factors can vastly enhance the gameplay experience of many players.
, which is frequently unavailable to the other team. This is usually frowned upon in the gaming community. Because of this, some servers are configured to randomize or shuffle teams between rounds or games, automatically assign new joiners to the team that is in most need of players and/or auto-balance teams - most servers have rules against team stacking. Team Stacking can provide relatively new or low skilled clans with practice opportunity, as well as creating an instant challenge effect for other players who connect to the game. However, some gamers feel that this detracts from their experience by placing them at an unfair disadvantage from the moment they enter a clan-controlled server. Conversely, splitting clan members up can lead to a practice called ghosting, in which "dead" clan members will relay the position of their remaining teammates to the clan member of the opposite team. "Ghosting" is equally frowned upon.
Several Voice over IP
applications are available free to download that enable players to talk to each other via their computer, using a microphone or headset. TeamSpeak
, Mumble
and Ventrilo
are in common use, all of them require a small central server, either rented from a hosting company or hosted on someone's computer or server. Other voice chat services include Yahoo! Messenger
, MSN Messenger, AIM
, Skype
, and Google Talk
.
, or GameStreet Talk allow gamers to write simple text messages to each other providing both have the utility and have set up an account on the system.
Many games actually provide simple in-game messaging facilities. A player can send a message visible to everyone on a server, or this can be restricted to just the player's team. Such features sadly lend themselves to abuse. The less savoury or immature players use it as a method to be obnoxious or disruptive (see note below regarding spamming and trolling).
" play, where gameplay is focused solely on killing the characters of the other players. The popularity of clans and team-based versions of deathmatch led to the design of objective-based team games such as capture the flag
.
Due to the relatively unorganized structure of first-person shooter games the players tend to take on the organization themselves. This has led to the genre generating a large number of websites to help organize these gaming communities as well as the vast number of different styles of clans in these games. Some clans are large and have loose associations with each other and may only play on public servers with each other for social reasons. At the other end of the spectrum other clans may prefer to keep a small, tight team of players and concentrate on playing competitively against other clans in arranged matches and possibly in leagues. While the clan itself provides the social element in larger clans, the social aspect for the smaller, more competitive clans comes more from interaction with other clans.
Competition between clans is common but also takes many forms. Some clans have been known to be content with playing against each other on public servers, while others organize matches with other clans. Notably, some take this further and take part in leagues and tournaments. Some clans may even "war" with each other, using their members for surprise "attacks" on the other clan's servers. A lot of the time this is purely for fun but some of these leagues and tournaments have become fiercely competitive to the extent that practice and planning will become highly organized. This kind of competition is starting to be referred to as electronic sports
(e-sports), though there are many other similar terms for this. E-sports can be purely amateur over the Internet or for large cash prizes on local area network
s. This kind of competition also applies to other genres, particularly strategy games.
Many clans have their own private servers to play their game of choice on. These are most handy for holding practice matches against other clans and other forms of practice. Private servers are also convenient since they do not have problems that plague public servers, such as griefer
s and other behavior that is the gaming equivalent of the anti-social behavior when people have anonymity over the Internet such as spamming and trolling on message boards and chat rooms. As a side note, there are even clans who set up just to perpetuate this kind of abuse.
Examples of this include Star Wars Galaxies
("player associations") and EVE Online
("corporations",). EVE Online is also notable for having defined the system in more detail than is common in most MMOs, with "alliances" being a larger grouping. In the superhero-based game City of Heroes
, they are called "supergroups", and are similar in structure to comic book hero organizations like the X-Men
. Lastly, in Final Fantasy XI
, such clans are called "linkshells" and players of the game have the tendency and ability to be in more than one at once.
There are few guild versus guild tournaments in online RPGs, although the number of games with guild versus guild combat is increasing. Guilds usually are a cooperative planning and play group in these games, sometimes paralleling the functions of medieval guild
s. In Neverwinter Nights
, where the first such guilds appeared, they declared their own quests and scheduled cooperative play. Sometimes in MMORPGs, guilds take on the role of vigilante
groups or the mafia
, protecting its members from other players and guilds. These guilds form in the most literal sense in games that feature player versus player
combat.
EverQuest
(1999) led to the birth of so-called überguilds, which are highly specialized guilds formed by the most dedicated players on the server for the purpose of defeating the game's most difficult encounters and securing for its members all the newest and most powerful abilities and loot
. These guilds typically have regimented and selective application procedures that may take into account not only the desirability of an applicant's virtual character and playing skill but also a recruit's time commitment and even, in some cases, computer hardware
and bandwidth
. They typically do not share strategies or admit non-members to their adventuring groups or "raids"; High-end EverQuest guilds invariably censor
the in-game chat display when posting screenshots to avoid revealing sensitive information. Uberguilds often race to be the first to accomplish some particular task in the game; in the case of new items, such guilds often place their logo on screenshots of the item's properties in order to record their accomplishments. Most of these guilds, particularly in EverQuest and World of Warcraft, use an often-intricate variant of DKP to determine loot distribution.
Many simulation games, such as those in the Microsoft Flight Simulator
series, have clans that follow similar patterns to other genres. One notable type of simulation clan are Virtual Airlines
. A Virtual airline
(VA) is a dedicated hobby
organization that uses flight simulation
to model the operations of an airline. Virtual Airlines generally have a presence on the Internet
, similar to a real airline. It has been proposed that there are over 100 Virtual Airlines of significance currently active, with tens of thousands of participants at any one time.
games and are referred to as realism units.
In MMORPG
s and strategy games the game often features a separate mechanism used to identify the clan a player belongs to. For example in Dark Age of Camelot
, the player's guild appears in full below the player's name. In games that allow players to customize their appearance (usually by picking the color of their attire), clan members might all share a similar look, or bear their clan's logo on their character's outfit. The MMORPG Guild Wars has Guild Capes which can be customized by the guild master. The MMORPG World of Warcraft
introduced tabard
s, in which a guild master could customize a tabard to any look he wanted, and then guild members could buy one so they'd all be wearing guild colors. The game City of Heroes
goes even farther. A player can switch between their entire regular costume colors and the "Supergroup's" costume colors. It can also be refined to not apply at all or to only apply a certain areas.
First-person shooter
First-person shooter is a video game genre that centers the gameplay on gun and projectile weapon-based combat through first-person perspective; i.e., the player experiences the action through the eyes of a protagonist. Generally speaking, the first-person shooter shares common traits with other...
s, massively multiplayer games, role-playing games, and strategy game
Strategy game
A strategy game or strategic game is a game in which the players' uncoerced, and often autonomous decision-making skills have a high significance in determining the outcome...
s. There are also meta-groups that span a wide variety of games.
Social Groups as a Clan Origin
Many gamers who organize themselves into small groups of people do so in order to play with each other and socialize beyond just playing a game. These groups may contain only a handful of members, particularly when there is a focus on a single game. Occasionally, some of these clans or teams will become going concerns, and enjoy significant longevity and large membership. There can be hundreds, or even thousands, of these clans or guilds active at any one time in some popular online games.Corporate model
Clans of this type are generally long lasting, self-contained groups devoted to obtaining virtual items or money. Admission into elite corporate clans is usually selective, while this is generally not the case for less established clans. Corporate clans benefit from a strong leadership group who are in charge of recruitment, resource allocation, discipline, strategic, and tactical decisions during the course of the game. Corporate model clans rely on long term cohesion generally sustained by the sense of community created in the individual members. This long term cohesion improve execution in battle scenarios, since corporate model clans generally have a higher amount of cumulative experience. Efficient division of labor is key to the success of a corporate clan. Corporate models may or may not include a communal bank controlled by one or all of the leaders. The bank, which is a pool of the clans collective resources, may include currency or items, and is used to reinforce good behavior and play among rank and file members. Distribution may be either a points system, random chance, or leader discretion.Communities
Some gamers are organized less formally in communities, which may also contain clans or guilds. Often these communities include websites generating a fair amount of news and active forums to give the members their sense of community. It is not uncommon for a community to be based on more than one game.Online gaming groups
There are a number of more persistent and more organized groups that field players in a variety of games. These groups share some of the characteristics of the single-game groups and communities.E-sports teams
E-sports clans are organizations created solely for competition. They are often small in size but their size is also usually determined by how many players they need to meet numbers for competing regularly. Social interaction and friendship is often a requirement for the stability of these teams but it is not the main purpose for the organization. This means that many of these teams are short lived but those who do not fall apart due to social conflicts tend to last for a long time and stay together should they change to a newer game. E-sports teams also often have a tendency to form larger multi-game groups.Why gamers join clans
Joining a clan places one within a social networkSocial network
A social network is a social structure made up of individuals called "nodes", which are tied by one or more specific types of interdependency, such as friendship, kinship, common interest, financial exchange, dislike, sexual relationships, or relationships of beliefs, knowledge or prestige.Social...
which provides access to resources, knowledge, and help needed to accomplish many game related goals. In addition, banding together with like-minded players seems to fulfill a human desire for social interaction. Taken together, these two factors can vastly enhance the gameplay experience of many players.
Competition
Some clans focus on competition and may arrange recruitment, scrimmages and training sessions to reach their goals. For example, some clans only recruit skilled players who they think can help their clan win matches. It is common for a prospective clan member to be asked to prove their skill in a game, by taking a series of tests against current clan members in a private server. Some teams will also only recruit players who have a proven history with other successful teams, in order to prevent cheaters from joining their team.Belonging
Belonging to a clan can enhance a player's game experience by providing them with a group of familiar people with whom they can interact. In some clans, the stated purpose of the group is to talk to each other simply enjoy playing. When clans are not competing in formal matches, they often operate a looser, more relaxed server for their members and the public to play in.Trivia clans
Trivia clans are a growing population of clans with bots to host trivia competitions and keep score. Some clans even give out prizes such as CD keys or moderator positions. Trivia in clans is a good way to challenge each other, attract members, and entertain visitors to the channel.Division of labor
Gamers form guilds or clans in order to assist each other. Some members may focus on supporting roles, while others focus on more direct action. In role-playing games, members could focus on trade skills, such as mining or blacksmithing, to be able to provide their members with good weapons and armor at little or no cost. Similarly, in first person shooter games a player may establish themselves as a sniper, a medic or some other specific role, knowing that their clan mates can fill complementary roles with little discussion, and thus hoping to more effectively use their available manpower. Often this division of labor extends into the overall administration of the clan as well, with an individual having specific areas of responsibility such as recruiting, coordinating league play or server administration.Team Stacking
Clan members will sometimes make it a habit to all join the same team in a server, often in order to put well-rehearsed strategies into practice or to use their knowledge of the playing style of teammates gain an advantage on the opposing team. Often, clan members will make use of verbal communication, like TeamspeakTeamSpeak
TeamSpeak is a proprietary Voice over IP software that allows users to speak on a chat channel with other users, much like a telephone conference call. A TeamSpeak user will often wear a headset with an integrated microphone...
, which is frequently unavailable to the other team. This is usually frowned upon in the gaming community. Because of this, some servers are configured to randomize or shuffle teams between rounds or games, automatically assign new joiners to the team that is in most need of players and/or auto-balance teams - most servers have rules against team stacking. Team Stacking can provide relatively new or low skilled clans with practice opportunity, as well as creating an instant challenge effect for other players who connect to the game. However, some gamers feel that this detracts from their experience by placing them at an unfair disadvantage from the moment they enter a clan-controlled server. Conversely, splitting clan members up can lead to a practice called ghosting, in which "dead" clan members will relay the position of their remaining teammates to the clan member of the opposite team. "Ghosting" is equally frowned upon.
Communication
Clan members often use a variety of methods to collaborate, communicate and improve their gameplay.Internet
A website is often the central focus for publicizing upcoming activities such as training sessions or official matches in leagues. It can also be used for sharing tips and tactics, jokes, and general discussion topics. This all helps people to get to know each other and build team spirit, yet conversely may also be the source of personality clashes.Voice communication
Being able to talk to your team during a match and change tactics instantly gives an obvious advantage, but it is also widely used for chatting outside of competitive play.Several Voice over IP
Voice over IP
Voice over Internet Protocol is a family of technologies, methodologies, communication protocols, and transmission techniques for the delivery of voice communications and multimedia sessions over Internet Protocol networks, such as the Internet...
applications are available free to download that enable players to talk to each other via their computer, using a microphone or headset. TeamSpeak
TeamSpeak
TeamSpeak is a proprietary Voice over IP software that allows users to speak on a chat channel with other users, much like a telephone conference call. A TeamSpeak user will often wear a headset with an integrated microphone...
, Mumble
Mumble
Mumble may refer to:* Mumble , main character from the film Happy Feet* Mumble , open source voice over IP client/server* Mumble Bumble, a Canadian children's animated television program* Mumbles, a headland in Swansea...
and Ventrilo
Ventrilo
Ventrilo is a proprietary VoIP software which includes text chat.The Ventrilo client and server are both available as freeware for use with fewer than 8 people on the same server . The server software is available for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, or Unix variants such as Linux, Kopi, Solaris,...
are in common use, all of them require a small central server, either rented from a hosting company or hosted on someone's computer or server. Other voice chat services include Yahoo! Messenger
Yahoo! Messenger
Yahoo! Messenger is an advertisement-supported instant messaging client and associated protocol provided by Yahoo!...
, MSN Messenger, AIM
AOL Instant Messenger
AOL Instant Messenger is an instant messaging and presence computer program which uses the proprietary OSCAR instant messaging protocol and the TOC protocol to allow registered users to communicate in real time. It was released by AOL in May 1997...
, Skype
Skype
Skype is a software application that allows users to make voice and video calls and chat over the Internet. Calls to other users within the Skype service are free, while calls to both traditional landline telephones and mobile phones can be made for a fee using a debit-based user account system...
, and Google Talk
Google Talk
Google Talk is a freeware voice over Internet protocol client application offered by Google Inc. The first beta version of the program was released on August 24, 2005...
.
Messaging
Instant messaging by utilities such as IRC, MSN Messenger, XfireXfire
Xfire is a proprietary freeware instant messaging service for gamers, that also serves as a game server browser and has various other features. It is currently available for Microsoft Windows. Xfire was originally developed by Ultimate Arena based in Menlo Park, California...
, or GameStreet Talk allow gamers to write simple text messages to each other providing both have the utility and have set up an account on the system.
Many games actually provide simple in-game messaging facilities. A player can send a message visible to everyone on a server, or this can be restricted to just the player's team. Such features sadly lend themselves to abuse. The less savoury or immature players use it as a method to be obnoxious or disruptive (see note below regarding spamming and trolling).
Clans in first-person shooters
These games initially only offered "deathmatchDeathmatch (gaming)
Deathmatch or Player vs All is a widely-used gameplay mode integrated into many shooter and real-time strategy computer games...
" play, where gameplay is focused solely on killing the characters of the other players. The popularity of clans and team-based versions of deathmatch led to the design of objective-based team games such as capture the flag
Capture the flag
Capture the Flag is a traditional outdoor sport generally played by children, where two teams each have a flag and the objective is to capture the other team's flag, located at the team's "base," and bring it safely back to their own base...
.
Due to the relatively unorganized structure of first-person shooter games the players tend to take on the organization themselves. This has led to the genre generating a large number of websites to help organize these gaming communities as well as the vast number of different styles of clans in these games. Some clans are large and have loose associations with each other and may only play on public servers with each other for social reasons. At the other end of the spectrum other clans may prefer to keep a small, tight team of players and concentrate on playing competitively against other clans in arranged matches and possibly in leagues. While the clan itself provides the social element in larger clans, the social aspect for the smaller, more competitive clans comes more from interaction with other clans.
Competition between clans is common but also takes many forms. Some clans have been known to be content with playing against each other on public servers, while others organize matches with other clans. Notably, some take this further and take part in leagues and tournaments. Some clans may even "war" with each other, using their members for surprise "attacks" on the other clan's servers. A lot of the time this is purely for fun but some of these leagues and tournaments have become fiercely competitive to the extent that practice and planning will become highly organized. This kind of competition is starting to be referred to as electronic sports
Electronic sports
Electronic sports comprises the competitive play of video games. Other terms include competitive gaming, professional gaming and cybersports...
(e-sports), though there are many other similar terms for this. E-sports can be purely amateur over the Internet or for large cash prizes on local area network
Local area network
A local area network is a computer network that interconnects computers in a limited area such as a home, school, computer laboratory, or office building...
s. This kind of competition also applies to other genres, particularly strategy games.
Many clans have their own private servers to play their game of choice on. These are most handy for holding practice matches against other clans and other forms of practice. Private servers are also convenient since they do not have problems that plague public servers, such as griefer
Griefer
A griefer is a player in a multiplayer video game that deliberately irritates and harasses other players.-History:The term was applied to online, multiplayer computer games by the year 2000 or earlier, as illustrated by postings to the rec.games.computer.ultima.online USENET group.-Overview:A...
s and other behavior that is the gaming equivalent of the anti-social behavior when people have anonymity over the Internet such as spamming and trolling on message boards and chat rooms. As a side note, there are even clans who set up just to perpetuate this kind of abuse.
Clans in strategy games
Most popular multiplayer strategy games such as Warcraft III and Command & Conquer series' offer a matchmaking service to find matches provided by the publisher or developer of the game. Often these services have their own structures for organizing clans. Some of these services offer tournaments and ladders for clans to compete on either directly clan versus clan or indirectly by giving clan members points for winning 1v1 or 2v2 games and adding that to clan totals.Clans in RPGs
Clans also exist in other genres, where they are often referred to by a different name and serve a purpose more suited to the game. Many online massively multiplayer and computer role-playing games tend to call them "guilds" or invent their own term.Examples of this include Star Wars Galaxies
Star Wars Galaxies
Star Wars Galaxies is a Star Wars themed MMORPG for Microsoft Windows developed by Sony Online Entertainment and published by LucasArts.-History:...
("player associations") and EVE Online
EVE Online
Eve Online is a video game by CCP Games. It is a player-driven, persistent-world MMORPG set in a science fiction space setting. Characters pilot customizable ships through a galaxy of over 7,500 star systems. Most star systems are connected to one or more other star systems by means of stargates...
("corporations",). EVE Online is also notable for having defined the system in more detail than is common in most MMOs, with "alliances" being a larger grouping. In the superhero-based game City of Heroes
City of Heroes
City of Heroes is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game based on the superhero comic book genre, developed by Cryptic Studios and published by NCsoft. The game was launched in North America on April 27, 2004 and in Europe on February 4, 2005 with English, German and French language...
, they are called "supergroups", and are similar in structure to comic book hero organizations like the X-Men
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
. Lastly, in Final Fantasy XI
Final Fantasy XI
, also known as Final Fantasy XI Online, is a MMORPG developed and published by Square as part of the Final Fantasy series. It was released in Japan on Sony's PlayStation 2 on May 16, 2002, and was released for Microsoft's Windows-based personal computers in November 2002...
, such clans are called "linkshells" and players of the game have the tendency and ability to be in more than one at once.
There are few guild versus guild tournaments in online RPGs, although the number of games with guild versus guild combat is increasing. Guilds usually are a cooperative planning and play group in these games, sometimes paralleling the functions of medieval guild
Guild
A guild is an association of craftsmen in a particular trade. The earliest types of guild were formed as confraternities of workers. They were organized in a manner something between a trade union, a cartel, and a secret society...
s. In Neverwinter Nights
Neverwinter Nights (AOL game)
Neverwinter Nights was the first multiplayer online role-playing game to display graphics, and ran from 1991 to 1997 on AOL.-Gameplay:Neverwinter Nights was developed to be played similarly to the Gold Box series of games...
, where the first such guilds appeared, they declared their own quests and scheduled cooperative play. Sometimes in MMORPGs, guilds take on the role of vigilante
Vigilante
A vigilante is a private individual who legally or illegally punishes an alleged lawbreaker, or participates in a group which metes out extralegal punishment to an alleged lawbreaker....
groups or the mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
, protecting its members from other players and guilds. These guilds form in the most literal sense in games that feature player versus player
Player versus player
Player versus player, or PvP, is a type of multiplayer interactive conflict within a game between two or more live participants. This is in contrast to games where players compete against computer controlled opponents, which is correspondingly referred to as player versus environment...
combat.
EverQuest
EverQuest
EverQuest, often shortened to EQ, is a 3D fantasy-themed massively multiplayer online role-playing game that was released on the 16th of March, 1999. The original design is credited to Brad McQuaid, Steve Clover, and Bill Trost...
(1999) led to the birth of so-called überguilds, which are highly specialized guilds formed by the most dedicated players on the server for the purpose of defeating the game's most difficult encounters and securing for its members all the newest and most powerful abilities and loot
Looting (gaming)
Looting in a gaming context, specifically in massively multiplayer online games and MUDs, is the process by which a player character obtains items such as in-game currency, spells, equipment, or weapons, often from the corpse of a creature or possibly the corpse of another player in a PVP situation...
. These guilds typically have regimented and selective application procedures that may take into account not only the desirability of an applicant's virtual character and playing skill but also a recruit's time commitment and even, in some cases, computer hardware
Computer hardware
Personal computer hardware are component devices which are typically installed into or peripheral to a computer case to create a personal computer upon which system software is installed including a firmware interface such as a BIOS and an operating system which supports application software that...
and bandwidth
Bandwidth (computing)
In computer networking and computer science, bandwidth, network bandwidth, data bandwidth, or digital bandwidth is a measure of available or consumed data communication resources expressed in bits/second or multiples of it .Note that in textbooks on wireless communications, modem data transmission,...
. They typically do not share strategies or admit non-members to their adventuring groups or "raids"; High-end EverQuest guilds invariably censor
Censorship
thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
the in-game chat display when posting screenshots to avoid revealing sensitive information. Uberguilds often race to be the first to accomplish some particular task in the game; in the case of new items, such guilds often place their logo on screenshots of the item's properties in order to record their accomplishments. Most of these guilds, particularly in EverQuest and World of Warcraft, use an often-intricate variant of DKP to determine loot distribution.
Clans in simulation games
- See main article Virtual AirlineVirtual airlineA virtual airline is a dedicated hobby organization that uses flight simulation to model the operations of an airline. Virtual airlines generally have a presence on the Internet, similar to a real airline...
Many simulation games, such as those in the Microsoft Flight Simulator
Microsoft Flight Simulator
Microsoft Flight Simulator is a series of flight simulator programs for the Microsoft Windows operating system, although it was marketed as a video game. It is one of the longest-running, best-known and most comprehensive home flight simulator series...
series, have clans that follow similar patterns to other genres. One notable type of simulation clan are Virtual Airlines
Virtual airline
A virtual airline is a dedicated hobby organization that uses flight simulation to model the operations of an airline. Virtual airlines generally have a presence on the Internet, similar to a real airline...
. A Virtual airline
Virtual airline
A virtual airline is a dedicated hobby organization that uses flight simulation to model the operations of an airline. Virtual airlines generally have a presence on the Internet, similar to a real airline...
(VA) is a dedicated hobby
Hobby
A hobby is a regular activity or interest that is undertaken for pleasure, typically done during one's leisure time.- Etymology :A hobby horse is a wooden or wickerwork toy made to be ridden just like a real horse...
organization that uses flight simulation
Flight simulator
A flight simulator is a device that artificially re-creates aircraft flight and various aspects of the flight environment. This includes the equations that govern how aircraft fly, how they react to applications of their controls and other aircraft systems, and how they react to the external...
to model the operations of an airline. Virtual Airlines generally have a presence on the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
, similar to a real airline. It has been proposed that there are over 100 Virtual Airlines of significance currently active, with tens of thousands of participants at any one time.
Organization
The larger a clan gets the more hierarchical the organizational structure tends to become. Usually there is at least a clan leader, in small teams a clan leader may only be a team captain heading the team in game and initiating discussions to solve problems. In larger clans the leader is often responsible for the entirety of organizing the clan, with a number of basic members. If the clan expands, experienced members are usually promoted and are delegated various tasks such as recruiting, disciplining rule-breakers, member training, webpage maintenance, and others. Certain clans take this type of organization to a higher level where they emulate the structure (and sometimes name) of a military unit with specific ranks, positions, and groups. These clans are usually found in shooter or MMORPGMMORPG
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
games and are referred to as realism units.
Clan identification
In most games, players show they are a member of a clan by using a unique tag which takes the form of a prefix or suffix "tag". Tags are often enclosed in brackets or symbols and colored differently if the game allows it. In many clans, there is also a suffix, which would include your clan rank or status.In MMORPG
MMORPG
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
s and strategy games the game often features a separate mechanism used to identify the clan a player belongs to. For example in Dark Age of Camelot
Dark Age of Camelot
Dark Age of Camelot is a 3D medieval fantasy MMORPG, released on October 10 2001 in North America and in Europe shortly after through it's partner GOA. It is still running today recently celebrating its 10th anniversary....
, the player's guild appears in full below the player's name. In games that allow players to customize their appearance (usually by picking the color of their attire), clan members might all share a similar look, or bear their clan's logo on their character's outfit. The MMORPG Guild Wars has Guild Capes which can be customized by the guild master. The MMORPG World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game by Blizzard Entertainment. It is the fourth released game set in the fantasy Warcraft universe, which was first introduced by Warcraft: Orcs & Humans in 1994...
introduced tabard
Tabard
A tabard is a short coat, either sleeveless, or with short sleeves or shoulder pieces, which was a common item of men's clothing in the Middle Ages, usually for outdoors. It might be belted, or not...
s, in which a guild master could customize a tabard to any look he wanted, and then guild members could buy one so they'd all be wearing guild colors. The game City of Heroes
City of Heroes
City of Heroes is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game based on the superhero comic book genre, developed by Cryptic Studios and published by NCsoft. The game was launched in North America on April 27, 2004 and in Europe on February 4, 2005 with English, German and French language...
goes even farther. A player can switch between their entire regular costume colors and the "Supergroup's" costume colors. It can also be refined to not apply at all or to only apply a certain areas.
Further reading
- Harvesting the Hive:How online games drive innovation article from Esther DysonEsther DysonEsther Dyson is a former journalist and Wall Street technology analyst who is a leading angel investor, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and commentator focused on breakthrough innovation in healthcare, government transparency, digital technology, biotechnology, and space...
's EDventure, see section "Beyond collaboration:Group to group interaction". - Computer Games and the Military: Two Views article from National Defense UniversityNational Defense UniversityThe National Defense University is an institution of higher education funded by the United States Department of Defense, intended to facilitate high-level training, education, and the development of national security strategy. It is chartered by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, with Navy Vice Admiral...
's Defence Horizons, see section on "The Social Ecology of Games" by J.C. Herz. - Youth in Transition:The Challenge of Generational change in Asia proceedings of the 15th Biennial Association of Asian Social Science Research Councils released by UNESCOUNESCOThe United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
Bangkok, see section 16 "Youth culture in online game worlds: Emergence of cyber lifestyles in Korean society" by Sang-Min Whang, Department of Psychology Yonsei UniversityYonsei UniversityYonsei University is a Christian private research university, located in Seoul, South Korea. Established in 1885, it is one of the oldest universities in South Korea, the top private comprehensive universities in South Korea, and is widely regarded as one of the top three comprehensive...
. - Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection Clan Structure article from the Nintendo WiFi Alliance (Clanpedia) explaining the structure of a gaming clan in the Nintendo Wi-Fi world.
- www.top100clans.com