Difference between revisions of "Lancer Knightz (Guild)"

Revision as of 22:38, 12 January 2013

Lancer Knightz

A selection of Lancer Knightz members. Guild Founder: Whitelancer, Shakugan, Pula Approx. Population: 90 Guild Master(s): Shakugan, Donkeyhaute, Sooch, Epoxee Website: http://steamcommunity.com/groups/lancerknightz

This is the official wiki page for the Spiral Knights guild Lancer Knightz. Our guild is much like other casual guilds in the game, but with these distinguishing characteristics:

• We're one of the oldest living guilds. We formed in April 2011, shortly after Spiral Knights launched.
• Our members seem to be more mature than those of many other guilds. For example, many of our officers are married with children.
• While some of our members like PvP, we're not into PvP as a guild. If you're looking for an elite PvP guild, then you won't be happy here.
• We run a somewhat-prominent project to collect data on weapon speed and damage.

There are no official requirements for entry to Lancer Knightz. If you are a pleasant, active player, then we'd love to have you.

History

Whitelancer created Lancer Knightz in mid-April 2011, with Pula and Shakugan. (Spiral Knights itself launched on April 4, 2011.) After a couple of months, however, Whitelancer left the guild to start Valkyrie Knights, Pula followed him, and Shakugan went dormant.

Donkeyhaute was invited into Lancer Knightz by Pula in mid-April 2011, and was the eighth or ninth member of the guild. Around the time that Whitelancer and Pula left, he was abruptly promoted from Recruit to Guild Master over a 10-day period. As the de facto leader, Donkeyhaute created our various rank systems, our defunct recipe-sharing scheme, our ongoing data collection project, and this wiki page.

By the summer of 2011, most of the guild's members had become inactive, as Spiral Knights often do after a few months. Representatives of The Ascendicate approached Lancer Knightz, suggesting that the guilds be merged. Sooch, who was then an Officer, convinced Donkeyhaute that they should try to revive the moribund Lancer Knightz, rather than abandon it. Sooch was promoted to Guild Master and helped rebuild the guild to a high level of activity.

By the autumn of 2011, the guild had become a bit dormant again. Norpo, who was arguably the social hub of the guild, was promoted to Guild Master. He spearheaded the recruitment of numerous highly active knights. The guild became more prosperous than ever before.

In September 2012, the Ascendicate merged with Delicious Bacon to form Coalesce. We maintain close ties to Coalesce and Valkyrie Knights.

By the autumn of 2012, Norpo had grown dormant. On 9 November 2012, Epoxee replaced Norpo as Guild Master. Epoxee is our first Guild Master, other than the founders, to live outside North America. Shakugan, who is technically still the head of the guild, plays occasionally.

Rules

Our guild is casual. Except for the rules of promotion, we have very few rules:

1. Be pleasant. If you want crowns, then don't beg; sell something or go into the Clockworks. If you have no energy, then don't beg; wait for tomorrow (or use our mist well, sparingly). If you invite someone to join your party, and they won't come, then don't beg; get over it. If your request for promotion is declined, then don't beg; keep playing, and you'll probably be promoted eventually. Don't use any racial, sexual, or other slurs. Don't scam people or steal from them. Let's develop a reputation, of which we can be proud.
2. Be active. Everyone goes on trips or is otherwise busy in real life sometimes. It's okay if you don't log on every day, or even every week. But any guild member who is dormant for a month or longer may be removed from the guild. If you need an exemption (for example, you're going on a five-week trip, but you'll be active after that), then send an in-game mail message to every Guild Master, stating how long of a dormancy you plan, and you will not be removed.

Rank

In Lancer Knightz, rank is based not on gear or skill, but rather on being mature and responsible. Our first rank system codified this idea into a notion of "Helpful Deeds". Our second rank system had no criteria at all. With the guild hall update, we have moved on to our third rank system:

When you first join our guild, you are a Recruit. The members of Lancer Knightz tend to notice all new Recruits. They may offer to go into the Clockworks with you or join you on a PvP team. New players are urged to check out these resources, to learn about the game:

• Starting Out and New Player Briefing
• Damage and Status
• Bopp's Sword Guide, Gunslinger Guide, and Bombing Guide

You get promoted to Member as soon as it's clear that you are going to be an active player. If we invite you one day, and on the next day we see that you're back, then that may be good enough. Traditionally, most people in Lancer Knightz are Members.

A Veteran is a member who has demonstrated that he is active, experienced, and responsible. Because Veterans have access to our mist well, promotion to Veteran now requires an application.

An Officer is a highly experienced, active, trusted member of the guild. Officers recruit new Recruits and promote new Members and Veterans. Promotion to Officer now requires an application.

The Guild Masters manage the membership of the guild, by removing inactive or disruptive members and promoting new Officers. Occasionally they alter guild policy and start new projects. Most of their actions are performed collectively, after meeting and forming consensus. Practically speaking, there is no single head of the guild. Promotion to Guild Master happens very rarely, and there is no guideline for who deserves it.

Activities

Guild members are encouraged to organize projects, events, and activities, to enrich our lives in the guild and to serve the wider Spiral Knights community. We used to have many such projects. Our recipe sharing project was made obsolete by the mission system. Our forum, contests, lotteries, and organized PvP are largely defunct.

Donkeyhaute runs our long-standing project to collect data on various weapons. Your data and ideas are welcome.

Shuraka held a lottery on the night of Halloween 2012, to give out a variety of Hallow items donated by the guild. Here are some of the prizes awarded: Akiroar got Raiment and Plate Mail. Bionicfusion got Cloak and Hood. Boomkid got Scale Helm, Sallet, and Round Helm. Dhalgren got Cuirass, Crescent Helm, Maid Headband. Donkeyhaute got Sallet and Tailed Helm. Squamph got Crescent Helm and Hood. Swolenator got Mecha Wings and Com Unit. Tsiddique got Toupee and some armors. Dhalgren also got a trinket slot upgrade.

GulliverBFG has started a Steam group for us. As a forum, the Steam group is somewhat more polished than the Spiral Knights forums. All guild members are encouraged to participate. Here is the process for signing up:

1. If you don't already have a Steam ID, then make one here. You don't need to play Spiral Knights through Steam, and you don't have to buy any games.
2. Edit your Steam profile to mention Spiral Knights, Lancer Knightz, and maybe your in-game knight name. A few details like these make you much easier for us to find.
3. Find GulliverBFG or Donkeyhaute on Steam, and add him as a friend. Or, in Spiral Knights, send a mail message to GulliverBFG or Donkeyhaute with your Steam ID. As soon as he can find you on Steam, he will invite you into the Lancer Knightz Steam group.
4. Check your Steam profile for your invitation. Accept it, and you're ready to go.

Donkeyhaute has started summarizing guild transactions at Guild Records.

We are looking for enthusiastic members who are interested in promoting PvP within Lancer Knightz — either for guild-vs-guild or individual play. Let Sooch or Donkeyhaute know, if you're really into PvP and want to get more of our members into it.