This book contains everything that has to do with ClanAM End Game.
Clan of the Angry Monkey has always been about having fun in the online games we play. Our focus has been strictly on enjoying ourselves and socializing with our online friends. This is not to imply that we do not get things done, in fact we tend have a lot of great accomplishments in the games we play, rather we perform our tasks in a social manner.
This has been especially true in our FFXI adventures on the Phoenix server. Whether running up a CoP mission or sponsoring a Garrison event, we've managed to accomplish a lot while at the same time remaining a very social clan.
The problem is, once you get near end game in FFXI, your interests tend to stray from what the base ClanAM population can accommodate. Things like end-game Garrisons, Limbus, Salvage, and end-game missions/quests need groups of people with high level jobs who are dedicated to the task at hand.
Because ClanAM proper cannot help end-game players with these things, they have traditionally had to look elsewhere. They then often get caught up in end-game HNMLSes that require so much of their time for membership that they leave ClanAM and lose the social interaction of friends and gaming colleagues that we provide. Gamers wanting to continue friendships in ClanAM, or those whose schedules disallow the rigors of an ordinary HNMLS are left wanting.
These, and other problems are ones which we hope to solve in the ClanAM End-Game LS. Read on for more..
Without going into many specifics, it is important to point out the problems many traditional HNMLSes have. It is these problems that we wish to avoid with ClanAM End-Game LS.
This may work very well if your HNMLS is filled with high school students, but for those of us who are adults this can be very annoying.
Everyone I personally enjoy playing online with is busy like I am. We have work, school, family/friend responsibilities, and other things which tend to take priority over this silly little game we all play.
What sort of hubris is required to think your LS will be everything to everybody? Just because someone would like to participate in an Optical Hat run doesn't mean that they should become indentured to your LS. ClanAM End-Game LS does not require you to not be a part of other End-Game LSes, in fact, we encourage you to join others as well if we alone cannot satisfy your specific end-game needs.
This is a game, not a job. We are here to have fun. ClanAM End-Game LS will have a strict upper limit on how many End-Game events we host each month.
Our primary goals in ClanAM End-Game LS are as follows:
ClanAM End-Game LS is an extension to normal ClanAM. It isn't meant to replace the original ClanAM for end-game players as that could cause an ugly division between players before and after 65. Instead, it is an augmentation.
You are not required to have strict allegiance to ClanAM End-Game LS in order to be a member. In fact, we encourage you to look elsewhere for additional HNMLSes if we cannot meet all your needs.
This will perhaps be the hardest, but we will certainly try. ClanAm End-Game members are strongly encouraged to participate in the normal ClanAM events. Generally speaking, normal ClanAM events will take priority over End-Game events.
There are a lot of people fed up with the crap that goes on in most HNMLSes. Because of this, there are many alternatives. The only problem is alternatives don't typically have enough members to really do all the fun things available at end-game. By allying ourselves with these people, we can join together and hopefully have enough people combined to get things done :-)
The following rules apply to membership to ClanAM End-Game LS:
ClanAM proper is still the focus of ClanAM, thus, you have to be a part of it. Participation simply means you help out with events and things. Participation does not just mean you show up and talk in the LS.
UPDATE: ClanAM proper has ended, this is no longer a requirement.
The simple fact is that any activity that doesn't require you to be 65+ is best handled by ClanAM proper. Thus, the ClanAM End-Game LS activities are strictly for people at or near end-game. We're not being elitist here, it's just that unless you are at or near end-game you wont help much.
ClanAM proper is the place for socializing. The End-Game LS is to only be used when events occur. Likewise, during End-Game events, the ClanAM proper LS chat should not be used for the event.
This is really just a logistical requirement. If everyone over 65 switched LSes to socialize then ClanAM proper will become a lonely place. Conversely, if ClanAM proper was filled with End-Game event communication then it would be disruptive to the normal ClanAM chat.
Other than these rules, we may have to come up with more as time goes on. But we will only apply new rules if they do not conflict with what is in our Manifesto.
Aside from the rules above, we have some general policy notes you should be aware of.
Many HNMLS and end-game LSes place requirements on their members that they cannot fraternize in other LSes. We've already talked about how idiotic and childish this is, so we wont go into it again except to mention we don't have that requirement.
Between events the ClanAM End-Game LS should be very quiet and empty. Thus, if you really are hurting for space, you can request a new pearl before every event.
Of course, I'd still highly recommend just keeping your pearl between events as trying to get ahold of a sack holder before and event will always be an iffy thing.
This should go without saying, but since so many other HNMLSes seem to expect this I'll say it anyway.
ClanAM is run by adults- Adults with lives, jobs, families, and things outside of this game.
If ClanAM cannot satisfy your end-game needs, then go elsewhere. We will be very strict on how many end-game events we hold per month, so if you are someone who has the time and absolutely must have an end-game event all the time, then we wont be able to help you.
ClanAM is run by people with busy schedules. We don't aim to be "the best end-game LS", we just aim to have fun in what little time we have together.
As we have said, membership to ClanAM does not mitigate you leave other LSes. We don't want to own you and keep you strictly for ourselves. We don't want you to leave your friends elsewhere or cut ties with other acquantances. In fact, if we cannot satisfy your end-game needs, then we encourage you to seek them elsewhere.
That being said, you will encounter other HNMLSes out there (usually run by children :-) who demand you drop any other LSes besides their own. While this is a practice we think is insanely stupid and would strongly suggest you don't allow yourself to be a slave to someone, it is ultimately your choice as to what you want to do.
Evaluate everything, both what the respective LSes can offer you as well as what you may have to pay for membership (e.g., your freedom) and decide for yourself.
We may be sad to see you go if you decide to leave us, but we will respect your decision.
You will have to give up your ClanAM End-Game pearl, but that's only because the other HNMLS will require it. ClanAM will not "punish" you in anyway, and will respect your decision.
That being said, the ClanAM members may be displeased with your decision. Don't be surprised if you show up and people razz you because of your decision.
The thing is, the way these other HNMLSes stay as exclusive as they are is by demanding a lot of your time. Thus, you will undoubtedly stop showing up for ClanAM proper events and become distanced from the friends you had here in ClanAM. So there's really little you can do about it if you make such a decision.
Bottom line is this: Put yourself in your friends shoes. If they were to ditch you the way you ditched them, would you be bothered because of it?
This is largely my doing. I'm a busy person. I work a full time job and run a non-profit educational software organization in my free-time. Thus, I simply don't have the time to divide up between many LSes.
Basically, ClanAM is my focus when gaming online, and ClanAM has multiple divisions, so I have to divide up my time carefully between them so as not to neglect any of them