One year ago today, at the launch of production servers, about two dozen intrepid folks from EQ laid claim to Kil'Jaeden as their new home. Zephyros was formed the first day the server launched and from the outset, we set very ambitious goals for ourselves.
We have had a lot of trials and tribulations over the course of the past year. It isn't often we'll toot our own horn, but a one year anniversary seems like a good time to reminisce.
Server FirstsLucifron, the first 40 man raid kill of any mob on the server
Razorgore, the first Blackwing Lair boss kill of any sort
Ysondre
Cairne (ok, so half the server can't kill him;)
Alliance FirstsWe've had more alliance firsts than any other guild on Kil'Jaeden. With the exception of about five or six mobs in the game (most notably Onyxia and Ragnaros, where we lagged a bit) we've had every alliance first kill of nearly all raid content. This trend culminated in becoming the first alliance guild to kill Nefarian just a few short weeks ago. The competition on the server and among the alliance is fierce. With a number of outstanding guilds on Kil'Jaeden, staying near the front of the pack is a constant challenge. An extra tip of the hat goes to Auphan who has had more server firsts than we have.
PVPPVPwise, we have a few members who continue to move toward rank 13 or 14 (different goals for different people) in their off hours. We have a large number of people at rank 9 and 10 and all of our people maintain at least rank five or higher (which was more difficult before the recent changes to the honor system). Most of our folks are in the 7 to 10 range. On the alliance, I don't believe there is another guild that is as broadly participating in PVP as well as being in an advanced state of PVE as we are. There are some guilds that have a solid number of super dedicated PVPers (and the amazing time to invest in it), but not the global emphasis we place upon it. We've tried to build a culture where PVP is something people want to do because it's fun and challenging, not because they have to do it in order to grind for gear or standing. Our ranks are a by-product of this culture and the ranks or gear themselves are not the primary drivers of it.
We're more interested in being respected by our opponents than judging who can farm the most honor per week. We'd like to think that we're fairly well respected in the battlegrounds, as evidenced by frequent AFKing from our credible competitors (who rightly have identified that there are easier targets for them in the lengthy alliance queues) and a win-loss ratio that is in the 90% range for guild groups. We obviously, do lose. Everyone does. It's just not too often.
SizeZephyros has almost never had more than 100 characters on its roster. A few times, things tipped to be around 105 or so including apps, alts (when we allowed them) and mules, but we've always removed a few inactive members to keep the numbers at about 100. I'd estimate that our "active" base has never exceeded 80 people. We pride ourselves on being a highly selective, organized and skilled group of players rather than relying upon large rosters to achieve our goals.
I'd like to take a moment to thank our members, both current and past, who have gotten us to where we are today. Their focus, dedication and willingness to do what's necessary have made all the difference. I'd also like to thank our officers who put in countless hours, both in and out of the game to handle the organization, administration and enforcement of policies that have enabled us to remain competitive and that will keep us on the cutting edge of the server. They are my right hand and we'd be a very different guild without them.
The FutureIt's been one year since I made the decision to come to World of Warcraft, and Kil'Jaeden, In forming Zephyros, I took a very long term view of the issues involved in running MMOG organizations. I learned from the problems we faced in EQ (where we were also very successful) and made decisions and policies that would attract likeminded players. I continue to take a pragmatic, long term view. Even now I'm thinking about the content and the likely design decisions several expansions from now and how our guild will be positioned to attack them. At the same time, I'm interested in continuing to attract top talent to fill our ranks as the inevitable ebb and flow of our player base happens.
Playing MMOGs competitively is in no way about the 'sprint'. It is about the marathon that stretches for years. The roadside is littered by guilds in this game and others who burn out, form for the wrong reasons and focus on the short term issues (and recruit players who also are similarly short sighted). A year from now, the mobs we've killed and the loot we've acquired will be meaningless in the face of newer gear and tougher mobs. Three years from now, the past twelve months will be but a distant a memory.
It is not about the destination, but the journey. We've killed Nefarian. Yay. Guilds who have done so, claim that they've 'won the game'. In reality, he is just the first step of what will be dozens of steps over the next several years in WoW. It's my ambition that Zephyros will continue to be a force on this server during the course of our journey.
We look forward to having all of you with us along the way.
