Why do people hesitate about merging Free Companies?

[AccountBanned]

I see a lot of people who have really small FCs that honestly will never accomplish a static group or be able to accomplish endgame seriously. I(we) often try and get those smaller FCs to merge with ours since we have a medium-sized one already but they often decline with little or no response. The most used of these rare responses is that they've played with those people for years and don't want to leave them. I understand this reason but we're trying for a full merge and everyone is welcomed but that point never seems to matter.

Some of us are really curious why merging seems like such a bother to some people. I personally see this as a big "win" for everyone involved. Are people really having fun with 4-7 people which may or not log in at the same time?

I guess I'm just frustrated that nobody sees the value in this...maybe I'm missing something Are other servers merging with success or finding the same hesitation?

[Arriverderci]

For me, small close knit groups tend to have less drama, and much more fun and create closer friendships with just a few.
Larger FC's, more drama, people don't talk, no bonds formed.

[GameGeeks]

For me, small close knit groups tend to have less drama, and much more fun and create closer friendships with just a few.
Larger FC's, more drama, people don't talk, no bonds formed.

To be fair, there's a chance a large FC group could be using voice chat. Not hard to forget about the text chat using that. Would explain no talking.

[Arriverderci]

To be fair, there's a chance a large FC group could be using voice chat. Not hard to forget about the text chat using that. Would explain no talking.

Some people, like myself, do not prefer Voice chatting.
I also don't like FC who need some sort of Voice Chat for a requirement.
This game can do fine with just macro's and typing.
I just grab a few of my FC...like 3 of em most of the time and we DF or just ask around.
-Shrugs; It depends on what you wanna do, or run your FC.

[GameGeeks]

Some people, like myself, do not prefer Voice chatting.
I also don't like FC who need some sort of Voice Chat for a requirement.
This game can do fine with just macro's and typing.
I just grab a few of my FC...like 3 of em most of the time and we DF or just ask around.
-Shrugs; It depends on what you wanna do, or run your FC.

That's your prerogative. And I never brought up it being a requirement. Just that it's not uncommon to use them. My guild does both. There's a section of us that use the voice chat and plenty of others using the traditional method. And yeah you can do it with macros for communication but that doesn't seem very fun. Besides we're just shooting the breeze most of the time. At this point we don't really need to coordinate since we've done the dungeons so many times.

[Welsper59]

For me, small close knit groups tend to have less drama, and much more fun and create closer friendships with just a few.
Larger FC's, more drama, people don't talk, no bonds formed.

This. If you form a circle of friends, of which you all do not belong to an FC with a lot of people you don't really know, the social enjoyment is just increased by a lot. Nearly everyone does not really like to say literally everything they would with their close friends when surrounded by prying "ears" of a ton of people around them. I was actually in a situation similar to that, and the work around was to just utilize the old LS to chat, instead of the FC. That's fine for some people, but if the raiding route isn't your thing yet, there's really no need to join an FC that does.

This is actually something negative as well though from another perspective. Cliques or static groups of friends making solid bonds with the entire group of another clique is minimal at best. What does this mean? People get left out. It ALWAYS happens, and unless you were part of the group that got left out, you probably wouldn't even know it happened. I've seen it many times in MMORPGs... heck, many times in life.

[Eclipsed]

having played MMO's for almost 14 years now, I will say this : I have never ever seen a merger go well. It always goes something like, small guild A wants to do something so they merge with medium guild B. They get glamoured by the fact that they are finally going to get to see endgame, and accept what seem like reasonable terms and conditions when looked at in their hopeful eyes. Reality hits fast and guild A finds that guild B only really needed a few of their people and most are just left out in the cold and those promises of "rotating people in so they can get a shot" quickly are forgotten. Guild A's officers are never really accepted into guild B's leadership clique and they are merely given the title until the few that B needed are thoroughly assimilated into their guild and forget they were ever in A. In time people from A get frustrated and go off to do their own thing.

Mergers just don't work.

[Aerostein]

(Mostly snipped)

Mergers just don't work.

This, exactly. Guild mergers never work well, and always end in drama.

In this game, with how things work I'd prefer to join a guild with people I get along well with and trust. Would be easier to form a linkshell with other guilds when it comes to raiding if need be.

It's almost insulting to get asked by a larger guild if they want to merge imo. That's just how I see it, really.

[Seezur_Undies]

Would be easier to form a linkshell with other guilds when it comes to raiding if need be.
It's almost insulting to get asked by a larger guild if they want to merge imo. That's just how I see it, really.

Thanks what i was thinking, Why not form a LS. Each FC stays their own FC and has the shared LS. Problem solved

[Sealdorie]

Thanks what i was thinking, Why not form a LS. Each FC stays their own FC and has the shared LS. Problem solved

This is exactly what I did. I have my FC and I have a Linkshell made up of other small FCs for a larger social community. Some people want to have the perks of a FC with their real life friends and family (chest, actions, eventually housing). And while my own FC has more than just my friends and family, I respect those that feel this way.