With Blizzards Cataclysm expansion soon to be released I would like to conduct an experiment before the game is changed “forever”. Watching video blogs, listening to podcasts and reading the Blizzard forums it seems to be that in Cataclysm there is going to be much focus around ‘being in a guild’ and the importance of it is going to be so dramatically increased to the point where to gain certain benefits and items you have to be apart of a guild.
The experiment I wish to conduct is to see if being in a guild really affects progress and if at the end of the day it is really important. The way that I’ll be doing this is by researching the most played class, role and faction combination and create that character on a determined realm depending on how balanced it is (Alliance : Horde ratio, faction progress), I’ll also be following a strict play time schedule of 3 hours a day (21 hours a week) for leveling and raiding. A long side this ‘loner’ character I’ll also be leveling a character of the exact race, class faction etc just that it will be in a guild, and after a time frame of 15 days played at level 80 which one has the most achievement points, gear - score, Ice Crown progression, reputations exalted and total gold acquired.
Rules:
- Cannot play MORE than 3 hours per character per day. (However, on weekends two sessions of three hours per character (6 hours per day per character on weekends) is acceptable).
- The Non - guild character may not be sent gold from level 80 alts, friends, however it can be handed items from strangers. (This also includes NO heirlooms for both characters.)
- Gear, Gems and enchants at level 80 will be prioritized as they are on Elitist Jerks.
- The guild character is only allowed to raid with A GUILD 2 times a week. (Pugs only for VoA or weekly raid unless its ICC). This character is also not allowed to arrange pugs via the forums.
- The Non - guild character is allowed to arrange pugs on the forums, but is not allowed to have MORE than 2 consecutive runs of a raid where majority are from a certain guild.
- The guild character is to be played during the prime hours, and the non - guild character is to be played before or after the prime hours.
