"We've Not Enough People...We're Going to ToC" "Wait...What? I Didn't Sign up for That..."

I mixed a few topics around in my head this week, but none really struck me as "this is what I want to write about."  I still intend to do a post detailing my new healing UI setup (although it's pretty straightforward), but for now, I decided to elaborate a little bit on what Zelmaru said over at our favorite home of ruling amphibians, Murloc Parliament:

"When you sign up for a raid, do you sign up for the activity itself, and if the activity changes, your sign up is void? Or do you sign up for a time slot, and the guild has you for that time slot, regardless of what you end up doing during that time?

If you sign up for an activity, how much of a change in plans is so much of a change that you are no longer expected to attend under the original sign up?

Does it matter whether some people still need something from the new activity? Does it matter what they need (i.e. a mount versus an achievement?)

If changes of plans were common, would you think twice before signing up for activities?"

A change of plans happens quite often in <Vytis>.  Being a smaller guild, if we are missing a few key people due to family/school/RL, we are not always able to raid.  By divying up our casual raiders on Tuesday and serious raiders on Wednesday, we were able to alleviate the first problem of having too many people on one night.  This has worked great for quite a while and still does, except the midterm/holiday/expansion blast trio has just landed. 

Now, we don't have enough poeple for Tuesdays or Wednesdays (and I'm at fault for missing some Wednesdays).  The usual plan of attack is knock out the weekly, and then see what we can do.  Tuesday night is flexible.  Wednesday night was dedicated to ICC Lich King attempts.  Unfortunately it seems that we have too much time in between the attempt nights due to the RL boss.

"When you sign up for a raid, do you sign up for the activity itself, and if the activity changes, your sign up is void? Or do you sign up for a time slot, and the guild has you for that time slot, regardless of what you end up doing during that time?"

So, I believe that when you sign up for the raid, you should know a few things about what's going on:

1)  Is this a casual or serious raider night? 
2) What is the planned instance? 
3)  Is there a backup instance?
4)  Am I required to show up to this raid?
5)  Do I want to show up to this raid?
6)  Does this raid have a possibility of filling up?

After you answer these questions, then you can decide whether to be confirmed or tentative. Depending on your RL activities, you may be a person who has to seriously weigh whether or not showing up every single night to not only your progression raids but also the casual nights is a healthy balance.  It may be that you want to help the other raid nights but due to school or work, cannot spare more than 1 evening a week.  I've moved into this category.  If I'm around on a Tuesday night, I'm more than likely doing things for me that other people get to do all weekend.  Tue-Thurs is my weekend, but two of those days are taken up by class (until December).  If you are extremely fond of your guildmates, then signing up for a general 'raid night' may not bother you, but, if you have limited time to play, then...

"If you sign up for an activity, how much of a change in plans is so much of a change that you are no longer expected to attend under the original sign up?"

...a change of plans that takes you to a lower tier may not be something you want to do for the evening.  If you have a goal to see the Lich King dead, then that is what you sign up for.  If you've got something to do, but this one evening is the only night your team can get together, then yes, it is worth it to you personally to sign up and expect to raid TLK.  If the plans change, then it no longer becomes something that requires "this specific time slot" to be completed. For example, if you sign up for TLK, and the RL decides the make up won't cut it, and says head to Ulduar, then yes, it is fine to politely ask to be replaced.  Many instances can be accomplished on off nights since they are no longer that difficult (compared to the current tier). 

If the changes are more drastic, such as going to old world content, then by all means bow out if you don't feel like doing that.  Those are fun things that again, can be done at other times.

"Does it matter whether some people still need something from the new activity? Does it matter what they need (i.e. a mount versus an achievement?)"

It depends.  If a player or two is polite in their request that we run ____ with them, then I am very happy to help as long as I don't have something planned IRL.  If it requires a certain group makeup that we don't have, then it's not going to happen.  Most of the time, several people need the mount or the achievement no matter where we go, so as long as nobody demands that we take them anywhere, I am happy to accompany them as long as I'm not setting myself up to be exhausted in my classes or at work the next day.  Also, I think special things like mounts should be available to all who attend, not neccisarily one individual.

One scenario we had was when we were first delving into ICC--getting people to work on Rotface and Festergut was like pulling teeth.  People would moan and groan and say "let's do ToC" even though only 1-2 people needed gear from there.  7/10 people in the raid were already ICC geared, or no longer needed things from ToC 10.  Having to constantly return to previous content to gear up people who only attended once  or twice a month became very irritating, despite our wishes to help other guildies.  As a result, we settled on the Tuesday casual raider, Wednesday serious raider split and allow raiders with extra time to help the Tuesday group.  Your raid's plans and goals should be clearly laid out on your guild website, forums, or in guild information (in game).

"If changes of plans were common, would you think twice before signing up for activities?"

I already do.  I think through my list above and decide if I can help out that night's group without stressing myself too much.  I actually enjoy raiding anything with my teams, so the "EEEEW ULDUAR" doesn't really happen to me.  I love Ulduar; I think the architecture is gorgeous and the gear is beautiful and well designed.  I still want to grab some Druid shoulders.  In the end, I usually mark myself as tentative and send in a message to a guildie via text to confirm if I will be there or not.  At this point in the game, however, a good number of us are just too tired, busy, or worn out from Wrath to be serious raiders.  We are trying, though!

Thank you Zelmaru for a thoughtful topic!