United We Stand: Four Rules Of TOR

United We Stand is an Ask A Jedi series focusing on guilds, groups, and other communities in Star Wars: The Old Republic. By examining the communities that we form, we can create a stronger game for ourselves, build relationships that will last a lifetime, and perhaps even change the world itself.

Yesterday morning at about 10:00 AM, I had a moment. When you know something like this is coming, it’s weird. You can’t imagine what it will be like once it has passed, what it will be like once Star Wars: The Old Republic has become a norm in your life. But, until that time, it seemed like it will never come. But, as my mouse hovered over the “Play” button beneath the carefully picked appearance bars, I took a moment to think about what I was doing. I was preparing to fully immerse myself in a whole new world, a world where I would meet people from anywhere from across the world to right across the street. I looked at the name I had typed in for years, and realized I needed to decide exactly who TwinHits is. We want to become what we want to be, and who do I want her to be?

Thus,  I want to share with you the “Four Rules of TOR”, four rules which I will play by, and I hope that you will play by as well. These rules are meant to encompass every action and every decision that you make, both within the game and within the community, and to guide us with wisdom towards a better game.

1) Don’t Do Anything Stupid: I make a lot of rule lists, and they always start the same. Don’t Do Anything Stupid covers just about everything. Don’t do anything that you would look back on and regret, don’t do anything that you would look down on another person for doing. Make wise choices, this is your character and this is a reflection of you.

2) TOR Runs on Kindness: Actually, all MMO’s run on kindness. Take a moment, when someone asks you to run them through Esseles, to remember how much you wanted someone to run you through flashpoints when you were that level and just starting the game. Remember the kindness others have done to you and always give back to others when they ask.

3) Work Towards A Better Community: This should feel familiar to you, by playing together well, being kind to one another without expectation of reward, and reaching out to other people we can build a better community of players. Through that, we can build a better game, have more fun, have more impact, and change the world of online gaming together.

4) Work Towards a Better Self: This is another experience in life, this is another chance to learn more about yourself. Every moment you spend playing this game is a chance to become who you want to be, for I know with absolute certainty that without games like Star Wars: Jedi Academy, Starcraft 2, or World of Warcraft I would not be half the person I am today. Do not take this lightly, do not throw this away.

And that was it. I pressed play, and began to learn for I know that this game will change my life forever. Not for the reason of its sparkling animations or colorful landscapes, but because it will bring me in contact with other people in situations I scarcely dreamed I would be a part of. Whether it be a PUG group gone wrong or extraordinarily well, a moment of crisis or success in guild leadership, or a new lifetime friend made after a failed Athiss run, I know that my everyday my life will be a little different, and every time for the better.

I also know I’m not alone.

TwinHits is an officer for the guild Unity on the server Dreshdae Cantina. Leave comments or tweet @TwinHits with your thoughts, ideas, and stories about guilds, communities, and leadership in Star Wars: The Old Republic.