Raid group organisation

At about 6:30 last night (GMT not server) I was busy planning a somewhat grumpy rant to dump here, but since then I've heard a couple of appeasing messages about sub-ins, got drunk, seen a frankly awesome band called kid harpoon, randomly met a uni-friend there (saw Lee last night Fermin ), and got stoned, so I'm finding it hard to dig up any general feelings of pissed-offness.

Still, the fact remains that for two consecutive weeks I've been one of the first to stick my name down on the guild calendar, I've worked late two or three other evenings in the week so that I can leave early on wednesday, I've turned up on time, with all the pots and food, as well as materials for emergency pots for other raid members, and fully read up on the bosses for the entire run, and I've been left out. Heck, last week I paid for a taxi to get home on time, since my motorbike wasn't working, and this week I had to say no to a poker game with workmates because I'd signed up and been given assurances that I'd be getting a spot.

I'm perfectly aware that we're at a point as a guild where we don't have the numbers for two kara groups or 25-mans, and that inevitably means that people are going to miss weeks. I have no problem with missing weeks as required. What I do take severe issue with is doing everything right, making sacrifices, and then being told there's no room for me.

What I'm getting at is, can we please have raid groups decided based on signups, by the night before the raid? I can't help but get the feeling that last nights group places got prioritised by who was online at 18:30 server time, which conicidentally, is the normal finishing time for office jobs in the UK. I'd value the opportunity to not have to completely shred the rest of my personal life just for a 1 in 4 chance of going to kara.

With Kara last night we had two new guild members (Merke and Methias who used to be part of the horrible UA) that we were both trying out and letting them get accustomed to how we go about raiding so they took up a DPS / OT spot. We were going to try and push for two groups (we have the tanks and OTs and we should have the dps as well) however a lack of healers was our major problem with the entirety of the what we did last night being done with two healers. We are at a strange situation where we should be able to get two groups up and running but we keep getting held up by falling just short of the required numbers for reason x, y and z.

Until we can guarantee two working groups - which should hopefully be soon - the best we can do is have sub-ins. Believe, whilst there are people like yourself Knargelion who want to come to Kara theres people such as myself that don't particularly enjoy it anymore and I'm beginning to feel a massive lust to move onto other parts of the game (ZA, Gruul, Maggy, SSC, TK and Hyjal with the latter being one I would really like to do) and I am pretty much happy to let anyone else take my place in Kara aside from downing Prince. I'd like my free time to get through work / RP or go out for a couple of drinks.

Still, the sooner we can get this issue sorted the better and for what I know you should be in for Illhoof and any other bosses we do then (we will need a locky for hoofy though).

At the moment I am shredding my personal life to make sure we can get even one group going to Kara.

If i may take this opportunity to defend myself (and i shall quite venemently)

Organising a raid group isnt actually as easy as looking at who has signed up and going "oh ok /invite"

I have to create a balanced group good enough to clear, but still beneficial to new people who need the gear. This is NOT easy...and i hate having to turn people down, in fact you will notice i tend to delegate that task to raid assists as its really not something i enjoy doing.

There are a few things im thinking of trying out to get two groups on the go; for example a wednesday start group and a weekend group. Majorly recruiting new healers and/or asking current members to respec resto/holy/whatever and getting seriously tight on raiding rules.

Dont think im being ignorant, mean, picking favourites, or generally being a bitch...because i work my ass off to get the raid going every week wether there are 2 people signed up or 20. I want to progress as ciccone mentioned...we have been running kara for months now...however i dont think either of us can start passing our spots just yet.

Bear in mind im doing what i can, but its not easy...and at the very least knar...i know you need illhoof...so for illhoof you shall be there

I'm going to have to speak up for Knarg here. If the guild expects people to show when they've signed up for a raid, then the guild has to reciprocate that commitment. If I am the first holy priest to sign up then I should get to go. The same should apply for all roles within a raid.

I understand that the guild needs to progress; and this means improving members gear and gaining adequate raid xp. However, people need to be treated fairly. For example, I generally don't make plans on Wednesdays so I can be available for Kara. Otherwise, what's the point of the guild calendar?

My post wasn't meant as an attack on anyone, which is possibly something I failed to communicate adequately, but defending fact that I wasn't able to get into a group on wednesday is unnecessary. I'm perfectly happy to take one for the team as it were, and I'll do so on a regular basis. What I'm trying to communicate is that I'm putting a lot of effort in, going through a lot of hassle, and doing everything I'm being asked to do, and my reward is an evening dossing around at home when I could be out having fun (ok, actually didn't happen, but nearly did) then having to stay at work an extra hour the next day. All I'm asking for is, by tuesday evening, a courtesy whisper or something dropped in ingame mail saying "Looks like we may not be able to accomodate you this week", so that I can change my plans accordingly. I know I'm not the only one who struggles with the 6pm wednesday thing (and also that any start time will be inconvenient for someone, so it's not likely to change), and I'm sure that everyone whose in a similar situation to me would appreciate what I'm asking for.