FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE TO ALL GALACTIC MEDIA

Blackhalk, founder of The Guild of Free Traders, announced his retirement as guild commander at this week’s membership meeting. Blackhalk guided TGFT through its infancy and developed it into the galaxy’s premiere trading guild. In appreciationof Blackhalk’s service, the TGFT council voted to erect a statue in his honor at the guild’s headquarters in Nyrius. Blackhalk will continue to shape the future of TGFT as a member of the council.

Succeeding Blackhalk as commander is Gaird, unanimously elected to that position by the guild council. Gaird was born and raised in Edras Command. He struck out on his own at age 17, working as a trader and miner ever since. He was a founding member of TGFT, and served as one of Blackhalk’s lieutenants.

Viciousnanite will continue to serve as one of the guild’s lieutenants. Gaird has appointed Broma-ba Slick as the other. When asked about his plans for TGFT, Gaird flashed a quiet smile. “We have energetic and creative members working on a number of projects. Just keep your eyes open.”

Players interested in joining The Guild of Free Traders should contact a member in-game or post a note on the guild’s website.

Yarr! get back on the wagon ya grizzled old schemester!

way to ruin a moment shape :)

Strange, the only thing I've heard of TGFT so far apart from the preposterous "membership costs" practices are those little mining runs they make so much noise about.

About the only Guild you see nowadays fervently pursuing its Chapter is The Syndicate, with half of the active members still engaged in piracy (which means, of course, just 0).

Then you should try to learn more about them, jexkerome, even if they are rather discrete.

The few TGFT members that I know a bit are great players with strong ethics. I have also seen TGFT as a whole going after pirates and that was an impressive demonstration of team work. They are more than meets the eye.

The Guild of Free Traders is composed of players who are interested in pooling time, effort, knowledge, talent and, yes, a modest amount of credits, in order to accomplish tasks that would be difficult or impossible for an individual player. TGFT supports the efforts of players or guilds who choose to bring something to the game by creating and sponsoring events in the VO universe.

Players interested in learning more about TGFT can contact any member in game or post a note on the guild's website.

/me salutes Blackhalk, and then takes him on a "victory lap" around the galaxy.

I'd like to say that I plan to keep racing and winning in the TGFT-sponsored #22 "car". So, congrats to Gaird, Broma-Ba Slick, and Nanite I guess, for not getting kicked from the LT spot. ;)

Now, shall we discuss my new contract? I believe that the next race is a week and a half from today, that should give you enough time to scrape up my 500,000 cr fee for Ads and Racing...

For an additional 500,000 cr you might get a poster on the guild recruiting forum...

OK Leber, Consider yourself paid. 500k race sponsorship will be transfered to you next time I see you on. The 500k for a poster will come if I see a good poster. How about 150k up front and balance apon completion of poster?

See me in game
By the way, scraping that together will only take me about 40 minutes. No worries.
Gaird

Get to know TGFT? Nah, I'll pass. My cash is mine to give whenever *I* feel necessary, not someone else.

BTW guys, I gave screwball half the winnings from last week, as agreed upon. 500,000 cr.

Thanks, LeberMac. I made sure it reached the treasury.

To jexkerome: What's the big deal with having guild dues? If you don't like it, don't join. The dues are A) easily affordable, B) used by the guild for the benefit of the guild, C) help us cull inactive members from the ranks. How can you argue with that?

I doubt TGFT is the only guild that charges dues (game money, not real money), and I know it's not the only guild with a treasury. So how do we use the money? Here's a few examples:

Like other guilds, TGFT gives away cash prizes for participating in our events. Examples include the Easter Egg hunt, Capture the Samoflange duel, and mining expeditions. We sponsor pilots such as LeberMac to represent us in the race around the galaxy and provide in-game advertisements. We may pay him for some guild posters too. There are, of course, many other obvious uses for money.

And since I haven't stated it in a public forum yet: Thanks to Blackhalk for starting a great guild, and congratulations to Gaird on the recent promotion!

In all my dealings with them, I have found TGFT to be honourable and a credit to the VO universe.

I have personally hunted with Blackhalk, and hope to do so again.

Obviously different guilds suit different people, and I was running my own guild when invited to join.
_________________________________

Epideme, Viper
(former commander [BOFH])

Hmmm, you say you DOUBT you're the only guild that charges, meaning you don't know for sure whether you are or not. Neither do I, frankly; however, as of now TGFT is the only guild I've heard complaints about, and not only regarding the "dues" ("affordable" is never a word people use when referring to them ingame, BTW), but also about abusive attitudes of the higher-ups towards the regular members, like demanding obedience without question. Not a few complaints, either, mind you, but quite an amazing (or apalling, depending on how you see it) number of them from various persons at various times.

I've played with Blackhalk, I find him an A-OK guy; I also know that's got nothing to do with being a part of TGFT. There's also ViciousNanite, whom many in the game hold in low regard due to his character, and again I know this has got nothing to do with being a member of TGFT. So saying "so and so is in X guild" means nothing.

So, I'll play with TGFT members, but not while on official TGFT events, or when they are looking out for TGFT's interests above those of his companions/quest/event mates.

You say TGFT is cool, voice in the void says otherwise, and I've seen more proof of the latter than the former. So, nothing you say or do will change that, so let's just agree on that, okay?

TGFT is happy to discuss its policies, including its membership dues, with any interested player. For the straight scoop on TGFT, please msg me or any guild member in-game, or leave a note on our web page.

Broma-Ba Slick

Well Jexkerome, you are allowed to believe and think what you wish. TGFT may not be for everyone. There have only been three members to leave our guild due to conflicts of interest. We have also cut many inactive players from our roster.

So I will make an educated guess in saying that your so called "voices in the void" are either uninformed or all in your head. As for your proof, well proof only matters to those who have an axe to grind anyway. My sugestion is to post your proof, and be a little more clear on what your 'voices in the void" are saying.

Spewing hollow and vauge references of 'others' and proof, only makes you seem the fool. We have nothing to hide, so bring your alleged proof to the board, or go away and let the big kids play.

You don't have to like us or we you. We don't even care if you refuse to join us in our events. We offer these things to the VO community as something do as a group, outside your "regular" group of friends.

You don't seem to even know much about us, yet spout off. Fine, that's your right as a person. Have fun and Be well.

If anyone wants to know more about how we do things, we are happy to discuss them. We are not a secret group, but we won't spam freq 100 talking about ourselves.

Gaird

Problem with naming names and citing words is that the affected party won't go "Oh yeah, we really went Old Schoole with that guy/behaved totally wrong/ganked him" or things to that effect, but rather, the affected party will try to downplay the events and/or discredit the player; in some cases the party will also resent the player and try to make his life ingame miserable, so I'll keep the info to myself, since that kind of actions feel right up TGFT's alley. Oh, and I stopped worrying about other's opinions on me when I was about 17 years old, really, so "opinion" away.

Have Fun and Be Well, TGFT!

Well it seems you are alluding to TGFT "ganging" up on would-be pirates. We don't try to keep this a secret. We openly do this. So say that is 'dishonerable". Whatever. One thing TGFT does is protect their own members. If someone is camping a worm hole in Nyrius then we will stay there until they leave. Fighting as a group is something we do. Anyone who has fought against a TGFT group knows, we are not fighters. But if you attack one of our members, don't cry foul when we show up. Most of our pilots are unarmed or or lightly armed, so who really got ganked?
Complain about honor and such all you want. There are several threads about that subject. Also consider your source. There are only two pilots that we target on a regular basis. That comes from their constant attcks on TGFT and attempts at extortion.
But again unless you bring forth the so called proof you sound weak in your agruement. I could say that "i have proof that you have hacked your files and cheat on a regular basis." But unless I produce the proof for all to see, I sound more like a crybaby and less like a person with a legitimate gripe.

Oh and as for my opinion, well it does matter since this thread is about our guild. But the only opinion stated here was yours, while I have asked twice now for you to produce the proof. We will either defend our position or bow our heads in shame. Again we have nothing to hide. However it seems you do.
Bring the "proof" out for all to see our keep your opoinions to yourself. Forming a belief about a group based on hearsay is weak as well.

You don't like us, well good for you. Everyone is entitled to their opinion.

P.S. Thanks for hijacking the thread. That seems right up your alley. (see, does that not sound lame to attack people with out proof?)

I would like to thank everyone who gave Blackhalk their best wishes. I know that means alot to him.

Blackhalk started The Guild of Free Traders shortly after VO went live. He kept a guild together and functioning in the early days. That was no small chore. As is often the case RL events began to over shadow TGFt and Halk's free time to play. Blackhalk stepped down as a service to his guild. We all appriciate his efforts and his willingness to allow TGFT move beyond his vision.

Thanks Halk, we will do you proud.

Gaird - TGFT website needs updating. (I'll humbly offer my services but I think you've got people that can do that.)
I'll use the site as the basis for my poster. How about a background with piles and piles of gold coins?

Thanks for the offer Leber, but we do have people working on a new web page as we speak.


(gold coins)
Naw, we are not about making piles of cash, just free trade.

Ya right who am I kidding. LOL