Thats nice to hear Mehndi. Very nice. Because I can't think of anything more criminal than the collection of knowledge away from those who need it. I'm a firm believer in sharing what I know and I go to great lengths to help people sometimes. I have never held with the concept of charging for my knowledge or keeping my knowledge to myself, that is in my opinion selfish. Knowledge does not make an artist, a builder, a pilot, a trucker. Skill does that. You say you've kept tricks to yourself that help you. OK, keeping those tricks to yourself may have hurt others who could have done with that knowledge. Sharing your knowledge will not create clone Mehndi's selling in the store, not everyone will have the skill for that. Same with other artists. Only a very few can make hair like Kozaburo, and he shares his knowledge and tricks enthusiastically, yet I don't see any hair anywhere remotely like his. Each person is individual. The sharing of knowledge helps a person discover their level of skill and their individuality. I like that you would want to post a file of the combined knowledge of all in the guild. Erm, what's stopping anyone doing that now? In the tutorials sections of here, 3DCommune, PFO, Renderotica? I was concerned because of what you said early on. But the guild didnt want to stop there, the guild also wanted to offer the best possible resources to new artists...A place where the artist could go to learn all the tricks of the trade before venturing out into the market...A place to all learn together These references to a place that went through your posts... What other conclusion could I draw than you were going to form a site for sharing that would later charge people to enter so only the more wealthy could learn. That bothers me on a deep level. Your last paragraph is interesting because I wasn't referring to the past, I was referencing something you said. The goal is simply to release into free stuff excellent quality merchandise by the guild artists, as they have time, can afford it (since so many of the artists actually derive their literal money they live off of from making products for Poser), and feel like it. If these items released to free stuff happen to be a better crafted solution that saves customers from spending money on a product which is being sold somewhere that is inferior, then the goal has been served, as well as the community. Not "ancient" history at all, it's a threat of future action. There seems to me that there is a lot of thinly veiled threats there. As in. When "we" (the guild) judge your store item inferior and it is sold, we will release better product in the freestuff to teach you a lesson. Maybe I'm seeing boogeymen where there aren't any, and excuse my paranoia, but surely you can see what "could" be read into some of these guild concepts you are telling us about. I appreciate this is early stages and ideas are being hashed out. But in all honesty I don't see anything except the "seal of approval" - and that in theory is answered by Eric at InDepth and their reviews - that the guild is offering that can't be answered in the existing infrastructure. Collation of knowledge and tricks of the trade. Yes, but that too can be done in the existing infrastructure. The forums, tutorial and art class areas, beginners forums and current facilities are all in place without a need for a guild to contribute. All the individual artists could still share their knowledge, their skills, their tricks and tips. Of course, the existing infrastructure doesn't have in place any facility to charge for these things, but isn't that the whole point? Colleges and Universities that offer an industry level qualification charge. Are you going to do that? If not, what exactly is the possibility of a future charge being discussed for and what benefits will be accrued by paying said possible future charge? I can only ask questions based on what I read. So if I'm getting things wrong, I apologise. There are aspects of this "guild" that I do find distressing. The primary one is that of elitism. This is something that gradually destroyed the medieval guilds. They became very choosy over who could join and what position they could hold, the guildmasters became wealthy powerful individuals who also became extremely selfish, so I'm not sure the parallel should be drawn with your guild if it's intentions are as honourable as you suggest. I don't think that the seal of approval is a bad idea, unless there is the possibility that certain items because they're produced by certain people will be refused or rejected just "because" - another problem that was created by the medieval guilds leading to the so-called secret societies like the Stonemasons etc. Again, parallels can be very dangerous when they're used. I can see how some people would consider this yet "another" barrier to overcome. Beta testing, store testing, reviews, then guild approval then it can be sold with confidence. That's a heck of a lot of hoops to jump through. I agree that no one person is perfect. One person might miss something in an item they are testing for the store that another might pick up. But that is where standardised check lists come in. All manufacturers of goods follow this procedure. I have no idea if the testers for 'rosity goods do because I have no involvement here in that respect. I do have a check list for goods for my own use and that check list has been created over time from my own experience of making characters, textures, static props etc. And this is another thing. Everything I learned, everything. I taught myself. The tutorials I desperately needed - like joint parameters - were not available. So, like so many other people at the beginning I learned the hard way how to do it. Since then I've done what I can to share the knowledge and skills I've acquired. I like to think I'm doing a good job of that and I never turn someone down if I can help. I also never turn someone down if they ask me to make something. If I can do it, I will, and it is their's free to do with as they will. This is backed up by evidence so I am not telling lies here. I do not charge for anything I do. Because when I did need help there were people who helped me to the best of their ability freely. I really hate the thought of paying for knowledge and that is the one thing guaranteed to get a hostile reaction from me. I know I'm not perfect, nor am I highly skilled. I muddle through the best I can. People do sell their work through the stores and I have no objection to that at all. Some for pocket money, some to buy other store goods, some to live. Whatever the reasons for selling items is not for me to analyse and I care not. I will buy what I perceive to be quality and what I "need" that I either can't make, can't get free somewhere else, or can't do without. I'm one of those stingy sods who has to justify every penny. :) You have some grand ideas which quite frankly are already addressed and are not being utilised. I approve of the "seal of approval" but for obvious reasons this creates it's own problems and will generate claims of cliqueism and elitism. I'm not asking you to stop, I'm not asking you to give it all up as a bad idea. I am asking that you consider your position and motives and investigate the existing systems that are in place for helping, guiding, advising and sharing. Perhaps I am being paranoid, and perhaps I'm reading words that don't actually mean what they appear to mean, but your proposal of a guild worries me. It worries me as much as the introduction of the store worried people all those many months ago, and the introduction of "pay to enter" sites bothered people more recently. The community. By that I mean, Renderosity, 3DCommune, PFO and Renderotica are here to serve people. Serve them with goods in a store, goods in freestuff, free advice, help and a friendly atmostphere. In the main this is working and is successful. I don't understand why you and the other "best of the best" can't use these systems. As I said. Quality good, splitting of community into elitist sections, bad. The creation of a guild is an honourable idea and one that's been tossed around for a lot longer than 3 weeks. I'm aware of that idea being thrown around at the PFO before Renderosity was born and I also remember who was involved in that idea. It didn't happen for all sorts of reasons. What bothers me is not the creation of the guild, but the implications of it's creation and the implications of it's future condition. I will reserve my judgement on your attempts to form a guild until you've got a more defined policy in place and have some firm facts and documentation to hand out. Until then, while this is the only place I can discuss the thing, excuse my worries.