I can't speak to my experiences in Final Fantays XIV: ARR as of yet, as they're still being built, however I have noticed that the more specific you tend to RP the harder it can be to initiate lasting contacts. Part of the reason that Cylin is so transient is to give myself an excuse to find my niche and figure out the various quirks of the community, though her distrustful and blunt nature with strangers makes it hard for her to form any lasting contacts. Which, honestly, is fine. I don't always want to play a happy and open character, so someone who butts heads with most people she meets and is a big glob of emotional constipation is a decent fit for myself.
With that said, just reaching out is the first and biggest hurdle you'll face. Half of my last friendships in RP were made simply because I was watching the chat box while my character was parked in a frequent RP destination and complimented the people I thought were RPing very well. Sometimes nothing pans out from it, and frankly that something would is never my intention, but sometimes that little compliment turns into a discussion, which then turns into a desire to RP one on one, and so on and so forth. I'm scared of offending people and talking to others often makes me feel sick to my stomach. However I was brought up to compliment others and to be friendly to everyone I meet regardless of that anxiety. In the end, that's really all that needs to be said. Be friendly and people will usually reciprocate. RP doesn't need to be the end goal, though you might want it to come to that and many times it will. But eventually like C'kayah pointed out you'll have built up enough contacts by putting others first that they might be willing to aid you in your own story ideas.
My biggest advice is to not get discouraged though if you can't get anyone to work with you as quickly as you'd like. It'll take awhile, but so long as you keep persisting you'll eventually find like minded people who are willing to go along with your RP ideas.
With that said, just reaching out is the first and biggest hurdle you'll face. Half of my last friendships in RP were made simply because I was watching the chat box while my character was parked in a frequent RP destination and complimented the people I thought were RPing very well. Sometimes nothing pans out from it, and frankly that something would is never my intention, but sometimes that little compliment turns into a discussion, which then turns into a desire to RP one on one, and so on and so forth. I'm scared of offending people and talking to others often makes me feel sick to my stomach. However I was brought up to compliment others and to be friendly to everyone I meet regardless of that anxiety. In the end, that's really all that needs to be said. Be friendly and people will usually reciprocate. RP doesn't need to be the end goal, though you might want it to come to that and many times it will. But eventually like C'kayah pointed out you'll have built up enough contacts by putting others first that they might be willing to aid you in your own story ideas.
My biggest advice is to not get discouraged though if you can't get anyone to work with you as quickly as you'd like. It'll take awhile, but so long as you keep persisting you'll eventually find like minded people who are willing to go along with your RP ideas.
