(02-21-2015, 08:20 PM)sforze Wrote: I emote, I introduce myself, I ask if I can sit, I give very large margins for response...I really do feel like I've done pretty much everything by the book, with a few exceptional things that I can try going forward (PMing people, etc.)Welp, this might sound like a copout answer, but it could be a case of tunnel vision. I've been rping with groups in which someone is trying to get our attention, and more often than not, I am the only one who responds.
I RP in the Quicksand, in the Drowning Wench, the Bismarck, in housing districts, at planned events -- I write with my usual partner fairly openly out in the world at random, as well. Honestly, even if people would emote ignoring my attempts to say hi, I would feel a bit better about the whole situation if it really is a case of "being approached on the bus"...but nope. ;( Like I said, I'm mindful of chatspam, and these are incidences typically happening during periods of lower activity in the log.
At any rate, I'm glad I'm not a lone ranger in encountering this kind of thing. I've been in other RP communities and I know that it's easy to rest on the groups you're comfortable with, but hopefully if nothing else, this is a helpful reminder to occasionally look outside your circles, too? I am super-pumped about how big the Balmung community is (honestly the biggest RP community in an MMO I've encountered so far, so good work everyone), now I'm just trying to get a foothold!
Why? Because I was the only one in the group actually aware we were getting talked to. I think a lot of people literally hone in on the people their character knows, and disregards the rest as clutter. Mostly because it is VERY hard to keep tabs on proceedings in a crowded area. It is also draining, if you are trying to keep up several conversations at once.
PMs absolutely solve this. Nothing cuts through the clutter like a bright line of purple text, accompanied by a chirruping sound. I've been the one trying to get people's attention, and more often than not have had to resort to pm's. I've been in situations where I've felt like I was being ignored, only to PM someone, and have them give genuine surprise that I was trying to enter the scene, and be really nice about it in their replies (even if they sometimes say they are kind've busy with the scene)
I did notice you had posted several connection threads. Not quite sure what to say about why they haven't been answered. I will say that absolutely cliques exist, but it's not the bad nor derogatory things it's often made out to be. Characters have close friends. People OOCly have close friends they enjoy rping with a lot. In fact, I'd say the goal of every rper is to find that sweet spot... that group where they are at the forefront of the action. I think as a community it's polite courtesy to help each other find that sweet spot... but it's not always going to happen right away, unfortunately. Sometimes characters just 'click', and sometimes you go through horrible dryspells :/
I like Dasair's suggestions, and I'd consider taking some of those up, along with more PMs or tells in game. Oftentimes the most work in rp is during the beginning. Finding that group or story you can plug into. But once you find it things will often get a lot easier and a lot more interesting. May I also suggestion perusing the linkshells forum and trying to make some acquaintances that way?
