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I am only going to specifically address trying to make RP contacts at an event or in a crowded room.
The scrolling chat can be absolutely nuts in these events. While I adore the possibility of spontaneous encounters, which is the reason I have gone to them in the past, I often find myself a little stressed while I am there trying to keep up with the chat, type in my own responses in a timely fashion, and then scroll back to see if there is anything I missed while I was typing. And this is just keeping up with those I know and are actively RPing with in that very moment! I do try and make the effort to scan the rest of the wall o' text to see if anyone I am not RPing with has approached/said/mentioned anything toward my character but I know that I miss a lot.
What I usually do at such events, especially if I am there with a character that no one knows, is that if I am approaching someone, especially without a tell beforehand, I try to find someone who is off on their own but is obviously not afk. They have emoted or moved or whatnot and are not currently preoccupied with multiple people. As I would normally do in real life, I don't usually interrupt strangers who are having their own conversation, and expect to be included immediately or at all. Approaching those who seem to be open and looking for such a thing usually gets a response though, I've found. And if you are approaching a group of people, send those players a tell to see if it is okay! This way you ensure that they see your emotes/approach or you know that you are not interrupting something you shouldn't. (Yes, RPing in public in /say should be a sign that others can see and react to it, but you really never know where an encounter leads after it gets started in a public area)
Also, I try to carry out my conversations a little off to the side where my emotes and dialogue aren't going to be immediately drowned out by everyone else. Then if someone approaches, I can see their posts more easily.
And as others have said, don't lose heart and just play what you want. Don't keep changing characters to see what sticks or who might be more popular. RP should be fun because you are playing who you want to play.
The scrolling chat can be absolutely nuts in these events. While I adore the possibility of spontaneous encounters, which is the reason I have gone to them in the past, I often find myself a little stressed while I am there trying to keep up with the chat, type in my own responses in a timely fashion, and then scroll back to see if there is anything I missed while I was typing. And this is just keeping up with those I know and are actively RPing with in that very moment! I do try and make the effort to scan the rest of the wall o' text to see if anyone I am not RPing with has approached/said/mentioned anything toward my character but I know that I miss a lot.
What I usually do at such events, especially if I am there with a character that no one knows, is that if I am approaching someone, especially without a tell beforehand, I try to find someone who is off on their own but is obviously not afk. They have emoted or moved or whatnot and are not currently preoccupied with multiple people. As I would normally do in real life, I don't usually interrupt strangers who are having their own conversation, and expect to be included immediately or at all. Approaching those who seem to be open and looking for such a thing usually gets a response though, I've found. And if you are approaching a group of people, send those players a tell to see if it is okay! This way you ensure that they see your emotes/approach or you know that you are not interrupting something you shouldn't. (Yes, RPing in public in /say should be a sign that others can see and react to it, but you really never know where an encounter leads after it gets started in a public area)
Also, I try to carry out my conversations a little off to the side where my emotes and dialogue aren't going to be immediately drowned out by everyone else. Then if someone approaches, I can see their posts more easily.
And as others have said, don't lose heart and just play what you want. Don't keep changing characters to see what sticks or who might be more popular. RP should be fun because you are playing who you want to play.