Just to toss in a comment, something I commonly see is new RPers walk up to an RP in progress then just stand around and make a few random IC emotes such as staring at the wall or shuffling their feet... then wander off complaining nobody will RP with them. Something I'd like to stress to new RPers looking for some RP is that if you want to get involved, it's very difficult to involve someone who won't involve themselves. Say something. Come up with a pretense for an interruption. Ask for a hand with something - even just directions. Be proactive!
I've been RPing before and had people walk by, stop, stare for ages, make one emote that may or may not be IC, then run off when I can't make heads nor tails of them. Oftentimes when I shoot them a /tell immediately after, it turns out they are, in fact, a roleplayer looking for RP and I have to work out an entry for them. I don't know how common this sort of thing is so maybe there are loads of people who really are making their best effort to wedge in and are getting ignored, but by and large what I've personally noticed is attempts so half-hearted, at the time I'm honestly not sure if they're trying to RP or not. If you want to be involved, get involved! People appreciate interest and effort and I guarantee if you keep it up you'll find someone ready and willing to engage.
As for concerns... Well, the logspam thing. Honestly, when I attend large events I tend to wind up disoriented and with a faint headache mere minutes in, totally unable to follow the thread of what's happening around my character in the rolling sea of text. What may be helpful if this DOES become a problem (which it may not) is multiple smaller events at varying times, both to include as many people as possible and discourage character-zerg since people have the security of knowing if they don't make The One Event, they'll miss out. That may be a bit complex though, so it could just be something as simple as saying "Every weeknight / weekend night at X o'clock".
I've been RPing before and had people walk by, stop, stare for ages, make one emote that may or may not be IC, then run off when I can't make heads nor tails of them. Oftentimes when I shoot them a /tell immediately after, it turns out they are, in fact, a roleplayer looking for RP and I have to work out an entry for them. I don't know how common this sort of thing is so maybe there are loads of people who really are making their best effort to wedge in and are getting ignored, but by and large what I've personally noticed is attempts so half-hearted, at the time I'm honestly not sure if they're trying to RP or not. If you want to be involved, get involved! People appreciate interest and effort and I guarantee if you keep it up you'll find someone ready and willing to engage.
As for concerns... Well, the logspam thing. Honestly, when I attend large events I tend to wind up disoriented and with a faint headache mere minutes in, totally unable to follow the thread of what's happening around my character in the rolling sea of text. What may be helpful if this DOES become a problem (which it may not) is multiple smaller events at varying times, both to include as many people as possible and discourage character-zerg since people have the security of knowing if they don't make The One Event, they'll miss out. That may be a bit complex though, so it could just be something as simple as saying "Every weeknight / weekend night at X o'clock".
