As several people here have already mentioned, many of these answers can vary a bit. Here are some suggestions to consider when starting out.
1. What chat channels do most RPers constantly use? Say/Party/Tell? Or do most people switch it up depending on where they are and/or who they are with?
As a beginner Say and Emote should be your best friends. Most RPers use them as their default in character chat, and RPing in /Say gives any nearby RPer's a chance to respond.
Tell on the other hand is very situational. It's most frequent IC use is when your character is whispering to someone nearby. However as a beginner, I found it far more useful for OOC questions which should be double bracketed ((like so)).
The use of party chat for RP is typically reserved for scheduled events among an established RP group. It allows players to set up an elaborate scene with no interruptions, but prevents other Rpers from joining. So you will probably not see much of this at first.Â
2. How are custom emotes used? Are they used to express a simple action (i.e.: Nald'thal looks down upon Uldah.), or do people tend to be more wordy and reveal inner thoughts (i.e.: Nald'thal looks down upon Uldah, wondering where all the puny people went. Surely the city was full just moments ago!)?
The length of your emotes varies from person to person, although it is generally considered best to avoid thoughts whenever possible due to the 'mind reading conundrum'. One good use for emotes is to describe any notable things about your character that can't be seen on your avatar.
For example... /em greets the group, with a soft "Hello", speaking with a slight tribal accent.Â
Or.... /em looks down upon Uldah, with her dusty clothes bearing the signs of long travel.
3. Exactly how often are emotes used? Are they more scarce in a simple conversation between friends, and seen more in like, a scene... or something?
This is situational again. When RPing with a one or two other characters, it is generally best to include lots of emotes, which are typically tied in with the converation like my first example above. Some people will throw in an emote every two or three sentences, while others will use nothing but emotes which can grow up to a paragraph in length. As a beginner, it may seem very hard to keep up at first. So just try to use them as often as you can.
In larger groups you will see people leaning more towards simple Say and the occasional short emote, which helps keep things easier to follow. If you find yourself in this situation, as a new RPer it can be daunting at first but also a great chance to watch and learn. One strategy is not to participate in the conversation, and instead take your time formulating a few emotes to describe your character and their reactions to whatever has been said (facial expression, shaking their head, ect..). This gives you more time to think, and also more time to observe.Â
4. Is it commonplace for RP to be planned, or is 'freestyle' RP more popular?
The extent of planning for most RPers is "we will meet here at x time and grab a drink/kill some pesky fungar/practice sparring ect... " Some FCs or Linkshells will hold more focused events, with one party member setting up a challenge for the group similar to DnD (this is usually where Party chat is used). In general it is important to have some ideas and direction for your character, but to wait until RP brings them out naturally. At it's heart RP is all about improvisation and flexibility.
Random RP is a term generally used to refer to RP that takes place when your character meets a stranger on the road and strikes up a conversation. Most RPers love this although some can be wary. If in doubt use Tell to ask the player if they are IC and open to some quick RP.
5. How does one with a crippling sense of inadequacy find people to RP with?![[Image: laugh.gif]](https://ffxiv-roleplayers.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif)
Linkshells, FC's and the mentorship program are all excellent options. A mentorship in particular can help you to develop your character and decide which sort of FC or linkshell is best for them. Random RP is another good way to get started. The best way to identify a RPer is by their clothes (generally matching and sometimes low level), a character who is walking around is another dead giveaway. A quick OOC Tell is usually the best way to start, point out that you're new, ask if they want to RP, and then have some fun.
 If you happen to stumble upon RP in progress, take a moment to formulate your first emote. It should give a basic impression of your character, and include some things of note for others to respond to.
/em walks over and smiles at everyone.
Is not nearly as interesting as.... / em walks over with her brown head bent seriously over a city map. Clearly absorbed, she blunders into the center of the small group, before looking up with a weak smile.
However being interesting is not the same as stealing the show. So try to avoid... /em walks into the center of the group, with a pained smile and collapses to the roadway. Blood oozes from multiple lacerations and she appears on the brink of death.
(Optional) 6. Does your character prefer sweet, sour or spicy food?
Klinzahr like a true old salt loves her sour pickles. Cucumbers, eggs, herring, cabbage, if it's pickled she'll enjoy it.
1. What chat channels do most RPers constantly use? Say/Party/Tell? Or do most people switch it up depending on where they are and/or who they are with?
As a beginner Say and Emote should be your best friends. Most RPers use them as their default in character chat, and RPing in /Say gives any nearby RPer's a chance to respond.
Tell on the other hand is very situational. It's most frequent IC use is when your character is whispering to someone nearby. However as a beginner, I found it far more useful for OOC questions which should be double bracketed ((like so)).
The use of party chat for RP is typically reserved for scheduled events among an established RP group. It allows players to set up an elaborate scene with no interruptions, but prevents other Rpers from joining. So you will probably not see much of this at first.Â
2. How are custom emotes used? Are they used to express a simple action (i.e.: Nald'thal looks down upon Uldah.), or do people tend to be more wordy and reveal inner thoughts (i.e.: Nald'thal looks down upon Uldah, wondering where all the puny people went. Surely the city was full just moments ago!)?
The length of your emotes varies from person to person, although it is generally considered best to avoid thoughts whenever possible due to the 'mind reading conundrum'. One good use for emotes is to describe any notable things about your character that can't be seen on your avatar.
For example... /em greets the group, with a soft "Hello", speaking with a slight tribal accent.Â
Or.... /em looks down upon Uldah, with her dusty clothes bearing the signs of long travel.
3. Exactly how often are emotes used? Are they more scarce in a simple conversation between friends, and seen more in like, a scene... or something?
This is situational again. When RPing with a one or two other characters, it is generally best to include lots of emotes, which are typically tied in with the converation like my first example above. Some people will throw in an emote every two or three sentences, while others will use nothing but emotes which can grow up to a paragraph in length. As a beginner, it may seem very hard to keep up at first. So just try to use them as often as you can.
In larger groups you will see people leaning more towards simple Say and the occasional short emote, which helps keep things easier to follow. If you find yourself in this situation, as a new RPer it can be daunting at first but also a great chance to watch and learn. One strategy is not to participate in the conversation, and instead take your time formulating a few emotes to describe your character and their reactions to whatever has been said (facial expression, shaking their head, ect..). This gives you more time to think, and also more time to observe.Â
4. Is it commonplace for RP to be planned, or is 'freestyle' RP more popular?
The extent of planning for most RPers is "we will meet here at x time and grab a drink/kill some pesky fungar/practice sparring ect... " Some FCs or Linkshells will hold more focused events, with one party member setting up a challenge for the group similar to DnD (this is usually where Party chat is used). In general it is important to have some ideas and direction for your character, but to wait until RP brings them out naturally. At it's heart RP is all about improvisation and flexibility.
Random RP is a term generally used to refer to RP that takes place when your character meets a stranger on the road and strikes up a conversation. Most RPers love this although some can be wary. If in doubt use Tell to ask the player if they are IC and open to some quick RP.
5. How does one with a crippling sense of inadequacy find people to RP with?
Linkshells, FC's and the mentorship program are all excellent options. A mentorship in particular can help you to develop your character and decide which sort of FC or linkshell is best for them. Random RP is another good way to get started. The best way to identify a RPer is by their clothes (generally matching and sometimes low level), a character who is walking around is another dead giveaway. A quick OOC Tell is usually the best way to start, point out that you're new, ask if they want to RP, and then have some fun.
 If you happen to stumble upon RP in progress, take a moment to formulate your first emote. It should give a basic impression of your character, and include some things of note for others to respond to. /em walks over and smiles at everyone.
Is not nearly as interesting as.... / em walks over with her brown head bent seriously over a city map. Clearly absorbed, she blunders into the center of the small group, before looking up with a weak smile.
However being interesting is not the same as stealing the show. So try to avoid... /em walks into the center of the group, with a pained smile and collapses to the roadway. Blood oozes from multiple lacerations and she appears on the brink of death.
(Optional) 6. Does your character prefer sweet, sour or spicy food?
Klinzahr like a true old salt loves her sour pickles. Cucumbers, eggs, herring, cabbage, if it's pickled she'll enjoy it.
