RP at Events - Advice Needed

[Melodia]

Okay, so I have been to a few rp events and most recently this weekend. I go alone as I don't really have friends to go with me. And at each and every event, I struggle....I struggle to approach people, to strike up conversations...

 

Everyone seems to be there WITH someone or a group. And when I try to approach, I can literally be standing right in front of the group and emoting something, or saying something, and no one replies. They continue engaging with each other but for some reason I can't seem to find any rp aside from with myself at these events. Am I doing something wrong? Any advice would be helpful because I do enjoy the events but it can be a super lonely affair when the groups I run into seem to have impenetrable fields. :blush:

[Dravus]

I suspect it's actually a pretty common feeling. A lot of role-players push for events as being a major source of role-play - and they'd be correct - but they're most certainly not for everybody. I tend to avoid them myself simply because they can become very busy and difficult to follow, people accidentally overlook each other or it can be hard to come up with a reasonable justification for one's character to show up in the first place.

 

My advice? When you first hear or read about an event post in the event thread itself or relevant Linkshell asking if anybody wants to join you there for mutual interaction. You'll often find that a lot of people are in the same boat! Alternatively if you simply show up try to do your best to identify somebody else who seems to be on their own and focus on approaching them. Poking those you're seeking to interact with with a gentle offer to get involved with their role-play may work as well - sometimes people aren't interested in getting involved with outsiders but most of the time they may simply overlook an emote directed at them; especially if the chat is moving very quickly.

[Kage]

Something else to consider. Are you merely emoting at/to them or have you sent them a /tell etc? If it's an event, I assume that they are in party chat to facilitate chat (some events I know do this) or that the chat itself might be scrolling. If you merely chatted at them, their chat may have scrolled and they simply overlooked your RP initiative with them.

 

At big events, I'm merely skimming through the constant scrolling dialogue and what they might be doing is the same. They started to RP, they know who they're roleplaying with so they're skimming the chat for the names associated with the scene.

[Miss Gaz]

I myself have the same issue but i find the above advice to work. I send a tell if i want rp or join but most of the time i try to bring someone. I went to an open house once and sat alone for the entirety of the event sent some tells but thats just how it goes sometimes.

[Jonexe]

The best thing I've found to do is to look for the people with "Walk up RP welcome!" or something similar in their search info; then send them a /tell or simply emote at them. 

 

A lot of people don't realize you're trying to engage with them, especially at big events, unless you're a little blatant with it. When you get 10~15+ RPers all in a room it tends to scroll by very quickly, so you look for specifics in order to keep up. If you want to get in on some of it, you need to get that person's or group's attention. The different default color of a /tell is an easy way for someone to notice that you're trying to interact with them, as is using a specific person or persons names in your emote.

[Arrelaine]

There's a very good chance they're looking for their friends' names to keep up with chat scroll. It's a lot easier to keep up for some people (like me) to just make everyone else 'background noise' so I don't miss anything. I would definitely just send them a tell.

[Melodia]

Thank you. Thinking back on the most recent one it was busy....and I should have sent a tell. It would have been better than hanging my head and thinking "They didn't want to rp with me.."

 

 

Which is exactly what I did. :frustrated:

[Virella]

I mostly try to go with a friend at least, but I can understand that is not always an option. I tend to block out people completely when I'm not roleplaying with them as some above me stated, I simply filter the background noise as well if that makes sense you know? That said, I do look out for my char's name being mentioned, or something what could refer to them.

 

Sadly enough I find some people aren't just worth trying to roleplay with; I have a group of people I find absolutely dreadful to roleplay with, they reply, but with just yes or no's, sit there and do nothing to keep the roleplay from evolving naturally, it is really hard to deal with. What I always find a good thing to keep things going is asking questions, most people do tend to respond on that, and if you get a good roleplayer, heck, you will either find plenty of reason to interact in the next line, else eh, just move on, leave the event and try to find other rpers!

[Warren Castille]

Chat Scroll is the common enemy at most events. I know I've got a mental "filter" of words I scan for when things get spammy, and I'm 99% sure it's caused me to miss people trying to communicate with me in /s as a result.

 

Sending a polite tell to ask if folks mind you joining them works best!

[DeletedUser]

As someone who runs events, I try to engage with people who are there on their own because I've been that person who feels awkward and alone before and it's not fun, I know! But as others have said, the chat scrolling can get a bit much so I would also suggest sending a tell. The sound and the colour are a surefire way to get attention. Of course, you may still come across people who aren't interested for whatever reason or another, but I think in the majority of cases, you aren't getting a response simply because it was missed.

 

Edit: I'd also suggest using when you emote at someone. I know it pops out at me when I see my character's full name in something like, "X smiles at J'inarah Marad."

[Martiallais]

Edit: I'd also suggest using when you emote at someone. I know it pops out at me when I see my character's full name in something like, "X smiles at J'inarah Marad."

 

Seconding Inarah here, using a name in an emote definitely is one that I tend to do myself when it comes to events. If they don't respond, I usually send a short tell to ask if they saw it and more often than not it's "oh no, I missed it in the chatscroll", pretty much like everyone's noted. Then the RP goes from there.

[Gone.]

Honestly, Mel, if you're trying your hardest to interact, then it's probably not your fault. Social events and gatherings in RP parallel much of what happens in real-life: people drift to their little cliques, ignore the rest (sometimes quite vehemently though it can also simply be by accident) and go on about their usual business.

 

The only time these things tend to work out is if they're kept small and between people that are at the least OOC comfortable with each other. Otherwise? Not worth idling for hours hoping for the best.

[Aoi Fukiku]

Honestly, Mel, if you're trying your hardest to interact, then it's probably not your fault. Social events and gatherings in RP parallel much of what happens in real-life: people drift to their little cliques, ignore the rest (sometimes quite vehemently though it can also simply be by accident) and go on about their usual business.

 

The only time these things tend to work out is if they're kept small and between people that are at the least OOC comfortable with each other. Otherwise? Not worth idling for hours hoping for the best.

That seems to be a negative outlook on such things. Sure, people fall in to their cliques but if they are out at an event then they are probably looking for more people to meet or could be shy but still trying to put themselves out there.

 

The shots competition had alot of people show up this month so it was hard for me to follow so when I noticed mel staring at me I made sure to let her know if she posted that I missed it. I know others weren't trying on purpose to turn anyone out as the people there are great people for walk up rp. If you have been ignored on purpose then it seems more like an ooc hatred and eefusal to rp with someone rather than a clique keeping you out.

[Arik]

Events are just tricky in general because there tends to be SO MUCH CHAT going on that it's ridiculously easy to miss emotes you're not expecting to happen (such as someone you're not actively RPing with emoting at you-- you don't know to watch for that person's name to include a message specific to you so you overlook it while searching for the names of the people who ARE RPing with you already.) 

 

I've had the same issue as you a lot in those situations. Like others have said though, sending a /tell is a really good idea in those cases, whether it be to ask if they'd welcome you into the RP or to ask if they saw the emote you had sent their way. 

 

In the group I generally run with, we usually always make a concerted effort to include other RPers who are around. For example, if we're RPing in a tavern and someone else comes in -- particularly if they're alone-- and they come up to the bar beside us, we'll usually have our characters acknowledge the arrival via a nod, a smile or nod or bump into them or -something- just to try to indicate that we're happy to include them in whatever we're doing. But not all groups will make that effort (that or they might be engaged in an RP that is just not suitable for others to join atm.)

 

Any who, if you ever see me around in game, be it on the streets or at an event, feel free to give me a /tell or walk on up to RP, even if I'm with a group. I'm always game to meet new people. \o/

[Gone.]

Honesty isn't always sunshine and rainbows. *shrugs*

 

If you have been ignored on purpose then it seems more like an ooc hatred and eefusal to rp with someone rather than a clique keeping you out.

 

That makes... no sense at all.

[Aoi Fukiku]

Honesty isn't always sunshine and rainbows. *shrugs*

 

If you have been ignored on purpose then it seems more like an ooc hatred and eefusal to rp with someone rather than a clique keeping you out.

 

That makes... no sense at all.

If you feel someone is refusing to rp with you then it might be you as a person or perhaps your character they wish not to interact with. There are a few I refuse to rp with because oocly that are jerk and there are a few icly that I know Flower would throw bombs and run away (dragoons).

 

Still not making sense? Then I can't help you.

[Kurt S.]

Recently went to an event myself. Great reception by the way. Any rate I probably should have expected everything to be chaotic.

 

At any rate I almost always keep track for anything resembling Ramona popping up in the chatbox. I mean I feel honored someone's even emoting at me.

 

Then there's also picking out who in the crowd came on their own and send a random tell. Most if not all the time solo flyers are just dying to get into some rp because they're also in your shoes. I doubt they'd be there otherwise

 

At any rate I'm probably just recycling what everyone said but really. Tell to win

...

 

 

.....

 

 

If not shout/yell to win. That might probably work.

 

Also dont go to events when you have ooc stuff like classes pinning you down. I'm sorry Locke and Reima's group if you're here. I'm not anti social I swear. I just cant afford cutting an animation class. Also ashe, ade and the rest of the mythril wings.

[Kaiz]

I can understand the feeling. Most of the time when I attend events like Grindstone/Runestone, etc, a half dozen of us from the same FC/LS all go together and meet up with friends there who we've met up with before, so we might already have some 6-8 other RPers to pay attention to at the time. I know I've missed some outside messages directed at me, and had to go back and find them and reply to them. This isn't because I don't want to RP with anyone outside my circle, however, I just missed it.

 

Part of the problem with FF14 and no chat bubbles is that, especially in an event, you can be subjected to some pretty intense scrolling from all the other /s and /em going on. Because of that, I know I (and I'm sure many others) focus twice as hard on just looking for familiar names in the chat spam so that I don't miss it. It also means I'm usually tuning out messages from players I'm not familiar with.

 

So it's not your fault, and it's probably not because people are actively just trying to ignore you. Try sending a tell to someone you want to RP with to inform them you want to engage with them? That way they can just tell you up-front if they're too busy, or otherwise know to look for your messages.

[Melodia]

Definitely....I was hoping to meet Jancis ICly finally and I was trying hard...I should have just sent the tell to say hello.

[Aoi Fukiku]

Definitely....I was hoping to meet Jancis ICly finally and I was trying hard...I should have just sent the tell to say hello.

Jancis is great for walk ups and a sweet heart. I love being silly with Flower around her and Barengar.

[Dravus]

Definitely....I was hoping to meet Jancis ICly finally and I was trying hard...I should have just sent the tell to say hello.

 

Events aren't necessarily the best way to meet someone. There's a handful of role-players I'd really like to interact with that I keep an eye out for - but sometimes I just message them directly out of the blue to see if they're open to finding a way to get some role-play going.

 

Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't - but at least if you organise such a meeting outside of an event then you'll have each other's full attention. Whether it ends up just being a brief encounter or something more long term is often up in the air but...it's definitely worth a try!

[Warren Castille]

Honesty isn't always sunshine and rainbows. *shrugs*

 

If you have been ignored on purpose then it seems more like an ooc hatred and eefusal to rp with someone rather than a clique keeping you out.

 

That makes... no sense at all.

 

It means that someone who doesn't like you outside of the game isn't going to spend their time in the game on you. It's not about your character, it's about you, the person at the keyboard.

[Asmodean]

Best way to met people is send a tell in game or pm here. Events can be quite hectic due to chat scroll. I have often seen groups wonder off to be out of chat range if it out in the world. But the best way is to set up some kind of meeting before hand then try to meet during an event. I normal sit off to the edge of events due to IC reasons so If you ever at an event and see go ahead and poke me. Just fear the unicolt.... it might bite.

[Edda]

Definitely....I was hoping to meet Jancis ICly finally and I was trying hard...I should have just sent the tell to say hello.

 

Events aren't necessarily the best way to meet someone. There's a handful of role-players I'd really like to interact with that I keep an eye out for - but sometimes I just message them directly out of the blue to see if they're open to finding a way to get some role-play going.

 

Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't - but at least if you organise such a meeting outside of an event then you'll have each other's full attention. Whether it ends up just being a brief encounter or something more long term is often up in the air but...it's definitely worth a try!

Yeah seriously. Random walk-up RP works sometimes, but isn't necessarily the best method when you are looking to form lasting connections. It might, but not always. Best way is to message someone privately and see if they are down to boogie. As said it won't always work, but like the lottery, you can't win if you don't play.

 

For instance I had wanted to RP with Graeham for like 2 months before he PM'd me outta the blue, and we worked it out and had some lovely RP. And now that Edda is going back to Ishgard...

 

:tonberry:

 

Also, I find that people in general are also more likely to remember and want to RP with someone who contacted them privately first, rather than some rando they ran into at an event with egregious amounts of chat scroll. This is just my personal experience.

[Nodem]

I can understand the feeling. Most of the time when I attend events like Grindstone/Runestone, etc, a half dozen of us from the same FC/LS all go together and meet up with friends there who we've met up with before, so we might already have some 6-8 other RPers to pay attention to at the time. I know I've missed some outside messages directed at me, and had to go back and find them and reply to them. This isn't because I don't want to RP with anyone outside my circle, however, I just missed it.

 

To echo this... Kaiz and I are part of the same group and go to the Grindstone/Runestone weekly unless something comes up... So we're watching out for not just our groups chat if we're on the sideline, but we're also trying to watch the fights as they scroll by.

 

Seras will try to follow the person that beat her usually and cheer them on. It's part of friendly rivalry at the above mentioned events. She's even established a friendship among the person that beat her the first time she was there.

 

It boils down to the players at the keyboard, the characters, and how fast that chat is scrolling by. When we're watching fight prompts or looking for a friend's chat while with a group things can, and will, be missed. Sending a tell is always something I'd suggest doing if you feel like your stuff got ignored or missed. I've been known to send tells to people if I feel I missed something of their's and they'd repost for me.

 

The chat scroll is real... All too real... :moogle: