Beyond Diasppointed

[ExAtomos]

Patience is key.

 

Moving to Balmung is a lot like moving to the big city. It's going to be lonely a while, until you can finally find your place. And it may be very discouraging for some time. I went through this myself; I had a character on the server already when I transferred my main and a few alts. My Balmung native was well liked by those I knew... my transferees... weren't. lol. It's been a few months and I'm just now starting to feel more settled.

 

The Quicksand may not be ideal for breaking into RP and making good friends on the server. I mean, you may get lucky, of course... but it's like any RL bar or club, people are there to pick up other people, see and be seen, and may not always welcome some random horning in on their gig. >.>

 

Like others have suggested, watch for player run events and attend those. Check out people's FC info while there. If someone seems interesting and their FC sounds like it might be a good fit, go ahead and try to apply if they are accepting apps. Don't be discouraged if it doesn't work out, just keep trying.

 

On a side note, I found my FC from a lodestone blog post. May be worth checking that site as well.

[Ashe]

Walk ups are really difficult. In general. But to be honest, it took me way longer than a week to join an FC. The path I set myself on wasn't even because of an FC I joined on my main. I originally joined an FC way back on my alt and eventually added my main. Now I am a leader in my own RP FC. The QS in general sucks. I NEVER RP there. 

Maybe dig through the LS/FC page here a bit more? (Name dropping Mythril Wings...we don't have any lala RPers just be coincidence of none applying ever but....we rarely reject people unless they are crazy or are, in fact, trolling. Or not trying if they are new to RP). 

 

So yeah. It does take more than a week. Nothing happens over night.

[Faye]

Hello, Liara! I'm sorry to hear about your difficulties. I don't want to repeat what the others said too much, but as they've mentioned, patience and persistence are key. It takes time to make connections, find people you mesh well with, and pique the interest of others. Until then, just keep trying. There are plenty of RPers you have yet to meet, more linkshells to try, and more FC's to apply to. Best of luck!

[Askier]

You've only been at it for a week. Give it time.

 

Rp will come. You just have to recall you are starting over.

 

To give a example with this game, I used to have a character who had a lot of contacts that I acquired over the years but recently retired him and made a new one.

 

Like you, I was basically starting from scratch. And, even with all my ooc contacts, it took time for him to get drawn into events and plots cause IC no one knew him. 

 

My best advise is just be stupid friendly.

 

I have made a lot of friends simply because I saw something on their character search tag and poked them about it. Some of the best rp was a result of ooc discussing characters with a total stranger and us agreeing to want to rp after we learned about each other's characters.

[Nebbs]

My advice..

 

Go to some events, get to know a few people, volunteer if they ask for helpers etc..

 

That way you get to meet people who have gone to an event with the intent to RP.

 

Now you may think they are all in predefined groups, but that is just a  couple. Most at these things tend to be looking for others to RP with too.

 

This way you can find an FC that you like the RP style of, and hopefully they have seen you RP. Worst thing that you can do is jump into an FC, find out it is not for you and have to leave.

 

Also join some of the LS that you like the look of. These tend to be quiet, but give them a poke and they generally respond back.

 

Also let a list character names from this topic and add then into a search macro, that way it is easier to quickly scan if any are on.

 

/search forename "Name1"

/search forename "Name2"

/search forename "Name3"

 

[Heart Quintessence]

If you're finding yourself drowning, try and move out of Ul'dah, Ive found people that I've started being good friends with, via being out and about. I saw two people sitting on the ground somplace, sent a Tell, and asked if it was ok to RP with them?

 

Finding smaller FC's is a good choice many of them ae Taverns or  little places to rest.

[Mia Moui]

I'm going to be the one who plays devil's advocate here.

 

Just because you're very popular in one game doesn't necessarily translate to any other games. I was popular among an RP guild back on WoW, too - people often wanted to RP with me and my alts. It was nice. Eventually drama split everyone up, but that's beside the point. I came to FFXIV and I was a nobody.

 

snip

 

Ditto here.  I was hugely popular in the last two MMOs I played but I haven't been able to find enough time to make it happen in FFXIV.  So every time I log in, I'm a stranger because I'm not there day to day like I was in the past.

 

But I can't expect people to treat me like an entirely different group of people treated me in a different game.  To me, this kind of reminds me of how it works during the transition from high school to college.  Or even more recent, how it works when you move from one job to the next.  It's awkward and embarrassing and even demoralizing in ways.  But six months later, people are pretty acclimated and usually have a circle of friends.

 

Starting is hard.  It's even harder to try to work yourself into a well-established group. it's nearly impossible for me because I don't have the time.

 

If you keep at it.  If you're willing to be around, be seen, participate in a lot of things, you WILL be recognized and you WILL make friends.  But it won't happen in a week.

[Zhavi]

Of course you're beyond disappointed. You've gone from being someone who meant something and who mattered to just another joe schmoe. However, I want to point to one little line in your post:

 

 

I started roleplaying on WoW and while it took me awhile, I did manage to get into one of the top RP guilds on that server, at least at that time.

 

Even your first great success took you awhile.

 

But more than that, I think it's important you don't lose sight of something that is fundamental to being someone others seek out for rp:

 

PUT THE RP FIRST.

 

Focus on making an interesting character. Focus on making that character have agency. Focus on other interesting characters. Shift the spotlight away from you and onto others who you want to write with. RP is a team sport, and by being a team player you have a much higher chance of people taking notice of you. Why?

 

If you make other people feel special, they will appreciate you.

 

When someone appreciates you, they're more likely to pay attention to you and recognize all the special things that make you you, and that only you can bring to the table. So, ditch the attitude (because it is one, and I say that because I recognize it because I've had it before) and focus on the rp first, and other people first. By actively doing that, I bet you'll find your groove in no time.

[kamikrazy]

Step 1: Find partners interested in the type of RP you are interested in in the long run

You can do this by a)Putting ads up on the forums, this site, or other sites where rpers in this game are known to congregate, b)finding a free company that does the type of rp you are interested in and getting with people within that fc, or c) doing social/public RP in the Quicksand, meeting people there, and interviewing them individually to see if they'd be interested in the type of RP you are looking for

 

Step 2: Network using one or all of a-c above, get a group of players that you know and just RP with whoever is on or around and build a group of your own, you might be able to form a LS for this purpose, or just use a LS to meet more people within other people's networks

 

Step 3: Maintain your relationships or axe them, don't just keep a massive friends list for the sake of having lots of options, if someone doesn't jive with you or breaks promises to you, move on, there's plenty more people who will match with you

 

Give it a month and you'll be absolutely bathing in RP, maybe even more than you can handle or desire

[Klynzahr]

Something that others have not mentioned is how valuable it can be to respond to other people's making connections posts. Some people seem to feel like they are not qualified to offer RP until they are established themselves, when the reality is that forming a contact with someone else who is actively looking for RP contacts right now can be a golden opportunity.

 

In my experience it has been one of the best ways to make contacts that stick.

 

Another point that I would suggest is join a few linkshells before looking for a FC.

 

I realize that it feels very alien and maybe even counter productive to a wow veteran. However by the nature of this game's housing system, FCs are often rather isolated from each other and they don't often provide as much networking help as you might imagine.

 

A good OOC RP linkshell on the other hand can be a real gem. Most are large making RP easy to set up, they allow you to meet a wide variety of characters from different FCs and the best part..... you can have up to 8 of them at once!

 

Generally there is little or no application process to join a RP linkshell. You simply contact a moderator and agree to abide by the linkshell rules.

 

Finally, I know that many people have already mentioned patience but I can't stress it enough. It probably took me two months of hard work before I was able to make myself some solid RP contacts and at least twice that long before I could say that I felt comfortably established.

 

Ironically one of the things that makes it so hard to find RP here is one of this server's best features...... the sheer ratio of good RPers on Balmung is staggering.

 

Like you I got my start on an official Wow RP server and every random RP attempt felt like wading through a sea of terrible writing, and extreme Mary/Gary Suism in an attempt to find those well-written gems.

 

That is really not the case here. If you look beyond personal writing styles and preferences, you will find that the majority of characters you meet are solidly written, coherent and well played. (not counting the handful of ERP scroungers that hang around the quicksand)

 

Good RPers like yourself really are just a part of the crowd here.... and in the end that is a pretty awesome problem to have.

[Sig]

Sig's three step roleplaying guide:

 

Approach 1:

 

(1) - Use the forums or in-game observations to identify roleplayers whose prose, character content, and RP style appear entertaining and valuable to you.

 

(2) - Send the roleplayers you identified OOC PM's in-game or messages through the forums expressing polite admiration for their RP prowess and ask whether they would like to RP. It's also a good idea to ask whether they know anyone who is looking for RP. Explain you're new to the server.

 

(3) - Enjoy the roleplay and profit.

 

Approach 2:

 

(1) - Approach a character ICly in the Quicksand or around Ul'dah.  

 

(2) - Propose either drinking with the character or rope them in on some type of interesting quest or idea.

 

(3) - Enjoy the roleplay and profit.

 

Approach 3:

 

(1) - Review linkshells on this website and identify several linkshells that would mesh well with your character.  Most LS (especially IC LSes) are clamoring for more members.

 

(2) - Obtain an invite to the linkshell by sending its leader an invite request and either RP through the linkshell or use it OOCly to obtain RP.

 

(3) - Enjoy the roleplay and profit.

 

Repeat these steps over and over, and you'll eventually be drowning in far more RP than you can handle.  Avoid toxic drama at all costs.  Always be kind to others.  And most importantly: enjoy the roleplay and profit, $$$.

[Snowflakehusky]

I'm going to be the one called "mean", even though it is completely not my intent.

 

 

As I type this, I need to stress that I too, am new to this game and server. Very ,very very green little cricket. I've played a bit in the Sands, but truth be told, I am planning on leveling a bit, getting my glamour up etc, before I really dive in[ my character is a courtesan-she cannot be -seen- cavorting about in...hemp.ugh.]

 

 

I also played WoW since vanilla,and was co guild leader in a successful rp guild.

 

 

That being said.

 

. I constantly got compliments on my RP style and character, which I was very confident with. I then became an officer to that guild and was on the officer board for two years, during that time span I had become extremely popular and everyone treated me like I was special. It almost felt like I was a celebrity on that server. 

 

 

 

 

This.

I don't think you actually- want- to roleplay for the sake of well, roleplay. You want to be gasped over, cajoled, be treated as if you are special, celebrity. This is so you can feel better about whatever it is that attention gives you.

 

 

Roleplay is like writing- you don't write to impress, you do it because you want to, and you enjoy it.

In a game such a this[ huge rp population], on a massive server, you are -not going to be super duper special[or maybe you will, who knows]. 

 

 

Instead of having a stomping feet tantrum about how you no longer are granted celebrity status, how about you just...play because its fun?

[LiadansWhisper]

I don't think you actually- want- to roleplay for the sake of well' date=' roleplay. You want to be gasped over, cajoled, be treated as if you are special, celebrity. This is so you can feel better about whatever it is that attention gives you.[/font']

 

I...really am not sure that it's okay to make a stretch that far. There are a number of ways to take her statement, and none of them have to involve us jumping to the worst possible conclusion. :dodgy:

 

Instead of having a stomping feet tantrum about how you no longer are granted celebrity status, how about you just...play because its fun?

 

Playing by yourself while feeling so overwhelmed that you don't know how to get into the RP around you isn't very fun.

[Aaron]

I made a lot if rp friends ic and ooc by just being uhh, I don't know. When I first got into xiv I didn't really rp a day in my life prior so I probably got senpai to notice me with all the copying I did. Probably also made a few enemies too because I didn't meet their rp standards but Fuck em lol.

 

As everyone prior said, play how you want and eventually you'll mold yourself into someone who has lots of friends.

 

Unless you're Warren of course, heard that guys a real bully. (I'm joking)

[Snowflakehusky]

Liadan is right.

 

Don't mind me, I'm a grumpy old curmudgeon.

 

I understand the shellshock completely.

 

Maybe...

We can agree on us newbies all coming together say...every Friday night, or whatever works for people, and getting our own storylines and interaction going?

 

=)

[LiadansWhisper]

Another suggestion I have (because I'm biased) is, if you enjoy structured RP-type things (think D&D with a heavy emphasis on RP), check out the Fate-14/Roll Eorzea Linkshell. They run a variety of events using Verad's Fate-14 system. That's how I met a ton of people I still have RP ties with.