Entering a RP?

[Aera Espoir]

So, as some may know, FFXIV will be my first time really RP'ing. I've dabbled in it a bit in the past, but nothing really stemmed from the experience.

 

I'm excited to actually be apart of a RP group/server, but I have a question: What is generally the accepted way to make your character's entrance or introduction when joining a new group? Do you talk OOC and introduce yourself first?

[Branson Thorne]

So, as some may know, FFXIV will be my first time really RP'ing. I've dabbled in it a bit in the past, but nothing really stemmed from the experience.

 

I'm excited to actually be apart of a RP group/server, but I have a question: What is generally the accepted way to make your character's entrance or introduction when joining a new group? Do you talk OOC and introduce yourself first?

 

A polite way is find something/someone that would go well with your character. I think most people would appreciate just a simple OOC tell asking if you may join in. However most RP in the game is pretty fluid and most wont mind another RPer joining, and there's no established rule book for breaking into RP.

[Virella]

I just parade in ICly if I see people roleplaying. In truth, I personally find it waaaay much more annoying to get asked OOC first. Like damn, if I'm RPing in public, just come RP bruh.

 

But it seems to be an euro mindset vs the US mindset like above. Neither are wrong, I just prefer to just... keep things IC if it can be helped.

[Knislinge]

I'd say it depends on where you're making your entrance. If it's in a crowded tavern and everyone's talking with everyone, then it's usually safe to assume that you're welcome to go strike up conversation IC. If someone seems wrapped up in RPing with each other and you're not entirely sure if they'd prefer privacy, send a tell first.

[Caspar]

It depends on the type of RP. If they are doing a storyline or event they are likely to be partied and planned things in advance. It would be best to just drop them a line and see if they can let you join.

 

If a person is in public and says they're IC in search info, or is RPing publicly, I *personally* feel it's fine to just approach, and the worst that could happen is them ignoring you or politely asking to be left alone. You'll find that most people who RP in public are fine with you just rolling up to them. For instance, I try to remember to keep my character's eyepatch off when ooc, as Virara would not be caught dead showing her bare eye to anyone. (It's shameless! ) In my search info I say as much. If I have my eyepatch on her, I try to hold to my code of always responding to RP, even if only a little, due to being busy or time constrained. I find it a little weird people RP in /say and still consider it private, but maybe they have an aversion to forming parties. If you're ever unsure, /tell before you step to them.

[Roen]

I agree with what people have said above!

 

I too am on the side that if you are RPing in public in /say, then 99% of the time it's okay to approach them ICly if it seems appropriate to do so.

 

I say "appropriate to do so" because if say people are having what looks like a very personal or emotional argument (who knows, it could have evolved into such a talk and they happened to be in public) then I would feel awkward inserting myself into such a scene since that is how I would feel in real life.

 

Although that may or may not apply to say a conflict that breaks out in public. It's tricky if you have a character who ICly would try and break up a fight before people get hurt, and yet you are not sure if people who are running the scene want some random person getting involved. I would probably shoot off an OOC tell just in case? Although I have jumped in before into a stand off before without an OOC exchange, and all the parties involved just rolled with it and it turned out well. So I guess it depends on case by case scenario.

[Gerel Kha]

Everybody pretty much posted what I'd say. See a group just hanging out in public, chatting away while everybody around you does the same? Feel free to walk on up and join 'em, any of 'em! At best, you'll end up slipping into the flow of things. At worst? You'll get ignored, or told to stop. 

 

If they're still in a public setting, but kind of- out of the way? Off to a side road, or in a corner? Maybe consider sending a tell. I know of a few people who'll slip away from the larger gathering spots--like the Quicksand in Ul'dah--with whoever they're RPing with and wander off somewhere to escape the chat scroll, or talk a bit more privately. Sending a tell is considerate enough, I think, and lets you know if you should look elsewhere without any fuss.

 

Finally, there's the third option, and the one I see the most opportunities for: if you see somebody sitting or standing alone, maybe throwing out the occasional emote, head on up and say hi! They might just be anxious, and don't know how to start things off themselves. Or they've just hit a bad string of intros/were ignored by others. In either case? It can mean a lot to people if you take the initiative to start something.

[Samual Rothstein]

So, as some may know, FFXIV will be my first time really RP'ing. I've dabbled in it a bit in the past, but nothing really stemmed from the experience.

 

I'm excited to actually be apart of a RP group/server, but I have a question: What is generally the accepted way to make your character's entrance or introduction when joining a new group? Do you talk OOC and introduce yourself first?

 

No need to over think it.  Just imagine if it was real life, how would you join in on a conversation?  Just be natural.  No one will care if you are a little clunky.

[Gabineaux]

Usually Arvid will sit somewhere and eavesdrop, listen, stare into space, drink something and wait for something to laugh at/butt his head into the conversation over. Sometimes people get pissed off and tell my character to fuck off, I don't take it personally. That's a legit thing to say to someone who's eavesdropping and laughing at you. Other times when my character tries to insert himself into the conversation he gets ignored.. that's when you just find a different conversation to get involved in.

 

Sometimes, well, usually, it's a conversation in the Quicksand my character got ignored from that is SO OUTRAGEOUS that you can just walk up to someone who is RP walking and go 'YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT I HEARD THOSE PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT, IT'S LITERALLY INSANE!' ...Other people's RP can make RP hooks for you. :lol:

 

Or, there is the ever favourite, 'There's nowhere else to sit in here. Do you mind if I sit at this table with you?' Sit down, have your character eat/drink something, do some small talk and you might suddenly have a new friend. ...That's pretty much how I met my RP friend two years ago and we've been RPing ever since.

[Chidori]

Events are great because you know the folks that are there are looking for RP!

 

Some folks might tell you to buzz of. It just might be in their IC nature. I know some folks see it as fishing? But I think making emotes like ordering a drink, or looking for someone or studying a hunt board (as a few examples) can be an opening for someone to RP if they have similar interests. However, I wouldn't completely rely on it but something to throw out time to time til you find something of interests.

 

RP FC or LS are a great way to meet people. Fair few RP FC host their own events and what not. Or you could always check out "Looking for Connections" and pre plan a meet up!

[Valence]

I think public events are one of the potentially worse venues to go for someone green looking for connections. Most people going there are already in their circles and it can be incredibly hard to insert yourself somewhere, without even speaking about the huge amounts of scrolling chat and whatnot. It's overwhelming for a lot of people. This is especially true if you try to portray a shy character or a character that is not especially prone to make the leap and start conversations, or if you are just shy/anxious IRL.

 

Well I know that opinion is probably going against what's generally offered to new people around there, but I stand by it. 

 

Anyway, that being said, on entering public RP, I usually play it as fair game. I will always take into account someone intruding in a RP I'm in (unless the people I'm playing with really don't want to...). 

 

But that also means since everything IC being fair game, be prepared to get told to fuck off depending on your approach. I mean, my character has already been approached when she had a discussion with friends in the streets by someone that was just being creepy, and being overly clingy even when told "what the heck do you want"... Well, the only logical answer was showing teeth and yell "fuck off".

[ExAtomos]

Also, check characters' user info for something along the lines of "walkup welcome". (Just be aware not everyone actually means it.) I prefer a quick tell first, myself, because I don't stay IC all the time.

 

I would suggest finding a themed RP LS or FC to start with. It gives you potential plots to work with and a ready group of people to interact with.

 

Good luck! :moogle:

[Mia Moui]

The last few times I've been in RP, I've remarked about the skin color of a fellow Miqo'te.  In-game (if not in the lore) the darker skin tones seem uncommon.  Mia has dark blue grey skin so she feels a bit of kinship when she sees someone similar, especially if they are a Keeper.  She might also feel the same way about white hair...or face scars.

 

What I've done lately (since it's so rare for me to even be in-game) is attend FC events or RP events posted in the forum here or on tumblr.  Everyone is arguably there for the same reasons so you should at least have that in common with whoever you want to talk to.  Hopefully, being an IC RP event, people are dressed in ways that might give you an way into conversation. "I love those boots!  Where did you acquire them?"

 

If I'm out in the wild, if I see people speaking out in the open and it looks like open RP, I'll walk up, apologize for the interruption, and ask if they've seen Mia's sisters.  Sometimes, I'll small talk for a while before doing that.  Or I'll just "Finding Nemo" it and ask "have you seen my..."

 

Truthfully, that can be a little godmoddy because I'm basically shoving my plot in the middle of what they are doing.  But real life is like that - people interrupt you.  I've had people brush me aside or get irritated that I'm bothering them and I'll move on, just like I would in real life.  To my knowledge, no one has got pissed OOC'ly.