Freelancers

[DAISHI]

Hey everyone. I was wondering if I could get a discussion going on how many people are freelancers... and not necessarily by choice. This thought came to mind as I was browsing through the different shells and realizing how, numerically, we have so many people in the RPC and so few linkshells accepting applicants. Anyone want to get in on this discussion?

[FreelanceWizard]

Now that I've had some time to mull over character concepts (thanks to blown voltage regulators on my motherboard that've left me out of game *sigh*), I've been a bit surprised by the small number of RP linkshells that'd mesh well with me (heavy RP with a solid group concept, IC LS chat, and that play the game) and are still accepting applicants. It's a bit of a downer, to be honest. I've run guilds in the past, but in my current life, I don't think I have enough time to put one together and run it properly.

 

However, I suspect most LSes will reopen recruitment after the game launches unless they have an IC reason not to.

[Kejira]

*Stretch a hand up over her head* so far I'm freelancers and not by choice, but I guess as I think I read somewhere many of the linkshells have Closed for new applications because they want to get to know the people in their Linkshells better, but as the game goes live will open up again, but not sure heh ^-^

[DAISHI]

Yeah I hear ya. One of the big things I was wondering was "what type" was freelancing, or if there is even such a thing. Are the casuals freelancing the most? the Heavy RPers like Freelance Wizard?

[Mycroft]

Well Malrend's concept kinda makes him work best as a freelancer, however those friends he makes are people he'll return to often.

 

I am a freelancer by choice, to a certain degree at least.

[Magnus]

I'm of the mind that right now the LS list is so small due to the fact that many of them were created in Beta. Once Launch hits hopefully we'll see an increase number and verity of LS, as well as recruitment of current ones. Once people create a friends list and know who plays during similar times. Or the other option is there is a large numbers of individuals waiting to get in-game and accept the first invite that comes their way.

[Asytra]

I find myself in a polar opposite situation.

 

I thought I would be freelancing solo until I found a linkshell. Now there are at least three people coming to play with me that I am likely forming a proper Linkshell.

 

Funny how things turn out sometimes... :cat:

[Vareal]

Nedral has recently been battered and beaten both physically and mentally; though she's not a loner (freelance) by nature, she may take some time to herself and reflect on what has happened, so she may enter a sudo-freelance state and wander for a bit. That has still to be decided though. But, I'd like to make friends with as many free lancer's as possible as I've been down that road before and it's sometimes hard to do that. So, if there are any freelancers that want to be my friend IC, OOC or what have you, just look for Nedral Crenl in game or hit me up here and yeah.

[DAISHI]

So of the Freelancers here, have you all associated in the game at all?

[Mycroft]

Nope.. As I won't be joining in on the fun before the PS3 release.. /sadfrog.

[DAISHI]

Nope.. As I won't be joining in on the fun before the PS3 release.. /sadfrog.

 

 

VERY SAD FROG

[Magnus]

So of the Freelancers here' date=' have you all associated in the game at all?[/quote']

 

Nope, been completely anti social in beta. Took all the time to learn the game play and what have you.

 

Another thing to bring up is who is a freelancer and who is just looking for an LS....Wait that's what the original question was. And to answer that question I am freelancer by choice. I have applied to one or two LS here but in no hurry to join one.

[Satisiun]

So of the Freelancers here' date=' have you all associated in the game at all?[/quote']

 

A small bit. I've largely roleplayed with two people in particular, one whom I think is also freelance, and the other who I don't even think is on the RPC.

 

I've had passing interaction with some other people both on here and not on here, as well.

 

Honestly, I don't look at having a lack of a role-play linkshell as some form of impediment. If anything, it's a wonderful challenge, forcing you to be more creative, not to mention more active in initiating contact with other people within the scope of the game, instead of just half-assing it and planning with someone else out of character in your linkshell.

 

Not to say that's bad or anything. Just a lot of people use it as a lazy means to begin character interaction, instead of free-forming it.

[DAISHI]

So of the Freelancers here' date=' have you all associated in the game at all?[/quote']

 

A small bit. I've largely roleplayed with two people in particular, one whom I think is also freelance, and the other who I don't even think is on the RPC.

 

I've had passing interaction with some other people both on here and not on here, as well.

 

Honestly, I don't look at having a lack of a role-play linkshell as some form of impediment. If anything, it's a wonderful challenge, forcing you to be more creative, not to mention more active in initiating contact with other people within the scope of the game, instead of just half-assing it and planning with someone else out of character in your linkshell.

 

Not to say that's bad or anything. Just a lot of people use it as a lazy means to begin character interaction, instead of free-forming it.

 

In my linkshell back in FFXI, IC conversations were the norm and expected standard of LS interaction. Meet ups weren't planned; if someone was heading to a tavern they would invite other to come along IC. If anyone was going to be going to, say, the Crawler's Nest to 'train', they'd ask if anyone was interested in joining. I didn't know much OOC conversation for event planning/ roleplaying. So I guess what I'm saying is that, I don't think there needs to be that sort of environment because of the LS. You can OOC if you want in /tells but the LS was almost always for IC discussion.

 

Though I do agree with the impetus to initiate contact when you don't have an LS. That does force you to be more proactive with people that you might not otherwise be.

[Trizzip]

Honestly, I don't look at having a lack of a role-play linkshell as some form of impediment. If anything, it's a wonderful challenge, forcing you to be more creative, not to mention more active in initiating contact with other people within the scope of the game, instead of just half-assing it and planning with someone else out of character in your linkshell.

 

Not to say that's bad or anything. Just a lot of people use it as a lazy means to begin character interaction, instead of free-forming it.

 

When I ran a RP LS, the events that got planned out OOC'ly were done so in order to make sure all the players would be available at a certain time. This was usually the case for players who were moving their story arc along. WIth forum RP, it's a lot easier, as you can wait over the period of days for everyone (who is needed) to particpate in the thread. In-game, the RP is done right then and there, so there has to be some sort of planning for a huge event like that.

 

For everyday RP, it usually went about as organically as you are referring to. Our characters would just start up RP here or there in a natural way.

[Merri]

I suppose you could call me Freelance, though my own motives aren't so simple as me not wanting to be in a Linkshell and nothing more. While some Linkshells may have it set up to make sense for applicants, I don't really enjoy pushing my characters down that road.

 

I simply prefer to interact with people in-game, and see where things lead from there. Developing a strong kinship with a Linkshell over time and being asked to join their ranks seems much more involved and meaningful to me than simply applying to join them. However, this has approach always had major flaws in almost any MMORPG I've used it in.

 

Namely, Linkshells (Or guilds, or whatever else the specific game's organizations are called) being busy with their own arcs, and being busy roleplaying with their own members to really branch out much and interact with random members of the community on a regular basis. That fact alone really does make you go the extra mile to find and obtain meaningful roleplay. It can be a hassle, but it can also be very rewarding.

 

I was a lone wolf for I'd say roughly 95% of my career in Aion. Didn't really work out in the end. I have a feeling I'll encounter the same ordeal here, as stated earlier, all the Linkshells that I could possibly click with at this point are more or less closed off to applicants.

[Satisiun]

When I ran a RP LS, the events that got planned out OOC'ly were done so in order to make sure all the players would be available at a certain time. This was usually the case for players who were moving their story arc along. WIth forum RP, it's a lot easier, as you can wait over the period of days for everyone (who is needed) to particpate in the thread. In-game, the RP is done right then and there, so there has to be some sort of planning for a huge event like that.

 

For everyday RP, it usually went about as organically as you are referring to. Our characters would just start up RP here or there in a natural way.

 

See, that's a very justified rationale right there, the event thing. I certainly have no qualm with that. You need to know the schedule of players for such a thing, and when best to invite people so as many characters as possible can come to said event.

 

My main gripe was more directed at those who really have no clue how to just approach a person whom they recognize as a role-player, and the way that some linkshells effectively cause people to unlearn, or perhaps even never learn, what it is like to approach characters without any sort of excess preparation, or sometimes even just any preparation.

 

But I'm also an old codger by online RP experience terms (has it really been 15 years now? I miss you, AOL 2.0 ...), and I remember when you basically lived off of free-form role-playing when in chat rooms. So I might just sound crotchety and old. :lol: I just think free-form styles of role-play are a slowly dying breed, and closed groups are one of the reasons why, especially in MMOs.

[Trizzip]

Well....whenever PS3 release gets here, we'll be able to do some old school RP together :ugeek:

[Nyila]

I simply prefer to interact with people in-game' date=' and see where things lead from there. Developing a strong kinship with a Linkshell over time and being asked to join their ranks seems much more involved and meaningful to me than simply applying to join them.[/quote']

 

This is exactly how I feel, and I couldn't have said it better. While it makes sense to apply for some 'shells, it's so much more rewarding (to me) to develop an IC relationship with them. And even if an application still applies, I'd still prefer for a member to go "Hey.. you know if you apply, you could probably join us more!" because my character has gotten to be good friends with his, or someone having an IC recruitment drive of some kind, or finding out about it some other way in game.

 

I guess my point is that this is why I haven't really looked into anywhere to join. It's not that I don't want to join anyone, it just doesn't feel right to do so yet. And I'm all about feelin' right.

[KittyWizard]

I've always been sort of a freelancer~ I'm pretty anti-social in game, & it's hard for me to build relationships online. That's why I was so happy to find this site before game release, since I find it's much easier to meet people this way. x3;;

Anyways, I'd love to be involved in a group, but I'm much too shy to apply for any. I was planning on waiting till the game started, then figuring out what I wanted to do from there^^.

I sort of have a plan for my own LS eventually, but I don't think many people want to be bossed around by a 16 year old. So I'm taking my time. <:

[DAISHI]

How do you guys hang out with these linkshells? I mean, given than an LS is prone to taking care of its members first, since they're sort of like families. Do you randomly encounter them in parties or in towns? Do these sort of relationships really come about easily?

[Trizzip]

How do you guys hang out with these linkshells? I mean' date=' given than an LS is prone to taking care of its members first, since they're sort of like families. Do you randomly encounter them in parties or in towns? Do these sort of relationships really come about easily?[/quote']

 

In XI, I had my LS but I RP'd with anyone I could. Some characters even became important to my character's life and that person wouldn't even be in my LS.