A Little Bit Lonely

Ambivalence

Well then! I've been playing with some dedication for about two weeks now, and lately I've found the game a little bit lonely. I'd like to think that the problem is my schedule, what with my only free time 5 days a week being between 11:30 PM and 5:00 AM PST. This is something I intend to shift out of, loathe as I am to get *gulp* get up early, provided I can find the... incentive.

I say this, because even at peak times on weekends I am going through hell and a half finding what I consider worthwhile interaction. I'm not sure if this is more characteristic of the Lifer side of things or not, but half of the time my attempts to engage folks on the guild/city channels or walk up and greet them right in the face fall on deaf ears and bounce off blind eyeballs, respectively. On the occasions that I have managed to engage folks or gotten a reply, it's usually been very mechanical and bland; a higher-up making sure that I am finding the facilities and keeping up with guild requirements alright. When I try to prolong the interaction like the attention-starved puppy that I am, asking questions, making IC observations about tasks and information, and commenting on the setting- all without regurgitating my life story and last meal, mind you- someone typically just tosses me the same cookie-cut smile or nod they gave me 5 minutes ago, pats me on the ass, and sends me on my way.

Now, don't get me wrong. I am not without thanks for wealth of help people have offered and provided me, nor am I ungrateful for the enormous amount of effort that must have put into organizing the guild structure, tasks, directories, and other help files. What I would really like, though, is to be where the action is. Not literal, dramatic action, necessarily- I'd be happy to be sent on an errand to gather this-or-that, asked to do chores around the guildhall, practice my skills with a bonafide guildie, or even carry groceries.

As it is, I'm just not feeling immersed, and I'm not sure I've got the gumption to wait it out. I've played my share of MMOs; an evening farming mobs to earn worthless gold and level a character who has no purpose except empty progression and trophy status is not what I am looking for. At this point, I'm considering just shafting IC motivations and shamelessly hopping orgs until I find some place more inviting or give up. Alternatively, if there are other players (especially my fellow newbies!) out there who share my sentiments or similar, maybe we could slap together a list of ourselves and form a little clique of our own?

Thanks for hearing me out.

Areka

As I've no idea who you are IG or which guilds and things you have worked with, I cannot offer much specific advice.

Some of it requires gumption. Some of it is just a flux of organizations right now - there was recently a pretty hefty Anti-Enorian movement and populations have shifted again, and some folk are simply burnt out. Others, I cannot really comment, as I do not quite have enough data.

I can rattle off a list of people that are usually really good for RP and I have found engaging if that would be of help.

I know I myself am pretty uneven with it. I'm battling major burnout paired with a lack of engaging RP, which is also my own fault.

Xenia

I have to say, based on your play time alone, our paths would meet very rarely, as I'm usually winding down any RP/activity by the time you're logging in. Not that your character would have much reason to interact with mine (I don't even know who you are). However, it might also be that perhaps your active time is one that's hard to mesh with for some folks?

As for the lifer side, I spent a bit of time there. What I found is that instead of interaction being consistently among the entire org (be it city or guild), it is tended towards smaller RP circles. People that break off into pairs or trios, really. My first few weeks living in Duiran was hard for me, it required a lot of extroverted effort and just making attempt after attempt to emote and drum up regular interaction circles. Eventually I was able to do it, but it helps if your character has some sort of niche thing that they can engage another person in.

I can see how this may be hard for a newbie, but maybe you can come up with something? Also The Lover's Fling tends to be a solid place to get chance interaction, even if you are just standing there betting money on roulette.

Moirean

You're free to come to the Spirean Halloween event this weekend (Saturday, starts at Howling, goes for a few hours). Maybe you'll meet some people you click with for RP.

Mariena

I wanna come to that! >.> Seriously, our guild (Shamans) are the most heavily active from around Howling (8pm est) to about midnight est. You have random fluctuations throughout the day, but the majority seems centered in that area. Most of us are solitary but we're more than willing to start a ruckus, so hit us up if you can find us!

Meyvitch

Lover's fling I keep dipping in every so often trying to see if anyone's there. No one. I do the same thing with Black Flagon, it's a fairly neutral ground in Delos. I'd love to have someone bop me over the head and rp with me

Gwenith

I believe we share the same time frame and yes, it sorta sucks finding RP. I'm not the most exciting person to RP with but your more than welcome to hit me up sometime.

Elie

Mm, your trouble I think is that our Australian faction (those who would be most active in your time range) are generally Spirean. Or were, last time I was checking up on such things. But there's no reason you can't interact with them! There are an abundance of "neutral" spaces that allow that kind of thing - Delos is a good start; there are a lot of players who have tried to make places where people of different faction can talk without things getting weird. Try the Black Flagon Inn or Moirean's Lover's Fling brothel. Both tend to have a range of different people at different times, and the more people who hang out there, the more people who WILL hang out there - that's the way things work in Aetolia! You improve a place just by being there and being available, because other people happen upon you, and then other OTHER people see you two RPing and want to be part of it. Popularity starts with you! (sounds corny but for serious reals, it does, in a community as small as ours).

Aishia

Hey I RP'd near you and you just logged off damn you @Gwenith! It's ok flighty4life I know the struggle.

Haven

When I actually do decide to play, I often think to RP with some people but I know my main character isn't for everyone so I tend to just stay with my normal circle. (Although I've been pretty bad with playing these past few months. )

Haven

Derp. Old thread is old. 

Lim

Your face is old. Please come back and play more.

Elie

If by "old" you mean "a week old"... which, on that scale, I shudder to think what YOU are, @Haven‌!

Haven

Elie said:

If by "old" you mean "a week old"... which, on that scale, I shudder to think what YOU are, @Haven‌!

Ancient!

Aishia

@Haven is dual classed Necromancer/Black Knight.

Volka

@ambivalence, like's been said, a fair number of the latenight crowd is Spirean. With that said, you can always come out to spinesreach and poke around! There's generally people at the innergate, and you can always hitt me up for something, if I'm on. The RP can be hard to find in the wild, particularly for people new to the game, because people do tend to find a clique and stick with it. However,  keep throwing stuff out there, and you'll get interaction. Some of my favorite things have happened to volka because I was litterally throwing emotes out to an empty room. It seems silly (Atleast, it did to me) but it really does help, not only get attention of people passing through, but also cemennting volka as a person of her own. And sometimes you'll get the attention of one of the gods, which is always fun! 

Somewhere @eleanor (another team Oz player, who's gennerally at least poping in hen you are) had a thread about interaction, but one of the things that I've started doing is recuiting people for little things, be it 'I lost my (insert thing) have you seen it?' to " Coome on, we're going to the tundra to look forr clues as to where my friends gone!' Consistent little interacttion turns into awesome long term story arcs. Good luck hon, and like I said, if you want to, feel free to pop in on Volka!