If you come to RPC and ask this, you will mostly be given the two part replies above. Both parts valid and interesting looks at RP on Balmung and other servers, but also sort of wishful thinking or idealist views. (Do pay attention to that link though, it will help you if you end up wanting to attend events)
RPC and Balmung have exactly 1 actual hangout for RP provided by the game, all other hangouts are either run by egomaniacs looking for a sense of how important they are to all of us, or do gather a crowd, but must be monitored at all times to actually make it to the event/location at a time when it is active. Otherwise? Your wide and wonderful option for continuous RP locale is by and far the Quicksand.
Limsa has no major hangouts on the regular, sometimes people are in the Drowning Wench, but often have their own people to RP with and aren't looking for walkups. Gridania...has nothing really at all unless you arrange it yourself. Basically for a game/server full of RPers, venturing forth from the QS or a major city at all, or really just from the QS and the Thanalan region in general, is on a scale of pain up to death, of how much that would hurt their fragile sense of creativity.
Now, Quicksand is an okay RP hangout. Mostly one goes there to find steady ERP options, but try not to put too much story into the ERP beyond "One of us picked the other one up at a bar, now we bang" or it will go south. If that doesn't float your boat? You can try to make your way through the scrolling chat on busy nights to find the odd character hanging at the bar or at a table and hopefully spark up a conversation that won't either get you killed or have your character run screaming from the bar after listening to delusional drivel not appropriate to setting or character power.
All that being said? My suggestion is to not be discouraged by all this, it is fairly common of RP communities, and something everyone must get past at some point. Work on getting a foundational or support group together that can either RP with you on the regular, or point you in the direction and be a base to jump off of to get further RP. It sounds daunting, but can be accomplished by joining linkshells and getting to know regular RPers that are active, find the ones that suit you well as far as character power and what sort of RP you are interested in, and then try to expand out from there. Freecompanies can often be a great point to grow from, and finding one that is solid without crazies is always nice. Be aware that there are always going to be people that are boring and don't agree with your style of RP just on the fact that they "have been playing forever, and know how this works", but I encourage you again to ignore those people, feel confident in your character and your skills as an RPer, and get out there!
Good Luck!
RPC and Balmung have exactly 1 actual hangout for RP provided by the game, all other hangouts are either run by egomaniacs looking for a sense of how important they are to all of us, or do gather a crowd, but must be monitored at all times to actually make it to the event/location at a time when it is active. Otherwise? Your wide and wonderful option for continuous RP locale is by and far the Quicksand.
Limsa has no major hangouts on the regular, sometimes people are in the Drowning Wench, but often have their own people to RP with and aren't looking for walkups. Gridania...has nothing really at all unless you arrange it yourself. Basically for a game/server full of RPers, venturing forth from the QS or a major city at all, or really just from the QS and the Thanalan region in general, is on a scale of pain up to death, of how much that would hurt their fragile sense of creativity.
Now, Quicksand is an okay RP hangout. Mostly one goes there to find steady ERP options, but try not to put too much story into the ERP beyond "One of us picked the other one up at a bar, now we bang" or it will go south. If that doesn't float your boat? You can try to make your way through the scrolling chat on busy nights to find the odd character hanging at the bar or at a table and hopefully spark up a conversation that won't either get you killed or have your character run screaming from the bar after listening to delusional drivel not appropriate to setting or character power.
All that being said? My suggestion is to not be discouraged by all this, it is fairly common of RP communities, and something everyone must get past at some point. Work on getting a foundational or support group together that can either RP with you on the regular, or point you in the direction and be a base to jump off of to get further RP. It sounds daunting, but can be accomplished by joining linkshells and getting to know regular RPers that are active, find the ones that suit you well as far as character power and what sort of RP you are interested in, and then try to expand out from there. Freecompanies can often be a great point to grow from, and finding one that is solid without crazies is always nice. Be aware that there are always going to be people that are boring and don't agree with your style of RP just on the fact that they "have been playing forever, and know how this works", but I encourage you again to ignore those people, feel confident in your character and your skills as an RPer, and get out there!
Good Luck!
