Not trying to solo, but....

[diagnull]

There are 2 problems that I have with joining a party.

1) I don't really have a set time and duration that I can play. It's usually sometime between Midnight and 4AM Central time. During those hours, I don't often see that many people. A few but it's not consistent. (I saw one person last night and not another one all night after trekking across 20 or so areas.)

2) I'll admit...I'm a little shy about going up to a stranger and asking if I can tag along. Makes me feel kinda like a stalker. The little bit of group work I've done was chance more than anything.

I bumped into Jaigan and Sil'Via in the Hempstead sewers and tagged along with them. Then Jaigan and I went to the Ft. Vehl crypts.

I bumped into Jaigan again a day or so later, but he was busy I think and I was trying to learn more about the surrounding areas, so I went on my own. Since then, I've been going solo, even finishing the crypt solo.

I guess I should just bite the bullet and try to talk to anyone I see, but I don't want to intrude on anything they are doing. And I feel like I'm still too weak to be much help to anyone but a newbie.

"Hey Mr High Level PC...can i tag along. I can keep the skunks away (if they come one at a time.)

I guess I can stick to the Hempstead\\Vehl areas, but I'm kinda getting tired of the same areas.

Which is why I started exploring...which is also why I've been mauled by a wide variety of creatures.

I finally got craft badge so I could do some basic crafting...if I can find the CNR stuff nearby. But, I feel like I'm missing out on a lot of what Layo has to offer.

Aside: Is there a way to see who else is on at the time and where they are? Or some way to track down others?

Thanks,

-D

[Falonthas]

just send a tell, noone actually minds even if they may take a minute to answer, and then you can think on the rp reason for stumbling onto them while in transit

easiest craft to begin with is tailoring with a needle and cotton
 and its close at hand so you dont have to get mauled grabbing it up

if you see any of my characters dont fret about sending a tell and we will see whats going on, even though if you run into Phaeyr just remember its just the char being himself, and in noway aimed to you directly

latyewam is a new druid of mine and he has made a few new friends who look past his issues,

so drop a tell and see what happens

[ycleption]

Well, you can always open up the player list to see who is on, and send a tell to people and just ask what they are doing, and if they are interested in helping a newer character out...

The best way to find people is to actively roleplay. I'm sure it can be difficult if you play during off-peak times, but once your character starts being known to others, you will find it much easier to get into parties... and if you can't find anyone and have to solo for a bit, then do so... often you'll end up meeting people looking for the same cnr that you are, and can start RPing from there.

[Acacea]

You could send OOC tells to other players near the same level to just see if they're free to 'run into' and so forth. Actually, posting here on the forums like this is probably a good way to look around, as others will see it and likely try to wiggle times to hook up with you, or talk with you about times that they're around.

If you had somewhere in particular you wanted to see, you could also request a guide IC at the Stormcrest Shack. It's not quite the same as a same-level adventuring party, as the guides are mostly higher levels and the goal is not really XP, but it can still be a good way to get acquainted with other places and enemies without dying horribly, while learning a bit about the lands.

[Eight-Bit]

I walk up to whoever the heck I want and I ask them if I can go with them.

If they are confident enough to deny the help of another person, unless for an explicitly roleplayed or by-the-rules reason, then they are not very tactical and you do not want to travel with them. There will surely be soul tokens lost, a lot of gold wasted, and many an hour ruined.

^^^ That's a whole lot of HappyHappyForum speak. I think you get what I mean.

Don't talk to everyone you see. Talk to people who you can make a connection with, just like in real life, and you will find a group is easier to find.

[Lord of the Forest]

Well,

to see who is online simply check the server status by forum or in game Usually there is someone around and most times I see players hanging around in Port Hempstead around the memorial or in front of the city. Another nice place to meet others is the shack on the route Hempstead -Vehl. Else I usually find some players outside of Hemstad or the fields.

Don't be a stranger and simply ask characters in game if they can help you or ask them for help, we don't bite

I know the first steps are always hard but you'll get used to it. Hey I know what I am talking about as I had the same problems as I started years ago ^^

A lot of adventures and fun will await you, just talk to others, you won't intrude

-Inny

[miltonyorkcastle]

pretty much what the others have said. OOC tells are in many ways the best and necessary option for those of us who play at random times and never know who or if anyone will be online when we are. Like Falonthas said, you can think up IC reasoning in transit to meet, and if push come to shove, like the characters don't know each other, you can arrange "chance" meetings to kick off the RP. Seriously, we don't all have time to take the organic approach and wait until we run into someone. Let's face it, the world is HUGE and the adventuring population is rather small by comparison (by that token, your character actually "runs into" people all the time, they're just the "invisible NPC" that is always there but we can't represent IG because of all the lag they would create).

Eight-bit also has a point, though, that you should just take the time to chat OOC a bit and see if you connect enough that you'll do well together as players before you take anything into the IC world. I often send random tells to folks I don't know without the intention of creating an adventuring party with them, but just to get to know them and see where they're at, if they have any questions, and just generally be friendly. I'm not sure which character is yours, but if i happen to see you online, I'll prolly buzz ya. =)

[Jaigan]

[INDENT]  I hooked up with her at the pub,  went out and got a job to wack some kolbolds (as much as I want to help I'm just a rogue so I sugested we check around town for an extra hand) and just outside back up against the wall axe out shield up and ready to jump even a grasshooper we find Jacrum Shieldbreaker. :p  don't know your OOC forum name if I did I would tag you with a thanks because you made the kolbold killing possible and helped save the day stopping yet another magic stick pyramid scheme.

Just another reason to walk up to people and *wave* because even the mean looking ones can be friendly on the inside haha
[/INDENT]

[jan]

A way to find people also : simply look at the player quest calendar , or put something there yourself

I'm not sure what midnight-4 an Central times is with the forum-times in the right-hand corner ..but i just placed a small call for hero's on the forum and would love to see you there

the link to it : http://forums.layonara.com/calendar.php?do=getinfo&e=4352&day=2007-12-16

[ycleption]

2) I'll admit...I'm a little shy about going up to a stranger and asking if I can tag along. Makes me feel kinda like a stalker. The little bit of group work I've done was chance more than anything.

Just a note on this one, especially if you are playing a shy or less personable character. If you see a group, and want to interact with them but don't want to be intrusive, just start writing detailed emotes rather than talking ("ears perk up at the mention of blah," "sits, looking bored, meticulously sharpening a well-worn set of daggers" or whatever it might be for your character. People will pick up on you wanting to interact, without you having to feel like you are prying your way into their affairs.

[stragen]

[INDENT]  I hooked up with her at the pub,  went out and got a job to wack some kolbolds (as much as I want to help I'm just a rogue so I sugested we check around town for an extra hand) and just outside back up against the wall axe out shield up and ready to jump even a grasshooper we find Jacrum Shieldbreaker. :p  don't know your OOC forum name if I did I would tag you with a thanks because you made the kolbold killing possible and helped save the day stopping yet another magic stick pyramid scheme.

Just another reason to walk up to people and *wave* because even the mean looking ones can be friendly on the inside haha
[/INDENT]

Oi be happy ter help yer and yer druid friend beat up on some kobolds.
-Jacrum



You guys both did well.  Now you have a nice team.  Start working together and talking to each other about tactics.  I am pretty sure you two could have done that quest by yourselves with the right tactics.  Druids have some nice spells to help party members, and rogues can be very effective in combat if there is another warrior to distract the enemy so they can flank.

Adventuring in this game is like playing a team sport.  First you have to gain the basic skills.  Know what your character can do and how to do it.  Then you have to learn how to work with your teammates.  What position you need to be in, which spells to cast to help them.

When it all comes together it can be lots of fun.

Cheers,

Stragen