Chapter III: Jumping into roleplayingLesson A: Making yourself heardWritten by Telex FerraEdited by Academy Faculty
Unless an RP is very large (i.e. exceeding 10 people), you're going to want to use global chat to communicate. Not only does this ensure that the people you're speaking to can actually see what you're saying, but it also makes it easier for admins to moderate the server.
While your opportunities to enter the plot are definitely numerous, make sure you're doing it the right way. If you're a crewman engineer, you probably shouldn't bring your design for a new coffee maker straight to the CO while the ship is under heavy fire. Your best bet of interacting with other players is going to your commanding officer and speaking to him/her about what you can do. If you're an engineer, for example, the CE will probably have something for you to do. If you're the CE, the CO or XO may need you to perform a task.