which servers are not completely dead, and have people who actually talk?

[JMadFour]

Getting tired of soloing in silence. Really on the verge of accepting the next random FC invite i get just to have someone to talk to while I am playing.

I guess i should just try a new server. Which servers are currently the most populated?

[Odd]

Balmung is very very active at all times of day.

[Sagittarian]

There is no global chat channel and most people do not try to chat using /shout (which is only for the zone anyway) .. so there are probably lots of people talking just not in the channels you have. Also try to pick up some linkshells - that's where most of the chat happens.

[ydp002]

\o/ Hyperion

[Vladislav]

Balmung is very very active at all times of day.

false , @ EU times it allmost dead (at least according my f/list , LS and PF)
tho @ NA time it crowded (well Balmung actually NA data center)

[braneri1]

What time do you normally play at? I've been on Brynhildr ever since I started playing about half a year ago and I would never describe it as dead. It gets quiet late night/early morning but that's to be expected of anywhere that isn't sharing a major part of the player base with countries several time zones apart.

If you're without an fc, feel free to hit up Aska. We're in Mist, ward 1.

[Janglo]

Sargatanas and Wu Tang Clan FC!

[Naria]

Sargatanas is considered a very active server, but I don't see much regular chatting in /shout or /say outside of Reverent's Toll. Which is not to say that there are not people on-there are, particularly nights and weekends. People just don't chat in /say or /shout in this game for the heck of it. Forming parties is done either through Duty Finder or Party Finder, which depending how far along you are on your story quests you many not have access to yet. The first 15-20 levels are basically mostly solo.

As stated above, socializing is done through Free Companies, Linkshells, and /tell. If you /shout a question to a zone, or ask for help, etc, you will normally get a reply. Honestly, I prefer this over having a world chat, I socialize in game plenty but I really don't need to see or care about what everyone else on the server is saying about last week's Game of Thrones/extreme primal wipe/grind frustration/whatever. When I want to see what the general community is saying about something I come to the forums.

[Dreklore]

Come join the server I am on and join our FC we have cookies

[Kinseykinz]

OP...go look back in the 2.38 patch notes. ANY of the worlds that have the 'highest housing prices' are also the most lively and populated servers. From that list, pick one that suits your timezone/times of play best (IE JA, NA or EU based)....and of course, one with open slots on it. Also, as others have said, in this game /sh isn't a typical form of communication /FC and /l are where most of the chat happens.