In my experience true "wish fulfillment" RPers don't handle IC conflict, losing, or disappointment very well. Maybe because they do have something aspirational wrapped up in the character.
Not a huge fan of it but it's not a dealbreaker either. Personally I don't want to be any part of my characters, those guys are a hot mess.
In a small rp, place code is sometimes bad for inclusivity as people already at a place may continue to rp at their table without reaching out "in the main room" as much to new arrivals. Hopefully they will invite the new arrival over, but doesn't always happen.
In a huge rp, place code is sometimes good for inclusivity because you can find people to talk to at "purple fainting couch" or whatever instead of being totally lost among 19 other players, and you can rp without spamming the entire thing (or being spammed by every other thing).
IMO place code is a pain in the ass and huge scenes without place code are a worse pain in the ass.
@thesuntsar I remind them at the start, "Sometimes it's easy to get tunnel vision in an event and just respond to the dice and GM poses. Don't forget to talk with and banter with one another so you have something to RP about together after the event!"
Just reminding the players to be aware like that seems to help. Also telling them "You all know each other's names from the trip over here" helps, hahah