[quote=@Dead Cruiser]
How far would we be allowed to push ahead? I basically have a plot that I'm trying to pursue that will take some in-game time.
[/quote]

As long as you are not exactly with a group I see no reason that you have to be in the same [i]time frame[/i] as everyone else.  You'll just have to make up the difference when you decided you want to interact with other players at the time.