For technical reasons, the last updated and edited version of this FAQ is on TSW official forums. Check it there. This one will be updated very soon.
http://forums.thesecretworld.com/showthread.php?t=39889
- work in progress -
FAQ: Dimensions & Single Server technology - Understanding and using them
One Game, One World, One Server: players of the World, unite!
This FAQ briefly explains what the TSW “Single Server” technology is, what its benefits are and how to use it from a player's perspective.
Developed explanations and philosophy on the TSW Single server technology, directly from Martin Bruusgaard, TSW Lead Designer, can be found here:
http://www.thesecretworld.com/news/blog ... cret_world
Does “Single Server technology” mean that all players can play together regardless of their location in the World?
- Exactly. It's doesn't matter if you're from America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania or what your country is: all TSW players are able to chat, meet, interact and play together.
You are no more isolated from your friends from another country or continent.
You don't have to open an account or create characters on different servers to play with your friends.
But when I create a character I’m asked to choose a “Dimension” between several other dimensions... Will I be separated from players who are on other dimensions? Is a dimension like a server in other online games?
- A TSW dimension is not a server where players are isolated from other servers. There is only one server for TSW and dimensions don't isolate players. Here is how it works...
Inside the Single Server, the whole world of TSW is duplicated on several “dimensions”.
Each dimension is a “clone” of the TSW world. And players are able to move freely, and in quite a transparent manner, from dimension to dimension, from clone to clone, as they need. They will have the feeling to just travel in the same world.
Also, you can chat with someone on another dimension as you would chat with someone on your dimension. "General" chat is cross-servers.
The dimension you are asked to choose is only your “Home dimension”: it's the dimension in which you will arrive immediately when you log on and to which you'll return automatically and in a transparent manner when you don't need to be elsewhere.
The players have the choice of “Home dimensions” to allow better technical performance and also to specialize a bit some dimensions, for example to allow people using the same language to be immediately together a soon as they log on, or people with the same interests, for example role-playing, to be also by default with each other... if they want to.
But you are never stuck in a dimension.
So how can I team with people on another dimension or do a raid with them?
- By just clicking a button: near the name of your friends on your friends list, or near the name of teammates in the team list, you have a button called “Meet up”. Click it and you'll be automatically teleported to the dimension where the selected person is. It's almost as simple as zoning from a zone to another.
As long as you are teamed, you will all travel and zone inside the same dimension.
If you zone to a zone where your team is, you'll land automatically on the good dimension.
And what happened when I leave a team in a dimension? Am I immediately kicked out of that dimension?
- No, you will be returned to your Home dimension in a soft and transparent manner: the next time you zone, you will actually be sent to your destination but on your Home dimension and no more on the one you were visiting.
What happens if I'm disconnected while I am in a group in another dimension?
- You should be returned to the dimension where the group is, if the group still exists. (If you stay disconnected for a very long time, you may leave the group automatically though.)
Can I send in-game mail and items to someone on another dimension?
- Yes, the in-game mail system is cross-dimensions so you can send or receive messages or items to and from someone on another dimension.
Is the players market system limited to each dimension or can I make business with people from all dimensions?
- The market system is also cross-dimensions, so when you put an item for sale, it will be seen by all TSW players. You have nothing special to do to make it visible in all TSW.
This should allow a strong and healthy economy.
Note that you can't restrict your sales or shopping to a specific dimension, and there is no reason to want to.
Can a cabal (guild) have members from several dimensions? Is there any drawback for a member who wouldn't be on the dimension where the cabal was created or where the cabal has most members?
- A cabal can have members from any dimension. All members will have access to cabal chat channel; all will have the same features available and all will share the same cabal bank.
A cabal person able to invite new members can also directly invite people who are not in the same dimension without traveling to them.
Can TSW teleport me from a dimension to another without my agreement?
- No, you will not be teleported unless you actively decide you want to go to another dimension. You will be automatically returned to your Home dimension as described above in this FAQ but only if you decide to zone.
Can someone have the same name as me on another dimension?
- No, your name is unique in TSW.
Can a cabal have the same name as my cabal in another dimension?
- No, like players' names, cabals' names are unique for all TSW.
Is the language of the game affected by the dimension I’m in?
- No, your client will always use the language you have chosen.
Is PvP possible between people from all dimensions?
- There are 3 forms of PvP in TSW: Fight Club (free for all PvP for relatively private fights), Battlefields (opened rounds by rounds), and Warzones (persistent, always up).
Fight Club and Battlefields: you can join them with friends (or enemies) from any dimension.
Warzones: this is almost the only restriction in the Single server technology: you can only use the warzones of your own Home dimension.
Martin Bruusgaard, TSW Lead Designer explained the reasons for this choice:
“First of all, in order to ensure that players have a good time and aren't locked down by lag, we have a player cap in these zones. The cap is currently set to 225, reserving 75 slots for each secret society. If we only had one warzone for all the dimensions, very few would be able to enjoy this form of PvP. Keep in mind that this is not an instanced mini-game, but a persistent area. There is only one of these per dimension.
Secondly, we want to create a really good PvP community in each dimension, and we believe the meta-game around PvP is more interesting if you get to know the other players around you. We're hoping that you will learn who you can trust, which cabals that always backstabs, who you can ask for help, which cabals are known for being fantastic in PvP, etc. “