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=39903
- work in progress -
FAQ: TSW Transportation, Run speed & speed upgrades, traveling, climbing
The maps and the explanations on the coordinates system have been moved to the FAQ
“ FAQ: Maps & understanding the coordinates system”
I am stuck, or stuck on a ladder, what can I do?
- (Note that ladders are normally fixed, so the part about ladders is mostly for reference and “just in case”.)
Type /stuck in the chat window and hit return. This should start a procedure to free your almost immediately. (This will not work with ladders.)
You may encounter a situation where the system doesn't “think” your are stuck and will just reply “your character doesn't seem to be stuck”. (Usually the case on ladders.)
In this case, return to the character selection screen with /camp and then log in again. This should fix the situation. (Exiting TSW and restarting would do the same, but it's longer.)
If this doesn't work, you can try /reset that will kill you so you can respawn at a resurrection point.
If you get stuck on a ladder again after freeing you, change your clothes to the most standard ones possible (the ones you got at creation) and try again. This should also be totally fixed now.
Can I upgrade my run speed and how?
- When you get enough Rank in your faction (by doing missions), you can go to the “Mobility & Tactics Trainer” in the headquarters of your secret society and buy run speed upgrades called “Quickened Anima” which come in 3 qualities: green, blue, and purple.
- GREEN Quickened Anima
Speed increase 62%
Cost: 100 000 Pax Romana
Availble at rank 2 in your faction
BLUE Quickened Anima
Speed increase 75% (total increase: it doesn't stack with the previous one)
Cost: 500 000 Pax Romana
PURPLE Quickened Anima
Speed increase 100% (total increase: it doesn't stack with any of the previous ones)
Cost: 1 000 000 Pax Romana
- GREEN Quickened Anima
Is TSW's world divided in zones?
- Yes, quite the same way as Age of Conan is. You have, classically, to “zone” (load data) from a zone to another with a cut-screen steady picture introducing the next zone. The process is similar in Anarchy Online but there is no cut-screen in AO.
You don't really see the next zone from the zone you're in but, thanks to a very finely handcrafted world and smart layout, this is never an immersion issue.
The same way, you zone in and out of instances, dungeons, etc. There is no necessarily a cut-screen for instances, especially when it's in a mission.
Can I go to any zone regardless of my character powers and progression, for example visit zones that are extremely dangerous for me?
- You can go to many places early in TSW, watch and explore... At your own risk.
There are nevertheless some restrictions:- - at the beginning of your character, you can't zone from Kingsmouth to Blue Mountain until you have progressed enough (the exact criteria are not clear yet)
- you can't use an Agartha (see below about this name) portal to a zone if you have not discover it first by traveling on foot in that zone.
- - at the beginning of your character, you can't zone from Kingsmouth to Blue Mountain until you have progressed enough (the exact criteria are not clear yet)
Can I go to a main city (London, New York, Seoul) if I don't belong to the secret society that has its headquarters in that city?
- Yes, you can travel freely to and in main cities, especially for shopping or social encounters. (At the time of writing, only London offers stores but this will change.)
Do you zone automatically (like AO) or do you have to click or do something (like AoC / SWTOR)?
- You either have to click / activate an item or at least confirm your intention.
From big zone to big zone, you usually move to the next zone entrance, for example a tunnel or a portal, and you are prompted with a pop-pup small window to confirm that you want to zone or refuse and stay where you are.
For instances, dungeons, missions parts, you usually have to click on an object (for example an helicopter to go to the dreaded Polaris Wreck dungeon, or a weird-looking burning door to enter malefic Hell Raised dungeon).
How do I travel in TSW? (Quick overview)
- Your main transportation mean inside a zone is running / walking. Although this may look somewhat restrictive at first sight, with the way the world is designed, and the density of things to do or see, you don't often need something else. When you only need to cross a zone though, it may be somewhat annoying. You'll be able to upgrade your run speed at some point though.
You can walk (mostly for the look of it), run slowly, or run fast (most used). You can also upgrade your running speed a bit when you reach rank 2 in your faction.
From a zone to its neighbor zone, you usually just run to the zones connection spot: a tunnel for example, and confirm zoning.
For easy and fast transportation between all zones, there is a system called Agartha ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agartha ), inside the Hollow Earth, which is a fast network linking all zones together. It is a very convenient and powerful system, comparable to the Grid in Anarchy Online. There is no direct equivalent of Agartha in AoC (where you can use “paths” to teleport but with cooldown restrictions) or SWTOR (where you can use a galaxy map but you have to go to your ship first).
More information is provided in the next questions / answers.
Can I jump in TSW, and how high? Is there a super-jump?
- Yes you can jump in TSW (space key), around 2.5 meters high, so this may be considered a super-ability you got with your powers (although not explained by the storyline). This is clearly more than in AoC and even much more than in SWTOR. This is less than in AO though.
You may have to run to jump correctly above some obstacles.
This jumping height allows you go jump over most vehicles, many obstacles, and some fences/walls but not all: you have to find the right place where jumping over a fence/wall will maybe be possible.
This also makes climbing on rocks and slopes easier.
Sometimes the jumping height is enough to jump to the lower part of a roof but it's rare.
Some walls / fences are nevertheless too high, clearly on purpose, to be jumped over, for example, the walls of Innsmouth Academy where you must use the gates (or a breach).
There is no super-jump power or long-distance jump in itself (like in City of Heroes, for example) as this wouldn't fit TSW world design.
Is there fall damage? Do I take damage if I fall from a cliff, jump from a roof, etc?
- There is no fall damage at all in TSW. (Contrary to AoC where fall damage is severe, and like AO where fall damage was removed years ago.) This is an intended game feature, to make traveling and world exploration more enjoyable, and also prevent being killed in a fight because you are knock-backed and fall from some height.
So you can actually jump from a bridge or a cliff and just land safely on the ground below. (On the other hand, note that environment can damage you: electrified water, fire, poisonous area, aggressive magic areas...)
Like the jumping ability, this may be considered something you got with your powers.
Can I fly?
- No. The world and (probably) the game engine are not designed for flying. (Pre-calculated flying animation would most likely be possible though as it is -rarely- seen in AoC from Khemi island to Khemi continental coast for example, and also as it's something similar that TSW uses in Agartha when you “slip” from portal to portal. )
Are there mounts or vehicles I can use or buy?
- No, you run and walk. At the time of writing, it doesn't seem vehicles are going to be implemented.
Is there a teleportation power or device? What is the Agartha Conduit?
- No, but you are given a very handy and persistent item teleporting you from anywhere in TSW to the Agartha transportation network (with a 30 minutes cooldown): the Agartha Conduit.
You get this item in a cut-scene when you first discover Agartha at the beginning of the game after your first contact with your Secret Society. This item is in your inventory.
Anarchy Online players can, more or less, consider this feature similar to the possibility of “Griding” from anywhere.
Is there a local, intra-zone, transportation system like taxis?
- No, although it could be most likely implemented. It doesn't seem really necessary to have one.
Is there a quick way to join my team (group) and regroup?
- Yes: when a team member enters an instance (dungeon), you get automatically a message (pop-up) asking if you want to join your teammate. If you accept, you'll be teleported to his/her location.
Also, 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 place and the dimension where the selected person is. (Please see the FAQ “Single server technology”)
Can teammates be stuck in different instances, having trouble regrouping?
- No. the system in TSW takes care of this. You will always be able to join your teammates. See above about the “Meet up” button.
Are there ladders or climbing points in TSW like in AoC? Do I need any skill to climb?
- You can climb a vertical obstacle or object but only if it's intended you can. (You can jump over it if it's not too high, around 2.5 meters.)
Yes, there are some ladders. They work like in AoC: move your cursor over it to see the cursor switching to the “use” icon. Then get close enough to the ladder and click it. You'll see your character ready to climb on the ladder. Up and Down arrows (A W keys) move your character up and down the ladder with the appropriate animation. When you reach the top of the ladder or the ground, you are automatically set on the place your reached.
You don't need any skill to be able to climb (contrary to AoC).
You will not get a message “you can climb here” like in AoC, but usable ladders are highlighted.
Note that some ladders are just clickable items making you zone (for example to exit sewers).
Note that not all ladders can be used.
I am stuck on a ladder, what can I do?
- This should be fixed now. Nevertheless, if you experience this, try /camp to exit to character selection and then re-enter the game. The /stuck command will most likely NOT work on a ladder.
In the worst case, you could /reset to die and to to a resurrection point. But no such situations have been reported.
If you get stuck on a ladder again, change your clothes to the most standard ones possible (the ones you got at creation) and try again. This should also be totally fixed now.
Are there slopes you can't climb or obstacles you can't pass although it seems -visually- you should be able to climb / pass? (Like in AoC)
- There are several, but clearly less than in AoC. If it looks like you could reasonably be able pass an obstacle, you can often - but not always- do it. Jumping helps as you can jumping around 2.5 meters high. You may need to find the “right” point to be able to pass the obstacle though.
Note that you can't climb vertical or almost vertical obstacles if this is not intended. (Especially high fences and walls)
Note again that not all ladders can be used.
How to travel fast from zone to zone, especially when zones are not directly connected to each other? For example from London to Egypt or from Kingsmouth to Rumania.
- Use Agartha! Almost instant travel from zone to zone.
What is Agartha?
- Agartha is a legendary place inside the Hollow Earth (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agartha). In TSW, Agartha is also an almost instant transportation network to any zone.
Agartha looks like a magic place where the branches of a gigantic tree bear exit portals to all the zones of TSW.
How do I use Agartha? How to travel fast inside Agartha itself? Do I have to run inside Agartha?
- The Agartha tree bears exit portals to every zone in TSW. To identify the zone it leads to, a portal shows a blurred view of a typical place of that zone . (Note that the place shown is NOT your arrival point but only a way to identify the zone.)
You only have to walk to the portal and you will get a message telling you the name of the zone and asking you if you want to travel to that zone. In some circumstances, you may be be notified that you don't meet yet the requirements to use the portal.
To go from exit portal to exit portal, you need to travel on the branches of the Agartha tree.
To do this, you can run on the branches of the tree or use local, intra-Agartha, portals. (So, in Agartha, you have exit portals to TSW zones AND internal portals to travel fast inside Agartha itself.)
In front of each zone portal (exit to zone), there is a luminous “pool” which allows you to trigger Agartha fast transportation on the branches instead of running on those branches.
If you walk onto a luminous “pool”, this will open two local, intra-Agartha, portals: one to the next set of pool / zone portal; one to the previous set of pool / zone portal. These intra-Agartha portals look like brownish smoke circles.
Using the internal portals saves you running on the Agartha tree and makes travel fast.
What are the big creatures inside Agartha? Are they dangerous? Am I in danger while using Agartha?
- The big creatures (looking like mechanical giants) are friendly. You can talk to them and ask them questions about Agartha. You can also ask them in what direction a portal to a given zone is and they will show you -very approximately- the direction.
Agartha is, so far, a safe location.
When will I be able to use Agartha?
- Very early in the game, just after meeting your Secret Society main contact and choosing your first power “line”. Your contact will send you to Kingsmouth town on Solomon Island and will explain to you that you must use Agartha.
You will get a mission leading you to Agartha entrance in your main city. (London, New York, Seoul).
You can't use an Agartha portal if you have not discover it first by traveling on foot.
The exceptions, at the time of writing, are the first Agartha portals of each main area (Solomon Island/Kingsmouth, Egypt/Scorched Desert, Rumania/Besieged Farmlands), and London, Seoul, New-York.
In some circumstances, you may be be notified that you don't meet yet the requirements to use the portal.
Where are Agartha entrances?
- In London, at the Ealdwic subway station, nor far from the Templars area and HQ.
In New York, in a warehouse room near the Illuminati HQ.
In Seoul in a bike hangar, near The Dragon HQ.
In other zones, as well as in main cities, Agartha entrance is shown on your zone map (“m” key to open it).
Agartha entrances are always places with magical-looking vegetation (even inside a building) and warm orange light effects.
How do I get to Agartha? Is there a fast way to go to Agartha?
- You have to travel to Agartha entrances as you would to any other place: run.
But you can also use a teleportation device (“Agartha Conduit”) to Agartha.
This device is given to you in a cut-scene when you first discover Agartha; it is in your inventory.
If you click this device, you will levitate a few seconds and then you'll be transported to the Agartha tree.
This device works from anywhere in TSW (any zone, instance, mission, dungeon...)
The cooldown on this ability is 30 minutes.
Are Agartha exits safe?
- Agartha entrances/exits are safe in themselves. Mobs don't come there. The zone just around is normally safe too. But you can sometimes encounters mobs very close, like 50 meters further.
Are roads safe? Is it possible to avoid mobs?
- Roads are relatively safe as long as you pay attention to each sides and don't aggro a mob nearby.
Most often, by staying on a road you'll avoid most dangers but not necessarily all.
Sometimes, you have to leave the road as some mobs can “patrol” nearby or are even obviously placed to block the path.
Can you tell me the awesome big secret trick about Kingsmouth map?!
- On the map, brownish buildings can't be entered while grey buildings can be entered (at some point or always). This may help when you don't know where to go.
Yeah, that's all but it's handy.
Can I swim? Is there a swim buff?
- You can swim but you rarely need it. Water is usually not very deep.
Swimming is quite slow... and you have nothing like the wonderful and well-known swimming expertise buff in AO! (Private joke for AO players.)
- work in progress -