Apologies for my laziness, but can anyone summarize how layering works? Do the layers stretch across all zones, such that it’s basically a complete server with a shared namespace for names? Do you potentially move between layers when logging in, exiting an instance, entering the Deeprun Tram, etc?
I believe Blizzard said they will prevent PvP avoidance. How does that work? Does it have to do with whether you recently PvP’d? Or did I imagine this?
Are auction houses shared across all layers? Chat channels? Battle grounds? Mining nodes? World bosses?
Thanks for any info!
In theory, each “world server” (such as Kalimdor and Eastern Kingdoms) should be one continuous layer for you. Crossing continents and entering instances and such can shift your layer. You may also see layers collapse into each other as populations change which will shift your layer. (Although that shouldn’t be all that often.) Joining a party with someone on another layer will also shift you.
For PvP avoidance/layer jumping to farm, I believe they put a short cooldown on shifting layers by joining groups. So, if you’ve recently shifted layers and join a new group, you won’t change layers.
Auction Houses will be server-wide. Trade chat should be server-wide, but I’m not sure about general chat. Battlegrounds will be cross-realm once they come out (and layering will be gone by that time as battlegrounds come in a later phase.) Mining nodes and such will be layer specific (and hopefully the cooldown on layer jumping will minimize abuse.) Layering will be gone by time World Bosses are a thing, as they won’t be until Phase 2, at which point they have said Layering will be gone.
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Posted again it’s in many threads on layering
The best explanation I heard was “we had sharding before for individual zones. layering is the entire world”.
So think of it as all-encompassing sharding.
Thank you Udiza! That was very informative, and answered pretty much every question I have. That all seems pretty reasonable to me.
Has a time frame been given as to how long phase 1 will last? Or are they playing it by ear.
They haven’t given any info on how long phases will last.