Is it just a light version of instancing, where a subset of players share the same immediate environment? When and where will I get this survey I've read about where I can specify the type of player that I am? I'd like to be around other RPers and reduce the number of non-lore character names I see. Is this likely?

TIA

That would actually be a neat idea. Make it so that you only instance with people of the same playing style. I just hope they have a "bloody mary" or "long island ice tea" crowd so that all of our reflexes are equally impaired.

Basically if you talk to NPC#3 who gives you a quest, and then go do the quest, come back and NPC#3 is now standing across the street. Some people will still see NPC#3 in his original position, but people in your phase now see him across the street.

You'll also see people fighting the air sometimes, because on their screen they see enemies. Or sometimes you'll be getting your ass kicked while people seem to stand there 5ft away watching, not getting attacked.

It allows lots of people to share the same world, but also lets that world evolve based on individual perspectives.

The one nice thing I noticed that is different from other MMOs is that when you complete a quest..........the actual game world changes. The villagers are all rescued and the saw mill has the magical protection field that you put on it.