[Gameplay] IV: Dimensions

      Here's the page on the much-talked about feature of Rift that has all players obsessing over. Dimensions. Everyone in Rift loves dimensions. What are they? Player housing. Very detailed, very customizable, player housing! Dimensions were introduced into the game along with the Storm Legion expansion in November, 2012. That makes it two years ago now. Time flies I guess, when you're having fun!

     When you first create a new character, you start off with a tiny little tutorial dimension with a tiny little house and a few things to build with. You are introduced to this dimension, and all the details that explain how to do things in it, when you reach level 8. Whether Guardian or Defiant, this quest is the same. It is called Introduction: Dimensions, and has you travel to the second quest hub in your respective faction's starting zone, where you will talk about dimensions with an NPC. They will explain to you what a dimension is, how to get to it, and how to place an object down in it. Just pay attention to the step by step process explained by the questgiver, as well as with a bit of trial and error, and you're good to go!

     Think of a dimension as a play house. You buy/obtain/get rewarded with a "Dimension Key". Then you can obtain objects to place inside your house to decorate it and make it your own. You can literally do anything your imagination will dream up. Some people turn their dimension into an RP waystop. Others make puzzles and challenges for other players to enjoy, while still other players just use theirs as a stashing place for all the dimension items they gain as they level, and keep telling themselves they will get back to it later. (PS: this last one is me lol).

Here's a few important features related to dimensions to help you get started!

1. Getting to your Dimension
1. When you first gain a dimension, it will show up in your inventory as a little key. You can find it by typing the name in the search box, or if you know which bag it went into. Right click the key to add the dimension to your collection. Once it's part of your collection, you can change the name, change the privacy (who has permission to see and enter(just you, friends, guild, everyone)), and switch out between more than one if you have several. The main dimension that is "active" will be at the top. On the left hand side will be several other options, including dimensions that your other characters own, public dimensions, and your guild dimension, which can also be accessed via the guild tab.
2. You can also set or modify restrictions on what other players are allowed to do in relations to your dimension. Options include: entering your dimension, being able to move items around in it, being able to put their own items down in it, and being able to pick up the items that are already in it. PS, if you check the last option, that will allow other players to enter your dimension and take your things. If you don't want that, make sure you are not enabling that option!
3. If you happen to exit the Dimension window and want to get back to it, the default hotkey to gain access to your dimensions again is the "[" key. The right facing bracket by the letter P. You can change this to something different if you want in the key bindings window, but at this point in the game, almost every key on the keyboard is bound up by something so keep track of what you're switching around.
4. Once you click on the dimension you want to visit, you'll get a brief loading screen before you're whooshed off to that little pocket of Telara. Depending on the dimension, and how customized it is, you can hear music, see star mapping, and view all kinds of really amazing architecture. My personal favorite is the 'Vengeful Sky' Dimension. It's very beautiful, although the constant crash of lightning can get annoying.
2. Customizing your Dimension
1. When you first enter your dimension, or any dimension really, you'll have a little window in the bottom right corner. The large center icon is a wrench. If you have permission to edit, as you always will with your own Dim, you can click on the wrench. This will alter the window into "Edit Mode", and allow you to start customizing your dim to your own liking. You'll have four icons beneath the large wrench. These are:
1. Placing the item-allows you take an item from your bag that is labeled as a Dimension Item and set it down in your dimension. In order to do this, you left click the item and drag it onto the screen. If the spot that you dropped it in is not to your liking, it's very easy to change it! Once the item has been placed in the Dim, it will become visible, and from there you can change it's size, location, exact position, and even axis. The hotkey "1" will also place items.
2. Rotating the item-once a dimension item has been placed inside the dimension, you'll have the option to rotate it to any degree you wish, in any direction. When clicking on the rotate icon, 3 colored circles will appear around it. By clicking and dragging the circle, you can then tilt the item, moving it upside down, to the side, or down. The hotkey for rotating the item is "2" on the keyboard.
3. Resizing-if you want your item to be larger or smaller, it's very easy to change that. Just click on this 3rd icon, or use the hotkey "3" to get the resizing bar. There is a limit to how big or how small the item can get, but it's quite within the range of possibility. Just click and drag the green line to resize.
4. Picking the item up-if you want to remove the item from your dimension, or want to place it somewhere else without moving it within the dimension window, you can click this option, or using the "5" hotkey. The item will appear back in your inventory, reset to its original size and position. Also, if you have more than one of the same item, this allows to for fast and efficient placing of all the items at once. Simply press CTRL+D and click on the item already placed and the exact size, rotation and position will be copied to any duplicate items you have in your inventory for easy placement. To select items in groups and multiples, press and hold down the SHIFT key while clicking on the items in question. If you want to deselect the item, hold down the ALT key and click the item in question.
5. Your full list of items-if you want to know what exactly you've placed in your dimension so far, you can click on the little icon on the left side of the Edit Mode toolbar that looks like a notepad. This is the "Placed Items" window, and will show you every item that has been placed in your dimension. You can easily edit the items in the list by clicking on them. From this window you can also gain access to the "Moving Crate", where all your items will go if you want to pack them up and move them to a new dimension. Than when that new dimension is activated, you can unpack the items for easy movement.
2. Visiting Dimensions
1. There are as many dimensions (or more) as there are players out there, and some are so amazing that they simply MUST be viewed at least once! So go out and check out all the cool dims that other players have created. And don't forget to also visit your guild's dimension, and if you have permission, contribute some of your own items for its use.
1. Simply open the dimension window with the "[" key and select which dimension you want to explore. For instance, if you want to investigate the guild dimension, click on the guild tab on the left. The name of the dimension and its stats will show up in in the middle of the window and you can enter it by clicking the little icon.
2. The "public" tabs are dimensions that other players have created and made available for everyone to view and explore. The "all time" tab is all active dimensions, and you can click on the options in the table across the top to choose how you want to view them. For example, if you want the most popular dimension, click on the "+1's" option in the tabs. This let's you know how many players have "liked" that dimension. When you enter a Dim, you have the option in the Edit Mode window to click a "+1" which is then counted toward a grand total of "likes" that a dimension receives. The more likes, the more popular the dimension is going to be. This is tallied by "all time" and "weekly" which is the public tab found below the all time option in the left hand side of the dimension window. In order to enter these dimensions just click the "enter" button on the far right.
3. When you want to exit the dimension, just click on the little glowing open door icon underneath your mini map, or the same icon located on the Edit Mode window on the bottom right.
2. Other Icons
1. In the Edit Mode window while in a dimension there are a few other icons you can make note of. The little icon shaped like a person will allow you to type in names of players to invite them to view your dimension personally. This is handy if say, you want your friends to be able to easily find your dimension, or a random stranger. The other icon is a little blue shopping cart. This will take you to the specific location in the Rift Store where you can purchase more dimension items, for money, credits, or reward currency.
2. Underneath these sets of icons, on the left hand side, is a number and a column. The number inside the little house is the level of your dimension. You can increase it by clicking the Plus + icon. The more you upgrade your dimension, the more costly it becomes. Upgrading your dimensions to higher levels also increases the amount of items you can place in it. Each dimension comes with a set limit of items allowed in it. Upgrading ups that limit.
3. To the right of the Dimension Level is the +1's button and the amount of "likes" your dimension has received. Of course, you can also like your own dimension too! :)
3. Dreamweaving
1. A bran new crafting profession that involves Dimensions! Dream Weavers can craft all manner of awesome new dimension items, like special lighting, SFX, abilities, and a ton more!
2. The fuel for crafting dimension items is easy to get, but hard to part with: Artifacts. That's right, all those shinies can now be turned into fun dimension items, if you're willing to make the sacrifice. The rarer the artifact, the more potent the crafted item.
3. On top of all the dimension items DW's can craft, they can also create new dimension keys that can't be found anywhere else! Be warned, it's an addicting profession, and can become quite costly if you are a dimension whore.
4. If your not too much of a fan of dimensions, or run out of uses for your items, Dreamweavers can also craft things called Dream Orbs. These are armor enhancing baubles that everyone can use.
4. Dimension Keys (ranked from highest number of items allowed to least)
1. 2520 item limit
1. Castle Fortune, Dormant Core, Edge of Infinity, Endless Eclipse, Everywhere, Greenscale's Crater, Infinity Gate, Izbithu's Demise, Mathosian Cascades, Moonriven Breach, Octus Monastery, Polyp Promenade, Shadow Scion, Shal Korva, The Black Garden, The Spawn Pit
2. 2000 item limit
1. Anywhere, Azcu'azg Oasis, Bogling Boggle, Dream Hive, Icewatch Outpost, Malluma Track, Moonshade Pools, Shoreward Island, Stone Flask Tavern, Tempest Island, Three Springs, Tulan, Vengeful Sky
3. 1520 item limit
1. Central Necropolis, Peaceful Hills, Edgestone Ridge, Faen's Retreat, Fort Zarnost Breach, Gloamwood Glen, Haunted Terminal, Karthan Ponds, Strozza Estate Villa, Temple of the Abandoned
4. 1200 item limit
1. Atia, Auditorium Carnos Plaza, Deepwood Cottage, Hailol, Harrow Crypt, Kestrels Cry Ravine, Pus Swamp, Scarlet Gorge Cliff, Stillmore Vale
5. 1000 item limit
1. Breach Chamber, Dolcega Valley, Empyrean Mill, Faering Woods, Fetid Planes, Plaza Aurentine, Stone Grove
6. 400 item limit
1. Bahralt's Ascent, Daezez Wastes, Sanguine Shores (beginner Defiant dimension), Tower Meadow, Warden's Point (beginner Guardian dimension)

     Dimensions are a crazy fun feature of Rift that can take hours and hours of your time and you'll still not be done! There's just so much potential for so much fun and the customization is crazy. You are only limited by what you can imagine building. So many talented Dimension creators out there have built truly inspiring things! If there's something you want to add to your dimension, but you can't find the item, or it doesn't exist, then make it yourself! Put items together until you form the item you want! You can craft so many new things simply by putting items together and merging them into the item you want. You can add music boxes, sky projectors to change the stars, the weather, the atmosphere, etc., vendors, pvp options, and a dozen other cool things! You can even add a barkeep! There are even players out there who have entire blogs and websites dedicated to dimensions! They give contests, rewards, challenges, and much more for viewers. If dimensions are something you are interested in, check out many other online resources and don't be afraid to dive in! There's no right or wrong with dimensions and the sky is literally the limit.

Other Links:
      Dimension Guide- This is not mine, but is an amazing resource for dimensions!
      List of Dimension Items- An amazing player has put together this extensive list of dimension items, truly amazing dedication and deserves all the respect he/she gets!
    




References: The above links helped me a lot in making this blog post, as well as spending hours in and out of various dimensions and reading everything I could find on the Rift forums about dimensions. I don't profess to knowing everything there is to know about dimensions at all, and they do not belong to me, but to Trion, who were awesome enough to bring player housing to life. All information contained on this page is a product of Trion's hard work, or based on the two links above. None of it is mine! :)