instancing
n.— «Many quests allow the player to enter into an “instance” which is a sort of parallel universe in which the player and whatever group they are part of leave the main gameworld and enter a “court” of their own. Instancing, as it is known, is a controversial practice among the hard-core MMOG crowd because it breaks the illusion of the game as one seamless “virtual world.” On the other hand, it allows players greater control of their individual experience and reduces server overhead and lag.» —“Is It Possible to Surpass World of Warcraft?” by David Cole Next Generation Aug. 29, 2006. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
When Tony from Fort Worth, Texas, ordered chicken fajitas at a restaurant, the server replied Perfect! He’s pretty confident that his order was hardly outstanding, much less perfect. He’s noticed that the response Perfect! doesn’t...
Secret signals on the job: Waitresses at some 19th-century restaurants ensured speedy drink service by communicating with a non-verbal code. One server took orders, then placed each customer’s cup to indicate exactly what the customer wanted...