Dark Souls

[TomGuycott]

PVP is done in a variety of ways. Most involve Covenants. I won't spoil what covenant does what, but there are several areas that have Covenant Specific invasions. In essence, if you enter an area a member of that Covenant may be summoned to kill you.

There are also several covenants that promote co-op play. If you are in any of those you see much more summon signs of those who are in your same covenant.

Then there's three non-covenant ways to interact. The White Soapstone leaves your summon sign so you can be called into another world to help. A Cracked Red Eye orb is a limited resource that allows you to invade another's game. They are limited per playthrough (unless certain circumstances are met) and you lose it whether or not you successfully invade a game, kind of discouraging it unless you are DEDICATED to being an invader (in which case there's a very specific covenant for you). The last is the Red Soapstone, found VERY late in the game, which lets you leave a Red Summon Sign that lets you be summoned as a Red Phantom to do battle with the summoner; in other words, an intentional duel.

If you see a blue or red ghost, you are being invaded by a hostile invader who wants your blood.