Are you ready for SWTOR yet? As we get closer to the eventual release date, more information is being released via the forums and from official staff regarding different aspects of the game and what we can expect from it. There will be four different server types in Star Wars: The Old Republic and each of these server types will have different rules.
You may as well learn about them now so you can start planning which server type you want to play on in order to get the most from your experience in the game. You may also want to talk to your friends who will be playing with you to make sure you are all on the same page about the server type you want to play on.
On the official SWTOR servers, David Bass explains the server types that will be in SWTOR:
PvP (Player vs Player) – Players are automatically flagged for PvP outside of the designated ‘safe’ areas (such as Origin Worlds, Capital Worlds, and the Republic/Imperial Fleets; see below for more info).
RP-PvE – Players are encouraged to roleplay and act ‘in-character’ while playing on an RP-PvE server. Players must manually flag themselves if they wish to engage in PvP outside of designated Warzones and Open World PvP areas.
RP-PvP – Players are encouraged to roleplay and act ‘in-character’ while playing on an RP-PvP server. Players are automatically flagged for PvP outside of the designated ‘safe’ areas (such as Origin Worlds, Capital Worlds, and the Republic/Imperial Fleets; see below for more info).
He also goes on to explain the rulesets of each of the servers.Check out the official post to learn more.