The main campus are within walking distance, but yes, the dormitories are a separate building from where you'd have your general education. Climate in DGO varies, with each guild having an environment matching their color; White are more likely to have a bright, snowy environment, Red will have a harsh red canyon or some such, Black is constantly dark and cloudy, etc.The weather itself usually doesn't matter, but it the environment itself may; don't expect war machines to be moving very fast or very far through a thick forest, but you're really screwed if you find yourself fighting in the middle of a volcano or trapped in a tundra.