Questions related to .hack

[SailorDeath]

Okay, I've seen the first tv series .hack//sign, I've started watching the second series that just started airing in japan. and looked up some info on the game, and now I'm confused.

in .hack//sign the main characters Tsukasa, Mimiru and Bear also look like characters from the game, Gia, Black Rose and Orca, (respectively)At first I thought maybe they changed the names for the american release, but I found out that those are the original names. So I am wondering, are they the same people? (the look identical, except for minor differences) and if not, it's no biggie. but Watching .hack//Legend of the Twilight Bracelet is confusing if you don't have the full story. From what I understand in the timeline of things the show/games go like this:

.hack//sign - 1st tv series
.hack//Infection - 1st ps2 game
.hack//Liminality ep 1 - Comes with the 1st game
.hack//Mutation - 2nd ps2 game
.hack//liminality - ep2 - comes with the 2nd game
.hack//Legend of the Twilight Bracelet - 2nd tv series (aka .hack//dusk)
.hack//Outbreak - 3rd ps2 game
.hack//Liminality ep3 - comes with 3rd game
.hack//Quarantine - 4th game
.hack//Liminality ep 4 -comes with the 4th game

there's also a manga, but since I have not seen it, I have no idea where it fits into the story.