THE NETWORK; an FAQ
Communicators & the Network
✖ What’s the hero network, and who can access it?
The network is a communications system provided by the Porter and Stark Industries in order to facilitate heroic endeavors. It can be accessed by anyone who was imPorted, via the communicators provided. Each communicator has a unique serial number, and these are visible alongside every post and comment.
✖ What do the communicators look like?
The communicators are small, flip-out phones with a full qwerty keyboard, small roller ball, and 500x300 internal display screen. The closest thing to be found in the real world is probably something like the LG KEYBO. They're fully equipped with free access to a 3G internet connection, and not only connect to the hero networks automatically but assign a serial number to each communicator, which is how characters see each other's posts! They also come with a wristband and lanyard for those characters that don't like keeping them in their pockets.
✖ What kind of posts can characters make?
The network allows for posts and comments to be made in text, audio or video format. Text comments are like forum posts, and voice or video posts are embedded with media files. However, this is flexible, and threads can also function like phone or videophone calls! Remember, the default is text, so if a post is unspecified, that means it’s typed. However, it never hurts to specify, especially in comments!
✖ Can characters ICly see icons?
Nope! The only identification for the time being are the serial numbers. Furthermore, the only way to know what someone on the network looks like is for them to make a video post or comment.
✖ What's this about serial numbers?
For the sake of convenience, a character's serial number is identical to their Livejournal user ID number, which can be found on the character journal's profile. (It's the (usually) eight-digit number in the 'created on xx-xx-xxxx' line.) For example, if the capemods account were a posting member on the hero forums, its serial number would be #15503230.
✖ What if I want to make a post that doesn't use the communicator / hero network system?
The great majority of posts made to capeandcowl are of the network-based variety, though there are a couple exceptions. One is newsfeed posts, which are more of a glean to network television than a character entry, and are used primarily for larger-scale plot purposes. Psychic characters, or ones that can communicate through telepathy, will sometimes use this ability to contact characters using the main community without use of the setting-provided communicators. Though we do not require a player to seek moderator approval for these types of posts, we may penalize players who abuse these exceptions to avoid the limitations of the hero network.
Filters & Privacy
✖ Can I make private posts?
There is no function on the network that allows a user to make posts viewable only to themselves - it’s a social tool, not a diary! However, the network functions very similarly to Livejournal itself, in that posts and comments can be filtered to certain other users.
✖ What’s the maximum number of characters I can filter to?
However, there is a limit on how many accounts a given post can be filtered to, which is currently eight.
✖ What if my cast is larger than that?
If a group of characters speaks to each other frequently, has a legitimate need for privacy, and includes a canon hacker or technopath, you can speak to the mods about a filter for IC use! Filters allow posts to only be viewable to the accounts the creator has specified, and all accounts can see each other’s comments and reply to each other.
✖ Is there a minimum number of characters I can filter to?
Every now and then, the Grinbitch changes the rules in order to make the playing field more fun to watch. Currently, there is no minimum for accounts in order to filter to. This means that you can filter a post to just one character if you so choose.
✖ Okay, is there a minimum number of characters I can filter from?
Not currently! It would probably be a good idea to run it by the players you’re filtering from, out of courtesy.
✖ How about a maximum?
Again, eight is as high as it goes!
✖ What about those secure posts that have been used like two times?
Secure posts are posts that the Porter cannot read, but which also lose the ability to have privatized threads or filters in them; everyone except for Lachesis will be able to see them. They can be made by both technopaths and anyone who displays a high knowledge of technology in their canon.
✖ What is an anonymous post, and how do they work?
Essentially, an anonymous post is a post where the poster is... anonymous. Posts can only be made anonymous by using a proxy number, which can either be created by supahhackahz, or purchased from other supahhackahz (such as HIVE members, before they were firebombed) for obscene amounts of money. Instead of a serial number displaying on the post, there will be some string of numbers or letters that betrays nothing about the identity of the poster. However, these proxies only work once, and they cannot be applied to the comments of the post; that means that although the post itself will be anonymous, any further comments on that post by its poster will not be. Although they are similar to secure posts in that nobody can respond to it with filters or private threads, Grinbitch can see and respond to them.
✖ My character is in jail. Do they get to keep their communicator?
Yes. But! It will be seized and searched by the police, as well as modified: all filtering and private options will be disabled for the duration of the character's prison stay. For more information about imprisonment and the like, please see the Police and Law information posts.
✖ What’s the hero network, and who can access it?
The network is a communications system provided by the Porter and Stark Industries in order to facilitate heroic endeavors. It can be accessed by anyone who was imPorted, via the communicators provided. Each communicator has a unique serial number, and these are visible alongside every post and comment.
✖ What do the communicators look like?
The communicators are small, flip-out phones with a full qwerty keyboard, small roller ball, and 500x300 internal display screen. The closest thing to be found in the real world is probably something like the LG KEYBO. They're fully equipped with free access to a 3G internet connection, and not only connect to the hero networks automatically but assign a serial number to each communicator, which is how characters see each other's posts! They also come with a wristband and lanyard for those characters that don't like keeping them in their pockets.
✖ What kind of posts can characters make?
The network allows for posts and comments to be made in text, audio or video format. Text comments are like forum posts, and voice or video posts are embedded with media files. However, this is flexible, and threads can also function like phone or videophone calls! Remember, the default is text, so if a post is unspecified, that means it’s typed. However, it never hurts to specify, especially in comments!
✖ Can characters ICly see icons?
Nope! The only identification for the time being are the serial numbers. Furthermore, the only way to know what someone on the network looks like is for them to make a video post or comment.
✖ What's this about serial numbers?
For the sake of convenience, a character's serial number is identical to their Livejournal user ID number, which can be found on the character journal's profile. (It's the (usually) eight-digit number in the 'created on xx-xx-xxxx' line.) For example, if the capemods account were a posting member on the hero forums, its serial number would be #15503230.
✖ What if I want to make a post that doesn't use the communicator / hero network system?
The great majority of posts made to capeandcowl are of the network-based variety, though there are a couple exceptions. One is newsfeed posts, which are more of a glean to network television than a character entry, and are used primarily for larger-scale plot purposes. Psychic characters, or ones that can communicate through telepathy, will sometimes use this ability to contact characters using the main community without use of the setting-provided communicators. Though we do not require a player to seek moderator approval for these types of posts, we may penalize players who abuse these exceptions to avoid the limitations of the hero network.
Filters & Privacy
✖ Can I make private posts?
There is no function on the network that allows a user to make posts viewable only to themselves - it’s a social tool, not a diary! However, the network functions very similarly to Livejournal itself, in that posts and comments can be filtered to certain other users.
✖ What’s the maximum number of characters I can filter to?
However, there is a limit on how many accounts a given post can be filtered to, which is currently eight.
✖ What if my cast is larger than that?
If a group of characters speaks to each other frequently, has a legitimate need for privacy, and includes a canon hacker or technopath, you can speak to the mods about a filter for IC use! Filters allow posts to only be viewable to the accounts the creator has specified, and all accounts can see each other’s comments and reply to each other.
✖ Is there a minimum number of characters I can filter to?
Every now and then, the Grinbitch changes the rules in order to make the playing field more fun to watch. Currently, there is no minimum for accounts in order to filter to. This means that you can filter a post to just one character if you so choose.
✖ Okay, is there a minimum number of characters I can filter from?
Not currently! It would probably be a good idea to run it by the players you’re filtering from, out of courtesy.
✖ How about a maximum?
Again, eight is as high as it goes!
✖ What about those secure posts that have been used like two times?
Secure posts are posts that the Porter cannot read, but which also lose the ability to have privatized threads or filters in them; everyone except for Lachesis will be able to see them. They can be made by both technopaths and anyone who displays a high knowledge of technology in their canon.
✖ What is an anonymous post, and how do they work?
Essentially, an anonymous post is a post where the poster is... anonymous. Posts can only be made anonymous by using a proxy number, which can either be created by supahhackahz, or purchased from other supahhackahz (such as HIVE members, before they were firebombed) for obscene amounts of money. Instead of a serial number displaying on the post, there will be some string of numbers or letters that betrays nothing about the identity of the poster. However, these proxies only work once, and they cannot be applied to the comments of the post; that means that although the post itself will be anonymous, any further comments on that post by its poster will not be. Although they are similar to secure posts in that nobody can respond to it with filters or private threads, Grinbitch can see and respond to them.
✖ My character is in jail. Do they get to keep their communicator?
Yes. But! It will be seized and searched by the police, as well as modified: all filtering and private options will be disabled for the duration of the character's prison stay. For more information about imprisonment and the like, please see the Police and Law information posts.