A refresher on the Network, Echoes, and location!

[theearth]

Hello, Earthlings! A few refreshers :

The Network

The Network can be accessed through various media. Examples are phones, word processors, internet browsers, toys, and even (disturbances made in containers of) water. Content on the Network cannot be changed by anything or anyone other than the reincarnates. A computer program, even if written by a reincarnate, cannot alter content on the Network.

Content is only accessible/visible when a Network connection is open. Once the connection is closed, Network content will no longer be there. For instance, if a reincarnate is using a word processor to access the Network, once they close their connection, everything that was on the Network will no longer be visible in their word processor. Likewise, a notebook filled with Network communication will once again be blank once the connection is cut. In other words, Network content does not linger.

Additionally, Network content cannot be moved off of the Network. It can be transcribed manually – for example, if a reincarnate were to type out the content of a post into a regular word document, then that transcription would remain – but it cannot be directly copied and pasted elsewhere. This goes for videos, screen captures, and similar as well; any direct recording of Network content would either prove impossible to take in the first place or show as blank after the fact.

Identification on the Network varies by medium and individual. For example, if a reincarnate is connecting by writing or typing their Number onto a surface and anything on that surface would be transmitted, then their Number will also be transmitted. If the method of connection doesn’t have their Number visible (ex. audio, possibly video), then their Number will not show. For example, making a phone call or striking a surface.

The above is a general rule of thumb. It is flexible. If you want your character’s Number/name to show up, then it will. If you don’t want your character’s Number/name to show up, then it won’t.

Private messages between reincarnates can be done by using their respective Numbers. PMs can only be sent individually and are absolutely private. They cannot be hacked nor configured to have a security level. Reincarnates cannot filter content against select reincarnates, they can only filter content to select reincarnates (via individual private messages).

The action of accessing the Network cannot be perceived by non-reincarnates, either in person or by other means (ex. audio/visual recording). People currently engaged in accessing the Network would be seen by others as doing nothing more than the mundane version of their method of Network access (such as thoughtfully regarding a blank text message, flipping through their notebook, or idly surfing the internet).

Echoes

Echoed items will spontaneously reappear on or near a reincarnate only if they had previously lost all of their Echoes (either by leaving Locke City or spontaneously returning to an Echoless state whilst still in the city, as is often done for hiatuses) or if the item itself leaves Locke City. The timing of the item’s reappearance can be delayed.

There is some wiggle room with this. If item Echoes are misplaced or abandoned, they may have an uncanny ability to return to their owners. Items that are not unaccounted for (such as items that are deliberately left in a hiding place or with another for safekeeping) will not. If an item Echo is damaged or destroyed, however, it will remain damaged or destroyed unless it has canon properties that protects it from such.

Additionally, we may ask players to temporarily hold off on Echo requests if we feel they are in excess over a short period of time.

Setting

It has been decided to officially place Locke City in New Jersey, near the shoreline. However, the state is New Jersey in name only. We may reference the actual state for information, but reserve the right to be flexible.

This site can be used as a weather reference for Locke, though it doesn’t have to be followed exactly.

The accent is optional.

Comments

[not_good_not_wicked]

Do edible echoes (like, say, if you echoed a pizza for some reason) come back after you eat them or are they just gone?

[theearth]

Regrettably, once they are gone, they are gone. (Unless the pizza was immortal in canon.)

[not_good_not_wicked]

Alas

[gogoghostpowers]

Could someone print out an image file that was posted on the network? If so, would the resulting paper be only visible to network people (and look like a blank sheet of paper to others)?

[theearth]

They could not; the result of an attempt would be a blank sheet, even to network users' eyes.

[drama8om8]

SO UH I was told a while ago that giving away items from Octavia's pile of loot would result in them reappearing within her possession within a few days! The clarifications above would indicate that's not the case, so should I assume from here on out that if she sells/gives away/etc any of it, it won't come back unless she loses/regains her echoes?

[theearth]

Items pawned or otherwise handed off for purposes besides safekeeping can be counted as unaccounted for, as it's difficult too say whether or not they would or wouldn't find their way across the Echo border out of their original owner's hands at some point. It's up to you how you wish to treat it from here on out!

[drama8om8]

up to me, you say

BRB GOING MAD WITH POWER

[earnedmystripes]

just out of random curiosity, what if an item echo was damaged/wrecked and then the owner went out of the echo boundary and came back? :|a would the item still be wrecked or??

[theearth]

The item may reappear in-tact (i.e. in its original state)!

[poisonousflame]

Regarding Echo excess: I know that Axel here and a few other KH characters had a big echo train recently. (Axel Echoed back an Assassin, other KH characters got Echoes, he got Echoes off their Echoes, etc.) Since terms like "Heartless", "Keyblade", and descriptions of different Nobodies (along with the term itself) were being dropped all over threads, the Echoes themselves were pretty inevitable. My question is this: in cases where canon knowledge is being shouted out every which way, would it be preferable to hold off on requesting Echoes until threads have played out more, to avoid spamming the page? Or is there a set cap on how many Echoes a character can get within a certain period of time?

[theearth]

There's no hard cap on the amount of Echoes characters can receive in a certain period of time. We understand that canon reoccurrence Echoes in situations such as the KH terminology bomb are likely to happen, so if they happen, they happen.

This is not meant to be a punishment, mind -- we just prefer to avoid sudden bursts of Echoes, isolated or between canon mates, so as to not leave other game mates in the dust.

[alilyinthemoonslight]

So is it more, "the occasional rush is fine, it's just not something that'd be fair to see non-stop all the time?"

So like, a rush on occasion for a newer character to play catch up to cast or even just game mates is one thing, but if it was a huge clump all the time, that's where curbing it would have to come in?

[theearth]

Pretty much!

[alilyinthemoonslight]

Excellent, as I figured!

I just figured I'd ask since I know I just bum-rushed a whole trio of Echoes and have a couple more that'll probably come up in the next week or so due to the simple act of intersecting canon more like a trainwreck, really.

[tenaciousc]

This is funny because I was just thinking about the accent, re: reincarnates having it, earlier.

[earnedmystripes]

random question, bc i remember it coming up every so often ic

how does linking to things work, exactly? :0 e.g. the paul ben video or the ic faq

[theearth]

It just does. Try not think very hard on it.