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discedo_ooc2010-09-15 11:13 pm
coniurati) wrote in discedo_ooc2010-09-15 11:13 pm
LOCKS... AND YOU!
Because we've seen a lot of misunderstanding about how locks work here in Discedo, and because we've never really defined it in the first place, we decided to throw together a little guide on communicator locks and hacking for you all!
In terms of percentages:
0% - 20%
When characters go to make a post on their communicators, they are given the option of locking it—think like the selection on LiveJournal, when it comes to friends locks. There is a little ticky box; hitting "LOCK" will lock the entry, and hitting nothing will leave it unlocked. This is also where the "enable anon" function is; you just hit a button and it's there.
Now, obviously, locks done in this manner? Aren't the most secure in the world. Sure, they'll keep the casual passerby out, but they can usually been "seen" by others (if only by an "access denied" type message), and a little persistence, retrying, and occasional helpful glitch will gain you access to the post.
21% - 50%
This is the slightly more "advanced" lock. If you have decent computer skills or are willing to learn and put in the effort? You can probably strengthen the lock to this. This makes it harder to see by everyone, and harder to get into. Without real hacking ability, you'll probably be at it for an hour or two... assuming you know it's there to start with! With hacking ability, it's only the work of fifteen minutes or so.
Essentially, a lock like this is made by taking the "default" lock and adding some coding and encryptions and stuff like "for all frequencies but so and so, add a password." If you know how to search for locked posts or sections, you'll find it easily enough, but otherwise, it's hard to see... which makes it just as hard to get into!
51% - 70%
This is the ADVANCED stage of locking. Only characters with real computer skills—programming, specifically—should be able to make these. Of course, they can also teach others, but there's no option on the menu for it or anything. Locks like this are much harder to detect—it's more like shooting in the dark—and take hacking skills to get into. Again, characters can learn to lock or be taught to lock, but this level isn't something that can just "happen" without a character knowing how.
71% - 99%
Only extremely good programers/hackers should be able to use this. This means canonical examples of the character knowing one or the other. We won't be picky about canon knowledge, but creating a lock (or hacking a lock) on this level pretty much requires your character to sit down and write/go through code for 20 minutes or more—it's not something you can just pick up and do. Characters should definitely not be able to make 90+ percent locks without a lot of canonical computer skills—as in programing, not, has one in the office.
Basically, when in doubt, 70% is the highest you can go. And, of course, nothing is completely unhackable. That would be cheating!
Now that your character knows how to lock, how do locks work? Well, basically, when you go to make a lock, the communicator prompts you to include frequencies—other characters, in other words. So A can include anyone, so long as they know their frequencies. This means they can include all their friends, some of them, one person—or just themselves, if they're so inclined. Or they can send a message to someone they don't know, as long as they know the frequency.
Characters would not be able to, for example, lock a post to "everyone who works at the bar," unless they know all those people—instead, they'd be locking it to everyone who works at the bar who they can remember from a list. Locks to "all doctors" won't work unless your character knows (or is told) the frequencies of all the doctors, etc. The communicator doesn't know these things, after all!
Locks made to exclude people are actually locked post listing everyone in Discedo except whoever—the character would simply choose everyone on the frequency list except for the person they wanted to exclude.
You can create multiple locks of different levels a post, include some people in the two different locks at once, etc. Furthermore, locked posts directed towards your character have a little note stating the post is locked—not the level or who else, if anyone, is included, but an indication of the fact.
Threads can also be locked! The same option as with posts appears; if both character confirm they want it locked, it will be. One or both can then strengthen the lock; it won't combine, but the system will default to the stronger encryption: if Alice makes a 40% lock and Bob a 30% lock, the system will pick Alice's. Also just like a post, a thread lock can be made to include anyone desired, so long as the person locking knows their frequency.
And, just like posts, threads can be hacked. A locked thread will be invisible just as a locked post is, but the same hacking rules apply—it can be found with an error message, it can be glitched into (rarely), it can be hacked.
Since this hadn't been clear or established beforehand, we're not going to raise a big fuss about past entries or threads, but if from now on players could keep this all in mind, we'd appreciate it! And, any points we missed or additional questions can also be asked here!
In terms of percentages:
0% - 20%
When characters go to make a post on their communicators, they are given the option of locking it—think like the selection on LiveJournal, when it comes to friends locks. There is a little ticky box; hitting "LOCK" will lock the entry, and hitting nothing will leave it unlocked. This is also where the "enable anon" function is; you just hit a button and it's there.
Now, obviously, locks done in this manner? Aren't the most secure in the world. Sure, they'll keep the casual passerby out, but they can usually been "seen" by others (if only by an "access denied" type message), and a little persistence, retrying, and occasional helpful glitch will gain you access to the post.
21% - 50%
This is the slightly more "advanced" lock. If you have decent computer skills or are willing to learn and put in the effort? You can probably strengthen the lock to this. This makes it harder to see by everyone, and harder to get into. Without real hacking ability, you'll probably be at it for an hour or two... assuming you know it's there to start with! With hacking ability, it's only the work of fifteen minutes or so.
Essentially, a lock like this is made by taking the "default" lock and adding some coding and encryptions and stuff like "for all frequencies but so and so, add a password." If you know how to search for locked posts or sections, you'll find it easily enough, but otherwise, it's hard to see... which makes it just as hard to get into!
51% - 70%
This is the ADVANCED stage of locking. Only characters with real computer skills—programming, specifically—should be able to make these. Of course, they can also teach others, but there's no option on the menu for it or anything. Locks like this are much harder to detect—it's more like shooting in the dark—and take hacking skills to get into. Again, characters can learn to lock or be taught to lock, but this level isn't something that can just "happen" without a character knowing how.
71% - 99%
Only extremely good programers/hackers should be able to use this. This means canonical examples of the character knowing one or the other. We won't be picky about canon knowledge, but creating a lock (or hacking a lock) on this level pretty much requires your character to sit down and write/go through code for 20 minutes or more—it's not something you can just pick up and do. Characters should definitely not be able to make 90+ percent locks without a lot of canonical computer skills—as in programing, not, has one in the office.
Basically, when in doubt, 70% is the highest you can go. And, of course, nothing is completely unhackable. That would be cheating!
Now that your character knows how to lock, how do locks work? Well, basically, when you go to make a lock, the communicator prompts you to include frequencies—other characters, in other words. So A can include anyone, so long as they know their frequencies. This means they can include all their friends, some of them, one person—or just themselves, if they're so inclined. Or they can send a message to someone they don't know, as long as they know the frequency.
Characters would not be able to, for example, lock a post to "everyone who works at the bar," unless they know all those people—instead, they'd be locking it to everyone who works at the bar who they can remember from a list. Locks to "all doctors" won't work unless your character knows (or is told) the frequencies of all the doctors, etc. The communicator doesn't know these things, after all!
Locks made to exclude people are actually locked post listing everyone in Discedo except whoever—the character would simply choose everyone on the frequency list except for the person they wanted to exclude.
You can create multiple locks of different levels a post, include some people in the two different locks at once, etc. Furthermore, locked posts directed towards your character have a little note stating the post is locked—not the level or who else, if anyone, is included, but an indication of the fact.
Threads can also be locked! The same option as with posts appears; if both character confirm they want it locked, it will be. One or both can then strengthen the lock; it won't combine, but the system will default to the stronger encryption: if Alice makes a 40% lock and Bob a 30% lock, the system will pick Alice's. Also just like a post, a thread lock can be made to include anyone desired, so long as the person locking knows their frequency.
And, just like posts, threads can be hacked. A locked thread will be invisible just as a locked post is, but the same hacking rules apply—it can be found with an error message, it can be glitched into (rarely), it can be hacked.
Since this hadn't been clear or established beforehand, we're not going to raise a big fuss about past entries or threads, but if from now on players could keep this all in mind, we'd appreciate it! And, any points we missed or additional questions can also be asked here!
<molly
I was pondering something. For the 21-50% - do you think that would require real programming skills, or just knowledge of computers? For example I do not know how to program really, but I know parts in the computer where you can shift default settings up (not just, like, the easy to find menu ones), streamline processes, etc. Would this boost a lock up to 30 or 40%?
<parronski. o- obviously.
WHAT UNPOSSIBLE
Re: WHAT UNPOSSIBLE
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Is there a distinction between a locked post and a filtered post?
Ex.
Post locked to Jonathan vs Post filtered to Jonathan.
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And as a part of that, what level of security could a kid with a decent knowledge of computers and then taught how to lock a post reach? Looking at the guidelines there I would guess 60%.
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Also woohoo, this really does clear things up. Will you be linking it somewhere in the main pages?
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Sweden, who only gets the 0-20% lock, got help from Finland who goes up to ...70%? Ages ago. Could it happen that, if he tried to access them later on, a glitch would lock them from him or they would just be locked period?
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1. Can the new comms access information stored on the old ones? I assume network posts are... on the network, but I think there was some data-storing capability on the old ones? Would any of that carry over?
2. If a character leaves the city: I always thought that their frequency/posts were all gone, but might as well ask anyway! For defunct frequencies, what can be accessed? Their posts, their messages on others' entries...?
3. Can the new comms send attachments? For ex. Character A sends Character B a picture over the network -- would it have to be stored on the network, or could it be saved on the individual communicator? This relates to the previous question b/c disappearing frequencies mean disappearing information.
FFfff sorry for sudden minor flooding.
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(Anonymous) 2010-09-23 03:38 am (UTC)(link)If a character were to be in the city for an extended period of time, could it be possible for them to learn how to lock up to 70% because they've had the time to explore the communicator and learn how it works, especially if the character has been in the city for a year or two?