Community characters
Community characters are a shared pool the server owns, and any qualifying player can use one.
Full members can always use them. Guests and former members need the server to have switched that on for them.
What it does
The pool exists so a scene can have a character that requires a slightly elevated set-up than a generic 'Extra', for example a Stormtrooper which requires a blaster, or a reoccuring character with the need for certain languages. Characters belong to the server rather than a player. Nothing you do to a community character is saved back to the database.
Who can use them
| Membership | Access |
|---|---|
| Member | always |
| Guest | only if the server allows it, off by default |
| Former member | only if the server allows it, off by default |
| Disabled | never |
Without access, the pool is closed to you completely:
Browsing the pool
An empty pool still prints the header, then says so:
To browse the same list in the menu:
- Press ESC to open the menu bar.
- Select Character, then Manage.
- Select COMMUNITY.
The caption above the list says "Community pool - members can select these shared characters". MINE puts your own characters back.
Playing one
On the COMMUNITY tab, highlight the character and select SELECT. It is the same button as the one on MINE, wired to the community list.
From the console it is the same command you use for your own characters. If the id is not on your account, the server checks the pool next:
A typo tells you both lookups failed:
To go back to your own character, select it by id as normal. The usual 5 second switch wait applies.
What a community character refuses
Almost every editing command has its own refusal, so the message you get depends on what you tried.
Details, sabers, FYI and POIs (the hidden facts from FYI and POI) all share one:
Things to note
- Nothing you change is saved. A community character never writes back, so even an allowed change is gone at the next map change.
- The server has to set up the pool. If it never was, the command answers "Community character pool not initialised."
Next
- Switching and managing: select, list and delete the characters you own
- XP and levels: how XP works on characters that are yours to grow
- Managing community characters: where the pool comes from, for admins who build it