Template:CharacterBox
CharacterBox
The first and perhaps coolest feature on your Character Profile. The CharacterBox as presented here is a template with a lot of placeholders for basic data on a character.
How to use the CharacterBox
The long and involved process works thusly. If you just want the damn Box, go directly to the Cheat Sheet.
Trigger the use of the CharacterBox on your page if you plan to include it. At the top of your edit window, enter:
{{CharacterBox
Below that, you'll want to fill out all the parameters that you can fill out or care to fill out. For this, you'll need the name of the parameter that corresponds to the field you'll want to fill; in most cases, the parameter names are the same as the name of the field, but they differ in some. A complete list can be found below. The format for filling in a parameter is as follows:
| parameter = value eg. | name = Superdude
This will replace the {{{name}}} placeholder in the original CharacterBox with 'Superdude'. Each parameter should be put in a new line for ease of parsing and debugging in case something goes wrong.
The last four fields of the CharacterBox use a smaller font because they're designed for a potentially long list of additions. How you fill the Powers, Abilities and Equipment fields and whether you want to add any footnotes is essentially up to you, but for easiest readability, you'll want to offer single terms that summarize some or all of your character's applicable capabilities there. This could still be a veritable laundry list of things, or it could be as simple as an entry saying 'Pheromone-Based Mind Control' or whatever. Either way, the main body of the page allows sufficient room to expand on things, the CharacterBox is mostly meant for an at-a-glance summary of the most important character data.
Close the Template. This is done by appending the following at the end of your list:
|}}
And with this, you're set.
List of Parameters
- image - Character image. Should not be wider than 240 pixels. If it's too wide (or too small) it will be automatically shrunken (or expanded) to the appropriate size (but clicking on the image will display the actual image rather than the adjusted version). See Handbook of the Union Universe:Getting Started for instructions in loading up images. If you have no image, don't include this parameter and it will default to a placeholder image instead.
- caption - Text that goes right beneath the image, if you think the image requires further commentary. If not, don't include this parameter and there will be no blank space between picture and name.
- name - Your character's name. This will appear in big bold letters.
- player - However you'd like to identify yourself. Ideally, you'll want to make this a link to your user. Eg. Pious, using this code: [[User:Username|Name(or Global handle)]]
- origin - Your character's Origin (Magic, Mutant, Natural, Science, Technology). Defaults to 'Confidential' if not further specified.
- archetype - Your character's AT (Blaster, Brute, Controller etc.). Defaults to 'Confidential' if not further specified.
- level - Your character's Security/Threat Level. Defaults to 'Confidential' if not further specified.
- primary - Your character's Primary Powerset (Energy Blast, Stone Armour etc). Defaults to 'Confidential' if not further specified.
- secondary - Your character's Secondary Powerset (Energy Manipulation, Ice Melee etc). Defaults to 'Confidential' if not further specified.
- epic - Your character's Epic Powerset (Fire Mastery, Mace Mastery etc). Defaults to 'Confidential' if not further specified.
- realname - Your character's civilian Identity. Defaults to 'Confidential' if not further specified.
- identity - Is your character's true identity public knowledge? Defaults to 'Secret' if not specified.
- aliases - Any other names (civilian or heroic/villainous) your character may be using. Defaults to 'None' if not further specified.
- species - Your character's species. This is mostly important for aliens, sentient fungi and the like. Defaults to 'Presumed Human' if not further specified.
- dob - Your character's date of birth according to the human (solar) calender. Defaults to 'Confidential' if not further specified.
- age - Your character's age in human (solar) years. Defaults to 'Confidential' if not further specified.
- height - Your character's height in feet and inches. Defaults to 'Confidential' if not further specified.
- weight - Your character's weight in pounds. Defaults to 'Confidential' if not further specified.
- build - Your character's physique (thin, slim, average, athletic, heavy, obese, monstrous) etc. Defaults to 'Confidential' if not further specified.
- eyes - Your character's eye colour. Defaults to 'Confidential' if not further specified.
- hair - Your character's hair colour. Defaults to 'Confidential' if not further specified.
- skin - Your character's skin complexion (Albino, Light, Olive (white), Sallow (mixed race), Tanned, Ruddy, Light Brown (black) or Dark Brown). Defaults to 'Confidential' if not further specified.
- features - Your character's distinguishing features (scars, tattoos, amputation etc). Defaults to 'Confidential' if not further specified.
- medical - Your character's medical status, including any diagnosed conditions (cancer, Aids, deceases, disability or maybe they're just plain healthy). Defaults to 'Confidential' if not further specified.
- finance - Your character's financial status (bankrupt, beneficiary, pensioner, employed, wealthy, superwealthy) etc. Defaults to 'Confidential' if not further specified.
- religion - Your character's religious beliefs (from Jedism to Christianity or maybe they're all Children of Ssthenos). Defaults to 'Confidential' if not further specified.
- sexuality - Your character's sexual orientation (heterosexual, asexual, homosexual lesbian/gay, biosexual, transgender etc). Defaults to 'Confidential' if not further specified.
- marital - Your character's marital union (single, engaged, married, widowed, civil union etc). Defaults to 'Confidential' if not further specified.
- relatives - What kind of (relevant) relatives your character has or had. Most likely you'll want to limit this to any important characters that appear in stories or RP (such as Ascendants uncle and manager). Defaults to 'Confidential' if not further specified.
- nationality - The country of interstellar empire your character claims citizenship of. Defaults to 'Confidential' if not further specified.
- ethnicity - Your character's ethnic traits, background, allegiance, or association. Defaults to 'Confidential' if not further specified.
- legalstatus - Your character's status in society as defined by the Law (citizen, enlisted soldier, exile, convicted criminal, native-born citizen, naturalised citizen, dual-citizen, alien, migrant worker, refugee, illegal immigrant, prisoner, slave, political prisoner, stateless person, enemy alien, enemy combatant, administrative detainee). Defaults to 'Confidential' if not further specified.
- birthplace - The town and country where your character was born. Defaults to 'Confidential' if not further specified.
- education - Any academic certificates your character might posses or is currently studying for (Diploma in Biotechnology, Degree in Aviation, Vocational Certificates in Language and Tourism etc). Defaults to 'Confidential' if not further specified.
- occupation - What your character does for a living (professional crime-fighter, adventurer, career criminal, student, lecturer etc). Defaults to 'Confidential' if not further specified.
- affiliation - What groups your character may be affiliated with (hero organisations, villain groups, terrorist organisations, resistance forces, authorities etc)
- base - Your character's base of operations or place of work. Defaults to 'Confidential' if not further specified.
- residency - Your character's place of residency. Most likely Paragon City or the Etoile Isles. Defaults to 'Confidential' if not further specified.
- powers - A place for a short listing of the powers your character possesses, eg. 'Weather Control'. Defaults to 'Confidential' if not further specified.
- abilities - A place for short notes on your character's non-superhuman abilities, eg. 'Black Belt Karate'. Defaults to 'Confidential' if not further specified.
- equipment - A place to mention any notable equipment your character carries around, eg. 'Nemesis Staff carried at all times'. Defaults to 'Confidential' if not further specified.
- awards - A place to list any awards, medals, badges or collectors items your character may have acquired over time. Defaults to 'Confidential' if not further specified.
- license - A place to declare any licenses held by your character (Hero License, Weapons License, Drivers License, Pilots License etc). Defaults to 'Confidential' if not further specified.
- icaccess - Is the information in this article available in-character, and how? Hero Corps/Government/Police Database perhaps? Defaults to 'This information is not accessible IC' if not further specified.
Cheat Sheet
Just copy/paste the below list into your character's Edit box and fill in any categories that you might care to fill in. Leave all other lines blank or delete them.
{{CharacterBox | image = | caption = | name = | player = | origin = | archetype = | primary = | secondary = | epic = | level = | realname = | identity = | aliases = | species = | dob = | age = | height = | weight = | build = | eyes = | hair = | skin = | features = | medical = | finance = | religion = | sexuality = | marital = | relatives = | nationality = | ethnicity = | legalstatus = | birthplace = | education = | occupation = | affiliation = | base = | residency = | powers = | abilities = | equipment = | awards = | license = | icaccess = |}}