Question Parawatch Web site (In Universe Paranormal tracking site)

I've been developing a concept for In Universe use for a while now that will provide a basis for an alternative power scale measurement besides the mutant traits and ranking system based on how mutants evolve. Whateley... and power testing facilities are likely to continue to use the more precise (medically and scientifically) terms describing power traits, but this other system is available to begin appearing in the language as of the Fall of 2007 when the site first appears.

Obviously, the first incarnations of the site are like any new site. It doesn't look great, the database isn't up to the task of all the data going through it, and so forth. But as the WU gets serious about entering the social media age, tablets and smartphones are in ever hand... the idea and usefulness of Parawatch drives advertisement money, sponsors and then some pretty large investors into keeping it running. The site IS owned by a mutant... a Paragon computer tech with a strong exemplar mental package, so it provides a strong source of general info to insiders AND outsiders without crossing the line into breaking secrecy or allowing the information/network be abused for criminal purposes.

Parawatch is information sourced by users of its App. Sightings of paranormals are sent to the system through typing in a codename and a couple quick button presses. Unknown para's can be reported/tracked with just a photo or video clip. The Parawatch master map keeps track of the rough area where all tracked paranormals might be.... and sends alerts to all users when there is a sighting of dangerous paranormals. Individuals have the ability to set what specific parameters they consider dangerous. Some just get alerts on known villains, or illegal activity reported. Others set up alerts for when rivals or enemies are within certain ranges. More paranoid types might set up alerts any time someone above a known power level is within a certain range.

In addition to general location tracking, Parawatch has added features since its original version that allows users to report powers and skills the paranormal uses... and to note probably power scale. Verbal reports like "I saw so and so lift a car completely with TK" will give a low level of confirmation on the bottom end of their potential power. Video or photos will enhance the confirmation level (as will multiple reports over time). This means that new paranormals won't have especially accurate data recorded, but for long time 'watched' paranormals, the capabilities of their powers may be more accurately tracked than even the scientific rankings can provide.

The specific rankings used by Parawatch are based the light color spectrum. What specific color mean as far as weight, power, work, energy, etc... is included in detail on their site.

Here is a sample data entry / main two pages of the tablet/smartphone app for a para:

that would go right alongside the "hacked" MCO database on the Darkweb that Diamondback's brother accessed in Small Mercies. likely developed by the same people as an intel-gathering tool for various purpose (I was assuming it's an MCO thing, but it could be anyone) because information is power.

Could be the MCO, could be DARPA.

Could be a buncha hero enthusisats who don't realize that they're giving their favorite heroes' enemies a free, searchable intel pipe.

Unless you plan to suppress fan sites and plant virii to destroy any footage of paranormals in action, that information is already going to be out there. The only difference is that THIS would put access to it in everyone's hands.... while without this site available, power is in the hands of hackers and those with the money to suppress info or hire investigators. And like I said, my plan for the source of Parawatch was a Paragon/high ranked mental package Exemplar.

In 2006? 2007?

The site doesn't really exist 'yet' in the 'now' of the Original Timeline. There IS a site called "Hero Watch" which E. E. references a while back in Lanie's storyline... we haven't worked out exactly what the relationship is... if Parawatch is just concurrent development, a rival site, a later version when it goes from just being a video upload site for vids of heroes in action... or.. whatever. For me, the important part isn't so much getting Parawatch into the stories as it is giving just a little in-universe justification for a 'second' system of measurement for powers. We know the scientists and power theorists are the basis for the one we've used all along, but its been clear for a long time that it would be far easier if we had a nice simple scaling measure that is based on results - how much you can lift, how much impact your shield can take, how unbreakable is the stuff you manifest, etc.

So, when I put out the new and improved, advanced power trait classification... traits will be broken down by the standard scientific rankings and each ranking will also include one or more Parawatch spectrum bars marked with the range of effect someone with that trait ranking might be measured at. For instance, a PK 4 might have a Shell defense rating from a middle blue to a yellow-green. I'll also include some standard classifications for market available tech... body armor, some firearms, etc. For example, Shieldwall's Pulse Stunner... non-lethal, low range, very low number of shots/charges... pretty much 'white' across the board. Won't even hurt a Baseline Joe on the street... but his Glock, on the other hand... high accuracy, moderate range, and will stop and drop even a low end exemplar or PK, if not kill them. So it might sit up in the blues. A standard hunting rifle might top that by going green, a 50 cal up into yellow. And yellow is typically going to be as high as your moderate strength mutants show. The powerful... with ranks of 5 or 6.. will slot in from yellow, mostly in orange, and up into red. The really scary stuff will drop into brick red and then 'black.'

But that'll depend somewhat on the power sets. Not all traits measure out numerically to results. And in THOSE cases, the Parawatch numbers will be far more useful than their trait ranks. Like an Avatar's Parawatch pg 2 skill sheet might list "Eye Beams - Red" "Fish Reflexes - Green" "Shifting to Laser eyed Shark - Black" with the measurable impact of each. While Avatar ranking is 2. (Yes, its possible for an Av 2 to end up with a Black rated technique - not likely, but possible).

And for the average bystander who wants to know who's going to win... given the way most powers scale, fights within one color along the spectrum could go either way... but something divided by two whole colors along the spectrum is a fairly likely win for the color higher on the spectrum unless some combination of elements that weren't included in the measurements were also involved. Of course, that also assumes everything is correctly classified on the paranormal's stats. They could have been holding back during previous vids or have gotten new holdouts since then.

Again, the site/staff intentionally filter out anything that would reveal privacy... ie they are MORE restricted in what they will show than Hollywood celebrity paparazzi... who, if you don't think the WU has paranormal paparazzi, you're kidding yourselves. The only things available to the public are things things supported with publicly available video/photos. Don't want people to know you are capable of deflecting 50 cal rounds? Don't deflect 50 cal rounds while standing in the middle of the NYC streets while hundreds of bystanders stupidly stand around with smartphones shooting video instead of getting the hell out of the way.

Supervillains who attack during the day in full view of the public aren't going to care about someone knowing details about them. You don't go on rampages and make a daytime visible threat of yourself unless you WANT people to know about you and be afraid that you might be near. The ones who don't want their data public knowledge avoid having a public persona. And the Imp has already known us exactly how easy it is to play a public persona that has powers that you do not... as heroes thought she was able to teleport, when in reality she was just going invis and hiding. And if you don't do certain things often, the confirmation level of that power is going to be low and show a range of possible results instead of pinpoint accuracy.

So no... I think most paranormals would have some immediate reaction of either being upset about it or happy about it, when it first appeared, then as it proves to be 'smartly' run without pressing into people's privacy and with an awareness of the possibility of being used tactically or for ambushes... most would just include it into their general status quo. Planning a heist, check to see if there are any new heroes patroling that neighborhood since the last time you were there. Might even stop a few crimes outright like that. Happen to be a hero without the resources of the Empire City Guard, check Parawatch to make sure there aren't any really bad dude alerts before going on patrol. No point in taking your PK-3 "I stop non-powered criminals" hero self out when there are five hundred sightings of Deathlist on the street you normally start with.