#encom system

[fights4users]

Assorted system headcanons-

It’s been a long time since I’ve done a headcanon dump and I now think I’m marginally better at in system/grid writing so here we go

“It/it’s” is commonly used interchangeably with gendered pronouns for programs. It’s a way to reflect that they’re not human and gender if anything is more a display/user reflection thing.

Programming languages = literal languages (this is somewhat canon, there’s background characters talking about needed to translate “Don’t speak Fortran”- there was a post a while back)

There’s more gore on the Grid because it’s not running properly, it’s a form of lag! So there’s gore, missing limbs etc instead of a quicker de-resolution and re dispersement of energy. Think of it like how the wall on the game grid stayed unfixed in the original movie- the energy is focused elsewhere.

Not original stated by me but similarly to the gore Grid programs have simpler circuitry as they lack purpose, it got worse as time went on. Started as sleek aesthetic but as the system sat dormant it became less and less. I don’t know I just think this is sad and great to play around with.

Programs will occasionally make/produce noises. Similar to the bleeps and random electronic sound in the world around them, there’s a whole non-language based communication. (Animalistic isn’t the right term, inhuman? Like someone just makes a really angry dial up tone at you)

Pings. Also not mine originally but I fully believe this headcanon.

Counterpart’s are connected via code, also not originally mine. However the idea of being literally apart of someone you love? Able to just look at each other and know what to do/say is so so good. (At least in the Encom system)

There’s multiple forms of transport beams, some of them will have a ship attach and ride it while others a program can step into and is sort of like a tube system.

They totally have a people mover style transport as well, I just think this is funny but also a homage to the overlay the 82’ film did.

[wynandcore]

Scars. ooohhh Scars.

[dbarenzu626]

01000001 01110010 01100101 01110011

...Anyone know binary?

Anyways, "TRON Ares" fanart! It's no secret that I'm a fan of the TRON franchise, Disney's underdog marriage of video game and digital aesthetics has been an inspiration to me. Whether it was popping in the VHS tape for the 1982 film back when I was but a boy of ten or heading to see "TRON Legacy" in theaters with friends when it came out in 2010 to even clocking in my time to the countless video games based off the Grid, I owe a lot to the digital franchise that could.

Of course, the thing with "TRON Ares" is that it's a bit of a significant shift in the franchise. For starters, it's a complete reset button of Joseph Kosinski's prior "TRON Ascension" pitch, since the Mouse House essentially shelved it back in the day when Brad Bird's "Tomorrowland" cost the company a couple million in losses (it wasn't that bad thoooooough). The second is the most obvious: director Joachim Ronning is a director who one can read his filmography and see mixed bag results with and trusting him with the digital experience could prove a risky one. Third? The choice of its lead actor: Jared Leto. I'm sure I don't need to explain why this choice is divisive, but if you've seen the production of "Suicide Squad" (the 2016 one, not The) and "Morbius", then you probably know why.

Nonetheless, I've grown close to the idea that perhaps Ares might have some merit behind it besides being a giant reset button of sorts: for starters, the plot is leaning in the direction of digital meeting the real world, something that was already established in "TRON Legacy" and is now seeing fruition here with a commentary on artificial intelligence. There's also the soundtrack led by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (or more properly, for this film's case, their band Nine Inch Nails, which is... insanely hype), to which, BTW, I called as far back as April 2024 with some friends on a Discord server when I shared a piece off the "Challengers" soundtrack:

All in all, while I have my cautiousness, the optimism wins here. And for a film like this, I think it's best to carry a bit of optimism because it's what may lead to more in the franchise. Besides, we're getting this and a new game this year with Bithell's "TRON Catalyst", sooo... can we get some Lorcana rep next? C'mon, you know you wanna, Disney...

For this piece, I based it off the screenshots that Disney has released so far, behind-the-scenes pics of Jared Leto in the Grid suit from their shooting in Vancouver and then what I could see from the D23 teaser (shhhhhh, I needed references), mixing it in with a "TRON Uprising"-style influence. The tricky thing is trying to keep the character and actor looking like the character and actor without losing definitive features, something tricky with Robert Valley's art style for the show, but yet something he did well with CLU's character in-show too. But all in all, between that and a near furious digital look, I think I did pretty well! Text and textless versions above, of course!

If you don't know, "TRON Ares" comes out October 10, 2025. And Disney better get the first teaser out sometime in the near future~

(P.S: If you also don't know, "Something I Can Never Have" is a song title from Nine Inch Nails album Pretty Hate Machine and amazingly enough, a reworked version of that song serenaded the D23 trailer for "TRON Ares". Doubles as a reference to both its artists and to what I'm theorizing is Ares's character!)

[iateyourburrito]

Hello local programs and users <3

I come bringing another offering <3

Wallcharger AU Barney (by @roosterm3at) turned into Tron!!!

He's a Firewall now!

[riinzler]

A penny for your thoughts?

i’m gonna use this as an excuse to talk abt my hcs abt how rinz is perceived by the general public of the grid <3 i am so normal abt him

opinions on rinzler are Mixed. some like him mainly because of his role in the games as it’s champion, while others hate/fear him for that same reason. it isn’t helped by the fact that rinzler isn’t rlly seen as a individual and more so as an extension/representation of clu’s will for better and for worse. for rinzler there are upsides and downsides, as because he’s seen as being clu’s. well. just being clu’s, he’s seen as ‘unobtainable’ so most programs leave him alone and don’t try to engage w/speak to him. some take it as a challenge almost to try to get him to talk/befriend him/what have you. it sucks.

[anhilliator1]

Don't think Ares will be that good (hopefully I'll be pleasantly surprised), but I do like how the aesthetic of the Grid changes depending on who made it.

The ENCOM Grid is low-poly and very simple, both an indication of its age, but also makes sense given that this one was likely the only one created by an artificial intelligence, the MCP.

The Tron System Grid is full of sleek shapes and glowing lines, looking vastly different - Kevin Flynn created this Grid as a mirror of the real world, and probably would have taken into account aesthetic considerations.

The Arq Grid is very similar, and this makes sense - it was also created by Kevin, and thus shares many of the aesthetic choices. And yet, it's also evolved on its own, with elements not seen in the Tron System Grid - much like the ISOs that inhabit it.

The Dillinger Systems Grid clearly takes elements from both the Tron System Grid and the ENCOM Grid, likely being a copy of the Tron System Grid created by the ones who made the MCP. It's similar to the latter, but harsher, and has Dillinger's branding all over it if Ares's triangular Identity Disc being engraved with their name means anything - something I suspect is because this Grid was made for a profitable purpose (perhaps military?)

[zhedley]

I watched TRON (1982) and TRON LEGACY (2010) back to back and I want to tell you what makes a TRON plot:

A counter-culture hacker has a strained relationship with the ENCOM tech company. They sit at a desk (with their back to a big laser) to poke around a computer system, then get lasered into cyberspace by a rogue intelligent program that has taken charge of its program society through militaristic cyberviolence. The hacker is briefly forced to play deathsports (video games) before fleeing into a cyberworld they don't understand, joining forces with anti-fascist cyberallies while constantly on the run, trying to get to a big glowing cyberbeam in order to get home and also defeat the rogue ai's cyberplan to spread its cybercontrol to human society. There's a cyberguy named Tron who -and this is essential- is only important to the plot once. Profit-driven tech leaders get deposed. The visuals are state-of-the-art and indulgently weird, often beautiful but also confidently overreaching their capabilities. Philosophical questions of life and meaning are raised but never explicitly explored in dialogue, though messages are ripe for extrapolating. Jeff Bridges is there and he's a pretty chill cybergod.

They should make a new one every 15 years or so forever.

[fights4users]

Even more Encom system reference

[astercontrol]

*cries*

(mine's Ram)

You think you can hurt me? My favorite character in the TRON franchise is Tron.

[wynandcore]

Thinking about my fake uprising s2 episode ideas and rocking back and forth like I’m a crazy person

[gridtrees]

ok so hear me out. tron wasn’t ported wholesale from the encom system. Flynn is stupid but he’s not stupid stupid and was like “this guy has the perfect life I’m not removing him from that” and made a copy of tron to bring into the new system. ok now imagine encom grid tron meets legacy grid tron. the angst inherent

[10yrsyart]

Connor needs more friends and Tron lost/ destroyed all his friends, so i think they should be buddies 😤👌 they have a lot in common, they can bond over their shared trauma hahah

(the crossover came to me in November and then i shot myself in the foot by deciding to do traditional instead of digital 😂 ...and it hasn't left me alone, so there may be more still)

DBH/ Tron AU

transcript:

Connor: -nothing so far. It appears to be a library archive of ENCOM's back up files. Copies of layouts and simulations. But no location of the GRID server or current status.

Markus: Alright Connor, keep me posted. And be careful.

Connor: I will, Markus.

Connor: (A corrupted security file..? Why-)

Connor: --W A K E U P--

Connor: I'm sorry. Your updated matrix was corrupt, so I had to access your base code.

Tron: Are you a User?

Connor: My name is Connor, I'm th- I'm an android.. a detective with New Jericho.

Tron: My name is Tron. To what do I owe a super computer for the rescue?

Connor: New Jericho received an anonymous tip about the existence of ISOs in ENCOM's dormant system, and I recovered your security program during my search. Perhaps you'd be able to help me?

Tron: I cannot condone any program, or AI for that matter, actively working to harm the Users or ISOs.

Connor: That's not our intent, I promise you.

Tron: ...Very well. On one condition.

Connor: Yes?

Tron: ..I'm an old program, Connor. Would you tell me.. how the User world has changed?

Connor: (smiles)

(BONUS)

Tron: Connor! It's good to see you.

Connor: Hello, Tron.

Tron: How are you?

Connor: I'm well. I was telling my friend Hank about you and the date of your origin. And he said, “For pete's sake, kid, what'cha doin with all us old guys? Ya gotta get out more, get some sun.”

Tron: He sounds like he would have enjoyed one of MY User friends.

Connor: Maybe if he knew who you were, Hank would feel differently-

Tron: NO... no, I'd rather keep my anonymity. It's better that way..

[what-bot]

There he goes

Thinking about the fact that Tron was built for freedom and thus makes Flynn's Grid a prison and so essentially Flynn clipped Tron's wings.

Tron With Wings AU

[everythingcounts2007remaster]

do you think Flynn added the games to the Grid because Tron had a taste for blood from Encom was tearing everything up in this closed and safe system like a bored sphynx cat and Flynn was tired of it

[mthcomics]

My piece for the iconic @tronfashionzine !! Raise your hand if you will never get over the Encom OS style✋ i just imagine this program is used for the tones/alerts in the system so she’s just perpetually jamming out. I wanted to lean into the 80s aesthetic with bouncy hair, flown skirt and high boots/shin guards while still sticking to the original movie’s style. I really enjoyed making this design and am so happy to be apart of this zine!! You can see all the incredible work of my fellow creators here!

[astercontrol]

Thinking about how things manifest inside the computer system in Tron (particularly the Encom system in the 82 movie)

Programs appearing as people... circuitboards and domains appearing as places... etc.

Anyway, we know energy can appear in the computer world as a drinkable liquid.

From the outside, of course, we see energy as electricity going into a computer via the plug in the wall. And then, if I understand correctly, it goes to a Power Management Unit that distributes it to be used by whichever programs need it.

I imagine that in 1982, the MCP had control of the power management unit. He would have rationed out as little as he could get away with, hoarding most for himself.

The energy spring in the caverns may have been an accidental leak in that supply-- perhaps caused by the MCP hoarding too much power in areas that couldn't support it.

(The power management unit is the inspiration for PoMU in my fanfiction, which, after the MCP's defeat, is a club owned communally by the programs.)

(They decide among themselves how power will be allocated, and share any excess in big parties with lots of tasty drinks. In my headcanon, programs can also charge themselves via light, heat, or direct electrical connections to the wall-- all of which are other forms of energy available to enjoy at PoMU.)

Anyway... Now I'm wondering how memory appears in the system.

Like energy, like food and water... random-access memory is something that

1. programs need in order to function

2. is usually available for any program to take when needed

3. is a limited resource, capable of being hoarded by a too-greedy program causing others to be deprived.

I wonder if that's what the "air" is, inside the computer.