What about Parsons friends?

[Fuzzy_Juan]

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I think the most likely outcome is for the friends to show up on Ansom's side. Parson wanted to play the game "for real," and his friends were set up in the real world to "command armies."

Note also that in http://www.giantitp.com/comics/erf0015.html Parson tells his friends that they are about to "command armies." As the game comes to life for Parson, it seems logical that he will soon play against the very players for which he designed the scenario.

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It would be very interesting if Wanda was the one who ends up summoning the others...not for Stanly, but for Ansom...she might have her own reasons...hell, maybe she wants them to destroy each other in a huge war that won't happen if one side can mop the other up with impunity. Wanda has cast the spell before, and may soon enough learn about his friends from Parson...something to think about...

[Roupe]

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Or Anson gets some one to cast a similar spell like the one wanda cast

This time with the requirement. "Get me a Warlord that has beaten Lord Hamster & is familiar with his strategies"

[angra]

The allusion to time dilation early in the thread got me to thinking about the relationship between "real world" and "game world" time frames, in a TBS. What if the time relationship between them is what it is in a gaming scenario...minutes or hours per turn...which got me thinking...

Parson is in the game he designed, and, presumably had set up ready to play out, could we, later on, see his friends look down to the game board, and see it playing out? A lot of fun could be had with that, but it's probably a little too corny/honey-i-shrunk-the-kids for this comic. I guess I think the "friends go to erfworld" scenario more likely than the "friends observe miniature erfworld playing out", but it would be fun :)

[doliemaster]

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Um, does anyone remeber Parson saying, "Impossible situation" that probably means if erfworld was his scenario, they would be incharge of Stanleys forces, not Ansoms, as before Parson they were losing, BAD.

[Aquillion]

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Um, does anyone remeber Parson saying, "Impossible situation" that probably means if erfworld was his scenario, they would be incharge of Stanleys forces, not Ansoms, as before Parson they were losing, BAD.

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Nah. Remember a few things:

First, Parson's side in the game was going to be controlled by, wait for it... Parson! So the fact that Stanley's forces were losing without Parson doesn't really mean much. Erfworld's situation doesn't necessarily represent the starting position of Parson's game; it may represent it after thirty turns of "Parson's" forces being commanded by an awful leader like Stanley, up against the competent leadership of Ansom and Vinny. Parson might have intended for his version of Stanley's side to be part of an evil coalition equal to or vastly larger than that controlled by his friends; the fact that Stanley managed to alienate everyone and everything is Stanley's fault, not part of Parson's setup.

Second. Parson invented the game, and this was apparently going to be the first time anyone else ever played it. If he's good at running games and wants everyone to have fun, it's not surprising that he'd give his friends a numerical advantage to make up for this.

Third. Parson told his friends they'd be the good guys, fighting against unspeakable evil. He took Gobwin Knob to be these bad guys. This, more than anything else, shows that his friends were going to be in the place currently represented by Ansom.

[EdgarVerona]

Woot! Elvis with the spoiler! Fantastic! =)

I really like the interactivity that Erfworld's author gives to the fans. I enjoy OOTS and all, and Rich seems like a good guy... but you'd never get good interaction from him like Rob gives. I suppose it's just different styles, but I dig how Rob does it. At least for me, it makes me feel more like he knows and appreciates the amount of thought and attention we give to the comic. =)

(not that Rich doesn't feel that way... but, well you know what I mean.)

Anyways, thanks Rob, and keep participating! I enjoy having the creator of the comics be involved in these conversations personally.

EDIT: Hey Rob, when's the merchandise going to come around so we can start funneling money to you? ;) Like I said before, I'll buy a shirt that shows the Arkenhammer on the front and "Tool." on the back.