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Thread: It feels like it's time.
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2016-01-24, 08:53 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Mar 2009
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- Lustria
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Re: It feels like it's time.
I'm not feeling comfortable, with all of this banana talking...
Do I contradict myself?
Very well then I contradict myself. I am large, I contain multitudes. (W.Whitman)
Things that increase my self esteem:
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2016-01-24, 11:53 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Jun 2014
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- A Michigan Far, Far Away
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2016-01-25, 09:18 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2012
Re: It feels like it's time.
This is so true. Some people on here have always had a thing for Durkon, but I've found him pretty boring. He's just a Generic Dwarf Cleric, and if he died and got replaced with Murkon Lightninghammer no one really would have noticed. It was very refreshing to see him FINALLY have some character development, and I for one can't wait to see how it ends.
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2016-01-25, 12:08 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Mar 2007
- Location
- Oregon, USA
Re: It feels like it's time.
I like to think we link to the Giant's comments because it helps frame the discussion, focusing it rather than ending it. If the story currently feels like a side quest is taking too long, that's because the Giant views it as a main arc instead of a side quest. You can certainly disagree with the assessment, or the intent behind it; but we're closer to all being on the same page and debating the same things.
Anyway, I think it's more likely that there's enough to the story for it to have multiple interpretations, rather than saying that two different views of the same story requires one of them to be wrong. Like all art, a story centers around subjective interpretation; what one gets out of it is at least somewhat influenced by what one brings to it.
I know what you mean, I always feel this slight tearing sensation at the edges of my mouth when I talk; like it could split across my peel if I start speaking emphatically. It hasn't actually happened...or at least there's no evidence of it happening, maybe some form of damage reduction?...but I prefer to write, regardless.
...or is that not what you meant?FeytouchedBanana eldritch disciple avatar by...me!
The Index of the Giant's Comments VI―Making Dogma from Zapped Bananas
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2016-01-25, 03:16 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2012
- Location
- Czech Republic
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Re: It feels like it's time.
I only felt the story was dragging for a time right after I fininshed the archive binge and was eager to read what happens next. But now, I actually enjoy the slow unravelling - it feels like I find a new gem once at a time, and the uncertainty about what exactly happens next is pretty exquisite. With 1+2/3 of a book left (excluding the very likely Linear Guild prequel), that's one heck of a time to look forward to.
There must be some sense of order - personal, political or dramatic - and if no one else is going to bring it to this world, I will.
Silent member of Zz'dtri's #698 Scrying Sensor Explanation Club.
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2016-01-25, 04:14 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Oct 2015
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Re: It feels like it's time.
I would have thought that someone who has been reading the comment for over a decade would realize that the same complaints about pacing and "side quests" have been made for roughly the same amount of time. And yet, somehow, it's all seemed to work out in the end.
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2016-01-25, 04:41 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Mar 2013
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Re: It feels like it's time.
Even in book form I agree with some of those complaints. Not all arcs are fast-paced, and some are slower (or to me less interesting) than I would have liked.
I really really like the story as a whole, but there's bound to be people around for every arc that think "for me, this isn't really enjoyable".
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2016-01-25, 05:36 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Oct 2015
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Re: It feels like it's time.
Yeah, that's fair; I guess I just don't get the point of saying "hurry up and move on" when A)it's not going to happen and B)the evidence suggests that people frequently desire this and the story turns out better in the end for not doing so.
I just feel like, once you've made the decision to put your faith in the storyteller, you have to accept the format and the limitations that come with it (in this case, serialization). Otherwise, you can come perilously close to being the guy who criticizes chapter 3 of a novel for lacking in climax before you've even finished the book.
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2016-01-25, 07:31 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Aug 2015
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Re: It feels like it's time.
Hmm, I'm OK with more hero vs. vampire chases and battles. Rich can keep drawing the characters forever, and I'd keep reading. It's nice that we have a forum to freely debate these topics.
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2016-01-25, 08:33 PM (ISO 8601)
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- May 2015
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Re: It feels like it's time.
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2016-01-26, 12:56 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2007
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Re: It feels like it's time.
Ah, to think back on the young scallywag I was when I first started reading this comic. Sigh. Now I'm starting to look 'distinguished' on my good days, and being called 'sir' more and more regularly. /lulz
It almost makes me sick to my stomach to think of the comic ending. At the same time, I would really, really love to see what else Rich could do. Like, in a starting from scratch format with all the experience he's gained."For you see, I theorize that the halfling does not possess a true sentient brain, like you or I, but rather a simple lump of nerve tissue that serves as a primitive "proto-brain" that can only process two emotional reactions to people: Hate or Lust."
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2016-01-26, 04:37 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jan 2006
- Location
- Iowa, US (GMT-6)
Re: It feels like it's time.
This would best be answered, I think, by referring to something the Giant did in his comics. When V got all that wizard-super-saiyan power and tried to rush Xykon. I think Vaarsuvius was meant as a stand in for the audience.
V was getting impatient and bored with the party's lack of progress toward the end goal of the story. So when zhe was presented with an option to 'skip to the end', zhe took it. The ultimate conclusion of that confrontation was an illustration of what happens when you try to meet your fate before the proper time-- you get an anti-climax and nothing is truly resolved.
But despite what I've taken as the Giant's artistically presented resistance to the idea of pushing forward too quickly, I have to say that particular part of the story was perhaps the strongest and most compelling portion yet. Not just because of the tension, the action and the high emotions-- but even if it may have been presented ironically, I felt movement toward the goal I cared most about.
Having said all that: I've felt fatigue with the story before and have been drawn back in before. But I've never gone looking for a post or posted anything myself to that effect. This time is a bit different. The overall flow the story has led me to believe that we're in the Final Countdown. Take a look at #965 and #966 for instance. Roy says more than one thing to the effect of we don't have any more time for distractions! We're being told through the narrative that 'Hey, you need to pay attention. The end is coming." So that's what I've been gearing for.
But even so- an inconvenient attack from the Linear Guild (or something) wouldn't have been a concern. It'd have just been an interesting diversion as we moved toward the ultimate goal. This particular development, the potential that the world could be ended as a precaution, has me a little worried. The stakes in this new plot element are basically as high as the stakes in the main one. So all of the suspense we've built up toward seeing a conclusion has been made a little foolish in light of an equally dangerous threat that's just been laid in our laps.
So we a trouble here. If this new plot is resolved with too much ease then the main plot would look easy to resolve by comparison-- and that would make the entire journey up to now look like it wasn't worth the time. On the other hand, if the new plot takes just as long to resolve as the main plot-- well obviously that would be a problem, too.
As I think about it, I believe there might be only one way out of this problem. And actually, if TheGiant does it this way, it'll be pretty damn good. But now, having arrived at that potential conclusion I think I'd better keep it to myself. Lol besides... somebody would probably link me a post of someone else having said the same thing at some place, in some time.
Added:
But I figure that I should add these aren't criticisms, their reactions and observations. None of this is meant to suggest that I'm losing or have lost faith.Last edited by ClaimingLight; 2016-01-26 at 04:45 PM.
You ever read something you wrote a while ago? And think, 'Man, I used to suck! I hope nobody sees that! At least I'm super good at everything now!"
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2016-01-26, 05:50 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jun 2015
- Gender
Re: It feels like it's time.
While I don't want the comic to end, I feel like it would be best if after this Durkon plot, they went to the last gate and got it over with, finishing the story, save for an epilogue. It seems fitting that a story that began in a dungeon will end in a dungeon. HOWEVER there is still the cliffhanger left in strip #945 to come. And we are only on the next to last book so I'm not sure...
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2016-01-26, 07:00 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Dec 2009
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- Washington D.C.
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2016-01-27, 01:00 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Jan 2006
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- Iowa, US (GMT-6)
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2016-01-27, 11:53 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Jun 2014
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- A Michigan Far, Far Away
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Re: It feels like it's time.
My SOLE OOTS-related fear- connected to my being a longtime fan of Stephen King's Dark Tower series, which was even longer in the writing- is for The Giant himself. King nearly suffered Author Existence Failure before his epic was complete; Rich had the thumb incident which, IIRC, still hampers him somewhat. Both were frightening reminders of the unpredictability of life. Sir Pterry Pratchett left us with who knows how many Discworld novels still unwritten.
Life happens: I don't want it to happen to another of my favorite creators.
We love you, Rich. Be careful out there.
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2016-01-28, 01:27 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Nov 2004
Re: It feels like it's time.
I'm totally with ClaimingLight as far as wanting the story to have a defined end, not just go on until Rich runs out of steam and then abruptly end--and would be even if a genie promised me that Rich would continue to make comics for the rest of my life. Good stories have defined beginnings and endings. I'm just not with them as far as wanting to brush the plot with Vampire Durkon out of the way and get to the final volume already.
Last edited by Kish; 2016-01-28 at 01:28 AM.
Orth Plays: Currently Baldur's Gate II
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2016-01-28, 05:12 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Sep 2011
- Location
- Calgary, AB
- Gender
Re: It feels like it's time.
Worth noting that this remains part of the main plot regardless of the the word of The Giant. The whole reason everyone except Durkula was going to the moot in the first place was to get Durkon raised. This remains relevant to the general pattern of the other books: when part of the party is missing or otherwise incapacitated (or dead ) they have to get them back, and rather than skipping to 'yay, they're reunited,' we follow their actions as they try to bring that about. When they try to do otherwise, bad things happen. There was the whole thing with V and the IFCC, and that led to further problems at Girard,s pyramid. Carrying on without Durkon and Belkar directly led to Durkon getting vamped.
In short, this isn't a side quest because this is the Quest to get Durkon Back. If the opening parts of Return of the Jedi weren't filler, neither is this.
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2016-01-28, 05:43 AM (ISO 8601)
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- May 2013
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- Italy weird enchanted
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2016-01-28, 08:26 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Sep 2011
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- Calgary, AB
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2016-01-28, 09:49 AM (ISO 8601)
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- May 2015
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- Texas
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2016-01-28, 10:39 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Sep 2011
- Location
- Calgary, AB
- Gender
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2016-01-28, 10:55 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Nov 2004
Orth Plays: Currently Baldur's Gate II
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2016-01-28, 11:03 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2012
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2016-01-28, 12:46 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Oct 2015
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Re: It feels like it's time.
I have no doubt it will, though.
This part is important to me because not only does the team need Durkon back (and, of course, needs to make sure that there is still a world to save before they resume saving the world), but it's also another whack in the head from the Master to Roy-- "When are you going to start listening to your teammates?"
One thing Durkula was right about: "You've never been very good at listening to any idea that didn't originate inside your own skull." How often have we seen Roy blow off someone because he thinks he knows what they're going to say, or it's not what he wants to hear? And now-- as he realized after Hel's vote in #1000-- he has authored his own misfortune; the very world he is trying to save may well be destroyed because of his denial over who Durkula really is, a denial that springs from the same well of "Not hearing what you don't want to hear."
For Roy to be the real Hero What Saves the World, he's going to have to start listening to his teammates, and, as Belkar put it, become "emotionally equipped to deal with bad things happening to good people." I see this stage as crucial character development for Roy. (And Durkon as well, but that's a separate topic.)Last edited by Ruck; 2016-01-28 at 12:47 PM.