OOTS #1071 - The Discussion Thread

[The Vanishing Hitchhiker]

To be fair, working around Scoundrel and Elan probably means percussive maintenance is a viable engineering strategy. Doesn't extend to flying by the seat of your pants, though.

[8BitNinja]

Welcome back Mr. Burlew. Thanks for the new comic

[Ruck]

I sense the inevitable end of Andi's captaincy fast approaching.

Heh, now I'm wondering if Andi dies because a confused frost giant lops off her head.

[Renegade Paladin]

The sidebar link to the comic on the forum page still goes to 1070. The one from the front page displays correctly and goes to the right one, though.

[Darth Paul]

I notice that Andi is still tackling these problems as if they were engineering issues. We'll see how that works.

Respectfully,

Brian P.

Well, if this is how Andi tackles engineering issues, she's also a rotten engineer. "Trial and error" is NOT how you fix a machine, in my experience. That approach implies that you just replace every part at random until you get around to the one that's actually broken. Maybe I'm wrong here, but don't actual engineers know enough about their machines to have a pretty good idea what's wrong before they start working on them?

[Jay R]

Heh, now I'm wondering if Andi dies because a confused frost giant lops off her head.

I doubt it. That would end the subplot without resolving it, and that's not Rich's style.

[Ariko]

I doubt it. That would end the subplot without resolving it, and that's not Rich's style.

It's an ice thought, though.

[JoeyTheNeko]

lol after a not very enjoyable day, the last couple of panels of this comic greatly cheered me up.

[Ruck]

I doubt it. That would end the subplot without resolving it, and that's not Rich's style.

While my preferred resolution is that Bandana and the rest of the crew hold her responsible for mutiny, Andi getting killed because she's at the captain's helm when the frost giant goes over there would still be "as a result of [her] own choices."

[Mandor]

Well, if this is how Andi tackles engineering issues, she's also a rotten engineer. "Trial and error" is NOT how you fix a machine, in my experience. That approach implies that you just replace every part at random until you get around to the one that's actually broken. Maybe I'm wrong here, but don't actual engineers know enough about their machines to have a pretty good idea what's wrong before they start working on them?

Ideally, yes. And if not, and time permits, you learn about the machine and read the specs before you screw with it. But in theory, you could have an emergency situation where you need to make a decision with incomplete information and no means to get more information in time. (ex: A Tsunami just wiped out all power to your nuclear reactor cooling machinery at Fukashima, or Hurricane Katrina just exceeded all designed expectations of your levee system and you need to get what pumps you can get working online and prevent the few that are online from suffering failure from water being where it should not be.)

Though, you could just as easily argue that if you find yourself in such a situation, whoever did the original design, already failed miserably as an engineer.

[Epinephrine_Syn]

Ah, our glorious heroine returns with brilliant ideas.

I've missed watching people contort themselves jsutifying her every action.

Forum gonna be interesting again.

I may have missed it, or this might be a joke post, but I haven't actually seen anybody defending her actions in a long while.

[gooddragon1]

Heh, now I'm wondering if Andi dies because a confused frost giant lops off her head.

Her career going caput?

[facw]

Weren't Saturns made by Toyota?

Saturns were made by GM.

Scions were made by Toyota.

[danielxcutter]

I feel like I must be missing something obvious. What is Andi talking about in the second panel of the comic? What could she have sworn she saw? She said she thought she could see plains in an earlier strip. Did she just not, or is there some kind of illusion or something going on?

Calling it now: Dragon. A reeeeeeaaaaaaaaaally big f***ing white dragon. Far from the only possible answer, or even the most likely, but not impossible. Because why would the number of people trying to kill them stay the same when it could increase?
Yes, I know that link was a bad example - that's actually the joke. ouo

[yellowrocket]

Calling it now: Dragon. A reeeeeeaaaaaaaaaally big f***ing white dragon. Far from the only possible answer, or even the most likely, but not impossible. Because why would the number of people trying to kill them stay the same when it could increase?
Yes, I know that link was a bad example - that's actually the joke. ouo

I just reread that comic today. This would be the perfect moment to introduce another threat.

[Unoriginal]

To be fair, trial and error is how most things are learned. Unless they are able to go so far above the pass that they can actually get a birds eye view on the whole thing (which they cant), its pretty much they only way they have to explore it. The problems are coming about because she is ignoring the consequences of the "error" part.

Trial and error might be a learning method that works, but I sure hope an engineer doesn't need to learn how to fix the ship while it needs to be fixed right now

I mean, sure, "try stuff and see what works" can be useful, but not in an urgent combat situation.

[warmachine]

Better to stop the giant damaging the ship then attack her in an important area of the ship than her damaging the ship then attack her in an unimportant area of the ship. Randomness is dangerous but it's better than damage happening now.

[M.A.D]

It's good that the ship is turning back, towards where it had just left Haley and Co.

[randomhalfling]

Does anyone else wonder what that smoke means? Or is it because the bizarre orders of the "engineer" are considered aerobatics, and they turned on the smoke to make the figures more visible?

And I feel it is about time for an epic animal sidekick moment.
--rh

[Blatt]

Looks like Andi is improving as a captain and giving sensible, calm orders, which is nice to see. (Although, is there some reason they can't just stop going forwards? There's no other giants around except the one onboard, and moving doesn't seem to be inhibiting her, so maybe it would make sense to stop and let Roy kill it and then figure out where to go from there, or even get more gas into the blimp envelope. Is there maybe some wind that would blow them into a mountain if they tried to stop making lateral motion?)

Elan is continuing to contribute, which is awesome. I'm really liking how he's becoming a useful and powerful part of the team.

I said this, like, strips ago. Just stop already instead of dodging mountains. There's no threat from above or below now they are off the pass. Deal with the giantess; maybe even land, then repair and send for the rest of the party.

[Riftwolf]

Does anyone else wonder what that smoke means? Or is it because the bizarre orders of the "engineer" are considered aerobatics, and they turned on the smoke to make the figures more visible?

And I feel it is about time for an epic animal sidekick moment.
--rh

I think the black smoke coming from beneath the ship suggests that last crash was more than a scuff mark. Maybe the engines are damaged, possibly a bit on fire.

Who's checking those things right now?

[pendell]

Well, if this is how Andi tackles engineering issues, she's also a rotten engineer. "Trial and error" is NOT how you fix a machine, in my experience. That approach implies that you just replace every part at random until you get around to the one that's actually broken. Maybe I'm wrong here, but don't actual engineers know enough about their machines to have a pretty good idea what's wrong before they start working on them?

When you're debugging software, the answer is "no". It can sometimes take many experiments and tests to isolate the problem, which can then be corrected.

I've seen the same thing in the auto shop; While a mechanic may have a reasonably good idea what the issue is, a lot of times it's still a good idea to check the onboard diagnostics before opening 'er up. And in a few cases the symptoms could result from a number of different problems, and it will require some experiments to narrow it down before a proper diagnosis can be made.

Respectfully,

Brian P.

[danielxcutter]

I think the black smoke coming from beneath the ship suggests that last crash was more than a scuff mark. Maybe the engines are damaged, possibly a bit on fire.

Who's checking those things right now?

The engineer I guesOH RIGHT

[Kish]

I doubt it. That would end the subplot without resolving it, and that's not Rich's style.

I think your idea of what the subplot is is different from mine.

Andi is an antagonist, probably a single-arc antagonist. "Her head gets lopped off as she draws breath to continue to declaim how she's right about everything" would be as much of a resolution to the subplot involving her as most antagonists get.

(I don't think that'll happen because Lesser Confusion only lasts one round, but I won't be at all surprised if something causes her to die abruptly any strip now.)

[khadgar567]

you know andy trying to dodge the giantess and giving orders might be to much for her since she dont have daring engineer on her class sheet she might crit fail the important roll( probably acrobatics so the can hit the propellers which some how fix the engine problem) and conveniently exit stage right her from plot
daring engineer basicly daring outlaw for her

[xroads]

You know you're in trouble when compelling your opponent to act chaotically is only a minor net improvement for your team.

Well done & welcome back Rich.

[Rinazina]

I saw some forumites perceiving this turnaround as an opportunity of Roy to get the sword back.

Really? It's kinda the opposite for me. Do trial and error like an errand, when the ship is losing quote on a completely white unmarked terrain, it is the way to loose it for good until something special does not arise (for example: Locate object? nah, too lame. Eugene help? wouldn't be cool? or awake the Returning property?)

I guess this is just the setup of something other, but this can't be the way to fly gently near the sword and recover it :)

Edit: typos and details

[Dr.Zero]

I saw some forumites perceiving this turnaround as an opportunity of Roy to get the sword back.

Really? It's kinda the opposite for me. Do trial and error like an errand, when the ship is losing quote on a completely white unmarked terrain, it is the way to loose it for good until something special does not arise (for example: Locate object? nah, too lame. Eugene help? wouldn't be cool? or awake the Returning property?)

I guess this is just the setup of something other, but this can't be the way to fly gently near the sword and recover it :)

Edit: typos and details

They shouldn't be losing quote anymore, courtesy of the last, working, mending.
I agree that this seems the set for something else instead of managing to retrieve Roy's sword , though.

On the other hand I never correctly foresee the plot twists, so...

Re-edit: thinking twice about it, I suppose that if this was a RL airship they would continue to lose quote as long as they don't compensate dropping something heavy, to compensate for the lost gas.

Tri-edit: substitute "quote" with "height". Thanks to GW for informing me.

[Grey_Wolf_c]

quote

You keep using this word. I don't think it means what you think it means. Context suggest you mean height? Buoyancy? Lift?

GW

[Dr.Zero]

You keep using this word. I don't think it means what you think it means. Context suggest you mean height? Buoyancy? Lift?

GW

Yes, a false friend. Sigh!