We're considering a glossary and brief basics on "game" rules, too. We'll see.
I just wanted to mention that I think including the game rules would be very well received by your audience. Many of us are big fans of RPG games, and one of the great pleasures of your comic is that we discover the game rules along with Parson. Seeing the result of that discovery, confirming our guesses about the rules, and you proving to us that, yes, the world was consistent all along, would be significant bonus content IMO. And presumably it wouldn't be much extra effort on your part.
I'm buying the book either way. My only complaint about Erfworld is that I wish it would update more often! :)
I'm getting asked about our plans for the Erfworld book a lot, so now's a good time to put up some general info.
Note 1 - This story has an ending
Book 1 is called The Battle for Gobwin Knob for a reason. Obviously that battle is taking place now, and the story will be finished when the battle is settled. Book 2 will be its own story, with some narrative distance from Book 1. (No, I won't explain that. It's spoilery. )
I will interpret that hint literally, to mean that the new narrator will be physically far away from the old narrator. :)
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Note 3 - The physical book will have unique story content
This is what prompted me to post this. It might seem to you that things are happening very quickly in Erfworld right now. Well, we are planning to add a little more meat in the book version. A few pages of mostly combat scenes, like the fighting retreat back to the garrison, will be available only in the printed book. It's just action stuff that you don't need to understand what's happening, but it's Jamie's art, it's fighting...it's cool. Also in the book will be two epilogues, short stories written by me and illustrated by Jamie. These will tie up the remaining loose ends in the aftermath of the battle. We're considering a glossary and brief basics on "game" rules, too. We'll see.
Will they strictly be action scenes? Does that mean they won't have the same feel as the other pages, with the same amount of dialog, with jokes and stuff? While they won't be necessary for the story, will they show any behind-the-scenes stuff of important characters, like perhaps some added depth of character like an emotional reaction or something?
I'm assuming glossary and rules would go in the back.
It's probably the PACE that we're viewing as audience through the web with the necessary delays of updates (it's like watching TV... on TV. instead of Torrenting the whole damned season/show and watching EVERY EPISODE, ONE AFTER ANOTHER! *burns out retinas*) but many times I found myself going "Who's he talking about?? Who the hell is Maggie?" "Which one is Ansom and which is Parson and which is Sizemore?" "Who's that girl with the curly hair? Is that the same girl that was caught and tortured, or someone related to her?" (damned dance-fighting!) and your "cast" page didn't have some of the characters. I had to go onto the forums and look in the thread that had the count of how many pages each character appeared in to find the info. (something you won't have in a print book unless you specifically add something like it) Of course, if you put it at the start, you spoil the info. If you put it at the back, they could still get spoiled if they find other characters while looking for a specific one.
Perhaps you could put the current cast page at the start, since they're main characters. and then put all additional characters in the back. I don't know, is that too messy?
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Thanks for reading Erfworld, and consider becoming a fan on Facebook, where I have been leaking tidbits about upcoming pages, etc.
Bah! Exclusive content! I do not use this face-book. :(
I'm so happy that a physical book is coming along and that said book will ship overseas. I'm going to be moving to South Korea for a year+ this month and if I couldn't get the book I'd probably have to buy a ticket home just for it. I love this comic that much. It's the only comics whose archives I've read more than once. Every time a new strip comes out it makes my day. Thanks so much for all your hard work guys.
This sounds familiar. Are you perhaps thinking of a loaner/conversion copy, and a personal/pristine/signed copy?
That's pretty much how it will end up, although it wasn't what I was thinking at the time I decided I want two. When I heard about the book, my hindbrain said, "Want!", and one copy just wasn't enough for it. Then my selfish altruism circuit kicked in and justified it as a way to support Erfworld, so there can be more of it. My affordability monitor approved the expense, and tactical subroutines have a clear usage strategy which you guessed. We are all happy in here, in my head, when we think about Erfworld....
Whatever you do, don't think about those daytrading baby commercials. They're trojans designed to install unauthorized thought processes, and you're using too much cpu time already.
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Whatever you do, don't think about those daytrading baby commercials. They're trojans designed to install unauthorized thought processes, and you're using too much cpu time already.
LOL Do you mean babies who are day traders in the stock market? At the age of zero to one year, you can't have many clients, so I guess they need to advertise!
Can you not use the Giant's publishers to get the book ready?
Have you given any thought as to making a PDF file that can be sold for people that don't want to order a book but might be willing to buy an online version?
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To the Giant: Since your intention was to highlight other webcomics, when can we expect to see a new one? Do you have any on tap for after Erfworld leaves? If the exact number of comics you can host at a time doesn't matter, why hasn't there been a second addition by now? Erfworld has been on this site for... what? Two years now?
Can you not use the Giant's publishers to get the book ready?
Have you given any thought as to making a PDF file that can be sold for people that don't want to order a book but might be willing to buy an online version?
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To the Giant: Since your intention was to highlight other webcomics, when can we expect to see a new one? Do you have any on tap for after Erfworld leaves? If the exact number of comics you can host at a time doesn't matter, why hasn't there been a second addition by now? Erfworld has been on this site for... what? Two years now?
As far as a publisher goes, Rob and Jamie haven't (last I heard) settled on one. Let's define "last I heard" this way:
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Originally Posted by pclips
Note 4 - We don't yet know who will publish the book, or when it will be out
This stuff is still under wraps, but there is progress and reason to be very hopeful. We'll make announcements when the time comes.
Thanks for reading Erfworld, and consider becoming a fan on Facebook, where I have been leaking tidbits about upcoming pages, etc.
Regarding your questions to Rich, I refer you back up the thread where these were addressed. Reading only slightly between the lines there's nothing on tap and he doesn't seem to want more than one other, by the way he phrased things.
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Last edited by Occasional Sage : 03-22-2009 at 05:30 PM.
In this Reality Art Jam, 10 aspiring webcomic makers will be invited to submit short one offs based on a theme chosen by the readers. The theme will be proposed on Sunday and the authors will have until Saturday to post their interpretations. The next week will be devoted to comments and questions from the readers. On friday the readers will vote off the two comics they liked least and chose another theme, which will be presented to the 8 survivors. The contenders will then be reduced to 6, then 4, at which point only 1 will be voted off to make 3, then 2. The final competition will be freestyle, the 2 authors will be allowed to do anything they want, as long as it doesn't exceed whatever ratings the Playground is supposed to maintain.
And of course the last vote will determine who gets the gig. And of course, some of the also rans will be picked up by talent scouts for less prestigious venues.
Sniping between the commentators is allowed. Sniping between the commentators and the authors is possitively encouraged. Any Commentator who finds themself doing an unfortunate cameo in a comic will have to grin and bear it.
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NOGENERATION Aleph(0): Copy this into your sig and add or subtract 1 whenever you feel like it. This is a pointless experiment.
In all seriousness, as cheesy as it sounds, if Rich wants to increase exposure and traffic to the site (IF he does!) a vote-off always helps. People tend to get really wrapped up in it and go recruiting voters from other websites.
Whenever GameFAQs has a contest (like the annual "best video game character" tournament) traffic increases massively, and I see tons of threads on /b/, /r/, and /v/ asking people to go vote - not to mention the direct fanboy recruitment that must happen at sites dedicated to specific games and series.
Granted, in that case it's easier to attract people because they usually already know the character, so it's not hard to get people who are already fanboys to follow the links being provided and help out. But even without that lower-effort bonus, any sort of vote-off is a great viral marketing tool, as long as someone already here cares enough, they'll plaster any other sites they visit with "go here, save this awesome comic!" and every link will start with www.giantitp.com.
To the Giant: Since your intention was to highlight other webcomics, when can we expect to see a new one? Do you have any on tap for after Erfworld leaves? If the exact number of comics you can host at a time doesn't matter, why hasn't there been a second addition by now? Erfworld has been on this site for... what? Two years now?
I intend for there to be no more than two comics at any one time. We're not Modern Tales. No, I do not know what (if anything) will come next, or when it would premiere. It might not show up until a year or more after Erfworld ends, I simply don't know.
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Originally Posted by dr pepper
The Next Big Playground Star
I absolutely promise you that this will never happen. The decision of what will appear on this site will remain strictly mine. In all likelihood, you will not hear anything about what is coming until it premieres.
I absolutely promise you that this will never happen. The decision of what will appear on this site will remain strictly mine. In all likelihood, you will not hear anything about what is coming until it premieres.
Awwww. Well then, maybe i can get some other comic host to do it.
Still, your judgement has been sound so far, i'm sure whatever you choose next will be a big hit.
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NOGENERATION Aleph(0): Copy this into your sig and add or subtract 1 whenever you feel like it. This is a pointless experiment.
The decision of what will appear on this site will remain strictly mine.
I just want to let you know I really like and respect how you stay in control of everything that happens on your website or with the comic. I've heard there were offer for a series but they wouldn't give you enough control over it and you refused. It's so much better than being disappointed.
I also really like that idea of showing off other comics. I don't think I would have followed Erfworld if it hadn't been on this website, and by the time it leaves people can get to know and like it.
I didn't realise you wanted to host a new webcomic otherwise, and thought maybe having just yours would be easier on your bandwidth. However, I can't lie, I'm so thrilled about the prospect of discovering something new. So thanks.
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Thanks. I promise not to voodoo you in the near future.
What about an e-book PDF version? I purchased each "Goblins" collection because they were available in PDF, but have held off on OotS (despite liking it more) for this reason. While I know that folks like me who have gone to a strict e-books only schedule are rare, we're a growing bunch and e-books are the future, especially with things like the iPod touch and Kindle.
Can we hope for an e-book version too?
(If you're worried about copyright concerns, the folks at Goblins, and RPGNow and Paizo have a great way, localize the PDFs before download with the name, phone number, e-mail and credit card number of the purchaser on every page in the PDF. It's not DRM or intrusive, so I don't worry about losing my PDF, or the capability to read it, and you don't worry about someone putting it up on bittorrent).
Edit: If it isn't clear, my decision to buy the Erfworld book is based solely on one point, will it be available as an e-book. If so, I bet it will be freaking awesome and I will buy one. If not, then I won't be as I don't want to lug around a dead tree version.
We'll definitely consider your preferences, and the potential number of readers who may catch up to you on that technological front and feel that way about books in the future.
It'll be something we'll have to work out with the publisher. But I don't see why not. Maybe I will talk to Tarol about his experiences with it, too. Thanks for the input, Grogah.
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Rob Balder, Erfworld author/co-creator, and creator of PartiallyClips
Just so we don't do anything drastic, I would like to throw in my two cents.
I'm thinking about buying a print copy. (Mainly based on the strength of the artwork.) I definitly would not want a PDF copy of the book.
Well, we suspect (and hope) that you represent the vast majority. I don't know what the margin is on an ebook but if it's less for us, we may be cranky.
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Rob Balder, Erfworld author/co-creator, and creator of PartiallyClips
Well, we suspect (and hope) that you represent the vast majority. I don't know what the margin is on an ebook but if it's less for us, we may be cranky.
I'd prefer to get a dead-gump version, but I can really see the strength in having a PDF version: no need for print runs, it's really hard to lose an PDF, higher profit margins for you guys, no need to wait for delivery.
But I want my dead-gump version, dammit! There's just nothing like that first crack as you open a brand new hard-cover book, the smell of the ink and paper... does a PDF give you that? No.
Anyway, make sure to tell us when we can preorder.
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I seem to have the ability to misinterpret the most obvious of meanings and to completely miss the points of statements for no obvious reason. Just a warning.
I asked about if we would get a pdf version first...
No matter, I would like to say that I did the exact same thing as Lamech. I bought the second Goblins book online (I also have the first one in pdf as a gift). It was the first and only webcomic purchase I have ever made. I just don't have a big interest in buying a book. I look at the price and I balk. Another example of me not being willing to buy was Watchmen. I loved reading the Watchmen comic but everytime I think about buying it the price and bulk of having a big book just puts me off.
Online though, it's five or six bucks (and takes up no space) and it had all sorts of interesting things that you don't normally get on a book format because of paper cost limits. My favorite thing to read are commentaries. Even more so then an additional short story. I know the giant does that with his books. I'm tempted to buy Start of Darkness, in particular, but the whole buying a book thing puts me off. If it was a PDF, I would though.
That said, I'm not sure if I would buy a the pdf anyway. It would depend on what's in it. I suppose what would clinch the deal for me personally is if the pdf actually described more about the rules of the world or not. I'm very interested in the whole setup of how everything works and how Parson's Earth status is effected by it. Questions like can Parson cross hexes, his lack of stats, how come nothing bleeds, what is the magic kingdom like, how come mancers can cast out of their specialty, wha are the benifits of leveling, are there other ways then combat to level, why everyone seems to have a Thinkmancer...
How about a battle history of the BfGK? Of the style that parson described here.
Or we could find out if there was anything that Parson could have done that could have won the battle without a volcano exploding. There are so many questions I would love answered.
If that kind of stuff was explained in a pdf, I would buy that.
Well...the reverse is also true. There's lots of things a physical book can do that a virtual book can't. Like, for instance, utilize subtractive color ;p
Also: no limitation on spatial resolution ratios. A book can be any type of rectangle it wants, which may not mean much for the written word, but for a graphic novel it's sometimes a big deal. And if you're some kinda typography nerd, it's a big deal for the written word too, I guess..
And then there are other things - paper texture, the paper's base color temperature, weight, and I'm not even into the gimmicks yet. Basically, the point is, the two mediums are different.
A dead tree/gump version makes it much easier to share with family and friends. It is a lot easier to introduce and encourage them to read the web comic if you can hand them physical copy that they can read whenever instead of an electronic version that can only be viewed on a computer (or kindle-like product if you have one of those).
Jamie and Rob:
Any idea when the first book will be available for purchase? I am really looking forward to getting my hands on it and introducing it to others (sort of tough to do that now with the condition of the servers and all).
Any idea when the first book will be available for purchase? I am really looking forward to getting my hands on it and introducing it to others (sort of tough to do that now with the condition of the servers and all).
No idea, I am afraid. You'll know not long after we know. At this point the only thing I really care about is having it ready for Christmas buyers.
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Rob Balder, Erfworld author/co-creator, and creator of PartiallyClips
Well...the reverse is also true. There's lots of things a physical book can do that a virtual book can't. Like, for instance, utilize subtractive color ;p
Also: no limitation on spatial resolution ratios. A book can be any type of rectangle it wants, which may not mean much for the written word, but for a graphic novel it's sometimes a big deal. And if you're some kinda typography nerd, it's a big deal for the written word too, I guess..
And then there are other things - paper texture, the paper's base color temperature, weight, and I'm not even into the gimmicks yet. Basically, the point is, the two mediums are different.
Which is sort of obvious, actually.
Never mind.
Okay, you've convinced me... the book should totally have a pop-up page in it.
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