The Post-Kickstarter Discussion Thread: Bask in the Afterglow

[WampaX]

Originally Posted by Flame of Anor

Now I want to see this...

I have searched the nets from stem to stern and all I can find
is the mention on these boards of what it used to be here

Along with the notes I saved off many years ago, I can verify GW's memory of 8 circles each representing a hue from The Giant's campaign setting (Red, Bronze, Gold, Green, Blue, Violet, White, and Black). But, I'm not going to post anymore than that since those pages have long been scoured from the site.

But its nice to know these old timers' memories aren't too far gone.

[Sethala]

New update is up, complete with Rich's Workometer.

And the mystery prize is.. a mystery. Huh, who knew?

[honigmuffin]

My reactions to Update #29:

1) Wohoo, new update!
2) Wohoo, new chart!
3) Leftovers? Exxxcellent.
4) No unveiling of Mystery Prize #9? Aaaw. Sadface.

Originally Posted by The Giant

So some day this year, you'll wake up and BAM! Mystery Prize announcement in your inbox. Because you can't predict a Mystery Prize. It comes and goes as it pleases. You'll be talking to it, and turn to look at something, and suddenly the Mystery Prize will be gone. And you'll say, "Oh, Mystery Prize! You got me again." But Mystery Prize won't hear you, because it will already be out there, in the shadows, fighting crime.

5) ^ Laughing so loud at this that my cat jumped up and hid under my sofa.

I think I'll go and draw Mystery Prize in a pose worthy of a super hero.

[SweetBB]

Wee hee! I was mournfully wandering the echoing corridors of Kickstarter, when all at once BAM! Update! With a colourful work-o-meter to help ease the suffering of chart withdrawal syndrome. I think I can make it now.

[hkhm]

i am somewhat glad the mystery prize is still a mystery. there is nothing like pondering something (like a wrapped present) to give you moments of pleasure while the mystery remains intact.

[Euodiachloris]

Originally Posted by honigmuffin

I think I'll go and draw Mystery Prize in a pose worthy of a super hero.

Now, if only Scrappy-Do could turn into the Mystery Prize and pose... he might, might just turn less annoying.

P-P-P-Prize Power!

[Elder Tsofu]

The now updated collected verses and recollections regarding the fall of Rich Baker:

Spoiler

Originally Posted by WampaX

A much better story would have him choosing the Rich Baker, the horrible amalgamation that was born in the early days of the Playground that required all 10s of us (at the time) to slay . . . mainly by reading the FAQ and getting Rich's last name correct.

But some say the Rich Baker lurks in the shadows of the site, biding its time, waiting for the perfect moment to erupt back into this world and slay its parental counterparts, taking the names of both and forging the most powerful gaming empire this or any other age has ever seen!

The early mods dealt harshly with those that proffered such preposterous prophecy. We routed the cult enclaves that clung to the name, but in the process I lost my eye and several of the initial mods fell to the foul powers wielded by the agents of the beast.

The times of prosperity that followed saw the rise of new mods to take the call and maintain the peace. Many years have past since those days of war and bloodshed . . . they occasionally still haunt my dreams. But as long as the tale of the Rich Baker is passed from generation to generation and the playground knows to be wary and watchful, the foretold reckoning can be delayed. As long as the last poster on the last day of the playgrounds existence does not forget, the Rich Baker can never win.

Originally Posted by WampaX

Beware! Beware!
The children of the 'ground
For there walks among you
A beast t'was bound.
It slinks and slides
Between the posts,
Hiding in plain sight,
Avoiding all who roast
each other with words most profound
Beware! Beware!
All children of the 'ground.

The introductory verse from the Epic poem chronicling the rise, fall, imprisonment, and aftermath of The Dawn of the Playground: War of the Rich Baker.

Originally Posted by WampaX

Hmmm . . .
<sound of rustling papers>
Its around here somewhere . . . ah yes, here it is.
A selection from the letters of one from the frontlines.

From the foxhole, I could see the fiery glow of the HellCow receded into the distance. It illuminated the cloud filled evening sky with an ochre brilliance unseen in the short history of the playground. Brighter plumes of what could only be exhalations from the creature, cast eerie shadows across the desolate landscape.

Farther away, I could hear the low bass thoomb thoomb thoomb of the Giant's approach. There was no possibility of seeing him through the cloud cover, but occasionally I would glimpse the massive shape immulimated by the fiery breathing of the HellCow. They were converging on something in the darkness. Something that seemd to absorb the burnt amber light.

It let out a cry unlike any I had ever heard. A crackling thunderous thing that rolled through the cloud cover. But unlike the nervous fear it instilled in me, the bellow appeared to churn the resolve of our mammoth allies as they answered in kind.

The conflict lasted well into the night. We were involved in our own fight in the trenches, but every gout of breath from the HellCow provided us with a glimpse of the conflict happening on the horizon. Titans were fighting for us and we were fighting for them. I saw Wampinator swarmed by a mob of our attackers and lost track of him as the tide of the battle pushed me out of the trenches and onto the plane above. From there I saw the end.

I could not tell if it was a blow from the Giant, HellCow, or a combination of the two, but the dark shape they were engaged with began to crack. Jagged shards of light radiated from a point somewhere near the top of the thing. They spread across its surface like the spiderweb on a cracked pane of glass. The thing bellowed again and the mobs swarming our lines paused at the sound of no longer a colossal menace, but a wounded beast. I lost sight of the horizon as I fought my way back into the trenches through the press of madly scrambling bodies.

When everything calmed again, I heard the thoomb thoomb thoomb again. I peered over the edge and saw the two titanic shapes being slowly enveloped by the evening darkness. I watched them grow smaller and smaller for a few moments until turning my attentions to my fellow combatants. It had been like something out of a bard's tale or a dream. The details began to fade almost as soon as the song of battle had ended.

- Excert from letters sent home by Bogotter, former Mod Otter in the Playground

Originally Posted by WampaX

Here is one more verse chronicling the penultimate moment of the initial playgroundians and moderators who survived the War of the Rich Baker. Seemed appropriate somehow.

E'en the prophets of the world
could not predict the rising tide.
A surge whose proportions sopped
them all even as they belied.

Atop the wold we stood and watched
as those below us floundered.
We offered aid to all we could
but knew our lot was bounded.

On all sides the surging tide
rose up to engulf each of us.
There appeared no hope could ever arrive
even with our cries most vociferous.

Then the wold itself began to rise
elevating beyond all belief.
It was only then that everyone
knew a modicum of relief.

For we had camped and clung,
Every storm lashed one of us,
to, in fact, the back of The Giant
and it was a moment most joyous.

Originally Posted by WampaX

This is WampaX.
Last survivor of the Rich Baker incident.
Signing off.

Should be back after a brief hypersleep
and new thread creation.

Regarding the part played by Rick Burlew and his subsequent fate:

Spoiler

Originally Posted by WampaX

Rick Burlew was never a threat, the benevolent half of the unholy union. It actually helped act as emissary between Rick and Rich to combat the Rich Baker. It turned out to be a coward and fled into the wilderness surrounding the Playground once the fighting began.

When the war was over, it seems to now continue the role of diplomat. In recent years, its begun to slack off. 4ed took its toll of people wanting to be guest writers. Its last coup was getting Rick Baker to write one final article before it once again faded into the wilderness. No one has seen it since.

So really, if you are waiting for Rick Burlew to update? That's going to be a long wait.

The prophecies regarding the return of the Rich Baker:

Spoiler

Originally Posted by WampaX

When two worlds collide
Amidst the fire
Of creation myths
Born from ire.
Spires rise
Above the plane
Aside figures drawn
somewhat plain.
When art and majesty collide
The end begins
Apocalypse's bride.

Taken from the Addentorium to The Dawn of the Playground: War of the Rich Baker, transliterated from the mad ravings of the dark beast's prophets discovered in a particularly tenacious cell of cultists.

Originally Posted by WampaX

Should the Giant leave the Playground,
We lose our strongest warden of the Rich Baker.
He knows what is at stake here.
I cannot believe he would abandon all to that fate.

Proverb originating from the incident:

Spoiler

Originally Posted by WampaX

It ain't not over 'til the Rich Baker bellows.

[cheesymetal]

im hoping the mystery prize is oots dice. its rich, he can figure it out. hes that awesome.

[Dr. Gamera]

Originally Posted by WampaX

I have searched the nets from stem to stern and all I can find
is the mention on these boards of what it used to be here

Unfortunately, the Wayback Machine does not handle dynamically generated bulletin board pages well, so I also struck out. However, I was able to find the banner ad for the 2004 Order of the Stick versus Linear Guild comic-a-day extravaganza, which I had never seen before.

[The Derider]

So the bonus stories will be likely spread over several books, huh? Interesting. I guess that means the hypothetical book "K" is probably a no-go... ah well.

I'm glad to have these stories digitally, but I really do hope they all go to press someday. I've lost a lot of stuff over the years because it's been transferred from computer to computer, or hard drive failure... I'd hate to lose this too, for when I go to re-read this after the story is all finished!

[Kobold-Bard]

Originally Posted by cheesymetal

im hoping the mystery prize is oots dice. its rich, he can figure it out. hes that awesome.

I want OotS dice so much, but given that he can't accept anymore money, dice would inevitably require people to pledge more money, and he said it would be available immediately once it's sorted, I doubt the mystery prize is dice.

[honigmuffin]

Well, I don't think I could get anyone to pledge even a single dollar for my art, but this isn't actually half bad compared to what I usually come up with

Spoiler

[ThePhantasm]

Mystery Prize is in the darkness, fighting crime

[SteveDJ]

Clearly, Mystery Prize #9 is something new and different from before (else he wouldn't be questioning if it can be done), yet it sounds as though once it is done - BAM, it will be delivered instantly to our inboxes, suggesting something digital.

My guess: A small, animated scene of OOTS (animated GIF, or genuine movie-file) -- maybe only a few seconds worth...???

[ChristianSt]

I really like that the mystery remains mystery, makes it much more mystery

[Surfing HalfOrc]

Originally Posted by Surfing HalfOrc

I know the plan is to release four sets of 100 monster fold ups per quarter, for 400 monsters total. But is it possible to also release the Giantitp.com Stock Avatars as well? The work has already been done, and they make great minis for PCs as well. Or various NPC, townsfolks, pirate crews, etc...

Also, what is a Solith Knight? My Google-fu must be weak, because all I could find were some names for WoW Arena players...

Originally Posted by The Giant

It's a country from the campaign setting I was running at the time I founded GITP. I just didn't rename the file from my desktop. There's no reason you should have ever heard of it.

Ah, OK. I thought it was some Prestige Class from some setting or another.

I still hope you take my suggestion. I love minis, and yours are so unique! They fit my lighter, more whimsical gaming style.

[JaxGaret]

To whomever selected Belkar as one of the three stories:

You are my friend for life. No joke.

Signed, a fan

[Kish]

Originally Posted by Kish

Please, Twelve Gods...Gods of the North...Gods of the West...Dark One...Elven gods...

Let no one have asked for any of the stories to be about Tarquin, most overrated villain in OotS history!

Originally Posted by The Giant

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showp...18&postcount=3

Thank you, whichever god or gods heard my plea.

[turkishproverb]

Fun story choices.

[Ravian]

Originally Posted by Kish

Thank you, whichever god or gods heard my plea.

Why you be hatin' on Tarquin?

[The Dark Fiddler]

For the entire drive, I've been hoping against hope (and yes, I really do mean that) for some sort of campaign setting from Rich, be it the OotS setting in game-runnable form, the first campaign setting that WotC now owns, the one he was making in those gaming articles, or something else entirely. Even though I know it won't happen... well, I still hope.

[Flame of Anor]

Originally Posted by Ravian

Why you be hatin' on Tarquin?

Yeah, I don't know either. He's a fascinating twist on the alignment system in the Giant's own peculiar idiom, with more than a little style of his own.
It's a Monty Python reference, I'm not saying the Giant is off his rocker or anything.

[Kish]

Originally Posted by Ravian

Why you be hatin' on Tarquin?

From your question, anyone would think I hadn't said why I'm glad no one picked Tarquin in my quote.

[ti'esar]

Originally Posted by Kish

From your question, anyone would think I hadn't said why I'm glad no one picked Tarquin in my quote.

To be fair, I've got a pretty good idea what you've got against Tarquin from your posts in general, but all you said there was that you think he's overrated.

[silvadel]

One thing I would like to say:

RELAX...

You do not need to get all of this extra material out so fast that your life evaporates.

I'd rather see the comics kept up and the extra stuff done on free time instead of frazzling of trying to hit some April thing... October would be fine by me at least.

[Balain]

Originally Posted by The Dark Fiddler

For the entire drive, I've been hoping against hope (and yes, I really do mean that) for some sort of campaign setting from Rich, be it the OotS setting in game-runnable form, the first campaign setting that WotC now owns, the one he was making in those gaming articles, or something else entirely. Even though I know it won't happen... well, I still hope.

Somewhere I saw/heard Rich say he wanted to do that. It will be after the story finishs I think though.

[Skavensrule]

Originally Posted by honigmuffin

My reactions to Update #29:

1) Wohoo, new update!
2) Wohoo, new chart!
3) Leftovers? Exxxcellent.
4) No unveiling of Mystery Prize #9? Aaaw. Sadface.

5) ^ Laughing so loud at this that my cat jumped up and hid under my sofa.

I think I'll go and draw Mystery Prize in a pose worthy of a super hero.

Good lord! Seeing all the work to be done in chart format makes it clear just how much work Rich has created for himself with this "little" KickStarter project. So much to do, so much to do, and we readers now have to be patient and keep from ripping our hair out.

[Xapi]

Originally Posted by Balain

Somewhere I saw/heard Rich say he wanted to do that. It will be after the story finishs I think though.

He said why it doesn't exist now in the Geekademia interview.

The relevant part is transcribed here:

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showp...&postcount=221

(I knew this would come in handy eventually)

[Sunken Valley]

+1 to the Therkala story showing how she and her master met Quarr.

[Kish]

Originally Posted by ti'esar

To be fair, I've got a pretty good idea what you've got against Tarquin from your posts in general, but all you said there was that you think he's overrated.

...

I don't understand.

I said the reason I'm glad no one picked him.

You quoted me saying the reason I'm glad no one picked him, and said that it was all I said, as though it couldn't be the reason I'm glad no one picked him.

...I don't understand.

(And if you think the primary thing I have against Tarquin is anything other than the way this forum massively overrates him, you're wrong.)