Erfworld Descriptive Table of Contents (Contains Spoilers)
I don't know about anyone else, but with Erfworld, whenever I want to go back and check a specific strip, I have the hardest time finding it. I attribute this to a lack of descriptive table of contents (OOTS at least has semi-descriptive strip titles). So I created one.
EDIT: Now with more stickiness! Anyone reading this for the first time should note that a few posts down are tables from two other posters in different styles, should you prefer them. Some styles are more spoiler-ish than others.
You know what's remarkable about this? I work from a plot outline which looks very similar. Each page or set of pages has a baseline set of plot points which must be achieved. Interesting to see it reinterpreteted and presented back to me after the finished pages are presented. Very neat!
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Rob Balder, Erfworld author/co-creator, and creator of PartiallyClips
Descriptive TOC, yes! It takes forever to find the right strip, the way things stand now.
Yet, while the "headline" format is not bad, the entries are too long, and give too much away. Here's my counterproposal, based on lines quoted from the comic:
I generally leaned towards the opening lines, except where another line seemed much better. These are good as mnemonics. I also tried to keep them from revealing too much to someone who hasn't yet read the comic.
Edit: few of these are opening lines, actually.
Last edited by Freederick : 02-10-2009 at 07:36 AM.
Reason: update
Thanks, all, for the feedback! I wanted to have an index where I can find the strip where such-and-such event took place, and this seemed like the best way to do it. As such, it's only intended for people who are at least as current on the comic as the list, or those who don't mind mild spoilers. And yeah, I'm not terribly pleased myself that some of the entries are two lines long, but I chose to go with a more complete list of events rather than brevity.
(Now updated through strip 56.)
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Last edited by KeiranHalcyon : 05-30-2007 at 04:43 PM.
The thread I started is pretty dead, but I didn't want to lose my version, so I'm posting it here. It's longer than Kieran's, but personally I prefer having the extra informaiton (although it really isn't very helpful at all for quick looking through). I'm not putting quote tags because I don't want to make it any longer (physically) on the page, and quote tags and spoiler tags both increase the margins.
I posted a thread asking Rob and/or Jamie to do this and received a suggestion that I do it myself, so here are the first 30 strips. I'll do more as soon as I have more obsessive energy and time to kill....Probably in like a half hour or so. Each strip is linked with either the first speech bubble, part of the first speech bubble if it's too long, or a description of the picture in the first panel if no one talks in the first panel.
Right now, pages and klogs are separate; if you think they should be together, let me know and I'll change it.
Okay, so I added Keiran's summaries to this and color-coded the strips according to where they take place and who the main characters in the page are (not the Klogs though because that's kinda obvious)--black for neutral, red for Gobwin Knob, blue for Ansom.
Pages Page 1--"It's the little things which make a difference sometimes" (Giant Elvii create the world; Marbits buy extra troops) Page 2--"...which left Lord Manpower the Temporary, Stanley's last warlord, exposed to enemy crossbows" (Manpower the Temporary bites it, tastes key lime pie; Wanda introduced, her bad day gets worse) Page 3--flying Dwagon (Wanda returns to Gobwin Knob via dwagon) Page 4--"Good morning, Lady Firebaugh!" (Bogroll, Stanley introduced; former demonstrates lack of guile; latter busts a nut) Page 5--"That would have been a good time for it to work." (Wanda & Stanley talk strategy; Wanda brings up summoning spell) Page 6--"No! Absolutely not! It would literally empty the treasury!" (Stanley orders Wanda to buy spell & cast it herself; Bogroll lives up to his name) Page 7--Gwiffon flying and being given landing directions....Second panel: "Prepare to end the turn." "Yes, Prince Ansom!" (Jillian, Ansom introduced; Ansom makes pass at Jillian) Page 8--"So the plan remains intact. Staging for all allied armies is going to be complete even when the Lofty Elves and the Shady Elves show up in two turns...." (Night falls; Ansom discusses scouting with/continues to make passes at Jillian; "FREE-DEEP") Page 9--Jillian on a Gwiffon, then Ansom gives her the hat (Jillian goes scouting; "ORLY?") Page 10--"I hate ending turn out in the open field, y'know? I feel like one tasty target." (Jillian hits a target of opportunity; Webinar introduced, sent after Jillian) Page 11--The Magic Kingdom (Sizemore introduced, found flaking with hippiemancers, scolded by Wanda) Page 12--"Divert! Hard left! Buy me some time to solo the blue..." (Jillian captured by dwagons; "OMGWTFBBQ!") Page 13--"Why were you studying Flower Power anyway? Even a Grand Abbie couldn't help to quiet the coming battle." (Wanda & Sizemore beam back to Gobwin Knob; Sizemore makes crap golems) Page 14--Parson's alarm clock radio (Parson introduced, works at Kinko's, checks Hamstard's hitcount) Page 15--"A marshmallow peep. One of the great seasonal treats of this time of year." (Parson eats gwiffon for breakfast, gives grandiose game intro) Page 16--"Five months?" "You really live for this, don't you?" (Ashna questions Parson's health; PLOT happens) Page 17--"The spell is cast, lord. I have only to concentrate on the target and speak the trigger word." (Stanley & Wanda go Tron; Stanley continues to make unreasonable demands; Parson arrives in Erfworld) Page 18--Parson alone, right after landing in Erfworld for the first time (Parson gets a headache, swears a lot) Page 19--"You can't tell me this quivering pail of pus has led armies." (Stanley & Parson debate Wanda's assertion that he is alive; Parson stands up) Page 20--"Just tell me this. Suppose you had to defend a single city on a mountain against an army that outnumbers you ten to one." (Stanley declares himself a tool) Page 21--"War council, we've assembled our complete forces." (Arkenpliers first seen; Ansom addresses his war council; Elf subraces revealed to be plentiful) Page 22--"Lofty Elves and Altruist Elves, you'll be throwing heals where needed." (Elven parade continues; Vinnie introduced; Arkenpliers formally revealed; Ansom demonstrates overconfidence) Page 23--"Okay. You're now our chief warlord. Chiefly because we don't have anyone else." (Parson compelled to laugh at Stanley's bad jokes, Parson recognizes Gobwin Knob) Page 24--"I was just about to game a scenario like this when you summoned me." "Game? A scenario?" "Plan. A war. For fun." (Parson declared Lord Hamster; Wanda excused to pursue her hobbies) Page 25--"Unfriendlies." [second panel] "Hold fast. Take it like it's a drill." (Webinar engages spidews, loses cloth golem) Page 26--"So yeah. I think it's pretty important we got that Barbarian warlord back." [second panel] "Hated to lose a Blue Dwagon, though." "Blue what?" "Dwagon." (Parson & Stanley discuss dwagons & stupid names) Page 27--Wanda, alone; sound effect 'ferdumpclick!' [Second panel] Wanda's room. [Third panel] "Whee. Stairs..." (Wanda changes clothes; Parson introduced to uncroaked warlords; Manpower craves pie) Page 28--MeanWhile "Mung, why do the other henchmen pick on me?" "Because it's fun. Because you'll believe anything we tell you." (Mung introduced; Wanda reveals white leather fetish; Mung stands at attention) Page 29--"The Second Gobwin Infantry. Very fierce. Big bonuses for tunnel fighting." "Also very cute." "Stop saying that." "Hee!" "What?" (Stanley unknowingly imitates Vizzini; Bogroll reports as lackey retainer to Parson) Page 30--"Prisoner is alert?" (Jillian asks for the very easy way, gets the very hard way) Page 31--"Well this could be fun." "Yeah?" "Yeah. I think so. It's a little like the game I was developing." (Parson insinuates that Stanley is evil; Stanley reacts poorly) Page 32--"What're you kidding? You've got all the classic evil creatures on your side." "Our side. Get used to that." (Stanley orders Parson not to speak, reveals expectation of Arkenpliers) Page 33--"The odds don't matter. Strategy doesn't matter. Those are details. That's your job. But we will win this battle, Lord Hamster...." (Stanley gives Parson an eyebook; Parson contacted by Sizemore) Page 34--"That's everyone. Let's get up to the center of the column and end turn." "Yep." (Ansom & Vinnie discuss Stanley's rise to power; Webinar finds Jillian's items; Ansom calls Charlie) Page 35--Parson's new quarters "So this artifact works on--" "Item. Magic item." "Magic item. Right, because it was created by mortals." "Correct." (Parson learns about magic from Sizemore) Page 36--Sizemore whistling. [second panel] Sound effect: 'Ker-clunk' 'creeeeeeeak' [third panel] "I appreciate this. I'm guessing this is Bogroll's job or something. I dunno where he went." (Sizemore takes Parson's crap; Wanda finishes interrogating Jillian, shifts to girl-talk) Page 37--"My lord Parson! Dawn is threatening!" "Mmkay. Didn't wake up all safe at home. Boop." "I have gathered some things for you!" (Bogroll presents Parson with his armor) Page 38--"Oh, c'mon, he's not that bad. Really. For a royal." "Listen to you. 'For a royal.' You're a royal!" (Jillian blushes, breaks down; Wanda hypnotizes Mung) Page 39--"Siddown, Hamster. Let's get some breakfast. We got a long day ahead of us." (Parson gets a Stupid Meal; Arkentools numbered at four) Page 40--"There you are. Did you know your 'perfect warlord' doesn't know the first thing about unit points?" "Did you know your Overlord let the enemy get to those magic items out in the field?" (Parson & Stanley continue verbal sparring; Wanda manipulates them both) Page 41--"That's really slick. I mean, that the prisoner is an unwitting double agent." (Wanda releases Jillian; plan to lure Ansom out revealed; Wanda gets creepiness on) Page 42--"I have a mission for you, Archons." [second panel] "One of the sides in the great western conflict has finally met our price…." (Charlie's Archons introduced, ally with Jetstone; Vinnie persuades Ansom not to personally rescue Jillian) Page 43--"I’m just trying to imagine how that could have gone any worse." "Do you suppose that’s the best use of your imagination right now?" (Parson & Wanda react to the failed plan; Wanda advises Parson on dealing with His Toolship, Wanda confused by childhood) Page 44--Sonnet Page 45--Your lackey may not enter, Lord." "Even if I order it?" "I am sorry, Lord." (Parson tries to order nighttime troop movements; lookamancer-on-duty protests) Page 46--"Okay this is very important. Do not? May not? Or cannot move at night?" (Parson's plan is shot down; lookamancer-on-duty (Misty) tries to help) Page 47--"So we have nineteen with 56+ move, and they'll be cycling from this base hex." "Mm." (Parson works on strategy, Wanda interrupts, Parson gets new idea, Wanda has to stop Stanley from finding out) Page 48--"Good morning, Tool of the Titans." "...I'm not happy, Wanda." (Wanda starts to "persuade" Stanley, the dwagons start to move) Page 49--"Trouble, boss." (Ansom gets attacked by dwagons) Page 50--"Hee hee!" (Jillian asserts leadership, leaves, Dwagons attack column) Page 51--"Archons, you said Prince Ansom wants this group to stay together. Correct?" (Jillian is accused of being a traitor)
Klogs Klog 1--My name is Parson A. Gotti. I was born.... Klog 2--If I live through the next few days, I am going to have a lot to say about the cutesy-boop names and appearances of everything in this world....[has charts about magic] Klog 3--Strategery! Some options... Klog 4--My Stupid Meal came with a toy. It's a pair of 3-D goggles. When I wear them, I can see what apparently what every other warlord and caster can see naturally...unit stats.... Klog 5--Too much to absorb. Overwhelming. Klog 6--Our force [contains Parson’s plan]
Please point out typos or mistakes if you notice them; I'd rather do the extra work and have it perfect than have done all this work and still have it not perfect....
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"Take my love, take my land, take me where I cannot stand, I don't care, I'm still free, you can't take the sky from me. Take me out to the black, tell 'em I ain't comin' back, burn the land and boil the sea, you can't take the sky from me. There's no place I can be since I found Serenity, but you can't take the sky from me."
May the Force be with you.
Why are you standing in the courtyard holding a parasol painted like a bullseye?
Highlight: I prepared Explosive Runes this morning.
Last edited by Maerad of Pellinor : 06-05-2007 at 12:17 PM.
Updated my list above. I think it's better by being more cryptic: the other versions are spoilerish, and give too much of the plot away. Besides, "Brevity is the soul of wit."
But, the thing is, people who use this thread will already have read the comic, won't they? For me personally, the long versions work better.
Maybe you should label your lists according to addressee?
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Admirer of Wanda Firebaugh
Avatar art by Rob Balder and Jamie Noguchi, avatared by SteveMB
But, the thing is, people who use this thread will already have read the comic, won't they? For me personally, the long versions work better.
Maybe you should label your lists according to addressee?
The goal is, we want the descriptive TOC to eventually go on this page. To help everyone navigate.
If Elvis is Latin, the plural would be "Elves", not "Elvii", since "Elvis" as a Latin word could only be an i-stem third declension noun. However, Elvis isn't Latin, of course. It's Irish.
In the discriptions of 60, 78, and 81, "Thinkamancers" was used where "Eyemancers" should have been. Thinkamancers are a type of Eyemancer. And only one of them is actualy a Thinkamancer; the others are a Lookamancer (Misty) and a Foolamancer, all are Eyemancers however.
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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.
Fine list, but I object to the (his son?) part in post 1, item 81. That is wild speculation; regardless of whether it pans out or not (I sort of doubt it will), it has no place in the TOC.
Fine list, but I object to the (his son?) part in post 1, item 81. That is wild speculation; regardless of whether it pans out or not (I sort of doubt it will), it has no place in the TOC.
Agreed, since a literal interpretation of "son" is specifically contraindicated, and the figurative interpretation (informally addressing an inferior) is supported by precedent.
Hmm... When I read 0081, the line stuck out in my mind, and I thought it worthy of documentation; I had forgotten about the comment in 0023. In light of that... yeah, I agree that there's no further meaning there.
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I would divide it up into sections / chapters based on key events in big bold text, e.g. "CHARACTER X DIES", "BATTLE XYZ BEGINS", "BATTLE XYZ ENDS", or "WE LEARN PARSON IS A ROBOT". This would make it easier to find a specific strip we're looking for.
Naturally, this would be spoily, but that's inherent in making it easier to find old strips... just put the whole TOC in spoiler tags.
Last edited by Aquillion : 10-29-2007 at 03:55 AM.
...This would make it easier to find a specific strip we're looking for.
The reason strips are hard-to-find is that the TOC is too long-winded--it reads like "War and Peace". Complicating it further won't improve things, no matter how brazenly spoilerish you make the headings. Try this version instead.
Yes, but right now all the text is of equal weight, which means that you have to browse all of it to find what you want. If there were, say, 24 big bold section headings dividing it up, you could browse over those in a second, compare them to the general plot outline in your head, and find what you want a second later.
If I want to find a specific part of War and Peace, it isn't so difficult, because the book is divided into chapters that carefully describe what they contain. That should be the way this is divided up, too.
Well, it's my feeling that the entirety of "The Battle for Gobwin Knob" constitutes "Chapter 1".
Well, maybe "Volume 1". But in general, I'd suggest picking a comic, seeing if it's before or after what you were looking for, and adjusting from there - as I do with OOTS. My table of contents I designed more to be word-searchable, like "Which one was it with the Shakespeare quote?" or "List all comics with <character> in it." I also admit to enjoying sneaking my own humorous takes on the events into the ToC, and that I've been having trouble lately fitting everything I find relevant into one line of text.
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Last edited by KeiranHalcyon : 11-05-2007 at 09:35 PM.
I'm not a big fan of sectioning the TOC yet--not while it's under 200 lines or so. But if you insist, I could break it up into game days, with a horizontal divider between days. Each day begins at daybreak and comprises Stanley's turn, Ansom's turn, and night. Someone did have a timetable like that in a thread somewhere.
I'm not a big fan of sectioning the TOC yet--not while it's under 200 lines or so. But if you insist, I could break it up into game days, with a horizontal divider between days. Each day begins at daybreak and comprises Stanley's turn, Ansom's turn, and night. Someone did have a timetable like that in a thread somewhere.
OK, now that we broke 100, I'm ready to partition the table. The only problem is, I can't locate the post with the timetable. Can somebody either link to it, or just tell me where the turn breaks are, stripwise? Thanks.
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Erfworld Descriptive Table of Contents (Contains Spoilers)
