WARBOT in Accounting: Brian's next internet project

[Regulus Tera]

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa150/atomicrobo/WarbotPromo-1.jpg

I'm surprised you're doing another webcomic, Brian. I thought you had enough with 8-bit. That said, who's doing the artwork? I actually kind of like it even if it's not sprite-based.

[Kurosen]

I've always said that I'd probably do another webcomic after 8-bit and that there was no way it would be sprite based, so this should not come as much of a surprise.

The art is by Zack Finfrock of Pixelated Pupils.

[Mirai Gen]

Pix Pup! Wow. I can't believe I didn't see it. Though it is a bit of a deviation from Zack's original style.
I've always said that I'd probably do another webcomic after 8-bit and that there was no way it would be sprite based, so this should not come as much of a surprise.
You did mention that a while ago when asking about how to manage two comics at once in the newspost.

I love the concept alone. Great blend of Deathbot 9000 plus The Office. I can't wait to see the results.

Though I have to ask - is it going to be plot-driven or one-shot? And if it's plot driven, is it going to have a beginning and end like 8bit, or just do it's own thing until whenever?

[Torque]

I have to say, I'm kinda sad in a way..
I freaking LOVE 8-bit theater for the humour AND the sprite-based design. I always hoped that you'd drop the whole brand-new-art thing, and I dunno do like a 16-bit theater or something.
Or even begin your own unique story with characters that you've basically developed independent of squaresofts original avatars. ("Cuz let's face it, your party of four in Final Fantasy 1 weren't really, quote unquote Characters, as such).
I dunno.. maybe that's just me...
I will admit that the Warbot thing has potential, but I just hope it doesn't turn into Robots do PvPOnline...

[Hex]

Is it going to be entirely in black and white, cause that would be a really interesting art style.

Haha, I love the motivational poster back there. Just an opinion, but I think It would be great if you changed the motovational poster everyday. Going from a serious one to one of the occasional joke ones you can find on the wide-web.

And I think It would work as a one shot similer to the Office.

Keep up the attention to the extra little details in the frame! Good luck!

[Ryanderman]

Is it just me, or is Warbot's tie attached to its anthropomorphosized jaw?

Amusing concept though. I'll check it out when you start it.

[Meister]

I like it already.

[Kurosen]

Mirai: It'll be character driven. Plots? Not exactly. Think of Law & Order if that helps. The characters clearly have story arcs that happen, but they're mostly off screen and only hinted at. We'll mostly get that here. It kind of lets us do both one-shots and stories without trampling on either. In theory anyway. Not sure about a planned ending. The plan right now is that Zack and I laugh a lot when we think of comic ideas for this thing. Maybe it'll go on for years, maybe it'll flop in a month.

Torque: most of what you want is impossible. The online comic market is changing, or at least mine appears to be, and it's simply impossible for me to keep doing comics professionally if I stick to sprites. It cripples the revenue. I'm not talking about getting rich, I'm talking about getting back up to minimum wage. I can pretty much guarantee WIA won't be PvP + A Robot.

[Lord of Joshelplex]

Think of Law & Order if that helps

Anything that is even remotely similar to the style of L&O is pretty much a win for me.

Also that fact thet you proved yourself to be among the best writers on the internet sure helps. I do have a question though, is this gonne be like, Warbot trying to adapt to the accounting lifestyle?

[Kurosen]

Kind of yes, kind of no. It's hard to explain, really.

[Seil]

"WARBOT, I need those TPS reports in by Monday - and make sure they have the proper cover sheet."

"I can't do that, Dave."

[Regulus Tera]

Are you going to host it here or should I join warbotinaccounting.com forums?

[Kurosen]

I imagine it'll be at nuklearpower.com

[42PETUNIAS]

So this is just going to come in after 8bit ends, or will there be some overlap?

[shiney]

Totally do a WARMECH tie-in.

[Kurosen]

There will only be overlap if I can get a new site design and back end that supports simultaneous comics archives.

[shiney]

You'd just need to utilize a separate SQL table really, but I guess the difficulty would be with front page news if you were to use your current updater.

In other words, this post, along with 7,948 other posts I have made on these forums, is worthless.

[Kurosen]

Naw, it'd be an all new system from back to front. The problem is getting it done in a timely fashion by a skilled person who is trusted and doesn't mind doing all this for free.

[NMR]

I'm intrested in this, to say the least. The humoruos one shot comics usually are the best, 8-bit exceptions mind you. I like the idea and the art.

Good luck on finding somebody who would do that. I would, but I know very little about Web-Design, mostly basics.

[Meister]

I signed up for a Programming With PHP class today is that what you're looking for

[Bells]

i must say that if, somehow, there were Atomic Robo Cameos or Easter eggs it would be totally awesome and appropriated.

Hell, im just glad we're getting more of your write style with a fresh setting...

One thig that confuses me though is Warbot's look in this seeting. I got a "Dilbert" vibe of it and i dont know if this is good or bad

[Torque]

I fully agree that Brians writing is teh 1337. And if it's not PvP + a robot, that's awesome.
But, and this is probably a dumb question, what IS warbot? is this something we've seen already somewhere? Like "hey, you all know me, and now I'm in accounting!" OR is this just new, and kind of thrown out there?

[42PETUNIAS]

It's a robot made for fighting things put in an office setting. I'm pretty sure the premise is fairly clear.

[Torque]

Ok, what I meant by that question was whether this was a character that had been established somewhere else... something a little more subtle than just the obvious.
Yes, I think that with Brians writing the giant death-machine in an office setting will be hilarious, but I was simply curious if there was MORE humor to be found in some sort of meaning I'd missed

[PraetorZorak]

It might be something like this. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzToNo7A-94)

[Lord of Joshelplex]

I like how he cant even fit in his cubicle. Also, the clip-on tie.

[Torque]

I like how he cant even fit in his cubicle. Also, the clip-on tie.

Ya, the tape holding it all together was a nice touch

edit: ok, they're straps, not tape.

[Elminster_Amaur]

I can see the fan emails already:

"Dear Warbot,
How can you type with a giant gatling gun for an arm?
Crapfully yours,
Ed E., Risembool"

[Mondt]

If you believe in yourself, you can do anything you want to. You are cool! Yay!

I like this already.

[Fifthfiend]

Unexpected consequences of having to unexpectedly use your personal laptop for an office presentation: having to spend 10 minutes before you do it explaining who "WARBOT - in Accounting" is, and what he's doing on your desktop.

The fact that he's a comic character for a comic that doesn't actually exist certainly didn't help matters any.

[shiney]

Any potential loss of income can be blamed on, and subsequently collected from, Mr. Clevinger over there.

[Fifthfiend]

My attorney is drafting the tort filing as we speak!

[Melfice]

Unexpected consequences of having to unexpectedly use your personal laptop for an office presentation: having to spend 10 minutes before you do it explaining who "WARBOT - in Accounting" is, and what he's doing on your desktop.

The fact that he's a comic character for a comic that doesn't actually exist certainly didn't help matters any.

I hardly see how this is, in any way, a bad thing.
1) You got ten minutes of doing nothing. Sure, before the board, but still. You could have been productive!

2) It may mean the people who saw this get into the comics as well, meaning they might cut you some slack in the future, if they're in any position of power.

3) Still claim any damages with Mr. Clevinger. We all know what a horrible man he is. IF he's a man. Or human at all!

[Seil]

My attorney is drafting the tort filing as we speak!

http://www.ecclescakes.com/images/ChocGanacheTort.jpg

Mmmmm.... Tort.

[Kurosen]

This begs the question: what the hell do you do all day, Fifth? I assumed it involved some kind of cave (with excellent wi-fi) from which you delivered harsh internet justice and wisdoms. Now there's an office somewhere in the mix? This does not jive.

[Krylo]

He calls the cave his office. The 'board' is actually just the goblins and orcs that have lived there for centuries plotting the demise of mankind.

[Torque]

Unexpected consequences of having to unexpectedly use your personal laptop for an office presentation: having to spend 10 minutes before you do it explaining who "WARBOT - in Accounting" is, and what he's doing on your desktop.

The fact that he's a comic character for a comic that doesn't actually exist certainly didn't help matters any.

I didn't ask you to explain who "WARBOT - in Accounting" is. I asked if this character had already been previously used in an earlier work of some kind.
Given the very NATURE of 8-bit theater, I don't think that's particularly unreasonable.
Also, I like the talking in circles thing.. keep 'er up.

[Fifthfiend]

This begs the question: what the hell do you do all day, Fifth? I assumed it involved some kind of cave (with excellent wi-fi) from which you delivered harsh internet justice and wisdoms. Now there's an office somewhere in the mix? This does not jive.

Man, I don't understand it any more than you do.

[shiney]

I didn't ask you to explain who "WARBOT - in Accounting" is. I asked if this character had already been previously used in an earlier work of some kind.
Given the very NATURE of 8-bit theater, I don't think that's particularly unreasonable.
Also, I like the talking in circles thing.. keep 'er up.
He wasn't even talking to you, Torque. Dude you have a really shitty attitude and I think you need to ask yourself "is NPF right for me" because right now hell no it isn't. I mean good lord how do you manage to pop up on one of the senior admin's radar three times in one day?

Chill out and frickin calm down.

[Fifthfiend]

I vote we ignore Torque and go back to discussing my mysterious day job and the inexplicable appearance of Brian Clevinger's work in front of a room full of engineers and - it's true! - actual accountants.

I mean it was only the two accountants, but they both lolled pretty hard.

[Bells]

right now i just think that all day long Fifth has to press a certain Code on a certain computer after a certain amount of time has passed... over and over again.

really... it explains a lot.

[Melfice]

I vote we ignore Torque and go back to discussing my mysterious day job and the inexplicable appearance of Brian Clevinger's work in front of a room full of engineers and - it's true! - actual accountants.

I mean it was only the two accountants, but they both lolled pretty hard.

Then all was good and as it should be, non?

[Fifthfiend]

You are clearly a man who has never watched accountants lol. It's the kind of thing you don't forget, no matter how hard you try.

Plus then like I said they wanted to know where it was from and what the hell was I supposed to do there, show them 8-Bit Theater? That's the kind of thing'd follow a man the rest of his working lifetime!

[shiney]

The rest of his incredibly short working lifetime!

[Bells]

You had a unreleased webcomic in your desktop. Whats so bad on saying that you read another one?

oh... wait........ yeah, ok.

But hey! You could tell then that you're actually a moderaton in a webforum ABOUT a webcomic and.....

... yeah, ok.

[Fifthfiend]

But hey! You could tell then that you're actually a moderaton in a webforum ABOUT a webcomic and.....

... yeah, ok.

Correction - about a sprite comic.*

I'd be blacklisted so hard it would leave physical scars.


*Just God help me if anyone noticed the Ragnarok Online server. I'd be lucky if my employment termination notice didn't come by way of them throwing me out of the top-floor window.

[shiney]

One run by shiney no less.

No they would throw you off a rooftop but only to ensure you would land in a vat of bubbling pitch.

[Fifthfiend]

No they would throw you off a rooftop but only to ensure you would land in a vat of bubbling pitch.

That's what they'll add on after they notice your avatar.

"Oh god you can see its nipples! MAKE HIM BURN."

[shiney]

Step 1: locate fifthfiend's place of employment through cunning use of IP trace.

Step 2: ???

Step 3: Profit!!

[Grandmaster_Skweeb]

Accounting warbot? Yeah I'm late on reading this (one of the rare adventurings out of the creativity convention and all that) and it strikes my fancy somethin' fierce.
(I see what you did thar!)

[Bells]

I just noticed that none of us can ever run for office or pretty much any political job because of the risk of one of their rivals to use their posts here in NPF on TV ads to break their moral

[Frostatine]

OK for one, I know for a fact that Fifth has no cave, office, nor even a physical being. Fifth is a computational anomaly created by a combination of spam, Tom from myspace (the first AI) , and the sheer amount of soul that the member of the NFP channel through their computers. My working theory is that somehow every computer in existence is connected by a common factor, this being spam. The joined powers of the world's computers formed a collective conscious. Unfortunately the only skills this entity possessed were those involving taking over websites and the ability assault your retinas with massive amounts of lies. Of course, this is all you really need to be a mod, so there really was no problem there. One day, it found nuklearpower, inserted itself into our culture and has risen through the ranks. All of this made possible by his constant feeding on our emotions and trivial anecdotes. As far as Tom (or the Tangential Omega Motherboard) is concerned he simply provided Fifth a kick-start into existence due to a leak of a portion of his AI programming. Well, this and the fact that Myspace is responsible for 80% of the world's spam.


And for two, his boss should totally be a Dreadnought

[Mad Jack the Pirate]

no, no, no. Fithfiend is the bastard digital flipper-baby that resulted when Hal, SHODAN, and GLaDOS had one horrific compu-bender one night.

[shiney]

Fucking
Idiot,
Frequently
Tries
Helping
Forsaken
Imbeciles
Enter
Nuklearpower's
Domain

Jerk.

[Bells]

Shiney is Offtopic! OMGWTFBBQSAUCE!

But hey, any thread is "Hate Fifth" thread, AMIRITE?

So... warbot...

ok, yeah, i cant do it... now i just want a character in Warbot that based on Fifth and Shiney... as some sort of couple...

LOVELY!

[Fifthfiend]

OK for one, I know for a fact that Fifth has no cave, office, nor even a physical being. Fifth is a computational anomaly created by a combination of spam, Tom from myspace (the first AI) , and the sheer amount of soul that the member of the NFP channel through their computers. My working theory is that somehow every computer in existence is connected by a common factor, this being spam. The joined powers of the world's computers formed a collective conscious. Unfortunately the only skills this entity possessed were those involving taking over websites and the ability assault your retinas with massive amounts of lies. Of course, this is all you really need to be a mod, so there really was no problem there. One day, it found nuklearpower, inserted itself into our culture and has risen through the ranks. All of this made possible by his constant feeding on our emotions and trivial anecdotes. As far as Tom (or the Tangential Omega Motherboard) is concerned he simply provided Fifth a kick-start into existence due to a leak of a portion of his AI programming. Well, this and the fact that Myspace is responsible for 80% of the world's spam.


And for two, his boss should totally be a Dreadnought

Oh shit they're on to me HEY GUYS I AM MODERATORILY PRONOUNCING THAT THIS THREAD IS OFF TOPIC AND WE SHOULD RETURN TO DISCUSSING BRIAN CLEVINGER'S NEW WEBCOMIC THAT WILL BE TOTALLY AWESOME MAYBE.

[Mirai Gen]

Wasn't in Mod Color - Doesn't count!

Okay, but seriously - Are there any other characters you have planned for the cast that are noteworthy?

[The SSB Intern]

I am so looking forward to this. I haven't got to see any other work by Brian as Nuklear Age costs more than I'd like to pay for a book and I never saw the Atomic Robo #1 that I tried to preorder from a goddamn hippie and his cats.

[Kurosen]

Git yer Atomic Robo comics here (http://heavyink.com/title/514-Atomic-Robo).

[PraetorZorak]

I hate to drive the thread off topic once again, but this thread has been a source of bittersweet amusement for all us disgruntled cubicle dwellers out here.

[Fifthfiend]

Okay, but seriously - Are there any other characters you have planned for the cast that are noteworthy?

I'm kind of hoping napping-dude in the preview is a character, cause I dig that dude's style.

The guy on the right has this sort of interesting bleak expression that I also kind of dig, like he's just one more miscalculated invoice away from hanging himself with a noose made out of paperclips.

I am so looking forward to this. I haven't got to see any other work by Brian as Nuklear Age costs more than I'd like to pay for a book and I never saw the Atomic Robo #1 that I tried to preorder from a goddamn hippie and his cats.

I think we go to the same comic book store.

[Krylo]

The dude right behind the sleeping dude, too. He's either the douchebag boss, or the douchebag office guy who's always hitting on the female employees and acting 'slick'.

[Gorefiend]

The dude right behind the sleeping dude, too. He's either the douchebag boss, or the douchebag office guy who's always hitting on the female employees and acting 'slick'.
Somehow, he looks like both a boss and a straight-man to me, not a douche. But then, given the comedy media on offices I've seen so far, I'm probably wrong.

[Kurosen]

We've got a handful of human characters planned so far. About half a dozen or so.

I really don't know if WIA will qualify as an office comedy. At least not the kind that you're used to. This isn't The Office or Dilbert or even Fred Savage's Working (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Working_%28TV_series%29). There's no wacky personalities or hijinx. Things just kind of are.

[Bells]

So, it's like a webcomic version of Seinfield! Nice!

..ok, i know... i'm gonna go die over there in the corner now......

But still, the idea seems nice, because it's fresh. It's not another "games" webcomic or another animu quasi-hentai webcomic or another emo webcomic... that in and on itself is already some kind of victory

[secretskull]

Wait a moment. Not sucking is a victory in these days?

I'm looking forward to this, but I don't suppose we can expect a preview episode any time soon?

[Seil]

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! I could take each and every individual post in this thread, and link it to something fun. Or display a pic. But there's just so many! ( ;_____; )

[shiney]

And then the admins would eat you.

[Meister]

SEIL YOU READ WEBCOMICS TOO MUCH GO OUTSIDE

[Mirai Gen]

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! I could take each and every individual post in this thread, and link it to something fun. Or display a pic. But there's just so many! ( ;_____; )
I think we have finally - finally - reached a point where Seil doesn't want to link webcomics. And I thought this day would never come.

[Demetrius]

I say you model the dude with the coffee after Fifth.

Make him a tired angry middle management guy who is a secret geek and loves Warbot's mechanical wonder, but in secret. Something like when a retired athlete moves to an office job and all the managers want to hear their war stories.

[Mirai Gen]

And he talks about Heroes at the water cooler.

But no seriously I'm enjoying where this looks like it's going, and looking forward to the results. It'd be nice since Pixelated Pupils kind of lost my interest, but I love Zack's art.

[Frostatine]

Are you saying that you plan on making a sit-com that is oblivious to the fact that it's a sit-com? Not that its unprecedented, but I like the idea.

Also, how much of the comic is going to take place within the office? I think it would be really cool to see how a warmech gets through day to day life.

[Kurosen]

I think it would be really cool to see how a warmech gets through day to day life.
That's pretty much the comic. The office is just one part of his life as it would be for anyone.

[Mike McC]

Fifth, doing a presentation... for engineers. Why am I suddenly envisioning Chernobyl right now? Is that normal? Unless they're computer engineers or something, then it would be y2k if it really happened the way the hysteria said it would.

Anyway, I am looking forward to this new internet money-making scheme, and I hope that bastard Clevinger doesn't fuck it up, leaving me nothing to read all day in lecture except for the Perry Bible Fellowship archives. Though, if he does screw it up, maybe I can sue him. Say his comic spilled the scalding hot coffee of suck into the lap of my mind.

But really, it's good to see that there will be more of Brian's excellent writing on the net after 8-Bit is finished up and buried in a hole on archive.org. Also, I do hope that if a strip is good/funny enough, that there will be an option to buy a print of said strip, as was previously impossible to do with 8-Bit.

[Meister]

For some reason the thing I'm associating this most with is The Incredibles. Should I see a doctor?

[Zack Finfrock]

Hey guys, Zack here. Just letting you guys know I'll be posting art here. Character designs and extra stuff. Think of it as a sneek peek of sorts.:whee:

The first one is a full Warbot, minus the greytones.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v602/splashed_ink/Warbot1-1.jpg

If the dummy standing next to him in this shot is 5'11", it gives you a good idea of how tall WB is.

[voodooKobra]

Y'know, I could write up a script for you, Brian. You can consider me your last resort :D.

[Regulus Tera]

I like how if you squint enough you can kind of see a face in the Warbot. Is he she it going to be as expressive as Robo through his eyes or all his mannerisms and emotions are going to be shown solely through his dialogue?

[Kurosen]

Eye and body language.

[voodooKobra]

Eye and body language.
This artist must be really committed to this project, cause damn.

[Bells]

is thata Gatling gun as his left arm? Because that would be really cool

And also mean that hetypes with one 1 hand... which has 3 fingers

which i (personaly) find a lill bit ironic to relate to war bot as a "war veteran trying to adapt to a new world" which is several other kinds of awesome right there

...really it's amazing how much we can milk out of a couple of pictures our fanboyism is already making this new character layered with personality =B

Go home team!

[Demetrius]

Does Warbot take the stairs or the freight elevator?

[Kurosen]

That is up to the reader to decide.

[Fifthfiend]

I'm going to choose to believe that he uses his hydraulic leg thrusters to propel him vertically upward along the outside wall of the building, launches a rocket through the window of whichever floor he's trying to reach, then on his way back down after he completes his vertical ascent, fires a grapnel attached to a heavy gauge steel cable through the previously created hole into a a load-bearing pillar which he swiftly retracts to pull himself inside.

Cause I don't know, that seems like how he would roll.

[Zack Finfrock]

Cause I don't know, that seems like how he would roll.

Or is it how he'd like to roll?

[Derek]

I think my favorite part about his character design are his tiny little feet. His giant torso, arms, gun, and infared eye stand out, but his little legs just help imagine how he'll be waddling around the office all day, very slow, and probably loudly.

[Fifthfiend]

Or is it how he'd like to roll?

It's how I'd like to roll.

:(

[Zack Finfrock]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v602/splashed_ink/Characters1.jpg

Ok, keep in mind these are just concepts, but here we have the people who are in the promo.

Bare with me folks. I know the proportions are all wacky, and chances are these designs might change alittle more before final webcomic time. :sweatdrop

Also, this is only as much as half the total amount of supporting characters. I'm not going to show all of the extras because what fun would the comic be if you guys knew everything before hand? :p

[Melfice]

... tell me Warbot can change into a train.
He's kinda got that train-vibe going. (Astrotrain after getting a downgrade?)

[Kurosen]

No trainsformation, I'm afraid.

[Fifthfiend]

No trainsformation, I'm afraid.

Apologize.http://forum.nuklearpower.com/images/icons/icon8.gif

[Melfice]

No trainsformation, I'm afraid.

Normally I hurt people for puns, but...
I was asking for it, dammit.

[Bells]

the only sad part about it being B/W is that it would be fun to see WARBOT getting his eye "glowing red" like "battle mode on" when someone shortens his deadline for thpse Q2 reports...

Now, ok, really, i do have a curiosity ... is warbot the only character of his type planned?

[Kurosen]

It would be fair to say that there are multiple things like Warbot in this setting.

[shiney]

The picture of those four of the supporting characters makes me feel like I'm about to read Futurama in a sense. 'Cause basically that show is just about a delivery company, only in the future with a robot. Except that I guess it is designed with comedy in mind as opposed to this, which may more be something of a chronicle of Warbot's robo-life.

I'm looking forward to it nonetheless!

[voodooKobra]

The picture of those four of the supporting characters makes me feel like I'm about to read Futurama in a sense. 'Cause basically that show is just about a delivery company, only in the future with a robot. Except that I guess it is designed with comedy in mind as opposed to this, which may more be something of a chronicle of Warbot's robo-life.

I'm looking forward to it nonetheless!
Yes, I got the same feeling.

To me, robot stories are generally a major (what's the word? turn-off? no... you get my point, though). I've yet to read Brian's book or his print comic, but I'll definitely keep an open mind about this in case it turns out to be really good.

[Kurosen]

I love robots, but I hate "robot stories." This is the secret to Atomic Robo's success. It's not a story about a robot. It's a story about a character who can logically experience a great deal of history and crazy science adventures.

Similarly, Warbot in Accounting won't really be about a robot either.

[voodooKobra]

I love robots, but I hate "robot stories." This is the secret to Atomic Robo's success. It's not a story about a robot. It's a story about a character who can logically experience a great deal of history and crazy science adventures.

Similarly, Warbot in Accounting won't really be about a robot either.
As long as it doesn't drone on like the Gundam series, I'll probably enjoy it.

[Zack Finfrock]

As long as it doesn't drone on like the Gundam series, I'll probably enjoy it.

It's safe to say WB will be nothing like Gundam. ;)

[Mirai Gen]

Zack, love your art. Looking forward to WBIA really badly.

[Zack Finfrock]

Zack, love your art. Looking forward to WBIA really badly.

Thanks! I've been looking forward to this for a little over a year now. :sweatdrop

[Zack Finfrock]

Here's the last version of WB before the current one we're using for the comic.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v602/splashed_ink/Warbot1.jpg

[Kurosen]

I didn't realize how much better I like the new, streamlined version until now.

[Zack Finfrock]

Same here. :)

[Fifthfiend]

I don't know whose decision it was to switch to the magnetized clip-on tie but I wholeheartedly approve.

[Zack Finfrock]

The logo with original background and everything.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v602/splashed_ink/LogoDone.jpg

The first "Warbot". We realized that even like this, he'd still be able to do more then we want him too. So, we fattened him up and made him more awkward.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v602/splashed_ink/Copbot.jpg

And my first doodles of some random "office" people.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v602/splashed_ink/Peeps.jpg

[Fifthfiend]

The first "Warbot". We realized that even like this, he'd still be able to do more then we want him too. So, we fattened him up and made him more awkward.

He looks like the cool, athletic popular-kid robot to Warbo's fumbling, clumsy Dorkatron.

[Mirai Gen]

Yeah, the new Warbot looks much more like the classic "Older Obsolete Model", being fatter and shorter-armed. Less streamlined.

I mean it makes more sense just within the context of the comic itself that he'd be a little bulkier, not quite work right, not nearly as iPod shiny as the newer models.

Hell that sounds like a comic in itself.

[Bells]

the old Warbot looks like a Gundam... or a Macross Spaceship... the other one is actually better

[scott wegener]

WBIA is gonna rock.

[Mirai Gen]

Well, duh.

[Fifthfiend]

WBIA is gonna rock.

I was really excited for Warbot, but then I saw this, and we all know Wegener speaks only lies.

[scott wegener]

I was really excited for Warbot, but then I saw this, and we all know Wegener speaks only lies.

That's a lie!


. . .or is it?

[Seil]

No, it was a lie.

[Tyrfing]

I'm sad to think that 8-bit is ending, that's outweighed by my excitement for WARBOT.

It's close though.

How do two people make a webcomic? I can understand two people making a real life comic but if one person does the art and another does the writing doesn't that make it hard to ... match them up? If you get what I'm saying.

II mean it was only the two accountants, but they both lolled pretty hard.

Accountants can laugh!? :gonk:

It's safe to say WB will be nothing like Gundam. ;)

I'd figured as much since, you know, WARBOT is probably (artificially?) intelligent as opposed to ... a tank on legs.

I wonder if he knows Metal Gear... :shifty:

He looks like the cool, athletic popular-kid robot to Warbo's fumbling, clumsy Dorkatron.

He looked like that thing from Robocop.

[Fifthfiend]

That's a lie!

You were supposed to respond by saying "it's true!" thereby throwing the thread into paradoxical impossibility.

Fuckin' artists, I swear.

[scott wegener]

You were supposed to respond by saying "it's true!" thereby throwing the thread into paradoxical impossibility.

Fuckin' artists, I swear.

Ha HA! Either answer creates a paradox.

Fuckin' internet weirdos, I swear.

[Fifthfiend]

Ha HA! Either answer creates a paradox.

I salute your dedication to unexcepted falsehood.

[PurpleMage]

Sad to see 8-bit go, but hell, this looks great my only stiff with it is how long are the comics going to be on average?

[Kurosen]

Long enough.

[Frostatine]

Anyone else get the vibe that Warbot will be able to transform into a garbage truck? He looks like an animated garbage truck to me.

I also have to ask something that has been bugging me for a while: If the entire comic takes place in the office setting, will Warbot ever even leave his cubicle?

[Kurosen]

The comic will not be limited to the office, but the office will play a large part.

[Demonlink2]

Come on how did Fifth not pick up on the fact that the WBIA logo has the words "Tell Brian not to be a douche".

Or at the very least, how did he restrain himself from making a post on it?

But this is looking great, standard "sad to see 8BT go but hot damn" sentiments here.

[Wyndon]

Yanno, webcomics have never ever been my thing. As much as I appreciated 8-bit, I read some of it, but I could just never get into webcomics.

I feel like this one is gonna be pretty sweet, and have full intentions to read it. Love the art, by the way, it's friggen sweet.

[PurpleMage]

Oh and another question: if your no longer doing the "art" as in 8-bit, will you be putting out your paperbacks more often?

[Kurosen]

I have paperbacks?

[Fifthfiend]

I think it's a roundabout way of asking "Will Atomik Age happen ever?"

[scott wegener]

I think it's a roundabout way of asking "Will Atomik Age happen ever?"


The standard answer to that question, which I hear Brian give at every convention we do, is, "Please go to hell. But buy Atomic Robo first."

[PurpleMage]

Ahh, hot damn. Didn't think I'd get attacked over what I thought was a simple question. Sorry about that guys.

[Kurosen]

No, the standard answer to "When will the 8-bit books come out?" is "Go to hell, I don't want to get sued." The answer to "When is Atomik Age coming out?" is "Probably never. Sorry."

[Mirai Gen]

Yeah, something about "Breach of international copyright laws" just doesn't sound that appealing.

[Frostatine]

Well, maybe Square Enix would take interest in...

Sorry couldn't quite get through that sentence.
Maybe Warbot will be your meal ticket.

[Kurosen]

Maybe Warbot will be your meal ticket.
Robo's already doing pretty good, all things considered.

[Frostatine]

Robo's already doing pretty good, all things considered.

I guess we have different ideas of what meal ticket is...

Also, I'm not exactly privvy to your finances, something about Constitutional Rights or something.

It's cool that you're making money with your comics now, and I know how hard it can be to let go of something that really isn't going anywhere.

[Kurosen]

I guess we have different ideas of what meal ticket is...
Uh. Robo's a new title from a new team from a new publisher, it consistently cracked the top 300, it's Free Comic Book Day issue is widely considered the best offering of the event and had huge circulation for a non-Marvel/DC book, and we're nominated for two Eisners. That's kind of unprecedented and way better than 8-bit Theater ever did.

It's cool that you're making money with your comics now
I have been since 2002...? Though, technically, I was paying my rent through 8-bit's income as early as mid-2001.

[PurpleMage]

Wow, I feel ridiculously stupid for not realizing that about 8-bit books.
Anyways with Warbot you can make pretty much any product you want and profit without consequence, right?

[Fifthfiend]

Until Marvel or DC finds a way to steal the copyright out from under him, yeah.

They did it to Fawcett and they can do it to you.

[PurpleMage]

How so fifth?

[Gorefiend]

He's talking about this (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Comics_Publications_v._Fawcett_Publicatio ns).

And, I think both Warbot and Atomik Robo are original enough not to possibly be in real risk, though I suppose there's a risk that they'll decide they can sue and force a settlement on costs alone, given Brian's relative size to Marvel or DC. I will qualify that by saying it's on the far side of paranoid, but it's possible, isn't it?

Oh, and, one question I know we're all dying to hear the answer for; how close to "ready to publish" is Warbot? I realize it's probably not near "ready to be published at short notice" but, it'd be cool to have a rough idea where its at and/or when it'll be ready.

[Kurosen]

Actually, we just had HUGE progress on getting nuklearpower.com ready to support multiple comics (and a new design), so we're getting there. Still not prepared to say when, but it'll probably be this summer.

[Mirai Gen]

So, you might say, "This summer, Nuklear Power changes...forever."

[Meister]

Don't you guys change the colour scheme, no website is as easy on my eyes as this one.

[Kurosen]

Yeah, we're staying with the darks.

[Frostatine]

Will there be warbot characters on the Quick Reply, Quote, and Post Reply, etc. buttons?

That would be sweet.

That's why I don't get involved with websites, it's a lot of work, and in the end people only complain about what you aren't giving them. Digital design on the other hand, well it's just worthless.

[DwyerSP]

No, the standard answer to "When will the 8-bit books come out?" is "Go to hell, I don't want to get sued." The answer to "When is Atomik Age coming out?" is "Probably never. Sorry."

Aw, Brian. Reading that part about Atomik Age actually made my stomach sink. In the same way it would had I just read that my ex-girlfriend just changed her Facebook status to "Having Sex With Loads Of Dudes, and Sean was inadequate."

Would it change anything if I told you I was thinking of dying of cancer...?

Just putting that out there. Take it or leave it.

-Sean Dwyer

[Fifthfiend]

Don't you guys change the colour scheme, no website is as easy on my eyes as this one.

I vote you change it for a day, just to spite him.

[Krylo]

To day glow yellow.

[Fifthfiend]

With pink text.

[Frostatine]

And flashing turquoise and magenta buttons.

[The Wandering God]

I didn't see this answered when I read the thread, soooo...

About how often, approximately, do you expect to possibly update this maybe?
I'm guessing it's still to early to tell, but hey, ya never know.
The Wandering God

[Kurosen]

No set schedule. At least once a week.

[Mashirosen]

And flashing turquoise and magenta buttons.
Did y'all know you're at the forefront of cutting-edge web design? (http://www.miauk.com/)

[shiney]

Well time to kill Mashirosen, it's official.

[PraetorZorak]

Gosh, and this thread was doing so well, too...

[Fifthfiend]

Did y'all know you're at the forefront of cutting-edge web design? (http://www.miauk.com/)

Look it's not my business what "escort service" you're using when Brian isn't up to the job but you should really know better than to be advertising them here.

[Justice Team]

MY EYES!! OH GOD IT BURNS!!!! X_X

Anyway, Warbot in accounting, sounds like when he goes postal, he REALLY goes postal. Looking forward to the comic.

Oh also, the posters should be demotivators, not actual motivational crap, or it wouldn't be that funny a wall gag.

You have my full support on this comic and I will follow it, so long as it doesen't start to suck monkey balls.

PS: I still don't get it.. Sprite comics aren't making you money right? Well I don't see why you couldn't just keep releasing sprite comics alongside your WBIA comic.. But that's just me.

How many comics does the FF sprite comic have to go before it dies? or just an estimate would do nicely if you don't have the actual numbers.

[SolidSamurai]

It'd be interesting if it were actually warmech pursuing a more normal life for itself. If this series were somewhat of a very semi-spin off, it'd revive some familiarity.

[Unprodigy]

PS: I still don't get it.. Sprite comics aren't making you money right? Well I don't see why you couldn't just keep releasing sprite comics alongside your WBIA comic.. But that's just me.

I'm guessing that maaaybe he's done with sprites? I've got a feeling he kinda has accomplished as much as he can in that field (or will have once 8BT wraps) and will henceforth be glad to never do one ever, ever again.

[Kim]

Pretty much. He did something with that medium. He enjoyed it. He'd like to try something else. BC doesn't want to be a one trick pony. We already know he isn't (Nuklear Age, Atomic Robo), but still.

[42PETUNIAS]

I don't know if its trying to do something different, as much as moving out of the limitations imposed by doing sprite comics. I think the general consensus is 8bit is the best sprite comic out there, but the limitations with merchandising and such are too much for him to keep doing forever.

[Meister]

I think the general consensus is 8bit is the best sprite comic out there
:(

[Kim]

Don't worry Meister. I like your sprite comic.

[Zack Finfrock]

I'm being told by Brian to start getting Warbot done.

And then he calls me ugly.

:(

[Mirai Gen]

Brian hates you because he loves you.

[Kurosen]

Think of it like this. It's not me calling you ugly. It's me telling you how you look.

[Bells]

Honesty : The best Moral Boost

[Marelo]

Honesty schmonesty...

Also, are we to take this as an indication that Warbot's progress is being accelerated?

[Bells]

even more than just that... it's one more sign that the end of 8bit is near

[Kurosen]

8-bit's end has been near. What it's really a sign of is that the new site design with multiple simultaneous comics archives is near.

[Bells]

what else is near BriBri ? =3

Just kidding! No, seriously... just out of curiosity, do you guys plan on doing sneak peeks of Warbot? Or is it something that's going to show only when it's done and ready to be a regular part of the site?

[Marelo]

Yay! I had hoped that the new site would be in the next few months.

[Kepor]

So it sounds like the new site's almost ready, but Warbot is gonna depend on Brian's schedule and when Zack stops being so ugly lazy STOPS DOOMING ALTERNATE WORLDS TO DESTRUCTION. (http://www.zack-finfrock.com/2008/04/08/13) (?)

[Zack Finfrock]

Hahah. I'm suprised anyone else saw this (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v602/splashed_ink/FotW001.jpg) that isn't my roommates or parents.

[Zack Finfrock]

So here's what might be the final, simpler, Warbot.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v602/splashed_ink/Warbotcolors.jpg

What do you guys think?

[Kurosen]

I love his stumpy little legs.

[Mirai Gen]

I like it! The crummy boxy parts are especially nice for solidifying that whole "I used to be awesome until I become obsolete."

[01d55]

8-bit's end has been near.

This "near" reminds me of that "soon™" people who hang around Blizzard's forums keep hearing about.

[Fifthfiend]

So here's what might be the final, simpler, Warbot.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v602/splashed_ink/Warbotcolors.jpg

What do you guys think?

I like the cutting out of extraneous details although I do think more could be done to emphasize what I assume will be his hapless bumbling unwieldyness. I liked how the earlier version had him bulging out in the front and then slanted towards the back a bit, it gave him this feeling of being perpetually slightly off-balance.

...re: extraneous details I particularly like the paring down of front lights as he now has more of a 'face', when I was looking at the previous version I'd look at him and think okay those are the eyes, no wait those are the eyes, no wait those are the eyes... it's nice to have more of a pared-down focal point.

[Kim]

I find it amusing that he has a chaingun for an arm, and I can't wait to see its practical applications in the office.

[Bells]

It's really quite different! But lookign at it, i really like it!

I liked the sense of mobility it gives on his arms, but not on his legs. The whole "Bulging" Server/Soda Machine look. and even the little "Handles" on top fro airlifting! The whole design makes him look like he could "revert" into a box and just be carried over by Helicopter and dropped on the Battlefield/Board room!

[Zack Finfrock]

...The whole design makes him look like he could "revert" into a box and just be carried over by Helicopter and dropped on the Battlefield/Board room!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v602/splashed_ink/WarbotcolorsBox.jpg

[Marelo]

WHOAMG BELLS WAS RIGHT.

Seriously though, I'm getting really excited for Warbot.

[Mirai Gen]

I dunno I kind of miss the stripes-and-smiley-face on Warbot's clip-on tie.

[Kim]

I doubt he's going to wear the same tie every day. Or maybe he will. Damned if I know.

[Zack Finfrock]

Warbot has one tie for each day of the week.

[Viridis]

I bet Friday's is "zany".



And depicts the robot uprising.

[Mirai Gen]

Warbot has one tie for each day of the week.

You know I kind of had this in mind but you mentioned this as the 'new concept' so I wasn't sure.

Objection withdrawn!

[Zack Finfrock]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v602/splashed_ink/WarbotPreview01.jpg

Is that Warbot and his manager? Who knows?

[Lost in Time]

I can't remember if this was answered or not, but: this will be done in monochrome colors, right?

[Kim]

I see his gun-arm changed sides. Is it a thing were the big picture wasn't official and his left arm is his gun arm, or can he change what side his gun-arm is on depending on the situation?

[Kurosen]

I can't remember if this was answered or not, but: this will be done in monochrome colors, right?
Yup.

[Fifthfiend]

I see his gun-arm changed sides. Is it a thing were the big picture wasn't official and his left arm is his gun arm, or can he change what side his gun-arm is on depending on the situation?

This should be the "Is Hobbes really real" of this comic.

[Kim]

This should be the "Is Hobbes really real" of this comic.

I always thought it was a given that Hobbes wasn't alive, but the mutant snowmen were.

[Marc v4.0]

Hobbes was totally alive, it's just that adults can't see it because they have no more child left in them to believe with.

[Zack Finfrock]

So, Warbot on Monday. Hope you all don't hate it too much.

[Kurosen]

Probably Wednesday, actually. Gonna take time to configure some crap before it can live.

[Meister]

First impressions: could use a tighter schedule

[Mirai Gen]

Insert obvious Dr. Frankenstein first comic here.

[Zack Finfrock]

So, Wednesday? Fair enough.

[Kepor]

WHAT?

Come on, Zack! Don't let Brian push you around! Stand up for your rights! Fight the power!

[Pip Boy]

So, Wednesday? Fair enough.

WHAT?

Come on, Zack! Don't let Brian push you around! Stand up for your rights! Fight the power!

Yes, the moment you start conforming to the silly idea that just because the website isn't configured for a comic means that you can't post one, you turn into a fat guy that hates himself and has a bunch of cats. If you're a real man, you'll have that comic done by tomorrow, and if the site isn't ready yet, post it in this thread just to show him.

[Marelo]

I am a fan of Megaman's idea. Fight the powah!

[Zack Finfrock]

I can tell you guys right now, the comic's been done for a few days now. When I posted the preview of Warbot with his manager, I finished it the day after that.

I could link the comic to you, but I like to see some people suffer a littl-OH GOD, BRIAN'S HATE YOU PEOPLE IS RUBBING OFF

[Kepor]

FIGHT IT ZACK! THAT'S HOW HE GETS TO YOU! DON'T LET HIM WIN!

[Bells]

actually from the pictures of Brian that we have floating around the intewebs... if he pushed Zack around, he would hurt himself... so my guess is Jedi Mind control!

So...C'mon Zack!! Focus you inner thoughs! Iron will man! Iron Will!!

[Zack Finfrock]

Trying...

Can't... fight...

Brian's... powers... too... strong...

YOU'RE ALL STUPID.

[Kepor]

DAMN YOU CLEVINGER! YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS! YOU'LL PAY!!!

[Kurosen]

No, I dont' think I'll be doing that.

[Marelo]

You'll rue?

[Kepor]

No, I dont' think I'll be doing that.

Yeah, probably not.

Looking forward to Wednesday!

EDIT: Also looking forward to the comics that will be drawn in ink made from Zack's tears!

[Zack Finfrock]

So, whatcha guys thinkin'?

[phil_]

I'm thinking that I should go to bed, but, concerning Warbot, I'm thinking that the fifth and last panels made me audibly laugh, so you must be doing something right.

[Fifthfiend]

oh god you fucks

The yellow

[Fifthfiend]

But holy shit Warbot

I can't stop laughing

[Zack Finfrock]

But holy shit Warbot

I can't stop laughing

:whee:

[Mirai Gen]

I think that office-humor is some kind of Funny Syringe directly into Fifth's eyeballs.

On Warbot; As mentioned in Other Thread, I loled but I do have to wonder if this means Warbot doesn't get his own speaking parts. I think I'm okay with that.

[MFD]

No, I dont' think I'll be doing that.

... We'll pay?

[Endarire]

Is this the end of Warbot in Accounting?