Homesuck: Vriska Rising

[Kim]

MSPA is awesome enough it gets its own thread.

After reading the latest stuff, I really wish he'd been able to stick with flash. There's a lot of potential for awesome stuff now that the Sburb Beta is going.

[Mike McC]

Well, he's still using flash whenever it's beneficial to do so. However, we'd get only about a page a day if he did it entirely in flash.

Flash is annoying and cumbersome.

[Kim]

I know, I just wish I could use my mouse to fuck around with the room.

[Kepor]

Any thoughts on what Sburb is? My guess is that it's going to function kind of like the windows in Problem Sleuth -- sort of a different world that influences the real world.
http://i.imgur.com/Rd3E0Ew.png

[Loyal]

It looks like influencing the real world is exactly what it does. Also, TT is awesome.

[Kepor]

Oh wow I just got it. The proper grammar and punctuation. The love of elegance and formal speech. The gender ambiguity.

TT is Synk.

[Loyal]

TT was identified as a female awhile ago.

[Kim]

TT was identified as a female awhile ago.

Interestingly enough, so was Synk. Coincidence? I think not!

[Kepor]

Lies!

Also, looks like John is gonna see the gate.

[Kim]

He's gonna use the Alchemiter to bring his mom back from the dead?

[Kepor]

That too! I hope he wasn't planing on using his legs after this.

[Fifthfiend]

Interestingly enough, so was Synk. Coincidence? I think not!

Synk is identified as whatever anyone feels like identifying Synk as.

What Synk identifies Synk's self as is 100% pure conjecture on the part of anyone who isn't Synk. And Synk ain't tellin!

[h4x.m4g3]

I'm loving the computer science humor surrounding the inventory system. I wonder what other data storage modes he'll get by the end. T.T. already has trees so is it possible for him to get heap, binaray trees, AVL trees even!? Will he ever get a sorting command, do the items even have values to sort by?

[Kim]

TT is the best character. I love the "Oh fuck" since it is so different from how she usually talks. I'm curious if we'll ever see those characters.

[Kepor]

So I guess he's got a weapon upgrade now? After he's only been in one battle?

[Loyal]

Well, when all you've got is a hammer...

...it had better be a damn good one.

[Marelo]

TT is the best character. I love the "Oh fuck" since it is so different from how she usually talks. I'm curious if we'll ever see those characters.

Yes, we will see them. The four chums are the members of the party, and they all have been drawn by Andrew already.

[Kepor]

EB: you can see me, right.
EB: tell me what is wrong with this picture.


Is funny.

Is also funny that John can't use the sledgehammer.

[Kim]

I have one thing to say about the latest update. Actually, two.

First: The music is awesome.

Second: Hey! Listen!

[Loyal]

We've heard it before, (http://mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=001988) actually.

It would appear the father may yet be more important than we thought.

[Mike McC]

You know, it's not strictly related to the comic, but...

I've noticed for a while now that most, if not all, of the small Project Wonderful ads (the block of six below the newspost) have actually been bought by people on the forum for some of MSPA's forum adventures. This just really strikes me as a very cool way for the community to be supporting the site. I mean, he's making $15 per day from them combined (right now).

[Marelo]

One of the mods on those fora (Phantos; an all around cool guy) pays for a lot of that advertising. Or he says he does. I have no problem believing it, though, 'cause, as I say, he's a pretty cool dude.

[Mike McC]

It seems like Slipshine and an ad for the IRC room for MSPA are in a bit of a bidding war for a tower slot right now. Frankly, I hope that Slipshine gets booted out, thier ads annoy me and I never really got the point of prony comics, unless they are also free and hilarious (yay Oglaf).

Getting back to the comic, I knew something bad was gonna happen when the countdown clock appeared, but I thought it was gonna be a generic boom. Not an asteroid, which is much more awesome. Also, I think we now know the explosion that gardenGnostic heard outside (http://www.mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=002069) was.

On the MSPA forums I just sugested that they should prototype the Kernelsprite with the Harry Anderson's Wise Guy book.

[Loyal]

I never understood Slipshine to be honest. Though it is rather excellent to see the community supporting MSPA like they do.

Also, I think we now know the explosion that gardenGnostic heard outside was.Another SBURB player getting beaned with an asteroid? I have to wonder just how many people are playing at a time...

[Mike McC]

I never understood Slipshine to be honest.Well, it makes more sense when you know Josh Lesnick founded it. This isn't saying anything bad against him, mind you, he does what he does very well, and is entertaining while doing it, he just trends torwards the risqué.

[BitVyper]

I never really got the point of prony comics

Really? I mean, you really can't grasp the point. Of porn. On the internet.

I mean, *I'd* never pay for it, but hey, whatever.

[Mike McC]

Really? I mean, you really can't grasp the point. Of porn. On the internet.See, I don't get the point in the opposite sense that you are implying. Why go for doodles when the real thing is in such abundance?

[Kim]

Some people prefer hentai over regular porn. Some people prefer hentai with plot, even terrible plot, over regular hentai.

Even so, I'm with Bits on the whole wouldn't pay for it thing. Paying for porn is silly.

[Fifthfiend]

The latest pesterlog with TG reads like my end of pretty much any AIM chat ever.

[Mike McC]

Some people prefer hentai over regular porn. Some people prefer hentai with plot, even terrible plot, over regular hentai.Some people prefer a nasty, velveeta-on-a-saltene-like St. Louis Style pizza to a lovely homemade New York or Chicago style pizza. Doesn't mean it's right. Doesn't mean it's relevent. It probably isn't.

I'm wondering when John's gonna get that server installer, and then we can start switching between TT and John. Mr. Hussie has already said that the other three Pesterchums have been designed.

[POS Industries]

The latest pesterlog with TG reads like my end of pretty much any AIM chat ever.
Incidentally, my guess is that TG is Pickle Inspector somehow.

Somehow.

[h4x.m4g3]

Yes T.T./Rose is using an AVL tree for her inventory system, this is great. I don't know why this is great, but this is obviously great.

[Zilla]

Someone needs to explain her captchalogue system, becuase it's not making any sense at all to me.

Edit: nevermind, I figured it out. Any new item is compared with existing items down the tree like a binary search function. It starts at the root and compares names, and puts it on either the right or left depending on if it comes before or after, and repeats for the next item, until it runs out of items to compare.

How does she use items from the tree though?

[synkr0nized]

HEY. Hey you! Yeah. All of you. Remind me to catch up with this damned thing sometime. I followed it for a while and then: SPLAT, I didn't. :/



Hmm. Well, I'm certainly not doing anything right now, I suppose.

[Mike McC]

Two more S'Burb players didn't solve the puzzle in time, it would seem (http://www.mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=002125).

[Loyal]

How does she use items from the tree though?Presumably she can access any items on the "bottom" leaves of the tree. And as she picks up more items, more branches will form. So the more items she holds, the more of them she can access. Pretty neat.

[synkr0nized]

Two more S'Burb players didn't solve the puzzle in time, it would seem (http://www.mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=002125).

Any reason why you chose that one to link to rather than one that mentioned the poorly-written walkthroughs?

[POS Industries]

Any reason why you chose that one to link to rather than one that mentioned the poorly-written walkthroughs?
I think he meant in addition to the walkthroughs (where it can be assumed that the writers were already dead to begin with), this page shows yet another two meteors striking in the distance independent of what you're talking about.

[h4x.m4g3]

Someone needs to explain her captchalogue system, becuase it's not making any sense at all to me.

Edit: nevermind, I figured it out. Any new item is compared with existing items down the tree like a binary search function. It starts at the root and compares names, and puts it on either the right or left depending on if it comes before or after, and repeats for the next item, until it runs out of items to compare.

How does she use items from the tree though?

Probably leaf items only, the fun thing will be if this is an AVL tree it may need to rebalance when she takes an item from the tree. For example if she were to take/remove the violin right now the inventory would have to be rebalanced as Knitting Kit (Root), Grimoire (Left Child Leaf), Laptop (Right Child Leaf). Also I wonder what happens when she overfills the inventory, I'm hoping the root card gets pushed out and the whole inventory has to be resorted.

I had typed a big paragraphs about heaps here, then deleted it because I remembered heap is set up for min or max sorting, and instead this is a sorted binary tree. I'm still thinking AVL trees given its 'unbalanced requiring re balancing' instead of leaving a terribly left heavy tree. I'm hoping someone gets a heap (min or max) inventory and a normal (non AVL) sorted binary tree before the end.

[synkr0nized]

I think he meant in addition to the walkthroughs (where it can be assumed that the writers were already dead to begin with), this page shows yet another two meteors striking in the distance independent of what you're talking about.

ah-ha! I did not catch that bit of the animation before. Thanks.

[Mike McC]

I think he meant in addition to the walkthroughs (where it can be assumed that the writers were already dead to begin with), this page shows yet another two meteors striking in the distance independent of what you're talking about.Yep. So, we have two pretty definate hits there by Rose, one highly likely hit nearby gardenGnostic (http://www.mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=002069), and an unkown number of hits on various walkthrough writers (http://www.mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=002104).

[Kim]

Man, I was actually scared for TT as she was trying to sneak past her mom.

[Marelo]

That lady is mos defs creeps to the max.

I'm sorry, that was a terrible thing for me to say.

[Loyal]

Well, at least the Root system allows you to get at any of the items... and even if it may be inconvenient, it doesn't turn discarded items into projectile weapons.

[Mike McC]

CLIFFHANGER!

[Mirai Gen]

Um.

Everyone dies the end?

[Kim]

No way, man. John's dad is far too badass to die from a mere meteor strike.

[Flarecobra]

Well, at least the Root system allows you to get at any of the items... and even if it may be inconvenient, it doesn't turn discarded items into projectile weapons.

Actually, in the right situation...that can be an effective means of attack.

Look at the doll and John's posters.

[Marelo]

I'm guessing the apple teleports its eater? Dunno.

[Kim]

My thoughts are that the apple gives the eater an extra life.

[BitVyper]

Well we didn't see massive nuclear explosions when the other meteors hit. Presumably, they were just smashing the houses they hit.

[Mike McC]

We didn't actually see the other hits, only the meteors an indeterminate distance away. Also, mushroom cloud != nuclear blast. Mushroom clouds are formed from any sufficiently strong explosion.

Also, being a game construct, it could be a very small mushroom cloud. There's no indication that it was larger than the house at all.

[BitVyper]

We didn't actually see the other hits, only the meteors an indeterminate distance away. Also, mushroom cloud != nuclear blast. Mushroom clouds are formed from any sufficiently strong explosion.

I'm aware of this. I was mostly using it as an expression, but also because in videogames, comics, and whatever else, mushroom clouds DO equal nuclear explosions like 99% of the time.

[Mike McC]

Or meteor strikes WHAT A COINCIDENCE!

[Marelo]

Actually, there is indication (http://www.mspaintadventures.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=2322) that it was a rather large explosion.

[Mike McC]

FORUMS ARE NONCANON UNTIL PAGE IS MADE FORUM NONCANON CANON.

I mean, geez, everyone knows that.

[Loyal]

You realize Andrew is the author, of MSPA right? When Runs says "There is indication", in this case, he's absolutely right.

[Mike McC]

Or he's screwing with people. That was my assumption.

Also, caps mean 100% total serious, that they do. Yup.

[Solid Snake]

EDIT: To quote John Locke from Lost: "I was wrong."

[Mike McC]

Loyal, I don't think that's what Mike McC is complaining about. It's less the validity of said artwork and more that until that image actually appears in the strip, it's technically a spoiler. The material actually being from the author only makes it, well, more of a legit spoiler.

It's like if Brian puts up a special topic here in the the NPF forum that says "want to see a special, spoilerific sneak peak of the last strip of 8BT?" You wouldn't want to discuss or show that image outside of that particular thread, as a lot of folks would probably want to avoid the spoilers. (And for the record 434 doesn't count as it's canon, in-comic 'foreshadowing,' as opposed to an outright spoiler.)

In this particular case it's not much of a spoiler so it's not that big of a deal, but in the future I'd hope we'd avoid linking brazenly to such material without including the prerequisite spoiler-tags.Nnnnnope. I'm saying that it could literally be anything until put into context in an update. Also, it's not as if that's a super sevcret thread. It's the suggestion box, the thread spicifically linked to on the front page.

[Marelo]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the author meant for most readers to see that image. He's extremely tight-lipped about story details, so if he shows it, he wants you to know it.

[Loyal]

Also, caps mean 100% total serious, that they do. Yup.They are with you until you feel the need to backpedal. How convenient.

[Mike McC]

Loyal, you really don't talk with me often enough to make that assumption. I mean, go back, and look at how the words in that sentence are strung together. Seriously, carefully read it. If you can seriously say that there isn't a degree of tongue-in-cheek there, then I honestly don't know what to say. I mean, I'm not even sure if that actually says anything. "Forums are noncanon until page is made forum noncanon canon"? Sounds like I might've hit my head before I wrote that!

Huhm, now that I really think about it, I still don't remember hitting my head, but now I also don't remember not hitting my head. I think that's a symptom... uhm, excuse me, I'ma go get a CAT scan.Yeah, I'm pretty sure the author meant for most readers to see that image. He's extremely tight-lipped about story details, so if he shows it, he wants you to know it.I'm not gonna trust the guy who makes magnificent videos like this social commentary (http://www.jandrewedits.com/view.php?youtube=MZERfeh7n4Q) to not fuck around with his audience on occasion. I'm not saying it won't be in the comic, just that we aren't quite sure how. Is it as simple as it appears to be? Could be, but what fun would that be, now?

If I'm wrong, ya'll are gonna run it in my face, aren't you. Let me save you the trouble if you are: I honestly don't care if I'm wrong. It's just a comic.

[Nexus]

Meteor impacts don't make explosions, people. OBVIOUSLY something else happened.

[Mike McC]

Meteor impacts don't make explosions, people. OBVIOUSLY something else happened.
http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x275/fencershinryuu/meteorstrike.png

But seriously, meteor strikes are very energetic collisions, and cause a lot of energy to be released, which means, yeah, bit of an explosion.

Which is not to say that something else isn't going on.

[Fifthfiend]

So John Eggbert is dead or something? WTF?

[Kim]

Yeah, but he might have extra mans since it's a video game world. Alternatively: afterlife.

Also, I'm more worried about John's dad than John.

[Donomni]

I wonder if Death is gonna be as much of a doormat as in Problem Sleuth...

[Kim]

Probably not. I imagine him being more like Death in Castlevania, for some reason.

[Flarecobra]

You know...I had a mental image of John's Dad giving Death a cake...and Death's so moved by it he lets them go...

[BitVyper]

Or meteor strikes WHAT A COINCIDENCE!

Er... I can't recall any specific shows/movies/videogames/comics/etc that had giant mushroom clouds caused by meteor strikes. Certainly not enough to negate what I said. I understand that it can happen in real life, but in popular culture mushroom clouds almost always equal nuclear explosions (in fact, you can probably just change that to "always"), which is why I used the phrase "nuclear explosion," which is exactly what I said in my last post, so I'm having trouble understanding what this response is supposed to mean as a reply to that post.

For someone who is busy complaining about people taking him too seriously, you sure took an off-hand turn-of-phrase I used way more seriously than it needed to be taken. Since we're discussing it though; it's entirely possible that this explosion was all the meteor, but I'm leaning elsewhere. If the other meteors had the same effect, I think we'd have seen more, as they were close enough to be seen pretty clearly when they fell.

[Marelo]

Just as a note, Andrew would be completely aware of the fact that meteors would probably cause mushroom clouds. He's a bit of a physics geek.

[Kepor]

It was a meteor made of uranium.

[Mike McC]

Also, as I stated out, this is a game construct, and one we don't know yet. They all could have been this big, but beyond the graphical rendering range of outside observers.

Also, remind me never to enter into speculation on webcomics again, no matter how silly I am trying to be. My sarcastic sardonicism will go unappreciated by the serious discussions.

:`(

I am sad now. I'm gonna go cry into my milk. Meanies.

[Fifthfiend]

My sarcastic sardonicism will go unappreciated

Maybe cause you're not very good at it.

[Mike McC]

Maybe cause you're not very good at it.Perhaps not. There is a lesson to be learned here. And that is salty milk really isn't as bad as it sounds.

[BitVyper]

Latest update.

Um.... huh.

[Solid Snake]

...Wow.
So maybe both John and his father are dead? I wouldn't be shocked now if the storyline picked up with John's three friends, years after the fact, trying to pick up the pieces after the disaster or something.

[Kim]

I didn't post it but this is exactly what I was thinking would happen. The "Several years later" bit, I mean. This is awesome.

[Donomni]

...why do I think we're gonna have a Dune parody?

[Kepor]

...why do I think we're gonna have a Dune parody?

To gain something, first a meteor must strike something of equal value.

MS Paint Alchemist.

[Locke cole]

You basing this on the Alchemiter's existence?

[Kim]

Wooh! Walkthrough time! Man, this is kind of depressing.

[Locke cole]

Wow. This is... wow. At least Rose is still alive.

[Solid Snake]

...I...I don't quite get it?

[Mike McC]

What's not to get? Game causes giant rocks to slam into Earth. Installing game generates one more giant rock to slam into Earth. Best way to survive is to play the game and beat it on it's own terms.

[Locke cole]

And Rose wastes time with prose that assures the reader that she will not waste time with prose.

[Lost in Time]

I hope it's not just going to be: "Sburb has released a patch that prevents inevitable meteor from crashing onto player"

[Mike McC]

I imagine Rose being much like Tycho... totally incapable of being succinct.

[Solid Snake]

What's not to get? Game causes giant rocks to slam into Earth. Installing game generates one more giant rock to slam into Earth. Best way to survive is to play the game and beat it on it's own terms.

Wouldn't the best way to survive be not to install the game in the first place, and certainly not to indirectly encourage others to purchase said game by creating a walkthrough for it?

[Mike McC]

She sorta covers that; I think that playing the game grants immunity to the effects of the other instances running. A sort of bubble of protection that also tries to kill you.

And what purchase? This was a free beta that people got in the mail, remember? Like she said, by the time they got around to GameFAQs, it was already too late.

[Flarecobra]

Only thing that can explain this to me is from a movie quote: "Come with me if you want to live."

[Kepor]

You basing this on the Alchemiter's existence?

Yes, and the ruins in the desert reminded me of Ishval and Xerxes. But now I'm getting a kind of Terminator feel, like Flarecobra just said.

[Marelo]

Rose is my favorite character now and forever for that little ditty. I love it.

[Mirai Gen]

If John is seriously dead I don't know what to say about MSPA. We've been introduced to an absolute asston of terminology and items and systems and I've been enjoying it immensely, saying "Start over" would just annoy the crap out of me.

I'm sure that's not what he's doing but I'm still kind of worried.

[BitVyper]

I'm getting a time travel feel.

[Kim]

If John is seriously dead I don't know what to say about MSPA. We've been introduced to an absolute asston of terminology and items and systems and I've been enjoying it immensely, saying "Start over" would just annoy the crap out of me.

I'm sure that's not what he's doing but I'm still kind of worried.

I dunno. The fact that John ate the apple has some importance/relevance. I'm sure of that. And, as TT said, the only way to survive was to play, so it wouldn't be too farfetched for John to have survived, at least for now, on account of eating the apple.

[Mike McC]

I dunno. The fact that John ate the apple has some importance/relevance.He never did.If John is seriously dead I don't know what to say about MSPA. We've been introduced to an absolute asston of terminology and items and systems and I've been enjoying it immensely, saying "Start over" would just annoy the crap out of me.There are still two other characters that know about and use those systems, with a third one likely.

[Marelo]

1. There was a significant amount of time where the screen was whited out by the encroaching meteor, and John could have eaten it in that time. Edit: Oh, hey, look. I was right.

2. Guys.

GUYS

JOHN CAPTCHALOGUED HIMSELF

Edit: Okay, maybe not right about this one.

[Kim]

Okay, apparently he bit the apple, and survived. Also apparently: There are evil shadow monsters. When the first was under his bed I thought it was just a joke. Guess not.

[Marelo]

On request, Andrew made a wallpaper (http://www.mspaintadventures.com/scraps2/johnshouse_wallpaper.jpg).

[Mirai Gen]

So, um, what now?

Which is what I said about the last comic, too.

[Marelo]

Now we wait for what comes next.

The suggestion box isn't open yet, so that means he's not done with the aftereffects of the meteor.

[Mike McC]

Probably at least one more set-up update, the suggestion box is still closed.

[BitVyper]

So, um, what now?

Which is what I said about the last comic, too.

Up on Moo-Mesa....

[Solid Snake]

...Well, at least we know that even if John and his father aren't necessarily "alive," they'll still have a continuing stake in the story. In this life or the next...

[Flarecobra]

Wonder what's with the eyes.

[Marelo]

Probably monsters from whatever alternate dimension the house now occupies. Hell, all that fuss over the STRIFE SPECIBUS had to lead to some actual STRIFE, right?

[Flarecobra]

It did in Problem Sleuth.

[Loyal]

I notice that John's posters and miscellaneous bedroom ornaments are now much more clown-oriented.

[Mike McC]

I notice that John's posters and miscellaneous bedroom ornaments are now much more clown-oriented.Notice again. That was his dad's study.

[Kim]

It's Pickle Inspector all over again... kinda.

Yay for ghost jesters.

[Mike McC]

The Earthbound inspiration just came in stronger than ever for me.

I mean, there's the four kids, the apparent importance of music... but this, the "BOY", just makes it ring true for some reason.

[Kim]

And for the rest of the story, John will only talk to his father via telephone.

[Marelo]

And his father will give him obscene amounts of money every time he does so.

[Kim]

The funny thing is that that would not sound out of character, given what we've seen of John's dad.

[Mirai Gen]

I once played Earthbound on emulator for the entire game, and by the time I got to the end Dad put over 400,000$ in my account. Totally worth it.

[Kim]

This is the most amazing thing in webcomicking history ever, I must say. That was so worth the one page days I can't even put it into words.

Protip: Ctrl+T

Also: 'nasty manbro bukkake theater'... Hilarious!

[Marelo]

Proertip: CTRL+T, then walk up to the chimney and click on it. Open the safe to return to the yard. Also, cross the gap where the wires are dangling.

[Flarecobra]

CTRL+T for me opens a new tab in my browser. I'm doing it wrong, arn't I?

[Doc ock rokc]

CTRL+T for me opens a new tab in my browser. I'm doing it wrong, arn't I?

try Ctrl-Shift-T

[Mike McC]

Yes, you are using IE. Use another browser.

[Flarecobra]

Doc's suggestion was more helpful.

[Mike McC]

More convenient? Yes.

More helpful? Debatable.

Anyone decipher the (what appears to be) morse code?

[Mirai Gen]

More helpful? Debatable.
No, it really isn't.

[Loyal]

I wonder whatever John's father did to get a restraining order from Cirque du Soleil.

[CelesJessa]

Anyone decipher the (what appears to be) morse code?

I got 024913


Yes, you are using IE. Use another browser.
It opened another tab for me too, and I was on firefox.



Anyway, this interactive bit is awesome. I actually got a bit scared when I saw the oilly goo and remembered the eyes in the darkness.

[Solid Snake]

I'm the only one in the world who'll say this, but I love my controversial positions so here goes: I really don't care much for this newfangled interactive stuff in my MSPA.

It's not that it's bad, it just breaks up the traditional narrative flow of MSPA in a way I personally am not fond of.

[Kim]

How does it break up the traditional narrative flow? By telling more jokes than normally delivered per update? By allowing the reader to interact with a world that it makes sense for the reader to interact with? That rather than examining everything every time John enters a room for the next six week we get to examine everything ourselves? What? Tell me! I must know!

I also assume that your definition of traditional is 'How he did it in Problem Sleuth because I liked Problem Sleuth'. I'm not gonna argue with that. Problem Sleuth was loads better than his earlier stuff. I'm just not sure that I'd call it traditional, as Problem Sleuth and Homestuck have both shown pretty clearly that he's learning and changing how he does things as he goes along.

[Solid Snake]

Oh no, I actually preferred Act One of Homestruck over anything Problem Sleuth ever did.

I just don't like these interactive pseudo-gaming shenanigans.

[Kim]

Well, then I'm just completely confused, instead of only a little.

[Loyal]

I just don't like these interactiveBecause it's not like we've been invited to come up with suggestions to direct how the story goes to some degree.
pseudo-gaming shenanigans.Everything John does is plagued, for better or (far more often) worse, with pseudo-gaming shenanigans. The captchalogue, the strife specibus, and more. Homestuck is all over the pseudo-gaming shenanigans and doing what needs to be done in spite of them.

[PCD]

I'm actually with Snake on this one. I mean, I think the new system is fun, creative, and shows a lot of cool thinking on the designer's part. But I personally prefer the more linear style that they had before.

I mean, this first day was pretty cool, getting to go around and explore, but it might get tiresome if it keeps up over the whole game. Obviously, I can't say I know how he's going to be doing the rest of it, but I'm just not one hundred percent feeling the new system right now.

[Solid Snake]

Because it's not like we've been invited to come up with suggestions to direct how the story goes to some degree.

No, you're misconstruing my point. I'm not debating the general concept of whether MSPA ever was or should be "interactive." I'm saying this particular formula just doesn't jive well with me -- it's more a technical complaint than an artistic one. The concept of actually "playing" as John is doubtlessly creative, inspired and required a great deal of effort on the creator's part, but it doesn't mean I have to enjoy it. MSPA's comparatively linear formula worked wonders for me before, and why 'fix' something that isn't broken?

The narrative structure is just a tad botched insofar as, if I do not invest the necessary time to actually figure out the 'game,' I'll eventually read the next update and be confused as to exactly what's going on (as I won't have gotten there.) I like the concept of interactive flash 'gameplay' for a future MSPA project, but I think with this concept you either have to go 100% (ie, all the updates in this format, none in the more linear novel-esque style) or 0%.

[Kim]

I mean, this first day was pretty cool, getting to go around and explore, but it might get tiresome if it keeps up over the whole game. Obviously, I can't say I know how he's going to be doing the rest of it, but I'm just not one hundred percent feeling the new system right now.

It seems fairly obvious that he'll be back to standard format, and stuff like this will just be in-betweens. Reasoning?

1. By his own admittance, he is hella slow at flash.

2. If he wasn't going to, we'd probably have been able to talk to TG during this instance.

[Mirai Gen]

Snake is basically saying that MSPA likes to mock and parody point-and-click adventures but was still about storytelling in a action-and-response way. To try and tell a story in a linear form, the new exploration doesn't work.

I'm actually with him - I spent the whole time clicking on random stuff wondering what I had to do to advance the story, because I wanted to know what happened next. It was cool as hell but it'd have been nicer to be isolated in a new story.

[Solid Snake]

Yeah, I think Mirai understands my point.

Basically I just thought of an apt comparison in that it'd be like if Rich Burlew updated OOTS with an interactive flash gameplay segment instead of a traditional strip. On the one hand, controlling Roy or Belkar would be pretty damn cool. If the content weren't canon to the story, I probably wouldn't mind it. But if Burlew were to say "the content here is critical to the storyline, but it's just a one-off thing and we'll be back to linear strips soon, starting off where the gameplay ends" I'd be a bit peeved. I care too much about the story of OOTS (and the story of MSPA, for that matter) to want my narrative flow interrupted by a newfangled game with a lot of canon, integral content I might 'just happen' to miss.

And again if Homestruck had tried this format from the very beginning -- if the entire story was just one massive interactive flash game -- I'd probably love it. But here it feels as if MSPA's creator is just meshing a bunch of 'cool' styles together into one gigantic, unorganized pile. Yes, the individual components are cool -- the new music pieces rock, these interactive exploration sequences (based on their individual merits) are awesome -- but if the author doesn't present a coherent plan as to when and how the stuff is utilized, it comes off as jarring and disruptive.

[Kim]

I still think you're both a couple a crazies.

[Mike McC]

I don't believe this will be a one-off thing. Will it be frequent? Who knows. However, this gives us an introduction to The Voice, as well as a few clues here and there.

But with all of the clickable things, there's only a handful of important things to note.

1) The oily splotches in John's room, the kitchen, and Dad's study.
2) The 'eyes' seemingly taking John's Dad and the bunny in the box.
3) Power and Internet are still established, despite there being nothing to connect to in this void.
4) That The Voice was not the Harlequin Sprite.

All pretty much very noticable when wandering about.

And a few potentially important things.

1) The clock on John's computer reads ??:??
2) The trick handcuffs in the tree out back.

Still noticeable, just not quite as obvious.

Now, onto the analysis. The Voice seems to be a rather gruff fellow. You know, wandering deserts can make people a bit gruff, I'd think. So, I'm theorizing that The Voice is the Wandering Vagabond.

[Kim]

I just assumed that the voice represented us as a player, but you could be right.

[Marelo]

I'm actually with Snake on this one. I mean, I think the new system is fun, creative, and shows a lot of cool thinking on the designer's part. But I personally prefer the more linear style that they had before.

I mean, this first day was pretty cool, getting to go around and explore, but it might get tiresome if it keeps up over the whole game. Obviously, I can't say I know how he's going to be doing the rest of it, but I'm just not one hundred percent feeling the new system right now.

It's definitely a once-in-a-long-while kinda thing. The point is to get all the exploration out of the way at once so you can get on with the story in the style that Snake likes.

Edit: Also, the guy who did all the heavy Flash work was Gankro on the forums, not Andrew. Gankro's a pretty cool guy.

Gankro also dropped this tidbit: The voice saying BOY and whatnot is supposed to be the collective users, doing all the obvious commands that would be done in the name of exploration had he done all of this in normal updates.

Edit Again: Snake, you mentioned that you think it's kind of disorganized and crammed together to do all these different styles... I disagree. This actually required a lot of planning. MSPAs tend to have the appearance of unplannedness and dishevelment at the beginning, with the coherent plan becoming apparent later on. This was true of Problem Sleuth as well as Homestuck, which were done in the style of him picking the commands based on his own priorities. In the same way, I think that Andrew will, in the end, present with us a coherent whole in his chosen styles of narration, one of which happens to be, "Get the exploration out of the way all at once."

[Donomni]

So, is there, like, and actual end to this particular bit?

I though it was cool before, but the CTRL+T bit was insane.

[Kim]

I don't think there is an actual end to it.

Also, here is what webcomic man says about it:


If you're wondering whether this type of page is going to be a regular thing, the answer is yes, I'd like to do more pages like this, but probably not all that frequently. It definitely brings a whole new dimension to the story, and has a lot of potential for fun surprises. But I'll be sparing with it, mostly due to time constraints, and to keep the story moving along briskly. We'll be back to more conventional webcomic fare shortly. Relatively speaking, at least.

[Marelo]

There is no end.

This is Gankro talking about the voice. (http://www.mspaintadventures.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=205560#p205560)

[russianreversal]

Actually, while I agree that breaking the linear format kind of undermines the typing game flow to a degree, I also see this as the logical extreme of player interaction (sort of). Gankro volunteered to do this for Andrew, as far I know, and this is just a more sophisticated version of the few times he offers multiple choices in his story, even to the point of all except two of them not having any real impact on the story: the oil slick and the chatlog.

[The Argent Lord]

Okay, so I am a huge fan of the voice. "BOY WHO IS JOHN. DO AS I SAY." Also the... parser, I guess? The thing that responds to the voice. It's like God is shouting commands, but God is kind of an idiot who last spoke English during medieval times, and also a bit of an arrogant prick. And the parser is just a normal guy trying to get him to please do something reasonable, maybe, if it's not too much trouble, so we can all just get on with it already, thanks? I would love to play an entire game with interaction like this. Probably with multiple options for important objects, but still. It's awesome, and Andrew Hussie has an amazing writing style(s).

[Marelo]

Deja vu, Argent Lord. I saw your post of that exact same thing on the MSPA Fora! :P

[Lost in Time]

Fun fact: You crash the browser if you walk to far north with Ctrl+T on and then switch out in the white. Don't do it.

[The Argent Lord]

Deja vu, Argent Lord. I saw your post of that exact same thing on the MSPA Fora! :P

Indeed. The post of the exact wording was at least 35% to sneakily go "Hey, NPFers!" Much of the other percentage was laziness.

[Mike McC]

Fun fact: You crash the browser if you walk to far north with Ctrl+T on and then switch out in the white. Don't do it.It's anyplace John isn't supposed to walk.

Hmm, the crater that is the suggestion box has gotten awfully dry and sandy... I wonder what that could mean. ... he says, with a curious confidence.

[Kim]

Desert Wanderer is a jerk. :D

[Marelo]

I think he's a robot.

[Mike McC]

Well, it's not as if that one was hard to predict.

[Kim]

Damn you and your predictioning, Mike!

[Mike McC]

I guess as the four pesterchums move into the Sburb void, we lose (our tentative) control over them, and Desert Vagabond takes our role.

[Kim]

The story is still continuing along awesomely, but it does kinda bother me that we can't give suggestions.

[Mike McC]

Okay, Fifth, I am just going to call you turntechGodhead now.

[Donomni]

The new sprite is wrong on so many levels.

[russianreversal]

Seriously, who didn't see this (http://mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=002191) coming?

[Kim]

How come she was able to lift it without grist?

[russianreversal]

She deleted the random perfectly generic object, regaining about 6 grist from that.

[Kim]

When? Last I saw she tried to move the Cruxtrader or whatever from the door, but had 0 grist.

[russianreversal]

Right here (http://mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=002161). And she STILL doesn't have nearly enough grist to move that damn thing.

[Kim]

She used it all up though. She's out of grist. 0.

[russianreversal]

Oh, right. Well, to move objects, you don't always need grist. I would think that you'd need it for something as large as the car, though...

[Flarecobra]

Two words: Oh. Shit.

[Mike McC]

This is where turntechGodhead comes in. Though, perhaps not for another week. The suggestion box just keeps getting more arid and sandy.

How come she was able to lift it without grist?I think the game objects need Grist to move because they become fixed in the environment. Moving 'loose' objects, like a Magic Chest, or a stuffed bunny, are free. But pulling up a fixed object, like a toilet or a bathtub, uses Grist. The car's not fixed, and can be moved for free.

[Kim]

I really hope that Rose becomes a summoner, though it was probably just for the sake of referencing Problem Sleuth.

[Marelo]

This is where turntechGodhead comes in. Though, perhaps not for another week. The suggestion box just keeps getting more arid and sandy.

I think the game objects need Grist to move because they become fixed in the environment. Moving 'loose' objects, like a Magic Chest, or a stuffed bunny, are free. But pulling up a fixed object, like a toilet or a bathtub, uses Grist. The car's not fixed, and can be moved for free.

This is correct.

Build grist is used when you have to move or remove elements of the house and things which are attached to it.

[BitVyper]

I may never feel comfortable giving stupid names to RPG characters again.

[Loyal]

At least his strife specibus is allocated to something genuinely useful for its purpose.

[Donomni]

Just wait, it'll actually be something like crappy replica swords. :x

[Loyal]

It's still allocated to "Swordkind"... and it was sharp enough to cut through the abstract concept of a name box.

[Kim]

I get a very Jam Blamster vibe from this cool, cool dude.

[POS Industries]

DAVE S
HO SNAPS SHIT JUST GOT REA--

DAVE STRIDER
...Oh. Dammit.

EDIT: Also, it appears that TG is studying the ancient art of Jarate.

[Kepor]

Hash map.

What the hell.

[Loyal]

So let me get this straight:

If he were to captchalogue, say, a POSTER... 2+1+2+2+1+2 = 10, 10 % 10 = 0...

It would go in card 0. And a TELEPHONE would go in card 4.

...Am I to assume that he can access any of these cards freely, but captchaloguing something whose card is already taken will eject (or expel, or drop) the item in place, instead of moving it to another card?

[Marelo]

Seems about right. It's the most likely implementation, at least, considering the way the others translate into inventory systems.

[Kepor]

My guess is that you can only access whatever card is first occupied.

It's still allocated to "Swordkind"... and it was sharp enough to cut through the abstract concept of a name box.

Is it actually allocated? He took the sword off the wall, rather than materializing it.

[PCD]

Looking at "Sweet Bro and Hella Jeff" hurt part of my soul.

[Kim]

I told you about the stairs man.

I TOLD YOU.

[Marelo]

Looking at "Sweet Bro and Hella Jeff" hurt part of my soul.

What makes it even worse is that it was not made explicitly for MSPA. It was made on the fora in an attempt to emulate bad comics.

[The SSB Intern]

Oh hell yes. I'd really love to see more of these musical gimmicks in the future.

[BlackMageGirl!]

I hope I'm not the only one that is having an insane amount of fun with the Dave's phat Beat machine. I'm pretty sure I wasted half an hour on that thing.

Turned on my loud sound speakers, danced and everything even. One of the perks of living alone. :P

[russianreversal]

I have a new favorite quote: "not kicking oliver twist in the fucking face every day is my gift to the world i guess." Thank you, Dave.

[Doc ock rokc]

How many people saw the Applejuice on the betas thing coming?
*Raises hand*

[Kepor]

Hash map.

What the hell.

[Kim]

You have to come up with a verb that is the right number to use an item? WTF

[Marelo]

Wow, that is awesome. I love hash map!

[Loyal]

Okay, so we have "expels like a bullet", "drops like a rock," and "flies in a lazy overhead arc" for item expulsion.

[Kepor]

Hash map.

Is my new favorite modus.

[Loyal]

I would buy a T-Shirt of that moment.

[Doc ock rokc]

Its official Dave is my favorite character.

[russianreversal]

I really love this epic passive-aggressive battle between Rose and her mom. I mean, the velvet cushion is one thing, but a bronze encased vacuum? A 15,000$ frame welded to the door? That's a long way to go to spite someone.

[Kim]

I'm still expecting her Mom to turn out to be even more over-the-top super parent than John's Dad.

[Loyal]

I doubt it. "Ale and derision" is kinda hard to mistake.

All mother-daughter relationships should resolve their conflicts like this. Make the home life rather easier.

[The Argent Lord]

I doubt it. "Ale and derision" is kinda hard to mistake.

All mother-daughter relationships should resolve their conflicts like this. Make the home life rather easier.

Gin and derision. Ale lends itself to an approach that is a bit more weighted on the agressive side.

[PCD]

I love the theme of familial relationships. I did note that Dave thinks his bro is cool, but likely there is some unmentioned battles between them as of yet. Wonder if GG will provide the sister, or a less obvious family member?

[katiuska]

The narration did mention that they're competitive (which is the only reason they had any interest in the Sburb betas), so I think there are indeed battles over trying to outmatch each other.

[Kim]

So GG's modus gives Dave a migraine? I hate to see what he uses. And his family relationship is his bad ass grandpa... Cool!

And I guess that GG is psychic?

[Kepor]

Well, maybe. Whatever it is, it can't be as cool as hash map.

Maybe Grand dad is the old Problem Sleuth?

[Flarecobra]

Anyone want to place bets we're going to get some STRIFE action?

[Kerensky287]

That little monster thing reminds me of the imps from Zero Punctuation.

[BitVyper]

Yeah, like anyone believes in HOLY FUCK WHAT THE HELL! AAAAAGH!

[Kepor]

MONSTER

OH SHIT

EVERYONE IN THE MINIVAN

[The Argent Lord]

So GG's modus gives Dave a migraine? I hate to see what he uses. And his family relationship is his bad ass grandpa... Cool!

And I guess that GG is psychic?

Pretty sure GG is a girl. With a hellbeast, a badass grandpa, and psychic powers.

Hm... Lyll? Nobody's gonna get that...

[BitVyper]

If we don't get downloadable MP3s of all this awesome music soon, I'm going to start taking hostages.

I'm kinda-sorta starting to get the feeling that these parents aren't real. It may just be the underlying comedy, or hyperbole of the child/parent conflict, but they're acting so much like things that are pretending to be parents that it, coupled with Egbert's thing near the beginning about the world not being right, is making me wonder.

[Kim]

One of the things I find interesting is their complete lack of faces, but for something on or in their mouth. It's weird but it works so well.

[BitVyper]

I can't wait to see what Strider's battle music is.

[Kim]

I want him to rap battle his brother.

[PCD]

Oh god I'm going to have to yell "AUTO-PERRIER" every time I have bubbly water from now on.

[Loyal]

Rose is startlingly good with those needles.

[Flarecobra]

"Empty Suicide Threat"? Is that some kind of hint into Rose's past?

[Kepor]

This one was kind of, uh...

...Yeah.

Didn't really like this one.

[Kerensky287]

I do wonder what Dave's Hash Map modus will do with the letter Y.

I mean, when he gets SBURB (1+1+2+1+1=6) will he be able to PLAY (1+1+2+?) it? Or will he have to GAME? (1+2+1+2=6)

[PCD]

Perhaps it'll depend on Y's use in the word? Sometimes it serves as a consonant, such as in, I don't know, "YO-YO," wherein it would be a 1, but in things where it serves as a vowel, like "PLAY" or "HYPE", it would be worth a 2.

[BitVyper]

I have to say, "auto pastry" is still my favourite parry so far.

Edit: John was looking pretty badass with that hammer until he tried to use it. The author's flash skillz are improving.

[Loyal]

Let this be a lesson: The next time you look for a weapon upgrade, make sure it's something you can actually use.

EDIT: Victory and Build Grist (and Shale) for John!

And there appears to be another weapon card under the bunny.

[BitVyper]

Seems a weaponized captchalogue deck is about the most dangerous thing you can have anyway.

[Flarecobra]

Wonder what the Shale's used for...and that fire is VERY close. Somehow I suspect she's going to take cover in the mausoleum.

[Kim]

She damn well better prototype her kernelsprite with the Grimoire of the Zoologically Dubious. And I am very excited to see what her monsters look like.

[Ryong]

I'm just wondering why John didn't pick up the hammer, change his Fetch Modus and then pick up anything. It'd do the same and he wouldn't have to shoot things all over the place.

[Kim]

I am somewhat disappointed at the lack of silly victory music. Other than that, though, leveling up is pretty awesome.

[Flarecobra]

So, bets on the generator blowing up because of the fire?

[Kim]

THIS IS SO OUTRAGEOUS.

[Flarecobra]

Anyone else get a Kefka-esque laugh coming from the Nana-Harliquin-Sprite? For some reason, I can hear that coming from her...

And it's evident Broomkind is NOT the Father's strife specibus. Or however you spell it.

[Kim]

Listen to this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axpmyfpim4I&feature=related&fmt=18) while watching Nana explain the backstory. It works so awesome, especially at the chess part.

[BitVyper]

Listen to this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axpmyfpim4I&feature=related&fmt=18) while watching Nana explain the backstory. It works so awesome, especially at the chess part.

Yeah, that actually works pretty well.

[Malek]

She damn well better prototype her kernelsprite with the Grimoire of the Zoologically Dubious. And I am very excited to see what her monsters look like.

Unfortunately I have a suspicion that it'll be prototyped with one of those wizard statues, and her dead cat Jaspers, if it follows the pattern set by John.

[Kepor]

Or Maplehoof.

[PCD]

I can't be sure if I think GG is awesome or creepy. I suppose we'll have to wait until we get a real look at her to be sure.

And man, Dave's random izzling was dumb enough, but when they got to John Keats I cracked up. Oh literature.

[Kepor]

Also, for good measure, Mr. T is wearing a LEATHER THONG and handcuffed to a pantsless CHUCK NORRIS PUPPET.

All you see is a bunch of your BRO's weird nude puppets strewn around haphazardly.

Uhhhh...

[Kim]

I expect his bro to be extremely creepy. I'm placing bets on it being Pickle Inspector.

[Flarecobra]

The farther on they go with Dave's brother...the more I worry..

[Lost in Time]

Oh hell yes, sweet bro and hella jeff updated. So cool.

[Kepor]

The farther on they go with Dave's brother...the more I worry..

I think the only way this stuff could become more creepy is...

... no, actually, I don't want to think about that.

[Kim]

His brother reaches echelons of creepy that few dare transcend to. I'm scared to see him introduced.

I like that Dave tries to be all cool with it and, "Yeah man this shit is so totally rad and ironic" but has nightmares and freaks the fuck out after just a little while in the room.

[Flarecobra]

Does anyone else notice that the Baby Gonzo picture, the end of his nose is pixalated out?

EDIT- OK, high score time. Mine's 90287.

[Kim]

Baby Gonzo?

Also, the music for the mini-game is fucking awesome.

[Flarecobra]

Baby Gonzo?

Also, the music for the mini-game is fucking awesome.

http://www.mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=002350

Best one is in this one.

[Kim]

Oh wow. Seriously, the enemies for Dave's instance are going to be creepy as hell.

[Ryong]

Oh god I got 65k on the minigame and then I look at the scores and oh geez 1.4 million? What the hell. I hate games with scoreboards because people always find out how to cheat and get something absurd. ( Such as a game on Kongregate where the first 50 people or so had completed all of it in under 1 second. ).

[Flarecobra]

I notice it's all about the rytham. Ignore the up/down buttons.

266340 so far.

[Kim]

I find it hilariously awesome that Weedmaster P is wearing MSPA merch.

[The SSB Intern]

Yeah, my grand high score is 126 and I'm not even sure how I got that. Is there a better explanation of what to do?

EDIT: NEVER MIND. If I look away from the monitor and randomly press buttons, I can get scores over 20,000.

[POS Industries]

I'd just like you all to know that I'm the 4th best pogo rider in the world at the moment.

[BitVyper]

I'd just like you all to know that I'm the 4th best pogo rider in the world at the moment.

Isn't that like bragging about how you don't have to pay rent because you live in your mom's basement?

[POS Industries]

Isn't that like bragging about how you don't have to pay rent because you live in your mom's basement?
Somebody's jealous.

[BitVyper]

Somebody's jealous.

Damn it, Noncon. Try to control yourself.

[Loyal]

Man, now I wanna play SBurb.

Minus all the meteoric doom and spatial confinement and stuff.