WIP Discussion (Part 1!)

[Whale]

So, we're gonna see (simulated) human space combat?

No.

Well, darn. Looking forward to the update anyway. (The flashbacks, will they go further than Bellarmine's mission?)

[cacambo43]

One of the great things about this comic (sorry if this seems obvious to anyone) is how well it's drawn. I feel the facial expressions, with a few exceptions, really seem to convey meaning to the dialog and story. Arioch, you do a superb job, if I am not misinterpreting what I see. One thing I seem to notice is that on the whole, Fireblade seems to be actually concerned about Alex. Perhaps it is only in a professional way, but he seems much more hostile to her that she does to him, despite the lift incident and her attempts at the mind probe (which were under different and changing circumstances). Her facial expressions seem to be urgent and concerned, whereas Stillstorm's are belligerent and condescending.

Also, if you read between the lines (perhaps too much?), Beryl and Tempo have all but told Alex that when they are speaking to him he shouldn't trust anything they say. Now, I can understand that Beryls talkativeness is rooted in her caste and purpose so maybe she's trustworthy, but I feel that Alex should really know not to trust much of what Tempo says. As Stillstorm said, "Words are tools of deception." (and I am not sure exactly of what hypocrisy she is talking about). But I would like to ask, in the next page when Stillstorm says, "However insincere you choose to be, you shall not find me so," are those words directed at Tempo or Alex?

Edited to add: On second thought, that last question is stupid, because she'd likely not say it out loud, unless for Alex's benefit, which makes not sense either. So you can ignore the last question if you want.

CJSF

[Arioch]

Thanks for the first part. I try to tell the story as visually as I can, though as we can clearly see from the various walls of text throughout the comic, I have more to learn on the subject.

With the exception of the comm chatter and other speech (such as Forest's declaration on page 73) intended for mechanical recording, all of the Loroi dialogue is directed toward Alex or another non-telepathic alien. They consider it very rude to speak verbally to another Loroi when they are close enough to communicate telepathically. However, while Tempo's and Stillstorm's words are technically directed at Alex, at points there is clearly a subtext that each is directing at the other (at some points they're even facing each other while speaking). Stillstorm is being slightly less artful than Tempo in this subtext.

[cacambo43]

Yes, that subtext is very apparent, it was just that there seemed to be even another layer in there beyond that. In any case, great job!

CJSF

[fredgiblet]

One thing I seem to notice is that on the whole, Fireblade seems to be actually concerned about Alex. Perhaps it is only in a professional way, but he seems much more hostile to her that she does to him, despite the lift incident and her attempts at the mind probe (which were under different and changing circumstances). Her facial expressions seem to be urgent and concerned, whereas Stillstorm's are belligerent and condescending.

Fireblade has several reasons to empathize with Alex. She has been a sole survivor of a ship twice and she is a native of Seren and was around when it was occupied by the Umiak (which resulted in the vast majority of the locals being dead when it was retaken). These for both obvious reasons and less obvious reasons result in HER being something of an outsider among the Loroi so she can look at Alex and see him as a sole survivor (like her) tossed into a situation where he's in over his head (like her during the occupation) and around very unfamiliar people (like her when Seren was re-taken). Despite Beryl being the obvious choice at the moment I actually have Fireblade pegged as the love interest for now, though there's obviously plenty of development time left for that to change.

Except of course it's going turn into a harem anime where ALL the women want him in Chapter 3.

[Hālian]

Except of course it's going turn into a harem anime where ALL the women want him in Chapter 3.

And then suddenly Sedel exercises the ancient and little-known droit du gauche-main, claiming Alex for herself.

[cacambo43]

I've read every Insider page like 10 times now, and scoured the forum... OH GOD THE WAIT THE AGONY!!

[flailing madly about]



'hem... we now return to your regularly scheduled web comic, already not in progress.

AAAAHHH!!!!

CJSF

[DCR]

I've read every Insider page like 10 times now, OH GOD THE WAIT THE AGONY!!

'hem... we now return to your regularly scheduled web comic, already not in progress.

Yeah. *ahem*

Baby, since you've been gone
I've been hangin' around here lately
With my mind messed up
Jumped on forum tried to clear my mind
Didn't help me, I guess I'm all messed up, now baby

It's just another webcomic gone
Rackin' my brain like crazy
Guess I'm all torn up
On break or just slow it doesn't let go
Or shake me and it's all because of you

[Hujedamig]

ABORT, ABORT, ABORT!

Well Arioch got his new computer not long ago. So the update is not far away I think. As we all love this story and want an update, I think Arioch wants it more. Give it time. We haven't followed Outsider all these years to now grow impatient

[CptWinters]

O ye of little faith...

[Mr Bojangles]

Patience pays off.

Beryl looks... agitated?

[NOMAD]

yes . . . progress . . .Beryl, looks agitated, but the image is WIP so I'm looking forward to the text bubbles. Glad your back to updating Arioch.

[Count Casimir]

"Are we in danger?"
"Don't say that!"

My guess: he be sassin' Fireblade.

[fredgiblet]

Or explaining to Beryl that he didn't really mean it's wonderful.

[Suederwind]

Wow... Nice work Arioch!
So we are going from a "as happy as you can get" Beryl, to a mildly annoyed one and reach a angry one in only one page?

[RedDwarfIV]

Wow... Nice work Arioch!
So we are going from a "as happy as you can get" Beryl, to a mildly annoyed one and reach a angry one in only one page?

Beware The Nice Ones.

[Karst45]

Wow... Nice work Arioch!
So we are going from a "as happy as you can get" Beryl, to a mildly annoyed one and reach a angry one in only one page?

beril is so bipolar

[Timefly]

Beryl looks rather upset suddenly. I wonder what buttons our defender of the garden managed to push there. Nice job, Alex!

Looking forward to the next page, Arioch.

[Hālian]

Well, the temp dialogue says:

Are we in danger?

Don't say that!

[RedDwarfIV]

... or it COULD be that Arioch was going to have Beryll go on a long tirade about whatever Alex was talking about, realised that it was a wall of text of horrific proportions, said "oh god what have i done", rubbed it all out then just wrote "Don't say that!" as a reminder that he needs to come up with a better bit of dialogue.

... or not, as the case probably is, but I thought it was funny.