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Author Topic: Emperor Sue (A WebComic, with no pictures!)  (Read 2404 times)

JoshuaFH

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Re: Emperor Sue (A WebComic, with no pictures!)
« Reply #15 on: March 26, 2009, 10:35:06 am »

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Dasleah

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Re: Emperor Sue (A WebComic, with no pictures!)
« Reply #16 on: March 26, 2009, 05:29:02 pm »

You've got no artistic direction. Where is this happening? What gestures are they making? What do the characters look like? Even though you've got no artist, you still need to recognise webcomics (like comics full stop, and most entertainment) as a visual medium. You've not supplied the art nor made any indication that you will attempt it, so one would assume that this script would be passed on to an artist, and he's just going to go nuts because you aren't giving him (her) any direction. Panel One could take place on Mars with everyone having a look of dread on their faces, and Panel Two could be the characters smiling happily while standing around in an abattoir. Even in an entirely written web 'comic', you still need this. It could be descriptive asides, it could be the placement of words on the page, it could be their colours and the colour of the background, whatever. Comics are visual. Comics without pictures need to be extra visual, otherwise it's not going to engage the reader.

Also, WORDS WORDS WORDS WORDS WORDS OH LAWDY LOOK AT THEM. Don't feel bad, it's a common mistake. The rule is show, don't tell. This fits in with the already stated lack of art direction or instruction. Just think about the following scenario: You're angry. What's the easiest way to let people know that? Stand around shouting "I AM VERY ANGRY RIGHT NOW YES I AM I AM CONFIRMING MY STATE OF AGITATION AND AM ALLUDING TO MY LESS THAN SUNNY DISPOSITION" or frowning? People take one look and bam, they know they're angry. You start bullshitting on about it, people aren't going to listen long enough to care what mood you're in, or what you're trying to do. I know it may not make much sense as any intelligent artist (or person) will see what you're trying to do, but these things do need to be said so that everybody is on the same page (do ho ho ho ho ho) and knows what's happening, where it's happening, and why it's happening.

LET'S ANALYSE PANEL BY PANEL SHALL WE

Quote
GM: "You are the Holy Emperor, Emperor of the Universe!"
Stickman: "YES! I have finally managed to generate the character I always wanted."
GM: "Yep, the dice rolls all panned out in your favour. You blew up those annoying Rebel Scum, taken over ten galaxies in one forthnight fortnight, and managed to snag yourself a cool outfit in the process."
Stickman: "I love cool outfits. But...um...how did I manage to do all that?"
GM: "I believe it was your name. Mary Sue."

The GM tells the character what he already knows, and Stickman confirms. Redundant language, we already know that he's the Emperor from either piece of dialogue, so the second needs to go, whatever that is. "You are this!" "Yes, I am this!" "Yes!" I'd take out Stickman's first line and just have GM's first two lines streamline into each other. You shouldn't need to allude to rolls and dice and character gen, because it should already be apparent by the art or that they're playing a game of D&D or whatever.

Maybe move the "Mary Sue" part into a separate panel for impact. Spelling mistake in 'fortnight'.

Quote
Stickman: "There's a catch to all this right? You aren't really trying to puff my ego this game, are you?"
GM: "Of course not."
Stickman: "I must have overreacted with the rebels, I'm sure of it. That just only made the rebels more stronger. They are likely hiding out on a icy planet, and recruiting cute sidekicks."
GM: "There is no dissent against your rule."
Stickman: "So, the people love me, right?"
GM: "Well..."

what kind of game is played between only one player and the GM

Anyway.

Quote
GM: "Remember that 100% tax rate you placed on the people?"
GM: "And your constant use of conscription and forced labor to build mounment for yourself?"
GM: "And your constant use of genocide to acheive your goals?"
Stickman: "I'm even more cooler than I thought!"

That's either some impressive character generation or some mighty hard-handed railroading by the GM. You've established by inference in the first panel that this game is brand new, and character gen has just finished - so Stickman already knew this information, as it was either created by him for his character, or this just doesn't work. The GM is basically saying here "That's a cool character you've created! Also, he's a dick! He's evil! No, I don't care that the game hasn't started yet, I'm controlling your character! You're not the authority on what your character did before entering the scope of this game, I am!" It would make more sense for Stickman to be the one announcing this, rather than the GM, who tries to reign him in.

Quote
GM: "Everybody hates you, Mary Sue. They just don't want to speak out because of fear that you might strike back harshly."
Stickman: "Do Does everybody knows that everybody else hates me?"
GM: "Yes."
Stickman: "Then my regime is always in danger. I want this threat removed."
GM: "Sure thing. Rock falls. Everybody dies."

Terrible GMing. You're telling the characters what they do, rather then letting them tell you what they want to do. In this context, it should be Stickman telling GM that rocks fall, everybody dies. And given we've already established that this is Sci-Fi (40k if the title of Emperor is indicative, although it's half Star Wars) why does it have to be rocks? It's a saying yeah, so play off that. Make Stickman describe in great detail the process of killing everyone off, only to have GM cut him off with "So, rocks fall?" and Stickman respond "Everybody dies, yeah. But they die cool." or something. Play off the trope and the personalities of the characters.

Quote
Stickman: "Glad that got taken care of."
Stickman: "I'm going to celebrate. Call in my finest cooks to prepare me a--"
GM: "Rocks fall. Everybody dies."
Stickman: "Yeah. Right. So, GM, you want fish?"
GM: "You have no more followers."
Stickman: "Oh."

Next panel should be a beat. Let them implication of "Oh." sink in to both the characters and the audience.

Quote
GM: "Hey, you wanted to get rid of all possible rebellions."
Stickman: "Yes, but I need to eat too. Bring my cooks back."
GM: "Well, I might resurrect your cooks..."
GM: "...if you decide to lower taxes to 99% of the annual gross income."
Stickman: "NEVER!"

Punchline. Audience laughs. Roll on snare drums. Curtains.

I SHALL RETURN
« Last Edit: March 26, 2009, 06:11:52 pm by Dasleah »
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Pokethulhu Orange: UPDATE 25
The Roguelike Development Megathread.

As well, all the posts i've seen you make are flame posts, barely if at all constructive.
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