Summer Update - 027

[LordDarksea]

I wonder if Parson's zero move will end up being not all it seems. I keep feeling the reason his stats can't be seen is because he just doesn't have them, so erfworld just applies the obvious to him. learning to cross hex-boundaries may be like learning to swear, just getting the right focus of will. In which case, he may end up crossing boundaries even when its not his turn.

Best,
Thom

I think you're on to something there.

(off topic: oh and, hey... are you the Thom I know? Riskaani? One of the wolves?)

many games make mounting and dismounting take a move action. So that might not work.

Cool, i can get two birds with one stone with this one...

Firstly, probably not. I'm a codicologist (studier of manuscripts and books) from Leeds, UK rather than a wolf. paws and all would make turning the pages hard

Secondly, I've picked up the feeling that move is just for crossing hex boundaries, as most of the other actions are simply people being people in the space they have allotted to them. The fact that battles and turns last as long as they need to is what gives me that hunch mostly.

Its also been suggested that the censoring of words and crossing the hex boundaries are two completely different things. One being akin to physics, the other social norm. I'm not so convinced by this. I think (I.e. have always assumed) that were one of the Erfworlders to turn around and try to say 'you gosh-darned-boop' (probably to Stanley), then it would turn out censored. The fact that they don't usually try is irrelevant. Erfworld permits some forms of behaviour and not others. Parson being not of Erfworld gets subjected to its rules, but can break some of them (to use Earth rules) under certain circumstances. I suggested previously that it was will power and intention that allowed him to do that, and from an emic perspective I stand by that. Therefore, with enough focus Parson may be able to apply the principle he used to allow him to swear to override Erfworld again and cross hex boundaries. (at which point night time strolls in combat space could end up causing devastating results to the enemy...).

However, from an etic perspective, the ability to overrule the swearing was the best dramatic ending to the story, that all the rest just built up to and emphasised perfectly. Now, couple that with a title like 'Love is a Battefield' gives me the impression that Parson could remain in the city through volume two, fall in love through the course of it, and dramatically figure out how to break the hex-crossing line at an appropriate, dramatic moment that may avert a tragedy or, knowing Rob's skill and style somewhat, result in him arriving moments too late anyway...

Overall though i think the latter unlikely. Firstly, that breaking the rules ending finished book one, so i imagine book two will be different. Secondly, if it was such a significant point, not being able to cross the boundary might have been reserved for the actual comic, not the summer teaser-vignettes. Still, Parson conquering a chunk of Erf as a mastermind from the 'comfort' of Gobwin Knob for book 2 and then riding out to lead the battle for book 3 would be cool.

best,
Thom

[doran]

Firstly, probably not. I'm a codicologist (studier of manuscripts and books) from Leeds, UK rather than a wolf. paws and all would make turning the pages hard

Nice to see a fellow yorkshireman enjoying Erfworld.

An interesting update! I wonder if Parson will ask Stanley to temporarily reverse his garrison status.

[bathysphere]

I think (I.e. have always assumed) that were one of the Erfworlders to turn around and try to say 'you gosh-darned-boop' (probably to Stanley), then it would turn out censored.

Does make one wonder where that Erfworlder would have learned the uncensored word. I'd always assumed the words don't occur to erfworlders since they could never have been spoken + learned in the first place. Orwell-class censormancy. (Eh. On reflection, this may be what you meant, too.)

[spriteless]

Hmm, but what about the Mealy Mouth Moth... or the Sofa King? Just stylistic choices, stop looking so hard I guess.

[DevilDan]

I like Maggie.

[PseudoPserious]

...the boob-blockade was something enforced only on parson. Nobody else had to suffer from this.

Poor, poor Parson. I feel your pain, brother.

PP

[Anton Gaist]

I don't think that is the same; the boob-blockade was something enforced only on parson.

*snickers* I'm sure you meant boop, but still. Boob.

[Sokrotes]

Didn't Maggie say that the hex boundary provided soft resistance? But Parson seems to have smacked into it. Hard resistance.

Could that mean something, maybe?

I don't think so, we saw Jillian encounter hard resistance when she tried to catch Stanley after the failed ambush.

I wonder if Parson learning to cross the boundry will be like learning to fly in the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy; to do it you've got to to it without realising you've done it.

Ok I dont have much to add with most of all you guys responses, but i noticed this one and wanted to give my ten cents. I dont think she hit the edge of the hex during that fight scene, she had been waiting there, she had full move. She was stopped by Jack's spell, he cast a foolamancy and he the dragon and Stanley vanished so she was swipping at nothing.

[Chaos Kitty]

I don't think that is the same; the boob-blockade was something enforced only on parson.

*snickers* I'm sure you meant boop, but still. Boob.

Hey, don't knock it. I'd like a blockade of boobs to stop me doing something sometimes. I'd never get past it/them.

[moose o death]

arts on

i like that update but wonder how the basket got way up there...congratulations on getting tapped genuinity. like what you did with the specs

[GenuityX]

arts on

i like that update but wonder how the basket got way up there...congratulations on getting tapped genuinity. like what you did with the specs

Thanks, much appreciated! The basket was a last minute add on. How it got up there? Slap-stick art. I know when I run into something unexpectedly, what I have in my hands doesn't get dropped, but is usually accelerated away from me at high speeds. I figure this is just because the universe is a nasty bully.

[Welf von Ehrwald]

I don't think that is the same; the boob-blockade was something enforced only on parson.

*snickers* I'm sure you meant boop, but still. Boob.

Hey, don't knock it. I'd like a blockade of boobs to stop me doing something sometimes. I'd never get past it/them.

One for you, Mr. Freud, one for you.
Fortunately it works both ways. Poor Parsons, no boob, just boop.

[Dahak]

I dont think she hit the edge of the hex during that fight scene, she had been waiting there, she had full move.

Units have 0 move left outside their turn.
It was Godwin's Knob's turn.
She was at the time a Barbarian allied with Transylvito.
Therefore she had 0 move.

[Infidel]

Didn't Maggie say that the hex boundary provided soft resistance? But Parson seems to have smacked into it. Hard resistance.

Could that mean something, maybe?

I don't think so, we saw Jillian encounter hard resistance when she tried to catch Stanley after the failed ambush.

I wonder if Parson learning to cross the boundry will be like learning to fly in the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy; to do it you've got to to it without realising you've done it.

Ok I dont have much to add with most of all you guys responses, but i noticed this one and wanted to give my ten cents. I dont think she hit the edge of the hex during that fight scene, she had been waiting there, she had full move. She was stopped by Jack's spell, he cast a foolamancy and he the dragon and Stanley vanished so she was swipping at nothing.

jack and stanley crossed the hex boundry and it dispelled his spell. Spells don't cross hex boundries. And the art is pretty clear that Jillian is slamming into the hex boundry. Of course this isn't an argument against the soft resistance because Jillian was obviously going full speed, so she would have blasted right through the soft resistance and slammed into the hard resistance behind it. Parson wasn't going at full speed, but I think because he's from earth he only is bound by hard resistance and soft resistance has no meaning for him.

[DevilDan]

Excellent simulation of cartoon physics on that basket, Genuity. Funny.

[yay]

besides the enigma of parson's move, two thing caught my eye.

why are the pikers guarding the gate? they would know if anyone was in the battlespace to attack, so is it just for show?

"troops manning defensive engines" what are those exactly? catapaults, boiling oil, magical defense's like those used to take out the RCC's air units?

[spriteless]

Obviously the basket was effected by the soft resistance while Parson wasn't, thus when he let go of it it took off like it was on a snapped rubberband.

[DevilDan]

besides the enigma of parson's move, two thing caught my eye.

why are the pikers guarding the gate? they would know if anyone was in the battlespace to attack, so is it just for show?

"troops manning defensive engines" what are those exactly? catapaults, boiling oil, magical defense's like those used to take out the RCC's air units?

Is there a mechanism for a sneak attack of some sort? Surely no side needs guards during its turn, we don't really know the mechanism or order of events for an attack. GK never had a gate before; if they're going to be leaving it open then guards may not be a bad idea. For all we know there are some more dangerous animals that could pop too; perhaps even a random (if ineffectual) barbarian attack could also occur?

A lot of things that militaries do are for show.

[Erk]

Obviously the basket was effected by the soft resistance while Parson wasn't, thus when he let go of it it took off like it was on a snapped rubberband.

I think it's odd that everyone is assuming because of the words "ran smack into" that Parson didn't encounter the soft resistance expected. If I place a pile of pillows against a wall and charge into them, I'll run smack into them and stop cold. That doesn't mean I hit a hard surface, they're still pillows. He didn't "crash into it and hurt his face" or anything, and Maggie just told us that the boundary was soft... I think Rob would have been much more explicit if Parson ran into something less gentle than we'd just been told to expect.

That's my only beef artistically too, since I think Gentle made that same assumption and I don't think it's correct. Otherwise, fun drawing.

[cloudbreaker]

Is that a tooth flying out of his mouth? Does that mean Parson is going to show the erfworlders what actual bleeding looks like?