[Comic] 29/09/08 (Project Future Pg. 32 remixed)

[Tapewolf]

I went for "Facebook" in the end.  The cast page now has profiles for all characters listed earlier except Keaton and Ashford who haven't appeared yet, but will before episode 4 is out.  I have added ep3 to the archives and will at some point re-spin the title pages to read 'episode' instead of 'chapter'.

The cast page itself has gone live now, so if anyone has questions or spots errors in it, that would be handy.

[Sunblink]

Oskar is good at scrabble. He will also cheat if given half the chance.

*disappears sinisterly into the darkness*

~Keaton the Black Jackal

[Tapewolf]

Slightly early update.  Enjoy.

As I'm sure many people know, I've added a cast section containing interesting facts (and lies) about the cast members including various items of background which had to be cut from the dialogue for space reasons.
The terminal was done using an actual DEC terminal font, though probably not the same one as in the VT100's ROM.  I want one, but they seem to be collectable 
Anyway.  The SMPTE test card was painstakingly copied from the wikipedia rendition, which was licenced under the GFDL.  I do not really want to have to open-source the comic, so it took an hour or so.  If anyone wants a copy, let me know.

Also, I've switched all the titles and stuff to say 'episode' instead of chapter.

[Jairus]

Oh my... this looks interesting. That cannot be a pleasant memory to have right upon waking up... it's like reliving the worst moment of your nightmare, except that you know it really happened.

[Pagan]

Well, I'd say that Josh got a second chance, but really, he should have died back on like page 3 or something. But how much of him is machine now? I mean, there were a couple of headshots, that's got to do brain damage.

[Tapewolf]

Well, I'd say that Josh got a second chance, but really, he should have died back on like page 3 or something. But how much of him is machine now? I mean, there were a couple of headshots, that's got to do brain damage.

That will be one of Josh's questions.  I went with Ren's version of the script, mine was a bit more fast-paced and we'd have the answer by now.
I will point out that the reason Kris is asking about his hands - of all things - is because he's going to give Josh a pen and paper to ask questions etc. until his voice returns.

[Turnsky]

there have been documented cases of people being shot in the head without so much as a bad headache, let alone brain damage.. usually the bullet either curves around the inside of the skull and out the back, or passes clean between the hemispheres.

[Tapewolf]

there have been documented cases of people being shot in the head without so much as a bad headache, let alone brain damage.. usually the bullet either curves around the inside of the skull and out the back, or passes clean between the hemispheres.

I was actually thinking of that when I was colouring this.
However, what has actually happened is a bit more along the lines of The Turing Option by Harry Harrison (The Stainless Steel Rat etc.) and Marvin Minsky (MIT).

In that book, the protagonist gets his head blown off, and his memory is recovered by augmenting (what's left of) his brain with a cybernetic implant.  They are only able to recover up to his 14th birthday, though.

[Jairus]

In that book, the protagonist gets his head blown off, and his memory is recovered by augmenting (what's left of) his brain with a cybernetic implant.  They are only able to recover up to his 14th birthday, though.

So how much does Josh have? Or are we going to wait a week or two for that answer?

[Tapewolf]

So how much does Josh have? Or are we going to wait a week or two for that answer?

I'm afraid so.

[Jairus]

So how much does Josh have? Or are we going to wait a week or two for that answer?

I'm afraid so.

Damn. Oh well, it should be interesting watching the fireworks when he realizes he's a cyborg. Kettle corn, anyone?

[Jack McSlay]

Actually a pass-through head shot not too often makes an instant kill, tho the person may die shortly after due to bleeding/brain not being properly irrigated.
there's a japanese pilot who got shot on the head with a friggin 30mm cannon back in WWII and is still alive (or at least was a few years ago when the documentary I saw was made). He was shot during flight and after fainting for a few minutes, was conscious enough to fly back to the base.

headshots are more certain kills when the bullet doesn't have enough power to exit the skull, meaning it's going to ricochet inside the skull, doing more damage than if it exited

[techmaster-glitch]

So how much does Josh have? Or are we going to wait a week or two for that answer?

I'm afraid so.

Damn. Oh well, it should be interesting watching the fireworks when he realizes he's a cyborg. Kettle corn, anyone?

Since I've actually read and kept up with both CJP and FHJP, I already know what's happened to Josh. But I am forbidden to saaaaaaaaaay! Can't even hint! (but that's a limitation on my part because my hints are brick-subtle )
   I also know the "truth" about Kris, Daryil's "novel method of ensuring clan manageability", and all the other dirty little secrets from the cast pages.

[Tapewolf]

Damn. Oh well, it should be interesting watching the fireworks when he realizes he's a cyborg. Kettle corn, anyone?

Actually we have a little problem there.  Ren wasn't able to complete the artwork before he left.  PITA, because he's been deviating from the written script a lot lately - usually for the better.  Having an editor is awesome!  Um, anyway... this does mean that when he finally completes the page, his version might cover less plot than my mash-up version will.  Ah well, we'll work it out somehow.

   Since I've actually read and kept up with both CJP and FHJP, I already know what's happened to Josh. But I am forbidden to saaaaaaaaaay! Can't even hint! (but that's a limitation on my part because my hints are brick-subtle )

I should have said that his being shot was a dream or something 

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

I should have said that his being shot was a dream or something 

overused! overused! ;-]

[Tapewolf]

overused! overused! ;-]

But chapter 3 started with a dream!  Symmetry, man!  Symmetry!

[Faerie Alex]

I like it, just one little thing with the cast pages. For your robotic characters, what exactly is p + ^11B? I'm guessing it's electricity, but I've never seen that particular notation before.

[Tapewolf]

I like it, just one little thing with the cast pages. For your robotic characters, what exactly is p + ^11B? I'm guessing it's electricity, but I've never seen that particular notation before.

It's a nuclear reaction, actually.  I was wondering if anyone would realise what it meant.  So far, no takers 

[Faerie Alex]

Ah, that was going to be my second guess. But I didn't quite recognize that notation from high school chemistry (which I took last year), either.

[Tapewolf]

Ah, that was going to be my second guess. But I didn't quite recognize that notation from high school chemistry (which I took last year), either.

It's hydrogen ion/boron-11 fusion.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

... So which strip did that show up in?

[Tapewolf]

... So which strip did that show up in?

It's in the cast pages, not in-strip yet.  Strip 6 mentions the power source, but I hadn't settled on an actual reaction at that time.  Maybe when Dorcan shows up...

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Ah, I should go read those.

Did you want typos listed?

[Tapewolf]

Ah, I should go read those.  Did you want typos listed?

Yes, please.  I think I spotted a few, but forgot to write them down...

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Joshua: "His immediate superior is the somehat paranoid Commander Ashford," ... somehat? Does he change when someone changes his hat? ;-]


As far as Daryil's metabiological experiments, can the heads on the tentacles really be classed as "fake", if they don't have to do anything to trigger them? Not that I expect an answer, but it's an interesting point...

Oh, and the radiation that Mac needs to be bathed in - can he sense it? It'd be a bit of a flaw to be susceptible to something and not be able to tell that someone was pointing at you with it...

[Tapewolf]

Joshua: "His immediate superior is the somehat paranoid Commander Ashford," ... somehat? Does he change when someone changes his hat? ;-]

That was it!  Are there any more?

As far as Daryil's metabiological experiments, can the heads on the tentacles really be classed as "fake", if they don't have to do anything to trigger them? Not that I expect an answer, but it's an interesting point...

Real tentacle-heads will do things of their own volition, like fetching coffee filters.  Daryil heads won't, they just sit there blinking like glove-puppets.  You can still see through them, though.

Oh, and the radiation that Mac needs to be bathed in - can he sense it? It'd be a bit of a flaw to be susceptible to something and not be able to tell that someone was pointing at you with it...

I don't know.  Probably.  It's not likely to come up as a plot point anyway, it's just a piece of trivia.  Besides, assuming you could get him to sit still for three hours solid or more, it would simply reduce the stuff to a consistency of steel, so it's not like he'd dissolve.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

That was it!  Are there any more?

Not that I saw.

Real tentacle-heads will do things of their own volition, like fetching coffee filters.  Daryil heads won't, they just sit there blinking like glove-puppets.  You can still see through them, though.

Er.. according to what I understood, "real" tentacles (not just heads) will do that. Since it's your subconscious controlling them, etc. So.. the difference between this and "fake" heads is that "real" heads will show up by themselves, and the "fake" heads will... show up by themselves.

Not that this is a bad thing - I'm thinking it's more along the lines of other Cubi claiming that they're fake, even though the difference in how they showed up is simply that Daryil did it deliberately, rather than purely as a side effect... Sort of a "we don't like you, so we'll claim irrelevant differences are bigger than they really are." kinda thing.

I don't know.  Probably.  It's not likely to come up as a plot point anyway, it's just a piece of trivia.  Besides, assuming you could get him to sit still for three hours solid or more, it would simply reduce the stuff to a consistency of steel, so it's not like he'd dissolve.

Depends. You could follow him around, but it's not exactly simple. Bathing the entire area would be easier, but more expensive in terms of required power, and easier to identify, etc etc...

And the idea was, once he's the consistency of steel, a good shot with a Barrett Fifty-caliber would make a mess of him.

'course, that does mean you've got to get him with the first shot.

... and all his friends. Otherwise you'd be toast. Including any of them who might shoot back...

[Tapewolf]

Er.. according to what I understood, "real" tentacles (not just heads) will do that. Since it's your subconscious controlling them, etc. So.. the difference between this and "fake" heads is that "real" heads will show up by themselves, and the "fake" heads will... show up by themselves.

You may be right there.  On the one hand, "real tentacles" don't have eyes.  When Abel's appear we'll have more information about what those can do, but IMHO a headless tentacle in its subconscious state is going to be somewhat sense-deprived and therefore less likely to move around on its own.  On the other hand, even if that is the case, Daryil tentacles (with vision) are liable to behave like Dan's tentacles.

At the end of the day, as you say, it's mostly prejudice more than fact.

Depends. You could follow him around, but it's not exactly simple. Bathing the entire area would be easier, but more expensive in terms of required power, and easier to identify, etc etc...  and the idea was, once he's the consistency of steel, a good shot with a Barrett Fifty-caliber would make a mess of him.

True.  However...

... and all his friends. Otherwise you'd be toast. Including any of them who might shoot back...

...taking him down at all would itself set off the alarm.  In that situation the others are liable to kill first, ask questions later.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Indeed. Half a second's peace might be all the gap that's needed for an attack to succeed, though...

As you say, all theoretical.

[Sofox]

Shot in a way that make it seem like recovery is impossible...
Computer screen detailing said recovery...
Cybernetic organism brought back to life...






Admit it Tape, you've been playing System Shock again!