It's true. They're just 100% prosthetic.
They are the non-magical version of undead, just as androids are the non-magical version of golems.
EDIT: I would have said 98% prosthetic, but Joshua doesn't have his original brain anymore--it was splattered all over the research lab's floor, if I remember correctly.
Also, on a side note, it's surprising that someone as paranoid as Ashford would hire a cubi in the first place...
Unless his "situation" is reacting to Keaton being a cubi instead of Josh being 100% prosthetic.
And, on yet another note, Keaton appears to be having mood swings.
First she's pissed off at Ashford, and now she finds him amusing.
Nothing unusual about mood swings in a Cubi.
Although I think she's amused because she's just been given Joshua to eat his soul... unsuccessfully, mind, but even so...
Quote from: llearch n'n'daCorna on September 12, 2009, 03:58:25 AM
Although I think she's amused because she's just been given Joshua to eat his soul... unsuccessfully, mind, but even so...
Pretty much. She's unable to prevent herself sniggering at the crap Ashford is spouting, then she focusses when given a job to do, though it's not actually a soul-stealing.
Firstly, even Ashford isn't
that sadistic, and secondly it would probably have worked. What Ashford has told her to do (which the wall-of-text is trying to make clear) is remove the spell keeping him animate, which obviously hasn't worked because he's not actually an undead. If he'd actually ordered her to eat him it would have been worded very differently, and Keaton's reaction would have been even more delighted.
For the record, I'm not entirely sure whether undead in DMFA smell particularly bad or not - I'm assuming not since Hannah was able to masquerade as one of the living. Ashford doesn't even believe they're real people so anything he says should be taken with a pinch of salt.
Quote from: ChaosMageX on September 12, 2009, 12:02:17 AM
EDIT: I would have said 98% prosthetic, but Joshua doesn't have his original brain anymore--it was splattered all over the research lab's floor, if I remember correctly.
Yes.
QuoteAlso, on a side note, it's surprising that someone as paranoid as Ashford would hire a cubi in the first place...
The relationship between them will become clear in the next chapter. It took a lot of inspiration from DMFA around strip 718, though it is noticeably different in several major ways.
Oh yeah, Amber? Just be glad Keaton didn't win the cameo auction. Seriously, even a cheetah character would just be a matter of mechanically filling out a whole load of spots - Keaton has all these patches and whorls and stuff (I'm simplifying her a lot here). I just know I'm going to forget the eye-crescents one of these days (they were deliberately left out in Being-mode).
Quote from: Tapewolf on September 12, 2009, 04:26:30 AM
Pretty much. She's unable to prevent herself sniggering at the crap Ashford is spouting, then she focusses when given a job to do, though it's not actually a soul-stealing.
Firstly, even Ashford isn't that sadistic, and secondly it would probably have worked. What Ashford has told her to do (which the wall-of-text is trying to make clear) is remove the spell keeping him animate, which obviously hasn't worked because he's not actually an undead. If he'd actually ordered her to eat him it would have been worded very differently, and Keaton's reaction would have been even more delighted.
Ah. Yeah, point.
Quote from: Tapewolf on September 12, 2009, 04:26:30 AM
For the record, I'm not entirely sure whether undead in DMFA smell particularly bad or not - I'm assuming not since Hannah was able to masquerade as one of the living. Ashford doesn't even believe they're real people so anything he says should be taken with a pinch of salt.
It's unclear if that was Hannah masquerading, or merely Dan being inattentive. My money is on Dan, though I grant you the point of being able to do so.
And... Yeah. It's clear to me that Ashford isn't terribly connected to the universe at large. ;-]
Quote from: llearch n'n'daCorna on September 12, 2009, 04:48:19 AM
Ah. Yeah, point.
I'll happily accept suggestions for clarifying that in dialogue, as long as it will fit :<
**EDIT**
By the way, Keaton's profile is up on the cast page.
I think it's more me making assumptions than the dialogue being unclear. But I'll think on it anyway...
It's amusing that it still that some sign Josh is being cared for in some ironic way
Heh, nice. In the first panel, though, I can't quite tell if Josh's just looking PO'd at Ashford, or if he's tossing a you're-not-helping look at Keaton.
The dialogue was clear to me. He was basically asking her to cast "dispell undead".
Nice cast page. Is there going to be one for Ashford too? Since he's on her Facebook and all.
Just one thing: where it says "children are are sacred" (on Keaton's cast page), I think you meant to put only one "are".
By the way, what's Schadenfreude?
Quote from: Gabi on September 12, 2009, 03:50:42 PM
Nice cast page. Is there going to be one for Ashford too? Since he's on her Facebook and all.
Eventually, yes. I haven't assembled the art for it yet.
QuoteJust one thing: where it says "children are are sacred" (on Keaton's cast page), I think you meant to put only one "are".
Well spotted. That should be fixed now, though owing to an unfortunate combination of the server aggressively caching things and the PHP script, you may need to use:
http://www.project-future.org/cast.php?name=Keaton
...to force it to display correctly.
QuoteBy the way, what's Schadenfreude?
I believe it refers to taking pleasure from others' misfortunes, but I could be wrong. It was taken from her DMFA wiki page.
The no scent thing could be easily handled with technorganics that grow synthetic skin.
Unfortunately that tech is a ways off going by what I have seen.
And by going what I said Terminator had it right, in some areas.
Quote from: Tapewolf on September 12, 2009, 03:55:26 PM
Quote from: Gabi on September 12, 2009, 03:50:42 PM
QuoteBy the way, what's Schadenfreude?
I believe it refers to taking pleasure from others' misfortunes, but I could be wrong. It was taken from her DMFA wiki page.
"
There's an old Earth word. It's called schadenfreude--
the feeling of elation that comes from learning of the suffering of others. Like when you hear that a rival newsman suddenly was caught cursing in front of a live mike, or that a particularly corrupt alderman just stepped in front of a garbage truck. It's elation accompanied by that twinge of guilt for feeling so good, and the quiet, fervent prayer that something that bad never happens to you.
With the Protoss and Zerg biting deep into Confederate territory, we had schaudenfreude
in buckets."
--Michael Liberty,
StarCraft: Liberty's Crusade
Quote from: Madmann135 on September 12, 2009, 04:04:53 PM
The no scent thing could be easily handled with technorganics that grow synthetic skin.
Unfortunately that tech is a ways off going by what I have seen.
And by going what I said Terminator had it right, in some areas.
In the Terminator movies, dogs were used to detect infiltrators because even though they had human skin, they still somehow lacked the odor of normal humans. This leads me to believe that the glands that produce scents were not replicated properly.
A remedy for this would be an artificial olfaction and scent reproduction system. There used to be a piece of vaporware called the iSmell that was a test to see if tele-olfaction could be achieved by combining a set a 250 primary odors to replicate any smell the human nose could detect. Of course, this tech fell short of expectations, but I still believe that tele-olfaction may still be possible.
It would be a short step, using the right nanotechnology, to detect scents at concentrations lower than 1 ppm, and replicate these odors using nano-factories for molecular synthesis. This would allow an extremely advanced terminator with this equipment to sneak past the dogs at the front gate and go on a killing spree in the refugee camp. :mwaha
You know, something just occurred to me. Joshua, when he was a guest of Jakob Pettersohn, freaked out at the very thought that he might be in the same room as a 'cubi.
And now he finds out his own boss employs one. What would it do to morale if that got out? And how come Ashford's obvious paranoia isn't triggered :P
Quote from: Corgatha Taldorthar on September 13, 2009, 10:55:07 AM
You know, something just occurred to me. Joshua, when he was a guest of Jakob Pettersohn, freaked out at the very thought that he might be in the same room as a 'cubi.
And now he finds out his own boss employs one.
Spot on. That is one of the big reasons he's totally freaked in the bottom-left panel. To quote the original story:
He rose, and then glanced to his secretary. "Keaton? Dispel it, please. Then have the remains interred at his grave with full honours."
"Yes, commander."
The jackal sighed and arose as well, her wings and headwings appearing as she did so. Joshua started in terror... he'd never suspected she was anything more than a normal Being and his fear of 'Cubi, diminished by his stay with Jakob, suddenly returned at full strength.QuoteWhat would it do to morale if that got out? And how come Ashford's obvious paranoia isn't triggered :P
Of that we shall speak later...
GRIM N DARK.
GRIM N DAAAAARK. :U
I'm quite curious to see if Joshua has the strength to break out of those cuffs, after all the other synthetic broke a man's neck fairly easily.
Quote from: MT Hazard on September 14, 2009, 10:25:45 AM
I'm quite curious to see if Joshua has the strength to break out of those cuffs, after all the other synthetic broke a man's neck fairly easily.
Only if they're not designed to restrain Demons. And only if Joshua has his previous strength back, instead of being set to something more Being-like.
Quote from: Tapewolf on September 14, 2009, 10:32:42 AM
Quote from: MT Hazard on September 14, 2009, 10:25:45 AM
I'm quite curious to see if Joshua has the strength to break out of those cuffs, after all the other synthetic broke a man's neck fairly easily.
Only if they're not designed to restrain Demons. And only if Joshua has his previous strength back, instead of being set to something more Being-like.
71 suggested he has being reset to full power, but you would be more likely to know than me. Plus rule of drama and all that.
Besides wouldn't it be Joshua's discretion when and when not to be set from being strength to full power in the field?
Quote from: Madmann135 on September 14, 2009, 04:51:16 PM
Besides wouldn't it be Joshua's discretion when and when not to be set from being strength to full power in the field?
Only if he has the equipment to reprogram his config settings. Setting the limiters is not something he can do himself just by thinking about it.
I'm half tempted to make a joke about how the females in the comic are either background elements or subserviant lackeys to THE MAN. :U
Quote from: Amber Williams on September 15, 2009, 02:06:51 PM
I'm half tempted to make a joke about how the females in the comic are either background elements or subserviant lackeys to THE MAN. :U
Dooo eeet..
I would....but these Ashford/Joshua fanfics aren't gonna write themselves yanno. :U
Now where is my thesarus...I need to come up with a similar word for "throbbing"...
Quote from: Amber Williams on September 15, 2009, 02:15:33 PM
Now where is my thesarus...I need to come up with a similar word for "throbbing"...
Pulsating.
Quote from: Amber Williams on September 15, 2009, 02:15:33 PM
Now where is my thesarus...I need to come up with a similar word for "throbbing"...
Beating, pulsing, pounding, thudding, throbbing, palpitated... I'll stop now.
I love this thread so much. :3
Quote from: Amber Williams on September 15, 2009, 02:23:33 PM
I love this thread so much. :3
Me too.
Incidentally, I do have about, oh, a sentence-worth of an Ashford/Joshua fanfic that I wrote on a whim. Nothing about clearing desks off yet, but something about "mechanical precision." Good gods what is wrong with me?
Quote from: Amber Williams on September 15, 2009, 02:15:33 PM
I would....but these Ashford/Joshua fanfics aren't gonna write themselves yanno. :U
Now where is my thesarus...I need to come up with a similar word for "throbbing"...
"Tumescent" seems to be popular in slash fanfics. Don't ask me how I know that... :animesweat
Quote from: Tezkat on September 15, 2009, 02:28:18 PM
Quote from: Amber Williams on September 15, 2009, 02:15:33 PM
I would....but these Ashford/Joshua fanfics aren't gonna write themselves yanno. :U
Now where is my thesarus...I need to come up with a similar word for "throbbing"...
"Tumescent" seems to be popular in slash fanfics. Don't ask me how I know that... :animesweat
A little purple-prose-ish, isn't it?
Quote from: Jairus on September 15, 2009, 02:31:34 PM
A little purple-prose-ish, isn't it?
We
are talking about fanfics here... :mowtongue
Quote from: Jairus on September 15, 2009, 02:27:10 PM
Incidentally, I do have about, oh, a sentence-worth of an Ashford/Joshua fanfic that I wrote on a whim. Nothing about clearing desks off yet, but something about "mechanical precision." Good gods what is wrong with me?
Bweeeheeeheee.
One of these days I am going to end up banned from this section of the forum for trolling. I just know it. :U
Quote from: Amber Williams on September 15, 2009, 02:38:19 PM
Quote from: Jairus on September 15, 2009, 02:27:10 PM
Incidentally, I do have about, oh, a sentence-worth of an Ashford/Joshua fanfic that I wrote on a whim. Nothing about clearing desks off yet, but something about "mechanical precision." Good gods what is wrong with me?
Bweeeheeeheee.
One of these days I am going to end up banned from this section of the forum for trolling. I just know it. :U
"Joshua didn't need to read minds to know what Ashford wanted. He wanted
him."
Wow. That was unbearably cheesy. And wrong.
I can reveal that Joshua gets a night alone with Keaton.
Quote from: Tapewolf on September 15, 2009, 02:47:54 PM
I can reveal that Joshua gets a night alone with Keaton.
Yay! Parcheesi night still lives!
Quote from: Jairus on September 15, 2009, 02:49:35 PM
Quote from: Tapewolf on September 15, 2009, 02:47:54 PM
I can reveal that Joshua gets a night alone with Keaton.
Yay! Parcheesi night still lives!
And thus, Shipper denial begins :p
Quote from: Amber Williams on September 15, 2009, 02:38:19 PM
One of these days I am going to end up banned from this section of the forum for trolling. I just know it. :U
Send me those originals and all will be forgiven....
... Give me a chance, and I'll commish some new originals.. ;-]
dwiurtffffffffffffladtrgyuij;ok'p
That was me wiping the tea off of my keyboard. I love you people.
Quote from: Keaton the Black Jackal on September 15, 2009, 07:15:28 PM
That was me wiping the tea off of my keyboard. I love you people.
As much as Joshua? :U
Quote from: Keaton the Black Jackal on September 15, 2009, 07:15:28 PM
dwiurtffffffffffffladtrgyuij;ok'p
That was me wiping the tea off of my keyboard. I love you people.
Silly Keaton. You should have learned by now not to drink tea while reading the forum, if only for C|N>K experiences...
Er, forgive the ignorant, but what is C|N>K?
Quote from: llearch n'n'daCorna on September 16, 2009, 04:06:28 AM
Quote from: Keaton the Black Jackal on September 15, 2009, 07:15:28 PM
dwiurtffffffffffffladtrgyuij;ok'p
That was me wiping the tea off of my keyboard. I love you people.
Silly Keaton. You should have learned by now not to drink tea while reading the forum, if only for C|N>K experiences...
Quote from: Pagan on September 16, 2009, 01:48:40 PM
Er, forgive the ignorant, but what is C|N>K?
I was under the impression that C|N>K was a construct coined by llearch n'n'daCorna to describe said tea experience.
Quote from: Pagan on September 16, 2009, 01:48:40 PM
Er, forgive the ignorant, but what is C|N>K?
Coffee though Nose onto Keyboard.
| being the pipe symbol, used for passing data from one application onto another. > is the redirection symbol, indicating writing out to a file.
Not coined by me.
Ahhhh... Thank you, proliator and llearch.
Ah, thanks llearch. I broke Google trying to research the symbolism; seems obvious when explained, as most such things do... Could you substitute 'T' for 'C' in Keaton's circumstance, and is this an inside joke most programmers would understand?
Quote from: llearch n'n'daCorna on September 16, 2009, 02:57:04 PM
Quote from: Pagan on September 16, 2009, 01:48:40 PM
Er, forgive the ignorant, but what is C|N>K?
Coffee though Nose onto Keyboard.
| being the pipe symbol, used for passing data from one application onto another. > is the redirection symbol, indicating writing out to a file.
Not coined by me.
Actually, looking at it, it kinda see it as "Coffee through Nose
is greater than Keyboard." Still, interesting terminology. Though for me, it'd be Cola through Nose, but it's still a C, so yeah.
Quote from: proeliator bradypodidae on September 16, 2009, 03:35:09 PM
Could you substitute 'T' for 'C' in Keaton's circumstance, and is this an inside joke most programmers would understand?
Very definitely, to both: I first came across it in the dead-tree edition of the Jargon File (http://catb.org/jargon/html/C/CNK.html) when it was printed many years ago, so it can't have been new then. (Although to get the full effect of the joke properly it helps to know a little about how *NIX single-key redirect commands are set up.) >:3
I would have understood it if I'd known what C, N and K stood for. Now I do.
And Jairus: your mind. Sorry, you asked. ;)
Quote from: Amber Williams on September 15, 2009, 02:06:51 PM
I'm half tempted to make a joke about how the females in the comic are either background elements or subserviant lackeys to THE MAN. :U
Okay, it took me a while to come up with a reply that didn't compromise things too much, but here it is. It is true that Keaton was originally a background character, but that doesn't remain the case.
That's all I'll reveal for now.
Could beings that have gone 100% prosthetic match strength, speed, and stamina with a demon, or are the prototype bodies still weaker than a fully mature demon?
If they are weaker, then I'd give the tech no more than a century before something along the lines of terminator bodies are developed that can match and surpass a demon in combat.
Quote from: ChaosMageX on September 17, 2009, 11:15:24 PM
Could beings that have gone 100% prosthetic match strength, speed, and stamina with a demon, or are the prototype bodies still weaker than a fully mature demon?
Well, the idea wasn't really to turn Beings into Demons, so it's a bit of column A, a bit of column B.
Stamina, they have parity with for most practical purposes. They probably draw parity in strength with a weaker Demon, but probably not with most. Reflexes are tuned on a per-case basis, but since Demons are magical and may be able to override physical limitations somewhat, it probably doesn't scale up that far.
Android Demons would not have the skin-hardening trick.
QuoteIf they are weaker, then I'd give the tech no more than a century before something along the lines of terminator bodies are developed that can match and surpass a demon in combat.
Well, the idea was to start fairly simple and make a Being, with some Creature extensions thrown in for Azrael. Since the project lead and chief designers were 'Cubi they obviously had an interest in adding some of those abilities as well, but Demon and Angel support are somewhat more rudimentary at present.
Quote from: Tapewolf on September 18, 2009, 05:00:13 AM
Quote from: ChaosMageX on September 17, 2009, 11:15:24 PM
If they are weaker, then I'd give the tech no more than a century before something along the lines of terminator bodies are developed that can match and surpass a demon in combat.
Well, the idea was to start fairly simple and make a Being, with some Creature extensions thrown in for Azrael. Since the project lead and chief designers were 'Cubi they obviously had an interest in adding some of those abilities as well, but Demon and Angel support are somewhat more rudimentary at present.
And I think anyone who's watched Terminator 2 would know what the closest thing to an android cubi is. :mwaha
However, the tech for that would probably take at least two centuries to develop in the Furrae universe.
Okay, as a heads-up we lost the battle this week, but I'm hoping to have the line art Real Soon Now. Realistically, we're probably having a Saturday update. Sorry about that folks.
Part of this is my fault, I pushed Ren a bit too hard to make sure we had a filler strip for Christmas/emergencies and as a result, we overran.
It is a nice filler, though.
Quote from: Tapewolf on September 18, 2009, 02:49:08 PM
It is a nice filler, though.
Any connections to the still unresolved mystery about Niall? :rolleyes
Quote from: Gabi on September 18, 2009, 03:58:28 PM
Any connections to the still unresolved mystery about Niall? :rolleyes
Yes. That's why I was rather insistent on getting it done, because you asked the question about 11 weeks ago. Hope you don't find it too offensive >:3
Now I'm even more intrigued. :o
Quote from: Gabi on September 19, 2009, 11:45:16 AM
Now I'm even more intrigued. :o
Let's just say that Jakob doesn't take the question well.
Anyway, there's a new comic up, but apparently not a new thread. Hint, hint >:3
I like this thread, though. ;-]