A man has to have his priorities.
Dang, a whole week? :U
I already liked Abel, but this just earned him a billion more points.
Vantriliquism is an awesome skill that I'm seriously looking into learning.
Indeed. Go Abel. Totally worth it. And SAIA sounds awesome if it has a ventriloquism course. And seduction courses... actually, for a race of Stupid Sexy Cubi (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/StupidSexyFlanders), it makes sense to learn how to channel it better.
It's the Rant-o-the-day that really interests me. Consider me very interested, Amber.
Well it's all easy if you remember how to throw your voice in the proper direction...
And onto other notes...I wish best of luck to anyone wins the bidding and Amber keep looking up and remember to take your time, We will always be there for you!
If Amber keeps bringing the subject of Abel's love life up, we'll eventually start finding things out or it will get very, very boring.
Heheheh. Although dumping a girl at SAIA seems to be a reasonably hazardous activity.....
I wonder if those bangles on Jyrras shine through or magically wrap to be over his gloves. *weird*
And the oven mitt. It's been occupying me for the past few strips. 952, Abel is mixing something. In 953, he puts it in the oven, wearing one green mitt on his left hand (paw?) and a red one on his right. Now, in 954, he's put the red one on the table, while the green one somehow got onto his tentacle/wing to use as his "claw".
But how did he shift into something with claws without breaking the mitt? And how did he get it behind his back or whatever without Jyrras noticing? Why aren't the two mitts matched?
I'd go on, but I've probably annoyed the Mods enough with my "annoying geeky questions that really aren't supposed to be asked" already.
Quote from: Corgatha Taldorthar on December 07, 2008, 11:07:22 PM
But how did he shift into something with claws without breaking the mitt? ANd how did he get it behind his back or whatever without Jyrras noticing? Why aren't the two mitts matched?
In my experience, women are much bigger on things in kitchens matching than men are. This is Jyrras's kitchen, and he's the kind of fellow who wouldn't even think about a need for things in the kitchens to match. As for changing the position of the glove, it doesn't seem too complicated. Drop the glove to the floor and shape change the hand to look like the glove. Then grab the glove with the tentacle. Furthermore, cubi are able to magically change the appearance of their clothes. (http://www.missmab.com/Comics/Abel_105.php)
Of course, the engineer in me notices that shape changing would be useful in that changing the size and shape of the larynx and sinus cavities would be of great utility in changing the nature of one's voice.
Quote from: Corgatha Taldorthar on December 07, 2008, 11:07:22 PM
But how did he shift into something with claws without breaking the mitt? ANd how did he get it behind his back or whatever without Jyrras noticing? Why aren't the two mitts matched?
1: Occam's razor; Cubi can make and shape materials, though that can be difficult, it's not impossible. Abel morphed the mitt with his -tentacle- (which it clearly is), which he made a claw on.
2.The tentacle snaked behind Jyrras while he was distracted with talking.
3. Why should they be? >:3
I thought altering clothes was a magical ability, not shapeshifting per se. And for some reason I thought they were in Lost Lake, although they could have easily gone to Jyrras's place while the "camera" was directed away from them. I would have thought Jyrras's kitchen would have appliances and cabinets more easily accessible to someone of his height though.
And this (http://www.missmab.com/Comics/Vol_829.php) comic establishes Jyrras as someone who strikes me as unlikely to have non-matching oven mitts.
Lastly, the "gratuitous economic lecture" strip I thought established it as difficult to shift clothes from one shape to another, even for 'Cubi (Except Latex). Abel's eyes arent funnily colored, which they usually are when he's casting a spell.
Quote from: techmaster-glitch on December 07, 2008, 11:18:56 PM
Quote from: Corgatha Taldorthar on December 07, 2008, 11:07:22 PM
But how did he shift into something with claws without breaking the mitt? ANd how did he get it behind his back or whatever without Jyrras noticing? Why aren't the two mitts matched?
1: Occam's razor; Cubi can make and shape materials, though that can be difficult, it's not impossible. Abel morphed the mitt with his -tentacle- (which it clearly is), which he made a claw on.
Even simpler :shapeshifters just shapechange the tentacle without the mitt. This includes color-changing the tentacle.
Quote from: Naldru on December 07, 2008, 11:15:34 PM
This is Jyrras's kitchen
It is? I missed where the location was identified. It could just as well be Lost Lake Inn, unless Alexsi has banned either of them from her kitchen (which I haven't seen yet). And besides, why would Jyrras have a stocked kitchen if he can't cook?
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That was an awesome misuse of shapeshifting. I'd be hard-pressed to choose between that and the pacman headwings.
Quote from: Tapewolf on December 08, 2008, 04:09:56 AM
That was an awesome misuse of shapeshifting. I'd be hard-pressed to choose between that and the pacman headwings.
Nah, pacman headwings are still superior. One can't beat pacman headwings. But I have to admit, that was neat. Some way to use shapeshifting (and ventriloquism) indeed. >:3
A week?
Seriously?
It would have been funnier if he'd made his hand like a certain succubus, and said two words...
Shiny. Bishounen.
*Charline hmms* Actually, it would've been awesome if his girlfriend had been... ME!! :3 The I coulda eaten the Jy-squeak! >:3
*Charles whews* Well, thank-goodness you're not in the comic.
*Charline grins* But I could be... *points a clawed finger at the rant*
*Charles erfs* B-but I don't have enough money. :<
*Charline grrs fangily* In that case, you need to think about your priorities: Which would you rather have, enough money or enough internal organs?
*Charles is thinking* :B
Quote from: Alondro on December 08, 2008, 11:10:44 AM
*Charline grrs fangily* In that case, you need to think about your priorities: Which would you rather have, enough money or enough internal organs?
Oh, I see... Charline is intending to donate Charles' organs. Sneaky!
This should prove to be an interesting auction. Pity the exchange rate isn't so good at the moment.
**EDIT**
I don't remember seeing multicoloured speech text in a DMFA strip before. Anyone care to correct me?
Quote from: Tapewolf on December 08, 2008, 11:14:22 AM
Quote from: Alondro on December 08, 2008, 11:10:44 AM
*Charline grrs fangily* In that case, you need to think about your priorities: Which would you rather have, enough money or enough internal organs?
Oh, I see... Charline is intending to donate Charles' organs. Sneaky!
This should prove to be an interesting auction. Pity the exchange rate isn't so good at the moment.
**EDIT**
I don't remember seeing multicoloured speech text in a DMFA strip before. Anyone care to correct me?
*Charline hmms, taps her chin with a claw* Actually, I was planning to rip Charles' guts out if he didn't try to get me in the comic... but selling his organs on the black market is a good idea too! >:3
Quote from: Alondro on December 08, 2008, 11:25:59 AM
*Charline hmms, taps her chin with a claw* Actually, I was planning to rip Charles' guts out if he didn't try to get me in the comic... but selling his organs on the black market is a good idea too! >:3
If he respawns, you might as well.
Five years to learn ventriloquism? Well I guess this the guy who take grass growing classes, he's an expert in dragging things out.
Also not buying Abel boast.
It occurred to me that that Abels tea based reaction to Dans pac man head wings could be "How the hell did he do that? It took me years to make my headwings do that!"
Could Dan have a hidden talent for shapeshifting? Could I be over analysing this? Will I stop asking theoretical questions?
You know, I remember somewhere in these forums Amber stating to the effect that a typical education at SAIA takes a bit over 400 years. We also have a statement of Fa'Lina in the 'Cubi abilities section that Cubi tend to have short attention spans.
Now, if we assume for the moment that Cubi are no more or less intelligent than humans, and thus learn at similar rates we have a few interesting conclusions. I mean, consider, the purpose of SAIA is supposedly to train the 'Cubi to have enough skills that they can survive outside of the protected environment. I don't know for certain, but I have the feeling that learning to use the 'Cubi abilities is mandatory, and you probably have to learn at least a skill set that could be applied in a vocation, even if that vocation is hunting down peasants, eating their dreams and taking their stuff.
Now I don't know about you guys, but unless these cubi abilities are insanely hard to master (and lets face it, Dan Ti'Fiona is hardly the brightest bulb in Furrae, and he figures out the headwing shift in about 5 seconds after it's explained to him; so that's an unlikely prospect) or Cubi are hardly the most dedicated of students. I mean come on, the scenes we've seen in SAIA show a lot mroe partying, fraternizing, and random mayhem than actual studying. I know, I know, you could point to campuses here, or at least sections of them, and say the same thing, but generally people do learn some practical, applicable stuff in a mere 4 years for humans.
So my hypothesis is simply that what we would call accute ADHD is kind of normal for 'Cubi. They move into and out of things at whimsy, and rarely dedicate the sort of focus and attention that would be necessary for real scholarly work. A shapeshifting class might have a guy attend for a week, and then take off for a month for a massive HALO tournament, only to come back and have forgotten half of his lessons, and to take the entire course, on average takes a *long* while.
This is all a *very* circituous way of saying that maybe the reason it took Abel five years to learn ventriloquism is that he moved into it and out of it a lot. And he's probably pretty normal at least among 'Cubi in that respect.
That may be, but personally I think they simply learn more stuff than a normal human would.
In our civilisation, we tend to specialise so that a single person can spend decades in pursuit of a single skill. If you're a 'Cubi and you need to be able to masquerade as someone - or indeed, kill and replace them - you aren't going to be able to do it unless you can take up their job as well. That says to me that you're going to want to get reasonably competent at a variety of Being-level skills, simply to widen the types of people you can successfully become.
(In my FH series, Dorcan has some basic motorcycle skills from SAIA because 'Cubi who can't drive are crippled in a world where the target they're replacing can )
Also, I suspect that magic is closer to electronics than most people would like to think. IIRC Hennya was studying a single aspect of charms as a whole course.
I've said this before, but electronics and similar sciences have a lot of prerequisites. For example, to do successful VLSI design you'd need at least some experience of maths, physics, chemistry, RF engineering, materials science, computer science and probably a bunch of other things I don't even know about. With magic, I imagine it's quite similar.
For what it's worth, Amber has said that the courses typically range between <100 years and >800 if you're studying something really deep: Link, from the wiki (http://nice.llearch.net/dmfa_forum2075.htm#ref4).
All this is not to say that the two basic ideas are mutually exclusive. They could very well be crappy students with a heck of a lot to learn. Personally, I think Abel spent 5 years learning ventriloquism so he could become really good at it :P
That is an informative and well thought out answer, well done Corgatha Taldorthar .:mowhappy
Also Tapewolf post, while I was trying to post, (yes I'm jealous that these people can articulate themselves better and faster than me) has good points.
On a related note, having a skill-set 15-30 years out-of-date might blow your disguise as a 'Cubi.
At least, if DMFA is in line with most fantasy worlds, magic changes comparatively little over the years, and the rate of technological progress is glacial.
Quote from: Corgatha Taldorthar on December 08, 2008, 06:22:37 PM
At least, if DMFA is in line with most fantasy worlds, magic changes comparatively little over the years, and the rate of technological progress is glacial.
The vibe I'm getting is that technological progress
has been glacial, but has recently entered a period of rapidly accelerating growth somewhat akin to ours, and this has been throwing Creatures for a loop.
In which case the 'Cubi have at least a few generations before they need to panic, since everyone else will have a bunch of old skills that aren't really applicable anymore :P
WARNING! ANNOYING ECONOMICS SPECULATION AHEAD
Actually, the state of technology was always a bit confusing to me. There seem to be laptops and computers already, which implies systematic literacy, and if they have the internet (or at least livejournal) than they have ways of rapidly communicating. Social organization is enough to have shopping malls, implying that there is enough disposable wealth to shell things like clothes, entertainment, psychic predictions, etc. With all those "modern" social norms and technologies that are directly applicable to research, it's kind of odd that weapons development has lagged behind, especially if there are big nasty creatures waiting around to eat Beings who happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Quote from: Corgatha Taldorthar on December 08, 2008, 06:44:52 PM
In which case the 'Cubi have at least a few generations before they need to panic, since everyone else will have a bunch of old skills that aren't really applicable anymore :P
WARNING! ANNOYING ECONOMICS SPECULATION AHEAD
Actually, the state of technology was always a bit confusing to me. There seem to be laptops and computers already, which implies systematic literacy, and if they have the internet (or at least livejournal) than they have ways of rapidly communicating. Social organization is enough to have shopping malls, implying that there is enough disposable wealth to shell things like clothes, entertainment, psychic predictions, etc. With all those "modern" social norms and technologies that are directly applicable to research, it's kind of odd that weapons development has lagged behind, especially if there are big nasty creatures waiting around to eat Beings who happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
*Charline grins* The Creature Council tends to make sure Beings don't get their hands on anything that could give Beings a chance in hell. Those who invent weapons we feel are dangerous enough are quickly... disposed of. >:3
And the people who make cell phones, computers, factories, dams, etc are any less dangerous? Historically, organization and ability to mobilize economic resources has been far more indicitive of a nation (or any political unit's) military capacity than the technology of their armament. Look at the Franco-Prussian war, where French rifles having a range that was two and a half times that of their adversaries proved little use against a force that could rail it's troops from hot spot to hot spot quickly and keep their logistical train at the same pace of their army.
I think Abel didn't use the oven mitt, actually. I think he just used his tentacle. You can see it in the last panel.
But seriously, Amber? If you do a cameo auction, you'll be a millionaire by the time it's over. XD
Quote from: Keaton the Black Jackal on December 08, 2008, 06:54:42 PM
But seriously, Amber? If you do a cameo auction, you'll be a millionaire by the time it's over. XD
:yasrsly
I'll bid as much as I can, but I know I'll get blown out of the water. I prolly couldn't manage more than a few hundred. I gotta keep the bills paid for the household.
*Charline meh* And besides, people will outbid Charles just to make sure I can't be in the comic... cuz they hate me! :cry
*Charles watches Charline cry with distinct pleasure* At last, she's the one suffering! :mwaha
Quote from: Keaton the Black Jackal on December 08, 2008, 06:54:42 PM
But seriously, Amber? If you do a cameo auction, you'll be a millionaire by the time it's over. XD
In the meantime it may choke off the donations as people wait with bated wallets for the auction...
Oh yeah, I'd never be able to outbid the winner. Ultimately, my mom would confiscate the password to my PayPal account and forbid me from spending money ever again. In the end, I'd never be able to move out of the house, never be able to start a living, etc, etc, oh woe and tragedy.
oh and I'm perfectly happy with my commission of Keaton. :]
Also, don't worry, Charline. I still like you. :<
Quote from: Keaton the Black Jackal on December 08, 2008, 07:30:55 PMoh and I'm perfectly happy with my commission of Keaton. :]
Are you sure you'd want Keaton interacting with primary characters anyway? I can see that ending up rather ugly.
Keaton vanquishes Jyrras... Dan breaks his vow and vanquishes Keaton... Abel runs to get Fa'Lina...
Quote from: Tapewolf on December 08, 2008, 07:33:36 PM
Quote from: Keaton the Black Jackal on December 08, 2008, 07:30:55 PMoh and I'm perfectly happy with my commission of Keaton. :]
Are you sure you'd want Keaton interacting with primary characters anyway? I can see that ending up rather ugly.
Well, now that I think about it, Keaton's only dialogue would probably consist of an exchange with Abel:
"Well hello there, handsome. Haven't I seen you somewhere before?"
"You are mistaken. Shove off. And take your lackluster sense of fashion with you."
That or she'd be sobbing about her life story to Alexsi, Pyroduck, or a hat-rack after getting too drunk.
But yes, you are right. :B
Quote from: Keaton the Black Jackal on December 08, 2008, 07:30:55 PM
Also, don't worry, Charline. I still like you. :<
with gravy >:3
aanywho, i'm too broke to bid, so i'll be sitting on the sidelines, trying to work up the drive to work on my own.. :<
Quote from: Keaton the Black Jackal on December 08, 2008, 07:40:25 PM
Well, now that I think about it, Keaton's only dialogue would probably consist of an exchange with Abel:
(http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k216/tapewolf/dmfa/keaton_cameo.png)
http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k216/tapewolf/dmfa/keaton_cameo.png
Someone had to. Now I musst sleep.
I might not even have a chance to bid, Hotmail is being facist, blocking Furbid emails.
My username was even open, my unaltered username, that's hard to find even though it's just greek. So I'll have to dust off a yahoo account or gmail or something that would work.
I have a good idea why they block it's mail. To be perfectly honest, if I'm right I would block that lawsuit waiting to happen too.
I wonder how much that cameo will go for? It's probably going to be ludicrous to say the least. I don't know how much Oolong sold for, but I'm guessing that penny was mighty pretty!
I think I might donate, too. I've always wanted a cameo spot in DMFA.
Matter at hand: No, I'm not going to bid. I can't. No bank account or whatnot (don't ask where I keep money). Besides, wizard needs food badly. Wizard also needs money for food, so wizard can't spend money to show up in a webcomic.
Above Poster: ... I honestly have no idea how you can possibly support the pairing in your sig when one of those characters is male and gay, and the other is female.
Quote from: Gamma on December 08, 2008, 09:28:53 PM
I wonder how much that cameo will go for? It's probably going to be ludicrous to say the least. I don't know how much Oolong sold for, but I'm guessing that penny was mighty pretty!
It wasn't that much, all told. The
Book of Cute fetched about $1000, and IIRC some of the strip auctions went beyond even that. If memory serves the Librarian was something to the tune of $175 - far less than I'd expected.
**EDIT**
I've checked - it was exactly $175, plus about $5 shipping.
Quote from: Silver Pomeranian Genji on December 08, 2008, 10:35:14 PM
I think I might donate, too. I've always wanted a cameo spot in DMFA.
Just to be clear, you'd need to bid on the auction as and when it occurs. The donate button will get you kudos from Amber, but not a cameo.
Quote from: Tapewolf on December 08, 2008, 08:17:41 PM
(http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k216/tapewolf/dmfa/keaton_cameo.png)
http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k216/tapewolf/dmfa/keaton_cameo.png
Someone had to. Now I musst sleep.
:U
EPIC. WIN.
Ummm, this may have been mentioned before, but Able is hiding his wings >.> So where is that tentacle being projected from? <.< *Trying not to think naughty thoughts*
Quote from: Aleolus on December 12, 2008, 10:00:43 PM
Ummm, this may have been mentioned before, but Able is hiding his wings >.> So where is that tentacle being projected from? <.< *Trying not to think naughty thoughts*
Presumably from his back. His wings don't have to be "deployed" in order for him to use his tentacles, I imagine. He can just make one of them whenever he needs it.
Quote from: Corgatha Taldorthar on December 08, 2008, 05:26:13 PM
So my hypothesis is simply that what we would call accute ADHD is kind of normal for 'Cubi. They move into and out of things at whimsy, and rarely dedicate the sort of focus and attention that would be necessary for real scholarly work. A shapeshifting class might have a guy attend for a week, and then take off for a month for a massive HALO tournament, only to come back and have forgotten half of his lessons, and to take the entire course, on average takes a *long* while.
This is all a *very* circituous way of saying that maybe the reason it took Abel five years to learn ventriloquism is that he moved into it and out of it a lot. And he's probably pretty normal at least among 'Cubi in that respect.
Quote from: Tapewolf on December 08, 2008, 05:41:40 PM
They could very well be crappy students with a heck of a lot to learn. Personally, I think Abel spent 5 years learning ventriloquism so he could become really good at it :P
My dad and youngest brother learned some ventriloquism via a mail order course (not some fly-by-night outfit, but a well known one) Some skills can take many years to perfect even if you learn the techniques in a short time. Five years really isn't a very long time to perfect a skill like ventriloquism, regardless of having a monthly, weekly or even daily class. (And I mean perfection, not just decent at it.)
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Now playing on Winamp: Antonio Vivaldi - Four Seasons: Summer (Classical Minnesota Public Radio) (http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/antonio+vivaldi/track/four+seasons%3a+summer)
via FoxyTunes (http://www.foxytunes.com/signatunes/)
Quote from: AmigaDragon on December 13, 2008, 12:17:12 AM
Five years really isn't a very long time to perfect a skill like ventriloquism, regardless of having a monthly, weekly or even daily class. (And I mean perfection, not just decent at it.)
Actually, that was my gut instinct. Since it didn't faze anyone else, I assumed it was easier to learn than I thought...
The way this conversation about romance is going already seems very Seme-Uke. I'm really surprised there aren't many screaming bishounen fan-things taking notice and ranting wishfully about potential Yaoi side-content.
Although considering the inevitability of Rule 34, it wouldn't surprise me if it's been done already on someone's dark basement forum...
What do ukuleles have to do with it? As a child I played some baritone-uke and now have a soprano uke... but never heard of a seme-uke. :rock
Yaoi? Looks like something close to one pronunciation I've heard for "George" :mowhappy
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Now playing on Winamp: Heitor Villa-Lobos - Bachianas Brasileiras: Aria (Classical Minnesota Public Radio) (http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/heitor+villa-lobos/track/bachianas+brasileiras%3a+aria)
via FoxyTunes (http://www.foxytunes.com/signatunes/)
I'm curious (and pleased) at how many posts followed on from the 'amount of time to learn things' comment in my post, but it seems odd that nobody reacted to my comment about Dan maybe having natural shapeshifting talent.
Has this been discussed to death before or did everybody just assume that it was done for comedy purposes only?
For the record I decide to believe that both/either are true, depending on my mood.