PF Episode 6 (Page 49)

[AmigaDragon]

I was wondering about that since his mind/soul was originally organic-based before being grafted to cybernetics (thus, cyborganic). Does transfer from cyborganics to cybernetics actually change his status from cyborg to android? I'd think it could be debated either way, between origin and current state.

Difficult to say.  His body certainly is an android rather than a cyborg, but his mind is a tricky one.  Is Joshua an artificial intelligence?  I'd say no, because it was grown naturally, though that's kind of what you're arguing to say that he's a cyborg.
Personally, I just refer to them as android replicas and leave it at that.

Well, Joshua's body is 100% artificially created, and the soul is the only part of the original Joshua that's left. So I guess he is an android alright, but a one with a living soul for its core. So first and foremost, he is still Joshua. Android is just a term to describe his current state.

Like Rieko in Yosh. Just different method, one trapped before death with a soul stone and the other somehow retrieved after death. Both originally organic but now synthetic. At least Josh seems to have most (if not all) of his memories, Rieko has trouble with hers (perhaps the trauma of death).

I'm thinking of updating page 40 to add slightly more detail as to why Joshua can't flee.
These are the two versions of the page, comments would be much appreciated.

http://www.project-future.org/strips/comic/strip040.png - old

http://www.project-future.org/strips/comic/strip040a.png - new

"Error 404 one of us is wrong" is the new version?

[Tapewolf]

Like Rieko in Yosh. Just different method, one trapped before death with a soul stone and the other somehow retrieved after death. Both originally organic but now synthetic. At least Josh seems to have most (if not all) of his memories, Rieko has trouble with hers (perhaps the trauma of death).

It's a theme we're likely to revisit, though not for a long time.

"Error 404 one of us is wrong" is the new version?

Someone arrived a little late to that particular party...

[Mao]

It's a theme we're likely to revisit, though not for a long time.

Well.. if you won't go with that theme, the suggestion Amber made still stands.  It would be an 'interesting' break from an otherwise fairly serious and straightforward comic.  Or if you wanted to go even further, I still say my observation about the spoon situation could have what some would see as pleasant results.

[AmigaDragon]

"Error 404 one of us is wrong" is the new version?

Someone arrived a little late to that particular party...

Sorry, I don't always check forums for a weekly strip several times a day.

[Tapewolf]

Sorry, I don't always check forums for a weekly strip several times a day.

Point.  Though it does highlight the PF section in bold when there's something new there.

Well.. if you won't go with that theme, the suggestion Amber made still stands.  It would be an 'interesting' break from an otherwise fairly serious and straightforward comic.  Or if you wanted to go even further, I still say my observation about the spoon situation could have what some would see as pleasant results.

We have an android with incomplete memory coming up in chapter 24, assuming nothing catastrophic interrupts the comic before then.

And Amber is quite welcome to draw Shonen-Ai of my characters if she wants.  As is Ren.  Just don't expect it to appear on the front page

**EDIT**
Having said that, we might need some kind of "Breaking up for Christmas" picture.  Sure, it's not what I was thinking in terms of, but what the heck...

[Sunblink]

And Amber is quite welcome to draw Shonen-Ai of my characters if she wants.  As is Ren.  Just don't expect it to appear on the front page

Can I draw some?

[Tapewolf]

Can I draw some?

I don't see why not.  But remember you're already booked for chapter 11 

[Amber Williams]

And Amber is quite welcome to draw Shonen-Ai of my characters if she wants.  As is Ren.  Just don't expect it to appear on the front page

**EDIT**
Having said that, we might need some kind of "Breaking up for Christmas" picture.  Sure, it's not what I was thinking in terms of, but what the heck...

I'd make a joke about Jakob requesting to stuff Joshua's stocking. But I figure Joshua would "deck" Jakob's halls. 

[Tapewolf]

I'd make a joke about Jakob requesting to stuff Joshua's stocking. But I figure Joshua would "deck" Jakob's halls. 

I walked right into that, didn't I 
Replace Jakob with Daryil and it'd be dead on.  Jakob is more of a lady's man...

[Amber Williams]

I'd make a joke about Jakob requesting to stuff Joshua's stocking. But I figure Joshua would "deck" Jakob's halls. 

I walked right into that, didn't I 
Replace Jakob with Daryil and it'd be dead on.  Jakob is more of a lady's man...

...that works for me!

[Ren Gaulen]

I sense some plotting going on.

[Sofox]

Does it disturb you that you don't seem to be part of it?

[Ren Gaulen]

Does it disturb you that you don't seem to be part of it?

It does not. Because I am.

[Tapewolf]

Early update today, as I was bored.

[Ren Gaulen]

Way to go, Johan! Kick him when he's down!

[Tapewolf]

Way to go, Johan! Kick him when he's down!

At least he won't break any ribs...

[Amber Williams]

Lies! He's totally kidding.   The very fact there is even the pretense of a choice indicates that he's bluffing about changing his mind.  It would make no sense at all keeping a free-thought troublemaker if it was simple enough to mentally re-write them.  At least thats my take on it.

Course odds are Joshua isnt thinking fully straight here, what with the panic and all whatnot.

On a more artistic crit, the inclusion of scenery elements doesn't really help out as much as one would probably want. that first panel in particular. The way things are arranged, it makes the area seem more empty and barren than anything. Like a bachelor's apartment where they only have a couch and a tv propped up on some milkcartons. Then again that may be the intent.


...I still say snugglings are in order. That chair with the daisies isn't helping anyones case.

[Sunblink]

Aha I totally forgot about the daisy. I forgot to mention that was awesome. Absurdly awesome.

[Mao]

...I still say snugglings are in order. That chair with the daisies isn't helping anyones case.

At first I thought the wing tentacles in the fourth frame were rope and that our friend here was being tied down to the daisy chair (though given how he's incapacitated and under control, that wouldn't be necessary) which would have just added fuel to the fire.  Either way.. who knows Amber, maybe given that shonen-ai is kinda evil it will be part of the ritual.

[Tapewolf]

The very fact there is even the pretense of a choice indicates that he's bluffing about changing his mind.  It would make no sense at all keeping a free-thought troublemaker if it was simple enough to mentally re-write them.  At least thats my take on it.

Joshua's brain may be artificial, but that doesn't mean that Jakob can just rewrite bits of him willy-nilly.  At the end of the day, it's a black box... it does its job, you don't need to understand how.
This means that if Jakob really wants to modify Josh's attitudes or memories, it's going to have to be done 'Cubi-style which will be extremely difficult and extremely dangerous.  Far easier to scare Josh into doing what he's told.
If it did come to mind-editing, Jakob would probably palm the job off onto Daryil (since he's 4200 and far more experienced).  That alone would be a terrible threat since Daryil would probably make his own alterations too just for fun.  Joshua might come away believing that he had three parents or that his mother was an onion or something.

On a more artistic crit, the inclusion of scenery elements doesn't really help out as much as one would probably want. that first panel in particular. The way things are arranged, it makes the area seem more empty and barren than anything. Like a bachelor's apartment where they only have a couch and a tv propped up on some milkcartons. Then again that may be the intent.

I'm fairly conscious of that.  Suggestions for improving it would be quite welcome, actually.
Having said that, this room was originally supposed to be a tool store or something.  The base is actually very, very big and only has about four people regularly staying there.  So I'm not complaining about the sparseness too much.  Other locations will require more attention to detail, though.

...I still say snugglings are in order. That chair with the daisies isn't helping anyones case.

Dammit, I was going to say something about the Comfy Chair in the strip description.

At first I thought the wing tentacles in the fourth frame were rope and that our friend here was being tied down to the daisy chair (though given how he's incapacitated and under control, that wouldn't be necessary) which have just added fuel to the fire.

It was to haul him into the chair, just in case that's unclear.  Ren's rendition of the tentacles leaves them a bit more stringy than Amber's would, maybe something we should think about next time they appear.

[Amber Williams]

The thing I would recommend for working out size and space in rooms is a bit of work but seems to work well. Making a floor layout of the place works wonders since it lets you always check to see if there was a particular table here or a shelf there and about how far apart they are.

As lame as it sounds, I think I have used my Sims 2 game for building floorplans of buildings as reference than actually playing the game.

But I find it works wonders in keeping things consistant and lets you get a bit of a feel for the size in advance, that way when you space things in the actual comic, you have a point of reference so to speak.  But then again I dont know the dimensions of the base and whatnot.

[Tapewolf]

The thing I would recommend for working out size and space in rooms is a bit of work but seems to work well. Making a floor layout of the place works wonders since it lets you always check to see if there was a particular table here or a shelf there and about how far apart they are.

Good idea.  I'll consider that approach for future scenes.  It would probably do me good to draw up some kind of map of the base, though there are... problems with that which will come up in due course.

As lame as it sounds, I think I have used my Sims 2 game for building floorplans of buildings as reference than actually playing the game.

Heh.  One of the things I am intending to do - when we get to the inner sanctum a few chapters later - is model it in Doom or Duke Nukem 3D.

[Jairus]

...I still say snugglings are in order. That chair with the daisies isn't helping anyones case.

Dammit, I was going to say something about the Comfy Chair in the strip description.

Biggles! Bring out... the Comfy Chair!

[Amber Williams]

Either way.. who knows Amber, maybe given that shonen-ai is kinda evil it will be part of the ritual.

I blame the severe lack of females at this camp. Its guy-a-palooza up at the arctic.

[Sunblink]

Either way.. who knows Amber, maybe given that shonen-ai is kinda evil it will be part of the ritual.

I blame the severe lack of females at this camp. Its guy-a-palooza up at the arctic.

BUT THEN KEATON'S BOOBS COME TO SAVE THE DAY.

Oh, and some other characters.

[Amber Williams]

BUT THEN KEATON'S BOOBS COME TO SAVE THE DAY.

Oh, and some other characters.

But drawing shonen ai with Keatons boobs is just going to make things very awkward.

Then again...
*thinks*

...nope. Still awkward.

[Sunblink]

But drawing shonen ai with Keatons boobs is just going to make things very awkward.

...

Oh god I needed to literally slap my hand to keep myself from saying something dreadful and not-PG. Still, I lol'd hard. I would have drawn that just for the challenge if it wasn't completely impossible without being disturbing.

...

*tap dances out of the topic*

[LionHeart]

...I still say snugglings are in order. That chair with the daisies isn't helping anyones case.

Dammit, I was going to say something about the Comfy Chair in the strip description.

Biggles! Bring out... the Comfy Chair!

And you will stay there until lunchtime, with only a cup of coffee at eleven!

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

But drawing shonen ai with Keatons boobs is just going to make things very awkward.

...

Oh god I needed to literally slap my hand to keep myself from saying something dreadful and not-PG. Still, I lol'd hard. I would have drawn that just for the challenge if it wasn't completely impossible without being disturbing.

...

*tap dances out of the topic*

This isn't Lost Lake. You're welcome to be non-PG.

... if Tapewolf says so, anyway. ;-]

[Tapewolf]

I blame the severe lack of females at this camp. Its guy-a-palooza up at the arctic.

There's a reason for that, and it's I suck at creating female characters.  There are only about five persistent female characters in the whole damn thing.  Actually, it might be an interesting exercise to tally up the whole cast and see.  Maybe I should change the sex of some minor characters to help...

That said, it isn't as bad as it would be in an Arctic base on Earth.  Since most of the characters at the base can teleport there is little to stop them going off on a break if life gets too dull.  There's also another factor related to the base itself that I won't go into yet and the fact that the Arctic base is a relatively new thing (this would also be a good excuse for the 'sparse look').  And this tale shall also be told.

BUT THEN KEATON'S BOOBS COME TO SAVE THE DAY.

I was hoping to cameo all of Keaton, not just her boobs 

This isn't Lost Lake. You're welcome to be non-PG.
... if Tapewolf says so, anyway. ;-]

Actually it seems to be Ren's forum now.  Anyway, the comic itself is Web-14 so I'd grant a sensible amount of leeway.