NODES: Web pre-production Thread

[T51R]

Page 13.

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Since there were flow problems, I tried to do three pages in one hit to see if I could "tune" the layout and dialogue all at once. I think this works better. Reverted to previous font size and spacing, the legibility is better this way I think. The only trick now is to choose a run size, three is fine but I think I'll stop at four, maximum(anything more is basically work.) So yer, running now between 1 - 3 pages per post. I think I am getting used to the requirements of making a webcomic. Finally.

[JDogindy]

You really have nailed the basic requirements to making a webcomic. I think three pages is a good max limit for updates, particularly if you want stuff explainined easily at once.

[T51R]

~Interlude~

Here's a sampling of the CAD-based mechanical design, also to be applied to some of the background and structure work. Instead of the full-blown renders(which I found were a horrible match with the graphic style) I decided to dumb it down a bit to get a better fit. It seems to have worked out. This needed to be taken care of at this stage i.e. final working method reached. Took a few days to reason out and apply, but it seems to be good to go.

Above is Street16's battlecruiser and home away from home, the "Turbulence."

This particular ship's got some history behind it, but that will be gotten into post-launch.

~END OF INTERLUDE~

[JDogindy]

That's some pretty nice ship designs.

I know I should have something more to say... but I don't at the moment.

[T51R]

I am having trouble with the other ship designs, and from this new and unforeseen problem I think I now know why on a production team, there is a position called "mechanical designer."

Its also a wake-up call(yet again) as to how difficult the editor's job must be to bring everything together in one cohesive work. This seems to be a deeper stage of defining the context or "World Setup." So, in addition to everything else the machinery of the individual Creations must be defined, and since they are not omni-whatever like the True Gods that created them, the mechanical/vehicle designs seem to actually need at least the very basic specification to say "well, this building is like this and that ship is like that," so on so forth.

Even worse, the timelines that the machinery comes from is an added headache; for example the Turbulence above is meant to be a very old ship from before the events of the Disark War, so its a relic. So, it must have a "classic" look that is easily recognizable. BUT. The other ships must look much more modern and "work" in a much more futuristic way .i.e. the Turbulence is flown by mechanical controls, so someone must sit in a chair and steer it. Also, someone must navigate to tell the pilot which direction to go because its AI is also very basic. But, other ships may be AI-controlled, or even alive and controlled through a symbiotic link with a pilot etc...

Then there's the weapon design; the ship above uses "guns," which shoot "beams." But what about the others? How do they fly, how do they fight? How are they operated? Ships from the same 'Verse may be similar, but what if several ships from different Creations dock at the same place? What should the visual differences be? Hell, what would the cultural differences be between the interacting crews?

I'm gonna say it one more time: I bit off a crapload more than I could chew with this project. But, because I did? I've learned.

Especially, I've learned to have a bloody large amount of respect for the people here in the Showcase who want to become professionals one day.


This slow pace is relaxing but I think if timelines and deadlines are put on a project like this, it must be an extremely difficult job for the entire team.

[JDogindy]

I am having trouble with the other ship designs, and from this new and unforeseen problem I think I now know why on a production team, there is a position called "mechanical designer."

Its also a wake-up call(yet again) as to how difficult the editor's job must be to bring everything together in one cohesive work. This seems to be a deeper stage of defining the context or "World Setup." So, in addition to everything else the machinery of the individual Creations must be defined, and since they are not omni-whatever like the True Gods that created them, the mechanical/vehicle designs seem to actually need at least the very basic specification to say "well, this building is like this and that ship is like that," so on so forth.

Even worse, the timelines that the machinery comes from is an added headache; for example the Turbulence above is meant to be a very old ship from before the events of the Disark War, so its a relic. So, it must have a "classic" look that is easily recognizable. BUT. The other ships must look much more modern and "work" in a much more futuristic way .i.e. the Turbulence is flown by mechanical controls, so someone must sit in a chair and steer it. Also, someone must navigate to tell the pilot which direction to go because its AI is also very basic. But, other ships may be AI-controlled, or even alive and controlled through a symbiotic link with a pilot etc...

Then there's the weapon design; the ship above uses "guns," which shoot "beams." But what about the others? How do they fly, how do they fight? How are they operated? Ships from the same 'Verse may be similar, but what if several ships from different Creations dock at the same place? What should the visual differences be? Hell, what would the cultural differences be between the interacting crews?

I'm gonna say it one more time: I bit off a crapload more than I could chew with this project. But, because I did? I've learned.

Especially, I've learned to have a bloody large amount of respect for the people here in the Showcase who want to become professionals one day.


This slow pace is relaxing but I think if timelines and deadlines are put on a project like this, it must be an extremely difficult job for the entire team.

As far as ship designs go, I'm sorta in the same boat, but with even less talent than you. As you may recall, I devised such a warship for the early parts of PH with the "Dreadnought" (Jules Orion's warship). Though I was able to modify the Dreadnought to make it look slightly better in the next page that'll be posted over at deviantART, I still gots a ways to go.

But, that's the important thing: when we make stuff like this, we learn lessons. I myself learned not to restrict myself as such with pages if I want to tell a story within one chapter.

Well, deadlines would be a real problem when it comes to designing a comic with intricate details, but if you don't set guidelines, then the project could take months, if not years, to complete. Because my comic is going to be smaller in scope (well, except for the Aesir and a few other surprises), I'd like to put myself in a timetable for one issue every month, and maybe 2 if its simpler comics if I feel froggy.

And, I've also grown to respect others in this part of the forum that want to become pros at what they do, too.

[T51R]

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[T51R]

Page 19

Maximum 4-page production. Time-wise I'm okay with it, but working in clusters is quite new for me. All in all the initial problems seem to have been solved. Now, lets try to address the other problems a bit later. I think the full integration into CAD will take a bit of doing, so that's another set of issued that will need to be ironed out. But, things seem to be coming together well. Storyboarding is quick now, flow seems to be getting automatic and the brain-to-paper interface is much better(I still am more used to brain-to-screen though, but that creates problems with the layout...)

Its getting there...

[JDogindy]

Maximum 4-page production. Time-wise I'm okay with it, but working in clusters is quite new for me. All in all the initial problems seem to have been solved. Now, lets try to address the other problems a bit later. I think the full integration into CAD will take a bit of doing, so that's another set of issued that will need to be ironed out. But, things seem to be coming together well. Storyboarding is quick now, flow seems to be getting automatic and the brain-to-paper interface is much better(I still am more used to brain-to-screen though, but that creates problems with the layout...)

Its getting there...

Well, that's the important thing. You're getting there, and you are able to storyboard more readily, so you are starting to find that needed rhythm.

And I'm getting there too with PH. I'm currently working on Chapter 2 and I feel more confident than I did with Chapter 1, plus I'm clearly making better progress.

[T51R]

Page 20.

Let's start the final chapter of this short story. Font for work title has been changed to be cleaner and more readable. The original font chosen, I think it failed terribly in both areas.

[JDogindy]

So, Komika's not working well for you anymore? Are you simply going to try and modify the font, or are you going to use something else?

[T51R]

So, Komika's not working well for you anymore? Are you simply going to try and modify the font, or are you going to use something else?

Komika's doing well for the dialogue and monologue fonts, so that'll stay. Its the font for the title that I didn't like. Originally I used a modified Hirosh, but it was horrible. Changed it, but I can't remember the name now. It needs to be legible at a glance; if you need to sit and decode it, yer its not working. So basically the setup is done, all that needs to be done is to find the medium to host, then produce.

[batcowlives]

Great work on this!

[T51R]

Thats so much for that Bat, its taken a long while to get to this stage. I'm a bit caught up in some real-world stuff right now so it might take a while for me to tie things up with this arc. Please bear with me while the real-world stuff gets taken care of, then we'll make a start on the ending of this short story.

[Farealmer]

What's the criteria for a child being accepted into the City of Dreams? And how do they suddenly show NODES level power? Is it something the NODES grant them or do certain children just have the potential for it? I recall you mentioning somewhere the child connection is a throwback to times before the city of dreams was what it is now. But what made you keep it as such a place for lost children now that it's also the defacto "dimension" of the transomnipotents? Maybe i asked this before i can't recall but i forgot if i did. It's been awhile.