Homebrew Review, Suggestion, and Discussion Topic

Head Librarian & Game Master Posts : 3659

Fellow Codrexians, it appears I have done something ... unprecedented.

Quick disclaimer: I am aware that MANTLE exists. I did this anyway.

Right then, you're probably looking for an explanation for all of this tomfoolery. As I returned home from school this afternoon, aware that I had all of Christmas Break ahead of me, I was struck by the urge to do something for ya'll, a Christmas gift of sorts. Now, the obvious course of action would have been to work on Hopeless Dream. But, as per the usual, I was motivated to start something else, completely unrelated.

And so instead, I have done in less than six hours what seemed to be taking nearly two years.

My original plan was to release this on Christmas. But then, I finnished it in one day, and I felt like I couldn't afford to slack the momentum. With any luck, I'll work on this to put of working on Hopeless Dream, and I'll work on Hopeless Dream to put of working on this. At least, that would be the ideal.

I doubt it's going to be what you expected Homebrew to be. For one thing, I have posted a picture of Arty's avatar. You're all invited to propose suggestions regardless of who's on screen, but of course, whoever the character in question is based on will have a greater say.

I have some plans for this, moving forward. That is to say, backstory, and game mechanics which deviate from SBURB proper. But I also plan to keep things flexable, and, who knows? Perhaps Wally and/or Maestro will draw some panels, and the Codrexians the characters are based on will have a greater role in creating those characters' panels.

Or maybe the world will end today. That would make sense, considering that Homebrew just started. If that doesn't push us over the edge, I don't know what would.

Or hey, maybe this will fall apart due to my own incompetence.

We shall see, my friends. We shall see.

The Cold Mage Posts : 5869

[POST 1]

Suggestion:

> Enter Name:

Fatuous Stupidhead

Mysterious Figure Posts : 8336

ARE you kidding me.

Anyway...

After rejecting the name AF just gave (because I assume that's the way things always go, rejecting the first insulting name?

), let's name this guy, uh... Maybe Alf Hathhesson?

I GOT A GOOD FEELIN' ABOUT THAT SURNAME, I'D PUT MY MONEY ON IT FOR SURE.

-|W|G|-

Head Librarian & Game Master Posts : 3659

Second update is up!

Moving images courtesy of iSpring, a program which converts PowerPoint slides into videos, at the expense of putting that frame around it. Unless something else ... unprecedented ... happens, these frames are the only means I have of making even short animations.

...we're going to be seeing a lot of these frames.

Unfortunately, Wally, I will not have time to consider your suggestion this evening. But perhaps we shall learn this character's final name tomorrow?

... THE SUSPENSE ...

... IT BUILDS!

_________________
Forever Yours,

S.M.

Seriously, guys, there are going to be a lot of these frames.

Mysterious Figure Posts : 8336

This is suspense?

* W. Gudmunzsun is shot

I look forward to updates, though... if not frames. >_>

-|W|G|-

The Cold Mage Posts : 5869

[POST 2]

Suggestion:

> Find a stump.

> Beat your computer with said stump.

Mysterious Figure Posts : 8336

Okay now this is just getting silly.

-|W|G|-

First Toa Team Posts : 1735

sweet I was hoping this would get ressurected I am pleased to say, although I almost forgot about it I did so in the same way I almost died that one time which is to say I did not actually forget about it... anyways its HOMEBREW TIME

> look around your room for any posters or pictures or mysterious repeated scribbling on the walls that you are not aware of

> retrieve arms from chest

Head Librarian & Game Master Posts : 3659

Alright, Arty and Wally have been serviced!

Sorry, Irae, but our PC will need a name before he can look around his room, or retrieve his arms.

I've played around with the format of commands a little bit. Right now, the commands are written in text identical to the panel description, with a greater-than sign in front. It's a little hard to read ... any suggestions?

Mysterious Figure Posts : 8336

Make the commands bold and underlined? That's what Homestuck always seemed to do.

At least the underlining. Doing both would help, though.

Anyway, this update is awesome.

Uh... I can see Arthur Freeman's not going to fit... I have a feeling it might be AF's real name but I'm going to go with

> Enter name: Arthur Fowl

-|W|G|-

Head Librarian & Game Master Posts : 3659

Jiminy whiskers, that update took forever.

It looks like, at least for the time being, the commands will be in quotation form. So far, however, I have not made use of any "==>" commands, instead just adding the next panel. Any thoughts on the matter?

Mysterious Figure Posts : 8336

I don't really care for the "==>" commands in the post format we have here, so what you've been doing is perfect by me.

I think the "==>"s would just get in the way of the flow of the action, too.

-|W|G|-

The Cold Mage Posts : 5869

Oh my god this is beautiful. The description is fantastic (as I hope it would be from a lifelong friend...) and those BIONICLE suits are classy as all things whiskered and jimmineying.

First Toa Team Posts : 1735

awesome XD just awesome I love how meta it is!

arty: respond in the chatbox>

Head Librarian & Game Master Posts : 3659

Alright, another update is up! Be warned, it's rather text-heavy.

Alongside it is yet another procedural concern on my part. When I resize these images, a lot of quality is lost, as is especially appearant in today's first panel. Just compare it to the flash right below it!

I should look into alternative procedures, but that will take some experimenting, and that will take time. It definitely won't be happening before Christmas ...

Furthermore, my perfectionism would also require me to redo the current panels as well.

Thoughts?

Mysterious Figure Posts : 8336

I'm not sure I'm remembering this right, but I think the resizing problem is due to a lack of anti-aliasing. It can get slightly blurred when I resize images to smaller dimensions, but it rarely loses entire pieces like this. If you don't find an alternative solution of your own, you can always send them to me to resize.

Anyway, cool chatlog if a bit confusing - and exceptionally great tie-in to MANTLE.

How about...

> Arty: Set computer to sleep in case of haywire-ness, and take a look into the adjacent room/hallway.

-|W|G|-

Head Librarian & Game Master Posts : 3659

Alright, I have a procedure in mind that should solve a lot of the current formatting caveats. It has the potential to remove the frames around images, restore my ability to make gif images, fix the resizing problem, and streamline the compiling process.

However, I am going to put off working on it until 2013. The reason for this is that I'm expecting a new computer for Christmas this year, and with it, an upgraded Microsoft Office Suite. Since I don't want to go through this entire process twice, I'll be making the transition off of this machine at some point this break and redoing the existing panels (not from scratch, don't worry, but there will be some major retouches) in January.

For this reason, and because school is starting back up, Homebrew will slow considerably at that time.

Finally, as a Christmas present to me, can someone suggest that Arty get down to the Christmas Tree to find his gift from SI?

Because I would really like him to open it in tomorrow's update.

It would really make my day.

Really.

That would be even better than a new laptop.

... well, not scores better, but a little better. The laptop is still pretty nifty.

Mysterious Figure Posts : 8336

> Arty: Get to your Christmas tree and open that gift before bad things happen.

There you go.

I'd like him to open it almost as much as you do. Almost. If not more. But I don't know.

-|W|G|-

Head Librarian & Game Master Posts : 3659

W. Gudmunzsun wrote:

> Arty: Get to your Christmas tree and open that gift before bad things happen.

SO HAPPY

NOT EVEN KIDDING

I AM SO WARM INSIDE RIGHT NOW

CANNOT EMPHASIZE APPRECIATION ANY BETTER

THANK YOU FOR THAT, WALLY!

* The Spectral Mask hugs Wally. Everything is beautiful and nothing hurts.

Mind you, I think we still deserve a Tale update.

Codrex Magna has been pretty nice this year.

Mysterious Figure Posts : 8336

Yes, y'all still deserve a Tale update. I finished it today (and it's pretty huge, yay!), so no worries on it getting posted tomorrow. Just don't kill me for it and all the other revelations that are going to be going up.

The only thing I think will be a neutral middle-ground is the Atourist update.

But enough about me, let's celebrate the fact that this site has such an awesome set of fiction and fictioneers that even a convoluted huge project like Homebrew can be gloriously resurrected. And why not celebrate the site, too. Happy

-|W|G|-

Head Librarian & Game Master Posts : 3659

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

Arty has obtained his disks, and the game's packaging has been revealed.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT?

The Cold Mage Posts : 5869

[POST 6]

Suggestion

>Do a little jig.

Mysterious Figure Posts : 8336

TENEO? YEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!

Now it's time for me to keep my own promises for this wondrous Christmas Day.

-|W|G|-

Head Librarian & Game Master Posts : 3659

I'm glad you've enjoyed it, gentlemen.

I was convinced you'd either love or hate my name choice, Wally. I expected you to either be overjoyed by my reference, or to be disappointed because the two really have nothing to do with one another.

The only correlation is that, just as I promised a game entitled TENEO and didn't follow through with it for ages, SI made the same promise and delayed for about as long. And now, through SI, I have (sorta) brought it to you at last.

See my blog for more development details, but I fear Arty's jig will have to wait until I've done a smidge of reanalyzing.

Mysterious Figure Posts : 8336

No Spectral, I had both reactions. The positive reaction was stronger though.

Since these characters aren't exactly us - with some kind of major divergence between each of us and our corresponding player - I think the correlation is pretty cool.

Anyway, I await, whatever you decide/follow through with.

-|W|G|-