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MSPA: the curtain is always greener on the other slide
Langly
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Have you ever read a webcomic before? They're more prevalent than you think! One fairly popular webcomic is Homestuck, which attempts to push webcomics past the idea of newspaper-esque comics on the internet by adding animation, music, limited fan interaction, and website integration to the reader experience. The result is a very immersive, entertaining, and enjoyable product, which requires a heavy investment on the part of the reader.
This can be a stumbling block to new fans/audience members, who see the vast archives and think that they have missed the boat on enjoying the story. This is not the case! Homestuck can be very accessible as long as you start from the beginning and make your way through at your own pace. So here is a starter guide for people who might want to know more about Homestuck, but are too afraid to jump into threads that seem inundated with characters and stuff far too advanced for the uninitiated.
Homestuck is a story about a video game which gives the player the ability to control things in the "real world". The eventual goal of the game is to construct a device which will allow entry into the game world. Eventually, the protagonists learn that the game has something to do with a battle to destroy their universe, and that they alone have the ability to stop it.
That's how things start, anyway.
The comic itself mechanically works like an old fashioned adventure game, where the next panel is ostensibly the result of an action typed in by the reader. At first, these were genuine reader suggested actions, but as of this time, Hussie has taken complete control of the narrative and does not do that anymore (mostly because the story has gone on long enough that he needs control or else things will just go completely crazy). Your progress is "saved" so that when you come back to the site, you are taken to the last read page, as long as you have cookies enabled.
So, the comic functions like a game, and involves the characters participating in a game. It's very meta. As such, certain parts of the "real world" still function like a game, with characters being blocked from certain actions based on game logic, rather than normal laws of physics. Characters will enter combat, gain experience, and overcome obstacles by clever use of this logic.
One of the main hurdles for new readers is the inventory system. Since the characters live in a world governed by game mechanics, the way they collect and store items functions like a clunky, old fashioned UI (user interface) system with individual sets of rules for each person. Depending on what "captchalogue" each character possesses, the way they interact with items will change. John's initial system is a very basic (and poor) data structure, which follows a "first in, first out" rule set. He has to use items, in order, based on when he collected them. The systems get more complex as the story progresses, but you shouldn't get hung up on how complex they are, as it doesn't really matter other than reminding you that the world follows rules different from our own.
So, without further ado, the main cast:
This is John, he is the main protagonist of Homestuck. The first Act generally follows his actions in the narrative. This is also the first panel of the comic! John is a generally nice guy who likes pranks and clowns and being sarcastic with his best (internet) friend, Dave. His weapon of choice is a Hammer. His single parent father, Dad, plays a large role in his life and serves as his guardian. His associated color is Blue. His chat name is EctoBiologist.
This is Dave, John's best friend and all around cool guy. While John is the most audience insert character (constantly asking questions and learning about his environment so that we, the audience, can also learn about the world), Dave pretty much knows what's going on and doesn't have time for that shit. He wears cool shades and uses Swords. His big brother, Bro, serves as his guardian and is even cooler than Dave, which is pretty astonishing. Dave hates puppets and loves music, turntables, rapping, and being the biggest ironic sarcastic asshole possible. He produces more burns than the sun during a solar flare. His associated color is Red. His chat name is turntechGodhead.
This is Rose, Dave and John's cold hearted friend from the web. She enjoys Psychology, creative writing, knitting and strange creepy animals. She is a very private person, sharing her feelings with few people, even her close friends. She is kind of a goth. She is generally unimpressed with Dave's attempts at sarcastic bravado. Her weapon of choice is a pair of Needles. Her alcoholic and acerbic Mother serves as her legal guardian. Her associated color is Purple. Her chat name is tentacleTherapist
This is Jade, the fourth member of the group. She is Rose's opposite, being naive, kind, generous, and generally a little loopy. She often says things in regards to events that haven't happened yet, or forgets exactly where in a conversation she is. She lives on a volcanic island with her grandfather, and her guardian, Becquerel, which seems to be a crazy powerful white dog thing. She has narcolepsy, and frequently falls asleep with little warning, and can be difficult to wake up. Her associated color is Green. Her chat name is gardenGnostic.
And that's all you should need to know in order to start reading the comic! Homestuck can be a really great read, and with some basic information, you shouldn't feel overwhelmed or scared by how much Hussie produces. The use of music and animation and reader interaction really makes this comic special, and you should definitely read through at least the first act if that sort of thing interests you. Like an adventure game, the narrative starts slowly as you're introduced to the characters and world at large, but things pick up soon enough and get really interesting.
Click here to begin!
Larlar on
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http://deicidecomic.tumblr.com/
READ MY COMIC ^^
just so we're clear
that doesn't say "optional"
http://deicidecomic.tumblr.com/
READ MY COMIC ^^
this is always the best op
it's still completely fucking incomprehensible
classic farg
I could not have timed that better.
farg, I believe this less than I'd believe skullsie telling me that taya isn't evil
no really! i'll tell you what. i'll post the op as proof later on in the threads life.
pfahahah
Skull you and I are of one mind. If someone hadn't taken that exact screenshot with those highlights, I was going to
Yeah, you don't want to choke the life out of it right after it was born.
that's dumb
Trickster mode
Why
No real reason. Guy who programmed it threw in a bunch of easter eggs. I think that was one of the very, very early homestuck sprite manipulations (which was what comprised most of the fanart for the first six months or so).
They tapered off as the interactive flashes got more elaborate and he didn't have time to fuck around so much.
Don't really understand why genderbent John and Dave have skirts
No I don't understand why female characters have miniskirts