I had fun making this. I finally got to use my Wacom tablet for something practical. It took me a little experimentation to get the projectiles right, but I like the way it came out.
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Importing a MASSIVE dataset into PASW (formerly known as SPSS). It's been grinding for 30+ minutes so far. Just hope it finishes before 5:00 3 hrs ago
Nice effects. Since you mention your Wacom I assume those are hand-drawn? Excellent work.
Yup, hand-drawn. What you see is about my 8th attempt. First several attempts were pretty hideous.
The last panel also has some additional painting and blending going on in order to achieve the reddish hue, but it's particle spirals that I was originally going for in this one.
Very nice. I don't think I would have the patients to pull off this level of post-production effects (I know it's not super detailed, that's just how lazy I get), Probably on my 5th or 6th attempted I would have just said: "F**k it, good enough." and gone to write something until I was ready to work again. xD
Honestly, it only took me about 30 minutes to figure out how I wanted to draw the lines to get the effect I wanted. Then it was just a matter of throwing on an outer glow in one color, an inner glow in another, and apply some blending to make it look like particles flying at high speed. Piece o' cake.
i love wacom, they're so great about driver availability.
The whyarwy.
very nice, i like where this particular arc is going
Indeed. It's been a long time coming.
If you thought two yellow crazy guys was fun, try three!
Alright, now we're starting to make sense. I wish I could have a Wacom. You've used yours well.
Thanks! The Wacom was actually birthday present last year. It takes some getting used to using, but I like what it can do for enhancing things. Much easier than using a mouse for drawing.
You mean the wayaway
Nice, so the mimic of RC was just a Trojan horse :p I'm assuming that those little spirals in the second third and fourth panel were hand drawn. I have a graphics tablet, but the damn thing is so hard to use and just impractical
Looking forward to the results of this intrusion 
Yup, the spirals were hand-drawn.
What kind of graphics tablet do you have?
Either a raygame or a taifly
Ah a bamboo. It's made by wacom as well, but it's nice and small. I had it for a Virtual Schooling class but I dropped to subject so now I really have no need for it…
Expensive little buggers as well aren't they?
I've not played with a Bamboo. Wacom came highly recommended to me, so that's what I went with. And yes, they're quite expensive.
Nice comic Jim! The visuals are all amazing. Man I wasn't expecting that. How you come up with all this stuff and make such a great story is what I want to know. Can't wait to see what's next. And will we be hearing from Viper anytime soon?
Well, this idea has been percolating in my brain for weeks now. It's extremely satisfying to finally to get this point of payoff.
Viper will turn up again—never fear.
Yeah, I'll bet you've been waiting a long time to say that.
Yeah, I'll bet you've been waiting a long time to reveal this comic.
Well, since we first met Portent, which was quite a while ago.
So we won't be seeing viper again…
What about Their virus, Archimedes? When will it be back?
He's been waiting a long time? HE'S BEEN WAITING A LONG TIME??? What about us??? Nah jokes :p
Hehe, you know I live just to torture and torment you all.
sweet comic jim
and i just cant resist…. first lol
I'm really going to have to start deleting comments for that…
I'm really starting to enjoy where this first thing is going.
And you have nobody to blame but me Jim.
Mad skillz!
totaly your fault snow but nonetheless i must give you props lol
Nah don't be mean
Oh god it's spreading
Oh no it's spreading
I am a long time reader yet first time poster and all I can say is that this is freaking good I just wish I hadint pissed my muse off years ago when I stoped playing with legos cause now it taunts me by giveing me inspiration and then the momen I go to work rips it away
I suspect your muse just needs a little coaxing. It takes a little work on your part to convince it to cooperate with you sometimes. I usually find the best way to wake up your muse is to write your ideas down—and then figure out as many strange and unique ways to twist those ideas as possible. It seems to get the muse interested enough in what your doing to start working with you. Good luck!
I suspect your muse just needs a little coaxing. It takes a little work on your part to convince it to cooperate with you sometimes. I usually find the best way to wake up your muse is to write your ideas down—and then figure out as many strange and unique ways to twist those ideas as possible. It seems to get the muse interested enough in what you're doing to start working with you. Good luck!
Hooray! I was half right about what was going on! Maybe by issues 400 I'll be able to predict TWO plot points!
Quite possibly!
No way man, if you're lucky, you might get two, but for now, I reckon you might just get one… :p
No! I'm being out predicted!
Awesome job man! Looks great! Next time it might be easier to use a path and stroke it? Rather than using the wacom? Just a suggestion, I find it hard to make beams like that with a wacom and find it much smoother to use the pen tool and stroke my path.
But I love the way you wrote this comic… sigh I wish you had time to write one everyday… tear Maybe one day.
Have a good day!
Not at all, actually. You might not be able to see it real well, but the lines are actually thicker closer to the viewer and thinner closer to Portent, something that you can't do with just a path. The pressure sensitivity of Wacom is the only way to do that.
Besides, I don't mind using my Wacom. It's a tool I need to learn how to use better.
Glad you enjoyed the writing!
Actually you can do the pressure sensitivity programmaticly, but I don't remember how to do it off the top of my head. I have done it before… shrug O well, Wacom practice is more important. Heh.
I just can't wait for a Machinma!
Yeah, but seems like that defeats the whole point of doing digital drawing on the fly. Once I got used to using a pen and tablet, I found I really enjoyed having the freedom to simply draw in Photoshop and have it show up instantly in the image. Wonderful stuff!
It's hard to use when you first get it. I tried using it and my hand writing on it was absolutely atrocious. After a few months it still didn't get much better :p
Why use the wacom when you can use the waybay or the boochoom.
0_o
X_X
Love the graphics, love the ingenious plot development. All I can say.
This has been a long time percolating. I'm just glad that all these little pieces surround Portent are finally starting to come together.
Nice effects with the wacom all.
But I have one little question: all of Portant's code it probably massive, and I mean like 100,000,000,000,000,000+ lines of extremely complicated code, because each of the Cavalcada have their own little "shield world" crammed to the brim with tech, tech and more tech.
So how in all that exists are they gonna be able to keep 5 cavalcada and an AI on 4 "Tech worlds" and a neural lace?
PS if the one thought in your head is "crap" right now because you written your self in to a bottomless pit then I say yay I noticed.
PPS please tell me we'll see Tran again and she isn't becoming the new Portant.
Note that Tran states that she is using Portent's own resources to make the copy. That includes its hardware, i.e. it's Slipcore. I knew someone would ask that.
We'll see Tran again—and that's all I'll say on that topic.
Note that Tran states that she is using Portent's own resources to make the copy. That includes its hardware, i.e. it's Slipcore. I knew someone would ask that.
We'll see Tran again—and that's all I'll say on that topic.
Note that Tran states that she is using Portent's own resources to make the copy. That includes its hardware, i.e. its Slipcore. I knew someone would ask that.
We'll see Tran again—and that's all I'll say on that topic.
pichu,
are you sure you're not me in disguise,
But in reply to jims comment, how are they even compatible with eachother.
I'm guessing the Tran's special programming allows her to analyze Portent and modify herself to make sure they are compatible.
You tell me… or yourself, I think…wait, no, yes, maybe, wait a second… no, I'm not, 'cause if I was I'd be able to tell me, I mean you, no me, no you, no AAARRGGH!!!
My head hurts
Yay, Tran's staying!
Anyway, that wasn't my point, if she's copying him where's the new copy going to go…or, wait could she be deleting the old Portent after she's done, also how do they know the copied Portent's not going to be crazy too?
P.S. I miss Ruelard
Woah….
Silently whistling to self.
It's super computer virus time.
The Jaihali did help you make some really interesting pictures by the way.
I'm guessing you approve…
So Tran is copying Portent? How's that possible? A UNSC AI can't have that much storage room.
I think you missed a few details in the comics
Yeah, just a few.
Now i'm starting to see his plan…..i think
See whose plan? Portent's? Ferial's? The Reclaimer's?
Trans. Don't you understand what he's suggesting?
who?
Nevermind, bad joke.
reclaimer's
Are you planning on selling these as a comic book?
Jim and I had both considered this at one time, but Microsoft has copyrights on all our stuff, so we're not allowed to do any such thing.
One of the most amazing things about Jim is that he manages to write this amazing comic, do all the photoshopping and hand-drawing stuff, AND STILL ANSWERS EVERY SINGLE COMMENT!!!!
Props, keep up the good work. Can't wait to see where it goes next!
Okay finally made an account, and it's ALL YOUR FAULT!
I go on vacation for a week, and I get a CLIFFHANGER?!?!?
YOU'RE DRIVING ME INSANE!!
I go on vacation for a week, and I get a CLIFFHANGER?!?!?
YOU'RE DRIVING ME INSANE!!
haha im the same way
replying from a net cafe in itlay, cinque terre
Wow. Sick stuff. Something tells me the Xerox guys probably couldn't copy one of those puppies.
Thanks, Adam. I'm guessing you only just now got caught up.
Yea, i was out in MA for a week, but I'm back in full interwebs swing. It's looking good Jim.
I think they only thing I hate more than a cliffhanger is a cliffhanger and then a sudden lack of comics for almost a week.
Yeah, sorry about that. I've been taking a bit of a physical and mental health holiday the last few days. I'm hoping—if all goes well—to have a new installment up tomorrow.
Ok I just read all your comics in two days and I have one thing to say….
AWESOME!
Thanks, Kaya! I'm glad you enjoyed them! Look for more soon.
do you mena that you read every single comic right from number 1?
jeez, it took me like a whole week to get caught up and i was only joining in at like seventy something…
i think kaya has some secret conecction with a slipcore…
Meh… I've read through all of a longer webcomic in one sitting before.
That said, I don't ever want to do so again, and I don't recommend doing so to anyone else. I went a little crazy afterwards.
I wasn't very upset with the cliffhanger. Probably because after reading this comic for a while, I've gotten used to them, and there have been worse ones.
italy
Hey…anyone know where he is or he just busy with the farm or something? I miss these little sparks of enjoyment in my life…
I didn't say that. Did anyone hear me say that? I don't remember saying that!