The comic update schedule is an Inappropriate Topic on this Forum.

[xelliea]

Just asking, 663 has been the new comic for quite a while, is there any reason for this? (not complaining, just asking)

[SadisticFishing]

Yeah. 664 hasn't been uploaded yet.

=(

[Timberboar]

I'm guessing it's because 664 isn't finished yet.

Just a guess, though.

[Dogmantra]

It's the last strip ever, didn't you realise? :smallwink:

No, it's probably Rich's illness playing up again. Either that or there's a new Prequel book coming...

Hopefully the latter.

[Kaytara]

Well, Rich DID set a breakneck update pace for all of those cliffhanger comics before that, updating what, every second day? I imagine that took quite a lot out of him and he's now taking a little break now that the situation isn't as dire anymore. Anyway, his most frequent update rate seems to be somewhere along every three to four days, so technically the comic is only about three days late.

[Shinizak]

Update speculation is a violation of the forum rules. Just as a heads up.

[Badgercloak]

664 is going to be a 6-pager.:smallbiggrin:

[Totally Guy]

I hope this doesn't mean that Roy's ressurrection is going to become complicated by more plot twists and drama.

It's like we're waiting outside for an operation to be finished and the surgeon is taking longer than the procedure usually takes. And we're all worried about our friend Roy.

[xelliea]

Update speculation is a violation of the forum rules. Just as a heads up.

I am just asking if there is any reason eg. computer problems.

[FeAnPi]

Well, Rich DID set a breakneck update pace for all of those cliffhanger comics before that, updating what, every second day? I imagine that took quite a lot out of him and he's now taking a little break now that the situation isn't as dire anymore. Anyway, his most frequent update rate seems to be somewhere along every three to four days, so technically the comic is only about three days late.

I agree: the previous "Darth Vaarsavius VS Xykon - with O-Chul and MitD saving the day" story arc offered us very quick updates. Now a break is acceptable, and -I suppose- necessary for the Giant: a webcomic is always a work, after all...

[Raenir Salazar]

I also hope Rich is Okay and that this is a breather.

[xyzzy]

I agree with the hope that it's really long. Maybe Roy finally gets ressurected and we get several pages of conclusion and the book ends at 664? :smallbiggrin:

[Haven]

Remember, the strip schedule is "an average of three updates a week, any above that go into a hypothetical buffer". Which is to say, "whenever he feels like it".

I know you're not complaining, but he doesn't like to discuss his health problems or personal life (which is understandable, because: the internet), and the length of time between this update and the last is only long when compared to the fast pace of the last few weeks. When considered over the life of the comic since he stopped updating on a strict schedule, it's nothing.

[NerfTW]

I am just asking if there is any reason eg. computer problems.

If there was a major delay, he'd put it on the news page.

[TengYt]

It could also be an extra-long update, especially if Roy gets ressurected :smallsmile:

[Belkster11]

Well, if I were Rich and I just got done uploading new comics every other day, I'd take a damn good break before getting back to it. Everything's not so dire, all that's left is to do Roy's ressurrection.

Besides, there can be a whole host of problems. Maybe he had a power shortage? Computer decided to declare a war for independence, stating "no uploading without representation" (lame joke here)? Or he's sick.

Or maybe he's working on a double/triple-paged comic?

Either way, it'll come eventually and we'll just have to wait.

[RecklessFable]

664 is the Girl Next Door to the Beast. Give Rich time to draw her properly.

[Teddy]

Remember, the strip schedule is "an average of three updates a week, any above that go into a hypothetical buffer". Which is to say, "whenever he feels like it".

I thought it was twice a week, not three times a week, that was the avarage... And I got the feeling of it being Wednesdays and Saturdays/Sundays that were the average update-days, wich should indicate that the next one is Wednesday...

[Robert Paulson]

I, for one, am enjoying the downtime. :smallsmile:

[Haven]

I thought it was twice a week, not three times a week, that was the avarage... And I got the feeling of it being Wednesdays and Saturdays/Sundays that were the average update-days, wich should indicate that the next one is Wednesday...

Check the July 7th 2007 update on the second news page; that's still the current word on the update schedule. Really, for all intents and purposes it's at random, but averaging out to three a week is his goal.

[Teddy]

Check the July 7th 2007 update on the second news page; that's still the current word on the update schedule. Really, for all intents and purposes it's at random, but averaging out to three a week is his goal.

Okay, I'm too green to have read that, but with that in mind, I'll stick to random-but-Wednesday-most-likely as the day for the next update. And updates have been coming with an 2/week avarage the latest months...

[Lira]

And updates have been coming with an 2/week avarage the latest months...Perhaps that is the average, but looking back on the last five months, there's been about one week per month where there was only one update. So, last week was June's 1-update week, and if this pattern continues then this week will probably be a 2-update one.

[Bibliomancer]

I hope this doesn't mean that Roy's ressurrection is going to become complicated by more plot twists and drama.

It's like we're waiting outside for an operation to be finished and the surgeon is taking longer than the procedure usually takes. And we're all worried about our friend Roy.

Wait, something can occur without (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0043.html) plot (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0336.html) twists? (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0436.html)

[mec]

Check the July 7th 2007 update on the second news page; that's still the current word on the update schedule. Really, for all intents and purposes it's at random, but averaging out to three a week is his goal.

This issue came up a few weeks ago, and Rich said the statements on the news page are obsolete. These days, there is no schedule.

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=6228971#post6228971

Try this: once an hour, roll a d20. If it comes up 20, then check the site for an update. Otherwise, do something else. After a few hours, laugh at your foolishness, and enjoy the beautiful day.

[Forbiddenwar]

Try this: once an hour, roll a d20. If it comes up 20, then check the site for an update. Otherwise, do something else. After a few hours, laugh at your foolishness, and enjoy the beautiful day.

This is one of the best ideas I've heard in a long time, although shouldn't it be twice a day?

[Itamarcu]

I hope the ark wont end until 666, or it will be a big "Awwwwww......".

[theMycon]

Try this: once an hour, roll a d20. If it comes up 20, then check the site for an update. Otherwise, do something else. After a few hours, laugh at your foolishness, and enjoy the beautiful day.

What if it's raining, or there's a heat index of 105 but no mojito mint?

[Morquard]

I'm not complaining or anything, I know the comic takes as long as it takes.

However, if I were Rich, I'd set myself a "max comics per week" limit.
Say 2 strips for example, if he only gets 1 done thats fine, no need to push yourself.
If he gets 3 done in a week, just post 2 and safe the one for next week. Get two done in that week again? Post the old one and one new, and safe one for the coming week. No time next week, so post that remaining one strip.
That way he'd be slowly building a small stack of comics that he can post on weeks where he doesn't feel well/has no time.

That way it would be a somewhat more predictable schedule, it can get a tiny bit frustrating to wait for the next comic :)

Well in the end its up to Rich of course.

[mec]

What if it's raining, or there's a heat index of 105 but no mojito mint?

If it's raining, look out for a very dramatic comic! "It's never JUST raining."

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0199.html

But I don't know what happens with a heat index of 105.

[Worira]

I don't mind a wait, personally, but I do hope Rich is feeling well.

[Kokomo]

The break... it's a fake. :smallfurious:

[i6uuaq]

hehehe... i also assumed that server downtime = new comic. oh well... :smallbiggrin:

[Killer Angel]

Just asking, 663 has been the new comic for quite a while, is there any reason for this? (not complaining, just asking)

Maybe... the life?
(seriously, I know you're not complaining, but if there was a Real Problem, almost certainly it's an argument not welcome on this board. With reason.)

[Hawgh]

Personally, I'm going to be optimistic and assume that it's because the coming update is vastly superior to all previous updates, and therefore takes longer to finish.


P.S.
Ah, what nonsense I speak, almost every comic does that, darn OotS and it's positive spiral of awesome.

[EmeraldPhoenix]

I'm not complaining or anything, I know the comic takes as long as it takes.

However, if I were Rich, I'd set myself a "max comics per week" limit.
Say 2 strips for example, if he only gets 1 done thats fine, no need to push yourself.
If he gets 3 done in a week, just post 2 and safe the one for next week. Get two done in that week again? Post the old one and one new, and safe one for the coming week. No time next week, so post that remaining one strip.
That way he'd be slowly building a small stack of comics that he can post on weeks where he doesn't feel well/has no time.

That way it would be a somewhat more predictable schedule, it can get a tiny bit frustrating to wait for the next comic :)

Well in the end its up to Rich of course.

I believe that is what's known as a "buffer". And yes, it's a very good idea.

[SadisticFishing]

Errr... I believe he's always several in advance. I think. I don't remember why I think this, I know xkcd is but that's different...

I don't think he ever posts more than 4 in a week. That's his buffer.

[derfenrirwolv]

Ahah.. knew this was floating around somewhere. Found it.

660 Approximate number of the Beast

DCLXVI Roman numeral of the Beast

666.0000 Number of the High Precision Beast

0.666 Number of the Millibeast

/ 666 Beast Common Denominator

(-666) ^ (1/2) Imaginary number of the Beast

6.66 e3 Floating point Beast

1010011010 Binary of the Beast

6, uh... what was that number again? Number of the Blonde Beast

1-666 Area code of the Beast

00666 Zip code of the Beast

666mph The speed limit of the Beast

$665.95 Retail price of the Beast

$699.25 Price of the Beast plus 5% state sales tax

$769.95 Price of the Beast with all accessories and replacement soul

$656.66 Walmart price of the Beast

$646.66 Next week's Walmart price of the Beast

Phillips 666 Gasoline of the Beast

Route 666 Highway of the Beast

666 F Oven temperature for roast Beast

666k Retirement plan of the Beast

666 mg Recommended Minimum Daily Requirement of Beast

6.66 % 5 year CD interest rate at First Beast of Hell National Bank, $666 minimum deposit.

$666/hr Beast's lawyer's billing rate

Lotus 6-6-6 Spreadsheet of the Beast

Word 6.66 Word Processor of the Beast

i66686 CPU of the Beast

666i BMW of the Beast

DSM-666 (revised) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the Beast

668 Neighbor of the Beast

[Manuel Mecia]

It has been almost a week now.

[ednarimal]

666 F Oven temperature for roast Beast


This one made me lol hard, completely surprised me, good job

[wootage]

I'm not complaining or anything, I know the comic takes as long as it takes.

However, if I were Rich, I'd set myself a "max comics per week" limit.
Say 2 strips for example, if he only gets 1 done thats fine, no need to push yourself.
If he gets 3 done in a week, just post 2 and safe the one for next week. Get two done in that week again? Post the old one and one new, and safe one for the coming week. No time next week, so post that remaining one strip.
That way he'd be slowly building a small stack of comics that he can post on weeks where he doesn't feel well/has no time.

That way it would be a somewhat more predictable schedule, it can get a tiny bit frustrating to wait for the next comic :)

Well in the end its up to Rich of course.

That's actually what Rich has said he does, he always has a few weeks ahead (only common sense). He's probably building that back up after the recent fast updates.

[Lira]

That's actually what Rich has said he does, he always has a few weeks ahead (only common sense). He's probably building that back up after the recent fast updates.
When and where did Rich say that? Because I could have sworn I read something where he said that he doesn't like to have a strip buffer, because he likes to post strips as soon as they're done.

[HealthKit]

I'm optimistically hoping the delay is due the time it take to make a 2+ pager. :smallsmile:

[Carteeg_Struve]

I'm going to be optimistic and hope Rich is taking a long vacation on a beach somewhere with no internet access.

Then, a few days after he gets back and the jet-lag and hangover finally ease down, he will put up the link to:

664 The Longest Awaited For Filler Comic

:smallsmile:

[Raenir Salazar]

Lets see... shaking... check... Fever... Check... Incoherent babbling... check... delirium.... check... cravings... check.... 5 stages of grief... check... Feeling of jumpiness or nervousness... check... Feeling of shakiness... check... Anxiety... check... Irritability or easily excited check.... Emotional volatility check.... rapid emotional changes check.... Depression check.... Fatigue check.... Difficulty with thinking clearly check.... Bad dreams check....

....

[Forias]

Ooh, this better not be about what I think it's about... 'cause I think people get into trouble for talking about what I think it is you're talking about (instead of just thinking about it).:smalltongue:

[Belkster11]

Withdrawl for OotS?

It'll come eventually.

:xykon: Power now comes in being able to not go insane for #664.

[Kaytara]

This must be what going mad feels like.

[Belkster11]

I'm trying to find out what a good font color/size is.

[SadisticFishing]

Sitting at work, I think I've refreshed.. many, many times over the past 2 days. Waiting sucks :(

[Kish]

When and where did Rich say that? Because I could have sworn I read something where he said that he doesn't like to have a strip buffer, because he likes to post strips as soon as they're done.
More than that, he said he can't have a buffer because then he wouldn't be able to resist fiddling with the completed-but-not-posted strips until he'd ruined them.

[David Argall]

If it's raining, look out for a very dramatic comic! "It's never JUST raining."

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0199.html


However...

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0550.html

... gives us an exception there.




I believe that is what's known as a "buffer". And yes, it's a very good idea.

My understanding is that our writer has tried to institute a buffer, but, like many other strips, has failed to make it work. If you are the type who can pound out a dozen strips at once, and then goes off on a binge for a few weeks, a buffer works fine. But if instead you have a million things you need to do, and the strip is one that can be put off, the buffer just becomes another reason you can put the strip off, and the buffer rapidly empties and there is never the time to refill it.

[Optimystik]

DM of the Rings
8-Bit Theater
Penny Arcade
XKCD
Cyanide and Happiness
Zero Punctuation
Unskippable

I'm forgetting a bunch I'm sure, my work computer doesn't have the right bookmarks.

[rewinn]

Lets see... shaking... check... Fever... Check... Incoherent babbling... check... delirium.... check... cravings... check.... 5 stages of grief... check... Feeling of jumpiness or nervousness... check... Feeling of shakiness... check... Anxiety... check... Irritability or easily excited check.... Emotional volatility check.... rapid emotional changes check.... Depression check.... Fatigue check.... Difficulty with thinking clearly check.... Bad dreams check....

....

Hey, I can quit OOTS anytime. Easy as pie. Anytime!

Look at me. Coupla days without a fix, and I'm hardly even shaking.

OK, so I'm cruising the xkcd archives, hopin' to score a little stick-figure action. But that don't mean nothin! It's not like I'm seeing stick-figure snakes, or hearin' Demonic Roaches crawlin' behind the walls. And I wasn't tearing through our Christmas stuff looking for the OOTS holiday ornament, I was just ... you know ... cleaning up.

Maybe I need to go to the shop and order a T-shirt. Just to, you know, never be without a little OOTS fix. Nothin' wrong with that, is there?

[Snake-Aes]

DM of the Rings
8-Bit Theater
Penny Arcade
XKCD
Cyanide and Happiness
Zero Punctuation
Unskippable

I'm forgetting a bunch I'm sure, my work computer doesn't have the right bookmarks.
Girl Genius, Girls with Slingshots, Questionable Content, Least I Could Do, Errant Story, Goblins...

[Finwe]

I'm trying to find out what a good font color/size is.

The defaults are just fine, actually. There's no need to use custom text for every post, you know.

[SadisticFishing]

Goblins Comic is pretty good too, though take your time. He certainly does.

[Elderac]

Dungeons and Denizens is reasonable amusing.

I think, though, we are somewhat off topic now and other webcomics are covered in a whole different section of the Forum.

[Azura]

This must be what going mad feels like.

What does it feel like? Those of us who have always been mad want to know. :smalltongue:

*considers briefly going sane and going mad again just for the experience*

[Darkhands]

I have many other occasional reads, but here's my 'daily check' list (In the order they were added to my list, not by preference!):

Penny Arcade (http://www.penny-arcade.com/)
PvP (http://www.pvponline.com/)
OOTS (http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/GiantITP/ootscript)
CtrlAltDel (http://www.ctrlaltdel-online.com/comic.php)
Sunday at Ten (http://www.sundayat10.com/index.php)
XKCD (http://xkcd.com/)
Flipside (http://www.flipsidecomics.com/)
Dreamland Chronicles (http://www.thedreamlandchronicles.com/)
Misfile (http://www.misfile.com/)
Cyanide and Happiness (http://simulatedcomicproduct.com/)
Simulated Comic Product (http://simulatedcomicproduct.com/) (now on Hiatus)
Amazing Super Powers (http://www.amazingsuperpowers.com/)

Check them all out, you'll find either some great stories or great gags in all of them.

[Claudius Maximus]

How about taking a look at Rich's other, short-lived webcomic? (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=rpga/hq/polyffs1) It's interesting to see him draw something other than stick figures.

[Roland St. Jude]

Sheriff of Moddingham: The next OotS will be here when it gets here. Discussions of when that might be or how long it's been since the last one never end well and are on the list of inappropriate (forbidden) topics here.

[chef781]

{scrubbed}

[SteveD]

{Scrubbed}

[Belkster11]

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