Character development.

[ghoul-n]

I'm talking not about in-comic characters but rather of you personally.

Have the comic offered you any valuable insights so far? In gender psychology, distinguishing good things from bad things, baking pies or whatever?

[Nilan8888]

I think the comic's value is more taking what are commonly questions spoken of in terms of literature or "art" and applying them in a D&D context. But I don't know about entire new ways of looking at stuff.

It's sort of like "Watchmen" in a way -- "Watchmen" would not be new or innovative in it's subject matter with people who were familiar with Neitzche or Kurt Vonnegut. Depending on the sort of person they were they might say "yeah, well Alan Moore was just ripping off Slaughterhose Five with Dr. Manhattan". Of course the opposite person would say they were paying homage. Same with the LOST epsiode "The Constant".

So in terms of new questions and concepts to the human race like "Slaughterhouse Five" or "Heart of Darkness" or "1984" -- well, no.

But it is taking questions more common in other contexts and applying them to this one, which is certainly nothing to sneeze at.

[iDM]

One of the biggest things I've learned from OotS is the enormous impact parents have on their children. Roy wants to destroy Xykon mainly because his father doesn't think he can; Haley was almost stuck without a voice- and without Elan- because of her father's teachings.

[NerfTW]

One of the biggest things I've learned from OotS is the enormous impact parents have on their children. Roy wants to destroy Xykon mainly because his father doesn't think he can; Haley was almost stuck without a voice- and without Elan- because of her father's teachings.

I don't see it that way. Roy wants to destroy Xykon because it's the right thing to do and because it impacts his family (as he was told/lied to about).

I still don't buy this "Haley was stuck without a voice because of her father's teachings" thing. Saying "Don't be open in a city of thieves" is NOT the same thing as "don't tell your lawful good companions about your issues".

Honestly, if not for that one person's thread, I doubt anyone would have made the "bad parents" connection that simply doesn't exist.

[iDM]

I don't see it that way. Roy wants to destroy Xykon because it's the right thing to do and because it impacts his family (as he was told/lied to about).

I still don't buy this "Haley was stuck without a voice because of her father's teachings" thing. Saying "Don't be open in a city of thieves" is NOT the same thing as "don't tell your lawful good companions about your issues".

Honestly, if not for that one person's thread, I doubt anyone would have made the "bad parents" connection that simply doesn't exist.

In The Origin of PCs, Roy swore he would never rest until Xykon was defeated-specifically because his father said that Roy couldn't because he was a fighter.

[Maximum Zersk]

Yes, but later on he mentions that's not the case anymore.

[Venerable]

The lesson I learned wasn't from the comic so much as the GitP community.

Before I started reading this forum, I wouldn't have dreamed that the ambiguity of Vaarsuvius's gender would be such a big deal to so many people. But threads with titles like "What's V's gender?" and "I have proof V is female" keep reappearing like clockwork, despite the Giant having answered the question.

The fact that people care so much made me re-evaluate my notions of how we model each other, and how strong our need to put other people in easily defined categories is. It's given me a bit more sympathy for the 'T' in LGBT.

[Thanatosia]

The Redcloak story arcs has given me a lot of food for thought generaly speaking.

[Chainsaw Hobbit]

V taught me a bit of vocabulary.

[Dr.Epic]

Mostly from SoD and Xykon.

[Bedinsis]

I don't see it that way. Roy wants to destroy Xykon because it's the right thing to do and because it impacts his family (as he was told/lied to about).


Wait, what? Lied to?

[BadAndyMk3]

I hate to admit it, but Xykon's speech abotu power was a little enlightening.

[Nilan8888]

In The Origin of PCs, Roy swore he would never rest until Xykon was defeated-specifically because his father said that Roy couldn't because he was a fighter.

Just to confirm what Zersk said concerning this quote:

Strip 442 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0442.html)

[warmachine]

Haley by stating that the conman succeeds, not by breaking the rules of the game, rather by convincing you that the game's being played at all.

[Lecan]

I hate to admit it, but Xykon's speech abotu power was a little enlightening.

It was for me also. And, it's applicable for the rest of us also, not just magic users in a fantasy world. So many people don't realize the power we all have simply by existing, more so in a democracy.


I'm talking not about in-comic characters but rather of you personally.

Have the comic offered you any valuable insights so far? In gender psychology, distinguishing good things from bad things, baking pies or whatever?

First, the Order of the Stick has taught me a lot about storytelling. Rich knows how to tell a great story and his chosen method is designed to put the emphasis on story first, instead of the window-dressings many storytellers emphasize. This isn't to say all those other authors are wrong; instead it reminds me that everything about a work is (or should be) chosen for desired effect.

Second, I believe Mr. Burlew has a great deal to say about the human condition and our relations with each other. For example, strip 669, Logical Conclusions, (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0669.html) has excellent logic and the conclusion (recalling Swift's "Modest Proposal") being the exact opposite of our reality drives home a point that is applicable to everyone.

Third, personally, I have been influenced most by the characterization of Miko. I have been guilty of the same single-minded emphasis on Law to the point that I have from time to time lost sight of Good. Fortunately, though, I haven't released any massive holes in reality.

Fourth, every time I re-read the Darth V plot arc, I still get cravings for banana nut muffins.

[Morgan Wick]

Yes, but later on he mentions that's not the case anymore.

That's kinda not the point. That Roy now is motivated by the fact that Xykon is a threat to the whole world doesn't change the fact that he originally got into it to show up his father.


The lesson I learned wasn't from the comic so much as the GitP community.

Before I started reading this forum, I wouldn't have dreamed that the ambiguity of Vaarsuvius's gender would be such a big deal to so many people. But threads with titles like "What's V's gender?" and "I have proof V is female" keep reappearing like clockwork, despite the Giant having answered the question.

The fact that people care so much made me re-evaluate my notions of how we model each other, and how strong our need to put other people in easily defined categories is. It's given me a bit more sympathy for the 'T' in LGBT.

Part of the problem is the English language. We don't really have a gender-neutral pronoun to refer to people, unless maybe if they're completely genderless, so we have to choose "he" or "she", and in our time we're very uncomfortable with the sexism of "he" being the default gender-neutral pronoun.

[rakkoon]

I've learned that alignments and the way you play characters are two different things. Elan's father especially. He's chaotic even though he's lawful. I love that.