When did it get real?

[Koo Rehtorb]

Specifically at which comic did OotS move from being a funny little webcomic about D&D to something which had a compelling story on its own merits?

I say it was http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0443.html

[Dr.Epic]

Specifically at which comic did OotS move from being a funny little webcomic about D&D to something which had a compelling story on its own merits?

I say it was http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0443.html

Nope. Cerebus syndrome set in long before that. Probably right after the Dungeon of Dorukan.

[Koo Rehtorb]

Where exactly? I can't really think of anything with a particularly serious tone to it even though the story was developing.

Maybe Shojo dying.

[Kalmarvho]

I'd say around Miko's first appearance.

[Dr.Epic]

Where exactly? I can't really think of anything with a particularly serious tone to it even though the story was developing.

Maybe Shojo dying.

Xykon surviving and having a Plan B.

[Mike Havran]

I think the disturbing scene with the blacksmith (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0142.html) was the first dark tone in the comics.

[Amoras]

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0200.html

The first meeting with Miko.

[Blue1005]

I think it got real when Giant figured out he can make some money on this. Which specific comic is unknown.

[Morquard]

I think the Giant mentioned in a commentary in some book or in a post that it was somewhere around strip 100 that he decided to develop a real story and not just make a "joke of the week" comic.

I'd say it started around then that he inserted small portions of overarching plot into it. He did it slow and gradually so it actually feels right.

Which means there's not really "one single strip" where it happened.

Miko's appearance sure set of one of the major plot arcs obviously, but having her appear right after the Dungeon of Dorukan without the Black Dragon cave and the Bandit Camp it would just not have felt right.

[Dr.Epic]

I think it got real when Giant figured out he can make some money on this.

Nah, that doesn't mean anything. Michael Bay figured he could make a lot of money on the Transformers a long time ago, and those films have yet to get serious.:smallwink:

[Kurald Galain]

Xykon surviving and having a Plan B.

Yes, I concur.

[Trisk]

It started about the time the gag a strip format ended and really kicked up a notch when Miko showed up.

So I agree with comic 200 if you want a solid comic to base it on, though the escape/war for the city was when **** got dark.

[teratorn]

I agree with those that say it was Miko, but then that's when I started reading it so I may be biased.

[ti'esar]

I've always seen the NCftPB storyline as the transitional period, with WaXP being the first storyline where Rich had planned out the whole plot and found his footing in terms of tonal balance.

[Sniffnoy]

Yeah, I'd put it around #260 or so, since that's where the main plot really starts to kick in.

[Incom]

Depending on how extreme you define Cerebus Syndrome, there wasn't even a plot until the Summon Plot Exposition strip, so that counts.

Beyond that, first appearance of Miko, then Gate infodump, then death of Roy and conquest of Azure City, then Western Continent...

Basically every arc gets a little darker.

[Dr.Epic]

then death of Roy

I don't know what you people are talking about. That strip was hilarious! Roy go splat!

[ti'esar]

I don't know what you people are talking about. That strip was hilarious! Roy go splat!

If I remember correctly, the Giant specifically said in the WaXP commentary that part of the reason for 448 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0448.html) was that he needed readers to cheer when Soon appeared, and Roy's death alone wouldn't be nearly enough to make them hate Xykon.

[Kurald Galain]

I've always seen the NCftPB storyline as the transitional period, with WaXP being the first storyline where Rich had planned out the whole plot and found his footing in terms of tonal balance.

Based on the author's comments in the various books, Rich's planning started way earlier than that.

[Belril Duskwalk]

Personally, I would say the destruction of the Dungeon of Dorukan. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0120.html) Our noble (and ignoble) heroes believe they have won the day and are ready to march off into the sunset. But this is also the point where it becomes clear that Xykon, Redcloak and the Linear Guild are not finished. It is also the moment when a mysterious cloaked figure (Miko) is dispatched to hunt down the Order. I personally would say that is the first real turn point from just light-hearted joking to Jokes plus Plot.

[King of Nowhere]

actually, rich stated that he had the whole plot figured out around strip 100, not that he started by then.
As for the transition, I don't think there is any mark, but if there is, then meeting the linear guild was the point. face it, oots already had a plot back then, even if it wasn't clear what the plot was. And even if rich complains about the first few dozen striops lacking a plot, to me they work well in setting the characters. So in retrospect oots can be thought as having a plot starting from strip 1, even if at the time rich himself didn't knew it.
On the other hand it never really ceased to be a funny comic about D&D.
So asking about the exact moment oots got into the plot is like asking for a specific day in which earth stopped being an asteroid bigger than others and became a planet.

[PeglegJim]

I'd like to think it was when Nale backstabbed Elan.

[Mewtarthio]

I think the disturbing scene with the blacksmith (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0142.html) was the first dark tone in the comics.

Nah, that's just black comedy. Silly Thog, a blacksmith isn't a puppy! :smallbiggrin:

Seriously, though, I'd say the first dark tone in the comic was Nale stabbing Elan, as PeglegJim said. At the very least, that's the first time when the comic took a threat seriously rather than as just another gag.

[veti]

I think the strip developed a real story immediately after the end of the Dungeon of Dorukan. As soon as we see a village full of innocent civilians.

A compelling story? Hmmm, when was the first time I really wanted to know what would happen next... About the time Haley developed aphasia.

[Dr.Epic]

Roy's death alone wouldn't be nearly enough to make them hate Xykon.

Hate Xykon after that?:smallconfused: How on earth could I possibly do that? Get that lich a medal!

[Drakeburn]

I think the story got serious when the secrets of the portals/gates were revealed.

[Bagger Baggins]

The death of Fruit Pie the Sorcerer here (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0091.html)

1. The title was "proof that I am deeply disturbed." Lots of great artists and writers are deeply disturbed, as opposed to gag makers, who are just lighthearted funsters. Rich is here announcing his intentions to get serious.

2. First death of a heroic/innocent character, at least in the online comic and not counting backstory.

3. First graphic death, with the real fruit filling slowly draining away...

Face it. It just started to get grim and gritty after this.

(edit: Okay, I just looked at the timeline, and the Linear Guild killed the guardians before this happened. So #2 doesn't apply. Oh, well. I stand by #s 1 and 3.)

[McNum]

I'd like to think it was when Nale backstabbed Elan.
Yup. You could also argue for the introduction of the Linear Guild, but by Comic #56 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0056.html), things got real.