After "Order of the Stick"

[Rakoa]

The Order of the Stick is a great comic. Everyone can pretty well agree on that. But as we know, all good things must come to an end. There has been some speculation out there as to how much Order of the Stick we really have left. Another couple books, another couple years, the estimates vary.

I'm interested to see what the forum goers would like/expect/want/not want to see after the Order of the Stick has run to completion. Would you want some prequels about Tarquin and his gang? Prequels about The Order of the Scribble and some of their adventures? Something completely unrelated to the Order of the Stick? Anything?

Discuss!

[Cizak]

I can't remember where, but I think Rich has hinted at having ideas for more stories once OotS is over. OotS is indeed amazing, but if Rich lives long and continues his career it will actually "just" be his "early work". I really wanna see what else he will tackle once OotS is done. More fantasy? Another genre? Who knows.

[Fish]

I would rather see, or read, a story of Rich's where he isn't dealing with forumites nitpicking his every move. A book. Something written beginning to end the way he wants it, edited, and published.

Of course I enjoy the strip as-is, but I know the drama that is Constant Content Treadmill, where everything you post instantly becomes canon, and there's no time to edit out the errors. Rich does a great job in the confines of the format, but I would like to see him set free of those limitations. Especially the limitation of "this is based on D&D."

[ti'esar]

I would rather see, or read, a story of Rich's where he isn't dealing with forumites nitpicking his every move. A book. Something written beginning to end the way he wants it, edited, and published.

Of course I enjoy the strip as-is, but I know the drama that is Constant Content Treadmill, where everything you post instantly becomes canon, and there's no time to edit out the errors. Rich does a great job in the confines of the format, but I would like to see him set free of those limitations. Especially the limitation of "this is based on D&D."

I personally find that being a serial work enhances my enjoyment of OOTS. What I would like to see, though, is a story from Rich that he had planned out in advance.

[CoffeeIncluded]

As long as it's still on this forum. I don't know where I'd go or what I'd do without this place!

[Ellye]

It just dawned on me that "checking for a new OotS strip" has been part of my daily routine for almost a decade now. It will feel weird when it ends. :smalleek:

[Roland Itiative]

While some OotS side-stories would be nice, I'd really want to see Rich try something 100% of his making. Shed the D&D framework (which, even though he doesn't care for the specific rules when writing anymore, still permeates the OotSverse), and do something new, in whatever medium, be it a book or another wbcomic, or whatever else.

[Finagle]

Anything that has NOTHING to do with D&D. It will be a marketable comic, with not only Scooby Doo but Shaggy and Scrappy Doo as well. The new work will be calculated to appeal to the largest possible number of people - as opposed to OOTS which mainly appeals to the tiny demographic of human beings who have heard of the name "Dungeons and Dragons". Hooks will be left for the insertion of movies and TV shows.

The author will be accused of being a sell-out, but why shouldn't he? He provided ten years of free entertainment for an audience of hyper-critical D&D nerds. It's a miracle that he doesn't wrap the story up in the next ten strips and then move on to these more lucrative endeavors. I know I would do so in his place, and my old fans be damned. We should all give thanks that he feels some sort of obligation to fill the next 2-4 years with the rest of the story. After all, the longer he spends on telling us this (good) story, the less time he has to spend on his (newer, crappier, moneymaking) story. Heck, I'd probably announce the beginning of my new story while my early work still isn't finished. Work on 'em both simultaneously. Hell, the Hollywood attention would result in more proofreading before publication which would give us fewer typographical and grammatical errors.

[Bulldog Psion]

The author will be accused of being a sell-out, but why shouldn't he? He provided ten years of free entertainment for an audience of hyper-critical D&D nerds. It's a miracle that he doesn't wrap the story up in the next ten strips and then move on to these more lucrative endeavors.

It would be hard to be much more lucrative than a million-dollar Kickstarter, though. :smallwink: I think you underestimate the market potential of us nerds.

[Finagle]

It would be hard to be much more lucrative than a million-dollar Kickstarter, though. :smallwink: I think you underestimate the market potential of us nerds.
Mmmm, yes, but if nerds are worth a million, then mass market is worth tens dozens of millions. Which is better: Garfield, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Mickey Mouse, or OOTS? Which deserves more succe$$ by dint of its creator's hard work?

Jim Davis has a great job to this day running Paws, Inc. (http://www.garfield.com/about/paws.html) I mean, holy hell, Garfield credit cards?!? Can you imagine OOTS having enough mainstream credibility to "apply for your OOTS card (http://www.commercebank.com/personal/cards/credit/garfield-visa/)"? Do you have any idea of how much passive income is made from tie-ins like these? All because some fan wants "Elan loves Haley" on his credit card instead of some generic background.

Steve Jackson worked his ass off catering to nerds, making pennies, until he made Munchkin (http://www.worldofmunchkin.com/game/) and became financially secure for the rest of his life. Why shouldn't Rich Burlew follow the same career trajectory? He certainly deserves it, OOTS is much better than Garfield or OGRE. Okay, maybe not as good as Car Wars, but you get what I'm saying here.

[ti'esar]

Anything that has NOTHING to do with D&D. It will be a marketable comic, with not only Scooby Doo but Shaggy and Scrappy Doo as well. The new work will be calculated to appeal to the largest possible number of people - as opposed to OOTS which mainly appeals to the tiny demographic of human beings who have heard of the name "Dungeons and Dragons". Hooks will be left for the insertion of movies and TV shows.

The author will be accused of being a sell-out, but why shouldn't he? He provided ten years of free entertainment for an audience of hyper-critical D&D nerds. It's a miracle that he doesn't wrap the story up in the next ten strips and then move on to these more lucrative endeavors. I know I would do so in his place, and my old fans be damned. We should all give thanks that he feels some sort of obligation to fill the next 2-4 years with the rest of the story. After all, the longer he spends on telling us this (good) story, the less time he has to spend on his (newer, crappier, moneymaking) story. Heck, I'd probably announce the beginning of my new story while my early work still isn't finished. Work on 'em both simultaneously. Hell, the Hollywood attention would result in more proofreading before publication which would give us fewer typographical and grammatical errors.

No personal offense intended, but as someone who would like to be a writer, I find this a, frankly, deeply unpleasant position to advocate.

(PM me if you want to debate that, as I don't want to start a derail.)

[Cizak]

Anything that has NOTHING to do with D&D. It will be a marketable comic, with not only Scooby Doo but Shaggy and Scrappy Doo as well. The new work will be calculated to appeal to the largest possible number of people - as opposed to OOTS which mainly appeals to the tiny demographic of human beings who have heard of the name "Dungeons and Dragons". Hooks will be left for the insertion of movies and TV shows.

The author will be accused of being a sell-out, but why shouldn't he? He provided ten years of free entertainment for an audience of hyper-critical D&D nerds. It's a miracle that he doesn't wrap the story up in the next ten strips and then move on to these more lucrative endeavors. I know I would do so in his place, and my old fans be damned. We should all give thanks that he feels some sort of obligation to fill the next 2-4 years with the rest of the story. After all, the longer he spends on telling us this (good) story, the less time he has to spend on his (newer, crappier, moneymaking) story. Heck, I'd probably announce the beginning of my new story while my early work still isn't finished. Work on 'em both simultaneously. Hell, the Hollywood attention would result in more proofreading before publication which would give us fewer typographical and grammatical errors.

Is this well done sarcasm, is my sarcasm detector broken or am I just horrendously tired?

[Kazyan]

I'm sort of amazed that Rich still puts up with OoTS, between financially supporting a platform for a bunch of hecklers that stick to a story artifact he dislikes, and having to work around a whole bunch of the story's early inanity (including D&D). Somehow he still does so much work for OoTS and the fans. Unreal.

I think, after OoTS, Rich will have a lot more direction about what to do, and his works will have the same tone from start to finish. As to what those works will be...no idea.

[Grey Watcher]

No personal offense intended, but as someone who would like to be a writer, I find this a, frankly, deeply unpleasant position to advocate.

(PM me if you want to debate that, as I don't want to start a derail.)

I thought he was joking, actually. But this is the internet; it's impossible to know for sure.

As for the thread's main question, I think I'd most want to see Burlew pursue something he's passionate about. OotS got its start because at the time he was passionate about gaming and, while that passion has apparently waned, the story goes on thanks to his passion for the story itself. As long as he's having fun creating, I feel confident that the result will be fun to read (or play, or watch, or color in).

Beyond that, I think he has something of a knack for fantasy and comedy (not necessarily in that order), so seeing him do more with those things might be fun. Heck, maybe a serious fantasy story, or non-fantasy comedy. He'd probably be good at a non-fantasy drama as well, but I've gotten so used to reading his comedy stuff it's hard to imagine what his dramatic stuff might be like in any detail.

And I also harbor an abiding hope that he'll someday get back the rights to Five-Foot Steps and continue with it.

[Poppy Appletree]

And I also harbor an abiding hope that he'll someday get back the rights to Five-Foot Steps and continue with it.

Oh, I hope so.

Alternatively, maybe the Giant will jump onto the Fifty Shades of Grey bandwagon and write a fanfiction version with different names, before getting sued by E. L. James for infringement.

[Xelbiuj]

The great thing about basing a story of a game with rules set are consistent rules, physical, magical, and otherwise.

Even with magic being over powered, at least it's predictable.
I'm tired of magic existing in fiction solely to serve as deus ex machina.

But anyways, a novel wouldn't be a bad idea but assuming the oots world doesn't end, I wouldn't mind 10-50 strips for each of the minor characters.

[Bulldog Psion]

The great thing about basing a story of a game with rules set are consistent rules, physical, magical, and otherwise.

Even with magic being over powered, at least it's predictable.


I agree, actually. Using a defined ruleset makes the work almost like a historical novel -- there's a certain framework that has to be observed, and it gives it a more "rigorous" feel even if it's a totally fantastic setting.

[137beth]

I agree, actually. Using a defined ruleset makes the work almost like a historical novel -- there's a certain framework that has to be observed, and it gives it a more "rigorous" feel even if it's a totally fantastic setting.

I agree, I like a fairly consistent set of rules for magic. But you don't need to base the story on D&D to make that work. Any good fantasy writer should be able to establish their own world without needing a game publisher to tell them how their world woks.


I really like the webcomic format--you get a little at a time, and it lasts longer than a book. But I would like something where the first 100 strips aren't a total turn-off to new readers...

[Bulldog Psion]

I agree, I like a fairly consistent set of rules for magic. But you don't need to base the story on D&D to make that work. Any good fantasy writer should be able to establish their own world without needing a game publisher to tell them how their world woks.


True enough, but I also don't think that D&D magic rules necessarily degrade the quality of a story if they are used as the framework for said tale, either. For example, I'm glad that OotS used D&D rules as its basis, and created a fascinating story within that framework, even if it's now going to be dispensed with.

[Ted The Bug]

Anything that has NOTHING to do with D&D. It will be a marketable comic, with not only Scooby Doo but Shaggy and Scrappy Doo as well. The new work will be calculated to appeal to the largest possible number of people - as opposed to OOTS which mainly appeals to the tiny demographic of human beings who have heard of the name "Dungeons and Dragons". Hooks will be left for the insertion of movies and TV shows.

The author will be accused of being a sell-out, but why shouldn't he? He provided ten years of free entertainment for an audience of hyper-critical D&D nerds. It's a miracle that he doesn't wrap the story up in the next ten strips and then move on to these more lucrative endeavors. I know I would do so in his place, and my old fans be damned. We should all give thanks that he feels some sort of obligation to fill the next 2-4 years with the rest of the story. After all, the longer he spends on telling us this (good) story, the less time he has to spend on his (newer, crappier, moneymaking) story. Heck, I'd probably announce the beginning of my new story while my early work still isn't finished. Work on 'em both simultaneously. Hell, the Hollywood attention would result in more proofreading before publication which would give us fewer typographical and grammatical errors.

Woah, easy there. This was meant to be a nice thread! Civility FTW.

I liked the tiny bits of FFS that were produced, but it would be interesting to see a non-comic work of some sort. I love the stick format, but I feel like it's been so linked to OOTS that making a new comic in the same style might be a little jarring to the readership. Animation would be awesome, but I doubt that's in the cards, since tG likes working solo. I can't say I hope we found out soon because I'm even more into OOTS now than when I first discovered it six (!!) years ago, but I'm intrigued to see what comes next!

[Crusher]

Mmmm, yes, but if nerds are worth a million, then mass market is worth tens dozens of millions. Which is better: Garfield, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Mickey Mouse, or OOTS? Which deserves more succe$$ by dint of its creator's hard work?

Jim Davis has a great job to this day running Paws, Inc. (http://www.garfield.com/about/paws.html) I mean, holy hell, Garfield credit cards?!? Can you imagine OOTS having enough mainstream credibility to "apply for your OOTS card (http://www.commercebank.com/personal/cards/credit/garfield-visa/)"? Do you have any idea of how much passive income is made from tie-ins like these? All because some fan wants "Elan loves Haley" on his credit card instead of some generic background.

Steve Jackson worked his ass off catering to nerds, making pennies, until he made Munchkin (http://www.worldofmunchkin.com/game/) and became financially secure for the rest of his life. Why shouldn't Rich Burlew follow the same career trajectory? He certainly deserves it, OOTS is much better than Garfield or OGRE. Okay, maybe not as good as Car Wars, but you get what I'm saying here.

Car Wars was friggin AWESOME. I played that for years with my buddies in High School. So much entertainment from such a little, crappily constructed, plastic box-thing.

[jere7my]

Anything that has NOTHING to do with D&D. It will be a marketable comic, with not only Scooby Doo but Shaggy and Scrappy Doo as well. The new work will be calculated to appeal to the largest possible number of people - as opposed to OOTS which mainly appeals to the tiny demographic of human beings who have heard of the name "Dungeons and Dragons". Hooks will be left for the insertion of movies and TV shows.

The author will be accused of being a sell-out, but why shouldn't he? He provided ten years of free entertainment for an audience of hyper-critical D&D nerds. It's a miracle that he doesn't wrap the story up in the next ten strips and then move on to these more lucrative endeavors. I know I would do so in his place, and my old fans be damned. We should all give thanks that he feels some sort of obligation to fill the next 2-4 years with the rest of the story. After all, the longer he spends on telling us this (good) story, the less time he has to spend on his (newer, crappier, moneymaking) story. Heck, I'd probably announce the beginning of my new story while my early work still isn't finished. Work on 'em both simultaneously. Hell, the Hollywood attention would result in more proofreading before publication which would give us fewer typographical and grammatical errors.

If you're not joking, this is deeply offensive and insulting.

[veti]

It would be hard to be much more lucrative than a million-dollar Kickstarter, though. :smallwink: I think you underestimate the market potential of us nerds.

I have no idea how the accounts break down, but getting a million dollars from one Kickstarter project is hardly a ticket to Easy Street. First there's the costs of producing and shipping all those books and other goodies. Even if Rich does get to keep a decent percentage of the money for himself, it's not a huge return for more than ten years of hard work.

As to the question: I too hope Rich can make a living following his passion - whether it's for storytelling, or art, or making fridge magnets, or whatever. That's up to him. I don't want to think of him chained forever to this thing he's created, and I hate to think of him toiling away at the whim of some soulless Hollywood creeps. Unless he wants to, of course.

[Bulldog Psion]

I have no idea how the accounts break down, but getting a million dollars from one Kickstarter project is hardly a ticket to Easy Street. First there's the costs of producing and shipping all those books and other goodies. Even if Rich does get to keep a decent percentage of the money for himself, it's not a huge return for more than ten years of hard work.


Yes, that's true. I guess I was just taking issue with the statement I was responding to, which cast anyone who happens to enjoy OotS and D&D as some kind of ungrateful, stingy parasite and demanding, overly critical, excessive entitled nobody who does nothing to support Mr. Burlew at all.

A million dollars maybe isn't a big-time return, but I think it shows that we "ungrateful, hyper-critical D&D nerds" do appreciate Mr. Burlew's efforts and put what money we can spare from our everyday expenses towards supporting an artist whose work we enjoy.

Essentially, I was a bit affronted by another poster's sneering condemnation of the people who were willing to pitch in $1 million to help Mr. Burlew do his work on the comic and be rewarded for it. At what point are we no longer demanding "free entertainment for an audience of hyper-critical D&D nerds" and actually contributing? $5 million? $10 million? When we send in proof that we got second, third and fourth mortgages to support Mr. Burlew's endeavors? :smallannoyed:

[Daubechies4]

As for the thread's main question, I think I'd most want to see Burlew pursue something he's passionate about.

I second this. I would love more OotS-related stuff, but only because I already know I love that material. Rich has proven to be such an incredible story-teller, though, that I bet I'd dig pretty much anything he dreams up. I'd hate to make a suggestion of my own because whatever he thinks of next is probably something I really want to see and don't even know it yet. So whatever that is, gimme THAT! (when OotS is finished, of course) And shut up and take my money for it! :smallbiggrin:

[factotum]

I personally find that being a serial work enhances my enjoyment of OOTS. What I would like to see, though, is a story from Rich that he had planned out in advance.

You're seeing it now! Apart from the first few dozen strips the Giant has had a good idea where the plot is going since the beginning. At the very least, he had to know what was going to happen a *long* way in advance in order to do the Oracle's predictions.

[ti'esar]

You're seeing it now! Apart from the first few dozen strips the Giant has had a good idea where the plot is going since the beginning. At the very least, he had to know what was going to happen a *long* way in advance in order to do the Oracle's predictions.

Well, sort of: the main plot has been planned out for a long time, but he still has to work with the artifacts of the point where no planning existed. Having to turn broad fantasy stereotypes into 3-D characters, for example (which has admittedly been entertaining) or his growing wish that he didn't have to use D&D as the rules by which the world operated, and the way that's produced the "V can't do anything" meme. And smaller plots that have been made up along the way have suffered from it occasionally. For instance, Celia's whole militant pacifism thing (as someone noted recently) might have worked better if it had been established as part of her character from the beginning, or even just from the trial arc where she moved beyond Generic Helpful Dungeon NPC.

I'd like to see the kind of story Rich tells when he's got it all planned out in advance.

[Kazyan]

Essentially, I was a bit affronted by another poster's sneering condemnation of the people who were willing to pitch in $1 million to help Mr. Burlew do his work on the comic and be rewarded for it. At what point are we no longer demanding "free entertainment for an audience of hyper-critical D&D nerds" and actually contributing? $5 million? $10 million? When we send in proof that we got second, third and fourth mortgages to support Mr. Burlew's endeavors? :smallannoyed:

Some of this might be applicable to my 'hecklers' comment, so I'll pre-emptively apologize. Resisting the tendency to simplify a situation is hard. I don't know how much the specific hecklers do in terms of supports, but whatever the case, it's pretty clearly worth it to Rich on multiple levels.

[elliott20]

Personally, I think Rich is already considered successful by all counts. What I want to see is him be a financial hit as well.

I personally can see several things happening:

1. He needs to ride the OOTS train out. I don't mean like, writing more stories for it, but the franchise has a solid following and he can very easily leverage on that. i.e. a multiplayer OOTS PC game on Steam anyone?

He's already got the toys thing locked down, sort of. He just needs to do more of that stuff and secure more income streams for himself.

2. He will not be doing another D&D thing, probably. But chances are good he will still stick the holy trifecta of fantasy / sci-fi / comedy genre in whatever it is he does next.

3. not sure if he's keen on this, but I can totally see him getting tapped to write for one of the major comic franchises. I'm sure he would make an awesome writer for spiderman or something.

[Jay R]

Snip, Snails, and Dragon Tales is selling well, with no quest material at all. I expect the OotS universe to last far beyond this quest.

There are more tales to tell with the OotS characters, more Julio Scoundrel stories, early Miko could be fun. He has any number of other characters to explore.

Besides, we have no idea how long it will take before Frudu throws the Ming into one of the rifts.

[Fish]

Anything that has NOTHING to do with D&D. It will be a marketable comic... The new work will be calculated to appeal to the largest possible number of people - as opposed to OOTS which mainly appeals to [a] tiny demographic ...

The author will be accused of being a sell-out, but why shouldn't he?
I too wish Rich a financially successful follow-up work. However, rare is the author who can flip the bird to his fans and still keep them tucked in his front pocket. OOTS is a springboard from which to launch a new project, not an anchor. It is a textbook arc of success: gather a fan base, create loyal followers, then move up to the big leagues. He's doing it the way novice writers only dream of: networking, networking, networking. Too many coffee-klatch would-be artists have the Big Idea but no way to make it successful, because they only bother to connect to other poor artists and not to the audience where the money is. Rich has that connection, carefully accreted over 10 years, and he'd be an idiot to say "I'm famous now, I don't need you."

That doesn't mean he MUST create a D&D-inspired comedy comic strip. But it does mean he would be wise to at least pretend to maintain goodwill toward his fans.

[elliott20]

I too wish Rich a financially successful follow-up work. However, rare is the author who can flip the bird to his fans and still keep them tucked in his front pocket. OOTS is a springboard from which to launch a new project, not an anchor. It is a textbook arc of success: gather a fan base, create loyal followers, then move up to the big leagues. He's doing it the way novice writers only dream of: networking, networking, networking. Too many coffee-klatch would-be artists have the Big Idea but no way to make it successful, because they only bother to connect to other poor artists and not to the audience where the money is. Rich has that connection, carefully accreted over 10 years, and he'd be an idiot to say "I'm famous now, I don't need you."

That doesn't mean he MUST create a D&D-inspired comedy comic strip. But it does mean he would be wise to at least pretend to maintain goodwill toward his fans.
Well, to be fair, I don't think cashing in by doing something more main stream and with a wider appeal is the same as giving his audience the bird.

why can't he do both? I mean, he could totally pull a Joss Whedon and get tapped to do something big like write for a major franchise.

[Belkar<3]

It would be nice if he could add more side-stories, but that might not happen for a long time, since I predict 2+ books.

[armourer eric]

The post OOTS work will be a downward sprial of decreasingly popular muti-media commercial ventures ending with a Fox Series "Everyone Loves Elan" starring Wil Farrell and Jennifer Anniston for Elan and Haley, which will be cancelled after 6 episodes.

[Fish]

Well, to be fair, I don't think cashing in by doing something more main stream and with a wider appeal is the same as giving his audience the bird.
I was responding to a post suggesting Rich should abandon this story before finishing it, hop into a gold limousine and shout "Later, losers!" at his angry, disappointed fans on his way to the tropical money house.

Using one's talent to make it big: perfectly fine.

Burning bridges: not generally considered shrewd. Publishers like authors who come packaged with their own fan base; it means they (the publisher) don't have to do all the legwork for those first 10,000 sales.

Angering said fan base: for what point, again?

[Adaon Nightwind]

Besides, Mr. Burlew has shown himself to be time and again to be a good man.

Back to topic: Personally, i'd like to see a team-up of Joss Whedon and The Giant. If they can work well together, it could be.. interesting. :smallbiggrin:

[David Argall]

It will take 5 years to finish OOTS. And since the strip is already 10 years old [and was supposed to be over years ago], that is a minimum. Far too early to wonder about the next series.

[Cizak]

It will take 5 years to finish OOTS. And since the strip is already 10 years old [and was supposed to be over years ago]...

What are you basing this information on?

[Rogar Demonblud]

I know exactly what the Giant will do. Take Mrs. Giant on a long vacation to the place of her choosing.

After that, well, I got nothing.

[Bulldog Psion]

It will take 5 years to finish OOTS. And since the strip is already 10 years old [and was supposed to be over years ago], that is a minimum. Far too early to wonder about the next series.

Dang it, now you make me feel sorry for Mr. Burlew. :smallfrown:

[JackRackham]

While some OotS side-stories would be nice, I'd really want to see Rich try something 100% of his making. Shed the D&D framework (which, even though he doesn't care for the specific rules when writing anymore, still permeates the OotSverse), and do something new, in whatever medium, be it a book or another wbcomic, or whatever else.

EXACTLY, something based on Vampire the Requiem, or GURPS rules, instead. :smallwink:

Really, though, I'd be interested to see him take on a major, non-comedic work - a space opera, a fantasy epic, historical fiction, whatever. I really think he can do it. I'm not sure if that's something he's looking to do. I definitely think a novel would be the most logical next place to go. I think he has the ability to do a television cartoon as well, though I'm not sure how interested he'd be.

[David Argall]

What are you basing this information on?

Most of the information I am too lazy to look up, but in 03 the strip start with the start of 3.5. In 08, we got 4e, which is note in strip 562 [which was already a slow-down from the 3 a week schedule we had]. Another 5 years later, we are working on 5e, and strip 886, which means 324 strips in 5 years. Since we have about 400 strips to go [The giant mentioned having a 7 book series in mind, and we are not done with book 5], it could easily be 8 years before we finish.
Most webcomics slow down with age. [In fact most come to a dead stop.] OOTS is far from the worse here. [The author of one I was following said in his 98th strip, "I never expected to reach 100." He was right. He didn't.] In fact it may be well above average in maintaining production. But this was planned all the way as a long story, And the normal slowdowns have made it even longer. Note the title of 696 was “Still a Long Way to Go.”

[Rakoa]

It will take 5 years to finish OOTS. And since the strip is already 10 years old [and was supposed to be over years ago], that is a minimum. Far too early to wonder about the next series.

I would say that it is far too early to wonder about the next series with accuracy. No reason we can't do it for fun (unless I am missing a forum rule somewhere).

[Umberhulk]

I wouldn't blame Rich for continuing to generate some income from OOTS once the story is finished. He could get around to adding to the board game, continue the magazine comics, create some new oots art for some shirts, etc. way cooler than what we have access to now, and hopefully hit up some conventions. Easier revenue and the fans would be happy.

As far as his next project? Maybe he has already started it. I wouldn't even venture a guess on the subject or genre.

Oh! And a single leather bound tomb containing within the entire story. :)

[Reathin]

Personally, I'll stay tuned for the Order of the Polygon.

[Jay R]

I am astounded at the notion that if all we ever get from Rich is the completed Order of the Stick quest story, plus all the bonus materials in the books, he is somehow "flipping the bird" at us. He has given us a great story - for free. There is no fair or just way to infer that he should be expected to give us more.

My life has been enriched by his work, far beyond any rational measure of the costs of the three books I've been able to afford.

I thank him for all the riches he has given us, and wish him well in whatever he chooses to do next.

[Bulldog Psion]

I am astounded at the notion that if all we ever get from Rich is the completed Order of the Stick quest story, plus all the bonus materials in the books, he is somehow "flipping the bird" at us. He has given us a great story - for free. There is no fair or just way to infer that he should be expected to give us more.

Take a look back at the first page. There is a poster there who suggests that Rich should flip us all the bird and take off to immense riches.

The notion isn't that he is flipping us the bird by completing OotS. That is a complete misinterpretation of the situation. A total, absolute, and -- honestly -- pretty astounding, to borrow your word, misinterpretation of what's going on in this thread.

The responses are to someone saying that Rich should deliberately not finish the story, cut it off right here, and bail out totally from the bunch of losers we fans evidently are. Because seemingly giving him $1 million for his project isn't enough to make us anything but a bunch of worthless nerds who expect stuff from him for free. And that getting all OotS fans out of his life would instantly cause him to become an entertainment mogul with billions of dollars in the bank. Or something.

[The Giant]

The responses are to someone saying that Rich should deliberately not finish the story, cut it off right here, and bail out totally from the bunch of losers we fans evidently are. Because seemingly giving him $1 million for his project isn't enough to make us anything but a bunch of worthless nerds who expect stuff from him for free. And that getting all OotS fans out of his life would instantly cause him to become an entertainment mogul with billions of dollars in the bank. Or something.

Yes, and that was a ridiculous, baseless assertion when it was made, so can everyone stop giving it credit as something that might happen and therefore needs to be argued against? The only way OOTS isn't getting finished is if something happens to me that actively prevents it.

It seems obvious to me that the person who posted that is unhappy with recent comments I've made about paying less attention to D&D rules and is attempting to draw a parallel between that situation and wholesale abandonment of the fans that made OOTS popular in the first place. Which is a gross exaggeration for about a dozen reasons, not the least of which is I'm not actually changing anything about the way I've been writing for the last three years or so.

So let's all just stop feeding the troll, OK?

[Ebon_Drake]

He'd probably be good at a non-fantasy drama as well, but I've gotten so used to reading his comedy stuff it's hard to imagine what his dramatic stuff might be like in any detail.
I agree, it'd be interesting to see Rich write a predominantly serious project. Many of my favourite OOTS moments are dramatic rather than comedic, so I could certainly see the potential. That said, I'd hope there would always be room for the occasional witty one-liner or tongue-in-cheek moment in anything he does.


Personally, i'd like to see a team-up of Joss Whedon and The Giant. If they can work well together, it could be.. interesting. :smallbiggrin:
This. Very this.

[Rakoa]

Thanks Giant. I was getting a tad worried about the discussion going on here.

[HardcoreD&Dgirl]

When OotS ends, it will be missed, but what I would like is:

a OGL book for the OotS with all the homebrew stuff

A big book with the whole story collected in it (leather bound or not)

A small book 'behind the scenes' with notes about what he was thinking about and where his story went off rails, and what he wishes he did diffrent...

[Bulldog Psion]

Something totally different, and then perhaps a return to a different fantasy webcomic with a new setting.

[Drakeburn]

If the Order of the Stick does end, I'm sure that there will be a new comic that takes place in the same OOTS world, but with a different party of adventurers. Maybe after the Order of the Stick (or whoever is still alive) defeats Xykon and the other baddies, they part ways (do mercenary work, join the military, etc), and maybe join together as the Order of the Stick with new allies. Or they become part of other adventuring parties. Or maybe their children years later become the next Order of the Stick.

There is too much potential to hang up OOTS.

[Poppy Appletree]

Yes, and that was a ridiculous, baseless assertion when it was made, so can everyone stop giving it credit as something that might happen and therefore needs to be argued against? The only way OOTS isn't getting finished is if something happens to me that actively prevents it.

It seems obvious to me that the person who posted that is unhappy with recent comments I've made about paying less attention to D&D rules and is attempting to draw a parallel between that situation and wholesale abandonment of the fans that made OOTS popular in the first place. Which is a gross exaggeration for about a dozen reasons, not the least of which is I'm not actually changing anything about the way I've been writing for the last three years or so.

So let's all just stop feeding the troll, OK?

I gave something like $12 to the Kickstarter, even though my finances are incredibly limited and I can't afford the books, because I was excited by the prospect of additional material. I even added a couple of dollars because I wasn't sure if shipping the magnet to where I live was cost-appropriate at the base price; if I could have pledged more, I would have done. If in future I'm able to buy the books, I will definitely do so, because I have reread the comic many times and still enjoy it tremendously. Your comic is the one I enjoy most of any webcomic that I read, and I will follow you in whatever you choose to do after this project is over, because I know that you're a great author.

Given the success of the Kickstarter, I think it's obvious most of your fans feel the same way.

[ti'esar]

A small book 'behind the scenes' with notes about what he was thinking about and where his story went off rails, and what he wishes he did diffrent...

A lot of this already exists in the collections.