Strip 480 the end of the story arc?

[Surfing HalfOrc]

Somehow, I don't see everything wrapping up by the end of the next strip.

That's NOT a bad thing. Rich has said that he wants to finish this story arc before taking a much needed break. So will this go to strip 500, or stop before then?

Or can Rich wrap everything up in a three pager?

[kpenguin]

Wait... where did it say that Rich was ending the story arc at 480?

[explanetpluto]

Rich said soon, but he didn't give us a specific number.

[factotum]

Wait... where did it say that Rich was ending the story arc at 480?

The guess is that the story arc has to end soon--"No Cure for the Paladin Blues" covered 179 strips (122 to 300 inclusive), and we're already up to that in this story arc. Seems reasonable to assume it isn't going to be a huge amount longer than NCftPB was.

[banjo1985]

I think there maybe a little too much to sort out for the story arc to finish at 480, but there definitely isn't very long left, I'd say it may finish by around 485. Let's face it Rich needs and, most of all, deserves a rest, so I don't see the rest of the story arc taking very long.

[Max_Sinister]

Would have to be an uber-long strip to wrap up the loose ends. Quadruple at least.

[Surfing HalfOrc]

Wait... where did it say that Rich was ending the story arc at 480?

Rich himself never has, but the second book was 180 strips, while the first was 120 strips. If Rich does keeps the books at 180 per book, its:

1-120: Dungeon of Dorukan (Dungeon Crawling Fools) 120 strips.
121-300: No Cure for the Paladin Blues-180 Strips
301-480: The Battle of Azure City-179 strips (so far)

I always thought Rich was going to take this all the way out to 500, but several people insisted that the strip would end at 480.

This is why I can't see how this part of the tale will end in one more strip, even if it does end with a loss for "Our Heroes." Haley has to get through the city, Hinjo want to fight Redcloak, the fiendish giant octopus needs to be defeated, and the ship has to get underway. Each of these could take one to three strips to resolve, so I don't see this arc ending before 490.

[RobbyPants]

I was wondering where that 480 came from.

Well, as everyone else has said, I don't see everything wrapping up in one panel unless something drastic happens. I can see it happening before 500 though. Take a look at where everything was back at 459.

[titan_monarch]

I think it'll probably end at #500. Looking back over the strips the trend has been to have a major story arc ending once nearly every 100 strips.
First book (Dungeon Crawlin' Fools): 1-120
Dorukan till Miko's first appearance (first half of Paladin Blues): 121-199
Journey to Azure City and the Trial of the OOTS (second half of Paladin Blues): 200-300
The Oracle, OOTS vs Linear Guild in Cliffport, Haley gets over herself, Haley gets together with Elan (probably first half of War and XP): 301-402
The War (probably second half of War and XP): 403-~500.

[Deuce]

Rich himself never has, but the second book was 180 strips, while the first was 120 strips. If Rich does keeps the books at 180 per book, its:

1-120: Dungeon of Dorukan (Dungeon Crawling Fools) 120 strips.
121-300: No Cure for the Paladin Blues-180 Strips
301-480: The Battle of Azure City-179 strips (so far)




How many Bonus strips in No Cure for the Paladin Blues?

[Surfing HalfOrc]

How many Bonus strips in No Cure for the Paladin Blues?

Not sure, since I don't own a copy of the book. But a few weeks ago, I thought this story arc would end at 500, and had several people jump in a say that it would end at 480, since that's where Rich ended "Paladin Blues."

Then they called me a noob, told me to shut up, and threw rocks at me. :smalleek:

Nah, just kidding about the verbal abuse, but some folks have pretty strong opinions about this strip, and how long Rich will make the books. If the story arc ends with the next post, it will be 180 strips, but if it goes on to episode 500, it will be 200 strips total for this section, plus assorted bonus strips.

Strips 302 until 400 was the Trial of the OotS and Haley's aphasia, and 401-present is the day of the battle of Azure City (Yeah, it's only been one day!) Now it's nightfall, and "Our Heroes" are about to retreat to fight another day. I estimated 100 strips for the first story, then another 100 strips for the battle of Azure City.

[Porthos]

Seems reasonable to assume it isn't going to be a huge amount longer than NCftPB was.

Just a point, but with all of the double/triple length strips we've had over the last year, we are going to be well past the size of Paladin Blues.

No Cure for the Paladin Blues: 17 pages of double/triple length strips
War and XPs: 52 pages of double/triple length strips. Plus you have 6 pages of 1 1/2 length strips, and comic #443 which may or may not be more than one page long.

In fact, by my calculations, WaXP is already about the size of NCftPB before a single piece of commentary/bonus strips/character sketches/what-have-you is figured in.


How many Bonus strips in No Cure for the Paladin Blues?

More than you ever wanted to know about the various books. :smallsmile:

Dungeon Crawlin Fools
Base Number of Strips: 121 [1 - 121]
Xtra Length Strips: 1 1/2
Bonus Strips: 18
Commentary, Chapter Splash Pages, and Other Things: 19 1/2
Total Pages: 160

No Cure for the Paladin Blues
Base Number of Strips: 180 [122 - 301]
Xtra Length Strips: 17
Bonus Strips: 14
Commentary, Chapter Splash Pages, and Other Things: 33
Total Pages: 244

War and XPs
Base Number of Strips: 178+ [302 - 479+]
Xtra Length Strips: 52 + 6 Pages of 1/2 xtra length + Potential Xtra Length on Comic #443
Bonus Strips: Unknown
Commentary, Chapter Splash Pages, and Other Things: Unknown
Total Pages: 237 and counting

[NOTE: Xtra Length Strips denotes the number of pages that the "xtra" portion of a half-again, double, triple, or quadruple length in size strip take in the book. For example, Comic #200, is a quadruple length strip, so it would add three to the total on the Xtra Length Strips entry. And Comic #50 is a half-again length strip, so it would add one-half to the total on the Xtra Length Strip entry. ]

So you can see that before a single Bonus Strip or Commentary has been written, WaXP is already about the same size as NcftPB. I figure there will be roughly 35 - 50 pages of Bonus Material for the next book (which includes the Title Page, various Introductions and other such non-comic material). Which means, depending on how many more strips are thrown into this collection, the total page count could be anywhere from 275 - 300 pages. And if it goes up to Comic #500, the count could go even higher.
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And, yes, I have No Life. Thanks for asking. :smalltongue:

[Shadic]

Considering the fact that Rich planned on making more than 3 comics this week, and I think he's only on his first, and said he's gonna take a break after ending the arc... No.

[mockingbyrd7]

Just a point, but with all of the double/triple length strips we've had over the last year, we are going to be well past the size of Paladin Blues.

No Cure for the Paladin Blues: 17 pages of double/triple length strips
War and XPs: 52 pages of double/triple length strips. Plus you have 6 pages of 1 1/2 length strips, and comic #443 which may or may not be more than one page long.

In fact, by my calculations, WaXP is already about the size of NCftPB before a single piece of commentary/bonus strips/character sketches/what-have-you is figured in.



More than you ever wanted to know about the various books. :smallsmile:

Dungeon Crawlin Fools
Base Number of Strips: 121 [1 - 121]
Xtra Length Strips: 1 1/2
Bonus Strips: 18
Commentary, Chapter Splash Pages, and Other Things: 19 1/2
Total Pages: 160

No Cure for the Paladin Blues
Base Number of Strips: 180 [122 - 301]
Xtra Length Strips: 17
Bonus Strips: 14
Commentary, Chapter Splash Pages, and Other Things: 33
Total Pages: 244

War and XPs
Base Number of Strips: 178+ [302 - 479+]
Xtra Length Strips: 52 + 6 Pages of 1/2 xtra length + Potential Xtra Length on Comic #443
Bonus Strips: Unknown
Commentary, Chapter Splash Pages, and Other Things: Unknown
Total Pages: 237 and counting

So you can see that before a single Bonus Strip or Commentary has been written, WaXP is already about the same size as NcftPB. I figure there will be roughly 35 - 50 pages of Bonus Material for the next book (which includes the Title Page, various Introductions and other such non-comic material). Which means, depending on how many more strips are thrown into this collection, the total page count could be anywhere from 275 - 300 pages. And if it goes up to Comic #500, the count could go even higher.
.
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And, yes, I have No Life. Thanks for asking. :smalltongue:

...How do you kill that which has no life?

[Porthos]

...How do you kill that which has no life?

Beats Me. But if I ever find something that kills No Life, I'll let you know. :smalltongue:

[BardicLasher]

I'm guessing the arc will end at 500. Rich has done awesomeness for 200, 300, and 400, so 500 will probably be similarly awesome.

[mockingbyrd7]

I seriously doubt that it will all end a strip from now. It's too soon.

PLUS, Rich has said he would try to get 3 or 4 strips out this week, but he would take a long break after the end of the story arc, so those two facts don't add up considering we've only gotten 1 strip so far this week. So, no, it won't end at 480. I think 500 is the end.

[Ithekro]

Rich has mentioned that he tends to run long, so no guess as to when the present arc/book will end at this point. Soon (knows).

[David Argall]

Haley has to get through the city, Hinjo want to fight Redcloak, the fiendish giant octopus needs to be defeated, and the ship has to get underway. Each of these could take one to three strips to resolve, so I don't see this arc ending before 490.

Since Lein is an NPC, the fiendish giant octopus can be disposed of by just one frame of her reporting back that it has been defeated. [That has been done even for PC fights, so it is pretty automatic for NPC unless we can shove in some good gags.] The others probably need closer to 1 strip than 3 to handle. However, we still need to get the lich out of town and on the way to the next gate and the way I would do that might well take 3 strips.

And we have had several diversions already, so more can be expected, adding more pages. So 490 is looking likely.

On the other end, the printed volume is looking pretty full. There is no absolute reason it can't expand a lot, but lots of pretty convincing ones say it won't get much longer. [For example there are a lot of people who will buy 2 $20 books, but not a combined $40 one.] So the end can't be much beyond 490 either.

[Yoritomo Himeko]

Personally, I'm thinking anywhere from 485-490. I really can't see how much further Rich can take this. They can't possibly take the city back, now, and the boat has to go somewhere.

Maybe the next arc will start out with them on the high seas. That would be interesting.

Anyway, I can't wait to see how this will all turn out.

[de-trick]

Im not sure when it the story arc will finish soon though probably before end of September or sooner

but the last arc should be the on slot of the DM
PC's find out that there is an all powerful evil monster in another plane and must destroy it or the story shall never end because more story arcs shall come

[Antamar]

I'm guessing between 485-500 for the end of this story arc. It will definitely take at least 2 strips to defeat/rout Redcloak, plus Haley and Belkar have to make it through the city while carrying Roy, and there needs to be at least one more reference to V instructing Elan with his illusions.

[Dragon_Keeper]

Where did people get the name "War and XP"?

[Kjata]

Where did people get the name "War and XP"?

What the hell are you talking about?

[Dragon_Keeper]

The Oracle, OOTS vs Linear Guild in Cliffport, Haley gets over herself, Haley gets together with Elan (probably first half of War and XP): 301-402
The War (probably second half of War and XP): 403-~500.


War and XPs: 52 pages of double/triple length strips. Plus you have 6 pages of 1 1/2 length strips, and comic #443 which may or may not be more than one page long.

That's what I'm talking about.

[maitreyi]

I don't think that the next book will have the whole battle of Azure city in it.

The book would be too long with all the double and triple strips, plus the extras the Giant would have to include to tempt people to buy something that is already free on the internet.

I see the next book including strips from 301 to 400. 400 would be a great place to stop even though it would be only 99 strips. With extras and commentary from the Giant and his characters to pad it out, it would be a respectable size at a decent price.

It would also contain the fight with the linear guild, Elan's transformation into a dashing swordsman, and Haley's vocal and romantic resolutions.

The next volume with the battle of Azure City would be from 401 to, I suppose 500 or so, and would contain a much larger proportion of double and triple strips that the Giant wouldn't have to put that much extra material in it.

I'm sure Burlew wouldn't stuff everything into one big book.

[Ithekro]

From Wikipedia:

Publications:
The Order of the Stick: Dungeon Crawlin' Fools (2005) ISBN 0-9766580-0-3
The Order of the Stick: On the Origin of PCs (2005) ISBN 0-9766580-1-1
The Order of the Stick: No Cure for the Paladin Blues (November 2006) ISBN 0-9766580-3-8
The Order of the Stick: Start of Darkness (June 2007) ISBN 978-0-9766580-4-7
The Order of the Stick: War And XPs (expected Fall 2007)

[basilisk 89]

I think it will end in a splash page of Hinjo's junk being surrounded by a bunch of pirate ships, with Elan making some witty comment about how he wished Kubota's ninjas were there right now.

And then in the first strip of the next story arc Scoundrel comes in and saves the day, only to be murdered gruesomely by the pirate leader, whom Elan will then promptly kick off of the boat, where he will drown in the sea. Then Elan ill make a resolution to take up Julio's legacy as captain, and it will parody the ending of At World's End with him and Haley, except the moment will get ruined when one of the crew runs up and yells something about the ship being out of gas or on fire or some such, then flopping off the edge.

Then it'll skip to the Linear Guild. :smallannoyed:

[basilisk 89]

From Wikipedia:

Publications:
The Order of the Stick: Dungeon Crawlin' Fools (2005) ISBN 0-9766580-0-3
The Order of the Stick: On the Origin of PCs (2005) ISBN 0-9766580-1-1
The Order of the Stick: No Cure for the Paladin Blues (November 2006) ISBN 0-9766580-3-8
The Order of the Stick: Start of Darkness (June 2007) ISBN 978-0-9766580-4-7
The Order of the Stick: War And XPs (expected Fall 2007)

Where did the name War and XPs come from? I don't get it...War and Experience Points? Makes no sense...

[Ithekro]

Say is as "X" "Ps" almost Peace...or ex-Peace...."War and Peace".

[basilisk 89]

Say is as "X" "Ps" almost Peace...or ex-Peace...."War and Peace".

Ooooooooooooh, I get it now. Young Murlough understands. Clever Giant, hmmmmmmmmmmmmm? Almost as clever as Young Murlough, hmmmmmmmm?

[Porthos]

I don't think that the next book will have the whole battle of Azure city in it.

The book would be too long with all the double and triple strips, plus the extras the Giant would have to include to tempt people to buy something that is already free on the internet.

Rich has already said that the next collection book (Which last we heard was indeed called War and XPs (http://www.gamingreport.com/article.php?sid=23501&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0)) will cover the entire battle of Azure City and will be wrapping up "soon". We just don't know the precise number yet. However, since Rich has made a comment about the end of Story Arcs in the comic before (see the comments various characters made in #120 and #300) I figure we'll all know when he has decided to wrap up the next book. :smallsmile:

[Purple_cloack]

Would have to be an uber-long strip to wrap up the loose ends. Quadruple at least.


I thisnk same. Its became soon, when Haley and Belkar found the boat and jump+ there with halfling rage jump :smallbiggrin:

[mockingbyrd7]

I thisnk same. Its became soon, when Haley and Belkar found the boat and jump+ there with halfling rage jump :smallbiggrin:

Hmm... methinks I should introduce you to my friend Tharr...

[David Argall]

The book would be too long with all the double and triple strips, plus the extras the Giant would have to include to tempt people to buy something that is already free on the internet.

I see the next book including strips from 301 to 400. 400 would be a great place to stop even though it would be only 99 strips.
This was a possible strategy in January for a book coming out in the Spring. It does poorly for one not coming out until Fall, quite possibly late Fall.


I'm sure Burlew wouldn't stuff everything into one big book.
Notice the name is to be War and XPs? Now go find a volume of War and Peace. Give it a heft. The comic volume is not long because of the book, but the title may well refer to the size of both books.

[RAGE KING!]

I would love to see a X10 length strip that finishes the story arc for the next strip.