Which one do you think is better? [Archive] - Giant in the Playground Forums

averagejoe

2008-05-30, 12:34 PM

Seconded. Richard is basically just Black Mage (of 8 Bit Theater fame), and that shtik has already gotten old in 8 Bit Theater. It probably does have better action than OoTS because the art actually is pretty good, but I have a lot of trouble caring about what's going on because the plot is so insipid. The Cerebus Syndrome (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CerebusSyndrome) set in after about six episodes, and to the detriment of the comic. I lost patience for it after they started going on generic quests.

TigerHunter

2008-05-30, 03:52 PM

I prefer Richard to Black Mage, I think. Just because it's overused doesn't mean it can't be funny.

But to answer the original question, OotS by a mile.

Kurald Galain

2008-05-30, 04:11 PM

LFG has good art, but the plot and writing fails to be interesting.

Richard is sometimes funny, but his antics usually fall flat. The other characters try to have depth, but fail.

I think LFG would be much better if it had a good writer behind it. That's what it lacks.

I completely agree with that. Also, I have often felt that Richard is a ripoff of Black Mage, and BM (not to mention 8-bit as a whole) is simply funnier.

The majority of webcomics either have a good story but poor art, or have good art with a poor story. I strongly prefer the former.

Johnny Blade

2008-05-30, 04:26 PM

Order of the Stick is much better.

Besides, while LFG's most important flaws have been addressed already, I just want to note that I find many of the minor characters laughably bad.
I mean, lately this comic was blessed with that heh. irritating heh. Bloodrage heh. chief (http://www.lfgcomic.com/page/142) heh. and that ridiculously clichéd dark elf pirate (http://www.lfgcomic.com/page/117), complete with ridiculously clichéd eye scar.

SnowballMan

2008-05-30, 05:31 PM

Although the majority of people here could be reasonably expected to know what "OOTS" means, it probably would have been better for discussion purposes to mention what the heck is "LFG".

And while I could be thankful to Jonny Blade for providing those links, he's still my Archnemis, and that would be out of character.

Looking at the first couple of comics I am reminded that I have seen this comic before. It didn't really hold my interest the first time. Although the black humor is occasionally funny, the actual characters themselves I find irritating. There's really nothing compelling me to keep reading.

Scintillatus

2008-05-30, 05:52 PM

Honestly I think reading Least I Could Do ruined Looking for Group for me, I just imagine condoms on everything. :smallfrown:

Gez

2008-05-30, 06:08 PM

Oh, he's doing the oh-so original not kicking puppies is a crime in hell (http://www.lfgcomic.com/page/151).

That mirror reversal was funny for two seconds the first time it was done, 3784 years ago -- and has never been funny ever since.

Jops

2008-05-30, 06:12 PM

Sorry Gamerkid, but i disagree.
Looking For Group, despite being well drawn, is one comic that definitely doesn't entertain me.

I can give you a point that action scenes are more effective with LFG's artwork (tho those battle scenes i read didn't really keep me on my toes). But even then, storywise, OosT has a definitely better rhythm.

On the humor part, OotS beats LFG big time. Jokes are more original and much more well-written.

Myatar_Panwar

2008-05-30, 07:27 PM

The only thing LFG has going for it is Richard comedy wise. And when they use this comedy in every single strip, it just gets so old after awhile.

Kyeudo

2008-05-30, 07:47 PM

LFG has a plot, but the plot doesn't get the attention it needs to actualy be coherent. OotS, on the other hand, has so much plot going on that you almost can't spit without hitting a plot critical character. The art on LFG does top OotS, but only because they aspire to being more than a stick figure comic, while Rich keeps the stick figures as a visual gag.

I read LFG to see what Richard does next and what new mental torture they inflict on Kael, nothing more.

TheCleric

2008-05-30, 08:15 PM

i think an easy way to determine which is better for someone is to ask them
"Do you play DnD or WoW?"
if they play one but not the other then it'd be easy to decide.
if both, iunno.

averagejoe

2008-05-30, 08:41 PM

i think an easy way to determine which is better for someone is to ask them
"Do you play DnD or WoW?"
if they play one but not the other then it'd be easy to decide.
if both, iunno.

LFG never seemed to have much to do with WoW besides setting/art inspiration. OoTS is a better comic, it has little to do with my gaming tastes.

Trazoi

2008-05-30, 09:03 PM

I tried reading Looking for Group from the beginning, but I never really got into it. The story, jokes and art just never caught my interest. Plus as has already been stated, it seems to hinge a lot around "Richard is so evil, isn't that awesome". Richard does seem like another version of 8-bit's Black Mage, except Black Mage also has the universe against him to balance things out.

The art in LfG is nice though, although there's something about it's composition that bugs me for some reason I'm not sure I can exactly put my finger on. It might just be that the composition is generally very dense, which makes it a bit harder to understand what's going on.

Gez

2008-05-31, 05:02 AM

Richard does seem like another version of 8-bit's Black Mage, except Black Mage also has the universe against him to balance things out.

Big difference between Black Mage and Richard: BM is considered by everyone to be a dumbass, and he's less and less competent as time passes (when was the last time he got rid of an actual threat? Answer: when he hadokened the giant, back in episode 7... (As of today, we're at episode 999.) Richard, though, is treated as the coolest character ever by the author.

2008-05-31, 06:30 AM

I did follow Looking for Group for a few weeks when it first started but it never gripped me in any way. In one word - mediocre

Jahkaivah

2008-05-31, 07:15 AM

You know whats weird? I guessed this thread just by the title.

Heres a strip slay I did on LFG a while back, sums up a lot of my feelings for the comic:

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c226/saxcsa/LookingforSlay-1.jpg

In addition to this... the plot has a tendency to change every time the writers realize how much it sucks, and seems to frequently work by the laws of "because magic says so".... even if magic told you to kill a child.

The combat... well... there are works of fiction where combat is redeemable of everything else wrong about it... LFG is not one of them.

Incidentally I need to vent about the most recent strip: How the hell does Cale not realize hes building siege weapons?

Helanna

2008-05-31, 07:28 AM

Kurald Galain

2008-05-31, 08:16 AM

I also stated in the other thread that LFG does NOT plagiarize 8-bit Theatre, but I'll say it again. BM and Richard both like killing things. So do 90% of ALL THE OTHER WEBCOMIC VILLAINS. Including Xykon.
But not including Redcloak. Or Tohya Miho. Or the antagonists from Sinfest. Or most of the evil creatures in YAFGC. Nope, your assessment doesn't hold up to the evidence.

Aside from that, pretty much everything about them is different. On the other thread, it's said that it's plagiarism because BM was once trapped in a featureless existance-type plane, and now Richard is. Even though EVERYTHING else was TOTALLY different.
No, everything else was pretty much the same. In combat, they get shunted to a blank plane, where time is non-linear to the effect that you can interact with your past and future self. Pretty identical plotline, there. But then, overall there isn't much of anything in LFG that's even remotely original. OOTS is way more original; even 8-Bit is more original even though it is intended to copy the plotline from FF1.

Gez

2008-05-31, 08:21 AM

Wow . . . I'm really shocked at how many people hate LFG.

Finding something mediocre is not hating it.

Jahkaivah

2008-05-31, 08:46 AM

I also stated in the other thread that LFG does NOT plagiarize 8-bit Theatre, but I'll say it again. BM and Richard both like killing things. So do 90% of ALL THE OTHER WEBCOMIC VILLAINS.

Richard and BM aren't villains, to be villains they need to be helping the villains,they aren't helping the villains because they are helping the heroes, therefore they are heroes, but they're desire to help the heroes is fueled by their desire to do evil, thus they are anti-heroes. That is a much smaller area of characters.

In terms of correct motivations, I would say Belkar Bitterleaf is best, as Rich actually goes out of his way to explain why a halfling who wants nothing more that blood hasn't joined the bad guys yet. This is common in webcomics.

That said the reasons why people love Richard isn't because he is a anti-hero, its because they made evil funny. Something which is also common in webcomics, and this is where my only real problem with Richard lies: he isn't original in the sense that really matters, which is his comedic style, this is found in Xykon, Belkar Bitterleaf, Bangladesh Dupree, Black Mage, Castle Heterodyne, and those characters don't have to deal with being milked in every strip because their respective comics don't desperatly need them.

By the way I just noticed, LFG doesn't even have a iconic villain (Richard isn't a villain as previously mentioned), thats pretty bad.

ArtifexFelicis

2008-05-31, 08:55 AM

I prefer OotS for a myraid of reasons, actually chief among them is the look of the comic.

Will LFG is better drawn (most worthwhile comics are) than OotS, it's also kinda sucky. I always go the impression everything was crammed into the comic layout so everything could fit. I think the comic would have benifited if they decided to use the Infinite Canvas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infinite_canvas) a bit more.

And maybe give Richard a little less "OMG I'M EVIL AND WACKY AND SNARKY!"

2008-05-31, 08:59 AM

In terms of correct motivations, I would say Belkar Bitterleaf is best, as Rich actually goes out of his way to explain why a halfling who wants nothing more that blood hasn't joined the bad guys yet.Because it'd be too much work or he wouldn't get to throw a cat in someone's face. Ever since Belkar started ramping up the violence he's fallen further and further into the same trap of mindless violence occupied by Richard

Which is probably the truth behind the Richard/BM relationship. Richard is not so much a plagiarised character as he is an example of a stock, and very poorly disguised, webcomic archetype. That this is an archetype largely defined by BM isn't particularly important, in the same way as not every talking webcomic computer is necessarily a rip-off of PA's DivX

Jahkaivah

2008-05-31, 09:38 AM

Because it'd be too much work or he wouldn't get to throw a cat in someone's face.

And... you know, hes wearing a mark of justice.

But thats not the point at hand, LFG's problem Richard is getting milked, the plot is awful, and without any real imagination the combat doesn't redeem it.

Incidentally I think I actually prefer OOTS' combat, because its parody of combat does show imagination. ( like the "epic" cleric fight, and being shot right out of the comic boundaries.)

Johnny Blade

2008-05-31, 09:44 AM

And maybe give Richard a little less "OMG I'M EVIL AND WACKY AND SNARKY!"
Ah, but then nothing would be left of him.

InkEyes

2008-05-31, 09:49 AM

Wow . . . I'm really shocked at how many people hate LFG. I'm surprised, I LOVE lfg. Maybe LFG and OotS are "incompatible" - as I said on the other thread, they're written with different goals in mind, so maybe most people like either one goal or the other? Hmmm . . .

I enjoy LFG enough to keep it in my bookmarks, but I agree with just about everyone else that the story is subpar. The characters don't have much depth either: Richard likes killing things and saying internet memes, the elf guy (Cael?) is there to be a moral compass of sorts and be horrified at everything anyone does that's remotely evil, and the green lady and minotaur are there to be Deadpan Snarkers (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DeadpanSnarker). It should also tell you something that I can't even remember 3/4 of the main cast's names.

I also stated in the other thread that LFG does NOT plagiarize 8-bit Theatre, but I'll say it again. BM and Richard both like killing things. So do 90% of ALL THE OTHER WEBCOMIC VILLAINS. Including Xykon. Aside from that, pretty much everything about them is different. On the other thread, it's said that it's plagiarism because BM was once trapped in a featureless existance-type plane, and now Richard is. Even though EVERYTHING else was TOTALLY different. I hate to say, that's NOT what plagiarism means.

You're the only person on this thread who used the word plagiarized. I see people say they are basically the same, and they are. They also aren't villains. For further reading, take a look at the Heroic Sociopath (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HeroicSociopath) page on TV Tropes.

Morty

2008-05-31, 09:56 AM

I just remembered something: it's funny how Cale is so very concerned about moralty, honor, etc. yet he doesn't have any problems with slaughtering dozens of redshirts who for all we know might have been forced into military service. Yes, he has no choice but to kill them if he wants to live. But for such morally concerned guy, I'd expect him to at least show some remorse.

averagejoe

2008-05-31, 01:39 PM

Big difference between Black Mage and Richard: BM is considered by everyone to be a dumbass, and he's less and less competent as time passes (when was the last time he got rid of an actual threat? Answer: when he hadokened the giant, back in episode 7... (As of today, we're at episode 999.) Richard, though, is treated as the coolest character ever by the author.

Yes, but BM works for that very reason. BM is a horrible person, but he always foils himself or is foiled by the universe, which both provides a source of comedy and explains nicely why he hasn't just killed everyone. Richard seems near omnipotent, and it makes him boring and a bit of a Mary Sue.

Jahkaivah

2008-05-31, 02:04 PM

Yes, but BM works for that very reason. BM is a horrible person, but he always foils himself or is foiled by the universe, which both provides a source of comedy and explains nicely why he hasn't just killed everyone. Richard seems near omnipotent, and it makes him boring and a bit of a Mary Sue.

In LFG's defense, Richard's Canon Sueness was toned down in certain respects, we see instances where his attacks are useless and he did go through that midget phase.

My guess is Ryan Sohmer (he apparently writes LFG, I pray he also does the humour or else he would be useless) actually listened to criticism that Richard should have to deal with his own imperfections at times, sadly it seems it would be the only instance where Ryan listens to criticism.

PresidentEnder

2008-05-31, 07:43 PM

I found both comics around the same time, and read all the strips of both. I've kept following one, and you know which it is.

Lord Seth

2008-05-31, 07:58 PM

I personally regard Looking For Group is an 8-Bit Theater that takes itself seriously. The problem is that 8-Bit Theater works BECAUSE it doesn't take itself seriously. So it ends up coming across as a lesser version of 8-Bit Theater.

As I consider Order of the Stick to be 8-Bit Theater, except even better, I vote that OOTS is better than LFG.

Jayngfet

2008-05-31, 08:21 PM

I think Richards heroic psychopathy is compared to BM because, as I said on the other thread...

You have a heartless killer who's been to death and back, his body is covered in a robe, you can see little of his face aside from his glowing sulfur yellow eyes, he calls a fireball into his hand and says something vaguely funny...

...Which character am I talking about here? At least Black Mage has his obsession with White Mage.

hanzo66

2008-06-01, 04:26 AM

In my mind there is a certain difference between Black Mage and Richard.

While Black Mage in his case is just a miserable little bugger with unlimited rage towards all, Richard just seems to have mostly a CloudCuckooLander nature to him and generally more jovial at heart (or what's left of it).

So I'm taking that LFG might just be the new Ctrl+Alt+Del?

2008-06-01, 05:33 AM

So I'm taking that LFG might just be the new Ctrl+Alt+Del?No. LFG is a very average webcomic but that alone places it in a different league to Ctrl-Alt-Del

Threeshades

2008-06-01, 05:46 AM

Revlid

2008-06-01, 08:02 AM

Writing: OotS> 8-Bit Theatre> LFG
Art: LFG> OotS> 8-Bit Theatre
Funny Factor: OotS> 8-Bit Theatre> LFG

But while 8-Bit Theatre is in most respects an average webcomic, it is scads better than most sprite comics. While its characters are two dimensional, they are deliberately so, and revel in it. And most importantly, each one fails as much as they win, if not more so.

Whereas LFG is, although having very nice art, plagued by an unexplained background, a story as impenetrable and convoluted as a ball of steel wool, characters both main and otherwise that are plagued by pretensions to three-dimensionality, and a mary-sue psychopath who was initially amusing, but has become steadily more irritating as he has become the focus of the comic.

Spiryt

2008-06-01, 08:43 AM

Art: LFG> OotS> 8-Bit Theatre

This is completely subjective, it seems.

I love the 8 bit theather art. Facial expresions, ( notably Black Mage's) are amazing, especialy considering that those are realy few sprites. Author does very creative and nice things with backgrounds, shading, poses and other things.

THe same can be said about OotS art. It's simple, but in great way, and have it own climate. Personaly I like first strips crudeness much more than more detailed newest strips.

LFG is pretty standard thing with big boobies, stupid big hammers, big Taurens, et cetera. Sure, maybe it's nice but it doesn't have style.

Kyeudo

2008-06-01, 01:26 PM

I've been reading LFG from the start. And im still doing so.

For some reason i belong to the people easily enough entertained, to enjoy richard's flatness. I know hes one-dimensional, boring andeverything but original but i can still smile about him.
As for the LFG plot. Seriously I dont have the slightest (it smells like sausages outside) idea what is going on. I think it was somewhere going towards their time travel where i completely lost track. I dont know anymore, who is doing what there. I have no idea who or what is Legara, who are the vulii and what they are doing or anything, I only know the main characters are going around and occasionally they meet someone to band up with and kill something, or they just kill something for the heck of it. Yet i stick around for richardness and the art, which is beside from really being squeezed into place quite nice to look at. Also Richard looks simply awesome.

All over OotS is much better especially plotwise.
I have to add though that oots isnt flawless either. After 500 strips the references to the D&D rules and the repetitive 4th wall breakings also get old.

If I remember the LFG plot correctly, they started out on a quest for the Sword of Truth to pay off some ticked off lord. They found out the sword was in the lost city of Legara and so had to talk to a ghost to find out where that was. Cale got sent back in time to when the last noble elf nation fell, where he picked up a pair of enchanted swords. The swords show a map to the lost city when covered in blood, so they went there, then everyone went back in time and, after watching the last bastion of good fall, they came back with the goal of bringing back what the city had once stood for. They completely forget about the Sword of Truth.

Because Cale had had to kill a kid back in the past, he went into a depression, became realy mercenary, and they went through that whole "save the village from the elementals" to shake him out of it. After that, they got captured, held prisoner, and then rescued by the tauren. They stop an invasion of the tauren's capital, which leads them to where they are now.

Not a bad plot, but the plot is never the focus of the comic (Richard's antics are instead), so it moves slowly and is easy to miss.

Threeshades

2008-06-02, 03:45 AM

Alright, thanks, and why are they fighting Legara now? And who are the Vulii?

hanzo66

2008-06-02, 04:53 AM

Evil elves or something. Apparently by the time of LFG's present the Elves are considered an Always Chaotic Evil race and Cale swears to be a do-gooder different than his kin (the author stated that at that time he didn't know about Drizz't).

Morty

2008-06-02, 12:09 PM

Alright, thanks, and why are they fighting Legara now? And who are the Vulii?

As hanzo66 already said, Vulii are evil elves. Elves being evil race hated by everyone is about the only remotely original idea in the comic, by the way.
As for fighting Legara: it's because the kingdom is ruled by descendants of the Vulii, who want to conquer the entire continent of Legarion. So far, the protagonists are mostly killing redshirt soldiers.
And by the way, the elven kingdom Cale saw the fall of wasn't Legara but Gamlon.

sihnfahl

2008-06-02, 01:08 PM

They completely forget about the Sword of Truth.
They haven't forgotten about it. They believed it was in Kethenecia, but it was lost when they returned to their time. They have no leads at the moment, so they don't even know where to start asking questions about the Sword. The best they could do is travel the land and listen for rumors and ask questions.

Gid, though, wants to just gather the gold and gems to pay Aeloon off; course, he won't take it, since he really just wants the Sword.

To travel, they need supplies. To get certain supplies, they need money. Easiest way to get money when you're solo? Mercenary work.

They're just on a little detour ATM due to Krunch's familial woes.

Tom_Violence

2008-06-02, 02:37 PM

Although the majority of people here could be reasonably expected to know what "OOTS" means, it probably would have been better for discussion purposes to mention what the heck is "LFG".

Ah yes, acronyms. The bane of those trying to communicate via text. Type out your words, people! For the scant little effort it takes to key in those few extra characters you can make chatting a whole let better for all of us!

Richard, though, is treated as the coolest character ever by the author.

Excellent point. Treating your own creation as the greatest thing that has ever graced the world of comedy is never something that is likely to engender my support. I'm sure I'm not the only one that reacts like this. Its a complete turn off, especially when said character falls so short of this title. Its been said many times here that Black Mage and Richard are similar, and they are. But one is well written, amusing, etc., whereas the other simply isn't. And that I think is LFG's biggest failing. Its not that its necessarily a bad comic, its just that its not well-written enough to warrent much attention. One can clearly see how it tries to be funny, and every now and then it succeeds, but most of the time it falls completely flat.

No. LFG is a very average webcomic but that alone places it in a different league to Ctrl-Alt-Del

Couldn't have put it better myself.

As for the LFG plot. Seriously I dont have the slightest (it smells like sausages outside) idea what is going on. I think it was somewhere going towards their time travel where i completely lost track. I dont know anymore, who is doing what there. I have no idea who or what is Legara, who are the vulii and what they are doing or anything, I only know the main characters are going around and occasionally they meet someone to band up with and kill something, or they just kill something for the heck of it.

I admit, I can't follow the plot either. Perhaps that's cos the artwork makes it often pretty difficult to work out whats going on, or because the writing is so dull that I only check it once in a blue moon by which stage I have forgotten everything that happened. Either way, for such a plot-heavy comic, it kinda screws up there.

Johnny Blade

2008-06-02, 03:28 PM

I admit, I can't follow the plot either. Perhaps that's cos the artwork makes it often pretty difficult to work out whats going on, or because the writing is so dull that I only check it once in a blue moon by which stage I have forgotten everything that happened. Either way, for such a plot-heavy comic, it kinda screws up there.
This, and the fact that hanzo66 and M0rt are apparently able to discern a coherent plotline, makes me wonder...

Maybe the author really tries to tell a story there. Maybe the comic isn't all about Richard.

I mean, do you remember the Archmage in Gamlon and his schemes? The decisions Cael had to make? The recent confrontation of, um, the white cow guy and his father?

Yeah, me neither.

But maybe, just maybe, it had a point.

Tom_Violence

2008-06-02, 03:35 PM

This, and the fact that hanzo66 and M0rt are apparently able to discern a coherent plotline, makes me wonder...

Maybe the author really tries to tell a story there. Maybe the comic isn't all about Richard.

I mean, do you remember the Archmage in Gamlon and his schemes? The decisions Cael had to make? The recent confrontation of, um, the white cow guy and his father?

Yeah, me neither.

But maybe, just maybe, it had a point.

Maybe it still does. But if its a plot that in order to follow requires a skill that only a few in every bajillion possess, then I dare say its either a silly plot, or a badly presented one. Probably both. Again, I think it just boils down to bad writing. The guy needs to take a course on how to present information. The names of people and places are rarely mentioned, and when they are the names are gibberish and nigh-on impossible to actually match up to anything. The world is presented in such a close-up fashion that its impossible to know where anything or anyone is. Etc. Etc. That and, even if the comic isn't all about Richard it clearly leans on him to give it a point whenever anything else fails it, and given that he is basically the definition of a foreground character, its really no wonder that the entire content just passes most people by.

Gez

2008-06-02, 04:13 PM

I'll propose another comparison:
Atland (http://www.realmofatland.com/) (start (http://www.realmofatland.com/?p=1)) vs. Looking for Group (http://www.lfgcomic.com/page/latest) (start (http://www.lfgcomic.com/page/1))

Best Minotaur: Bruce or Krunch*?
Best Fantasy Skank: Lily or Benn'Joon*?
Best Knight Guy: Barry or Cale?
Best Comic Relief: Inky or Richard?
Best Plot: Going to the Waste of Nilfang to stop the Nameless Horror (http://www.realmofatland.com/?p=8), or finding the Sword of Truth (http://www.lfgcomic.com/page/15)?

(* For those two characters I had to look around on the LFG site to even find their names. Found them on the "Extra" page if you want to know.)

BRC

2008-06-02, 04:37 PM

The thing about LFG is that it is primarily a comedy, and Richard is the comedian. Now, personally I think that Richard is funny. HOWEVER, if you removed Richard from the equation, what you have is an unfunny comic with a somewhat substandard plot and bad writing. Now, this in itself is not bad, the bad part comes next.

Richard is a one-joke character. I don't mean he stuck around for one joke, I mean that he only has one joke: He is Evil, and as comedic psychopaths go, he pulls it off fairly well. I know I'll get burned as a heretic for this, but I think he's on par with BM and maybe even Belkar.

BUT, here is the difference, Of the three examples I gave, 8-bit and OOTS are not totally reliant on one character for their quality. Thief, RM and Fighter are all funny by themselves. Meanwhild, Roy, Durkon, Haley, Elan, and V are all great characters. OOTS could work without Belkar, It wouldn't be as good, but it could work. 8-bit could work without BM, once again, it wouldn't be as good, but it would proably still be worth reading.

However, LFG would not work without Richard, it just wouldn't, and when he gets old and runs out of jokes, it won't work anymore. LFG is speeding towrds the shark, it's only a question of when it will jump it. and since this thread is comparing Comics, it goes on the bottom of the pile

Jahkaivah

2008-06-02, 05:14 PM

Maybe it still does. But if its a plot that in order to follow requires a skill that only a few in every bajillion possess, then I dare say its either a silly plot, or a badly presented one. Probably both. Again, I think it just boils down to bad writing. The guy needs to take a course on how to present information. The names of people and places are rarely mentioned, and when they are the names are gibberish and nigh-on impossible to actually match up to anything. The world is presented in such a close-up fashion that its impossible to know where anything or anyone is. Etc. Etc. That and, even if the comic isn't all about Richard it clearly leans on him to give it a point whenever anything else fails it, and given that he is basically the definition of a foreground character, its really no wonder that the entire content just passes most people by.

Spot on, this sums most of it up, its not that there isn't a plot, but the writer makes some absolutely tragic mistakes in illustrating the plot*.

There are problems with what I can make of the plot of course, lack of no (evil elves sound a bit Pratchett to me) originality, lack of main villain**, but there are other web comics that do this even worse.

*Just want to add that I have nothing against withholding details, im a huge Girl Genius fan and its ability to hint as opposed to explain is one of the main reasons I love it. But the way LFG does it you just end up lost half the time.

**Though i'm betting the writer is struggling to come up with someone more evil than Richard,
who knows maybe it will be Richard (latest plot-arc hints this) he can be just a funny a villain as a anti-hero (though he will be one step closer to a Xykon-clone)

hanzo66

2008-06-02, 05:29 PM

The comic seems to be heading towards a possible redemption for Richard, with suggestions that he may not be pure evil, as well as the recent one giving hint of his life as a mortal.
Apparently as a mortal he was known as Lord Ashendale.

Personally I have difficulty deciphering the whole time-travel plot as well. However I am easily amused so I follow put.

busterswd

2008-06-04, 03:25 PM

To the people dismissing LFG as a comedy centered around Richard:

The current latter half of the storyline switches from focusing on RPG jokes to the author trying his hand at a more dramatic story line. There's one particular point where it shifts. OotS went through a similar transition recently, but I think it accomplished it far better.

LFG's latest arc is not bad, but it doesn't stand out as noteworthy either. There were some really well built up moments in OotS where I could not wait to find out what happened next, and one strip in particular gave me watery eyes because it was quite touching. LFG has yet to accomplish anything like that on me. It's enough to make me check back in every week or so to see what's been happening, but that's it so far.

Edit: Now that I think about it, the biggest quibble I have is that I don't really care about any of the characters. They're not even one-sided enough to generate an opinion from me. OotS gives you enough to like or hate its characters. Even O'Chul; he was a throwaway character used to deliver a cat poop joke, but he's undergone enough where you start to like him after all he's gone through. He's not particularly complex at all, but still works on a basic level.

In LFG...

-the healer hasn't really developed a personality at all other than being slightly aloof
-same situation with the bard, except she's a little more easygoing
-the hunter, in spite of going a major transition, still manages to be pretty one sided (instead of an idealist, he's a WOUNDED idealist)
-the warrior is slightly wiser than his companions
-the warlock... well, I feel like with all the attention being given to him, he's peaked out early. Black mage worked early on because just when you thought he couldn't get any worse, he did. It went from abusing fighter and being a lecher to becoming the physical incarnation of evil. Nothing Richard has done has made him progress on either the path to redemption or further evil. He's just an affably violent jackass with lots of screentime.

To all of the above, throw in hints at troubled backgrounds, and you have the cast of LFG in a nutshell.