Expecto Webcomic-um! (Wands & Wizardry, a Screencap Webcomic)

[miner3203]

So I've been writing Wands & Wizardry, a screencap webcomic in the vein of Darths & Droids and DM of the Rings, and I just now posted the 100th strip and though it would be a good point to share my work with the Playground. Check it out here.

I'd appreciate any feedback you have, positive, negative, or otherwise. Or if you want to just drop in and mention that you're reading, I'd love that too. I hope you enjoy!

Thanks,
miner3023

[Fri]

It's actually pretty good (or at least in my taste) for a screencap webcomic. The only thing that throw me up at the beginning is you gave the mc's Jim as name, which is character in Darths and Droids as well

[The Glyphstone]

Yeah, that threw me off at first, but I'm enjoying it too.

1) What update schedule do you use?

2) What is Harry's class, I seemed to have missed that? The other two are Spellgifter and Strategomancer.

[Hurkyl]

I must say, I do enjoy the sense of humor. (Make a dodge check. Now make one in real life)

Also, I'm reminded of just how good 11 year old Emma Watson's facial expressions are.

[SlyGuyMcFly]

Awesome stuff! The jokes are funny, characterisation simple but solid and I like how the story is shaping out. There's obviously a lot of care put into getting the screencaps just right, so props for that too.

Website could use a make-over, though

1) What update schedule do you use?

I'll second the question.

[miner3203]

It's actually pretty good (or at least in my taste) for a screencap webcomic. The only thing that throw me up at the beginning is you gave the mc's Jim as name, which is character in Darths and Droids as well

Yeah, that threw me off at first, but I'm enjoying it too.

2) What is Harry's class, I seemed to have missed that? The other two are Spellgifter and Strategomancer.

The names are references to the characters' middle names (Jim is short for James, Jane is an anagram of Jean, Bill is the first syllable of Bilius).

Harry's class is Warmage.

I must say, I do enjoy the sense of humor. (Make a dodge check. Now make one in real life)

Also, I'm reminded of just how good 11 year old Emma Watson's facial expressions are.

Thanks! And yeah, I didn't realize how great some of the expressions are before I started taking still frames from the movie...

Awesome stuff! The jokes are funny, characterisation simple but solid and I like how the story is shaping out. There's obviously a lot of care put into getting the screencaps just right, so props for that too.

Website could use a make-over, though

1) What update schedule do you use?

I'll second the question.

I try to upload a comic or two every couple days, but normally I just have a huge block of time on one day and end up uploading a whole bunch at once (usually on a weekend). Sorry I can't be more consistent, but...such is life.

Google sites is a little cumbersome, yeah, but I started with it a few years back and never really had the motivation (or money) to move it over to something more professional-looking.

[SlyGuyMcFly]

2) What is Harry's class, I seemed to have missed that? The other two are Spellgifter and Strategomancer.

Warmage, it seems.

[Kantaki]

Huh, interesting take on the fight with Quirrel and Voldi’s the face on the back on his head.

And Harry throwing Ron before the Queen is great. Saying out loud that sacrificing himself is the easiest way to win wasn't the best idea there.

[DeadpanSal]

I read some of this a long time ago. It's good to see that the comic is finishing the first movie.

What do you use to make the pages?

[Kantaki]

Using a mind-control spell to win the housecup is priceless.
The only problem I see is that it can't be cast again until the next housecup- at least according to my interpretation of once a year that might be a bit ridiculous now that I think about it. While such a limitation sounds interesting actually keeping track of time like that would be unpractical. Not to mention that it would make the spell somewhat useless for this campaign.
On the other hand it could be funny if it comes up.

[Murk]

I started reading this, and so far, I like it! It's clean and easy to follow.



I do have some dire news for you, though (I'm not sure if you know). Mid-reading, I accidentally closed the tab. Instead of coming back here for your link, I tried google. "Wands & Wizardry webcomic" got me to a tv-trope page - a webcomic about wands, wizards, harry potter screencaps in a D&D game, sure, but not yours! Seems you've got competition.
(I like yours better.)

[DeadpanSal]

Wait, that one was the one I read. I remember not liking it and came to this feeling better about it. Yours is better and makes more sense than some of the stuff in there. I think your take on it has more potential, but don't feel bad. That one started in 2011 and went the way of just about every last one of these. Just continuing to publish a Campaign Comic at this time is a huge deal. If you keep at it, your comic will definitely stand out over the other one because I think you have more setups and a better throughline.

You could probably change your format a bit though. The font isn't great and your text bubbles are never centered, which takes up more real estate and requires bigger bubbles that could really be pared down. And I'd make the tails less wide and bring them away from the mouths.

[miner3203]

I read some of this a long time ago. It's good to see that the comic is finishing the first movie.

What do you use to make the pages?

I'm using MS PowerPoint, which is mostly due to my unfamiliarity with Paint and the fact that I can't figure out how to edit elements after I've unselected them in that program. And the fact that I don't own Photoshop.

Using a mind-control spell to win the housecup is priceless.
The only problem I see is that it can't be cast again until the next housecup- at least according to my interpretation of once a year that might be a bit ridiculous now that I think about it. While such a limitation sounds interesting actually keeping track of time like that would be unpractical. Not to mention that it would make the spell somewhat useless for this campaign.
On the other hand it could be funny if it comes up.

Oh, don't worry...it will... *cackles evilly*

I started reading this, and so far, I like it! It's clean and easy to follow.

I do have some dire news for you, though (I'm not sure if you know). Mid-reading, I accidentally closed the tab. Instead of coming back here for your link, I tried google. "Wands & Wizardry webcomic" got me to a tv-trope page - a webcomic about wands, wizards, harry potter screencaps in a D&D game, sure, but not yours! Seems you've got competition.
(I like yours better.)

Hm--I did not know that. Oh well; I'll just continue with my own (and not read theirs, so that my ideas stay original). Glad to hear that you like it!

Wait, that one was the one I read. I remember not liking it and came to this feeling better about it. Yours is better and makes more sense than some of the stuff in there. I think your take on it has more potential, but don't feel bad. That one started in 2011 and went the way of just about every last one of these. Just continuing to publish a Campaign Comic at this time is a huge deal. If you keep at it, your comic will definitely stand out over the other one because I think you have more setups and a better throughline.

You could probably change your format a bit though. The font isn't great and your text bubbles are never centered, which takes up more real estate and requires bigger bubbles that could really be pared down. And I'd make the tails less wide and bring them away from the mouths.

Thanks for the kind words! The speech bubbles are a problem, yeah, but it's a side effect of using PowerPoint--their bubbles aren't very versatile, and require that format. I was planning on messing with the font since about #60, but my inner symmetry-obsession (I don't think it's really OCD, but it feels like it sometimes) kept telling me to wait until after Part 1, so it would all look the same...although once I start Part 2 (hopefully within a few days!) I'll have gotten around to it.


Again, thanks for all the interest and positive commentary! I really appreciate it!

[miner3203]

Some updates: first of all, the first comic of Part 2 is up! It's all I got to this weekend, but it'll have to do for now.

1. I decided not to mess with the font--I like the current one, and can't find any others that particularly catch my eye. And resizing it wouldn't help much anyway.

2. I figured out how to reduce the speech bubble size! (Also, I feel kind of dumb for not figuring this out earlier.) But anyway, the point is: Part 2 will commence with smaller speech bubbles. And I will be very much relieved, since now I have less to worry about in terms of covering up important parts of the screencaps.

That's it for now! Happy reading!

[Ibrinar]

Maybe it is explained after the point I am at but if both Snaps and Dumbledore are fully aware he is the one after the stone why are they letting him stay at the school mostly undisturbed?

[DeadpanSal]

I still haven't read far enough through the first year, but the new layout for the second year looks far better. Congrats, it's pretty spiffy. And you hit a major milestone for your comic (while the previous version Murk posted only went to the Sorting Hat scene and only did one page in 5 years)! So keep it up.

[miner3203]

Maybe it is explained after the point I am at but if both Snaps and Dumbledore are fully aware he is the one after the stone why are they letting him stay at the school mostly undisturbed?

Well, I'm sure Snape is trying the hardest he can to get Quirrell removed, but he's just a professor--he doesn't have the power to do that directly. And as for Dumbledore...perhaps he has ulterior motives. *evil cackle*.

[Kantaki]

Of course this version's Harry ends up in Knockturn Alley on purpose.
He is going to end up as the big bad, isn't he?

[miner3203]

Of course this version's Harry ends up in Knockturn Alley on purpose.
He is going to end up as the big bad, isn't he?

I will neither confirm nor deny this statement. You'll just have to wait and see...

[Kantaki]

I will neither confirm nor deny this statement. You'll just have to wait and see...

I’ll take that as a yes.


New comic.

Huh. The map is the idea of Harry’s player?
That's... surprising. Okay, it would be awesome for sneaking quests, but I would have expected him to only have stuff on that list that gives him direct power.
After all he picked up swordfighting instead of improving his fortitude.

On the other hand I wouldn't be surprised if the idea is to use it to blast people from a safe position. I mean it could be argued that he can „see” his target when he uses the map.

[miner3203]

New comic.

Huh. The map is the idea of Harry’s player?
That's... surprising. Okay, it would be awesome for sneaking quests, but I would have expected him to only have stuff on that list that gives him direct power.
After all he picked up swordfighting instead of improving his fortitude.

On the other hand I wouldn't be surprised if the idea is to use it to blast people from a safe position. I mean it could be argued that he can „see” his target when he uses the map.

Despite being a diehard min-maxer, Harry's player is (at least in my head) also attracted to the things that just sound cool to have (he took an extra flaw to gain an owl familiar that he never uses, after all). He probably has direct-power upgrades on his list, but the GM doesn't choose to question them because he knows exactly why Harry wants them.


In other news, uploading four more comics tonight--they should be up in half an hour or so. I'm trying out some new out-of-game plot ideas; would you guys mind letting me know what you think? (Don't worry, it's not random or on a whim--I know exactly where I'm planning to take this particular plotline.) Any opinions are welcome!

[SlyGuyMcFly]

In other news, uploading four more comics tonight--they should be up in half an hour or so. I'm trying out some new out-of-game plot ideas; would you guys mind letting me know what you think? (Don't worry, it's not random or on a whim--I know exactly where I'm planning to take this particular plotline.) Any opinions are welcome!

Clearing the path for the canonical Hermione/Ron pairing or are we going someplace else on the shipping charts? Either way I'm fine with parallel OOC plotlines. It's a staple of screencap comics and I think pretty necessary to flesh out the players as characters beyond the role-playing (or lack thereof).

[Kantaki]

In other news, uploading four more comics tonight--they should be up in half an hour or so. I'm trying out some new out-of-game plot ideas; would you guys mind letting me know what you think? (Don't worry, it's not random or on a whim--I know exactly where I'm planning to take this particular plotline.) Any opinions are welcome!

Giving the players some out of game plot is fine.
Especially since this one seems like it will be fun.
Yay, Drama.

[miner3203]

Clearing the path for the canonical Hermione/Ron pairing or are we going someplace else on the shipping charts?

Well...at the risk of dropping potentially false hints, I'm not really a fan of Hermione/Ron myself (I identify with Hermione the most out of the Golden Trio, and I just couldn't see myself marrying someone like Ron--no offense intended to the Ron-like people out there; that type just isn't for me.) I will also say, however, that oftentimes writers will put aside personal opinions in favor of a well-developed plotline and character arcs. I'm not trying to hint at anything here, just expressing my opinion on a canon pairing.

Especially since this one seems like it will be fun.
Yay, Drama.

I...cannot tell whether or not this is meant to be sarcastic...

[Kantaki]

I...cannot tell whether or not this is meant to be sarcastic...

No, no sarcasm. Evil

[keybounce]

None of the comics are showing up for me; just a "dead image" placeholder.

[DeadpanSal]

All the pages I tried seem to work. Hopefully it was just a temporary thing.

Just finished the first arc. Really solid progression. I think this is only going to get better. Jim's occasional dips into roleplaying are well used and make me think you have some good stuff planned out for the future. Keep it up!

[miner3203]

None of the comics are showing up for me; just a "dead image" placeholder.

All the pages I tried seem to work. Hopefully it was just a temporary thing.

Yeah, I'm not sure what's going on--is it fixed now, or should I look into it some more?

Just finished the first arc. Really solid progression. I think this is only going to get better. Jim's occasional dips into roleplaying are well used and make me think you have some good stuff planned out for the future. Keep it up!

Thanks! Much appreciated! :)

[keybounce]

Just checked again tonight. No images.

Hmm ... let me check something ...

Nope. Privacy Badger is deactivated, and NoScript reports no scripts. uBlock reports 0 blocked.

[miner3203]

Okay, I've messed with the image hosting a bit--if that doesn't fix it, I don't know what it might be.

Out of curiosity, what browser are you using? It sounds like Chrome (since you're running extensions), but Chrome (to the best of my knowledge) does work.