Random comic button

[rafet]

Not sure if this has ever been discussed before, but as I sit at work and read the occasional comic, it would be great to have a random button to revisit spots in the story I don't remember as well.

Anyone else interested in it?

[kivzirrum]

While I certainly wouldn't be opposed to such a thing, I find it unlikely in such a story and character driven comic. Something like a Random button seems like it would work better in a "gag a day" comic like SMBC.

[Kantaki]

There is an archive, an random comic button would be kind of redundant. And in my opinion it doesn't make much sense on a story-focused comic.

[Cazero]

On my opinion, next/previous chapter/book buttons would be more useful for a work with continuity.

[rafet]

So because this comic has continuality to it you would never hit the random button, if there was one? What are you all lawful types? A little button to go view a comic at random, laugh at the joke Rich had for the day and maybe refresh your memory on a bit of lore you forgot even existed in the near 1000 pages that exist now. Totally worth it, depending on the difficulty of programming it of course.

[snowblizz]

So because this comic has continuality to it you would never hit the random button, if there was one? What are you all lawful types? A little button to go view a comic at random, laugh at the joke Rich had for the day and maybe refresh your memory on a bit of lore you forgot even existed in the near 1000 pages that exist now. Totally worth it, depending on the difficulty of programming it of course.

Except it takes you to a comic with no joke at all. Or one with part of a convoluted plot exposition. Or a snap shot of an action scene.

I prefer to use the "Things You Never Noticed"-thread for this exact purpose. It even points out random things I might have missed giving me a reason to look back at certain comics.

[Adamo Veritas]

I think a random comic button would be fun. Maybe not on the main page, but somewhere where people who want it can use it.
However, as a programmer I understand how easy it is to introduce feature creep. Imagine adding a random button, then adding a tree structure of links for books and arcs within the whole story.... Until we start paying for this site, I am fine with how it is.

Thanks Giant, for delivering a fun site with a rich community!
And thanks to everyone who has contributed to the Playground!

[rafet]

All comics have some joke or another, and if you've read all the comics than where it drops you doesn't matter, your familiar with the plot, and if want to get your bearing move backwards a bit, or just hit the button again. I'm pretty sure would be in favor of it, Tarquin would of course, be against it. Who's side are you on?

[kivzirrum]

All comics have some joke or another, and if you've read all the comics than where it drops you doesn't matter, your familiar with the plot, and if want to get your bearing move backwards a bit, or just hit the button again. I'm pretty sure would be in favor of it, Tarquin would of course, be against it. Who's side are you on?

Actually there ARE a handful of strips with no joke at all. Very few of them, but they exist.

And I resent your accusation of Lawfulness!

[ooOoo]

roll 1d1000, ignore results greater than 984

what, you don't have a d1000?!?

[dancrilis]

When I want to do this I use this.

Just plug in total number of strips in the max area and press the generate button (you can also populate the min section to only generate from a certain point).

Alternative you can use the forums themselves but going [*roll*]1d984[*/roll*] (without the *'s).
Observe: [roll]1d984[/roll] - and away I go.

Edit: Well now I look daft - I have no idea what that didn't work, using random.org instead.

[ChristianSt]

Not sure if this has ever been discussed before, but as I sit at work and read the occasional comic, it would be great to have a random button to revisit spots in the story I don't remember as well.

Anyone else interested in it?

This topic isn't new, and was answered in the past, e.g. with

This isn't going to be something we implement. Since the story is linear, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to start reading from a random spot. We just can't justify the effort spent programming it.

[On top of that I kinda already have one I don't use: for some reason my RSS feed "repeats" older comics. Sometimes a bunch of 5ish strips in a row, sometimes 1-2 unrelated strips. Sometimes I read some of them, but most often I only mark them as read. It's kinda annoying, but not annoying enough to do anything about it...]


@dancrilis: I think the roll feature only works in certain subforums (and is probably not intended for "private use")

[Jaxzan Proditor]

On my opinion, next/previous chapter/book buttons would be more useful for a work with continuity.

Unlike a random button, this sounds like something that would be nice to implement.

[137beth]

On my opinion, next/previous chapter/book buttons would be more useful for a work with continuity.

Yea, this. I use a PRNG to generate a random strip number when I want to start from a random point. Jumping chapters would be a lot more helpful.

[The Giant]

A random button has been proposed before, but I don't think it's really that good of an idea considering how tightly connected the comic is from one strip to the next. A chapter jump is much more likely. However, either choice would require rewriting the creaky old custom comic update script we're using, which would be a big expenditure of time and money that I don't have right now. So it's not a top priority. If it ever happens, though, I expect the chapter jump to be on the list of desired features.

[Leviting]

you can always go to the archive, unlock your mouse wheel, give it a good spin, and click on whatever you land on.

[Gray Mage]

You can always go to random.org or the die roller from the forum and generate a number between 1 and the current strip, then copy the number over the current strip number at the adress bar.

[hagnat]

A random button has been proposed before, but I don't think it's really that good of an idea considering how tightly connected the comic is from one strip to the next. A chapter jump is much more likely. However, either choice would require rewriting the creaky old custom comic update script we're using, which would be a big expenditure of time and money that I don't have right now. So it's not a top priority. If it ever happens, though, I expect the chapter jump to be on the list of desired features.

- host the site code on github
- turn suggestions like these into issues
- allow some of your fans which happen to be programmers (hint hint) to make merge requests to it
- everybody happy :)

You have people which keep track of every sentence each character makes in your comic, every sentence YOU make, every smile you use in each comic's thread (start to think about it, some of your fans are kind of creepy... heh)

Imagine what your programmer fans could do in their spare time :)

[dancrilis]

Imagine what your programmer fans could do in their spare time :)

They could make the world a better place - or they could design a largely redundant random button ... personally as someone that does occasionally like to look at a random page (primary on Oots and 8-bit Theater) I would use a random button.

[Murk]

Imagine what your programmer fans could do in their spare time :)

The kind of zeal we as fans show would inevitably lead to digital bloodshed. This kind of passion can not hoped to be controlled.

[zinycor]

All comics have some joke or another, and if you've read all the comics than where it drops you doesn't matter, your familiar with the plot, and if want to get your bearing move backwards a bit, or just hit the button again. I'm pretty sure would be in favor of it, Tarquin would of course, be against it. Who's side are you on?

I was gonna say that a random button would be nice... But I love Tarquin so:

No random button I Say!!!!