Spritescape Fantasy - A Fantasy Webcomic!

Episode 57: Nakrog the Gentleman Orc
Posted on 13 Apr 2008 by Spritescaper

*blows dust off website*

Obviously, Spritescape is back. I apologize if I gave off the impression that this webcomic had somehow been orphaned for good... I assure you that you have nothing to worry about. I've just been caught up in a lot of things lately.

With the possible exception of the weeks before and during finals (which take place around the beginning of May), I should be able to put up a new page every weekend. Please don't take my words to be some sort of a binding contract... things happen unexpectedly and life has a tendency to screw with us at inopportune times.

I don't know about you guys, but it's good to be back.

13 Comments

Episode 55: Through the Hunter's Eyes
Posted on 21 Nov 2007 by Spritescaper

For those who celebrate it, happy Thanksgiving. I happen to be among the minority (or majority, depending on where you are) who do not, but I'm still "giving thanks" for having an entire week off to sleep. On to business!

Hopefully, this update can ease us back into the comic after a long and frustrating three-month reprieve. For amusement's sake, I've uploaded an earlier draft of this episode showcasing a goofy "Predator-o-vision" idea that never quite made it out of the cutting room floor. You have been warned.

I finally got around to updating the Fanworks page. I've set this as my current wallpaper, and I encourage you guys to do the same; just don't forget to shamelessly heap praises upon this webcomic if anyone asks about it. Special thanks to the reader who sent it in.

This is just a preliminary heads-up, but I'm going to be taking the webcomic ranking lists a bit more seriously next year. If you want to lend me a helping hand, all you have to do is vote using the two banners located below the comic; I'll be updating the incentives periodically. I think it's pretty unfair of me to ask you guys to do anything after such an extended absence, so feel free to do this at your own leisure.

That's it for now. I'll keep in touch.

13 Comments

Finals :(
Posted on 07 May 2007 by Spritescaper

Rumor dispelling time!

No, I'm not dead, nor have I gone off on another one of my infamous hiatuses. I've just had a lot to deal with lately, namely end-of-the-year projects and the dreaded final exams. I apologize for not bringing this up earlier, and for leaving you guys to rot in the dark for the fifty kajillionth time. We won't be having any more of that!

Once my exams are finished with, updates will resume as normal, and without the burden of college weighing on my shoulders, you can expect to see at least 1-2 updates per week. Check back around May 14th-ish, give or take a day or two; I should have a new comic ready for you guys by then. (Note that this is just a tentative date; the whole thing really hinges on whether my long trip back home after exam week goes as smoothly as planned.)

Well, I'm off to hit the books. If you want to help me out on my finals, feel free to channel whatever spare luck or knowledge you have lying around my way. I'll gladly accept any help I can get, divine or otherwise. Bleh.

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5/11/07 Update: My exams are finished for the most part. As soon as I'm safely back home, I'll be back in business.

Catching a 15-hour plane ride this Saturday. I've made this long trip hundreds of times before, but it still manages to wear me down. I hope my iPod still works.

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5/12/07 Update: Leaving for the airport now. The total trip duration is just over 21 hours, so I've got a fairly long day ahead of me. Also, in a brilliant strike of irony, my iPod is nowhere to be found. T_T

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5/13/07 Update: I'm exhausted, but happy to be home! I don't want to keep you guys waiting any longer than I have to, so I'll be sure to post a proper update as soon as I've recovered from the jet lag.

13 Comments

Episode 49: A Second Family
Posted on 02 Apr 2007 by Spritescaper

A new comic is finally up. Spring Break threw me off schedule quite a bit, but weekly updates should be commencing as normal now. To avoid any disappointments though, please assume that everything I just said is a blatant lie. Thank you.

Anywho, I'm not much of a movie go-er, but having been a huge fan of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as a kid, I found TMNT to be nothing short of delightful. Although I'm all for the "don't break what isn't broken" philosophy, I think the whole purpose of an adaptation is to renovate; that is, to take the source material and mold it into something new, whilst still leaving the main subject matter intact. This is what this film does to a certain extent, and though I didn't agree with all of the new directions the movie decided to take, it did succeed on a multitude of levels. Having walked into the theater with an open mind, I had wonderful time, as did the people I went to see it with. I give it a thumbs up.

By the way, this is adorable.

64 Comments

Episode 48: Stockholm Syndrome
Posted on 25 Feb 2007 by Spritescaper

Midterms are dawning upon the proverbial horizon! Obviously, it's a very busy time of the year for me, so if I end up skipping any more updates (which is unlikely, but still possible), you know where to place the blame.

Now, here's an interesting story. My friend and I were departing our dorms last night to grab a bite to eat, when we hear a siren emanating from the distance. Naturally, we assumed that some jerk was playing a cruel prank with the fire alarm again (which has happened numerous times in the past), so we end up ignoring it completely. We would find out later that the siren was actually signaling a tornado warning.

We didn't get very far. Around the time we left campus, the rain was POURING to the point that we couldn't see an inch in any given direction. Being the daredevils we were, we opted to drive straight through the storm to the nearest fast food joint rather than turn back. We ended up regretting this decision immensely, and it only took us an additional minute or two to realize that we weren't going to make it. By then, the wind was beating against the frame of the car with such force that we had a hard time keeping our driving level. If there had been any other cars coming in from the opposite direction, we wouldn't have been able to spot them in time. Giving up, we pulled into a nearby Wal-Mart to wait out the storm.

By the time we drove into the parking lot, the situation was getting pretty desperate. Immense rain pouring like crazy, winds blasting away signs and bushes on the streets... you can imagine we were getting pretty excited by this point. We ended up abandoning the car in the front of the store and running inside for safety. I would estimate that all of this happened within a time span of around 10 seconds, but even so, our clothes were SOAKED.

There were at least a couple dozen people holed up inside. A woman comes on over the PA and informs us that a tornado has been spotted 10 minutes away from our location, and instructs us to move to the center of the store. The rest of the night ends up being pretty uneventful, with my friend and I spending the next hour or so huddled inside Wal-Mart. "Well, at least we won't starve in here." I joke.

We laughed about the whole thing afterwards, but we sure learned our lesson. XD

52 Comments

Episode 47: Breath of Life
Posted on 30 Jan 2007 by Spritescaper

I wish I had someone like Gorkan to bellow at the top of their lungs and make me jump out of the bed every morning. It's funny how I had to suffer through insomnia during my high school years, and now that I'm in college, I simply can't seem to get enough of sleep.

And it isn't as if I'm a light sleeper. FAR from it. Although I have three different sets of alarm clocks to help me wake up everyday, my efforts often prove to be in vain. As a part of what has gradually become a daily morning routine, my best friend from across the hall slams my door open and punches me in the stomach at precisely 8 AM in the morning, just so I wouldn't be late for my classes. It's sad, but we manage to laugh about it later on.

My friends have often compared me to a living zombie. I'm never fully awake, yet I trudge around the campus like an animated corpse, lifeless and in a death-like trance. It's only around late afternoon that I manage to shake off the morning fatigue and assume something vaguely akin to consciousness.

I can't prove it just yet, but I think the act of sleeping actually makes me weaker. XD

56 Comments

A Modest Proposal
Posted on 22 Jan 2007 by Spritescaper

Alright, here's the deal. Through painful trial-and-error, I've found that it's simply impossible for me to juggle my time between college and Spritescape without making certain sacrifices.

The situation as it stands: you guys are upset due to lack of updates, I'm upset because I'm busting my buns trying to do the best I can... heck, I think everyone's pretty much upset right now. So, in the interest of keeping everyone happy, I introduce to you a modest proposal of sorts.

I'm going to be cutting down the length of each new comic so that they are approximately half the size of what it normally would be. So far, I've been averaging 4-6 columns per episode, which means that every new comic produced henceforth will feature between 2-3 columns (ie. 4-6 panels). It's the same amount of content, only you guys get it in smaller chunks.

In effect, updates should become noticeably more frequent, and I won't have to work myself to death producing needlessly extensive updates. It's a win-win situation... at least in theory. If anyone has any serious objections, let me know.

PS. Looks like Duke will be attending Connecticon this year. I really wish I could go (preferably as a low-ranking webcomic guest), but unfortunately, I'm a college student living in poverty. I could barely afford to keep myself fed, let alone pay for a trip half-way across the country. Ahh, the woes of being poor. >.>

39 Comments

Back online... I hope.
Posted on 30 Dec 2006 by Spritescaper

... And we're back.

In case you missed it, a recent earthquake knocked out a bunch of undersea fiber optic cables that connect the Asian continent to the western hemisphere, transforming a large chunk of the far east into a digital blackout zone. For those of us living here, we've basically had to make do without internet and long-distance phone access for the last couple of days.

It's a bit disconcerting, knowing that something like this actually happened. A couple of cables snap, and an entire continent's online capabilities shut down. Kinda makes you wonder, doesn't it?

I woke up this morning and noticed that I can actually connect to overseas websites again (including this one), though the loading times were much more sluggish than usual. Based on what little information I've been given from my local provider, things should be returning to normal "in a matter of days", though other sources claim that it could take as much as two weeks for a full recovery to take effect.

If this whole experience has taught me anything, it's how dependent we've all become to the wired world. Without e-mail, instant messaging, or online gaming to occupy our time, people have a tendency to become lost... and desperate. I think my friends and I even tried going outside and throwing a BALL around at one point.

Life is not without its ironies. At any rate, here's to a happy new year. *raises glass*

73 Comments

Why do bad things happen to good people?
Posted on 25 Dec 2006 by Spritescaper

Irony can be such a... you know, I can't even think of an appropriate word to use here.

I got hit with a rather irritating computer problem a couple days back, and I ended up losing a fair amount of data. Rather than try and salvage the situation, I decided that it'd be simpler to do a hard drive wipe. As a result, I've had to spend the past two days just getting everything set up again. Luckily, I had made backups a week before, so I ended up losing almost nothing... aside from the Photoshop files for the last two or three comics and the Christmas special I was working on.

Okay, remember the "secret" thing I claimed I would release on Christmas day? It was actually a flash animation that had been in production since early last week. It was going to be something of a gift from me to you guys, but seeing as I failed to make a backup copy (What are the chances of it being lost, I said. It'll be perfectly safe on my hard drive, I said), that's pretty much out the window at this point.

Winter 2006... definitely not the best of my winters, which really isn't saying much. For what it's worth, I really quite enjoyed working on the animation (music and voice-overs are always fun to play around with), so rather than give up on it entirely, I've decided to start over from scratch and shoot for an early 2007 release date.

Sorry for venting my problems on you all. Maybe now that I've sucked up all the bad luck floating around this holiday season, you guys can actually enjoy a hassle-free holiday.

13 Comments

Cancer beats the common cold anyday!
Posted on 20 Dec 2006 by Spritescaper

Sorry, but the December 19th update will be a bit more late than usual. I came down with a nasty case of the sniffles and haven't had much energy to do anything for the past day or two.

Just out of curiosity, have you guys been to ComicSpace? It's like Myspace, except it's intended for comic enthusiasts. Now, I was never a big fan of weblogs and all the Livejournal and Myspace crap, but the idea behind this new service was so delightfully intriguing that I was compelled to join. It also helps that I run my own webcomic, as all of you are probably aware of... y'know, being here and all. :)

Anywho, here's me. Send me a friend request and I'll be glad to add you. So far, I've pretty much been accepting everyone who's sent me a request, though I really should start weeding out the people who make a game out of building up their friends list. By that, I'm referring to those misguided souls that think having 50 million friends on their list is something to brag about, and will somehow compensate for having little to no social contacts in real life.

I'm not saying this to be mean, mind you... it's just that there are certain kinds of people I can't stand in this world, which includes those who are religiously fanatical, grammatically impaired, stupidly ignorant, blatantly racist, and of course, the sort I just mentioned. I do apologize if I'm sounding overly condescending here... the sickness is probably to blame.

Hope everyone's enjoying their holidays. I'll be fine as soon as I make a full recovery from this darned cold.

18 Comments

Episode 44: Eye for an Eye
Posted on 30 Oct 2006 by Spritescaper

I think, by far, Anri is the most complex character I've written for this comic. Her struggle to cope with old wounds and stand firm in her lonely quest for revenge is definitely one of the deeper subplots of this story arc. Even though he has seldom made appearances in the comic thus far, Averan is yet another personality of interest, seemingly taking the role of Anri's guide and mentor. Beware however; appearances can be deceiving. I'll leave it up to you guys to decide who is the true antagonist of this story.

I'm sure I lost quite a few of you in my rather substantial 2-month hiatus from comic-making... I assure you, this will not happen again. In the meantime, there are plenty of other great webcomics out there, so feel free to peruse my greatly overlooked Links page while you wait for the next update. You may find something that you like.

Where there is no imagination, there is no horror. Happy Halloween!

19 Comments

Sweet tabletop nostalgia...
Posted on 16 Oct 2006 by Spritescaper

As I was making a quick pass through my collection of outdated PC games, I happened upon a timeless masterpiece, Baldur's Gate II. Eager to re-live the experience, I fired it up on my laptop, and I've found that it's just as fun, unique, and groundbreaking as it was 5 years ago, when it first made its debut. I had forgotten just how immersive and fleshed out this classic CRPG was, and it felt good to get back in touch with the old Dungeons & Dragons franchise, something that I thought I had left behind in my not-so-distant childhood.

Yes, I'll admit, I was something of a tabletop roleplaying enthusiast back in the day. Instead of discussing the latest gossips centered around teenage relationship dramas ("Hey, did you hear? Jenny broke up with Bob last night!" "What? Is she getting back together with Carl!?") or swapping Pokemon trading cards ("Check it out, I got a Charizard card!" "Dude, that card sucks. I have like a million of those. Since I'm nice, I'll willing to trade you this super rare pokemon card for it. It's called Rattata!") like regular kids, my friends and I chose instead to devote our free lunch hours to holding pen-and-paper gaming sessions.

My intellectual friend acted as the omnipotent Dungeon Master, freely manipulating the workings of destiny at will, while I assumed the role of Sir Leedan, a Lawful Good Paladin seeking to maintain order in a time of unforeseen chaos. As soon as the map, the dice, and the rulebooks were set out across the table, we became absorbed in a world that was totally unlike our own.

The stories we created using our imaginations were the stuff of legend. Our ragtag adventuring party, simultaneously a force of the greastest of good and the most treacherous of evils, affected the lives of thousands. There were Orcs. There were Demons. There were Dragons that walked in human form. There was betrayal. There was romance. There was war. There was death.

It may not surprise you to learn that many of the core plot ingredients we incorporated into our roleplaying sessions are reflected in Spritescape Fantasy. Valor, not surprisingly, is a direct mirror version of my player character. Gorkan was inspired by a villain in one of our earlier campaigns; a Goblin Commander who possessed a hilariously funny accent and a rather unhealthy attachment to his gold-plated club (which he fondly referred to as "Shiny Sue"). Finally, Renn is a homage to a Drow Blademaster played by one of my closest friends at the time.

... Sorry for going off on such a long-winded tangent. Just thought I'd break out of my ordinary cycle of comic-making and share this delightfully nostalgic story with you all. ^^

25 Comments

So... here's what's happening.
Posted on 06 Oct 2006 by Spritescaper

Seems like I took off on a month-long vacation despite having claimed I wouldn't. For what it's worth, I needed the time off to get back in touch with my social life. To complicate things, I've found that I've been falling behind on my college-related studies lately, which has put me in a bit of a difficult position as far as updating this comic is concerned. Regardless, I'm not ready to throw in the towel just yet, so there's no real cause for concern. :)

So, how are things coming along, you ask? I ran into some unexpected delays with the next update; I had episode #44 completed, but I found that it didn't flow well with the rest of the comics in the archive, and slowed down the pacing of current events far too much for my liking. After thinking it over, I decided to scrap it. This means I'll have to work overtime to have a replacement comic made.

In the meantime, I've updated the Fanworks page with the latest user submissions. Also, Kira's Song, written and composed by Jason over at ROL Comic. It's short, but sweet. The lyrics can be found here.

17 Comments

Episode 43: Strangers in the Twilight
Posted on 04 Sep 2006 by Spritescaper

Not only is this comic something out of the ordinary, but it's also kind of sappy. A bit too sappy for its own good. However, I did feel this episode was necessary to highlight the relationship between the two characters in the comic, among other things. Interpret it however you wish.

The next few comics are sort of where everything that has happened so far comes together; any questions you might have regarding the plot elements in the comic will likely be answered during that time. Everything from the build-up to the climax of the first series is simply glorious. I almost wish I could give away the ending, but that would sort of defeat the whole purpose of reading the comic. Not to mention, I'd probably get slaughtered for it too.

---

You guys will probably have heard of this already, but Steve Irwin was killed by a stingray while filming a documentary today. When I attempted to pass on my words of sorrow after having heard the news, the first thing my friend said to me was, "Who was Steve Irwin?"

Only when I explained to her that he was most widely known as the "Crocodile Hunter" did she reconize who it was that I was talking about. She went on to say that she always found him queer because he had a funny accent, and that he deserved what he got for messing with mother nature. I couldn't stand to hear any more of her pesky babblings after that.

I don't know what your opinions of him were, but to me, he was one of the most influential environmentalists of our time. He will be sorely missed.

43 Comments

I'm back, this time for good. No, really!
Posted on 27 Aug 2006 by Spritescaper

Hey guys, how's it going? I stated in the previous news post that I'll be busy for a while, but even I couldn't have anticipated this month-long absence. Hate me, flame me, I deserve it. I'm the worst webcomic author in the world.

I did indeed have many things that kept me busy. To provide a brief and succint summary of my hiatus, a single word will be explanatory enough: COLLEGE. From having to move into a new dorm, to meet new people, to find all my classes, and to pretty much adapt to an entirely different environment... my schedule has been anything but light. I'm not saying this excuses my utter lack of updates, but I'm hoping you guys will find it in your hearts to have pity on my situation and forgive me for being so annoyingly irresponsible.

It's good to be back, and I hope you guys are happy to have me back as well. In other site-related news, I've updated the Fanworks page with three new entries. If I've missed anyone's submission, I apologize. Send them to me again and I'll put em up pronto.

15 Comments

Episode 42: Guardian Angel
Posted on 26 Jul 2006 by Spritescaper

One of the biggest hurdles I come across as a storyteller is getting the audience to truly "get" what I'm trying to tell them. As I construct each comic panel by panel, I'm constantly looking them over to ensure that they flow smoothly and isn't too difficult to understand. I worry sometimes that I overestimate the readers' ability to place together the pieces of the puzzle, and that anything remotely vague or unclear in the comic will only serve to confuse them. On the other hand, it would be insulting to the audience's intelligence if I dumb things down and spell out everything for them. Finding that ideal balance between the two extremes is always something that I seem to struggle with.

On that note, I hope I haven't lost any of you guys in this comic and the last. The next comic will spell the end of this particular sequence; hopefully, any questions left unanswered will be... well... answered. As always, if you have any questions or comments regarding the comic, let me know!

Just a heads up: College starts up for me next monday, so I'll be busy, won't have as much time to update, etc. etc. You know how it is.

23 Comments

Flash Movies, Sprite Comic Awards, Needles, etc.
Posted on 20 Jul 2006 by Spritescaper

I suppose I should update with a news post once in a while so certain people don't assume I've been kidnapped or brutally murdered.

I ran into some unexpected real-life delays with Episode 42, but it's coming along. I'm really having fun with the whole "Kira & Dark Kira" sequence, but I have a sneaking suspicion some of you do not share the same sentiment. It really doesn't matter either way, since it's a fairly brief scene and passes by very quickly. The episodes that follow will be everything from cute and funny to bloody and brutal. Swords will be drawn, magics will be cast, and hearts will be broken. What more can you ask for?

Derek, a member from the Pixel Pagoda forum, has taken it upon himself to create animated flash movies based on the earlier episodes of Spritescape Fantasy. Currently, he's gathering voice actors for each role, and a few people have already auditioned. Refer to this topic for more info.

Also, Spritescape Fantasy has been nominated for the categories of Best Sprite Comic, Most Unique Comic, and Best Use of Sprites in the Sprite Comic Awards being held over at Drshnaps.com. I don't know who's responsible for these nominations, but you have my thanks. If you think my webcomic deserves to win in any of these categories, feel free to go and vote.

On a somewhat random closing note, my right arm feels completely dead because I was forced against my will to receive a meningitis shot at the local clinic yesterday. Apparently, it's a requirement for all entering Freshman at college... something about it being a commonly transmitted disease in college dorms. I can live with that, but now I have a splitting headache, which is apparently an "uncommon" side-effect of this particular vaccine. Uncommon my ass!

11 Comments

My body's biological clock has apparently been de-synchronized...
Posted on 07 Jul 2006 by Spritescaper

I was going to wait until I actually had a new comic ready to go, but what the hell. Any extended absences from me and you guys would've thought I had died in a gruesome airplane accident, or something to that effect. I'm back now. Finally.

To those who still remain, long time no see. What have I been up to? In short, thousands of miles worth of exhausting plane rides, car trips, and recreational time-wasting. I visited my family and relatives, toured the college I'll be attending in the Fall, and went to places best left for subconscious nightmares. I'm tired and suffering from jet lag, but ecstatic to have reliable net access once again.

I'm resting now in a small apartment here in Texas, and I'll likely be staying here for the next week or two. Unfortunately, I have more traveling to do later, but for now, I can focus 100% on Spritescape Fantasy. After the hell I've just been through, being able to work on the comic again is like blissful heaven in comparison.

I'm not going to make any more hollow promises, but you should definitely expect to see plenty of new updates in the very near future. ^^

12 Comments

Off to change the world!
Posted on 19 Jun 2006 by Spritescaper

I'm just about packed up and ready to move out. I'm catching a plane tomorrow morning to visit my relatives in South Korea (^_^), then I'm flying over to the US to attend an orientation at the college I'll be attending in the Fall. In case anyone's interested, I plan to major in Psychology.

It's kind of exciting and unsettling at the same time. The prospect of moving away from your parents and living it out on your own is certainly a blessing and a curse. In retrospect, I always longed to be away from them as fast and far as I could manage, but now that it's actually happening, it's kind of unnerving. Likewise, I would always think that High School would never come to an end, but now that it has, I'm afraid that it ended too soon. I almost feel as if I spent the last 4 years in vain.

Life's just funny that way I guess. People always look back in regret and reminisce about "what could have been". For what it's worth, I made some really great friends here while living overseas. I'll likely be keeping in contact with them for the rest of my life.

I'll be flying all over the place during the next month or two, so constant and reliable net access isn't a guarantee. However, I'll have my new laptop with me at all times, and it looks like I'll have a sizable amount of free time waiting for the term to actually start. I'll literally have nothing to do for days on end, so I'll be using the time to work ahead and possibly catch up on some of the comics I've missed in the past.

Don't worry... I'll continue to update Spritescape throughout my college years. This comic has somehow managed to become more than a simple hobby for me, and I intend to keep it going for as long as I can. Besides, it's probably all that will keep me sane whilst adjusting to college dorm life.

Thanks for checking in. I'll get back to you guys as soon as I have net access. Oh, and if you're wondering who I'm rooting for in this year's World Cup, you're probably not paying attention.

8 Comments

It all comes down to this...
Posted on 07 Jun 2006 by Spritescaper

Boy, I'm swamped.

While most of you guys are gallivanting off with your drinking buddies to celebrate the end of the school year, I'm sitting at home attempting to cram for my final exams. In case you guys were wondering why there wasn't a new comic update last weekend... well, now you know.

As I've mentioned before, I'm leaving for the US on the 20th. It'll probably be a good few weeks before I can get proper Internet access, so be wary of that. I know some of you are waiting anxiously for the conclusion of the current Nymph story arc, and I certainly don't want to leave you guys hanging high and dry. Unfortunately, under current circumstances, I really can't promise anything.

On a different note, seeing as I'll be starting College soon, I ordered a bargain Dell Inspiron 640m laptop a few days ago to last me through the next couple of years. Though it's far from being a next generation gaming rig, it seems to pack quite a bunch for its price tag. It features a 1.66 Ghz Core Duo Processor, 1 GB of DDR2 SDRAM, and a 60 GB harddrive. Pretty average by today's standards, but it has approximately TRIPLE the memory and DOUBLE the processing power of my current 4-year old desktop. As far as my computing needs are concerned, this laptop has all the horsepower that I'll likely ever need.

I'm particularly excited to try out the new Duo processor, which is designed specifically for multi-tasking. This means that I can have Photoshop, multiple Paint windows, RPG Maker, Notepad, MSN/AIM Messenger, Media Player, and half a dozen Firefox browsers open all the same time without experiencing significant slow-downs. This is a GODSEND for me, since my desktop lags horribly whenever I have Photoshop and Paint open simultaneously, as I often do when I'm making comics. How this piece of scrap metal still manages to function is a wonder of the modern world.

Well, I'm off to study for the rest of my exams. Keep in touch, guys.

5 Comments

Episode 40: Devil's Advocate
Posted on 27 May 2006 by Spritescaper

I had some difficulty fashioning Kirana's sprite, but it turned out reasonably okay in the end. (If you're having difficulty telling her front/back poses apart, she has her back turned to Valor in panel 6) Overall, I'm pleased with how this episode turned out.

The dialogue in the comic pretty much speaks for itself. If you have any obvious questions, let me know. Just to give you guys a heads up, next week's comic will place the focus back on Kira, as well as Rook.

---

My graduation is coming up faster than I care to believe. Once my Senior year is complete, I will be moving back to the US sometime late in June to start my first year of College, at the University of Mississippi. I'm eager to get a taste of what it's like to live on my own, but quite honestly, I don't find College dorm life appealing at all. Hopefully, my roommate won't turn out to be a complete ass. >.>

There may be a transition period of a month or so when I won't be able to access the internet while I get settled in. I'll let you know when the time comes.

8 Comments

Episode 39: An Orc's Best Friend
Posted on 21 May 2006 by Spritescaper

This is just a comic to tide you guys over until the next couple of updates, some of which I have completed already. Nothing of importance happens in this comic, and unless you've read through the entire archive, you probably won't "get it". I still found it humorous though.

Here are the earlier comics this particular episode is referencing:
- Episode 9: Undercover Orc - Rook steals the armor from an Orc named Sam, who is left bound and gagged behind the bushes.
- Episode 19: A Duel to Remember - Gorkan's battleaxe is broken in half during his duel with Valor.

The next few comics will place heavy emphasis on furthering the plot, but there's plenty of other good stuff on the way. I'm rather anxious to get to the end of Series 1, so I'm going to try to get through it as quickly as I can. There are some very exciting sequences coming up that I've been dying to make for months.

8 Comments

Episode 38: The Shadow of the Past
Posted on 13 May 2006 by Spritescaper

This is easily the most depressing comic I've made thus far.

As you may have noticed, themes such as "love" and "marriage" have been cropping up rapidly in recent comics. Where is this all going, you ask? Well, I've been setting up this particular story arc since the very beginning. Ever since Rook and Valor rescued Kira and inducted Gorkan into the group, the progression of the story has been steadily leading up to a dramatic final climax. I plan to finish up this tentatively titled "Nymph Saga" within the next 12 episodes, effectively concluding Spritescape Series 1.

College is only a month away! Final Exams and my Senior Presentation is coming up soon, so I've been pretty occupied for the most part. Believe me when I say that I absolutely detest this time of the year... on the bright side, it'll all be over within 30 days, when June rolls along.

9 Comments

Character List Updated
Posted on 07 May 2006 by Spritescaper

The Character list in the About page has been updated with the latest character profiles. Some of you loyal fans may appreciate the extra bit of info that have not yet been disclosed in the comic itself. (or will ever be)

Thanks to all the people who have been faithfully voting on the two toplists on a daily basis. I know I can be a tad lazy with putting up fresh bonus incentives, but it's good to see that Spritescape has moved up in the rankings for this month.

Also, it's always good to hear some feedback from you guys. I highly encourage you to join us at our collective forum. Praises, criticisms, or just general chit-chat... any would do fine. I have a rough idea of how many daily visitors I get, but it'd be interesting to know how many of you actually read the comic.

8 Comments

Episode 37: Renn's Tale
Posted on 05 May 2006 by Spritescaper

Sorry for the lateness of this comic. This sequence was actually going to span two separate episodes, but in the end, I decided to combine both into one big comic. As for the comic itself, where did this Renn character come from? You may have previously catched a glimpse of him here. Why is Anri crying in the end? I'd rather leave that up to the readers to ponder over.

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Sparked by an ongoing debate in the forums, I've recently had a chance to assess the generic "good vs evil" theme that runs rampant in most fantasy stories. The unavoidable question is thus; does Spritescape fall victim to this universal cliché-ridden theme?

The truth is that most, if not all, stories have a definitive conflict between a defined protagonist(s) and antagonist(s). As a storyteller, it's a matter of presenting this theme in such a way that the progression of the plot isn't boring or predictable.

The obvious pitfalls include "GO STABBY WABBY THE EVIL WIZARD" or "SLAY THE EVIL DRAGON WITH THE SILVER ANGEL SWORD OF UNHOLY JUSTICE +8"; basically, a story where there's a definitive bad guy, a definitive good guy, a definitive way of defeating the bad guy, and the inevitability of a sappy ending. Of course, one could semantically argue that such is the case with most video games (Final Fantasy and Zelda for one), and they're absolutely right. A central conflict between opposing factions is an essential element of any engrossing storyline that you can't afford to avoid. The catch, of course, lies in character development.

To cite an example, Shakespeare, overrated as he may be, is famous for coming up with some of the most compelling villains in any work of literature. When you look at his plays objectively, his stories are basically one big cliché (as most stories are), but he has a way of telling these stories in such a way that the audience doesn't really care to notice. His characters are well-developed, intriguing, and downright despicable at times. That is the gift of being a good writer.

I myself am not the strongest writer in the world, and I admit that. That's why I look up to webcomic artists like Brian Clevinger, Jay Dee, and John Cutting, because they are able to use a limited medium to create beautifully articulated plots and characters. They were my source of inspiration when I first began working on Spritescape, and they'll always have a special place in my heart.

... The comics of course. Not the authors themselves.

4 Comments

Episode 36: The Notion of Marriage
Posted on 01 May 2006 by Spritescaper

I think this comic pretty much speaks for itself. Before you start questioning the relevancy of this exposition to the plot, you may want to look back at a certain past episode. I'm not going to tell you which, but you can spot it by skimming through the titles of past comics in the archive page.

You guys do know that Spritescape has its own forum, right? If you have a comment or question about this webcomic, feel free to indulge me. Alternatively, you can get in touch with me via e-mail, MSN, or AIM. All three contact info are listed in my profile at the Pixel Pagoda forums. I'm a pretty approachable guy, so don't be shy!

As it is the first of the month, I've put up new bonus incentives on both toplists, so feel free to vote and check em' out. Oh, and have you seen the awesome wallpaper Shifaa sent me some time ago? In case you missed it, you can find it all at the fanworks section. And speaking of fanart, all webcomic artists love to receive them, and I'm no exception. Artistic talent is of no concern to me; as long as you've made a genuine effort, I'll put it up.

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It seems like everyone is making a big deal out of the recent renaming of the Nintendo Revolution to "Wii". I've said it before and I'll say it again... the name does not make the man. Likewise, the name does not make the console.

They could change the name to "Nintendo Crapshit" for all I care. As long as the console itself is good, and its potential to produce 'revolutionary' games remains intact, I'm content.

5 Comments

School is taking its toll...
Posted on 24 Apr 2006 by Spritescaper

Sorry, I won't be able to put up a new comic this week. Reason being? It's the week before AP Exams, and with the added stress of having to put together a presentable senior portfolio, I just don't have the energy. Luckily, I get next week off for May break, so I promise I'll treat you guys to a double update to compensate.

However, that doesn't mean this week will be completely devoid of new content. As promised, I'll be putting up the old Spritescape comics (the first series of comics I made that never made the final cut) as voting incentives during the coming days.

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I assume you guys are aware of the hot Net Neutrality issue that's currently spreading across the internet like wildfire. Apparently, the situation is much more dire than I first suspected. Under this law, corporate companies would basically have the leeway to sabotage personal websites such as mine in order to promote their commercial interests. Why? Because Spritescape is run by a single dedicated student, and doesn't have the resources to fork over millions of dollars worth of cash to the internet titans just to have its comics viewable to the public.

This could very well turn into something serious. We'll just have to see how this topic develops as time goes by.

4 Comments

Episode 35: Love or Bust
Posted on 15 Apr 2006 by Spritescaper

This comic features a change in scenery; it takes place within a Grove where Kira grew up. You may not realize it, but I introduce some extremely crucial plot elements in this comic... it's subtle, but it's there.

Of course, this could all be a fabricated lie and I could just be leading you guys on. It happens. Believe what you will. I will say this though. There will be a twist, and I bet most of you won't see it coming. It's an awesome twist. The twist to end all twists.

I've always prided myself on not being such a "vote whore" like some comic artists I could mention, but I've noticed that Spritescape has been lagging behind on a few of the toplists. Now, I get my fair share of readers daily, and as far as site popularity goes, I'm pretty content. However, if you want to give this comic that little extra boost, then please consider voting. To sweeten the deal, I added a new incentive on Buzzcomix, so if you want to get a sneak peak at what's coming up in the future, vote to see it!

4 Comments

Oblivion vs. Morrowind
Posted on 11 Apr 2006 by Spritescaper

Expect a new comic this week, as well as much more frequent and reliable comic updates from now on. Now, on to other matters!

In light of the recent "Oblivion" craze, I decided that it was about time I looked into the acclaimed Elder Scrolls series and see what all the fuss was about. Since my trusty, yet horribly outdated, home computer was nowhere powerful enough to run Oblivion, I decided to pick up the next best thing; Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind.

It should be noted that I'm a huge roleplaying fanatic, and a dedicated advocate of extensive single player RPGs. I'm particularly fond of the Baldur's Gate series, which I truly believe to be the pinnacle of PC RPGs. Now, don't get me wrong... I love MMORPGs as much as the next guy, but when it comes down to it, I want to be immersed in a believable fantasy world that revolves around ME, and ME only. In essence, I want to feel like I'm truly a stranger in a brave new world.

I must say, I'm pleasantly surprised with Morrowind, which manages to accomplish this "feel" in a multitude of ways. It's been 4 years since this game was first released to critical acclaim and success, and though it's definitely starting to show its age, Morrowind's innovative open-ended gameplay remains uncontested in any RPG game I've played thus far. The huge and explorative nature of the landscapes was what really drew me in; it's like a vast uncharted continent begging to be explored, a continent filled with rich sceneries, cultures, and exotic beasts the likes of which are totally unknown to man. There's just so much life to it.

If Morrowind's gameplay is any indication of the greatness that the Elder Scrolls series has to offer, then I can only begin to fathom the greatness that constitutes Oblivion. It's a shame I can't try it out for myself, but in all honesty, I'm perfectly satisfied with Morrowind for now. It's exactly the type of RPG I've been looking for.

3 Comments

Decline of Sprite Comics
Posted on 02 Apr 2006 by Spritescaper

The golden age of Sprite Comics has long since faded into internet history.

Ever since its debut into the webcomic scene in early 2000 (Neglected Mario Characters arguably came before, but it wasn't until Bob and George that sprite comics came to be considered a legit webcomic genre), thousands of artistically challenged artists (ooh, an oxymoron) have vainly launched their own sprite comics featuring Megaman, Sonic, and various other generic and overrated videogame icons.

The wildly popular sprite comic culture has progressively evolved since its birth; there was a time when it was okay to place pre-made megaman sprites into two-toned backgrounds and have them crack random jokes at each other. Now there are strictly enforced do's and dont's that all sprite comic artists are forced.. er.. "encouraged" to follow. Apparently, recolored sprites cause AIDs. Apparently, two toned backgrounds are products of the antichrist. Apparently, author characters are the collective spirits of satanic worshippers.

Why have these taboos come to be standard givens that all sprite comic artists are expected to avoid by default? The truth is, sprite comics in general leave little room for artistic creativity. When you are given a limited array of sprites and a dozen pre-rendered backgrounds to work with, there's not a lot you can do to keep the inspirational fire going. It's inevitable that many sprite comics will end up looking and feeling exactly the same.

"Just another megaman/sonic sprite comic" is often the thought that enters my mind when I routinely browse through popularized sprite comic galleries. It has become a personal habit of mine to reject those that feature either Megaman or Sonic outright, unless its author has proven himself to be able to make the comic stand out in some way. I marvel at the responses some of these cancer-inducing piles of shit receive... ("Not bad." "Hey that's pretty good!") and ask myself the same question over and over again; are these guys looking at the same comic as I am? Apparently, the bar for the average sprite comic has sunk so low over the years that anything which even remotely falls within the boundaries of human comprehensibility merits a round of applause.

We reside now in the year 2006. The unarguable truth is that this ancient webcomic genre is rapidly on the decline. This has nothing to do with numbers; if anything, there are more sprite comics out there than ever before. Where can they be found? Most are (thankfully) tenderly tucked away in message boards where hundreds of talentless cretins put up uninspired sprite comics that wallow in mediocrity, all the while having heaps of hollow praises being piled upon them. This in turn instills in them delusions of extreme superbia, causing them to believe that people actually find enjoyment in reading their comics, when in actuality, their brain cells are slowly being killed off one by one every time they look at their pixelated mush. Thus the painful and vicious cycle continues.

Sprite Comics have always been the subject of great controversy. In the present day, they are looked upon by many as low-grade comics, nestled just above stick figures and clip art comics in the webcomic food chain. Don't get me wrong... I love sprite comics to death. I myself make a sprite comic. I spend a great deal of my free time on the search for that perfect sprite comic that'll blow the low standards of this underappreciated genre completely out of the webcomic waters. I'm just getting very tired of being let down and disappointed, that's all.

16 Comments

Links page & Guest Comic
Posted on 29 Mar 2006 by Spritescaper

The Links page has been updated. I added a bunch of webcomic links (all of which have my official seal of approval), a bunch of resource links that sprite comic artists in particular may find useful, and a bunch of banners you can use to link to Spritescape.

Also, updated the Fanworks page with a hilarious new guest comic submitted by Rick from ROTSC, one of my buddy sites. Very nicely done!

I am now officially out for Spring Break. Well, it's actually not much of a break at all, seeing as it's only 4 days long. However, it's not often I get time off from school, so I plan to use it wisely. I'm afraid "catching up on desperately needed sleep" receives top priority here... fortunately for you guys, "making a new comic" is ranked second in the list, so expect a new update soon!

3 Comments

Episode 34: Emotional Pandemonium
Posted on 23 Mar 2006 by Spritescaper

Not the best I've done, but you guys would've butchered me in my sleep and fed my meaty remains to rabid dogs had I not updated like I promised. In this comic, Solia reveals her true form, and Kira does not react kindly to the fact that Rook has a girlfriend. What could possibly happen next?

Gorkan was recently featured in a special cameo episode in Heroes Inc. It's quite a funny scene, plus the comic is just plain awesome to boot, so do both of us a favor and go check it out.

Finally, I'm going to take a moment to plug RotSC, a fairly new sprite comic site run by one of my online buddies. I helped him set-up his website, and from the looks of it, it's turning out pretty damn good. Check it out as well!

5 Comments

Website complete, New Comics to come!
Posted on 12 Mar 2006 by Spritescaper

Whew... so far so good. As you can see, the new website is pretty much complete, aside from a couple pages that still need to be put up or refined. The transition is still ongoing, but it's getting there. Many of my affiliates haven't changed my link to the new URL yet, and since they provide a major source of traffic for the site that I so desperately need, I've had to chase some of them down and nag them about it. All in a webmaster's day's work I suppose.

Many of you have been expressing discontentment at the apparent lack of recent comic updates, and I apologize. Getting the new website set up has been a real time-sucker, but it's been totally worth the effort I think. Weep not, Spritescape fans. Take solace in the knowledge that new comics are heading your way very soon.

5 Comments