Troothful Tales

THE OLDEST NEWS

December 24, 2011: Happy birthday, Zombie Jesus. And what a joyous birthday it is! People gave me so many gifts this Xmas. Just today I got Portal 2, Serious Sam 3, and Humble Indie Bundle 4 from my Steam friends. Oddly enough, none of those friends go to this site. NO GUILT OR ANYTHING IMPLIED HERE. Anyway, be sure you visit the forum!

December 17, 2011: AW YEAH BITCHES! It's time...... to GET my CYOA on. Now that my very-difficult semester is over, I should be able to provide constant updates, in theory.

In an effort to keep me motivated, I have looked into Progress Quest. I made a character who is not allowed to advance unless I'm working on CYOAs. After tonight's work, our little CYOAer has gotten to level 2, and completed numerous quests. Here's a screenshot. Anyway, be sure you visit the forum!

September 13, 2011: OH MAN IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME. And I tell ya, this is going to be a hell of a semester. I'm assigned to read like 25 books in the next few months, but I've already got like 5 of them down. One of them is even the dreaded TWILIGHT. I must read the first book and the final book. But I"m managing.

I was working on a creating a game with a friend of mine a while ago, but my business has allowed for little time on that. I'm just doing the artwork, but still, I've had little time for fun. Even my endeavor of watching IMDB's top 250 movies has been greatly stalled. I used to be averaging like 2-4 movies a week, but I've only watched one and a half so far this semester.

Also, I love every one of you who stuck through this extended slump I've been going through. It was wonderful to see the forum all abuzz like I'd never left. Anyway, be sure you don't stop visiting the forum!

August 2, 2011: Today there will be a small change in the site. In order to cut down on my tedious work load in site maintenance, the CYOA archives will only feature the actual story updates and the suggestions that are actually used. Any comments that do not contribute to the story will not be shown anywhere but the forum, so that's where you've gotta go if you want to see people's comments on what's happening.

Of course, I won't be removing the comments that are already present in the archives, because that would just be silly and be even more work for me. So it's just from this day on.

Ideally this means that I'll be more motivated to update, because the #1 thing that slows me down is having to copy all the comments people have made into main-site pages. And if anything, this gives new people and casual observers more reason to visit the forum!

July 16, 2011: Well, much has happened since the last update I posted to the main site. I had me a nice getaway to Knoxville, celebrated someone's 21st birthday, got weird, went on a rescue mission, experienced broken air conditioner AGAIN, then finally had the air repaired by a midget. That's why this update's delayed a few days. True story. Anyway, be sure you stop by the forum!

June 21, 2011: Ahoy thar. Somehow I became sick recently. I thought I could power through it in a couple days and be just fine again, but I think it's gonna stick around a little while yet. And it's going to get worse before it's going to get better, so I got myself to do an update before things go too far downhill. I'm a little woozy from nyquil and such, so if I made any mistakes in updating the site today, try to ignore them. Also, be sure you stop by the forum!

June 4, 2011: All right, we're under way on the second Bandit run. Things should be very different this time. Plenty of all-new possibilities. Also, I won't guarantee that the setting of this story is exactly the same as the last version. I.e. the cabin in the background may NOT be the residence of a mysterious wizard, and the trail may not lead you into the local farmland. Or perhaps they WILL be the same. Nobody knows. Not even me! Anyway, be sure you stop by the forum!

May 30, 2011: All right, big things be happening here. The Bandit just reached 25 images, so this will be the first of hopefully many different endings. Now I'm gonna have to decide where to go next. I may restart the Bandit story, or revisit some older ones, or do something totally new. There's a forum thread about it, so you should totally go on there to voice your opinion about what should happen next. There are many options, and I'm totally undecided myself. Anyway, be sure you stop by the forum!

May 20, 2011: WHOOOO MY FINALS ARE OVER. Perhaps soon I will have a summer job too.

Anyway, I am making big new plans for the site. I think I'm going to start implementing an idea that came to me in another thread. I'll probably restart the Bandit story to allow people to go about a different route. We're coming up on the 25th Bandit image, so maybe I'll make 25 images the reboot point.

Then when it reaches 25 again, I'll reboot it again. Perhaps I'll even reboot the other stories to explore different paths in them... Or even start on new one-shot CYOAs.

There are a couple reasons behind this:

1. When I look back on old CYOA books and such, half the fun in them is discovering all the various endings, most of which involved some brand of death or dismemberment. Some of them were happy though, and those were all right too. Troothful Tales lack those endings. It'll be fun to see how many different directions the stories can take.

2. In my experience, the #1 thing that keeps people from participating in a long-running CYOA like this is the intimidation of breaking into a pre-existing story. People don't want to interfere with something they don't understand, and not everybody wants to read the whole thing to catch up. Making the stories shorter like this should get more people interested, as they can always jump into the next story if the current one is too far along. People who have no inhibitions about jumping into an already-running story can still do that anyway.

So yeah, the site isn't dead yet.

Keep in mind now that since we're currently on image 24 of the Bandit story, it's going to reset after the next image. Whatever suggestion I get next is the final suggestion of this particular arc. Anyway, be sure you stop by the forum!

March 28, 2011: Guess I better get on this before I fall behind again! I've been playing Dwarf Fortress for hours and hours, so this is a good break in that action. Maybe I will name some of my dwarves after all of you when I start it up again. Anyway, be sure you stop by the forum!

March 20, 2011: Well that was a long, unexpected hiatus. I'm back though. Hopefully I can get back on a semi-regular schedule now that midterms are over. I've still got a handful of other problems though, like finding a place to live for my last semester of school. I also intend to enter a piece of writing in a competition when I get back (which is in a few hours) so hopefully I get around to that and it goes well.

Also I've got a couple more ambitious projects in the works which I'm hoping to reveal in April. Anyway, be sure you stop by the forum!

February 5, 2011: School is killing me. I have huge papers due in every class but one next week. It's a little insane. Despite all this, the #1 thing that really kept me from this CYOA update was writer's block. Had a really hard time coming up with anything interesting to write in the next part.

I've also been feeling that itch lately like I should be doing more with the site. Like some other weekly artistic production I could be posting. Can't really think of anything that would be as interesting as CYOAs though. Anyway, be sure you stop by the forum!

January 23, 2011: Ok, well... These first two weeks of school could have gone better. Actually they turned out pretty good. I DID manage to get a full schedule, and haven't had too rough of a work load YET, but that's sure to change. In celebration, here is a CYOA picture that is slightly more elaborate than usual. It's like three pictures in one kind of. Also, be sure you stop by the forum!

January 11, 2011: Well I just got moved back into my apartment at school. It's been a busy couple days, but I had myself some free time today. Classes start again tomorrow. I am most displeased about this. I'm signed up for more hours this semester than the last one, but hopefully that won't interfere with this site... It probably will. Anyway, be sure you stop by the forum!

January 1, 2011: Happy new year! Also, be sure you stop by the forum!

December 25, 2010: Merry Xmas! Also, be sure you stop by the forum!

December 18, 2010: Ha ha, I was almost late in doing this update. I was just about to sit down and watch Rashomon, and then I remembered I had a bunch of people waiting impatiently to make the first response on the next part of the bandit story. I'm still plowing through that list of the 250 best films, but it's turning out that this Netflix Wii deal is not as infinitely powerful as I thought it was. It just so happened that the first 3 movies or so that I tried to watch were available. I had to skip something like 20 movies on the list because they're only available on DVD. Ah well, I'm sure I'll find them. Anyway, be sure you stop by the forum!

December 11, 2010: Well, I'm done with school for about a month. That's gonna be fun. I brought my Wii to my parents' place, who have a Netflix subscription, and I've been going nuts with it. Man was not meant to wield such power. Some people might know I've been trying to watch every movie in IMDB's top 250. Well, in the two days I've been home, I've already marked 3 off my list thanks to this amazing creation.

But I also broke a tooth a couple days before I got home. That's definitely not fun.

So I'm back in the central time zone now. To those of you still in the eastern time zone, this update will appear late. But it's actually getting submitted at (approximately) midnight my time. So there. Anyway, be sure you stop by the forum!

December 4, 2010: I actually made this update last night, and spent extra-long on it because I wanted to get used to the new version of Photoshop, and hotkeys and stuff like that. It's some fun stuff. I dunno why I waited until today to post it. Anyway, be sure you stop by the forum!

November 27, 2010: Ok, this time I'm just one itty-bitty day late... Could be worse.

Tonight I installed a new version of Photoshop! I made the huge jump from version 7.0 to CS4. I'm still getting used to this new version, but it should make me much more effective at drawing things. This version has such awesome features as... NESTED LAYER SETS! LAYER SETS WITHIN LAYER SETS! It's just beautiful. Also, be sure you stop by the forum!

November 19, 2010: All right! This makes the first week in a row that I updated on time! We've got a good streak going here! Is everyone remembering to link as many people as possible to this site? I'm thinking about buying some cheap (i.e. under 1 dollar) ad space on various web sites and junk, but I don't know how much that would help. All you other folks can do your part as well by harassing all your friends to check this place out! Also, be sure you stop by the forum!

November 12, 2010: Ah, what a fine Thursday update..... It is Thursday, right?

I forgot that I'd have to make more updates than usual to the main site. It's a new Bandit chapter, after all. Had to make a new title card for him, and a new page for the new chapter, and all that stuff. Anyway, be sure you stop by the forum!

November 2, 2010: Happy belated Halloween! I semi-purposely delayed this update to find out how foreveralone.jpg I was in this site. As it turns out, it took just about one week for someone to notice I hadn't updated yet! Or maybe people noticed and didn't say anything. If that happens, yell at me! Give me a stark what-for! I should require a stern thrashing for such negligent transgressions!

... Yeah, forgive my language. I just spend the whole weekend running the gauntlet that is volume 1 of Felix Holt, an exceedingly dull novel about British politics in the mid-1800s. Had to read 160 pages this weekend, and I'll be up for 90 more between Tuesday and Thursday, then 140 more over the next weekend. This class is really intense on the reading, and if my teacher doesn't give the class a quiz when I've actually DONE the reading, he's the devil.

In other news, I'm thinking about finally working on the "art" section of this site. Maybe I could do requests for people and stuff. Will work for TF2 items. Also, be sure you stop by the forum!

October 19, 2010: Today I'm gonna be getting a new video card in the mail. It's actually already here, but I can't pick it up from the post office downstairs until 7 PM. It's a good thing I got this update done before then, or it might have never happened. Expect me to withdraw from all social contact thanks to this thing. Also, be sure you stop by the forum!

October 12, 2010: Oi, I was a day late. Maybe two, technically... Let's just pretend I'm still in the central time zone and it's 11:00 where I live. I sorta wish somebody would get on my ass about being late. Then I would be all like "I MUSTN'T DELAY NEXT WEEK, OR I WOULD SURELY DISAPPOINT COUNTLESS SOULS!" Also, be sure you stop by the forum!

October 5, 2010: Whoa, how weird. I TOTALLY updated yesterday when nobody was looking. I guess I'll just change all of the dates on the site to today, since this is the first time anyone has seen any of this update... RIIIIIIIGHT?

In other news, my fall break starts Wednesday (and ends next Monday) so I get to go home for a few days. Yay. Also, my birthday is this month, on the 21st. Guess you oughta buy me an expensive gift, huh? Also, be sure you stop by the forum!

September 27, 2010: I don't have much to say this week, so here's a link to a picture I think is funny. Also, be sure you stop by the forum!

September 20, 2010: I know I missed a few days here, but I've finally hit full steam in my classes, and I had to take some effort to get into the studying/working groove, so the site had to hit a brief speed bump. To make up for it, there are two pictures this week! And maybe I'll update early next time as well. Anything's possible. Anyway, be sure you stop by the forum!

September 7, 2010: You guys are lucky I'm not neglecting you! Classes have started full force now! Why, I even had my first exam today in my film class (which I aced). Speaking of film, I saw an interesting trailer the other day. Take a look at this real quick and tell me there aren't any gay undertones in this video. I mean, it reminds me of old movies like the Fox and the Hound or Milo & Otis, but... Somehow these two just enjoy their friendship way too much. It's like Brokeback Mountain for animals. Anyway, be sure you stop by the forum!

August 31, 2010: Crap, I was a day late. It won't happen again! Probably! Well, one thing that happened in the past week is that the new Worms game came out on Steam. I've talked in the past about putting members here into a worms game as computer players, but it always failed because I couldn't get any video-recording software that records Worms properly. Maybe now that a new game is here, it'll be compatible with Fraps or Camstudio. I haven't tried it yet, but I might give it a go in the next few days. Also, be sure you stop by the forum!

August 23, 2010: Whoa, two updates. We officially have a series now. As always, my life is so full of grueling schoolwork during the week and outrageous parties every weekend that I can scarcely find the time to squeeze out an update. Of course, part of the reason I've delayed is that I've started working on a super-secret side project that I've already said too much about. My plan is to do one update per week this time. I think I've tried to stick to a specific schedule like this in the past, but I'd end up breaking it because I was too anxious to draw something new and things would get all off-schedule. I don't really like the idea of updating on a specific day, since it's more fair to surprise people (gives people more of an equal chance to catch the update first) but maybe some randomness can be retained in me not updating at any specific time of day. As of now, the update day is Monday. That day may change if I feel like doing an update earlier, which I might... But I probably won't make an update late.

Want to see something cool? Read this webcomic: Minus. It's one of the best comics I've ever seen. It's this well-illustrated little series about some girl with god powers. A lot of them aren't really funny, but a lot of them aren't supposed to be. Just really cool. I recommend reading #25-27 and #60-61 to get a good feel for it. Also, be sure you stop by my forum!

August 16, 2010: I wanted to get this story started 2-3 days ago, but certain complications required my attention. I'm starting school again in a few days, and just yesterday moved back to the campus. I was barely off my feet at all yesterday, but today is nice and rainy. Perfect weather to stay inside and draw a CYOA illustration. Anyway, be sure you stop by the forum!

August 10, 2010: A semi-big update is happening for the site today. The plan is to return to the site's roots of posting the interactive stories, as well as the occasional extra item whenever I feel like it. A new CYoA is set to begin in just a few days, so be sure to spread the word to everyone you know! Also, be sure you stop by the forum!

(seriously, you'll find additional news and such there) June 17, 2009: Today I put chapter 9 of Shepry and Koen up. It's much longer and much less illustrated than past chapters. Actually... No illustrations this time. I had one ready as you can probably see by the little update picture, but it seems that somehow I neglected to save the full-size version. I can't find it anywhere on my computer. Either I saved it in some foreign location without paying attention, or I left my computer with Photoshop open and my computer restarted itself, or I just plain forgot to save. Hard to say. Anyway, there isn't a whole lot to illustrate in this chapter.

In other news, I've recently considered looking into making paid promotion of this site. Getting the word out as passively as I've been doing so far doesn't seem to do the trick. Then again, this might not be something to consider until I've contributed more to the site.

In additional news, I've been thinking more about starting a side project. I might like to make videos where I offer reviews of little-known things things that I like, or of well-known things, done in a humorous way. Alternatively (or additonally) I've considered some kind of chat show starring my friends and me. At any rate, stuff like that might not actually start until I get back into school, purely for the convenience of having the time and means to do it. Anyway, be sure you stop by the forum!

May 28, 2009: Big site changes coming today. The CYOAs and Shepry and Koen (in comic form) are indefinitely halted, and instead I'm going to be focusing on writing and occasionally illustrating Shepry and Koen. I guess the interactive element here is gone, but you can still tell me what you think. Also, be sure you stop by the forum! October 29, 2008: Woo, ok, it's been a while, hasn't it? The past two months have been full of class, so there's been very little time for side hobbies like this. I think a break might do the CYOAs some good though. Hopefully I can get regularly updating this again. The schedule I want to try is Sunday, Tuesday, & Thursday. These are most convenient for me, but keep in mind that they might be done late at night, technically the following day. This is assuming I start getting the suggestions really flowing in again.

Now admittedly, I have been working on Shepry and Koen quite a bit, but not in the same sense as drawing comics. What I've been doing instead is writing the story out as if it's a book or something. Crazy, eh? It's been lots of fun to write Shepry and Koen, because I get to go into more detail the whole time. In the comic, lots of things get left out, mostly because I don't want to make it too wordy, or I want to move on to another scene really shortly, to keep things fresh. I think the best way to deliver this story, really, is to have it primarily written, but accompanied by an occasional illustration. I might distribute samples of what I've written so far to forum members who want to see. With less focus on illustrations, I get to make what illustrations there are more intricate and well-polished. I have an example of such a picture, but it's not here, so be sure you stop by the forum!

August 28, 2008: The update schedule has become difficult indeed, since days at school are so much more packed than days at home. I update in spare moments though, when they come along. They're most likely to come by on Thursdays I'd say... Maybe weekends too, but ya never know during the week. Also, be sure you stop by the forum!

August 25, 2008: For the first time since school has started up again, I've had a free hour to update this site once more! Rejoice! It's still kind of sad though... Well, both sad and good... I have a lot more to do here and a lot less boredom, but I also have much less time to get work done for this place. =/ What is also sad is that I have ideas for OTHER projects I want to do, and just can't get them done now. CYOAs gotta come first, and everything else has to wait for now. Also, be sure you stop by the forum!

August 19, 2008: Oi, looks like I missed a couple days. Hopefully I'll be sticking to the schedule like I've mostly been doing lately, but I'm back in classes tomorrow, so... May have less time for fun. Also, be sure you stop by the forum!

August 15, 2008: Another day of minimal news, just Average Guy #19 put up today. Maybe with daily CYOA posts, I don't need to do daily news posts? I don't know, that might be awkward for the people who come to the main page for their news and not the forum, but... I guess they'd be able to see the update pic above, eh? Also, be sure you stop by the forum!

August 14, 2008: I realized today that while I might be capable of producing one update for the story per day, it kinda depends on my mates over in the forum having a suggestion waiting for me. So... You all need to do your part to keep me busy! By the way, as it was in the days of old, I might have a day that I'm too busy to get a picture done, and if I don't get a suggestion until just a little while before the next day, then the update is to go up the next day... Also, be sure you stop by the forum!

August 11, 2008: No news of note today, just continuing The Average Guy's story! Also, be sure you stop by the forum!

August 10, 2008: A change in my work schedule will happen today. Instead of setting myself to do one panel of Shepry & Koen before letting myself play any computer games, I'm going to do one CYOA scene (assuming I have a suggestion waiting at the time). I believe these are in more demand than my "solo project." The main inspiration for making this change was uploading the Chef & Cop stories a couple days ago. Going back and reading through what it was like back then was great, almost nostalgic. Everyone was so nice back then, and I was churning out an update a day and loving it. =') I want to get back to days like those. Also, be sure you stop by the forum!

August 8, 2008: Today, a couple of long-lost CYOAs have been added to the site. These are two that had a very short run and have now come to an end, but they're available to view still. You can check out the stories of The Chef and The Cop in the Extras section. Also, be sure you stop by the forum!

August 5, 2008: Shepry and Koen are new today, but the bigger attraction is something else I've been planning for them... Or, preferably, a new set of characters... Or perhaps, older characters (Pirate, monk, average guy). There are more details in the forum, but the basic premise is that these characters would "travel" the internet and pay a visit to the regulars of various communities as if they're in a physical place. It's in very early planning stages, but perhaps it would be a fun project for the future. Also, be sure you stop by the forum!

July 26, 2008: Double-update today, both The Pirate and Shepry and Koen. This comic would have taken a shorter time to make, but I took a little extra time fine-tuning the new character appearing in the newest installment. I'll also have you know that I have made a few sprays for Team Fortress 2 promoting this site. =P If anyone is here because they saw my shameless site-whoring spray, I welcome you and encourage you to read EVERYTHING in the site! Also, be sure you stop by the forum!

July 3, 2008: Well, today I didn't actually do any Shepry and Koen work... Though I also did not play any games today. So, it's not a perfect system I'm working on, but it'll do most of the time. Don't worry, I'm still crazy addicted to Team Fortress 2. There's also the note that Diablo 3 has been recently announced and is totally in development, so when that actually comes out, you can bet to see that I've put out lots of work! Also, be sure you stop by the forum!

July 1, 2008: All right, so... CYOAs going again! Fun stuff. After a record-breaking break, you can see The Pirate's epic continuing. Also, be sure you stop by the forum!

July 1, 2008: Hey, so this new daily quota thing is working out pretty well. Six days, six panels. Well technically seven days because I forgot to upload yesterday, but still, I did get it done in the time I said. CYOAs should be picking back up soon too, so watch for them! Also, be sure you stop by the forum!

June 24, 2008: It seems kinda like this one's taken longer than it should have, considering my new policy for myself. I have made it a personal law that I will not play any kind of a game on the computer until I make at least one panel of Shepry & Koen. So since this one has 9 panels, you'd think it would have come 9 days after the last one... But there was a number of complicating issues. I had to make a family trip to Missouri that lasted nearly a week, during which time I could do no work at all. There's also the fact that I WAS going to make another comic between these two, but I got halfway through and decided it was a dumb subplot. So now there's half a comic sitting here that won't see the light of day. I think maybe I should pick up the CYOAs again, don't you? Also, be sure you stop by the forum!

May 30, 2008: WHOA, WAIT, I STILL HAVE A SITE HERE?! CRAP, I FORGOT! This is probably the longest gap there's been, not that I'm trying to set a world record or anything. So there's a new Shepry & Koen up.. As always, I'm way backlogged on it, with many more comic plans written out than I have comics made so far. So go ahead and check that out. Also, be sure you stop by the forum!

April 7, 2008: Insert the usual speech about how I really wish I had more time to work on every single thing related to this site. Also, be sure you stop by the forum!

April 3, 2008: Too long, too long. I got bored tonight, opened up Photoshop, drew a little something, then just happened to get absorbed in today's update as well. Good thing, eh? I've gotten into what you may call either a rut or a daily habit which has been allowing too little time for the work I want to do here. I sit in class planning out the future of Shepry and Koen, wish I was at home working in Photoshop, then actually get home and go through a series of I'll-do-it-laters until it's 2 A.M. and all I want to do is get my required homework for the night finished before I totally pass out in bed. Really, it's a wonder that I updated now of all times, as I've been swamped with homework and projects. I would say that considering this, the next update may also be late, but I really don't want to have to say that. =( Anyway, the little something I drew before this update will be stored in the extras section. Also, be sure you stop by the forum!

March 4, 2008: By little demand, another commentary has been done. Also, I thought I had mentioned this in a previous news post, but I'm not seeing it... I don't plan to continue doing commentary videos much, if at all, in the future. In place of those, what I might do is record audio commentary on the older pictures and stuff, much shorter, but also much more attention-holding. I doubt that most people will sit through the usually hour-long commentary videos as it is. This latest one is actually only 36 minutes and zero seconds, but I still doubt most people will sit through the whole thing. It's uploading to Google Video as I type this update, and will be added as a link right here, so check back tomorrow. Also, be sure you stop by the forum!

March 3, 2008: Time already for an update, eh? I figure I should, to make up for the almost month of no CYOAs. I want to say that I'm going to try for one update per day until Brawl, but... Don't hold me to that. I might miss a day or two. Also, be sure you stop by the forum!

March 2, 2008: A bit lame that the new Shepry and Koen update got scarcely 24 hours on the front page, but anyway, I'm sure people will find it. This new Monk picture is long overdue anyway, and those things are probably the main attraction. Lately focus on Shepry and Koen's been a lot more heavy, as I really think I need to get more frequent comics out, but I still don't think it's gotten to any kind of a point where it has any kind of an anticipatory audience, so... Working hard and hardly working, same time. Ideally, I'd get several CYOA pics out in a week, and one comic, but alas, I'm just lacking in time. The most time I have to work on this stuff is like after 1 A.M., and I don't have nearly the energy to stay up for that. Even so... I need to get working harder... Somehow... Also, be sure you stop by the forum!

February 29, 2008: I never thought I'd see the day there are two Shepry & Koens in a row, uninterrupted by CYOA updates. Half of it is that this one got done faster than normal (being only 6 panels) and the other half is that I just haven't had the CYOAs in mind as much lately. Hopefully things can go just as swimmingly for the comic in the future.

Tonight I'll probably add more avatars, and either make some unique ones or get started on comic #5. To kind of go off on a tangent here, I found this one inspirational song, and I was going to put a link to it in here (along with the lyrics) but the site is down. <_< So, uh... I'll add it in later if I feel like it, but I'll go ahead and say I probably won't feel like it, so don't wait in total suspense. Also, be sure you stop by the forum!

February 11, 2008: Huzzah, new Shepry and Koen online! At the rate this is going, it looks like there's a new one every 2-3 months. That's..... HORRIBLE. I need to work harder on these things or something. I need to find some way to overcome my Motivational Deficiency Disorder and really challenge myself to do more than one in a month. Regularly. It'd be hard to do, especially with my aforementioned ailment. I just need to get one panel done per day, no exceptions. I'm sure I'll get better and more effective at it as I go along, making it easier... Even now I can see great strides made in quality between comics 1 and 3. I don't know how visible they are to everyone else, but it looks like months of change to me... And I guess technically it is. If I thought I had a significant fanbase I'd probably do quicker work, but activity 'round here's really slow. I wonder if it'd help me much to pay for some banner ads on other sites. I don't really want to go for it until I have a greater number of comics, but at the same time I don't want to wait until the CYOAs get too huge for people to want to read all the way back... It's a hard balance. If any of the (few) regular visitors want to point people in my direction though, it's much appreciated. =] Also, be sure you stop by the forum!

February 7, 2008: I think we can primarily blame Deus Ex for this update's lateness. I mean, I guess technically it isn't late since there's no official deadline, but I unofficially aim for one pic per week at least. Anyway, yeah, that's one grand game. I would also like to note that sometime soon, this site may get its own .com location, and I'm planning a sort of gaming-related site (kept mostly under wraps until I figure out how to get some serious PHP implemented) which may also come to fruition, though surely much later. Meaning, another 2-3 comics' worth of time (at least) in Shepry and Koen.

We've hit another spike of serious Shepry and Koen work too, I might note. Tonight I got two panels done from scratch, then drew up today's update for The Monk. I must say, weighed against Shepry and Koen, these CYOA pics seem to take next to no effort. One more thing I want to note is a change in my Shepry and Koen drawing habits: Up to this point, every panel has been done 99% from scratch, so as to both give each panel a clearly distinct look and to help me develop drawing skills. Obviously though, this is highly time-consuming, and it probably won't make a world of difference to anybody if I start copying and pasting certain parts as I'm planning. I have vowed though, that there will be no 100% duplicated pictures (unless the plot calls for it or something), and people probably won't even notice what I duplicate unless they take very close looks comparing panels.

So as I said, Shepry and Koen production has hit a great upward spike. I'd say you can expect a new comic by the weekend, and a fourth within the next week or two if I really haul ass. In the upcoming comic 3, you'll see the plot actually starting to form, and comic 4 will actually have something that might be considered adventure-worthy. =P Also, be sure you stop by the forum!

January 29, 2008: I've decided today that instead of using the same avatar I always have on the forum, I'm going to make it a picture of my latest bit of progress in Shepry And Koen. This way people can be assured that yes, I am working on it, and know just how often I am. Plus, you get a tiny sneak peek at what's going to happen, eh? =]

I tried some fancy photoshoppy ripplin' effects in this newest picture. It looks a tad weird, but I suppose it works, eh? Just a tiny step in artistic advancement. n_n

Another thing to note: There is now a selection of avatars over in the Extras section. Most of these are taken directly from the illustrations here, but I can see myself one boring day in the future sitting down to make some custom images of the characters for avatar use. Again though, I doubt that there's an enormous demand for these. Also, be sure you stop by the forum!

January 23, 2008: We've got another commentary video this week. As you can hear in the video, it was actually done Saturday night, but didn't get online until just now. I tried to get this on stage6.com, but doing so is crazy complicated and involves all kinds of additional programs which crashed every time I tried to use them. On the plus side, there's background music this week. It's a real shame Stage6 wouldn't work, because it allows for some really high-quality videos. Perhaps someday... Until then, all I can offer is Google Video's blurry self. Also, be sure you stop by the forum!

January 17, 2008: Y'know what? Being the anxious person I am, I decided to go ahead and drop the maps from the Average Guy story today. The old ones will stay, but I'm not going to make any more. I think some more frequent updates may come to be seen soon, since I have a semi-writer's block on Shepry And Koen. Not so much that I don't know what to write, but I don't know how to best present what I'm writing. So... Check back a bit more frequently. I know you want to. ;) Also, be sure you stop by the forum!

January 15, 2008: Since classes have once again fully begun, there may be less time for me to work on this stuff pretty soon. It was my new years' resolution to do at least one hour of work on this site per day though, so that's what I need to stick with. I want to announce a change that viewers of the old site will notice. In the past, updates would hit the forum immediately, but the illustrations wouldn't be archived until a few days after a chapter closed. Now things will hit the main site before anything else, and the forum will be a secondary thing. Maybe this way the site can be less forum-oriented. Now, people can just check the main page to see what's new. I'd also like to say at this point that starting next chapter, I'm gonna remove the maps from Average Guy updates. It's just generally more work than it's worth, and I think things will work better without it. I'm not even sure now why I included those in the first place. Also, be sure you stop by the forum!

January 13, 2008: Troothful Tales has just undergone a total overhaul to celebrate the beginning of CYOA #1, The Monk's Journey! (Though his actual birthday is January 19, this coming Saturday-- Make sure you get him a gift!) The crappy basic structure of the old site is a thing of the past, and it has been exchanged for this snazzy new look! Take a look around and see all the pretty new features. You'll scarcely see a thing unchanged, aside from the original images and comments of the stories. An update for The Average Guy should be coming soon. Also, be sure you stop by the forum!