Troothful Tales

First visit to the site?
Troothful Tales is the home to several choose-your-own-adventure-style stories, run by the author Trooth, and the members of the forum. Users will post a suggestion for what action the main character will perform, and the reaction is posted by the author.
In addition, a comic is posted on occasion by the title of Shepry And Koen. Updates are more rare for that though, as it takes a considerably greater amount of work, and the author is a busy, busy man!

THE LATEST NEWS

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!