It seems that, in between real life and work and some pretty big changes that have happened recently, I can’t see Lithium being completed for a few years. Don’t panic! Read this blog post in full before anyone goes nuts. Sure there’s only two comics to go, but based on (1) recent changes to Poser, combined with (2) other factors like work and life, it seems we are in a perfect storm of slowing down comic production to almost not-worth-bothering levels?! Boo!
I mean the new Poser’s good; here’s a lovely comparison between old Poser renders and new Poser renders:
👆 Old … New 👇
… so … I think it’s worth sticking with new Poser. Not least because old Poser just doesn’t physically work on my computer anymore, so we can’t step back production methods.
Hmm. So what to do? I suppose it’s possible:
- Slowwww option {A}, I just release stuff at my own glacial pace and people put up with it (it will literally be years per comic if Poser continues to be like this),
- or shut-down option {B}, I release the full written text of any remaining comics and we all read the scripts and use the mighty brains we each possess to imagine the comics that would complete the series,
- or hibernation option {C}, I just pack it all in right now and then come back to it after a substantial hiatus and after the software’s been fixed, and I then smash out a big pile of comics in the space of 6 months … which has happened before let’s face it,
- or mystery option {D} which I haven’t thought of yet, but which almost always is what happens in the end! Exciting!
Anyway, just thought I’d offer up the conundrum to you great people of the internet, see what people think. If I wait for {C}, likelihood is AI stuff will have moved on so comics might be produced differently by then anyway. And I’ll have a flying car etc, so.
But I don’t want to just drop it because there are so many cute stories waiting to explore, so the production conundrum really does need sorting …
Lol. Anyway, most interesting factor amongst all of this is that … genuinely … thanks to various talking therapies over the last couple of years, I am a changed person. (As blogged recently). I’m freer than ever before, and in such a good place with relationships and life and all that, that I don’t really feel the same need to make comics any more … which is interesting.
I actually went to an event last night which I know for a fact would have triggered old me – I would’ve found it really difficult for a variety of complex reasons. But instead I just … enjoyed it. And at those tricky moments, I went “Ah well, lol.” and that was it. It seems that Skylar knew what she was talking about;
It’s good because that’s lovely for me, but bad because it does put the future of my comics production somewhat into question. Hurmm. What to do, eh? I suppose life is not always great at completing things, and our art can be the exact right thing for that time, and all we have to do is feel where we’re going with it. Which I’ve done throughout – you probably noticed.
But then I’m also definitely going to finish Lithium. There, I said it. Okay, that’s my mind made up. It’s too much of a delightful little story not to complete, eh? And there were hints at the beginning of Lithium #1 that need wrapping up. Yeah, yep. I need to finish it really, not least to honour the changes I was going through a few years back when I wrote Lithium – it makes sense to wrap that up, even if I don’t need it now, because there’ll be people out there who need it. Plus boobies. And we’ll figure out how to improve Poser’s response somehow, so it’s useable once more.
Anyway, as I opened up that old bath scene and updated their textures, here’s a few more renders, and a few new rendered angles of that scene, for fun. Bear in mind this was possible because the poses and stuff were already setup, but even moving the camera here and there was painfully slow – and it’s not my Mac Pro because that badboy ploughs through everything else and is an absolute monster – it’s a software logic issue for sure. Anyway some new renders for fun:
“Shall we do another comic?”
Ahh, we’ll find a way.”
“Maybe we’ll just change our haircuts, that’ll get round the software issues.”
“Ah, good idea.”
“Oh snap, that actually worked. Will anyone notice our new hair?”
“No-one’s looking at our hair, Charlie.”
“Perfect.”
{It seems we may be stumbling towards option {D} …}
(C)!
…but “flying cars”…how far in the future is C? Will I be still alive at that point? I might be killed by ca flying car, crashing in my second floor appartement… .
BTW: (A) might never happen. Changes are not allways welcome and when the backlash for Poser is big, they might roll it back (never base your decision on “Version 1.0” of something new…).
And please don’t do (B). You are one of the rare kind, that got their stuff together: compelling story, developed character, the story is always lore (no spontanous skybeams because they look cool, and stuff like that) and your have a high expectation of you own work.
And yes, this means you are rare!
And, NO, AI will not save the day. I’m waiting since August 2023 for Tafi to release their “Text to 3D Interface”, but they don’t seem to have intrest anymore… . So…no. (and where is the self driving car that Elon promissed 4 years ago…he said “next year”…are there problems whith stuff we never done before? Wow. Who would have thought that!
So I suggest, it’s like they say: we do stuff to compensate.
I stoped drinking, but started with sex. Then I had no sex and started smoking…. maybe I have a dopamin addiction? Who knows!
Most important: Great to hear that your life… you know…the thing we are stuck with… I mean: YOU with YOUR and WE with OUR…so …everybody with his individul one, so to spreak…naaa… good that you are doing great!!! Enjoy it!!!
CU Albert
PS: you can’t change the hair! You can’t! I loved the pixie cut. Why does he look like a gay opera singer now? Oh no! Now a need a cigaret, sex and booze again. 😉
Woah woah woah there, what’s wrong with gay opera singers?!!?! You can tell that from the HAIR?!?!! Phewweeeee!
I’m still interested in Mike’s mission for the Emperor, “We don’t usually do this, but just over a year ago…”!?!
Yesss! I know, that scene is a serious zinger. It’s all written, and fairly straightforward to produce, that one. And it ties everything up, so aaarghhhh I need to get it done, really.
Do what you’ve got to do, you have already done enough in truth, far more than most of us in terms of contributing to human progress. But you do do what you do significantly better than everyone else, so put hats on them if you like, it’s not about the hair! Love and peace
When life gives you lemons, … … … um … Just give it the the {D}. I’m sorry, the force was strong with that one. I’m usually a lurker, however, I just spent the past few month reading your ENTIRE catalog. Blog posts are next. I must say Thank You for the body of work thus far. Which ever you choose I’m confident when I type that we’ll all be waiting here refreshing our browser for new updates.
munkjack – thanks dude and HATS! hahaha, imagine a behatted special edition! I could literally do that, I’ve got all the scene files, I could go through the whole of Lithium from the start and just stick hats on them and re-render 🤣
Alexander – well, lurkers are always welcome. And yeah, reading all my work is quite a bit of work hehe well done! Boobies, eh? And the blog posts should be interesting – sadly I lost all the comments people had written on the older blog posts when I moved the website (blame the Disqus comment system), but the pics should still work on the older posts.
It’s lovely that you’ve worked through your issues. The side effect (on us) of your not wanting/needing to produce comics pales into insignificance in comparison. I hope we’d all agree that your mental health is far more important than producing comics.
If you create more it will be wonderful. If not, it will be wonderful. I’m just pleased for you.
Thank you lovely
I kind of like the new hail. Try that let’s see if that works to get it out sooner then calling it quits for a while. Doesn’t hurt to try. Could always figure out a way to mention the new hail dues in the next comic somehow.
I admit that I would be sad if you stopped making comics. Mostly cause they helped me find my own way, at least a few steps into the right direction that is. But you are the only important person to be affected by whatever decision you make.
If you don`t feel like continuing we all will be fine with it. At least the ones who care 😉
We still can reread all your previous work and find new things in those comics. I know I still do, even after I read each one at least five times.
I`m glad you`re doing well now so… purpose fullfilled I guess.
Best wishes and thank you for some of the best hours of my life. Plus boobies.
Sorry, I`m not native english speaking, but I hopeyou get what I wanted to say.
Thank you buddy – nice to see you here again, and I really appreciate what you say. I think I will continue for now, it’s just very slow going! Annoying for someone impatient like me 🙂
Really glad to hear the comics may have helped a few steps in your direction, that’s cool. It’s funny where we all get our life stuff from – for some people it’s cooking shows or a book about trees or something someone said in a clothing shop – we all seem to go through life and really resonate with certain things and go ‘Ah! That’s it. That’s what I needed to get a little freer.’ All good 👍
As to finish or not to finish. I’m 73 now and I may never see the result in my life but I will see it before you in my after life. So complete by all means if just for yourself.
Loving the philosophical approach, Hilary.
You need to do what suits you and your new-found self. We should consider ourselves fortunate (and I do) that we have been able to be treated to what you have already done. Re-reading all that is extant should satisfy our need for a shot of Sindy.
It’s sad that deficient software has hastened the demise of your work, but I fear the technolgy juggernaut that now plagues us will just worsten. I only hope the Terminator films aren’t too prescient.
I can’t believe I haven’t written a Skynet reference into my comics somewhere! Argh! Hehe, thanks Mark
I’m glad you’re feeling healthier. Live the life you need to in order to maintain that. Wishing you the best of luck no matter what choices you make.
Glad to read that you’re happy!
But that doesn’t need to mean your drive to create comics should be gone.
I liken it to Zuko in Avatar, he’s a fierce firebending warrior when he channels his anger at being exiled on an impossible mission. But when his rage is overcome he finds he needs to relearn how to firebend, to pull from a new, calmer source of energy.
I don’t know if this makes sense but maybe you need a trip to the sun temple to learn the dragon dance and find your fire too.
Is that what plan {D} was all along? 0.0
– Tuonra
Hehe, yeah maybe that is D. I”m also enjoying writing more and more these days, guess we’ll find out over the next few years.
If option B, then we wouldn’t be able to search for the Easter eggs you like to hide on us! That would take some of the fun out of your stories!
I must apologise to you, Sindy! I just read my two previous comments and realised I was thinking selfishly. Looks like I still have some work ahead on eliminating my toxic traits! It seems I was not considering your feelings whilst handling the problems you were having getting your works out, but was centering my thoughts on how I was being affected. Again, my humblest apologies, milady!
Ah don’t worry about it Fred. And thinking selfishly isn’t toxic really, it’s just a very normal thing that we all do sometimes; all part of learning to look after ourselves before we really get to grips with how that can affect other peeps. But as you’ve enacted, all we need to do is spot it which you have done by reading your own comments back! Ta daaa! Done. The full process laid out before us – honest kneejerk reaction, reflection, and communication. Keep being awesome!
I ain’t paying for any of these so I can’t really complain if you never do another one.
WOAH WOAH WOAH YOU’RE NOT PAYING?!?!!! Hot dang, how are these things getting out there eh? EH?!!?! There must be a mole in my organisation! Curses!
It sounds like you need to make a YouTube video talking about how your creativity is being ruined and that you need money. I don’t give money to people without poorly thought YouTube videos that are obvious scams. It’s the only way.
Hey Sindy, I work for a home improvement store, and we have many assorted mole traps in stock, plus, I have friends in low places who love to deal with moles ;);)! Let me know and we’ll figure out the most efficacious method of dealing with your mole, mmkay?
If you never make another comic, because you don’t need that type of therapy anymore, then I can only be happy and supportive and thank you from the bottom of my heart for what you’ve created thusfar.
If you do continue to create, then I can’t wait to see how your stories evolve with you.