The Story Machine

Discuss Scott McCloud's current online comic project. Be sure to check out <a href="http://www.scottmccloud.com/comics/mi/mi.html">the latest improv</a>!

Moderators: Scott McCloud, Moderators

Locked
Zhat
Forum Member
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Nov 14, 2003 10:31 pm
Location: Vancouver BC Canada

The Story Machine

Post by Zhat »

I was looking over Scott's page again when I re-discoverd thoes story machines. I wished more were shown there, but realised I could just do my own. I dont think I'll ever use it, but it was good fun to make.

Image

If anyone wants to, I thoght someone could claim a side and continue it, and someone else can continue off that. We could have one huge story machine. :D
DecafSilicon
Consistant Poster
Posts: 169
Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2003 12:50 pm
Location: Grove City College, PA, USA
Contact:

Post by DecafSilicon »

*wishes he could draw*
User avatar
Greg Stephens
Forum Founder
Posts: 3862
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2001 7:00 pm
Location: Los Angeles, California, USA
Contact:

Post by Greg Stephens »

There are several find comics created with clip-art. Also, many photo-comics. Story machines could be made with these and other images.
Good morning! That's a nice tnetennba.
Kris Lachowski
Consistant Poster
Posts: 193
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2003 7:04 pm
Location: Earth
Contact:

Post by Kris Lachowski »

Greg Stephens wrote:There are several find comics created with clip-art. Also, many photo-comics. Story machines could be made with these and other images.
That's a great idea!
Zhat
Forum Member
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Nov 14, 2003 10:31 pm
Location: Vancouver BC Canada

Post by Zhat »

I know there are a lot better things I could be doing...

Image

This attaches to the bottom of my first one.
Zhat
Forum Member
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Nov 14, 2003 10:31 pm
Location: Vancouver BC Canada

Post by Zhat »

I know this is kinda old, but I was wondering if Scott is going to ever continue thoes stoys machines.

If not, ignore me as usual. :D
zerofoks
Frequent Poster
Posts: 74
Joined: Sun Jul 07, 2002 12:40 pm
Location: Germany
Contact:

Post by zerofoks »

I have done something similar a few times, though the ways of the "stories" are less linear in my attempt than in those who were presented.

BIG file, so beware:

http://www.radicalartistfoundation.de/z ... upru_2.png
<a href="http://www.radicalartistfoundation.de/zero.htm" target=_blank">zerofoks @ the Radical Artist Foundation</a>
Kris Lachowski
Consistant Poster
Posts: 193
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2003 7:04 pm
Location: Earth
Contact:

Post by Kris Lachowski »

zerokfoks that's really cool!
Ben Sutter
Regular Poster
Posts: 30
Joined: Wed Jan 28, 2004 9:03 am
Location: Dayton, OH

Post by Ben Sutter »

I don't understand how they work. Do you roll a 4-sided die and move a marker to decide the next part of the story? Or is the creation of the story machine the "point" itself?
I've decided that signatures are redundant.
User avatar
Greg Stephens
Forum Founder
Posts: 3862
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2001 7:00 pm
Location: Los Angeles, California, USA
Contact:

Post by Greg Stephens »

Yup, you've basically got it. Scott explains his story machine here.
Good morning! That's a nice tnetennba.
Zhat
Forum Member
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Nov 14, 2003 10:31 pm
Location: Vancouver BC Canada

Post by Zhat »

That's great Zerofoks. I'm going to have to try something like that next. Unfortunatly my scanner isn't quite playing nice, so I might not be able to show it any time soon. I'll see what I can do.
Rip Tanion
Reinvents understanding
Posts: 635
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2002 4:47 pm
Location: The Riptania Sky-Palace in da beauuuuuutiful Bronx.
Contact:

Post by Rip Tanion »

Wow, Zero, that reminds me of an acid trip I once had...which is why I don't do acid anymore. :roll:

Seriously, it actually reminds of stuff I used to do back in my younger days. I'd smoke a bunch of weed (augmented occasionaly by another hallucinagenic), and hit the drawing board. The object was to fill every inch of the paper, and leave as little blank space as possible.

While this is pretty cool (and extremly wacky...somewhat disturbing, as well), I'm not sure if it qualifies as a story machine, at least by Scott's definition. It might a bit too complicated for that. Of course, that's open for debate. I'd say it almost definatly qualifies as surrealism...or something.

Whoah! I just saw Pac-Man! I'm gonna have go out and score a big bag of ganja, and study this further.
"Park the beers, and grab the smiles. It's flight time." - LtCdr. J. Robert "Bobby" Stone, USN (R.I.P.)
zerofoks
Frequent Poster
Posts: 74
Joined: Sun Jul 07, 2002 12:40 pm
Location: Germany
Contact:

Post by zerofoks »

While I certainly can see the "drug tripping" association for my piece of visual art there, it's probably been done completely sober, as it usually takes me many days to finish a drawing like that.

And I can't be stoned ALL the time. :)

Of course I also agree that it doesn't quite fit the initial definition of Mr McCloud. However, my point wasn't doing a story machine, but rather to fill a giant speech bubble with a lot of rather wildly associated drawings, coming together in form and content. This, it seemed to me, was the essence of dreams, hence the title under the bubble.
<a href="http://www.radicalartistfoundation.de/zero.htm" target=_blank">zerofoks @ the Radical Artist Foundation</a>
Eric F Myers
Understands reinventing
Posts: 352
Joined: Fri Oct 03, 2003 1:17 pm
Location: Chicago
Contact:

Post by Eric F Myers »

Rip Tanion wrote:The object was to fill every inch of the paper, and leave as little blank space as possible.
I was experimenting with this sort of art a few months ago and put a couple my my site, here and here. I then made a comic using that style.

I have used it like a story machine. Not to create a story, but to get my mind off of it, so I can go back to it with a fresh mind.
zerofoks
Frequent Poster
Posts: 74
Joined: Sun Jul 07, 2002 12:40 pm
Location: Germany
Contact:

Post by zerofoks »

efm wrote: I then made a comic using that style.

I have used it like a story machine. Not to create a story, but to get my mind off of it, so I can go back to it with a fresh mind.
I like that one. I don't know really why, but it kinda puts a certain religious attitude into perspective, esp. the end.
<a href="http://www.radicalartistfoundation.de/zero.htm" target=_blank">zerofoks @ the Radical Artist Foundation</a>
kaos_de_moria
Consistant Poster
Posts: 161
Joined: Fri Aug 22, 2003 9:49 am
Location: Switzerland

thx

Post by kaos_de_moria »

efm wrote:
Rip Tanion wrote:The object was to fill every inch of the paper, and leave as little blank space as possible.
I was experimenting with this sort of art a few months ago and put a couple my my site, here and here. I then made a comic using that style.

I have used it like a story machine. Not to create a story, but to get my mind off of it, so I can go back to it with a fresh mind.

great, thanks for sharing
kaos
Rip Tanion
Reinvents understanding
Posts: 635
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2002 4:47 pm
Location: The Riptania Sky-Palace in da beauuuuuutiful Bronx.
Contact:

Post by Rip Tanion »

That Stagelines drawing has a very pre-Columbian, Meso-American feel to it.

If I might make a suggestion, Eric, a script to pre-load the roll-over images would make things go smoother in your comic, especially for us here in the dial-up ghetto.

BTW, who in their right mind ISN'T afraid of clowns.
"Park the beers, and grab the smiles. It's flight time." - LtCdr. J. Robert "Bobby" Stone, USN (R.I.P.)
Eric F Myers
Understands reinventing
Posts: 352
Joined: Fri Oct 03, 2003 1:17 pm
Location: Chicago
Contact:

Post by Eric F Myers »

Rip Tanion wrote:If I might make a suggestion, Eric, a script to pre-load the roll-over images would make things go smoother in your comic, especially for us here in the dial-up ghetto.
That is a good idea, something I didn't even think of when I was scripting the page. Thanks.
Kris Lachowski
Consistant Poster
Posts: 193
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2003 7:04 pm
Location: Earth
Contact:

Post by Kris Lachowski »

efm wrote:
Rip Tanion wrote:The object was to fill every inch of the paper, and leave as little blank space as possible.
I was experimenting with this sort of art a few months ago and put a couple my my site, here and here. I then made a comic using that style.

I have used it like a story machine. Not to create a story, but to get my mind off of it, so I can go back to it with a fresh mind.
I used a similar style on the last portion of this comic (well actually middle since it's not finished) to show a sort of dream hallucination sequence. http://krislachowski.250free.com/DFC.html
Rip Tanion
Reinvents understanding
Posts: 635
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2002 4:47 pm
Location: The Riptania Sky-Palace in da beauuuuuutiful Bronx.
Contact:

Post by Rip Tanion »

Don't mention it, Eric. Glad to be of service.
"Park the beers, and grab the smiles. It's flight time." - LtCdr. J. Robert "Bobby" Stone, USN (R.I.P.)
Veleno
Frequent Poster
Posts: 65
Joined: Fri Dec 05, 2003 11:03 pm

machine

Post by Veleno »

I had a thought a moment ago:

Since 6 sided dice are easier to come across than 4 sided dice, perhaps a story machine could be done using a hexigonal grid instead of a square one.
"The way to a man's heart is through his ribcage"
Guest

Re: machine

Post by Guest »

Veleno wrote:Since 6 sided dice are easier to come across than 4 sided dice, perhaps a story machine could be done using a hexigonal grid instead of a square one.
That's a good idea. It would also fill up the spaces better. Ok, I got a few things to try now...
Rip Tanion
Reinvents understanding
Posts: 635
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2002 4:47 pm
Location: The Riptania Sky-Palace in da beauuuuuutiful Bronx.
Contact:

Re: machine

Post by Rip Tanion »

Veleno wrote:Since 6 sided dice are easier to come across than 4 sided dice, perhaps a story machine could be done using a hexigonal grid instead of a square one.
Unless you're a D&D geek; then you've got a pouch full of wierd dice. Of course, if you're a D&D geek, you probably also have a pad of hexognal grid paper laying around too.

OK, I confess, I was once one, myself, in my youth. A lot of that RPG stuff I bought, some twenty to fifteen years ago, at the Compleat Strategist, is still tucked away somewhere in my closet.
"Park the beers, and grab the smiles. It's flight time." - LtCdr. J. Robert "Bobby" Stone, USN (R.I.P.)
Locked