Moved

[JD-Ayane]

sixii

You're asking someone to take a very unclear gamble here.

Tell me, what kind of planning have you done? Exactly what kind of medium are you looking to? Do you have a website or some spot on the internet that you plan to host this project? Do you know how to program, or are you also looking for a programmer? Do you know how to program Flash media to create interactive pages? How do you intend to spread the influence of this project?

How long are you willing to wait before it becomes a success? How many times are you willing to try?

Thank you for posting this as I was asking myself the same thing.

@Temptress Alora: Regarding Kickstarter I have troubles understanding what exactly you want to promote there as it is not possible to print an interactive comic (without losing the interactive part). Also, I do not see how a concept like Homestuck can work on a more complex story. As for merchandise, have you ever tried producing some? It consumes more time, effort and funds than one might think. What will be your contribution to this project regarding its size (aside from being the author)? And what makes the story so special (besides being told in an interactive manner)? Your story sounds like an adventure BUT is not interactive enough to be considered a game but too slow paced for being really a comic. As I said, your story sounds more complicated than Homestuck and if every speech bubble has to be clicked, it destroys the atmosphere of the adventure.

[Temptress Alora]

sixii

You're asking someone to take a very unclear gamble here.

Tell me, what kind of planning have you done? Exactly what kind of medium are you looking to? Do you have a website or some spot on the internet that you plan to host this project? Do you know how to program, or are you also looking for a programmer? Do you know how to program Flash media to create interactive pages? How do you intend to spread the influence of this project?

How long are you willing to wait before it becomes a success? How many times are you willing to try?

I will admit that taking on a project of this magnitude is a bit of a gamble. There is never any guarantee that one's creative vision will accomplish precisely what it was set out to achieve. However, I also believe that if you put forth your absolute best possible effort, do not balk in the face of adversity, and above all else never give up, people are bound to notice. A lack of guarantee should not preclude someone from trying, as that essentially means you're admitting defeat before you've even started.

As for your questions:

1. I've been developing this story for several months, so I have quite a bit of pre-planning under my belt.

2. Assuming I understand your question in regards to medium, I believe I've actually answered this one already. It will be available online.

3. I haven't yet purchased a website, as I believe that'd be getting a bit ahead of myself when I don't yet have a partner and thus have no visuals to place on said website. I plan on purchasing a dedicated domain for it, however.

4. I will most likely end up needing some assistance with programming, but I'm working on developing my Flash skills. In my opinion, the fewer people we can consolidate this into, the better.

5. I won't say that marketing is my greatest forte, but I do have some ideas. Conventions, affiliation with other websites, strategic tagging with all of the most popular search engines, related forums, word of mouth, etc. etc. I'll come up with some other ideas as we go along.

6. I haven't placed any sort of time limit on this. I plan on seeing this project through to completion with the hopes that we will pick up popularity along the way.

[Temptress Alora]

JD-Ayane

Thank you for posting this as I was asking myself the same thing.

@Temptress Alora: Regarding Kickstarter I have troubles understanding what exactly you want to promote there as it is not possible to print an interactive comic (without losing the interactive part). Also, I do not see how a concept like Homestuck can work on a more complex story. As for merchandise, have you ever tried producing some? It consumes more time, effort and funds than one might think. What will be your contribution to this project regarding its size (aside from being the author)? And what makes the story so special (besides being told in an interactive manner)? Your story sounds like an adventure BUT is not interactive enough to be considered a game but too slow paced for being really a comic. As I said, your story sounds more complicated than Homestuck and if every speech bubble has to be clicked, it destroys the atmosphere of the adventure.

Kickstarter is not merely for printed media. Any creative project can be campaigned through their services, and as a matter of fact Homestuck found great success there. Even, apparently, offering a printed version of their comic as one of their reward tiers. Similar to you, I'm not quite getting the appeal...

How familiar are you with Homestuck? The story is actually tremendously convoluted. Over 6,000 pages in and they STILL haven't explained everything.

This would actually be my first foray into merchandising. I plan on making some test products to see how that goes, but that's so far down the line I'm not too worried about it yet. I've heard of endeavors in which a good chunk of the income came from associated merchandise, so I know that at least the possibility exists. Buy in bulk, save money. Have some sort of system going where I'm not the only one producing it if it ever gets to the point where I'm overwhelmed. Ultimately, though, that's not really the focus.

I'll be making several contributions, actually. As mentioned in my previous post, I'm making a dedicated attempt to learn Flash. I'll be doing all of the writing and maintaining the website. I'll probably end up doing a good chunk of the future merchandising myself. Not to mention marketing and the Kickstarter campaign (though I would like assistance on those two fronts from my partner and whoever else is on the team by that point).

Your last question is a bit more complicated to answer. I have a vision in mind for how I would like this to be presented, though I don't precisely have a name for what it should be called because I don't know of any other story that's presented in this way (which, of course, is kind of the point). I'm always hesitant to call Homestuck a comic for this reason, as it's nothing like a traditional comic. This project will be more like a game than Homestuck -- which, if you're unfamiliar, has interactive portions that are set up to look like games, but aren't really a requirement as you could immediately skip to the next page if you wanted -- but not quite a full game. It'll probably have some visual novel-esque influence. I don't really want to give too much away, to be honest.

I didn't go into all that much detail regarding the story, so I'm curious where you got that it was either complicated or slow paced. razz
With that said, it is pretty complicated. Haha!

What makes any story special? Its unique presentation and hopefully enthralling storyline; those're what'll make it worthwhile.

[sixii]

Temptress Alora

sixii

You're asking someone to take a very unclear gamble here.

Tell me, what kind of planning have you done? Exactly what kind of medium are you looking to? Do you have a website or some spot on the internet that you plan to host this project? Do you know how to program, or are you also looking for a programmer? Do you know how to program Flash media to create interactive pages? How do you intend to spread the influence of this project?

How long are you willing to wait before it becomes a success? How many times are you willing to try?

I will admit that taking on a project of this magnitude is a bit of a gamble. There is never any guarantee that one's creative vision will accomplish precisely what it was set out to achieve. However, I also believe that if you put forth your absolute best possible effort, do not balk in the face of adversity, and above all else never give up, people are bound to notice. A lack of guarantee should not preclude someone from trying, as that essentially means you're admitting defeat before you've even started.

As for your questions:

1. I've been developing this story for several months, so I have quite a bit of pre-planning under my belt.

2. Assuming I understand your question in regards to medium, I believe I've actually answered this one already. It will be available online.

3. I haven't yet purchased a website, as I believe that'd be getting a bit ahead of myself when I don't yet have a partner and thus have no visuals to place on said website. I plan on purchasing a dedicated domain for it, however.

4. I will most likely end up needing some assistance with programming, but I'm working on developing my Flash skills. In my opinion, the fewer people we can consolidate this into, the better.

5. I won't say that marketing is my greatest forte, but I do have some ideas. Conventions, affiliation with other websites, strategic tagging with all of the most popular search engines, related forums, word of mouth, etc. etc. I'll come up with some other ideas as we go along.

6. I haven't placed any sort of time limit on this. I plan on seeing this project through to completion with the hopes that we will pick up popularity along the way.

I'm asking this not to discourage you from doing anything, but because a lot of people get caught up in the frenzy of a dream not unlike yours, either banking on imagined talent or short-lived passion to pull through for them. I normally wouldn't say anything, but when you're extending this dream to relying on other people... I think it's fair for them to know what they're getting into.

2. I don't mean simply online - I mean, how is it going to be done, online? Is it going to be a page-by-page web interaction like Homestuck, with dialogue captions? Will it be like a typical webcomic? Or will it be mostly flash-based? How will a reader maneuver around the story?

4. If you're looking for just one partner for the artwork, do you have the abilities to do all the programming and Flash yourself should they be completely unable to?

6. And if it picks up little popularity, will you keep going? Will you create more web series after the first? Many hit sensations are not the first brainchildren of their creators - Homestuck came after (I think) three other webcomics; and Hussie, for what we know, enjoys doing what he does.

And finally - do you want to make this project for it's own sake, or do you want to make this project for the fame?

You must understand how you're being perceived here. Your plans seem vague, you continually compare your ideas to what is perhaps the most popular webcomic today while still floundering to describe what exactly is "unique" about your idea, your biggest and only emphasized motivation is to gain popularity, you don't have the skill to carry this whole project on your own, and you're coming to Gaia of all places to find a partner for what you hope is the next biggest internet sensation.

It's... well, of course, you can try. But there's a lot you have to prove for yourself before people are going to believe you.

[Temptress Alora]

sixii

I'm asking this not to discourage you from doing anything, but because a lot of people get caught up in the frenzy of a dream not unlike yours, either banking on imagined talent or short-lived passion to pull through for them. I normally wouldn't say anything, but when you're extending this dream to relying on other people... I think it's fair for them to know what they're getting into.

2. I don't mean simply online - I mean, how is it going to be done, online? Is it going to be a page-by-page web interaction like Homestuck, with dialogue captions? Will it be like a typical webcomic? Or will it be mostly flash-based? How will a reader maneuver around the story?

4. If you're looking for just one partner for the artwork, do you have the abilities to do all the programming and Flash yourself should they be completely unable to?

6. And if it picks up little popularity, will you keep going? Will you create more web series after the first? Many hit sensations are not the first brainchildren of their creators - Homestuck came after (I think) three other webcomics; and Hussie, for what we know, enjoys doing what he does.

And finally - do you want to make this project for it's own sake, or do you want to make this project for the fame?

You must understand how you're being perceived here. Your plans seem vague, you continually compare your ideas to what is perhaps the most popular webcomic today while still floundering to describe what exactly is "unique" about your idea, your biggest and only emphasized motivation is to gain popularity, you don't have the skill to carry this whole project on your own, and you're coming to Gaia of all places to find a partner for what you hope is the next biggest internet sensation.

It's... well, of course, you can try. But there's a lot you have to prove for yourself before people are going to believe you.

Oh, I do not by any means fault you for voicing whatever questions or concerns may come to mind. They are all very valid, especially considering how vague I was in my first post. I suppose I'm still not 100% certain how to go about pitching this to a potential partner. This actually isn't my first go-round, but I'm updating as I go along.

2. I presently envision this...er...comic being mostly Flash-based. Where Homestuck has static panels interspersed with animated panels interspersed with interactive panels, etc., I plan on moving from one Flash environment to the other, with varying degrees of interactivity. It will be released on a scene-by-scene basis, though. As in, not all at once. I like the idea of continuous updates. Not just because it keeps people guessing and interested, but it also meshes well with the way that I work and lessens the workload for everyone involved. I imagine that with my partner's input, the presentation will be developed further before it's actually released.

4. I've sort of already answered this. I'm still learning Flash, so the answer would technically be no right now. However, we will have plenty to work on before that'll even be a necessity, so should my partner have no Flash expertise -- and allow me to take this moment to throw out there that any abilities my partner has beyond drawing are a huge bonus -- it shouldn't be too much of a problem. Ultimately, if it proves to be beyond my abilities we can just bring a Flash programmer on board.

6. I will continue this through to the end no matter what the outcome. I have high hopes, though, because I genuinely believe this to be a good idea and it has been a goal of mine for quite a while (and because I'm just a generally optimistic person). Which leads us neatly to the next point...

I know how it must seem considering how it was described in my initial post, but popularity is not my only goal here. True, I have often envisioned creating something that at least 85% of people you mentioned it to would immediately know what you were talking about, but there's more to it than that. I've wanted to start up my own game company for years. Prior to that it was my own comic circle, and going back even further I aspired to be an author. But, after I discovered visual novels my desire to create interactive media took over wholeheartedly and has been going strong ever since. I've always been very passionate about writing and I have more ideas than I know what to do with, and Gatemaster! (original title, probably going to be scrapped now) is like the culmination of all of this.

Visual novels were too limiting, I wanted to carve out my own niche. Gatemaster! as I initially perceived it was more like an adventure game with a strong visual novel influence, but even that didn't sit quite well with me. Discovering Hussie's comic basically just...It was like the missing piece that I'd been searching for without realizing it all along, because hitherto I'd been attempting to shove in some similar looking piece from another puzzle or something. That is why I mention it so much. It was really a big deal to me; it strengthened my resolve.

Well, that, and because since it was already mentioned it's a common point of reference that everyone can theoretically pick up cues from. razz

So, you see, I don't just want the popularity. That's a huge motivating factor and would basically strike off one of my biggest life goals, but at the end of the day it's really the achievement of accomplishing something so huge, the rush of completing something so massive, something that I've always enjoyed and always wanted and always hoped for...That's what it is to me.

Also, there are actually tons of talented artists around Gaia. I feel a bit insulted for them that you would say "of all places". This isn't the only place I'm looking, but it's definitely not a bad place to extend my blanket.

[sixii]

Temptress Alora

Oh, I do not by any means fault you for voicing whatever questions or concerns may come to mind. They are all very valid, especially considering how vague I was in my first post. I suppose I'm still not 100% certain how to go about pitching this to a potential partner. This actually isn't my first go-round, but I'm updating as I go along.

2. I presently envision this...er...comic being mostly Flash-based. Where Homestuck has static panels interspersed with animated panels interspersed with interactive panels, etc., I plan on moving from one Flash environment to the other, with varying degrees of interactivity. It will be released on a scene-by-scene basis, though. As in, not all at once. I like the idea of continuous updates. Not just because it keeps people guessing and interested, but it also meshes well with the way that I work and lessens the workload for everyone involved. I imagine that with my partner's input, the presentation will be developed further before it's actually released.

4. I've sort of already answered this. I'm still learning Flash, so the answer would technically be no right now. However, we will have plenty to work on before that'll even be a necessity, so should my partner have no Flash expertise -- and allow me to take this moment to throw out there that any abilities my partner has beyond drawing are a huge bonus -- it shouldn't be too much of a problem. Ultimately, if it proves to be beyond my abilities we can just bring a Flash programmer on board.

6. I will continue this through to the end no matter what the outcome. I have high hopes, though, because I genuinely believe this to be a good idea and it has been a goal of mine for quite a while (and because I'm just a generally optimistic person). Which leads us neatly to the next point...

I know how it must seem considering how it was described in my initial post, but popularity is not my only goal here. True, I have often envisioned creating something that at least 85% of people you mentioned it to would immediately know what you were talking about, but there's more to it than that. I've wanted to start up my own game company for years. Prior to that it was my own comic circle, and going back even further I aspired to be an author. But, after I discovered visual novels my desire to create interactive media took over wholeheartedly and has been going strong ever since. I've always been very passionate about writing and I have more ideas than I know what to do with, and Gatemaster! (original title, probably going to be scrapped now) is like the culmination of all of this.

Visual novels were too limiting, I wanted to carve out my own niche. Gatemaster! as I initially perceived it was more like an adventure game with a strong visual novel influence, but even that didn't sit quite well with me. Discovering Hussie's comic basically just...It was like the missing piece that I'd been searching for without realizing it all along, because heretofore I'd been attempting to shove in some similar looking piece from another puzzle or something. That is why I mention it so much. It was really a big deal to me; it strengthened my resolve.

Well, that, and because since it was already mentioned it's a common point of reference that everyone can theoretically pick up cues from. razz

So, you see, I don't just want the popularity. That's a huge motivating factor and would basically strike off one of my biggest life goals, but at the end of the day it's really the achievement of accomplishing something so huge, the rush of completing something so massive, something that I've always enjoyed and always wanted and always hoped for...That's what it is to me.

Also, there are actually tons of talented artists around Gaia. I feel a bit insulted for them that you would say "of all places". This isn't the only place I'm looking, but it's definitely not a bad place to extend my blanket.

Well, you've been very polite about this - so I wish you the best of luck. I will not lie and say that I don't expect this entire thing to come crashing down before it even kicks off, but I will be pleasantly surprised if I do find Gatemaster! out there someday and flourishing - if that will give you any more motivation to do so.

I quite agree. I consider myself to be one of them, see - I draw and program games myself. I only mean that it seems somewhat... unprofessional to be picking from this site. I want to guess that Gaia is only "in the blanket" at all because you are comfortable here, not because it is a particularly rich source of artists - making it seem more like a dreamer's dream than a real endeavor.

But enough of my guesswork. Good luck. You seem to have garnered more interest than I would have expected (then again, my expectation was zero) - so I do hope you can do everything you say you will. Good luck, good luck - good luck.

[Temptress Alora]

sixii

Well, you've been very polite about this - so I wish you the best of luck. I will not lie and say that I don't expect this entire thing to come crashing down before it even kicks off, but I will be pleasantly surprised if I do find Gatemaster! out there someday and flourishing - if that will give you any more motivation to do so.

I quite agree. I consider myself to be one of them, see - I draw and program games myself. I only mean that it seems somewhat... unprofessional to be picking from this site. I want to guess that Gaia is only "in the blanket" at all because you are comfortable here, not because it is a particularly rich source of artists - making it seem more like a dreamer's dream than a real endeavor.

But enough of my guesswork. Good luck. You seem to have garnered more interest than I would have expected (then again, my expectation was zero) - so I do hope you can do everything you say you will. Good luck, good luck - good luck.

Well, I'm not a professional so why should I be deterred by something like that?
Two people of humble origins working together to produce something amazing -- wouldn't that be something?
Besides, while it's true that I'm a bit more comfortable here than I might be on some other sites, I actually do consider Gaia to be a wealth of potential.

Thank you so much for all of the well-wishes! Even if you do expect it to ultimately fail, the fact that you're still so forthcoming with your luck means a lot to me. razz

[Jayk Subfreq]

Temptress Alora

My title is borne neither from arrogance nor overconfidence. Rather, it is a goal. I've been reading Homestuck lately and got to rethinking a project I've had in mind for quite a while. I initially envisioned said project as a visual novel, but while reading the aforementioned comic something occurred to me: visual novels are so niche here in the States that even if it managed to become reasonably successful sales-wise or even well-known amongst the visual novel community, the medium would pretty much guarantee that it would never achieve mega hit status on the same scale. To me, money is nowhere near the most important factor. I want to one day see groups of cosplayers dedicated to my project. I want the fanfiction. I want the recognition. Hence this thread.

While I'd like to say that I'm a fairly talented writer, my drawing skills are all but non-existent. In order to bring this project to life, at minimum I will need a partner of the artistic persuasion. Ultimately, I would like to take a leaf out of Hussie's (that is, Homestuck's creator) book and incorporate cut-scenes and interactivity, two things I'd planned on including anyway. But, rather than my initially envisioned downloadable visual novel, I would like to present it in a more accessible, more acceptable online style. Mind, I don't want this to be perceived as a rip-off of Homestuck's style, I'm just sort of springboarding off of the idea. We'll present this in such a unique way as to be completely distinguishable.

To give a bit of an idea as to what the project's actually about, it's a multi-genre spanning adventure involving a boy by the name of Poe Belvedere who discovers an inherited ability to traverse alternate dimensions and separate universes. I imagine there being puzzles and unlockable content, hidden joke dimensions and stat raising. So many ideas spinning around in my head that I'd rather not clutter up the forum with all of them!

If this sounds like something you may be interested in, please don't hesitate to respond here or shoot me a PM!

You're are very well spoken smile I would enjoy to help but the only thing I would be able to come up with is ideas for the alternate dimensions. I'm pretty good at descriptive writing.

[Temptress Alora]

Narroe

You're are very well spoken smile I would enjoy to help but the only thing I would be able to come up with is ideas for the alternate dimensions. I'm pretty good at descriptive writing.

Thank you. smile
Both for your kind words and the offer. I'm not really looking for a co-writer just now, though.

[Zeo]

Temptress Alora

So, you see, I don't just want the popularity. That's a huge motivating factor and would basically strike off one of my biggest life goals, but at the end of the day it's really the achievement of accomplishing something so huge, the rush of completing something so massive, something that I've always enjoyed and always wanted and always hoped for...That's what it is to me.

You're right; starting a project and seeing it through despite setback or discouragement is the only way to succeed, and that's definitely a healthy perspective. But one thing keeps coming up while reading your posts, contributing, I think, to some of the vagueness regarding your project, as you are primarily describing the intended effect (fame, popularity) rather than the practical path to get there. Working on any project, especially one of this scope, will most of the time not get you the feeling of accomplishing something huge, massive, 85% well-known, or whatever. It's work, and it's work you do because the work itself matters, not the intended effect. You don't do it because it's going to be the best new thing ever. You don't do it because it's going to become massive. Doing your project as a means to an end and not as the end itself is a sure way to crash and burn. I think you understand that, and yet it keeps coming up over and over that you have this huge expectation of the result of your project without really describing in any detail what the project is or how it will work. In order to create it, you have to know what you want. You haven't even managed to describe the artistic style you want, and you're not even able to currently contribute quite a bit of the work you'd need to get a project of this type off the ground yourself. That's putting the cart before the horse a bit, I'd think.

I'm not saying not to dream big. I'm not saying "don't bother" if you can't do it all yourself. But presenting an idealistic, mega goal with no discernible way to get there for the sake of having accomplished a big, big project? Probably best to start within your means and build up from there, rather than expecting to be an internet sensation just like that. Keep your sights big but your expectations realistic.

At the very least, consider the things you'd need to bring to the table to get the type of project you'd like going, starting with adequate compensation for your partner. If you're serious and expect serious contribution from your partner, that's the first place to start.

[Temptress Alora]

Zeo

You're right; starting a project and seeing it through despite setback or discouragement is the only way to succeed, and that's definitely a healthy perspective. But one thing keeps coming up while reading your posts, contributing, I think, to some of the vagueness regarding your project, as you are primarily describing the intended effect (fame, popularity) rather than the practical path to get there. Working on any project, especially one of this scope, will most of the time not get you the feeling of accomplishing something huge, massive, 85% well-known, or whatever. It's work, and it's work you do because the work itself matters, not the intended effect. You don't do it because it's going to be the best new thing ever. You don't do it because it's going to become massive. Doing your project as a means to an end and not as the end itself is a sure way to crash and burn. I think you understand that, and yet it keeps coming up over and over that you have this huge expectation of the result of your project without really describing in any detail what the project is or how it will work. In order to create it, you have to know what you want. You haven't even managed to describe the artistic style you want, and you're not even able to currently contribute quite a bit of the work you'd need to get a project of this type off the ground yourself. That's putting the cart before the horse a bit, I'd think.

I'm not saying not to dream big. I'm not saying "don't bother" if you can't do it all yourself. But presenting an idealistic, mega goal with no discernible way to get there for the sake of having accomplished a big, big project? Probably best to start within your means and build up from there, rather than expecting to be an internet sensation just like that. Keep your sights big but your expectations realistic.

At the very least, consider the things you'd need to bring to the table to get the type of project you'd like going, starting with adequate compensation for your partner. If you're serious and expect serious contribution from your partner, that's the first place to start.

I feel I must reassert that I've always had a passion for writing and for the past several years at least have wanted to translate that passion into developing interactive material specifically. It's true that I am looking ahead to an ultimate goal, but perhaps it'd be more accurate to say an ideal. I am very much aware that the vast majority of those who set out "with stars in the eyes", as it were, end up flickering and sputtering out well before they've even gotten off the ground because let's face it: for one thing, not everyone realizes how much work it's going to be before they actually start working. And, just as importantly, not everyone considers that the rest of the world does not necessarily share their viewpoint of what the so-called "greatest thing ever" is. Blind optimism without consideration of the full reality of what embarking on such a grand undertaking entails is what, in my opinion, leads to inevitable failure.

In my case, however, as much as I profess my desire for this project to ultimately achieve a level of notoriety to rival that of other well-known ventures, you must also be aware of how I've continuously stressed that that is merely a goal to strive for. I've not fallen prey to the oft heard insistence of future fame and glory. It's too early for that, and I'm not that naive. But I see no harm in working on something with that idea in mind, as long as you don't lose sight of the fact that that may never happen. In my opinion, that could serve to make you work even harder.

It keeps being mentioned that I'm being rather vague in regards to the specifics of this project, and that's probably true. It's not because I don't know what I want to do, as everyone keeps suggesting. I suppose I tend to get so caught up in not giving too much away that I end up not saying enough. I'll update my introductory post to include more details.

I'm leaving the question of art style fairly open-ended because I believe there are many that could potentially suit this project, so I don't want to turn anyone away from the jump by being too steadfast in that regard. As mentioned in one of my earlier responses, there are a couple that I definitely do not believe would suit this, so I'll include that in my post update.

As for compensation, that is not the sort of direction I would like for this to take. I am not looking to hire a freelancer or set up something on a commission basis; I'm hoping for something more akin to an actual partnership. I'm going into this without much in the way of start-up, and without a partner in the first place it'd be basically impossible to spearhead a successful Kickstarter campaign. From that point, however, there are options. I think it'd be more appropriate to discuss that directly with my partner, though.

That's not to say that I'm coming to the table empty-handed, mind. I basically plan on doing as much of the work myself as I possibly can, and there are several investments that I have to make.

[Temptress Alora]

I was not happy with my 2AM attempt at a pitch. Expect a proper redesign either later today or tomorrow if I have to work.

EDIT: Decided to move the thread instead in order to prevent confusion due to the massive change of direction.