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The Trenches is a new comic venture by Scott Kurtz, Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins of PVP and Penny Arcade.

There are only two strips live right now, but I figure it deserves its own thread, separate of PVP Discussion.

I dig it.

Another thing that's interesting to at least me is that with every comic they're posting a real "war story" from a game tester. Today's was about testing Ken Griffey Jr's Winning Run, and trying to repeat a reported bug about hitting a home run in the bottom of the 5th inning in the Kingdome just barely over the left center field wall, causing a sprite glitch with the center fielder that tried to jump to catch the ball.

There's a PATV episode where Jeff Kalles goes on at length about the nightmare of testing Ken Griffey Jr's Winning Run.

When this was announced before I said this was PvP Redux.

I still say it is. Wait until more of the characters are revealed and you'll see direct parallels between the two comics.

Dave said:

When this was announced before I said this was PvP Redux.

I still say it is. Wait until more of the characters are revealed and you'll see direct parallels between the two comics.

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Maybe it's just me, but I think a version of PvP where they actually, you know, focused on video games, would be funny.

I don't think Scott is tyhe kind of guy who works hard enough to create two identical comic strips.

I have higher hopes for the Trenches than PVP Redux.

Really, the only character they've introduced so far is nothing like any PvP character. He's not a cocky douche, and he's not Cole.

Piotyr said:

Really, the only character they've introduced so far is nothing like any PvP character. He's not a cocky douche, and he's not Cole.

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He's Max.
Added at: 11:40


Max, Brent, Jade, Cole, Francis.

Alright, Captain Reductive, whatever you say.

Either that or he's just a mary sue injected into PvP-land to be the reader's avatar into the zaniness, or whatever.

Gusto said:

Alright, Captain Reductive, whatever you say.

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Except he's right. I had the exact same thought/reaction.

There have been 2 strips and a promo image. I'm willing to wait to find out just how much of a PVP clone it is, call me crazy.

I'm going off that image. That's all. His job now is to convince me otherwise because I'm going off first impression.

Yeah, that's fair.
Added at: 01:24
Honestly, my first impression was The Office.

With the "Tales from the Trenches" included, how long before it turns into an illustrated letters section like Ding! did before Scott killed it?

Gusto said:

Alright, Captain Reductive, whatever you say.

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He's right that, at least visually, they're the same archetypes...

What do you all mean "HE'S right"?!? It was my damned observation first!! Gas, you bastard! Stealing my thunder!!
Added at: 06:34
Remember THIS POST from September 2010?!?

Come on, man!

It's Dilbert. Mark my words...

Dave said:

What do you all mean "HE'S right"?!? It was my damned observation first!! Gas, you bastard! Stealing my thunder!!
Added at: 06:34
Remember THIS POST from September 2010?!?

Come on, man!

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Look on the bright side, by saying I'm right, they're saying you're right by proxy.

Also, that we both came to the same conclusion separately further affirms how right it is.

You're still Leibnitz to his Newton, Gas ol' boy.

As for the topic... didn't like the first comic, second is okay... Let's see how this goes.

North_Ranger said:

You're still Leibnitz to his Newton, Gas ol' boy.

As for the topic... didn't like the first comic, second is okay... Let's see how this goes.

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If only Dave could have seen the similarity, it wouldn't have been such a similarity, now would it have? This is not a revolution in physics, it's a plain-as-day reuse of character archetypes. Like Seth McFarlane.

And that was a joke. No cookie for you, Gas ol' bean.

North_Ranger said:

And that was a joke. No cookie for you, Gas ol' bean.

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Well the least you could do was revel in my comparison of Kurtz to McFarlane.

GasBandit said:

Well the least you could do was revel in my comparison of Kurtz to McFarlane.

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You are a master of comparing one guy to another!

Dave said:

You are a master of comparing one guy to another!

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That's right. Just like that other guy who compared that one guy to another guy.

GasBandit said:

That's right. Just like that other guy who compared that one guy to another guy.

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No - that was that other guy, wasn't it?

Goddammit, stop being so Aristotle to my Sophocles!

Noting Scott's news on PVP about The Trenches:

"We're already thinking in seasons."

On the one hand, for a humor strip of their kind, that's great thinking. On the other hand--nothing new. The better of the story-based webcomics divide their stuff into chapters or titled arcs, and you can often see how they've plotted things out for the future. The benefitial difference likely being, when a story-based comic is halted by its creator, you're left with dangling plot threads or character arcs that didn't get to see fruition, whereas with a strip like this, if they'd ever need to close the doors, they could probably wrap it up with whatever season they're on.

I doubt that'll happen before needing to unless one side or the other quits it. I think Jerry and Mike can keep Scott from running off to another project though.

Quotemander Prime said:

On the one hand, for a humor strip of their kind, that's great thinking. On the other hand--nothing new. The better of the story-based webcomics divide their stuff into chapters or titled arcs, and you can often see how they've plotted things out for the future. The benefitial difference likely being, when a story-based comic is halted by its creator, you're left with dangling plot threads or character arcs that didn't get to see fruition, whereas with a strip like this, if they'd ever need to close the doors, they could probably wrap it up with whatever season they're on.

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Seriously... it's going to end like this.

Trench People: Well, the game is shipped. But thanks to all my hours of overtime, I'm SURE they'll keep me on as a tester! Maybe even a Lead!
HR: You all clocked in too many hours. Your fired.
Trench People:

I'd like if they came up with actually interesting game ideas for the stuff being tested, rather than a Kill Arena 7 or Fantasy Knights Online generic situation.

So, it's a few months into the comic. Anyone enjoying it? At all?

Null said:

So, it's a few months into the comic. Anyone enjoying it? At all?

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I enjoy the stories/testimonials that accompany each strip more so than the actual strip itself.

Yeah. Still just getting started of course but I like how our protagonist is immediately on everyone's bad side.

Honestly, their aren't enough updates for what little content they give. It's not bad, but this really needs to be more than 3 panels if it's only twice a week. Bump it up to six or do it Mon/Wen/Fri.

AshburnerX said:

Honestly, their aren't enough updates for what little content they give. It's not bad, but this really needs to be more than 3 panels if it's only twice a week. Bump it up to six or do it Mon/Wen/Fri.

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But that would require effort.

Isaac's car appears to be a fusion of a Lotus Exige / Evora, with some Ferrari elements as well. Nice car for an unemployed dude just out of school who apparently doesn't have an apartment or live with his folks...

Yeah, it doesn't update often enough to keep my interest really. I mean, I think I'd like it if I waited a year and then read all the strips at once, but in drips and drabs I can't be bothered.

There doesn't seem to be anything that makes me want to keep reading it. None of the characters are very likable, and it's not all that funny.

Null said:

But that would require effort.

Isaac's car appears to be a fusion of a Lotus Exige / Evora, with some Ferrari elements as well. Nice car for an unemployed dude just out of school who apparently doesn't have an apartment or live with his folks...

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If he paid off the car, it's not a stretch that he would keep it when he lost his job. Sure, in theory he should have car insurance payments on it, doesn't mean he didn't let that lapse.

Unfunny, unoriginal and not interesting artistically. It's almost like a Scott Kurtz production.