I’m going to start releasing Starcaster Issue #12. However, while previously I would release an entire issue straight over a number of weeks, I think this time I’m going to try something different.
I’ll still release Starcaster pages daily, Monday through Friday, but rather than doing that for 5 weeks straight, I’m going to do a week or two of Starcaster, followed by a week or two of one-shots. Then more Starcaster, etc. Then when issue #12 is done, I should be recharged and prepped to jump into the next big Analog and D-Pad arc.
Five weeks of Starcaster is great if you love Starcaster. But for those that don’t enjoy Starcaster, five weeks is a reason to tune out. I can’t ask/expect everyone to love every series I create equally, but having people tune out for a month isn’t great. Hopefully this will be a happy medium. I still get some of the time off I need, you guys still get an issue of Starcaster, and those who aren’t as interested in Starcaster (or who already follow the Starcaster Patreon where we’re on issue #14) don’t have to wait for as long a stretch for some other content.
Let me know what you think, certainly happy to hear thoughts and feedback on the topic.
Ooh looking forward to starting this again!
That sounds like a good idea as a release schedule. While the big stories are great, sometimes you just want to see someone nailing silver shoes to a dead horse’s hooves.
On top of that, you could also have dedicated pages on the site => one page for the one shots, one page for Starcaster, one page for CAD, one for the campaign… then each page can have its own RSS feed and release schedule, and people follow whatever they want.
I believe the underlying idea behind this is that our dear author here just doesn’t have that fast a content update speed to maintain multiple threads concurrently. Every “page” listed above will have a poor release schedule as a result.
* PS: there’s also the fact that this website already sort of have “dedicated pages” that you’re looking for… sort of; if you want to see only the (for example) Console wars, you can get the content filters aimed at that and only see those comics and nothing else.
I don’t think Gilles was suggesting concurrent content, just something to get easier updates about the specific content they want to read.
Yay!
I understand the reasoning, and think it’s good you experiment with the release schedule to try to take this into account. I would have opted for another schedule. Since the regular one-shots are on a two-day basis, if you have sufficient of them in stock, you could have opted to interleave the Starcaster chronicles on the empty days, hence keeping a steady frequency during the Starcaster run. However, this does assume you have sufficient stock of one-shots to take time off, which might be the issue, since you play into the current news and events. Another option for time off… Read more »
As a Starcaster Patreon, I also enjoy having oneshots in between – otherwise, it’s waiting for new content for 5 weeks as well…
Agreed. I usually tune out for a bit because I’ve read them, and get tired of reading the comments of the folks who get upset that they don’t get to vote when they aren’t a patreon.
I honestly enjoy rewatching the starcaster issues and seeing what the non-patrons have to say or think about it.
Often, they bring up the same conversations we’ve already had, but I still enjoy it 🙂
I think mixing in Starcaster with a reduced schedule of regular content would be better. eg: Starcaster Mon-Thurs, regular on Friday. It’s going to be agonizing when you stop mid Issue for a week or two. But I can understand the argument of some people tuning out and wanting to strike a balance to keep everyone happy. I myself usually tune out with the Campaign though that’s primarily because I skipped the wall of text opening chapters so I’m usually lost when I have tried to read a new chapter. Having said that I have read some recent chapters and… Read more »
Personally I like this idea the best. That lets you do one relevant one-shot per week on the friday, and extends starcaster by 1 week. It’s not hard for people who want to skip starcaster to just check in every friday, but it doesn’t interrupt the story flow as much. I feel like 1 comic a week for 6 weeks should be adequate to give you a good break, though I’m no artist, so I don’t know how much effort that is for you. Either way I like all your stuff anyway, so doesn’t bother me.
Never been keen on Starcaster (sorry), but this is a good idea. Thanks!
I like them all so you do whatever you need to do to recharge, thank you
Sounds good, let’s go
The Starcaster chronicles are nice enough, I think. And I certainly read through them, but I have to say, that I look forward to the end of each issue, because that will mean a return to one-shots and Analog & D-Pad. Oh, and The Campaign.
So, I have to say, this sounds like a close-to-ideal way of doing it.
If it helps with a creativity buffer, I bet a lot of us would be okay with Starcaster at your normal M, W, F release schedule
Ya that sounds like a great middle ground. Also we prob get some starcaster about 2 weeks eairler. It feels like it hasnt been as long as normal since the last one ended, it has been a great series so excited to have a page a day from CAD for a bit!
As a guy who likes all you do, this sounds like a great idea. Burnout is a very real thing and easing your schedule to avoid it is a fantastic idea.
Honestly I’m so sick of Analog and D-Pad this is a welcome break. I dread their return. To me your best right now is Console Wars.
I like all the series… What I don’t like is how you block out the other content on the main page. I was gone for a week, and now I have to hunt to see what the last comics were before you switched to the chronicles, or vice versa. There’s no going “back” in the timeline in order they were released.
The archive should help you with that https://cad-comic.com/category/all/
I don’t block out anything. If you go to the main page (www.cad-comic.com) and navigate the comics from there, only using the green navigation buttons on top/underneath the comic, it will take you through every comic in release order.
If you click on the comic/comments or use the side arrows, it takes you into the archive for that specific series, where you’re only seeing that series.
Thank you tons for explaining that! Had no idea that clicking the comments, or clicking the comic itself, would take me into the sub-archive for a given series, in a way the navigation buttons would not. Most comics I read utilise those two functions as copies of one another. Will act differently from now! I agree with OP that this is really unintuitive, though – TIL you could actually navigate through multiple series! And I’ve been reading since 2010 or earlier ^^’
This is the best series you do. As long as you also do this during the boring Campaign series, I’m good with it.
As a patreon. I enjoy this format
I think your schedule plan is great. I absolutly love starcaster (basicly I love anything you do apart from console wars), but I agree with Groober. It doesn´t hurt at all if it get´s interrupted by funny “off-topic” stuff from time to time.
If it was solely up to me I would leave it all together, but I get where you are coming from. I enjoy all your comics and whatever works for you to get the time off you need works for me 🙂
Great news, TBH nowadays im mostly here for the one shot general gaming world commentaries
I’m here for all the stories. I really love Starcaster, and I really love Analog and D-Pad, so I’m happy with the new schedule!
o no the planet blowd up
“hey, what does this button do?”
Great improvement, happy with this as I am one of those that tune out when Starcaster is there so having a shorter break to look forward to is awesome to me 🙂
Tim, you should work 16hr days, 7 days a week and work on all the story lines simultaneously to make all of your readers happy!
Just kidding. I appreciate your creativity and willingness to offer content on a regular schedule, even if it’s not a story line that every reader finds to be their favorite. I think week on week off might be a good balance, or like someone else said MWF Starcaster and TTh one shots, but I’ll be here whatever you do. ?
This is gonna mess me up even more than it normally does XD
it usually takes me till the second week to check back every day, then two weeks into the regular schedule to stop checking every day. No, I am just going to mess up every week and never be sure about anything.
But that’s a ME thing.
Fair, I think the campaign is actually my favorite series but I do like all of them. Can definitely understand not wanting to disappoint people.
Actually good. So if anything relevant happens in reality. You can act on it right away in the one shots. (Or use the space for shameless plugs, like if your axolot game went to indiegogo or such)
Always excited to see a new Starcaster story. Love the campaign and Players too, and one shots.
Honestly (and I know I’ll get downvoted) not a big fan of Analog and DPad. If one shots are mixed in with them I tend to miss them since I figure one of their big arcs is going to be every strip for the next few weeks.
I’m excited for more Space Exploration stories!
I would personally prefer an alternated approach rather then a week on and a week off. If your doing daily updates something like Mon-Wed-Fri = Starcaster Tues-Thurs = One off would I feel keep everyone’s interest better and prevent cliffhangers or fustration. This way you will still get people in each week even if it’s only for a couple days (But they would likely be more inclined to check out the other content on the “off days” then if they are going take a week off (I actually feel in that case many people may actually just tune out for… Read more »
Just to throw my own little voice in. Do what ever is needed to prevent any burn out. I would rather you tinker with your releases or maybe take a week or two off occasionally than have these various comics hit bricks. Seen other comics practically die due to burn out, don’t want that to happen here…. besides, can’t have you go crazy till after my balls of floof and rage arrive.
As someone who doesn’t particularly love the Starcaster stories (actually, I don’t dislike them, but they don’t work as well as a daily issue format for me – I come back and read them all in one go at the end), I’m a “tune-out-for-a-month-er”. So I’ll appreciate breaking it up a bit. I know it wasn’t for me in particular, and there are probably a few people disappointed, but from my perspective, thanks!
I used to love starcaster, but I missed some episodes and forgot what was going on. I’d need to catch up from the beginning.
well I was one to tune out in the past, but after deciding I didn’t want to do that anymore I binged Starcaster the last time around and I’m beyond ready for more.
I’ve enjoyed it enough that when I’m going to sign of for the Pateron when I feel like I can afford to add another
As someone who prefers Starcaster (and the other stories) over “generic” strips…
I still say, go for it.
I don’t mind waiting longer, if it means that you get to keep more people checking in regularly.
I do like many of the generic strips, and your idea sounds like a smart balance to satisfy as many people as possible.
i get people have preferences.. but personally i think everything you do is brilliant. i used to love getting updates when sillys were new. now i dont even check the sillys! but you know, time is money!
You just keep writing them, and I’ll just keep reading them. 😛
I read every comic you post, regardless which series it’s a part of, so I’m good with whatever schedule works for you!
I think that’s a fine plan. Starcaster doesn’t grip me in the same way CAD, the one-shots or A&D do, and this will keep me checking the site more frequently!
I’m fine either way but I hope this works out for you!
Do the release however you wish to do the release. I love everything you do and will be here for all the great stories and one offs.
I guess it wasn’t a rainbow
The split works fine for me, as I’m OK at recalling where one thread left off.
Go for it.
Question: for the Patreon, what level do we need to pay at to get the Starcaster Chronicles and such early?
There is only one level on the Starcaster Patreon. $2/month. https://www.patreon.com/starcaster