# Order of the Stick - Book 6 Discussion Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 3, 2014, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755 "2014-03-03T16:07:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2014, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/161 "2014-05-04T03:25:21Z")
Well at least it stimulates the economy. And somebody has to pay for Morland Minatures’ massive ad campaign, distribution system, display cases at Walmart, Bloomingdales and Nordstrom’s as well as their generous executive stock option program. Hey, planned obsolescence worked for GM. Sort of. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2014, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/162 "2014-05-05T09:42:35Z")
**New Strip** [**951**](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0951.html) ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2014, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/163 "2014-05-05T10:10:25Z")
I always thought Roy looked a bit Moorish. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2014, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/164 "2014-05-05T12:10:21Z")
\ ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2014, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/165 "2014-05-05T12:52:38Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > I always thought Roy looked a bit Moorish. Niiiice. I love how it takes two crew—who probably have class levels—straining with all their might to hold on to the rope, while Roy just nonchalantly holds it with one hand. (How’s Roy anchoring himself though? If the pull were that ferocious, wouldn’t he be lifted into the air?) Yet another example of how high-level characters are _different_ than everybody else. Did, “I’m going to dance on your grave, you know,” strike anyone else as really cold-blooded? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2014, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/166 "2014-05-05T13:37:00Z")
I don’t get the concern about the state of the hull. It’s not like those engines are what’s holding the whole thing up. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2014, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/167 "2014-05-05T14:09:47Z")
Yeah, it seems like losing the engines just means they’re going to drift around, not crash. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2014, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/168 "2014-05-05T15:12:57Z")
Remember, this is a _magic_ airship. If that envelope were just full of hydrogen, it wouldn’t be enough to support that hull. The ship is mostly held aloft by magic of some form or another. And that magic may well be concentrated in the no-longer-functional engines. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2014, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/169 "2014-05-05T15:14:44Z")
Also, they’re in a storm. They need those engines to fight the winds, which otherwise might blow them out of the sky. ---
**Author:** ![yellowjacketcoder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4bbf92/32.png) [@yellowjacketcoder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowjacketcoder)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2014, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/170 "2014-05-05T15:16:52Z")
As long as we’re fanwanking, the engines could also produce a lifting gas as a byproduct of functioning that’s used to replenish the blimp. No engines, no more lifting gas. I imagine the blimp is not as airtight as anyone would like, so losing the new gas means the old gas is rapidly depleted. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2014, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/171 "2014-05-05T15:40:05Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Remember, this is a _magic_ airship. If that envelope were just full of hydrogen, it wouldn’t be enough to support that hull. The ship is mostly held aloft by magic of some form or another. And that magic may well be concentrated in the no-longer-functional engines. I think it’s pretty obvious the ship runs on steam. They just need to put on their goggles and fix the phlogiston generator before the aether tank runs dry. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2014, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/172 "2014-05-05T15:46:05Z")
> [@Gray\_Ghost](#): > > Did, “I’m going to dance on your grave, you know,” strike anyone else as really cold-blooded? Definitely. But it was a great lead-in to Roys next line… ---
**Author:** ![AndrewL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@AndrewL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndrewL)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2014, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/173 "2014-05-05T18:11:09Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > I don’t get the concern about the state of the hull. It’s not like those engines are what’s holding the whole thing up. Aren’t they? The ship has both propellers pointed backwards and ones pointed upwards. You can see this clearly in strip 948, though it’s been shown elsewhere too. It may be that the lift bag only provides most of the lift, and without the engines the ship will slowly sink. ---
**Author:** ![Stanislaus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stanislaus/32/3391_2.png) [@Stanislaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stanislaus)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2014, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/174 "2014-05-07T08:24:48Z")
I hate to say it, but Roy’s hands just look really weird in this. I barely noticed the stick version of three fingers but now they’ve got 2 dimensions I just can’t believe Roy is actually gripping the rope. No doubt I’ll get used to it but for now it’s a bit jarring. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ea5d25/32.png) [@Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Scrappy_Hero_Pup)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2014, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/175 "2014-05-07T22:43:20Z")
[New one is up and I am TOTALLY FIRST this time!](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0951.html) …nice to see Roy getting the piss taken out of him a little bit. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2014, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/176 "2014-05-07T22:46:01Z")
> [@Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](#): > > [New one is up and I am TOTALLY FIRST this time!](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0951.html) > > …nice to see Roy getting the piss taken out of him a little bit. Um, nope. See [#162](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=17348934&postcount=162), above. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2014, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/177 "2014-05-08T00:06:16Z")
> [@Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](#): > > [New one is up and I am TOTALLY FIRST this time!](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0951.html) :mad: ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2014, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/178 "2014-05-08T00:13:07Z")
Ha-ha! ---
**Author:** ![Gretchion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8edcca/32.png) [@Gretchion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gretchion)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2014, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/179 "2014-05-08T00:54:48Z")
Grr… made me look! Is there any reason we don’t just make a new thread for every new comic? I could understand if it updated 3 or more times a week regularly, but lately it’s been roughly once a week. I’m sure I’m not the only one who gets excited when this thread is updated and then disappointed when it’s not for a new comic. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2014, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/180 "2014-05-08T04:22:08Z")
> [@Gretchion](#): > > Grr… made me look! > > Is there any reason we don’t just make a new thread for every new comic? I could understand if it updated 3 or more times a week regularly, but lately it’s been roughly once a week. I’m sure I’m not the only one who gets excited when this thread is updated and then disappointed when it’s not for a new comic. I prefer to have umpteen bizzillion comics all wrapped up in a single thread. I also enjoy the commentary here. “I hate to say it, but Roy’s hands just look really weird in this.” Yeah, Rich entered the uncanny valley with that one. Notice that the grips of Sally and her workmate were fairly credible though. Also note that the toothful facial grimace now has an arc on the bottom rather than a flat line. I sort of liked the old style but after over 900 strips I can see the point of moving on. After the computer crash, Rich switched to .png. In this book he’s really taken advantage of the greater color depth (and “[alpha transparency](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha_transparency)”): I think gifs (1987 tech) were limited to about 256 colors [though there were ways to cheat](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gif). Rich’s rain effect is nice. Back when Rich started, not all browsers rendered .png images properly. “The ship has both propellers pointed backwards and ones pointed upwards.” [Trivia from wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blimp): Modern blimps are launched somewhat heavier than air (overweight), in contrast to historic blimps. The missing lift is provided by lifting the nose and using engine power, or by angling the engine thrust. Some types also use steerable propellers or ducted fans. Operating in a state heavier than air avoids the need to dump ballast at lift-off and also avoids the need to lose costly lifting gas on landing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755.md?page=10)