Grrl Power #933 – Ding psychology
This feels like a jarring transition to me, but the alternative was to stick with Maxima as she does a ton of paperwork , hands out tickets (or whatever the procedure is for arresting space mercenaries) and debriefs the team up in NYC. That was definitely the only other option.
The answer to the question, “Why didn’t the orbs give Sydney her level up sooner?” is because it amused me more to do it this way. Besides, now that Sydney seems to know how to pull up the skill web, maybe the orbs are content to wait to be prompted now.
I wanted Frost to call the guy a psychopath or even a sociopath, (instead of a “person with an extreme personality disorder”) but apparently those aren’t terms psychologists use a lot? “Antisocial Personality Disorder” utterly lacks the gravitas that “Psychopath” carries, so it’s no wonder popular media sticks with the latter. I have to imagine when psychologists are off the clock if they let fly with more colorful descriptions to describe people, like a pressure valve.
Sydney does have mandated time with Frost, but this visit was by request, not her normally scheduled session, which is why she can pimpwalk out early.
Holy crap. I definitely should have changed the “Gender” select on the prior page to “Sex” select. Although then, I don’t know what I would do about the symbols. Like, are the male and female symbols for sex or gender? I think when they were codified, the words sex and gender didn’t have separate definitions. (I’m talking about like, ancient Greece, although I myself wasn’t aware of the need to differentiate the terms prior to about ten years ago. I’d say my awareness of a thing is a pretty low bar, but I suspect I’ve also just described at least half of all Americans as well in this case.) Which leads me to my conundrum. If sex and gender don’t mean the same thing, shouldn’t we have different symbols for male sex and male gender? Really, the solution would have been to design about 30 different totally alien symbols, but since I was translating the text on the screens, it made sense to translate the gender icons. Also since I was running a little behind on the vote incentive, I had trouble justifying spending like two hours designing alien sex icons, which, now that I think about it would have probably been a lot of fun.
The new vote incentive is up! I tried something different this month – instead of doing one well painted picture with a bunch of dress variants, I wanted to tell a bit of a story. Hopefully it makes sense without any dialog or sound effects. So, instead of one picture, you guys are getting nine. I was going to do a tenth one, but I kind of ran out of time. Patreon has the whole series of pics, naturally. I might add it if I find the time, or I could work on the next Tamer: Enhancer book. Time management is not my strongest skill, so we’ll see.
Double res version will be posted over at Patreon. Feel free to contribute as much as you like!
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Someone refresh my memory… who can see the skill tree besides Sydney? Only Dabbler, and maybe Krona IIRC?
So if the doc can’t see it (or doesn’t know what it is), Syd really appears to be a bit loony.
Everyone can see it. Krona could see some of the deeper code beyond what most people (including Sydney) can see.
What you are remembering with Dabbler is that she could see it only with her biological eye; her cybernetic eye didn’t register it. (She later drew the skill tree from memory sinceh she has an eidetic memory.)
Also, TV Cameras couldn’t see it either. So, basically, anyone who isn’t a robot or cyborg with dual cybernetic eyes can see it.
the skill tree and the orbs themselves have an opposite cloak for some reason.
the orbs can’t be detected with magic, but otherwise everyone including machines like cameras can see them plainly.
the skill tree can be seen by people, and if what Krona did can be equated to a form of magic by magic as well, however machinery such as cameras can’t see the skill tree.
this implies the orbs are visible via some advanced manipulation of space like “Impossible Light” a kind of multi-dimensional holographic projection to cover what is really there or allow others to see it like paint over an otherwise invisible object while deeper viewing methods would detect only the void they make by occupying space.
while the skill tree may be more of a psionic projection intended to only be seen by living beings such as the user and user’s allies, a psionic interface, so not visible to non-living things.
i dont think krona’s powers are magic, it looks like she is taping into something far more powerful than simple and regular magic
Everyone can see the skill tree when it forms. Cameras cannot pick it up though, and neither can Dabbler’s cybernetic eye. Her regular eye can just fine though.
Krona can see the skill tree in a way no one else can though – she can see the deeper parts of it. Sort of like, theoretically, it’s ‘inner workings.’ Everyone else can only see the surface image.
Which further raises the question what Krona is if not a mage and not a super (physical body isn’t busted up in any way), so something is up with reality hacking as a power, a baby god maybe.
Either she’s a baby god or she’s maybe related to the civilization’s people who created the orbs (maybe a human/Nth being hybrid).
Or maybe the grrlpower universe is a simulation and Krona’s a ‘user’ (think Tron the movie), but Krona doesnt realize this.
she could be Nth being/human hybrid and an avatar from the species that created the universe as a game program if you want to get convoluted enough. I don’t want to go into crazy details of my own writings again, but there is an insanely advanced species that can create pocket universes *even program things like magic and physics and even build multi-dimensional machinery that creates magic* that due to how their “biology” for lack of a better term works they can create avatars that reproduce and their offspring are physically the species of their avatar but their (soul) is the offspring of their true form. So the child is born in an avatar and matures with it and expands beyond it…its kind of a limiter as those “born” in their natural state pretty much start off as powerful god like beings and they’ve culturally come to like the slower maturation into power to better appreciate how it impacts less powerful species they interact with. Or just for the unique experience (varies by individual).
Actually re-reading that,
I have to take a step back because that is the clearest and most precise I have ever described that. By leaving out all the biological variations on avatars, terminology, history, pantheons, ect…it actually makes so much more sense; not trying to describe too much at once (a problem I often have),
the species can make bio-frame avatars.
If they have offspring, the offspring are physically the same species as the bio-frame avatar, but their “soul” is the offspring of the “multi-dimensional being(s)” that is one or more parents’ true form.
which is low power and depending on the biology will advance and grow as they do till they are ready to ascend or the equivalent if the biology permits it
Orbs can be seen by humans but not by machines?
There is only one explanation!
THE ORBS ARE VAMPIRES!!!
Also, in case it isn’t clear – only people physically in sight of the skill tree can see them, and the skill tree doesn’t seem able to appear unless Sydney has a skill point to spend. (at least so far, Sydney cant just make it appear for no reason)
‘He didn’t even care that I’m so cute and charming!’ Is she serious? It’s really all a game to her, isn’t it? With that attitude I shudder at the thought she’s getting more and more powerful with every upgrade she unlocks.
she is a comic nerd thrown into a world where all her fiction while not the characters but the concepts have become real. I’d be surprised if there wasn’t some mental disorientation there between fantasy and reality. Just so long as she doesn’t fall down the rabbit hole some Isekai characters do and declare themselves the main character and the whole world existing just for them so they can do whatever they want.
We’re both glaring at Hugo, aren’t we?
Pretty much, I’d also glare over at Ains Ooal Gown but he has the power and resources to back up his decline.
Also, Ainz has “the System” that messes with his emotions. Even if he still thinks in gamer terms sometimes, he literally might not be able to think of the world as much more “real” then that, because he literally can’t feel emotions strong enough
I try not to give in and read the manga, although I am told some parts are different, and patiently wait for the next season. Although I was told about the thing that is actually messing with his emotions and I do wander if he ever ends up removing it and having a freak out moment over the things he has done, and maybe realize he is an idiot by doing whatever thing his programmed to be evil minions think he was going to do instead of correcting them. Loved they had that seen with that king or emperor pointing out that a real ruler knows when to correct the misunderstandings of their generals and other underlings. Ains is too busy trying to look flawless to his minions yet the idea of correcting them never occurs to him so he keeps going down that rabbit hole, into a sewer line.
I can when I think about it also compare Sydney’s trauma to Kumoko’s trauma in some situations, being distracted by the level ups and new skills after nearly being killed. Sydney though has a support network so I don’t think she’ll end up like Kumoko..or other Kumoko *I am avoiding the Manga to avoid spoilers but that 15 year gap between the two stories has me raising some eyebrows as to Kumoko’s actual future…especially with that whole multi-brain element and how that could evolve as she levels up.
it would be really messed up if Sydney found out that her mind split when she found the orbs and there has been another her inside the final orb this whole time just screaming thinking some bodysnatcher took her body over and the upgrade points link their minds back together to use the orbs more efficiently.
I do rather wonder why it is that they only decided to do the leveling thing now in the middle of a therapy session. Bit of an odd one so far after the fact of anything happening. Maybe she gained a level in INT from the session?
she flicked one of the orbs, like how she made them spin back on Alari Prime. She can or has to now activate the skill tree.
of course, in some rpgs you get roleplaying experience, which could be earned from a character going to a therapist…
The point wasn’t necessarily earned during / because of the therapy session. It could’ve been earned during her captivity, or from ‘capturing’ alien tech with the Lighthook, or while trashing the swan boat. She only sees them when the tree is open.
Which reminds me, have we ever seen her spin the orbs in a vertical plane outside of the upgrade pages, rather than the normal ‘halo’ orientation? Can’t tell if it’s a subconscious side effect of the therapy, or just a convenient artistic way to transition the orbs to the skill tree.
I know its not the case or it is layered problem because adhd, but it seem like denial and distraction from the problem is unhealthy on the long run and gonna kick in the butt
I have a crossword puzzle app that every time I move to another space without entering the answer to a clue does a pop up that says “Hey! are you a fucking idiot? you appear to be stupid! you can spend in-game currency to get the answer!” no. no. no goddammit, I want to try other clues and then come back once the perpendicular clues give me a couple letters. Stop it!
well this isn’t where that was supposed to post.
For $8.99/mo you can get GrrlComments Pro(tm) and move, edit, and delete your comments!
ok, guess i have to be the one. She quoted “the Humpty Dance.” way too old school, perhaps?
Sex is for people.
Gender is for cable connectors.
:-)
So, I’m a bit late but I would like to note that our wonderful @DaveB has forgotten to fill in which center orb Sydney chose back at comic #672.
This annoyes me since it means I can’t fix the unofficial skill-tree.
Well hopefully when she picks one I can go back through and fix it.
She chose the third of seven slots in the center of the skilltree. If you look at the page it’s glowing brighter than the others.
Psychiatrists, psychologists, and all professionals hesitate to use terms “Psychopath,” “Sociopath,” or the like without a proper diagnosis, not just for the sake of accuracy, but to avoid legal ramifications. A sociopath can still be recognized as mentally-ill but legally sane and fit to stand trial while a psychopath would be either unfit to stand trial or declared “not-guilty by reason of insanity” on the extreme end, and the professional could also face civil lawsuits if hurling those terms around is shown to cause verifiable harm, like denying or costing job opportunities.
Of course in a situation like this, the term Dr. Frost should have used was “hostile”. It’s unethical to speculate on whether a person you’ve never met has a personality disorder, even if you’re not specifying which disorder.
Considering that the person in question is dead (thus can’t be affected by her statement), she’s saying this in a private conversation and not to the media (so she isn’t defaming him), and she didn’t refer to him specifically but simply stated that people in general can have personality disorders, I don’t think any ethics are being breached here.
Dave, don’t worry about the sex/gender distinction for a one-panel visual gag. Even people who are more tuned into this stuff than you often use the words interchangeably. And frankly, the recent-ish changes to the language around sex and gender are in my opinion unhelpful, anti-useful, and based on flawed assumptions, so I don’t think anyone should feel bad for getting it “wrong”. You’re fine.
The humpty dance is your chance, do the hump.
RIP Shock G.
Peace, and humptiness, forever.