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Comic Discussion => QUESTIONABLE CONTENT => Topic started by: shanejayell on 18 Jul 2021, 18:24

Title: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: shanejayell on 18 Jul 2021, 18:24
Comics up.

Yay, that's KINDA creepy.

Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: Farideh on 18 Jul 2021, 18:25
This is going to create some interesting memories for Clinton and Elliot. "Remember the time when we were getting it on with so much enthusiasm that we caused a power outage? Ah, those were the days!"
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: badbum61 on 18 Jul 2021, 20:18
1 (belatedly, since I know it was discussed in last week's thread): I guess I just assumed, because of the whole polymer-dipping thing, that AI hair was also impervious to cutting with regular implements. And I'm not sure I'd trust Yay with a blowtorch or something equally destructive...

2: Yay is/are still using squared speech bubbles...I guess that's canon now? Did they have a downgrade?
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: DaiJB on 18 Jul 2021, 21:02
Poll needs an "Other" option - to me, "Transformers" is a 1980's toy line...  :meh:
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: St.Clair on 18 Jul 2021, 21:26
I also wanted an "Other" option, if only because Waspinator is not an Insecticon (he's a Predacon, totally different) and his explosions, dismemberments and other mishaps are far more common than truly random probability would indicate.
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: Gyrre on 18 Jul 2021, 22:12
I also wanted an "Other" option, if only because Waspinator is not an Insecticon (he's a Predacon, totally different) and his explosions, dismemberments and other mishaps are far more common than truly random probability would indicate.

If I recall correctly, Rattrap stated that he had collected enough Waspinator bits to build an entirely separate Waspinator in the last few episodes.
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: Torlek on 19 Jul 2021, 00:07
Also, Prowl didn't explode. He was shot and we got to see the light literally fade from his eyes and smoke billow from his mouth like blood (god, that movie was traumatizing to watch). Ultra Magnus did explode though.
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: hedgie on 19 Jul 2021, 00:21
1 (belatedly, since I know it was discussed in last week's thread): I guess I just assumed, because of the whole polymer-dipping thing, that AI hair was also impervious to cutting with regular implements.

Bubbles cut Momo’s fringe with a sharp knife, so the regular implements should work, at least for a decent synthetic hair.  I dunno about the stuff attached to May’s previous chassis.

2: Yay is/are still using squared speech bubbles...I guess that's canon now? Did they have a downgrade?
[/quote]

Robot code-switching, perhaps?
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: Gyrre on 19 Jul 2021, 17:38
Also, Prowl didn't explode. He was shot and we got to see the light literally fade from his eyes and smoke billow from his mouth like blood (god, that movie was traumatizing to watch). Ultra Magnus did explode though.

Which reviewer was it that made a joke about Hasbro using the movie to hold the kids' new favorite characters hostage to boost toy sales? Hang on, I need to go through my history and find that.

EDIT: Found it. The guy makes a lot of edgy irreverant jokes, so YMMV.
The video should start at the timestamp for the joke. If not, 10:30.
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: SmilingCat on 19 Jul 2021, 18:26
Yay, you should know that once you're up to fifth base (https://www.smbc-comics.com/index.php?id=3683) sex and a power transformer exploding aren't necessarily unrelated.
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: shanejayell on 19 Jul 2021, 18:31
New comic!

One wonders why you'd need a emergency power source that fast. Unless there's a lot of Robots with bodies like May's old one.
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: Farideh on 19 Jul 2021, 18:34
If the power goes out just before you plug yourself in...
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: Is it cold in here? on 19 Jul 2021, 18:49
Why would someone with Yay's powers even be thinking in terms of whether a course of action is "safe"? If I were that powerful I'd not be worrying about my safety.
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: shanejayell on 19 Jul 2021, 20:09
Why would someone with Yay's powers even be thinking in terms of whether a course of action is "safe"? If I were that powerful I'd not be worrying about my safety.

Well, I would assume injuries still hurt. And even if Yay can just jump out of a body into another, we don't know if it's instant....
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: Farideh on 19 Jul 2021, 20:11
We also don't know how expensive their chassis are, and if they're easily replaceable.
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: Tova on 19 Jul 2021, 21:32
Why would someone with Yay's powers even be thinking in terms of whether a course of action is "safe"? If I were that powerful I'd not be worrying about my safety.

The fact that Yay wasn't worried about their safety either way was the point. But Yay realised it was also boring to stay put.
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: de_la_Nae on 19 Jul 2021, 23:18
A significant part of Yay's existence relies on stealth. They are most likely very powerful, but they have used a significant amount of that power to keep the extent of existence on the down low.

lately they've been branching out. meeting a few people. trying out this whole "person" thing some more. there is risk inherent in that.

and now they are going to go out and meet the neighbors. not specific ones they've selected, just.... any that happen to wander by. the reins are, by dint of the reality of the situation, out of their hands. probably more than they're used to.

they're anxious
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: BenRG on 19 Jul 2021, 23:32
So, the blackout is going to be a major thing, it seems. I know from seeing his Tweets on the subject that Jeph gets them semi-regularly in Halifax and that he finds it deeply frustrating and more than a little disorienting to be cut off from the world by his devices losing power. It would be a hundred times worse for an AI would would literally lapse into a sort of electronic coma if their battery level drops below a certain point.

I wonder if Yay's ability to remotely perceive events is also going to be compromised? After all, the cell towers will be out and so will local wifi hubs. So, for them, it's going to be like suddenly losing a considerable part of their medium-range sensorium, which must make them feel more than a little insecure. Insecure to the point where they'd probably prefer to be with Roko so she can 'protect' them.

So, yeah, I'm wondering if this is going to be a Yay-centric arc?

Why would someone with Yay's powers even be thinking in terms of whether a course of action is "safe"? If I were that powerful I'd not be worrying about my safety.

I've posted before that I think Yay was created by one of the lettered intelligence or counter-intelligence agencies. So paranoia may be a fundamental and hard-coded part of their perceptions of the universe. Additionally, I think that they ran away from their original owners and, because of their ability to perceive and manipulate the world electronically, are considered a major security threat. They may be in genuine fear or their liberty or even their lives.

That aside, does anyone else think that the bit with the battery pack may be Roko's police training kicking in? A bit like them having first-aid training, she's also been trained to identify and assist synthetics in danger of slipping into Safe Mode during power outages? I wonder if that battery pack has a folding solar cell charger?
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: Boxer on 20 Jul 2021, 02:14
There was an explosion, and Roko's first thought wasn't blaming Melon and her room-mate?
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: David F on 20 Jul 2021, 10:35
There was an explosion, and Roko's first thought wasn't blaming Melon and her room-mate?

Those explosions come from directly above her.  This came from outside, as confirmed by Yay.  Does explain why she's unshaken by it, though.

I do like that Roko's idea of "emergency supplies" is a big battery in the closet, rather than food...
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: Wingy on 20 Jul 2021, 10:51
Every time that sort of thing happens in my neighborhood, the local utility identifies the species involved.  It's usually a squirrel, though occasionally a bird, if the device that exploded did so because of an animal interaction.  Sometimes those things just blow due to normal conditions.  Insects?  Not so much.
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: Farideh on 20 Jul 2021, 18:23
New comic.

Of course Melon is the one with a low battery :D And hello Christopher. I get that you're an influencer, but please don't grab people and make selfies with them without permission.
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: Torlek on 20 Jul 2021, 19:02
Yay is my spirit animal in this one. Or maybe I'm Yay's spirit animal.
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: hedgie on 20 Jul 2021, 19:26
Christopher is probably going to end up in a scrap heap.
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: Gyrre on 20 Jul 2021, 19:30
I too would absolutely hiss like a spider/snake/cat at someone grabbing me for a sudden uninvited selfie. Especially if they had a selfie-cam implanted in the back of their thumb (I hope we never get that tech).
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: Baz_Yat on 20 Jul 2021, 19:50
Chris is gonna get his ass kicked. And he'll deserve it. I'm autistic, I've been bullied, and I WILL lash out at any stranger who just grabs me, and I'll do it before my conscious brain even knows what they did.
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: Mr Intrepid on 20 Jul 2021, 19:51
Christopher is probably going to end up in a scrap heap.

Christopher is going to wake up in Seattle, with no memories of his past and a new OS.
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: Tyr on 20 Jul 2021, 19:56
Nope, he'll just wake up in Portland and then NEVER LEAVE as he succumbs to Portlanditis (http://"https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1919") instantly.
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: Somebody on 20 Jul 2021, 21:04
I think you're all missing the easiest way for "Yay" to hurt Christopher. Multiple DMCA strikes on all his accounts simultaneously. Even if Yay needs to... adjust... copyright records to do it.
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: John Allenson on 20 Jul 2021, 23:01
Christopher is probably going to end up in a scrap heap.
I'm guessing several scrap heaps.

Yay's mention of already being familiar with Christopher's work was ominous enough and THAT was before grabbing without permission and taking a photo without permission.  Serious boundary violations.
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: Timemaster on 20 Jul 2021, 23:21
Yay is familiar with everything and everyone. Yay is Google + the NSA + the Fed personified.   :evil:
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: BenRG on 20 Jul 2021, 23:23
I think that Melon did have to put her denial on the record. I mean, let's be honest here: Who here didn't think that she and Arthur were somehow responsible for the explosion?

As for that Christopher guy, he's going to find his blog deleted before he finishes uploading the photographs of his 'podmate'.

What is an 'influencer' anyway? My mental index-card says "someone who persuades brands to pay them to wear/use their products/services whilst looking pretty on YouTube, Instagram and TikToc" but I'm sure that I'm missing the nuances somewhere!
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: Scarlet Manuka on 21 Jul 2021, 01:44
Of course Melon is the one with a low battery :D
To be fair, Christopher is also plugged in to the emergency battery, at least initially. I guess he unplugged in order to greet Yay.
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: Farideh on 21 Jul 2021, 02:10
Ah, so he is.
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: Boxer on 21 Jul 2021, 02:43
As for that Christopher guy, he's going to find his blog deleted before he finishes uploading the photographs of his 'podmate'.
If Christopher is lucky... she probably has the power to delete Christopher.

If shes subtle, Christopher will think his camera or net is broken.
If shes not subtle, she has to explain to Roko why Christopher suddenly collapsed lifeless onto the floor.
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: St.Clair on 21 Jul 2021, 04:15
Christopher has no way of knowing this, but he'd better hope that selfie with Yay's face doesn't get posted.
It would probably be bad for Yay, and worse for him.
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: sitnspin on 21 Jul 2021, 08:28
As for that Christopher guy, he's going to find his blog deleted before he finishes uploading the photographs of his 'podmate'.
If Christopher is lucky... she probably has the power to delete Christopher.

If shes subtle, Christopher will think his camera or net is broken.
If shes not subtle, she has to explain to Roko why Christopher suddenly collapsed lifeless onto the floor.

They, not she.
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: Is it cold in here? on 21 Jul 2021, 08:32
We know that Yay was completely confident about confronting an armed Corpse Witch with organized crime connections.

It's interesting to see who knows about Yay and who doesn't. Bubbles knew about their existence. Corpse Witch required a self-introduction ("your worst nightmare").

I hope Christopher apologizes soon enough.
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: John Allenson on 21 Jul 2021, 20:15
New comic.
It's nice to see these two happy.  I hope the day stays the 'best day ever'.
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: Farideh on 21 Jul 2021, 21:39
I hope this day eventually gets superceded by an even better day.

And just when I think that Elliot cannot possibly get any nicer, he goes and says stuff like that.


I don't think Christopher has apologized yet, I can still see Yay hissing in the background.
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: Annemoon on 21 Jul 2021, 22:48
They are just so cute together here <3 Makes me happy ^_^
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: BenRG on 21 Jul 2021, 23:10
It's obvious that Clinton is the sort of guy who needs a very few things in his life to make him happy. I wonder how inappropriately intrusive he'll be with the synthetics out there?
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: St.Clair on 21 Jul 2021, 23:51
probably enough that it'll be entirely deserved when one (or more) of them makes the observation that he's clearly just had sex, and asks some equally personal questions about it.
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: Baz_Yat on 22 Jul 2021, 05:04
probably enough that it'll be entirely deserved when one (or more) of them makes the observation that he's clearly just had sex, and asks some equally personal questions about it.

My money's on Yay.
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: dutchrvl on 22 Jul 2021, 06:41
IICIH edit: sometimes I swap comments about a future strip to a hidden space and restore them later. This time I'm experimenting with just adding a spoiler tag.

(click to show/hide)
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: sitnspin on 22 Jul 2021, 06:45
Hey dutchvri, I think you might be talking about tomorrow'a strip, cos there is nothing in today's that talks about that. So, gentle reminder that discussing patreon sneak peeks in this forum before they post to the main site is against the rules.
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: notStanley on 22 Jul 2021, 10:03
Is there not some form of curse where you learn "the best day of your life" was some mundane sh*t from a few years ago?  So, not much to look forward to?
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: Roborat on 22 Jul 2021, 13:28
I like this, the same event from another vantage point.   Hasn't Clinton met some of these AI persons already?  Clinton and Yay interacting could be interesting.
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: Farideh on 22 Jul 2021, 18:46
Comic!

Yeah, they need to DTR. At least the selfie got 'mysteriously' deleted. I hope Yay (or someone else) takes Christopher to task.
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: Gyrre on 22 Jul 2021, 20:42
Now I'm not condoning what the subscript says Yay did, but I do understand where they're coming from in having done so.
(My social battery has been cut down to a quarter being sick.)
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: dutchrvl on 23 Jul 2021, 05:36
Hey dutchvri, I think you might be talking about tomorrow'a strip, cos there is nothing in today's that talks about that. So, gentle reminder that discussing patreon sneak peeks in this forum before they post to the main site is against the rules.

Yeah that was my bad, not deliberate mind you (i know the rules), but I will try to be more careful.

Thanks for the reminder!
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: Ghanima Atreides on 23 Jul 2021, 07:58
Is concern over labelling one's relationship really an American thing though? I'm not American, but whether 2 people are dating, in a serious relationship, just having fun etc. are distinctions I've often heard discussed around me.
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: Roborat on 23 Jul 2021, 12:28
I am really starting to enjoy these two.  They are so cute together.
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: hedgie on 23 Jul 2021, 14:05
Now I'm not condoning what the subscript says Yay did, but I do understand where they're coming from in having done so.
(My social battery has been cut down to a quarter being sick.)

Compared to what they *could* do, I’d say that Yay is learning a bit of forbearance.
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: notStanley on 24 Jul 2021, 08:53
Elliot, that little power bank would be great for a phone.  How much power do those full size humanoid bodies need?  Though I guess if the outage lasts too long, all they need might be could be a standby trickle?
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: SotFX on 24 Jul 2021, 19:26
New comic!

One wonders why you'd need a emergency power source that fast. Unless there's a lot of Robots with bodies like May's old one.

Nighttime would be a standard downtime period since they aren't working in a just AI world. A lot of them have daytime work, so going home and plugging in for a recharge seems like it would be the standard thing just to keep things going.

Further, it would also make them more relatable with humanity, charging becoming an analogue with sleep time.
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: Is it cold in here? on 25 Jul 2021, 09:23
I wonder if Clinton knows who Yay is.
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: shanejayell on 25 Jul 2021, 16:49
Elliot and Clinton are adorkable.
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: Scarlet Manuka on 25 Jul 2021, 20:42
going home and plugging in for a recharge seems like it would be the standard thing just to keep things going.
Yes, I'm pretty sure we've seen this with the likes of May and Momo already.

It does seem that power outages would be a much bigger problem for AIs than they are for humans, though. For all we might joke about not being able to live without this or that piece of technology, a power outage isn't going to leave us literally unconscious with no way to wake up no matter how long it lasts. Presumably most AIs would be very careful about making sure that they were at least plugged in before their batteries got too low, so that they could start charging whenever power was restored. Which would be fine for your run of the mill power outage, but might not work so well when critical infrastructure is destroyed in a natural disaster.
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: Is it cold in here? on 25 Jul 2021, 21:07
The closest analogy would be food, but we can go weeks without food and there's no reason to think AI batteries last longer than phone batteries.

I am relieved that Yay was not offended by what Clinton blurted.
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: questionablydiscontent on 25 Jul 2021, 21:49
The closest analogy would be food, but we can go weeks without food and there's no reason to think AI batteries last longer than phone batteries.

I am relieved that Yay was not offended by what Clinton blurted.
I'm relieved that Clinton realized that miiiiight have been a weird [and possibly EXTREMELY personal] thing to say. There's hope for him yet.
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: notStanley on 26 Jul 2021, 12:40
How deeply "asleep" is an AI when they are charging at night?  If the power fails after they hit StandBy, they would be wondering why their batteries are still so low when the alarm wakes them up in the morning.  Horrors, what if the outage triggers a wakeup, but batteries too low to do anything?
Title: Re: WCDT July 19th - July 23th (4571-4575)
Post by: Mr_Rose on 26 Jul 2021, 14:00
That might be the AI equivalent of sleep paralysis and thank you for reminding me that’s a thing that exists. :psyduck: