|
|
Post by Aspen d'Grey on Feb 12, 2007 6:00:32 GMT
The title didn't allow Tom's full comment like I usually post... So, abridged version. I was just going to post what's happening but I wanted to avoid a spoiler.
And whatever that thing Kat has is, I want one. So bad.
At first I thought it was a multimeter attached to a harmonic stylus, but maybe not.
Thanks for pointing out the my comic number was wrong, my2k
Edit: Changed the title 'cause if you're on here and you haven't read the comic yet there is something wrong with you.
|
|
|
|
Post by mrw on Feb 12, 2007 6:18:45 GMT
I'd have to guess it's like an oversize phonograph needle in reverse. The box in her hand that looks kind of like a yellow Fluke multimeter contains the microphone and electronics, which are retransmitted out to the point by electromagnetic coils (the stylus device is too big for piezoelectric). She vibrates the table under Shadow2 with it, and he is able to learn words that way. It seems he can understand spoken words, but needs to "feel" them to learn how to repeat them.
But there must be a little bit more to it than that, or she could just have had Shadow2 position himself on top of a speaker cone, or the surface of a drum (anything that vibrates with sound waves in the room). Perhaps she is electronically compensating for the sound charactistics of the table in this case.
Or perhaps I'm overanalyzing things a bit? Anyway, lovely graphics. Kat and Annie look great!
|
|
neal
Full Member
Posts: 166
|
Post by neal on Feb 12, 2007 8:30:14 GMT
Well having him positioned over anything which vibrates would let him understand how to make the sounds that the object makes. However, in order for him to be able to make the sounds required for words, he would need to be introduced to those particular vibrations. It seems like he could have just sat across her vocal cords, though. Those vibrations should be able to teach it...but that would mean that Kat wouldn't get to make a fun new toy!
|
|
|
|
Post by mudmaniac on Feb 12, 2007 9:02:12 GMT
I would think that having a shadow wrapped around your throat would be problematic in the long run. Plus, I suspect that Kat here would like to be able to use voices off of other sources for Shadow2 to listen to. Like TV shows.
Additionally, I'm still waiting impatiently for robots.
|
|
|
|
Post by todd on Feb 12, 2007 11:58:44 GMT
This page has made it seem all the more likely now that whatever Annie was looking so concerned about in the very first panel of the story wasn't a major emergency endangering herself and Kat or the school. Even given her good manners, I doubt that she'd be just standing there listening so interestedly to Kat talking about the work that she's doing with Shadow2 under such circumstances.
|
|
|
|
Post by Aspen d'Grey on Feb 12, 2007 17:02:51 GMT
Ooh, I forgot about that. I thought she was summoned by Kat so she thought something was wrong but it wasn't really.
|
|
|
|
Post by mrw on Feb 12, 2007 17:31:35 GMT
This page has made it seem all the more likely now that whatever Annie was looking so concerned about in the very first panel of the story wasn't a major emergency endangering herself and Kat or the school. Even given her good manners, I doubt that she'd be just standing there listening so interestedly to Kat talking about the work that she's doing with Shadow2 under such circumstances. Yes, I agree. At this point I think Aspen is correct - Kat called for her, but Annie didn't know why and came rushing in expecting something wrong. Annie's all smiles here, isn't she? That's more than just being happy for Kat - seems like she's loosening up a bit. |
|
|
|
Post by fjodor on Feb 12, 2007 21:33:28 GMT
Annie looks happier than ever.
I still wonder how Shadow2 ended up down at the Annan river. These creatures seem to need an object to attach to, or a real shadow to hide in. Hopefully we get more answers on Wednesday.
|
|
|
|
Post by UbiquitousDragon on Feb 12, 2007 21:48:28 GMT
Annie looks happier than ever. I still wonder how Shadow2 ended up down at the Annan river. These creatures seem to need an object to attach to, or a real shadow to hide in. Hopefully we get more answers on Wednesday. Maybe the suicide fairies? |
|
|
|
Post by rastarogue on Feb 12, 2007 23:26:41 GMT
Where are the Robots?
Hey...that would be a cool way to expand Shadow2's vocabulary. Attach him to the robot and then program the robot so that every word it hears is records and then vibrates to Shadow2 so that he can learn it.
|
|
|
|
Post by owl on Feb 12, 2007 23:35:44 GMT
This comic is exactly why Kat is my favorite character. Look at her! So happily geeky! *hugs Kat*
Adorable Mad Science. What could possibly be better?
Don't asnswer that, rasta. RHETORICAL QUESTION.
|
|
|
|
Post by mrw on Feb 12, 2007 23:36:01 GMT
Annie looks happier than ever. I still wonder how Shadow2 ended up down at the Annan river. These creatures seem to need an object to attach to, or a real shadow to hide in. Hopefully we get more answers on Wednesday. I suspect that will remain a mystery for us to ponder. Rasta, your idea of a robot translator for Shadow2 sounds like just the thing! Edit: Credited wrong person, sorry Rasta! |
|
|
|
Post by owl on Feb 12, 2007 23:55:30 GMT
Well, cliffs do tend to cast rather large shadows. But I know what you mean. They don't cast them up, and the bridge is so well lghted that it would have been hard for him to reach the edge of it.
Also, since hes techincally not made of shadow, can he travel vertically?
|
|
|
|
Post by rastarogue on Feb 12, 2007 23:58:54 GMT
Annie looks happier than ever. I still wonder how Shadow2 ended up down at the Annan river. These creatures seem to need an object to attach to, or a real shadow to hide in. Hopefully we get more answers on Wednesday. Aspen, your idea of a robot translator for Shadow2 sounds like just the thing! Uhh...that was me, rasta. Owl- Completely far out/random/cool/awesome science is way better than adorable mad science. |
|
|
|
Post by rastarogue on Feb 13, 2007 0:00:33 GMT
Well, cliffs do tend to cast rather large shadows. But I know what you mean. They don't cast them up, and the bridge is so well lghted that it would have been hard for him to reach the edge of it. Also, since hes techincally not made of shadow, can he travel vertically? I think that he can if he has a wall to brace himself against. He does slide up several walls, like when he first shadow talks to Annie, so vertical movement would make sense. |
|
|
|
Post by owl on Feb 13, 2007 0:02:14 GMT
Rasta, completely far out/random/cool/awesome science is mad science.
Therefore, it's adorable completely far out/random/cool/awesome science. Hah!
|
|
|
|
Post by rastarogue on Feb 13, 2007 0:06:00 GMT
Rasta, completely far out/random/cool/awesome science is mad science. Therefore, it's adorable completely far out/random/cool/awesome science. Hah! I was leaving out adorable, because some science is not adorable, some is downright ugly, and I wanted to include that. maybe: Completely far out/random/cool/awesome/occasionally adorable/occasionally ugly/all-around fun science |
|
|
|
Post by owl on Feb 13, 2007 0:10:06 GMT
No no no, see, adorable is just there in the case of Kat. That's why mad science = completely far out/random/cool/awesome science, not adorable completely far out/random/cool/awesome science.
Adorable completely far out/random/cool/awesome science is better than ugly completely far out/random/cool/awesome science.
See?
ANYWAY: Back on topic.
A robot translator would be crazy awesome!
|
|
|
|
Post by mrw on Feb 13, 2007 0:10:45 GMT
Rasta, completely far out/random/cool/awesome science is mad science. Therefore, it's adorable completely far out/random/cool/awesome science. Hah! I was leaving out adorable, because some science is not adorable, some is downright ugly, and I wanted to include that. maybe: Completely far out/random/cool/awesome/occasionally adorable/occasionally ugly/all-around fun science But Kat's is adorable. Including zero-g protein growth. Because there's a little kitty drawn on the side of the antigrav flask. ;D Edit: Ow my head. You two are fast. |
|
|
|
Post by rastarogue on Feb 13, 2007 0:11:53 GMT
Not always, unless you consider protein crystals grown in zero-gee to be adorable.
Edit-the trick is to anticipate and start posting before The other person has.
|
|
|
|
Post by todd on Feb 13, 2007 1:13:52 GMT
Ooh, I forgot about that. I thought she was summoned by Kat so she thought something was wrong but it wasn't really. Yes, that seems a good explanation to me. It would certainly explain why we haven't even had a hint as to what was worrying Annie (if she came into the lab for some reason other than because Kat called her in). |
|
aoeniac
Full Member
Dodecahedron!
Posts: 112
|
Post by aoeniac on Feb 13, 2007 8:11:50 GMT
So does this mean that Shadow 2 is going to start talking in comprehensible phrases instead of forming words with his... erm... shadow?
I don't think I'd like that. He's cuter the way he was.
|
|
|
|
Post by UbiquitousDragon on Feb 13, 2007 17:54:38 GMT
One question the page raised for me, or rather Tom's comment did, is how do we know Shadow2 is a he? He could be a she, it's just that it's been assumed he's a he. If that makes sense ... I'm having major Virginia Woolf flashbacks here.
|
|
|
|
Post by owl on Feb 13, 2007 18:14:31 GMT
Or he could be an it. Do shadow...things...even have genders?
|
|
|
|
Post by rastarogue on Feb 13, 2007 21:52:27 GMT
Tom said somewhere that mort and Shadow2 are both male.
|
|
|
|
Post by UbiquitousDragon on Feb 14, 2007 0:40:55 GMT
Tom said somewhere that mort and Shadow2 are both male. Hokey kokey--I just wasn't sure. |
|
|
|
Post by rastarogue on Feb 14, 2007 3:14:07 GMT
Which makes it kinda weird that he is talking in a female voice.
How could he develop his own voice patterns if all he does is copy the vibrations of others?
|
|
|
|
Post by owl on Feb 14, 2007 3:33:50 GMT
He could combien them into a sound that he likes. Like, take the cadence of one person's voice, the tone of another, the mannerisms of a third...
What if he starts speaking like Janet? ;D
|
|
