serketbound

So well, let’s start with a simple question, What Is Serketbound? Well:

Serketbound was my foray into a style of interactive storytelling popularized by the late great Homestuck, wherein readers input a command, and the grey kid on the screen attempts to subvert it to avoid humiliation. Specifically, Serketbound was a Derivative work involving the titular Serkets, fan-favorite Homestuck Trolls.

Originally about Aranea, Serketbound spend the majority of it’s Early years fooling around, commands were vague and weird, i was kinda of not taking them remotely seriously, and the plot meandered so far you’d think it had stepped in a Tar Pit.

...the eating thing was kinda bananas out of control too, being honest.

Getting caught in a cycle of Useless updates with characters Not My Own eventually became kinda dull, so i quietly killed SB, only to revive it two years down the line to star Pedipa, in what i called an “intermission” to the story, the truth is i kinda lied, the Intermission now makes up almost Half of SB’s panels, and the grand bulk of its actual lore and progression, who’d of thought finding an original cast and setting made it easier to evolve?

In retrospect, focusing it around aranea trying to bite people early on was really shooting myself in the foot.

If one considers Serketbound to be from when Pedipa is first shown to the planned finish, it could be considered a Short, Sweet, OneShot adventure, Albeit one that makes very little sense. The caveat in the system was always that Serketbound simply had to return to Aranea and Co. if it didn’t, i’d have left their plot threads (if those count) hanging, and provide a really janky story for long time readers (as well as cutting off any explanation as to all the red stuff and whatnot, spoiler??)

Really, the long pauses harmed more than helped, when i was in the mood for Serkebound, i pounded out up to 200 panels in under a month, when i hated it, i could barely draw one a year, it was doomed to infrequent bursts of activity, and i should have warned as such ahead of time, not doing so probably caused some reader upset...

Am i Proud of Serketbound? No. Did i find drawing it fun? Yes! Am i glad i made it? Double Yes!! Serketbound taught me a lot in pacing, both in how to not do it and how to do it after all, it taught me some things about reader contribution, proper reader agency, when to leash them in, and how to execute. it’s not a Good Read, but it can be a Fun Read if looked at right!