Notes on the "Journey of Discovery" song
On NP467, Valarya suggested that BlitzGirl might do a song based on xkcd 1052 similar to her earlier OTTification of xkcd 442. BlitzGirl considered it, and yappobiscuits said he'd record himself singing it, or write lyrics himself. Nothing more happened for many more Newpages.
I knew from the wiki page that a filk of "Modern Major General" did eventually get written, by ZoomanSP on NP937, and sung by yappobiscuits at NewPage 1264, but it'd be a long time until I blitzed that far, and I wanted an opportunity to write another perl script, so I started creating something that would seek out and extract instances of iambic octameter from my local copy of the One True Thread.
While Blitzing the next hundred or so pages, I worked on this project on the side, editing the algorithm and adding words to the dictionary of OTT jargon, with stress (accenting) information so it would produce more results. The result is my "a Journey of Discovery" on NP1531.
Since the original has 36 lines of verse, each with 16 syllables, I decided I'd try to summarize the first 576 Newpages (since 576=36×16) by presenting the quotes in roughly the order they originally appeared. My program found 151 matches, based on the requirements that there must be a set of consecutive words comprising 16 syllables in eight iambs, ending at the end of a line or sentence (signified by a line break, change of quoting level, punctuation, etc.). I also started hearing the rhythm of text I was reading (Blitzing) and spotted a couple myself.
Subject line:
"M-Rob communicates
characteristically,
sending occasional
Capsules in Time"
This is a double dactyl, as is the footnote below. The double dactyl thing doesn't start until Newpage 655, but I knew about it from the Wiki. The length of a subject line is limited, so only the first part is actually the subject of the post. The other half was bolded and sized to match the formatting that most browsers use for the subject line text.
This message sent by em-rob twenty-seven has a certain rhyme
descended from x k c d one thousand fifty two, not Time
To establish the rhythm in which I intended this message to be read, I spelled out the pronunciation of my forum name "mrob27", and I had to cheat a bit on "xkcd". If making a cartoon adaptation you could leave these lines out, but in any event I wish to retain the next two lines "I've blitzed..."
I've Blitzed five hundred sev'n'y six Newpages of the One True Thread,
and here, in just as many beats, a summary of what I've read:
Again, cheating on "seventy". Probably the first time in my life I've written a double-contraction for poetic purposes, but Shakeseare did it all the time.
(we'll use the tune from
this recording
yappobiscuits made for us
or
supercalifragilisticexpialido-she-us)
This is to echo the little notes at the top of xkcd 1052 and would need to change if this is made into a comic strip (because "this recording" wouldn't be able to be a link, making the words ambiguous). I think these lines can just be left out, everyone in the OTT knows about the ZoomanSP/yappobiscuits version.
"a Journey of Discovery" / (in Words the OTTers Wrote for Me)
The title and subtitle of the song. You should definitely leave this in any comic adaptation, and make a title card if doing a video.
(orchestral intro, forty beats, and lead-in for two measures more
(with metronome at 2-oh-8, for those of you who have the score)
If you get the score to Modern Major General you'll see it's all true. This silly bit is just a nod to anyone who wants to try to sing this, and spends hours listening to the accompanyment trying to sing it through without ch*rping it up.
My ideas for illustrating the individual lines follow. In most cases the line is verbatim quote from some post in the OTT. Therefore, it's much like BlitzGirl's We Love the Thread of Time and its sequel and most of the frames can be a representation of the original writer's avatar. Each line of text is a link to the quote and I've followed them with the NP number and poster's name.
[Refresh?] It does for sure update the image automatically. (TheLochNessCheeseBurger, NP10:36)
Avatar is really small. Perhaps show someone mashing F5, another person behind them urging them to stop.
Creation of a new religion moderately frightens me. (NoEdge, NP68:34)
No avatar. Figures of Pope, Knight(s), Sandmasons(s) and/or 1 or 2 others wearing odd hats, with the principal (largest) figure pointedly running away from them in horror.
So how can we assume that any comic will remain the same? (squonk, NP32:29)
No avatar. Someone holding a magnifying glass with a computer monitor, inspecting a printout of readily recognizable OtherComic (such as Sandwich) while the exact same comic is seen on the monitor.
... the water level since the Great Expansion up until this frame? (azule, NP248:6)
Azule's Firefox (see other versions here) could be looking at an Aubron diff image with a similar magnifying glass.
The journey gives the wisdom and the bravery to take the charge, (edo, NP109:11)
Avatar is a wowtree, so shouldn't be used (it's anachronistic). I have no good idea how to illustrate this line.
The rate this thread is going, getting with the Time is pretty hard. (ChronosDragon, NP113:29)
We're given zero reason to suspect it is significant (blowfishhootie, NP100:17)
Again, no avatar. This discussion of frame 175 was inane. We can use the lower-right part of that frame, perhaps as a framed picture on the wall with the disputants all pointing at it with different blank expressions on their creepily blank mouthless, eyeless faces. Hasn't Randall Munroe ever heard of the uncanny valley?
that Megan might return and they can build together once again. (k.bookbinder, NP119:26)
If you do the song in the original Gilbert and Sullivan arrangement, there are an extra 6 measures of the chorus repeating this three times, and two syllables have to be repeated. There's probably no better way to handle it than a straight G&S reading ...can build together-gether once again.
Is Cueball laying back against the wall and staring at the sky? (Sedasa, NP128:1)
Discussing frame 203
That picture was unreasonably large and I apologize. (Aenea, NP229:18)
Aenea (as a stick-figure, there is no avatar) should be doing a face-palm and standing in front of the huge Keanu Reeves "WAOH!" image.
In all the precious moments of the one true needle-pulling thing, (StratPlayer, NP277:14)
and Proto-Indo-European Demons' instant RECKONING. (Wraithlord NP165:36, micdi NP181:11, and Opiboble NP169:15)
I actually wrote this line, then searched for posts that had the needed words. More accurately, the mods (Demons) wrote this line through their filtertext.
Perhaps we could have the frame filled with bits of Madness babble of various sizes and orientations (sort of like a wordle)
I'm shuffling frames to see if something interesting will come to light, (Kieryn, NP224:15)
Kieryn said nothing about "shuffling", but references the puzzle-book Masquerade and his suggestion that he might "re-interpret and re-visualize of the sequence [of OTC frames] is what made me think of shuffling.
So the illustration should just be Kieryn holding a few frames (as if printed on large cards) with a bunch more lying on the table, floor, pinned to the wall, etc.
a universal panacea for the mysteries of life. (Exodies, NP274:19)
The statement describes "semencoffeecancerbaby", so the Exodies figure should be holding a bottle (like a snake oil huckster) and (since the word won't be legible on the bottle) there could be a circus-poster sign behind him that advertizes the product.
A satisfying explanation? That's a Holy Mystery, (FayZee, NP297:15)
These words concern M&C "just sitting on" the platform (e.g. frame 509) and Megan's words in frame 408.
and Aubron doesn't correlate exactly to the OTC. (SBN, NP465:25)
Creating something even deeper out of the experience, (kenmelken, NP113:34)
the opportunity to add a Monty Python reference. (StratPlayer, NP377:15)
the StratPlayer raptor should definitely be holding a (dead) parrot.
Original discussion was around the title of the Knights (Caswallon, NP280:12)
continuing to slowly undermine the castle on the right. (rainycity1, NP365:5)
Again, in the original Gilbert and Sullivan arrangement two syllables need to be repeated; I'd suggest doubling slowly.
No avatar for rainycity1, but we can show the lower-right part of a diff frame e.g. 670-vs-730.
I doubt the Inquisition is considered a religious group, (PhoenixRising, NP301:15)
nor every comic that continues endlessly is in a loop. (jjjdavidson, NP324:7)
Actually, jjjdavidson did not say these words in any for, but I am describing his thesis fairly accurately. The illustration can be jjjdavidson's avatar at a blackboard with his sequence (1; 1 2 1; 1 2 1 2 2 1 2 1; ...) or the similar Kolakoski sequence written on it.
I wonder, what if Time is a reflection of this very Thread? (Perilous_3D, NP379:23)
Almost every parody, filk or OTTification of Major-General's Song has the last two lines of each verse be identical, but Tom Lehrer's The Elements departs from that to avoid repetition. I did the same here.
Perilous_3D has no avatar. The illustration for this can be a "mirror" with M&C inside the mirror looking "out" and a couple people who are clearly not M&C, but in similar (and mirror-reflected) poses, looking "in". Or maybe M&C are looking in and we're looking out? The side with M&C on it is distinguished by a light gray castle in the background (gray to not dominate the composition)
I'll read it all eventually, uh wait a minute what the heck. (Vytron, NP428:18)
If singing, you may choose to pronounce eventually with five syllables and omit uh. Also, poor rhyme with Thread, sorry.
Here, those using the Gilbert and Sullivan arrangement slow down to about ♩=150.
They're obviously hashes generated on the server side; (Caswallon, NP394:23)
The slower tempo can be used to emphasize obviously (as the hash conversation was shot and buried many times before).
I guess we'd love a coloured newpix delta view in Aubron style. (higgs-boson, NP414:8)
Here we can emphasize the articulation of newpix and perhaps change Aubron to Aubron's.
A sinking feeling nothing else about the OTC has caused -- (jjjdavidson, NP395:9)
Here we can emphasize the sinking-feeling-ness.
you're not alone in your enjoyment of the kitty avatars (AK49BWL, NP423:1)
Make sure to use RP so that "caused" rhymes with "avatars". Where GLR lives, it's easy.
On topic, yes this is a very interesting development, (Kieryn, NP416:21)
Here we can emphasize very. Rather than contract inter'sting the way most speakers do, or crowding inter into a single eighth-note, try singing interest on a triplet.
Kieryn is speculating about the very first Fading frames (896-899, where black is 0x010101) so he could have two identical frames behind him, one labeled "0x000000" and the other "0x010101".
more literary than a scientific or computer bent. (Eutychus, NP560:22)
Sorry this line doesn't make much sense out of context. I was getting a little frustrated.
No avatar, Eutychus is thanking StratPlayer for the dialogue page on the wiki. I can't think of a good way to illustrate this.
The OTT is basically a chatroom with a public log. (jetpac, NP519:31)
This is one of the lines I spotted myself, just by hearing the rhythm in my head as I was reading.
She travelled back to save the little trebuchet from being lost. (Vytron, NP539:36)
Now we're back on tempo (♩=208). Again, in the original Gilbert and Sullivan arrangement we need two more syllables, but this time we can restore two beats from the original post: She travelled back in time to save the little trebuchet from being lost.
Vytron is discussing BlitzGirl, the only BG reference in the whole song. So it's be nice to try to work a little BlitzGirl avatar into the image somewhere.
Already married — sentiment appreciated nonetheless! (Kieryn, NP416:34)
This came out of the acknowledgment of Kieryn's Lemmings video, so perhaps the two figures (Kieryn and buffygirl) could be in front of the Lemmings image. This is also the only opportunity to show buffygirl (who apparently never writes iambic octameter by accident).
From boredom, here is my interpretation of the current quest. (Caswallon, NP454:5)
Use the Caswallon's map image
It's possible that Cueball just accused the sea of heresy... (EraObserver, NP515:10)
This is one of the lines I spotted myself, just by hearing the rhythm in my head as I was reading. In the original, only "Cueball just accused the sea of being" fits the pattern. I really wish this line could have fallen three lines earlier (so it gets repeated by the chorus), but the whole flow just doesn't work as well ... not like there's much of a flow to start with.
EraObserver has no avatar. Use frame 1067 (Cueball's "maybe the sea couldn't wait" is the subject of this comment) with religious zealots (the pack of crazy hat-wearers from verse 1) pointing at it and perhaps dazzled by a temporary loss of faith.
Into the distance, on an endless journey of discovery! (bighaben, NP523:29)
Here I actually changed the mood of what was being said; the original is fatalistic. But by NP576 the apocalyptic mood of The Fading was a distant memory.
Use frame 1076 or frame 1077 (where M&C are walking directly away from the camera).
These lines were taken from the Thread, and clicking each, you'll plainly see
that only very rarely were they edited for poetry
Just a note to readers of the original post. If you're making a comic of this, you can put "CREDITS:" at the bottom with the URL: mrob.com/time/journey-of-discovery.html which has a complete list of the sources with author's names and links to each post.
With many pages waiting as I journey towards my afterwhen
I'll molpydown and say goodbye to you for now... Transmission End.
This text echos the format of my normal "Time Capsule" posts, like this one and this one. If you're making a comic and leave out the initial "This message sent by em-rob twenty-seven..." lines, then leave these lines out also. It can be left out of any audio recording.
* Message's subject is doubledly-dactylic? self-contradiction or paradox — Ch*rp!
Another double dactyl, referencing the "M-Rob communicates characteristically..." subject line.
the kitties try to keep us all from clicking on the
Spoiler:
by saying "it's redundant" so we will not click the
Spoiler:
This image is part of the Sandcastle Builder game.
the kittyish Department of Redundancy Department asks
Eternal Density to save the molpies from the raptorcat
Go to the Sandcastle Builder homepage and click the "Redundant Information" button. I manually scanned to get ideas then put a few pieces together to make this. So it's written by Eternal Density and myself.
The heritage of this retrOTTification:
Gilbert and Sullivan's Major-General's Song from The Pirates of Penzance
Randall Munroe's Every Major's Terrible
First OTTification of xkcd 1052, ["Every New Frame's Awefulsome!"|http://forums.xkcd.com/viewtopic.php?p=3391649#p3391649] by @ZoomanSP (NewPage 937);
recorded, illustrated and made into a video by @yappobiscuits, recording announced here (NewPage 1264)
an Edit added hastily, deilvering my first decree:
to find an illustrator for this verse would make my molpies squee!
I did really write this bit on the spot.
(I wrote down some ideas, PM me if interested)
If you found this page, you've found the ideas. PM me anyway, blitzers sometimes feel a bit disconnected.
This page was written in the "embarrassingly readable" markup language RHTF, and was last updated on 2013 Oct 10.
s.27