[100629]
So as this storyline is finally drawing to a close (though it’s been drawn for more than six months now), it’s time to start thinking about what I’m going to do next.
Until recently, I’d thought that this wasn’t even a decision that needed to be made; this current story does leave itself open for continuation – I have always called it a storyarc after all – and I had been drawing pages for the next arc since the end of last year.
But back in d276 I talked about having a compelling storyline, and the verdict has been passed that the original second arc isn’t. Or rather, I think it has the potential to be towards the back, but there’s a ton of setup that I really don’t care to draw or think up, so the aforementioned decision has been made…
… to draw the standalone.
I don’t really want to give much away, but this standalone actually has its roots way, way back in TIAIIS, and I’ve actually mulled it over more than once or twice in the years since way back, but only recently has it actually been fleshed out on a page by page basis.
And yes, I am trying to script it on a page by page basis. After rehashing the entirety of the directorate story arc several times to make flow better and/or be consistent with itself, I decided to storyboard the next arc – the one that’s currently on hiatus – at least one “part” at a time (approximately 20 pages) ahead of actually drawing the real pages.
Of course that didn’t really happen – I was more like five to ten pages ahead – but for a short story where the entire thing is 20 pages, I’m actually going to storyboard the whole deal before picking up a pencil. I’ve got like 9 pages… but it’s really hard to guesstimate the real progress when I’m trying to consider the storyboard wholistically (apparently Firefox thinks that ain’t a word?). It’s either done or not.
And it’s not. Obviously.
I was planning to do a helluvalot of work on it this weekend – and I did get pretty far – but out of the blue, just like how this post is changing topic – I decided to consider switching tablets.
I’m more road testing a ThinkPad X61T that a buddy and I picked up from a Craigslist seller for the low, low price of $420. That’s actually pretty intense considering the TC4200 was $450 two and a quarter years ago. I think these things are still consistently going for $600 or $700 on eBay.
So far there’s a couple things I like, and a couple things I don’t… obviously.
Going without a touchpad isn’t too bad; the ThinkPad trackpoint is pretty usable (unlike those on Dells and HPs), and while I’m definitely faster on a touchpad, the difference isn’t enough for me to care that much.
Some other minor qualms are the lid locking mechanism, which isn’t nearly as elegant as that of the TC4200, the slightly higher power consumption, lack of a top-deck intake vent (yeah, yeah, I’ll get to that), inferior port layout… mostly really minor.
I like that I’m actually getting a faster processor, longer battery life, less weight, and no decrease in things like USB ports or a lack of a Wacom digitizer, etc. One of the things I’m happiest about is the chance to finally use a real SSD in this thing, as opposed to the dinky CF in the TC4200.
I don’t even have to buy new power bricks! Just an extra tip for my second universal power adapter.
The slightly higher power consumption and the lack of a top-deck air vent means balancing heat and noise is really hard on this one. Thanks to TPFanControl, I can dictate exactly at what temperatures to spin up and shut the fan down.
On the TC4200, 60 on and 50 off was pretty much perfect, but the trip from 60 to 50 takes far too long (and is impossible at full load) on the X61T, resulting in more noise than I’d like. I’ve been playing between 60 to 55 and 65 to 60; both are pretty close to “perfect” (or rather, the best I’m going to get for this machine); the ideal point is probably somewhere in between.
All and all, it’s a really, really compelling replacement to the TC4200. Most compelling alternative I’ve seen since I started trying to find a replacement with the XT. With that, the X60T, and the HP 2730p, I knew within a couple hours of use that they weren’t going to be good enough. I’m actually on the third day with the X61T and still undecided.
Most likely I’ll hold onto it until I can get an equivalently good steal on an X200T.
I think that’s probably it for now.
