Links

I've got a lot of links for people to wade through, so I'll list the most important first.

The Inverted Castlevania Dungeon -- This is the site of the guy who's actually paying out of his pocket to host me, so he gets first dibs as far as linking goes. Seriously, ICVD is a really great Castlevania site, one that is filled with both unique brand of irreverent humor that pokes fun at just about everything in the series. Most importantly of all, it's the sister site of CVRPG, easily the best spite comic on-line.

Mega Man X: Crossed Wires -- This sprite comic is based on the Super NES game Mega Man X. You know, before the series got really, really bad. With a tight focus on the main character, you'll laugh at the exploits of X as he is hurt...over and over again. As a bonus, there are also three other comics (Wacky Hijinx, Magnus' Comic, and Random Shorts) available for you to read.

deviantART: blameshiori -- Though I know a few people hosted at deviantart, this is the place I always check out first. Just look at her drawings, and the warmth she infuses them with.




Ogre Battle Series Links

Looking for a few more sites dedicated to the Ogre Battle and Tactics Ogre games? Here's just a sample of the sites that are out there.

March On, Black Queen! -- This is easily the definitive site regarding the game Ogre Battle: March of the Black Queen. Everything you want to know about the game is here. Items, characters, strategy, and even some multimedia. If you want to find out how the story of Ogre Battle really went, this isn't a bad place to start.

The Ogre Battle Domain -- This site focuses on Ogre Battle 64, and it contains a wealth of information on that game. Tips, images, walkthroughs. You want it? You got it!

Ogre Battle Page for Beginners -- While this page may not be the most elegant, it explains the features of screens in Ogre Battle to the uninitiated quick and to the point. An essential read for anyone reading the comic who has never played Ogre Battle.

Tactics Ogre: The Knight of Lodis -- This is a wonderful site that focuses on the excellent game Tactics Ogre: The Knight of Lodis. He also has a forum in which you can discuss the game.




Webcomic Resources

Looking for Webcomics in general? Do you have a webcomic and want to promote it? I can think of a few places to start. There are more comic listings on-line than you can imagine, but here are a few links to start you out.

OnlineComics.net -- This directory of webcomics a great place to start. It has discussion forums for comic creators, and is a great place for both newcomers and veterans.

The Webcomic List -- Would you like to know if your favorite comic has updated or not without wasting time to actually visit the site? Then this is the place for you. With a comic listing of literally thousands of comics encompassing both webcomics and syndicated strips, this place proves that quantity does not have to come at the expense of quality.




Specific Webcomic Links

All of the comics contained in this section are comics that I actually read. While there are some comics I look at that are not on my links list, I neither link to comics quid pro quo nor because a comic is popular. I have to like the comic enough to visit repeatedly. As a preface, I must admit that the comics I enjoy are a bit more explicit in terms of language than what I use, and also employ more mature themes. If you're offended by four letter words and/or occasional nudity, you should avoid these comics.



Comics I Regularly Read

These comics are part of my daily/weekly routine, and I have followed them for a while. Note that this list is somewhat dynamic. If I forget to look at one of these for a while, or it doesn't update, it will be removed from this section. Likewise, a comic I pick up again will be featured.

Castlevania RPG -- As I said, this is the best sprite comic on-line. It has three-dimensional characters, original sprites, unique speech markings, a complex web of storytelling, and hand-drawn artwork randomnly thrown in the mix.

The Final Fantasy 6 Comic -- A hand-drawn comic based on the Super NES Final Fantasy III (now more commonly known as Final Fantasy VI), this comic retells the story of the game, but with the improved characterization and details only possible with "analog" art. It's a wonderful read.

Misfile -- When an angel's mistake changes the lives two teenagers, the affected youths have to cope with their new but all too similar realities. At times hilarious, at times striking a chord close to the heart, and always beautifully drawn, this is a wonderful comic.



Other Great Comics

The rest of these are comics I enjoy immensely but I simply forget to read on a regular basis and/or not currently updating. They are not any worse than the ones above in quality at all, and I follow them when I can. It's just that I have a limited capacity as far as remembering is concerned.

5031 -- A hilarious weekly four panel strip. It's a shame it ended.

B.O.F.F -- There aren't many Breath of Fire comics out there, and there aren't that many funny comics out there. So a Breath of Fire sprite comic that is funny is practically impossible to find. But I've found one. Too bad it eneded. Go read! NOW!

Darkmoon's Silly Webcomic -- A silly webcomic that focuses on the various characters in the Castlevania series. It is also written by Darkmoon, but unlike CVRPG, has a much looser narrative structure.

DBZ Parody -- Don't let the non-descript name fool you. This is a very, very funny comic. If you like DBZ, watch as this comic makes fun of the series. If you don't like DBZ, then point to this comic as proof to what DBZ is really like.

Galactic Academy -- Normally, people use video game sprites in their comics to stab at video game characters. Well, this comic uses video game sprites but tells a completely original story. It seems weird at first, but after a while, you'll see how effective this comic is at playing upon and subverting the reader's conceptions regarding sprites. That's not counting the hilarious cameos and dialogue that will give you more than a chuckle.

Medialia -- This is a sprite comic that's serious, made with original sprites, and good.

My Brother the Angel -- The title sums up the plot, but this comic isn't just drawn in a manga-style; this is the first non-Japanese comic that I feel has actually captured the soul of manga. The layout of the site somehwat different than that of most webcomics (if you want to access the comics like a normal webcomic, click here), but trust me, the content is more than worth it.

Spritescape Fantasy -- A fantasy webcomic -- There are very few words that I can use to describe this comic. A fantasy comic with a phenomenal use of original pixel art and layout crossed with great writing, this is a very highly recommended comic.

Tale of a Tactician -- A Fire Emblem sprite comic that is particularly well-done, it combines overworld sprites with facial sprites and battle sprites to give a very unique, but very beautiful style. Now with an improved layout!

Wonderboy: Misadventures in Monster World -- A young hero is sent out to save the world. Never mind he doesn't want to save the world and that he's absolutely terrible at the job.




Sprites & Other Pixelations

If you're looking for video game sprites or backgrounds for whatever reason, and you can't find a way to obtain them using your own devices, here are a few places to look. Note that most of these sites link to other sites where you can find more sprites, so don't stop at this list.

BG HQ -- This site has backgrounds for just about any major game you can think of and some lesser known games as well. If you're looking for backgrounds for any reason, this is a wonderful place to start.

Cammy's Dream House -- This site might not be the most glamourous, but it has tons of sprites of your favorite Capcom fighting game characters. You should ask for permission from the sprite artists first before taking the custom ones first, though.

Fenrir's Sprite Domain -- This place has extensive coverage of backgronds and sprites from the Super NES Final Fantasy III (a.k.a. Final Fantasy 6). It also has sprites from other games, so don't stop with the first section!

Game Sprite Archives -- A very good place to go for sprites, this place is great whether you are looking for sprites in general or rounding out your sprite collection.

The Online Video Game Atlas -- This place is a game that maps out game areas in the hopes of providing...maps. However, it contains a lot of backgrounds, including a TON from Secret of Mana.

The People's Sprites -- While the layout may take a little getting used to, there's a decent collection of both regular sprites and custom sprites. This site has a much looser distribution policy than most places, so you probably will be able to use the sprites with no strings attached.

Pixel Perfect -- What this site specializes in are games that do not get a lot of attention, such as Earthbound and, yes, Ogre Battle.

Scroll Boss -- If you're looking for a place where pixel art is king, this is a nice place to start. Note, though, that nearly all of the custom sprites require permission before use.

The Shy Guy Kingdom -- This is a very good source of sprites and sprite sheets, a wonderful place to start looking.

The Spriter's Resource (Currently Down) -- Another place to get sprites, it focuses on the bigger companies. However, it also has sprites and backgrounds from more recent titles, which most sites lack.

Tatakau -- This site has sprites for a lot of RPGs that are not covered elsewhere. If you're looking for the cult favorites, here you go.

Video Game Sprites -- While the range of sprites is limited, what makes this site unique is how complete the sprite sets are on this page. A great place for Chrono Trigger sprites, especially.




Other Links

GameFAQs -- If you are ever stuck in a video game, this site will give you all the help you need, all in the form of text files that can be accessed by low and high speed connections alike.

The Internet Movie Database -- Was that Julia Roberts in that old film you saw on TBS the other day? Who directed that B-Movie you rented last week? The answers to all this and much more reside in the halls of IMDB. It also contains information on televsion shows, actors, directors, and everyone involved in film projects.

LLLL.com -- This online journal tracks the value of four letter domain names, which I am interested in, for obvious reasons. The author, Reece Berg, is a tremenously nice and helpful guy to boot, in addition to being a great writer.

Merriam-Webster Online -- There are plenty of on-line dictionaries but this one is my favorite. If there's an unfamiliar word you come across while on-line, simply go to this website, look it up, then return to your reading. It's quicker than opening up the printed dictionary.

NamePros.Com - Buy, Sell, & Discuss Domain Names -- This is a large forum dedicated to the purchasing and liquidation of domain names, as well as discussion about a variety of topics such as building websites, search engine optimization, and other essentials to make sure your site is getting the recognition it deserves. With a friendly, professional environment, I recommend this forum to anyone even remotely interested in the World Wide Web.

Newgrounds: Flash Portal -- Do you love to look at movies made in Flash? Click here to see entries range from awful to awesome.

-- What if you like to draw, even if you don't have an ounce of talent, and all you have is an editor such as MS Paint? Never fear, this site is for you. With a contest every week, there's plenty of inspiration, even if you are not gifted.

Rotten Tomatoes: Movies and Games, Reviews and Previews -- Do you want to find out if the critical consensus on a movie is good or bad without reading every movie review? Or do you enjoy reading reviews? Either way, this is a great place to go if you really want to know if that film that opens this weekend is worth your time.

VGMusic -- Where can you find the largest archive of midi files of music from video games? Here, of course.

The Video Game Museum -- A wonderful place where you can find screenshots of games, and scans of games themselves. It even has screencaps of Ogre Battle endings...even some I've never seen.

Wikipedia -- The best on-line encyclopedia out there. It contains basic knowledge on everything you want -- and don't want -- to know. It's not perfect, but it's growing and it's free. What more can you ask for.

YouTube -- Everyone knows about this site by now, but if you want to search for or upload some Ogre Battle videos, you can find them here.

Zarbon's Masterpiece Theater -- I have seen some funny DBZ parodies in my time, but this has to the absolute funniest. Accessible to both fans of DBZ and non-fans, the episodes here are hilarious.