Current State

I have been sitting on the last two posts for almost two months now, and decided to just upload it. A loss of time and perhaps interest as well rushed these posts. I don't feel like I'm adding much to the game experience other than some drawings, but I want to feel like I'm adding rather than getting glory from other people's work. It's a fine line.... I'm ending this project for now and going to try something else. I will post a link once I get something to show for it.

Thanks a lot for reading, but I have to move on to the next challenge.

Don't Starve with Willow Part 07

Heat is almost a luxury to me now. I can barely leave sight of town without freezing stiff. I have to venture out to the located food sources before I become one. My failing brain decides that instead of making new camps, I should make new fires. The warmth is welcoming, and nothing else matters but food and warmth. Damn it all if I burn this land down before I starve.

I am down to the bare wires. Running from burning tree to twig is becoming foolish. I nearly turn to ice trying to pick berries and flowers. The petals are so soothing, and yet it feels worthwhile. I am left scraping the barrel for food. I don't know if I'll last the night, but I have to keep searching until the sun brings my freedom from this weathering burden.

Day 31. My heart still beats, but my skin is blue and my stomach is thin. I need to move. Throughout my journey, I fall victim to the freezing enviroment. I fall over and turn into a preserved corpse.

BAM! The touchstone! The third chance of which I'm given. This could be my last, so I best not screw this one up. Or at least until I find another touchstone. I better set something on fire quickly.

I run as fast as I can to Piggerton, but I'm slowed down without my cane and the blistering frost. Rabbits gather around me, watching, waiting. I feel my flesh dry out and crack, freezing my blood and soon after, I fall to the ground. A month of the wilderness and my last sight is the cold, dead hands of myself as I lose my vision from the snowstorm. If I could go back and better prepare for this.

If only I had gathered more wood. If only I had more food saved up. If only I learned from bears. If only......o...n...l..y....

Don't Starve with Willow Part 06

Plans to eradicate the spider problem in Piggerton has reached a major decision. Weapons are no use to take out the last two dens without facing death. This is the time for fire..... Fire doesn't catch on the dens. RUN!

One of the dens have finally been destroyed. Never have I seen so many creatures run at me at once before. The last one will have to be dealt with after...What's reaching toward the fire?

Odd. It slinks away at my touch, but the campfire attracts it. I'm not going to let it close to it. I hear strange things in complete darkness. Willow has the perk of starting fires if she's in a pinch to keep nocturnal creatures away. Rain has been fighting hard to drown out my light, but the spider eggs I collected has made for a strong flame tonight. A strike of lightning has frightened off the shadow hand... It wasn't much of a threat.
The bullfrogs north, however, thirst for blood. A whole raid of them attacked the village today. Two of the villagers tried to bat them off, and I tried to help, but hope was lost in a blink. Before I knew it, my armor snapped off and was whiplashed repeatedly. I unfortunately met my fate on this day.

I open my eyes to a-Wait a second. Uhg. I'm back at the touch stone! I feel weird....but I'm alive! How... Hm. I believe there's another touchstone near Midnight Town. I'll have to find it tomorrow.
The nights grow ever so colder. I've spent dusk trimming the tree population, as I may need a constant source of heat very soon. (I've never survived past Winter before, but I'm starting to grow on Willow, so I will do my best to keep her warm.)
Do you feel a chill? Snow has fallen! I don't have my coat, or any coats. Oh dear. I best not stray far from flame. I will carry a torch with me to the touchstone and hurry back as quick as possible.

Stupid Rabbits and their stupid coats

Rain has washed away the snow, but the cold pierces my cold body. I can't go far from the campsite, but I will have to make a trip for warmer clothing. I will make plans to pay the jackelopes a visit shortly.

I ventured down the road near the rabbit holes and trapped two unlucky critters. They have become protectors of my ears. Fluffy, fluffy protectors!

Winter is something of a bore. What can I do besides stand by the fire all day? Hunting is a gamble, and birds don't have enough meat on them. The berry bushes grow throughout the Winter, but it takes a lot to fill me up. The long nights have been taking a toll on me as well. The shadows seem to dislike my light, but who else sees these figures? Chester doesn't seem to notice.

Spiders don't seem to slow down in the cold. The last den still remains, but it's much too risky to cut it down right now. They've been keeping their distance this week.

The Winter has been rather cold to me. I'm left to cut down any sizable tree for warmth, and the berry bushes grow ever so slowly. I have a handful of diced carrots that will not last any longer. I have to find more food before I go crazy!

I hear the growling once again. Looks like I'm getting delivery today! JOYUS VICTORY. The hounds go down without too many bites to my face, AND a fat 'ol snowbird lands in my trap. We shall dine as champions!....Oh right. It's just me here now. Dusk forced everyone inside.

I've decided to use a poorly built bedroll to get through the night. I was hoping the bird would had have more meat to him. I woke up in pain from my gut. Completely empty. I'm left no choice but to eat hound meat. Filling, but disgusting.

The halls of my brain echo for what feels like an eternity. Rabbits look to have grown off of a simple man, and food is so close, yet so far away. How much longer until Spring?

Don't Starve with Willow 05

Part 01
Part 02
Part 03
Part 04

Don't Starve is a game made by Klei Entertainment. If you're interested, check out the mini site
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WHAT IN THE WORLD?! The pig village I have settled in tonight had a resident sleeping outiside that suddenly grew fur and started attacking me! What's happening?! I have to fend for my self!

Yay

Feels like twelve days now. My grass armor has been freshly cut, which is not good enough for my planned adventures. I need to make use of what I have on hand and upgrade. I start off by trimming some of the taller trees of Piggerton and gather wood. It may be a good idea to have a supply always in hand for those cold nights.

Oh no. I've found more tracks on my return home. Are there more of them? I need to improve my defenses. My scrapes are starting to itch in fear. Perhaps if I tie together some wood and make some arm room, and VOILA! A new piece of armor! This will save me from an impalement or ten.

The citizens have left a present as well

I've been thinking. The settlement west of Piggerton also needs a name. The road ends there and was mapped by me at midnight, and awful things happened. The grim nature and surroundings of that area shall be known as "Midnight Town". I like it!

Expert Cartography

Oh gods no...I think I hear the barking again....

Now would be a time to plan out the walls of Piggerton. Far enough to keep out bloodthirsty critters and keep a good eye on who or WHAT goes through. What should the walls be made out of though....
What is this?? A marker stands before me surrounded by headed spikes! The SMELL! Oh dear. It doesn't help that another body lays behind it. Grass armor and twigs seem to be the only thing left to their name. What's this bare dirt explain?? It looks like something big lived here for a time. Will it come back? I should expect anything by now.

I managed to cover a lot of ground today. It appears that we're near a bay, or a large lake anyway. I ran by what seemed to be an absolutely lovely field, but the bees didn't enjoy my company well...

Don't bring nice things to the Bee Ghetto

The next day, I decided to relax and go for a stroll with my trusty cane. I don't like leaving little Chester behind, but the monsters pick on him, and the pigs will care for him while I'm away. I should had cleared my pockets before I left however...

Happy Trail

A small creature crossed my path on my walk. I picked what appeared to be an innocent turnip, when it cried out and fell over! Did I kill it? How could I have known? Are they delicious?

The barking can be heard again. The hounds must have caught my scent. I'm better prepared for them this time. I get a fire prepared and keep a lookout. The growls and yelps came closer and closer for what seemed like days. At last two approached. That got a good bite out of me, but my new suit helped me greatly. Dark fell, and a redbird was sleeping near the camp. I strike it to celebrate my victory for today. Not enough meat for a snack, but a pretty feather regardless.

Seventeen days since awakening. I go explore northwest into the plains to find this ring thing surrounded by spiky flowers. What use does it hold?

Worshiped by Flowers

The shores along here are absolutely littered in hound tracks! Now may be the time to find the last of them and perhaps the owner as well! After tracking down about a dozen tracks, something came to thought. These foot prints are much too big for a hound. What does it really belong to? Just when I pondered, I found the owner. This was a beautiful creature, in both mine and this world.
The giant koala-elephant was timid when I came near. I had no plan to hurt it. I could only admire it from afar. Doesn't appear interested in my treats either. I will leave him alone. Perhaps we'll meet again...

When It's Done

Hello folks. Due to my night-job I have fallen behind in my schedule and the next update will not be uploaded until I have all of the images produced. I'm deciding what would be better. Have a schedule and follow it as best as possible at the risk of quality, or give a post the time it requires?

This was a problem when I was making a web-comic back in 2009. I would upload something every day, but a lot of it I find cringe-worthy. I enjoyed that time of making work I loved, but my favorite comics were the ones I didn't rush. So, with that, I won't promise a schedule right now. I have a feed that sends an email but I'm looking for perhaps a proper feed. I also post updates on my twitter and will get more services once the demand is great enough. I just really don't want to rush something with potential.

The next post wasn't going to be Don't Starve but about Awesomenauts! I recorded a few matches and I have an idea of how to make it a good read. I want to get it out before Humble Bundle 8 closes. Part 05 will likely be after that. Apologies, and thank you for understanding.

-Cody

Don't Starve with Willow 04

Part 01
Part 02
Part 03
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I wake up lying in a new place. Has someone been drugging me? This land has a section full of dead grass with over half a dozen spider dens in the distance. I best stay here near the water and make some war gear to fight my way through. Where am I?

I am Fucked Land

 Strolling alone with the sea has been nearly death-inducing. This island is full of evils and weird fish-mermen. Tentacles pop out of the ground randomly. I've been running like hell ever since. NO THANKS.

Another night in another world. I cook carrots and spider glands to restore my strength. Spending half of the day running from giant monsters really build an appetite. I don't know if I'll ever get out here. I have to keep killing arachnids. Someday I will return home. I must!

Turns out my death awaits me. Good night, stupid deadly swamps. Piggerton will never have its city built. I will never see the sun again. The spiders rush towards my corpse as sight fades away...

FATALITY

What the? I'm back at the door! OH dear. I best get back to town, and quickly! It looks like time has frozen while I was away. I thought for sure I was dead.

I return back home. It's almost nice to watch out for creatures under the stars again. I have no idea where I am or if I'll ever see my friends and family again. This place isn't so bad once you have a weapon.
The tenth day has consisted of following the cobblestone road back past where I woke up. What is on the other end of the road? I have enough wood to set up camp out here for the night. Hopefully no one sends the hounds after me... Who was it?

DERPADERPADERP

Another body lies not far off the path. This one may have been wealthy because of the SICK ASS cane stuck in the ground. I feel mighty! I feel like a speed demon! I'm running similar to the rabbits here. I may be losing it.

Quick! Grab the loot!

I find  a few pig houses by the local river. I shall camp here tonight and continue in the morning. Spiders everywhere...

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That's all for this week! I'm going to aim for a weekly Monday update for this series and likely future series as well. I would like to try out writing about other games, so I will try out a one-shot of certain games and see how they go. Thank you very much for reading and share the blog!

Game by Klei Entertainment. If you're interested in playing the game for yourself, click here!

Don't Starve with Willow 03

Part 01
Part 02
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The lone pig seems to show no fear. At the sight of a spider, he charges in with only his hooves as his weapon! After punching one in the stupid face, two more pop out of the webbed den and crawl toward him. Oh dear, it's three against one, and I don't know if I should help him. My wounds are still red and I shouldn't risk my life for someo-oh he's taking a beating. I should try to do something!

I defeated the fiends without a scratch, but Salty was remembered at dinnertime

Click the images for a close-up

I have mapped what is officially a peninsula just a distance from Piggerton. It would be nice to take out the monsters living there and help out with building homes and defending the town. Piggerton may become a city some day, who knows! At least have a decent exterminator at the very least. I can see it now...

 Five days have passed since my awakening here in the land of the weird. Is there a way out? Pigs seem to be the most intelligent species around here. Sad. Spiders seems to be the primary antagonist of the land. I have been vigilant of destroying them all.

A long day of slaying has passed. The Piggerton Peninsula is nearly cleansed of octo-legged killers. Night is almost here. Time to head back and use the spider glands to heal my cuts and bites. The next day I look around the northern savanna where I found a skeleton with some belongings. I shall investigate at dawn.

Aside from tools and beefalo, nothing.

Spiders live only south of the area currently. The dens grow bigger. As do the beasts. Guardians live in the bigger homes and can jump far to attack retreaters. With help of the piggies, we take it down and shred it down to fibers.
That night, when I was using the villager's... fertilizer to start my fire, I heard loud cries in the distance. What was it? Was it the owner of the foot prints I've been finding all around town?

It sounds like it's coming closer. Better sharpen my spear OH SHIT

A giant dog is running towards me! I jump out of the way before it chomps me into shreds. Another one follows behind it at full speed and they seem to want my blood to paint the town with. NOT GONNA HAPPEN!

Day Nine. Today has thus consisted ridding the area of spiders and scouting the shorelines. Perhaps building a wall around Piggerton will help with keeping killers and creatures at bay. We could certainly use it. I worry about what lies in waiting under the moon.

On my journey south to largen my map, I encounter a shield of trees that appears to protect something foul. A mechanical door leads to another realm unseen by man. Let's have a look!

Find out about the door and Willow's fate in part 4!

Interested in playing the game? Click here. Game made by Klei Entertainment

Don't Starve with Willow 02

Chapter Two of my tale within "Don't Starve!". I play as Willow and make a story out of what I experience. I also like to add drawings for reasons.

For chapter one, click here.

If you're interested in this game to play for yourself, may I lead you to Klei's mini site for the game.

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Morning comes at last. The lights of the village houses switch off, and people are stepping outsiIIIIIIAAAAAH-

They're....giant pigs...Man pigs? Not huMAN. Wow. I can really smell them now. The pig people are quite shy. None of them seem to be aggressive, but nobody wants to talk to me. They seem to be sentient, even wearing pants made from grass!

The most human being around here

 This village has a lot to offer. There are gardens full of berries and carrots, and little ponds scattered to the north! The frogs are looking at me funny. They deserve to DIE! I swing at one and he manages to tongue the twigs out of me. He dosen't acknowledge the pain he's recieved before he topples over, legs up. I've heard frog legs are quite the delicacy. There's score one for Willow! It looks like he had relatives though, at least half a dozen. They leech their tongues at me and before I know it I'm surrounded! Oh god.

I run for my life away from the deadly bullfrogs and feel badly hurt. These frog legs will be delicious I'm sure, but I took an awful beating from it. Those frogs deserve to die. I best stay away from the ponds for now. What's this eye looking at me for?

"What's she staring for?"

It doesn't move, only stares in my general direction. What if I pick it up? Uh-oh. I hear something coming for me now. I can't run fast enough! It's gonna get me!! I close my eyes in acceptance of my fate. Oh no, I can hear it panting......like a dog?

I open my lids, to see a friendly creature before me. It appears to be a walking pumpkin-dog with little horns on its head. Doesn't have eyes, though...am I holding its sight? It follows me wherever I go so long as I hold this eye bone around. It pants like a loyal companion, how cute!

It may be good for survival that I aquaint myself with the pig villagers in order to prevent becoming spider-food. I give one of them some of my berries, which seems to go immediately through him and out of him. I thought coffee was pretty bad for that. Shouldn't let the piggies into their garden unless I want to have a surplus of fertalizer. Perhaps I could use this to my advantage for farming?

As soons as late afternoon arrives, everyone runs home and hides. What do they run from? I understand about the whole murderous frogs and spiders deal, but those guys are MUSCLEY! They could easily take them all out in a few punches! What's really hiding in the dark? I should really try to make these folks my ally.

I should look around to see what I can find around here for usefulness. There's a giant boulder among the trees, and I break it into pieces with the miner's pickaxe. I find shortly after two spiders wandering behind the trees. One tries to jump me, but I cut it open with my trusty axe! Take that, ugly doer! Swinging away at it keeps the monster from hitting me back. He's cold and dead in a mere heartbeat.

Balls of webbing seem to almost surround the eastern part of the town. Are these creatures at war with each other? The spiders do come into the village after dark, so maybe that's why the pigmen flee into their homes and stay away from the door. I should do something about this. I'm still bruised up from the frogs though.

I better get a fire ready and patch up to help these guys out. That is the current plan. My companion huddles up near the fire and dozes off to sleep. He is useful and nice to have around. He's almost like a living treasure chest. Hm. I shall call him Chester!

A new dawn awakens and its time to plan out our day. I use the brand new science machine to learn how to build a backpack and head out down the road past the village. I shall call this place "Piggerton". It's a placeholder for the time being. The cobblestone road has a beaten down path laid down into the Arachnid Woods. I'm getting pretty good at naming!

The current map of Piggerton

Arachnid woods has a mystery or two about it. By the shoreside, a lone grave is felt by the breeze. No one that I knew, or with a pig name. Egh.

A stone bridge lays the way across a river to the south to the inner reaches of the untreked woods. A group of swine resides over here, with multiple tombstones and spider dens amok. What made the pig decide to live away from safety? Is he the guard? Or perhaps the prisoner?

Perhaps the best way to scout this land is to follow the shore and get a general idea of what's available nearby.

Don't Starve with Willow 01

By Cody Gillespie

My adventures in the world of "Don't Starve!" have always been cut short. Fate is met either by spider bites, food poisoning or freezing to death. This tale will be one of great struggle, but perhaps a story of triumph over the elements. Willow will be the victim/hero of my tale, and I wish her the best. Let us begin with a full belly.

An oily voice greets my dreams. "Say pal, you don't look so good. You better find something to eat before night comes!". I don't know who said it upon my wakening, but I do know that I'm now stranded and was possibly drugged as well. I best go search for the nearest restaurant and police station. Who leaves a sweet, innocent girl in the middle of nowhere?

A crow flies over my position and leaves a present where it sat. In its wake was a warm handful of seeds. Did my character sift through a pile of bird poop to acquire these? Willow better give these a good wash before she eats them later, unless I get desperate in a blink. Not even a day away from cilvilization and I'm already contemplating eating fresh bird poop.

I make my way through a savannah to get an idea of my surroundings and find....Jackalopes? That doesn't sound right, but I see the myth before my eyes! I should cook one over a fire and taste it to make sure it's truely a jackalope. I make use of a collection of grass and twigs to piece together a trap, and berries from an innocent bush. The juicy snack I hold is the only source of food I have, but using it as bait could be well worth the risk.

I return to the trap an hour later. I quickly grab the jackalope from underneath and twist its neck as quickly as possible, with closed eyes. Wasn't easy, but it didn't scream. I'll have something filling in my stomach tonight because of what I've done today. This happens to any one who eats Willow's food and tries to get away with it!

A cobblestone road lies ahead of me in the field. Perhaps I will find someone if I'm fortunate! The only matter is which way to go....I better try heading east toward the waters.

Today has been largely spent gathering materials and killing innocent fluffy deer bunnies. I finally found some flint and made my self a rather workable axe. Down with trees! Markings of human existence have been left by the fresh stumps of the old forest. Animals refuse to come near me, and this axe I'm waving about proudly. Made it myself! Amazing what you can do with so little.

Just before dusk, I noticed something grave. It was the skeletal remains of what appeared to be a gold miner just laying about on the ground. His personal belongings were scattered everywhere, and it appeared he's been here for ages. This land is a cruel, harsh place, and I have to find my escape. It would be best to stay with the road and figure out what to do next.

Not even a kilometre down the path, I find a house in the middle of nowhere. The lights went off as I approached it, and no one will answer the door. This person may not be good with strangers, but he's got a well tended berry garden! Maybe I'll just pick a couple or dozen...

Turns out that I stumbled onto a village! No one else will come out, though I did however notice a..head.....on a spike. Hm. I don't know if I should stay here. The head isn't human, but looks to have come from a lagoon. Odd.

Night has now fallen, and it's time to get my fire going. I will have to stay in the village for the night and cook my dinner. I don't know if these people will be very friendly, so I best keep the fire going as long as I can stay awake... I wish I knew how to make a sleeping bag.

I can't see anything out beyond the campsite. All my senses are picking up are the grunts and snorks of the village people. Heavy snoring must be a curse here, because every house seems to have crude behaviour.

Wait. Did you hear that?

 Something must be out there in the darkness. I can't see it, but I don't dare go out there to investigate.

Suddenly, the figure approaches! A giant spider comes toward me, but the flaming light burns its vision and runs back into the bushes. GOOD GOD! This place has giant spiders roaming around here?! How am I going to make it? I better find some bug dope, and FAST. Oh no. I can hear it scream at me from a distance. You won't trick me into chasing you, spider! Wait until morning, and you'll be tasting AXE!

I wrote and drew this. Everything within the screenshots and the story is based off Klei Entertainment's Don't Starve. If you like the premise of the game, you can learn more about it here: http://www.dontstarvegame.com/