G'day and welcome to a new look, new host, new Less Than 3! We have migrated the official site from SmackJeeves to my (Faith's) server at FJ-Designs.co.uk so now we have complete control over the workings of the site and can pretty much control our own downtime, etc.
There'll be a couple of other changes around here too. I plan to redraw the earlier comics (keeping them but shipping them off to the webcomic retirement home directory), add some new stuff to the store and perhaps, shock among shocks!, get back to drawing a couple of comics. College is getting the better of me, I have lots of exams and my co-writer has gone off to some place called "University" which seems to be keeping him busy.
Seen as we had a little bit of trouble with the site on Internet Explorer (Should now be FireFox and Internet Explorer compatible; e-mail me if there's any problems or you use another browser and it is/isn't compatible so I can make a note) it's taken a bit longer than expected to get it up and sorted, but now it's done, we can celebrate! And my Birthday, but the cake can't be transmitted through the internet, so just the new website for you lot.
Hi there; just a quick update to say welcome to the new site URL. We're now located at LT3comic.co.uk.
February 2008
11th February 2008
Blogs! Blogs blogs blogs! No, I haven't gone completely loopy. It's been a while, but now we have blogs from both Peter and I up on every comic. You can tell they've been written a while since they've been published due to the "Retrospective" at the beginning of each post.
The plan was for me to draw some comics over this half term, but I've been dragged into work, so I'll try to get some done regardless. Sleep appears to take priority though.
There are now daily blog updates on my blog, located here at FJ-Designs.co.uk/Blog so check it out incase I mention how Less Than 3 is progressing.
- Faith
14th February 2008
Welcome back to Less Than 3! And welcome to our manly hero (with wonderful legs), Fame, and his colleague, Katie! They've had a makeover, mudpacks and all, and we should be back with more regularity with the new year.
On a more serious note, it's been noticed that the website experiences some problems. If, for example, you're navigating through the pages and it randomly doesn't load a page. We have no real idea what's causing this, but we suspect it's the Domain Name mask. Until this can be resolved, our advice is as follows:
Click the back button on your browser. Make a note of what page you are on. Refresh the page, which should take you back to the Home page. Then navigate your way back to that site (For comics, go to the Archive then choose the appropriate comic from there).
We are truly sorry that we can't fix what's causing this and we hope it doesn't cause too much trouble! The plan is that I'll buy us our own hosting for LT3's birthday (4th April - 04.04!) and hope it solves the problem, but as I'm caught for money at the moment it's not the easiest of things to sort out.
I hope the comic makes up for some of these problems; and if you haven't encountered it yet, please tell me how you've trained to be so magical with computers!
- Faith
22nd February 2008
And with the Friday of the week here, we present a new comic! And also yet another extra to the LT3 cast; Chris! That's a gun on his back... Double Glazing salesmen need their hobbies, eh?
Hopefully the new comics will be more regular, but still I make no promises due to changes in college timetabling and whether or not Peter and I can chat about the new ideas.
Not much else to say really... I'm very concise at the moment. Hope you're enjoying the newly drawn comics!
- Faith
28nd February 2008
The advantage of aiming to do one comic a week is that it keeps things moving along; the disadvantage is that when life gets busy, you feel like you're letting people down.
Sorry folks, that's the case this week. Faith is currently suffering from sleep depravation mixed with extreme essay application; I'm fighting a uni project which went from "important, when you can" to "by tomorrow" in the space of about 24 hours. Not that my schedule is as significant - Faith is the one who does the really hard work.
Sometimes I stop and think back in disbelief - how did she used to manage getting four done a week (as was the case with the first few)? Wow, we must have been so young and energetic in those days... *cough*
We'll keep you posted on the progress of the next comic, though - please bear with us until life, or at least our respective workloads, starts to make sense again.
- Peter
March 2008
8th March 2008
And a week passes... as you can see, Faith has provided a filler, of sorts, taken from a conversation we had earlier today on MSN. It was mutually sympathetic, as we are both ill at the moment. In a way, that makes her taking the time to do something more impressive.
I'm hoping that by the end of this week we should be back on track to present something - despite my self-pity, I've only got a cold to shake, though I can't really speak for how well Faith is.
Sorry I'm not being especially entertaining writing this - my head is still a big fuzzy... Please wish us both good health, and for us to be back on schedule with with proper updates soon!
- Peter
28th March 2008
Yes, it's still the filler strip up there - though thankfully Faith is now better (and getting hit by all the college work that built up during her illness), and... well, there was something about a broken computer this evening, but fingers crossed that will be covered soon too.
However, that doesn't mean the site is unchanged - behind the scenes the whole thing has been rebuilt from the ground up using the delights of PHP, thanks to Baldwin of the Rune Legion Networks.
Despite these unfortunate delays in new strip updates, there is still work being put in to keep things moving forwards - this is something that both Faith and myself really want to make succeed. The site is relatively new, as - unfortunately - is our experience in running one.
Soon, however, when we both shake off all the other things in life clinging on to take time away from us, we will hit this site with a passion...
- Peter
April 2008
3rd April 2008
Almost there! It has been a full 366 days now (thanks to the joys of a leap year messing up that clean sound 3 - 6 - 5), and so tomorrow marks the first anniversary of Less Than 3!
This time has been a learning process for us all - on the process of creating the comics, how to promote them, setting up a website, and how to get friends involved in the process too (some big thanks are going to go to Idd and Tim... but you'll see why tomorrow).
I'm writing this as a man who lets university dominate his life (especially with essays and deadlines in the uncomfortably near future); I know Faith also has pressures on her time. But we press onwards, hoping to make you feel welcome to the site, to put a smile in your day with the strip.
Check back tomorrow for several updates, all marking the strips first birthday! There may also be cake...
- Peter
4th April 2008
Happy Birthday to uuuuuuuus; Happy Birthday to uuuuuuuus; Happy Birthday to Less Than 3... Happy Birthday to uuuuuuuus
So, as we celebrate a year of truly insane comics, we update the current site and introduce our first guest comics from LT3 lifelong fans... the LLF league, I think it should be named.
First off, we have replaced the "About" page with a "Bios" page. This documents the characters we have encountered thus far on our journey into the LT3 world, from our main characters right down to that guy who didn't believe S. Dean when he said he was being followed. This page will be constantly updated, with a mention in the newspost when appropriate - so we wish for no complaints if, the day after the arrival of a new character, we haven't quite put a bio up for them.
Next we have the reworking of the "Links" page, with more detailed descriptions of each site, pictures for the more Notable Webcomics and a rating of how quickly you must visit. Although this may only be updated sporadically, another mention will be made so as to be sure we're pushing you in the right direction of sister sites.
The "Downloads" page has been renamed the "Extras" page, as I'm pedantic and that's how it works.
For this special occasion, if you hadn't noticed, the banner has been reworked (On Paint, as my computer is still crying in the corner - and thus, the background is "out of synch" with the rest of the page as I couldn't quite get a PNG to become transparent) for a short time and the "Anti-Stalker-Stalker" devices have been installed during this emtionally confusing time for FJ... They're only on your entrance to the site and shouldn't annoy you too much, unless you really really get annoyed by things like that, at which point we'd advise you to view the comic on the "Latest" page and the news on the "News" page...
Now; to the comics! We have guest comics from other (excellent, if I may say so) webcomic artists, Timmiboi and Iddstar, plus one from our own team (that weirdo Peter over there) and a handdrawn one from me, which will soon be scanned in. If I'm totally honest, the original plan wasn't to have to handdrawn, but due to my graphics card imploding, it was a last resort and may now become tradition as time dictates.
I have to say a heartfelt thank you to both Idd and Tim, and to Peter in his own way, for taking the time to draw such comics and *blog* them, which really means a lot to us here at LT3. We'll be sure to return the favour whatever chance we get!
A little bit more behind the scenes, we have unfortunately broken away from the PHP conversion. Although Baldwin's efforts were greatly appreciated, due to personal preferences and overall handling of the site, we have switched back to our original format. Also, on the subject of the website itself, once my computer is back online the URL will be transferred to the same hosting site, so as it's not simply a mask and *hopefully* the "white page" problem we have come to dread will go away.
On a final note, you may see a rework of the site coming soon, but Peter and I will not do what happened before, and open up a version of the site that is not fully complete. The site will only be released once it is made, filled, tested and checked in all weather conditions (okay, maybe not the last one) - so although it may take longer to appear, we thought quality is better than speed, and at the moment this site is perfectly functional (and very pretty)!
Happy LT3 day to all of you, and we hope to see you every day this forthcoming year.
- Faith
8th April 2008
The party is over, the decorations have been swept away... allegations of cake-lying have emerged... I hope that makes it a successful one. If you want to get back into the party spirit, though, the birthday page has been stored on the site - look in the 'extras' page, and follow the link there.
There has been some more 'behind-the-scenes' work that I think is worth mentioning - the mask that formerly meant you found the site with lt3comic.co.uk has now given way to an actual lt3comic.co.uk server. For us, it's involved a bit of work; for you, it means the site should work as it did. No wait, let me correct that - it means the site should now work as we hoped it would. The "white page" bug should now be a thing of the past, consigned with a great deal of satisfaction to the scrapheap. Also, this is completely untested, but I have a feeling that the site is also running faster now; oh, and the page links at the top of the page accurately reflect the page you are on.
These may all seem like small things, but they were things that needed sorting out.
There are further adjustments going on - as Faith said before, we are discussing a new site layout; so far, it's been nothing too dramatic, but equally it should lay everything out more clearly, and also give us more space to expand various site concepts into. There will also be the odd change to the existing site before then, too - nothing too major, but all small steps towards hopefully something better.
This may only be a small space on the internet we have here, but we're proud of it - and as such, we are trying hard to make it something worth being proud of. Please check back regularly to see if there have been any adjustments - and of course, for any new comics.
- Peter
28th April 2008
Our birthday has long since passed, as has both the, as coined by WolfyKins, "Certain Sheffieldian's" and Doctor Who's... or, if you want to be pedantic, The Doctor's. So, where are these new comics? Why, Faith and Peter, you should have been rolling in ideas after such a long absence of regular comics.
Indeed my friend, we are rolling in ideas. Almost literally; I'm trying to create a database for ideas at the moment, and will set out to read through all the ideas files I have. A daunting task I understood it to be, but multiple people called me insane when I told them it's over 14mb of text (html) files. That is on the list of things to inevitably do with LT3, as I will name later (so I then give people permission to quote me when I forget to do them, and employ the whip used in our anniversary comic).
But what about actually drawing the comics? Well, you know that excuse I used last year about exams? Yes, they're back. With last year being compulsory education, I had a lot of exams; this year, the first of my two last "school environment" years, I have 4 subjects to take exams in - and 3 in each. So, at the moment, we're being told to revise and do past papers. Only two days ago I had Biology coursework, but it fortunately didn't take me long to complete - you can't really do that for exams. As a result, for me at least, drawing is in the back of my mind.
For WolfyKins/Peter, as far as I know (he'll jump in at some point if this is far from the truth) he's a bit busy trying to wrestle crocodiles. Such is the life of a University student.
Once my exams are over and I've been thrown back into some form of college routine, as I think Peter finishes term before I do, we can both focus on working on LT3. Even just refining the ideas will be a step closer to regular updates; but I won't quote how often such updates will be, as I'll make myself too optimistic if I do that.
So here's the official Less Than 3 to do list:
1) Create content for new website
2) Create new website
3) Create LT3 idea database
4) Refine LT3 ideas in database
5) Draw ideas in database
6) Stockpile comics
7) Be utterly random yet somehow organised
Good luck in all you do, seeing as karma might mean I get a bit of that luck back.
- Faith
(Just to clarify, wrestling crocodiles is a third year module; I'm only a first year, so am currently only expected to wrestle goldfish and sleeping kittens.
- Peter
p.s. Also, yes, my term finishes very soon, and I'll get started on a few 'behind the scenes' edits to the site I've been intending to do when I get time.)
June 2008
3rd June 2008
Ok, it's been a full month since the last newspost - that'll be a slap on the wrist for me, as Faith currently has the valid excuse of being in the middle of exams. If you know anything about chemistry, which you can get to her in the next 12 hours, I expect she'll be grateful.
Anyway, here's the state of the comic; Faith has taken the next strip idea, and drawn a good draft of it. When exams are over, I think there will probably be an update quite quickly, replacing the birthday comics; my role right now is more one of someone sent down to the engine room, to replace a few valves and perhaps some HTML. As I've only really become free from other, personal commitments in the last few days, this hasn't happened yet. But it will.
So, the summer holidays are here. At least, I'm assuming they are, based on the fact there are several months of time ahead of me to fill, and the date up there says something about June. Personally, I'm looking at the rain and feeling glad that I'm too lazy to find jobs outside to get done. I guess this means I should get some jobs inside done, then...
I'll get started on the site ASAP.
- Peter
6th June 2008
Hello! This is just a little update from me, on both my own status and that of the website's. Remember that to-do list I made some time ago? Well, the website stuff is being thrown at Peter, so that saves me a job (ah ha! as if I don't have other websites to work on... although, so does he, so I'll let him off!) and the content can wait for a while, as there are only a few things to add to the current list of stuff we have. The database, purely for be not wanting to trawl through a year and a half's worth of chat logs, is being updated sporadically but ideas are being discussed.
But on the more important subject of comics, they should be updated every two weeks or so, from the start of July at the latest. But, bear in mind, I have school for the next 3 weeks and a week camping (Hehe, Chris is gonna kill me... better take my own advice and not annoy him as he has a shotgun, right?) then a gap, then London for a couple of days, then working 9 to 5 until late August when I'm going to a convention for a couple of days, with that gap perhaps punctuated with a trip down to the England shooting place to help my friend get into Clay Pigeon shooting and watch her Dad in the competition there. This is a busy summer by my standards. So, two weeks will give me enough time to get a nice update schedule going, but keep me free enough to take my time over the comics.
The Extras page has been updated today, with the addition of an Avatar (Taken from Iddstar's Guest comic for our birthday, check the archives) and a video of me speed drawing comic 24. Hope you enjoy both!
So, keep checking back as the news updates should be more regular again and comic updates should commence soon. Lotsa Love.
- Faith
August 2008
2nd August 2008
It's time for a visible update, maybe... I realise that little has happened at the front end here for a little while - I should probably share what's been happening behind the scenes.
For starters, Faith and me are still working on the site behind the scenes - planning strips, scribbling ideas, tweaking site pages and so on - which is undoubtedly less interesting than getting new strips in the short term, but hopefully will smooth the process later. Basically, we're working on this from the foundations up.
Faith has been astounded with how busy her summer has been, with a job building lasers for Bond supervillains - well, a particular Bond supervillain - and part time as an international business magnate. Or was that magnet?...
...Ok, perhaps not quite - she's been having to get prepared for the new year at college starting soon, and is looking ahead a year to applying for university by building up an art portfolio. There's also been the building of websites for other people - these do look very impressive, so the LT3 mk2 site should benefit from the experience of all these, both in appearance and in streamlining under-the-hood. Also, as if that wasn't enough, she's been doing summer work. Worryingly, this really does involve laser guns (of a sort). Really. The involvement of any particular criminal megalomaniacs hasn't been confirmed.
My input is always going to be less noticeable - I tend to be more wordy, or doing little bits of HTML coding here and there. In this, I have been more slack than I should have been; the best I can offer as an explanation is having been working five and six days a week at my old job (professional tap dancer and blancmange maker... Ok, warehouse worker and trouble shooter - strangely at the same university I study at, discovering how disorganised the institutions trying to prepare us for the future really are... Sometimes I think chaos theory has a lot going for it, based on the principle that when you see something that seems ordered, it is that way due to so much random movement behind the scenes that there is a degree of sympathetic resonance. I like the idea of sympathetic resonance, mostly because I want sympathy for having to deal with my job day in and day out...). Erm... Oh yes, so anyway I'm trying to earn enough over the summer to make a student loan last me further than three days after the next term begins at university.
Actually, I get to operate a laser at work, which is kind of cool. However, a small part of me does still go "Do you want me to talk?"/"No, I want you to die!" every time I start it up.
The only other thing I can think to mention here is that Faith and me met face-to-face for the first time a week ago - despite collaborating online for this and other projects for more than a year, we'd never been in the same part of the world until now. Anyway, we skipped the whole "so, um, you're Faith then?" moments, and went straight to "ok, so what are we doing now?". A large part of that was scribbling ideas on a piece of paper, things which will hopefully be revealed in the near future when the update schedule is restored. Hint: wicker squirrels, Sheffieldian autobiographies and antenna relays were all mentioned...
For those of you sticking with us while we organise ourselves, we thank you for your patience.
- Peter
