Poor Image: It Runs On Nonsensoleum

The current image is just confusing, and is just speech bubbles and a face. The questions it raises with me make it more fitting with meta-Confusion Fu:

• What the Hell is a "spells user matrix"?
• What does it mean if he sets it to "when [his] people are drunk"?
• What does it do when he does that?
• What has setting a thing to run when people are drunk got to do with nonsensical mechanics?

For reference, this is the image I am questioning:

edited 28th Nov '13 12:06:42 AM by TinyTedDanson

To me, a "spells user matrix" is an exotic tool that, in this instance, apparently runs on drunkness.

The last too points seems irrelevant to me.

Because of the fact that I still get the trope from it, I vote "Keep Until Better Image Suggested".

I see nothing wrong with it. All the points you listed work in the pic's favor instead of against it...it is "nonsensoleum", after all.

I think it's misleading. The trope is about an explanation about how something works that doesn't really make a lot of sense. This is just something that's set to happen when something normally considered irrelevant happens, which isn't quite the same. I think, anyway, since I have no idea what they actually mean.

I brought the image into question simply because numerous examples are more "It runs on magic and crazy... probably", whereas the image is "You set the JARGON JARGON JARGON to drunkeness?"; it leaves more questions despite being a trope about Hand Wave explanations.

In other words, the page itself is more non-scientific, vague, nonsensical explanations. For example, a fitting Futurama quote:

Professor: Well, Omicron Persei 8 is about a thousand light years away. So the electro-magnetic waves would just recently have gotten there. You see—

Fry: Magic. Got it.

The image, however, has very little context and is about putting something in "crazy mode" and using nonsensical terms to explain it; if you remove the noun, you can see it's less about how it works and more what it's set to:

Alice: You set the _______ to when you people get drunk?

Bob: Yar.

TL:DR - The image seems all "You set the thing to a silly setting?" instead of "How does it run? On silly?"

edited 29th Nov '13 4:16:11 AM by TinyTedDanson

While Willbyr is right about the explanation being confusing because the of the illogical nature of the mechanics at play, I feel its must clearly portray that instead of confusing the reader outright. The "out of place-ness" FLOABW, of the image in that trope itself is more confusing than what's in the picture.

But, like Duck said, I have no idea what they actually mean either, in the context of the stories that I've never read.

edited 1st Dec '13 7:11:24 PM by Paktra

Completely agree with the criticism, but think it's better than nothing. Suggestion for replacement?

The last two panels of this strip?

@Rodney Thank you.

And as for suggestion, this◊ (bad quality I know) and this◊ (I know we don't allow memes but...).

They refer to a bandanna the character knows he can wear to give himself infinite ammo for his guns. It breaks the Fourth wall and is NOT explained in-universe, for that very reason.

edited 1st Dec '13 10:40:01 PM by Paktra

Yes Rogue, I quite like that. It reminds me of Spongebob and his ''Imagination'' Box.◊

edited 1st Dec '13 9:21:02 PM by Paktra

Really got to stop hitting these image macros, Paktra.

I know, I was just trying illustrate my general idea, sorry... if you can find the non-macro, it will be much appreciated.

Can I edit it into an original image somehow?

edited 2nd Dec '13 3:16:34 AM by Paktra

You can, but I doubt it's going to work. That image is just a picture of a guy with bandanna, and does not relate to the trope at all - and that's even worse than the current page image

edited 2nd Dec '13 3:35:13 AM by theAdeptrogue

The second panel of this strip?

First two panels, needs context.

What he said, and only the first two.

And @Adept, I see what you mean "just a picture of a guy with bandanna". Perhaps if he attempted to explain the "Magic Hat Infinite Ammo" thing that's going on here, but he doesn't, So... Its even an example on the trope page!

Unfortunately, being an example of the trope doesn't necessarily make a good image for the trope.

14 might work, but I rather have a bias against it because the artwork is terrible (which is why I opted to suggest the Calvin And Hobbes pic instead of that in my earlier post)

Oh, I know an example of the trope doesn't mean its good image, I just said that in case you thought I was just pulling it out of left field there.

Its all good.

Didn't see the Calvin and Hobbes pic, it's not much better but it's workable.

We allow xkcd and that's equally as ugly.

edited 3rd Dec '13 4:32:43 AM by treelo

Clock is set.

Apologies if I've missed this (I'm still new-ish to the forums), but does this mean this discussion is closed? Since the image was commonly seen as confusing/inappropriate, is any further action needed?

[[347:]]

edited 27th Dec '13 12:09:43 PM by TinyTedDanson

Hang on a sec.

EDIT: I've reclocked this one...I'm not sure that the C&H pic actually fits the trope. Should we crowner this?

edited 28th Dec '13 6:54:38 AM by Willbyr

I don't think it does either.

It's more Mr. Imagination than this trope.

Clock's up; locking for inactivity/lack of consensus. No action is to be taken based on this thread.