History Webcomic / DebuggingDestiny

* GeodesicCast: Each color corresponds to a set of roles: [[TheBigGuy warrior]], [[TheSmartGuy mage]], [[TheLeader strategist]], and [[TheChick teamwork]]. There's one of each role in Red, Blue, and Green. There may be further parallels, though they are not obvious yet. King is the Red Warrior, Osborne is the Red Mage (since he relies on his specials instead of combat strength), Ignacia is the Red Strategist (she prefers to [[TheChessmaster use pawns]]), and Alvis is the Red Cheerleader. Elizabeth is the Green Warrior, Quinn is the Green Mage, Morton is the Green Strategist, and Alexander is the Green Cheerleader. Ambrose is the Blue Warrior, Shanahan is the Blue Mage, Strider is the Blue Strategist, and Mercury is the Blue Cheerleader.

* ShoutOut: Somewhat common between Redshirt Guy and the Mysterious Voice. So far, they have mentioned ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}, Literature/TheLordOfTheRings, Literature/TheSilmarillion, Film/TheMatrix, Film/LittleShopOfHorrors'', and [[Myth/{{KingArthur}} the King Arthur mythos]].

* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters: There are eighteen characters, and most have appeared in at least 10% of the episodes. Most episodes have between 2 and 6 characters.

* ShoutOut: Somewhat common between Redshirt Guy and the Mysterious Voice. So far, they have mentioned Theatre/{{Hamlet}}, Literature/TheLordOfTheRings and Literature/TheSilmarillion, Film/TheMatrix, Film/LittleShopOfHorrors, and [[Myth/{{KingArthur}} the King Arthur mythos]].

* OurDragonsAreDifferent: [[spoiler:Ignacia]] is one. Depending on how you interpret the artwork, [[spoiler:she's]] either a fairly standard western dragon (with poorly drawn legs) or a DraconicAbomination (with tentacle legs / tail).

* CatlikeDragons: [[spoiler:Ignacia]] at times. Especially when lying down, since [[spoiler:she]] waves her tail back and forth like a cat. %%This needs to explain how Ignacia is a dragon. Don't rely on the trope name; BullyingADragon and TheDragon have nothing to do with fire-breathing lizards.

* DragonHoard: [[spoiler:Ignacia]] has a traditional one of gold, but she also collects [[spoiler:Red characters]].

%%* BringIt: Said by the Mysterious Voice while pretending to be Redshirt Guy's stream of consciousness. Crosses with TemptingFate. %%Is this a statement before an attack? The example sounds more like RageAgainstTheHeavens -- Mysterious Voice is challenging the universe in an act of defiance.
%%--->'''Mysterious Voice:''' Alright, Universe. Bring on the caffeine-and-fever dreams.

%%* CoolSword: Heavily implied to be the Crypt Sword. Later we learn it is a spirit of earth and fire named Tamwen that just happens to be sword-shaped. %%It looks like LivingWeapon, a subtrope, is more appropriate.

* BlackSpeech: Osborne's speech bubbles have [[RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver colored text]], [[DarkIsEvil an extremely dark background]], [[NoPunctuationPeriod avoid punctuation]], and [[AllLowercaseLetters never have capital letters]]. It all serves to make his speech sound... wrong. %%Good context, but YMMV cannot be on the main page.

* ArtShift: The simulation is rendered very differently than the real world. Both are drawn in [=PowerPoint=], though, so not as much different as one might hope. %%Not bad, but it would help to explain how they are different more than "not as much different as one might hope". That's closer to {{Natter}} and doesn't help the audience understand the trope. A comic number/title and link where the story transitions between simulation and real world would be useful in addition to the expanded context.
%%* BeastInTheMaze: How Osborne begins the story. He gets free, though. %%Describe the labyrinth, explain why Osborne is "the minotaur".
%%* BitCharacter: Every character represented by a pawn is one of these (with the notable exception of [[NominalImportance Morton]]). %%"One of these" is not context. Change the order up; start with what characters do to count as a "bit character" and then point out that the pawn symbol is used to show that, except in Morton's case.

* CastingAShadow: Osborne's Shadow-Walk special lets him generate an aura of darkness that follows him. It's implied that he can still see in this, though others cannot. %%Good context!

* ChessMotifs: Characters do not have faces, instead using chess piece symbols for identification from [[VariantChess Omega Chess]], which includes the Champion and the Wizard. Characters with the King and Queen icon are unique, with no trends to their characterization. Characters using a Bishops or Wizards icon are [[ScienceHero magical]]. Characters with a Rook or Champion icon are [[ActionHero physical]]. Characters with a Knight icon are [[GuileHero tricksy]]. Pawns, of course, are so numerous and [[NominalImportance unimportant]] that they often have only [[BitCharacter a few lines, at best]], except for Morton. %%The previous layout was a violation of ExampleIndentationInTropeLists.
%%* ColorCodedCharacters: Everyone has a unique color, which is good since the comic would be nigh-incomprehensible otherwise. Also creates a Geodesic Cast - see that entry for more details. %%This needs to say how the colours are used, as well as what colours. This is a good opportunity to explain how the chess icons aren't the normal black/white. Unless they are? Which disagrees with this?
%%* ConstructedWorld: The simulation created by the Mysterious Voice and Redshirt Guy is in a constructed world set after some prior civilization fell. While little evidence of what came before is present, what has been seen - [[OurDragonsAreDifferent dragons]], [[LivingStatue immortal statues]], and possibly Baleyg - indicates the time before was on [[AdvancedAncientHumans a very different power level]].%%This trope is about a fantasy world that is explicitly not Earth, like Terebithia or Toril.

%%* CrypticConversation: Baleyg (and only Baleyg) loves having these. He actively avoids giving straight answers, and prefers to mislead people than to directly ask for favors or help. %%What does Baleyg love to have? Don't rely on the trope title. describe what the trope is and how the work uses it.
* DarkIsEvil: Osborne has darkness powers and is decidedly evil.
* DeadpanSnarker: Both the Mysterious Voice and Redshirt Guy are very snarky, bordering on SnarkToSnarkCombat. Morton earns an honorable mention, since every other character in the simulation is far more dramatic.
* {{Determinator}}: A surprising amount - King, Strider, and Elizabeth all have shades of this. King especially seems to be building toward IDidWhatIHadToDo.

* DullSurprise: When the Mysterious Voice and Redshirt Guy are making fun of each other, this is their preferred tactic..
* EnemyMine: Elizabeth's first thought when hearing about Ignacia is to pull one of these against Baleyg. No one else is willing to consider this, though.
* EvilIsHammy: Baleyg tries. He even set up braziers that magically ignite or go out when he appears or disappears. Lampshaded by King.
--->'''King:''' Is he really so theatrical to set something like that up ahead of time?
* ExactWords: Used by King to protect Morton's secret ([[spoiler:that Morton can detect requests to use Elizabeth's teleport special, and that Morton can recreate her special's effects.]]). No one else understands specials well enough to know this is an evasion, rather than King's own lack of knowledge.
* FoeTossingCharge: One of Elizabeth's specials, and also how she introduces herself (in [[https://debuggingdestiny.com/25 25-18]]).
* {{Foreshadowing}}: Most obviously, Baleyg the Prophet's predictions. We have seen one of them come true so far (King is the strongest man alive).
** Redshirt Guy and the Mysterious Voice think that Baleyg will kill everyone, which is either this or InUniverse WildMassGuessing.
* GeniusLoci: The world may be one. Shanahan thinks so, though Strider explicitly disagrees. It is acknowledged that the world can rearrange, though we do now know why or how.
** In [[https://debuggingdestiny.com/45 45-11]] we see [[spoiler:a heart hanging in the Void, hooked up to some not-Void]], which suggests the world is indeed alive.
* GeodesicCast: Each color corresponds to a set of roles: [[TheBigGuy warrior]], [[TheSmartGuy mage]], [[TheLeader strategist]], and [[TheChick teamwork]]. There's one of each role in Red, Blue, and Green. There may be further parallels, though they are not obvious yet.
** King is the Red Warrior, Osborne is the Red Mage (since he relies on his specials instead of combat strength), Ignacia is the Red Strategist (she prefers to [[TheChessmaster use pawns]]), and Alvis is the Red Cheerleader.
** Elizabeth is the Green Warrior, Quinn is the Green Mage, Morton is the Green Strategist, and Alexander is the Green Cheerleader.
** Ambrose is the Blue Warrior, Shanahan is the Blue Mage, Strider is the Blue Strategist, and Mercury is the Blue Cheerleader.
* HeWhoFightsMonsters: King seems to be developing this mindset after his first conflict with Ignacia.
* HypnoticEyes: Ignacia has these, and has used them on [[spoiler:all but 3 Red characters in the simulation]]. Alvis is scared of eye contact after living in the Ashes because of this.

* ImAHumanitarian: Osborne eats people (not on-screen, yet). In case he was not sufficiently obviously evil.

* LivingStatue: Present in the [[RuinsForRuinsSake ruins]]. Apparently very difficult if not impossible to slay, though not all the statues are alive.

* LovecraftianSuperpower: Everyone's specials are these. The art style obscures the worst of this.
** It also might not be clear in-universe, since this surprises everyone when Mercury works it out.
* ManipulativeBastard: Baleyg prefers to manipulate people to keep them dependent on him and doing his work. Ignacia gives him a run for his money by [[spoiler:user her HypnoticEyes to enslave an army of Red pawns]].
* MeaningfulName: Almost every named character.

''[[http://www.debuggingdestiny.com/ Debugging Destiny]]'' is a webcomic created by Joseph Abolt, started on a dare during quarantine for Covid-19. It tells the story of [[ThoseTwoGuys two unnamed narrators]] attempting to fix the universe simulator. The problem? Apparently Destiny is broken. While working on this, they spin up a second simulation to see what works - [[FramingDevice this is where most of the story comes from]]. In it, [[TheProtagonist King]] tries to find his place among the different factions, eventually teaming up against the manipulative wizard [[TheAntagonist Baleyg]].

* AntiMagic: %%If there are two examples, they go on two different bullets.

* {{Narrator}}: Redshirt Guy and the Mysterious Voice serve as one, crossed with GreekChorus.
** The Mysterious Voice also poses as this when trying to convince Redshirt Guy to help fix the universe simulator.

* VoiceOfTheLegion: Used by Ignacia when trying to be intimidating. [[spoiler:She does this by having all her slaves speak together]].

* ChessMotifs: Characters do not have faces, instead using chess piece symbols for identification from [[VariantChess Omega Chess]], which includes the Champion and the Wizard. Characters with the King and Queen icon are unique, with no trends to their characterization. Characters using a Bishops or Wizards icon are [[ScienceHero magical]]. Characters with a Rook or Champion icon are [[ActionHero physical]]. Characters with a Knight icon are [[GuileHero tricksy]]. Pawns, of course, are so numerous and [[NominalImportance unimportant]] that they often have only [[BitCharacter a few lines, at best], except for Morton. %%The previous layout was a violation of ExampleIndentationInTropeLists.

* ConstructedWorld: The simulation created by the Mysterious Voice and Redshirt Guy is in a constructed world set after some prior civilization fell. While little evidence of what came before is present, what has been seen - [[OurDragonsAreDifferent dragons]], [[LivingStatue immortal statues]], and possibly Baleyg - indicates the time before was on [[AdvancedAncientHumans a very different power level]].
* CoolSword: Heavily implied to be the Crypt Sword. Later we learn it is a spirit of earth and fire named Tamwen that just happens to be sword-shaped.
* CreepyCute: The zombies, though your mileage may vary, even in-universe. King and Mercury think they are cute, but Strider, Elizabeth, and Alexander disagree. [[TheRant The artist]] thinks they're cute because they are rounder than the other characters.
* CrypticConversation: Baleyg (and only Baleyg) loves having these. He actively avoids giving straight answers, and prefers to mislead people than to directly ask for favors or help.

* CastingAShadow: Osborne's Shadow-Walk special lets him generate an aura of darkness that follows him. It's implied that he can still see in this, though others cannot.
* CatlikeDragons: [[spoiler:Ignacia]] at times. Especially when lying down, since [[spoiler:she]] waves her tail back and forth like a cat.

* ChessMotifs: Characters do not have faces, instead using chess piece symbols for identification. Specifically from Omega Chess, which includes the Champion and the Wizard.
** Bishops and Wizards are [[ScienceHero magical]].
** Rooks and Champions are [[ActionHero physical]].
** Knights tend to be [[GuileHero tricksy]].
** Pawns are extras, ([[AscendedExtra usually]]).
** Just like chess, there is only one King and Queen. Since both are unique, there are no trends to their characterization.
* ColorCodedCharacters: Everyone has a unique color, which is good since the comic would be nigh-incomprehensible otherwise. Also creates a Geodesic Cast - see that entry for more details.

** Alexander can fire a pulse that cancels any nearby specials. %%Same here; expand th context to describe what sort of ongoing specials are ended. Give an example of Alexander using their power.
* ArtShift: The simulation is rendered very differently than the real world. Both are drawn in [=PowerPoint=], though, so not as much different as one might hope. %%Not bad, but it would help to explain how they are different more than "not as much different as one might hope". That's closer to {{Natter}} and doesn't help the audience understand the trope. A comic number/title and link where the story transitions between simulation and real world would be useful in addition to the expanded context.
* BeastInTheMaze: How Osborne begins the story. He gets free, though.
* BitCharacter: Every character represented by a pawn is one of these (with the notable exception of [[NominalImportance Morton]]).
* BlackSpeech: Osborne's speech bubbles have [[RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver colored text]], [[DarkIsEvil an extremely dark background]], [[NoPunctuationPeriod avoid punctuation]], and [[AllLowercaseLetters never have capital letters]]. It all serves to make his speech sound... [[UncannyValley wrong]].
* BringIt: Said by the Mysterious Voice while pretending to be Redshirt Guy's stream of consciousness. Crosses with TemptingFate.
--->'''Mysterious Voice:''' Alright, Universe. Bring on the caffeine-and-fever dreams.

%%* AfterTheEnd: Not much remains of whatever came before, though. From what has been seen - [[OurDragonsAreDifferent dragons]], [[LivingStatue immortal statues]], and possibly Baleyg - the time before was on [[AdvancedAncientHumans a very different power level]]. %%You need to establish what civilization has "fallen", as well as what it means to have fallen. FirstContact would cause social upheavel, but doesn't make civilization collapse. An AfterTheEnds story has traces of lost technology and forgotten superweapons to explore.

* BitCharacter: Every character represented by a pawn is one of these (with the notable exception of [[NominalImportance Morton).

%%* AccidentallyBrokeTheMacGuffin: The Mysterious Voice <did this> in the backstory, prompting [[AmbiguousGender them]] to recruit Redshirt Guy, kicking off the plot. %%What is "did this"? The example needs to explain how a PlotCouplon or BriefcaseOfMoney has been destroyed.
%%* AdventureFriendlyWorld: Results from an intersection of many characters' specials affecting the world itself and the world being AfterTheEnd of whatever came before. %%"Definitely" is WordCruft. Describe what makes the setting conducive to people becoming "adventerers".

%%* AlbinosAreFreaks: Possibly Morton - he is the only character with a white symbol and outline. This would certainly fit with his "universally disliked" special. %%There is no such thing as "possibly an example". If they are not shown to be albino in the work, then they are not examples. If they are not shown to be treated as "different" by other characters, then they are not examples. The "universally disliked" name is a good step for the second half of the trope, but the work and example needs to be clear if Morton is an albino.

%%* AscendedExtra: Morton, in-universe. He is the only main character represented by a [[ChessMotifs pawn]]. Other pawns are always unnamed extras. %%I think you're looking more to an unusual example of NominalImportance, where Morton is the only main character to be represented by a pawn, which is usually reserved for a BitCharacter.

!! Debugging Destiny contains examples of:

* AccidentallyBrokeTheMacGuffin: The Mysterious Voice did this in the backstory, prompting [[AmbiguousGender them]] to recruit Redshirt Guy, kicking off the plot.
* AdventureFriendlyWorld: Definitely. Results from an intersection of many characters' specials affecting the world itself and the world being AfterTheEnd of whatever came before.
* AfterTheEnd: Not much remains of whatever came before, though. From what has been seen - [[OurDragonsAreDifferent dragons]], [[LivingStatue immortal statues]], and possibly Baleyg - the time before was on [[AdvancedAncientHumans a very different power level]].
* AlbinosAreFreaks: Possibly Morton - he is the only character with a white symbol and outline. This would certainly fit with his "universally disliked" special.
* AntiMagic: Twice so far - Strider is immune to any ambient magical effect, and Alexander can fire a pulse that cancels any nearby specials.
* ArtShift: The simulation is rendered very differently than the real world. Both are drawn in [=PowerPoint=], though, so not as much different as one might hope.
* AscendedExtra: Morton, in-universe. He is the only main character represented by a [[ChessMotifs pawn]]. Other pawns are always unnamed extras.

* OneSceneTwoMonologues: Redshirt Guy and the Mysterious Voice in [[https://debuggingdestiny.com/26 26]] talk right past each other.

* ColorCodedForYourConvenience: Everyone has a unique color, which is good since the comic would be nigh-incomprehensible otherwise. Also creates a Geodesic Cast - see that entry for more details.

* CastingAShadow: Osborne's Shadow-Walk special.
* CatlikeDragons: [[spoiler:Ignacia]] at times. Especially when lying down.
* ChekhovsGun: The Crypt Sword, aka Tamwen. Discussed and lampshaded by Redshirt Guy and the Mysterious Voice.

* CreepyCute: The zombies. Even in-universe, your mileage may vary.
* CrypticConversation: Baleyg (and only Baleyg) loves these.

* DeadpanSnarker: Both the Mysterious Voice and Redshirt Guy. Morton earns an honorable mention.
* Determinator: A surprising amount - King, Strider, and Elizabeth all have shades of this.

* DullSurprise: Frequently the form the snark takes.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: Most obviously, Baleyg the Prophet's predictions.

* GeniusLoci: The world may be one. Shanahan thinks so, though Strider explicitly disagrees.
** In [[https://debuggingdestiny.com/45 45-11]] we see [[spoiler:a heart hanging in the Void, hooked up to some not-Void]], which suggests this is the case.

* HypnoticEyes: Ignacia. Alvis is scared of eye contact after living in the Ashes because of this.

* ImAHumanitarian: Osborne. In case he was not sufficiently obviously evil.

* LivingStatue: In the [[RuinsForRuinsSake ruins]]. Apparently very difficult if not impossible to slay, though not all the statues are alive.

* LovecraftianSuperpower: Everyone's specials. The art style obscures the worst of this.

* ManipulativeBastard: Baleyg. Though Ignacia gives him a run for his money.

* MrExposition: Mercury. Justified, since his Storied special means he knows a little about everything.

* {{Necromancer}}: Appears to be part of Baleyg's powers, using [[spoiler:the PowerOfTheVoid]]. This is what drives Elizabeth to decide Baleyg must be killed.

* OneSceneTwoMonologues: Redshirt Guy and the Mysterious Voice in [[https://debuggingdestiny.com/26 26]].
* OurDragonsAreDifferent: [[spoiler:Ignacia]]. Depending on how you interpret the artwork, [[spoiler:she's]] either a fairly standard western dragon (with poorly drawn legs) or a DraconicAbomination (with tentacle legs / tail).

* PowerOfTheVoid: Possibly Baleyg's special. [[spoiler:Although it is not clear he even has specials.]]

* RunningGag: People assuming King is royalty (though, according to Baleyg, he will be someday).
* SacredHospitality: Heavily enforced in the Stallways. Betraying this is an obvious hint that Ignacia is villainous.

* TheFriendNobodyLikes: Morton's special.
* TheProtagonist: King. A number of Deuteragonists and Antagonists are officially added later.

* VoiceOfTheLegion: Used by Ignacia, [[spoiler:through her slaves]].
* WalkingTheEarth: Strider and his followers, although Baleyg uses the name of a different trope (MilesToGoBeforeISleep) when describing it.
* ZergRush: Ignacia can pull this off with [[spoiler:her army of hypnotized pawns]].