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FrankHightower — 2024 Size Drive: Introduction
#anthro #donation #furry #mouse #worldbuilding #growth_drive #shrink_drive #size_drive
Published: 2024-03-01 12:07:51 +0000 UTC; Views: 1259; Favourites: 1; Downloads: 0
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Description
Aaand it's March and the page is done! I got a lot to say about this one so let's do a sort of FAQ:
Second drive? Where's the first?
The First Size Drive ran from late March to late April 2023. I'd been trying to do it for years but that was the first time I was able to before Macro March was over. This is also why there was nothing for Micro May last year, but I've planned one for this year .
And if you're new here, welcome!
What do you mean by "one panel every day"?
Last year, I would only make a page when I got a donation. I soon discovered this was terrible for visibility, so I tried a regular schedule for my other drives, which soon proved unmanageable. This time, I'm just going to post a single panel every day that I'm able, and we'll see how many panels I can end up doing by the end of it.
Why are you suddenly un-fluffy? Where's your winter coat?
In-universe (even though these events are non-canon), the size drive is supposed to be a 30-ish minute live event that takes place at the end of the month. Although it has been rather cold lately (which, don't get me wrong, I'm happy about!), I'm drawing everyone in "spring" fur for this reason: I'm hoping for "normal" spring temperatures by the end of this.
So how does the "grow or shrink multiplier" work?
Each donator specifies if their donation goes to growing or shrinking. If someone donates $10 to grow, 10 is added to the numerator of the multiplier: i.e. my size is multiplied by 10. If they donate $10 to shrink, 10 is added to the denominator: i.e. my size is divided by 10.
What do you mean you "corrected" it?
Last year, I wrote the multiplier as "size = size × fraction", which means that I wasn't multiplying my original size, but my new size, meaning the multiplier wasn't being added to, but multiplied to. I didn't realize the mistake until the second donation, at which point I decided to run with it since most growth/shrink drive "stories" are about how the growing or shrinking malfunctions.
So how does it work now?
If the fraction stands at 10/5 (i.e. 11 ft since 5½'×10÷5=11) and someone donates $10 to grow, the fraction will become 20/5 (i.e. 22 ft). If they donate it to shrink, the fraction will become 10/15 (i.e. 3 ft). The fact that my size can change wildly is part of the fun, and creates a friendly competition between the viewers who want me bigger and the viewers who want me smaller!
Who are Bobby, Jason and Jeremy and why do you "not have them" this year?
Part of the reason for doing the drive was to introduce my characters. They each had a role if certain milestones were reached, and the only milestone we didn't reach was Camila the fairy's. There are in-universe reasons for why they wouldn't return for a second year, but mostly, the reason is because having to draw them all severely upped the drawing time, even when they were just a background blur. We really only "need" two camera operators.
Who's Camila?
A childhood friend of Susan. This actually makes her hard to draw because I really only had a solid story design for what she looks like as a child!
Who are Jane and Susan?
Frank's in-universe wife and daughter, respectively.
Your "daughter" looks taller than you
Yes, she's an adult here, and she takes after her mother (who is taller than me when we're both mouse-sized). Also, she's standing on tippy-toes to avoid damaging the camera.
Is she wearing jeans?!
Unlike her parents, Susan prefers wearing pants/trousers. It's her little bit of teen rebelliousness that stuck with her as she grew up. (She was wearing a dress last time because she thought she should look formal if she was going to be in front of the cameras, but now that she's behind them...)
Why does she say "Hullo"?
I had a few British teachers in elementary school, so I say some words "the British way" (like "aluminium"). Susan had mostly British teachers in elementary school, but since her mother has a very strong American accent, it had a similar effect on her.
What's that thing behind her?
An archway.
No, the other thing!
Stairs. The fountain is in a lower area.
What's with the permit?
Jane is a lawyer by trade and one of the milestones last year was "getting so big the police gets involved". It would be fully in-character for her to file for a permit as soon as she knew we were doing this again: she's good friends with the police captain and wants to keep it that way. Note that getting a permit for this requires authorization from three separate entities: The Human Government, The Mouse Government, and The Magical Government so she is properly proud of having procured it!
What's this about the dentist?
Due to (among other things) genetics, most of my teeth have had to be filled and this means the fillings periodically break and need to be redone (periodically meaning each tooth breaks about once a decade, don't panic yet). After about, wait for it, a decade of not being able to go to the dentist, last year we tried to fix all my teeth in one go... and quickly ran out of money. The situation was made worse by a combination of other factors which I hope to explain later, but the priority was paying off the debt to the dentist so she could finish the job.
For this reason, the previous Size Drive's stated reason was "to pay off my dental bills". It was a big help, but didn't quite reach that goal, and the "combination of other factors" has been keeping me from paying it off since so I haven't been able to go back to her.
What do you mean you'll be "showing us the kingdom"?
If the first size drive was to introduce my characters, the second one is to introduce the world. There's a branching script of sorts in my head so that, especially on days when there's no donations, there's something for the characters to do. (Branching because "what if I get too small by the time we get here? what it happens over there?" etc.)
What's with the church in the background?
It's a town square. Town squares have churches.
I suppose you'll explain more about the setting as the month goes on?
Yes.
So... where can I donate?
The donation link is PayPal.me/FrankHghTwr and any amount is much, much appreciated!
