Many fans of Homestuck wonder, “How can I tell when a specific page was posted?” It is a common question. You can find out when a page was posted. The best way is to look at the MSPA reader itself. You can also use special archive sites. Sometimes, official update logs or news posts also help. These methods let you see the Homestuck update history. They show you when pages first came out. This guide will help you learn how to find those dates.
Image Source: i.redd.it
The MSPA Reader: Your First Clue
The official MSPA website was the main place for Homestuck. It is where all the comic pages lived. Over time, the site changed. But the old ways still offer clues about when pages appeared.
Checking Pages Directly
When Homestuck was new, the MSPA reader showed some date info. This was often subtle. Not every page had a clear date next to it. But some parts of the site did. You might have seen news posts. These posts often said when new parts of the comic were added.
Look closely at the page numbers. Each Homestuck page has a number. This number grows in order. Page 100 came before Page 101. This simple fact helps a lot. It creates a Homestuck release chronology. If you know when Page 1 was posted, and Page 1000, you can guess the time for pages in between.
The URL itself can also give hints. A URL is a web address. For Homestuck, pages often had addresses like homestuck.com/story/[page_number]. The page number directly tells you its place in the story. This link to Homestuck page numbering dates is key. Higher numbers mean later pages.
Deciphering URL Structures for Dates
The URL structure is a powerful tool. It helps us guess the order of pages. Each page has a unique number. This number is part of its web address. For example, homestuck.com/story/1 was the first page. homestuck.com/story/8123 was the last page. This numbering system sets the Homestuck comic timeline.
Even without a direct date stamp, the page number helps. You know page 1 came out very early. Page 8123 came out much later. If you find the date for page 1, and the date for page 8123, you can start to fill in the blanks. This method helps build a general Homestuck release chronology.
Think of it like chapters in a book. Chapter one is at the start. Chapter ten is later. You can tell the order just by the chapter number. Homestuck pages work the same way. The page number tells you its place in time.
MSPA Reader Date Information and Its Evolution
The MSPA website has changed a lot since Homestuck finished. The old site is no longer active in its original form. This means finding MSPA reader date information from the live site is harder now.
In the past, the main page had news updates. These news updates gave the Homestuck update schedule. They would say things like, “New pages posted!” These old news posts were a direct source for Homestuck update history. They showed when big chunks of content came out.
Fans would often check these news posts. They would wait for the next Homestuck update. This was how people kept up. The site also had an RSS feed. This feed would send out alerts when new content was added. These alerts often included a Homestuck page creation timestamp. But these features are mostly gone now.
Today, if you visit Homestuck.com, it leads to “The Homestuck Collection.” This is a newer, organized version of the comic. It does not always show the original posting dates for each single page. It aims to present the comic cleanly. So, for exact original dates, we need to look elsewhere.
Archival Sites: Preserving Homestuck’s Release Chronology
Since the original site changed, other places now hold the keys. These are archive sites. They saved copies of the old Homestuck pages. They also keep detailed records. These sites are a goldmine for Homestuck archive page dates.
Using the Homestuck Wiki
The Homestuck Wiki is an amazing resource. It is a fan-made encyclopedia about Homestuck. It has a page for almost everything in the comic. And it tracks the Homestuck update history very well.
Each page on the Homestuck Wiki often has a section for its debut. This section might tell you the exact date and time the page was posted. How do they know this? Wiki editors dug deep. They used old news posts, fan discussions, and site archives. They worked hard to find the Homestuck page creation timestamp for many pages.
To use the Wiki:
1. Go to the Homestuck Wiki.
2. Search for the page you want. You can search by page number, character, or event.
3. Look for a “Synopsis” or “Page Info” section. Many pages on the wiki have a specific date for their first appearance.
The Wiki also has lists of pages. These lists are usually ordered by page number. This means they follow the Homestuck comic timeline. This lets you see the general Homestuck release chronology. It is a very reliable source for Homestuck archive page dates.
The WayBack Machine and Web Archives
The WayBack Machine is a project from archive.org. It saves copies of websites over time. It is like a huge digital library of the internet. This tool is great for finding old MSPA reader date information.
How to use it:
1. Go to the WayBack Machine website (archive.org/web/).
2. Type homestuck.com into the search bar.
3. You will see a calendar. The blue circles on the calendar show days when the site was saved.
4. Pick a date. Then, you can browse the website as it looked on that day.
This can be slow. But it is very powerful. You might find news posts. You might see the main page. These often announced new updates. For example, if you want to know when Page 2000 was posted, you can:
1. Try to guess a time when Page 2000 might have been active.
2. Go to the WayBack Machine.
3. Look for homestuck.com/story/2000 on different dates.
4. You might find an archived version of that page. The date you accessed it on the WayBack Machine is not the posting date. But you can often find clues on the archived page. Look for a date stamp. Or look for news posts on the main MSPA page saved around that time.
This method helps you find actual snapshots of the site. These snapshots often contain the MSPA reader date information directly. They are a real source for Homestuck archive page dates.
Fan-Made Archives and Date Tools
Beyond official and large archives, fans have built their own tools. Many passionate fans kept very detailed logs. They watched the Homestuck update schedule closely. They noted every single Homestuck update.
Some fan-made archives might be simple spreadsheets. Others might be full websites. These often collect Homestuck page metadata dates. Metadata is data about data. For a web page, it can include the date it was created or last changed.
These fan tools are often built from careful records. They combine:
* Official news posts.
* Timestamps from old forum discussions.
* Data from RSS feeds (if available).
* The general Homestuck page numbering dates.
Finding these fan-made resources can be tricky. They often live on old forums or personal blogs. But a quick search on sites like Reddit or dedicated fan communities might uncover them. They offer unique insights into the Homestuck update history. They show the incredible effort fans put into tracking every detail.
Official Records and Homestuck Update Log Access
Sometimes, the best way to find dates is from official statements. These can be news posts, social media, or even printed books. They offer direct Homestuck update log access.
News Posts and Author Notes
Andrew Hussie, the creator of Homestuck, often posted news. These were on the main MSPA website. These news posts announced major updates. They talked about new acts or big flashes. They gave a clear Homestuck update schedule.
These news posts usually had dates on them. So, if a news post said, “Act 5 is now available!” and it was dated March 15, 2011, you know Act 5 started around then. While they don’t give the Homestuck page creation timestamp for every page, they mark big milestones. They are vital for understanding the Homestuck comic timeline.
To find these:
* Use the WayBack Machine to view old MSPA main pages.
* Check the Homestuck Wiki, as it often quotes or links to these old news posts.
* Look for compiled lists of Hussie’s old announcements.
These are direct sources for the Homestuck update history.
The MSPA Tumblr and Other Social Media
Later in Homestuck’s run, official news also came from social media. Andrew Hussie had an official Tumblr blog. Sometimes, updates or notes about the comic would appear there. These posts also had dates.
For example, a Tumblr post might say, “Working on a new flash, might be a delay.” This post would have a date. This tells you about the Homestuck update schedule around that time. When the flash was released, another post might confirm it.
Other social media, like Twitter, also played a small role. While less formal, official accounts might have mentioned comic updates. These social media posts are useful for filling in gaps. They confirm parts of the Homestuck release chronology. They act as public Homestuck update log access.
Collected Works and Physical Releases
Homestuck also came out in physical books. These books collected many pages. Each book has a publication date. This date tells you when that collection of pages was printed and sold.
For example, “Homestuck Book 1” came out on a certain date. This means all the pages in that book were released before that date. While this doesn’t give a Homestuck page creation timestamp for each page, it gives a big window. It helps place chunks of the comic in the larger Homestuck comic timeline.
These physical releases often also included author notes or bonus content. Sometimes, these extras mention the original release dates. Or they talk about the Homestuck update schedule during that period. This offers another layer of Homestuck update history.
Inferring Dates: Homestuck Page Numbering Dates and Logic
Sometimes, you won’t find an exact date. But you can still figure out a lot. You can guess the time period based on how Homestuck was released. This involves using Homestuck page numbering dates and common sense.
Page Numbering as a Chronological Guide
As mentioned, Homestuck pages are numbered. Page 1 was first. Page 8123 was last. This sequential numbering is the strongest clue. It directly shows the Homestuck release chronology.
If you know Page 1000 was posted in early 2010, and Page 2000 was posted in late 2010, then Page 1500 was likely posted in mid-2010. This is a very simple way to guess. It’s not exact. But it gives you a good idea. This is how Homestuck page numbering dates become useful. They map out the general flow of the comic’s creation.
Identifying Major Update Gaps
Homestuck was not updated at the same speed all the time. Sometimes, there were long waits. These were called “hiatuses.” Knowing about these gaps helps with dating.
If you see a big jump in page numbers, followed by a long wait, it tells you something. For example, if Page 4000 was posted, and then there was a three-month wait before Page 4001, that’s a gap. These gaps are part of the Homestuck update schedule. They are recorded in Homestuck update history.
How to spot them:
* Look at the Homestuck Wiki’s timeline page.
* Read old fan discussions. Fans remembered these waits very well.
* Look at the page numbers. If page numbers rise slowly for a while, then stop, then jump, that’s a gap.
These gaps are important markers. They help you pinpoint when certain story events happened. They make the Homestuck comic timeline clearer.
Analyzing Flash Animations and Game Sections
Some Homestuck pages were not just pictures. They were complex Flash animations. Or they were interactive game sections. These took a lot longer to create.
When a big flash or game part was released, it often meant a long wait beforehand. And it might have been the only update for days or weeks. So, if you see a page that is a major flash, you know it was a big event. It likely marked a special point in the Homestuck update schedule.
For example, “Cascade” (Page 008123) was the biggest flash. It marked the end of the comic. Everyone knew it was coming. It took a very long time to make. So its release date was a huge event. Knowing about these special pages helps you mark the Homestuck release chronology. They are key parts of the Homestuck update history.
Challenges and Nuances of Date Finding
Finding exact dates for every single Homestuck page can be hard. The comic was made over many years. The internet changed. Andrew Hussie’s way of working changed.
The Dynamic Nature of Webcomics
Webcomics are not like printed books. They can change after they are posted. A page might have been put up on one date. But then, Andrew Hussie might have gone back and changed it later. This could be a small fix. Or it could be a big addition.
So, when we talk about a “Homestuck page creation timestamp,” what do we mean? Is it the first time it went live? Or the last time it was changed? For most fans, the first posting date is what matters. It is the date it became part of the Homestuck update history. But it is good to remember that things could have changed.
Pre-Release and Post-Release Edits
Sometimes, Hussie drew pages long before they were posted. He might have had a backlog of pages. Then he released them in bursts. So, the date a page was drawn might be different from when it was posted. The “Homestuck page creation timestamp” might refer to its first public appearance. Not when the drawing was finished.
Also, some pages were edited after they were first posted. Maybe a typo was fixed. Maybe a small image was added. These changes usually don’t affect the original posting date. But they show how fluid webcomics can be. This adds a small layer of complexity to finding precise Homestuck page metadata dates.
Fan Discussions and Collective Memory
The Homestuck fandom was very active. Fans talked about new pages all the time. They discussed them on forums, Reddit, and other sites. These old discussions are a treasure trove. They often mention the day a page came out.
For example, someone might post, “OMG, new page today! Page 3000 just came out!” The date of that forum post is a good clue. These fan discussions form a strong part of the Homestuck update history. They show the Homestuck update schedule as it happened.
These memories are not formal records. But they are often very accurate. They reflect the excitement and shared experience of following the Homestuck comic timeline. Searching old fan communities can be a great way to confirm dates.
Grasping the Importance of Dates
Why do we care about when a Homestuck page was posted? Knowing the dates adds a lot to enjoying the comic. It helps us see the bigger picture.
Placing Events in the Homestuck Comic Timeline
Knowing dates helps us understand the story better. Homestuck has a complex plot. Things happen over many years, both in the comic and in real life. If you know when a certain Act started, or when a big Flash happened, you can place it. You can see how the story unfolded over time. This makes the Homestuck comic timeline much clearer. It helps to track the Homestuck release chronology.
Tracking Creative Evolution
Andrew Hussie’s art style changed. His writing style changed. He added new tricks and ideas. By looking at the Homestuck update history, you can see this growth.
Early pages look different from later pages. Early story beats feel different from later ones. Knowing the Homestuck page creation timestamp for different sections lets you track these changes. You can see how Hussie’s skills grew. You can see how the comic itself evolved. It’s like watching an artist grow over many years.
Reliving the Fandom Experience
For many fans, Homestuck was more than a comic. It was an event. People waited for updates. They discussed theories. They made fan art. Knowing the Homestuck update schedule brings back those memories.
You can imagine what it was like when a certain page came out. You can think about the theories people had. You can remember the hype. This helps you relive the fandom experience. It connects you to the community that grew up around Homestuck. It makes the Homestuck update history come alive.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Was Homestuck updated daily?
A: No, Homestuck was not updated daily for most of its run. Early on, updates were often daily. But as the comic grew, updates became less frequent. They often came in larger chunks. Big Flash animations or game parts took much longer. So, the Homestuck update schedule changed over time.
Q: How often did Hussie update?
A: It varied a lot. In early acts, updates were very regular, sometimes daily. Later, especially during major acts or before big flashes, there could be weeks or even months between updates. The Homestuck update history shows a move from frequent small updates to rarer, larger ones.
Q: Are all original Homestuck pages still available?
A: Yes, all original Homestuck pages are still available. They are presented in “The Homestuck Collection” on the official website. This collection makes it easy to read through the entire comic. While the original MSPA reader site is changed, the content is preserved.
Q: Does The Homestuck Collection show original dates?
A: The Homestuck Collection itself usually does not show the original posting date for every single page. It focuses on presenting the comic cleanly. For original posting dates, you will need to use methods like the Homestuck Wiki, the WayBack Machine, or fan archives. These tools give you the specific Homestuck page creation timestamp.
Q: Can I use the page number to guess the date?
A: Yes, using the page number is a very good way to guess the general date range. Higher page numbers mean later dates. This method relies on the Homestuck page numbering dates. It helps you understand the overall Homestuck release chronology. It might not give an exact day, but it gives a good time period.