Re: [GRIMDARK] Fallout Equestria: Project Horizons Discussion

[Moodyman90]

I'm not sure about point three, but that's because I can't remember where in the story the cyberzebras disobeyed, or even acted like anything other then, well, robotic killing machines.

[cb5]

I'm not sure about point three, but that's because I can't remember where in the story the cyberzebras disobeyed, or even acted like anything other then, well, robotic killing machines.

Didn't lancer say that if they disobey they are killed?

Also the idea of combining the three most technological advancements that can be used for war if I may say so a pretty sound theory of mine, cause in the real world if a country could just pop out soldiers in only a couple hours fully grown ready for combat then you bet your ass they're going to do it. Like you could take any country in the world, if you gave them that then no fucking duh they're going to use it.

[Moodyman90]

Lancer mentioned that some of the top, non-cyberpony generals complained that the Legate was using the cyber ones and was killed on the spot, but that's about that.

Unless there was a part of the story I missed or can't remember right now.

[cb5]

Lancer mentioned that some of the top, non-cyberpony generals complained that the Legate was using the cyber ones and was killed on the spot, but that's about that.

Unless there was a part of the story I missed or can't remember right now.

Whoops, got it mixed up.

As for the zebras, the only other thing I can think of where the cyborgs are coming from is cryosleep.  If four stars really knew the future then they could have packaged the soldiers in deep sleep for the two centuries knowing legate would appear. That's even more terrifying cause that would mean they not only planned for luna to come back, but had everyone in the palm of their hands for the entire war and for the last two centuries. Then again knowing the future would give you that power.

[FeatherDust]

Actually that brings up an interesting point... What did the starkaterri think of Luna (or rather, the Maiden of the Stars)? Would they revere her as their patrons' chosen tool? Be jealous and resentful of her unique connection to the stars? Do they believe she brings doom, and if so are they secretly on board, or opposing her in their own way?

Or does it depend on the Maiden? It seems like the Maiden has a choice to align herself with evil and darkness, as Nightmare Moon did, as the starkaterri do; or to choose light and life as Blackjack seems to be doing, the stars as light in the darkness, the souls of worlds. Would they feel differently about Blackjack, a Maiden who opposes the Eater, as compared to Nightmare Moon, who embraced it?

[Meleagridis]

Who are the starkatteri we have seen?

Now that we know they were 'accepted' into society and were able to function (and often were needed for breaking crucial ties) I wonder if they are all wicked and craven or if we have only seen some that happen to be wicked and craven.

Legate Spoiler:

[FeatherDust]

Legate spoiler:

[Scienza]

On the above discussion about Elements and virtues and whatnot, I feel that the answer to the question is obvious:

Spoiler:

[Derpmind]

On the above discussion about Elements and virtues and whatnot, I feel that the answer to the question is obvious:

Spoiler:

You're late. And your avatar is the ugly.

[Icy Shake]

On the above discussion about Elements and virtues and whatnot, I feel that the answer to the question is obvious:

Spoiler:

You're late. And your avatar is the ugly.

Objection! YourHis Calamity's speech is too easily recognizable as English.
It's otherwise a nice, quick, funny story, though.
And Boss Smiley is, yes, ugly as sin and creepy to boot.

[Meleagridis]

Legate spoiler:

Yeah, well... um, shut up...

[Third Wind]

Hi everypony!
So, I'm a bit new here, but I wanted to raise a question. Maybe it was already discussed though...
The point is, that FoE and PH are very special stories. But what makes them special? FoE took the nice characters we knew and showed their "Dark Side", it brought grief and sorrow in the world of MLP.  Ok, there are sad fics on MLP, but FoE felt like a cut in the heart. PH, meanwhile, hits you with a car, than walks out to finish you off with a baseball bat, pummeling your head to the ground and utterly pulverising it. I'm speaking about all that pain, angst, physical and moral suffering that were present on every page since the begging of PH. All that maims and self-destruction tendencies. That hysterical feel. Because of it I couldn't leave PH once I started it, being dragged into bright and violent world. After all the physical issues, I was troubled by BJ's thoughts of breaking up with Glory, when she had them, as they seemed created by depression, but not her sincere feelings. I even thought that maybe Goddess took something away from BJ to make her suffer and feel cold towards Glory. 
And what I really want to ask is - how long can be so? In last 5 or so chapters Blackjack found some meaning and some way to carry on. And what troubles me - if BJ is fine now, what is the driving force of the story apart from plot? They lost Lacunae, but that loss felt nothing like the things they have gone through in the past. It is sad alright, Lacunae was really nice! But is there really anything to shock us? Is there something that BJ still cannot imagine? Or is it time for her to finish the adventure once all quests are dealt with?
I'm not saying the story is too long, or that Somber is bad as smth. I just wish to hear some thoughts on that. If I may.

[Guest]

@Third Wind
Hallo, and welcome to the forums!

For my part, I've never really seen PH as an inherently grimdark sadficcy experience. It's brutal and likes to tear through your heartstrings if you let it in, and has some extraordinarily painful scenes, but, at the same time, there are real moments of unabashed victory and happiness, which Blackjack experiences just as powerfully as the moments of sadness. Project Horizons, with limited exceptions, feels powerfully alive, both during the bad and the good, and that's what keeps me enjoying it, I think. You get silly stuff, you get uncomfortable stuff, you get sappy stuff, you get horrific stuff, you get cynical stuff, you get heartwarming stuff... You get what may be the most realistic internal depiction of depression I've ever read for quite a bit of it - honestly, it's probably still ongoing, 'cos that crap tends to lurk in wait for the perfect moment to come back.

So, yeah. I know there're ways to put Blackjack back in pain-mode, even with her newfound defenses against it. I don't know that "relapse" is where the story's going, though. Doesn't seem all that likely. Danger of relapse, probably; "every story needs to have an ending," ya know, and as stories end, heroes die. Or even just suffer, a lot, and Blackjack's not one to take her friends' pain lightly. I do think that more of the angst is going to come from sources outside Blackjack - Goldenblood and Luna on the one hand, and - if I had to guess - Glory and Rampage on the other. P-21 has got potential, too, of course, as does Scotch, but both of them seem kinda sacred at this point. I probably shouldn't say that - no author can resist being told that some of their characters are immune to further trauma. So, yeah, shocks coming from those ends. Glory, obviously, has her homeland about to commit mass atrocities, her sister in critical condition and in league with a baddie, her mother perfectly happy to kill her and her family and in league with a big baddie, her father in critical condition, and her lover is Blackjack. So that's an endless well of possibilities.

There is always worse. I'm not sure we're going to see worse, though. I'm not sure that's where the story's headed. Out of all the endings possible, bittersweet seems the most likely. A truly happy end is possible, I think, as is a truly sad end - triumph and salvation, but at the cost of all the main characters' lives, for instance. I don't see a pure "bitter" end happening, though, which is sort of how I took the original FOE's ending, apart from maybe the epilogue which gave it a more hopeful tone. With the story heading into the endgame faster and faster, I don't think that there will be too many more all-time-low moments.

Hope that made some sense! Those were my thoughts.

[Third Wind]

@Overlong Analysis Cobalt
yeah, that makes perfect sense, i just.. feel sad, that the thrills and shocks of the PH begginig are unlikely to repeat. 
No argue, that PH has powerful happy moments, they are as good as powerful sad.
Simply, when BJ was on a brink of suicide, she was my favourite character ever. She still is, but that is beacuse of her past, not her present. 
I do not think that P-21, Scotch or Rampage are even able to take such degree of inner flame. Maybe it is beacuse I like Blackjack so much.

[Scienza]

On the above discussion about Elements and virtues and whatnot, I feel that the answer to the question is obvious:

Spoiler:

You're late. And your avatar is the ugly.

Objection! YourHis Calamity's speech is too easily recognizable as English.
It's otherwise a nice, quick, funny story, though.
And Boss Smiley is, yes, ugly as sin and creepy to boot.

Recant your heresy! Boss Smiley is a sexy devil. And my headcanon has been validated. Huzzah!


And now returning back to the topic, is anyone else seeing the parallels between Lacunae's development as an individual and Boo's increasing intelligence?

[Mister Nikel]

I am several days late to the party like usual so apologies.

Commentary:

[Caoimhe]

Icy remarked about trademarked proper nouns a while back. Know what else is?

Scotch Tape.

Not really an easy fix. :(

[O. Hinds]

Icy remarked about trademarked proper nouns a while back. Know what else is?

Scotch Tape.

Not really an easy fix. :(

...Unfortunately, I'm busy tonight, so I'm going to assume that that was meant to be a joke and hope very hard that I am right. (If indeed it was a joke and you wish to make more such jokes in the future, I ask that you either tag them as such or make them in a different thread. Anything in this thread that resembles an error spotting must be treated as such, and the bar for getting an error spotting dismissed as a joke or otherwise ineligible for reasons unrelated to its content is intentionally set high to reduce the risk of a mistake going uncorrected. I'm pretty sure that your thing here was meant to be a joke, and I still feel uneasy about leaving it instead of requesting clarification and watching all night for it. Also, I've had to take the time to type this out.)

[Caoimhe]

I'm not saying it's a thing that needs to be fixed as such, but Scotch Tape is a brand name. Not many people realize it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotch_Tape

It's one of those words that entered the common lexicon like Kleenex, Xerox, styrofoam, etc.

[O. Hinds]

I'm not saying it's a thing that needs to be fixed as such, but Scotch Tape is a brand name. Not many people realize it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotch_Tape

It's one of those words that entered the common lexicon like Kleenex, Xerox, styrofoam, etc.

Ah, thank you for the clarification!

edit: Also, sorry for making a fuss about this, but I take my job as editor seriously.

[Scienza]

I'm not saying it's a thing that needs to be fixed as such, but Scotch Tape is a brand name. Not many people realize it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotch_Tape

It's one of those words that entered the common lexicon like Kleenex, Xerox, styrofoam, etc.

Ah, thank you for the clarification!

edit: Also, sorry for making a fuss about this, but I take my job as editor seriously.

Just change her name Scotch Tape™.


Problem solved.

[Caoimhe]

I was going to say develop an elaborate backstory for her but I forgot that she already has one, as does every other character. Damn, Somber, why you gotta make such well rounded fleshed out characters? Don't you know everything in fan fiction has to be two dimensional wish fulfillment fantasy or self inserts?????

[SilentCarto]

Just change her name to Scotch Tape.
Problem solved.

I notice you don't have any brohoofs yet.

Now you do.

[Aonee]

Something from reddit: Who's going to tell Stronghoof about Lacunae?

[Valikdu]

I'm gonna go with the insanely dramatic options:
a) Psalm, before taking her own life
b) No one, because Psalm will shoot him in the face

[Scienza]

I've been thinking about endings.

Fallout: Equestria Spoiler:

Either way, I'll be incredibly sad when(if) Project Horizons ends.

[O. Hinds]

...Um. I don't think that you really need to worry about spoiling FoE for anyone in this thread. :)

[Scienza]

...Um.  I don't think that you really need to worry about spoiling FoE for anyone in this thread.  :)

The internet taught me that people get pissy over these things, even if it's totally ridiculous that they don't know. I tend to err on the side of caution.

[SilentCarto]

I've been thinking about endings.

I'm really intrigued by how Somber's going to deal with the Day of Sunshine and Rainbows. Maripony established that we're really close to Littlepip's Epic Final Battle of Epicness, and Blackjack's involvement (if any) in it will be interesting to see. I guess it all depends on whether PH's ending is independent of FO:E's ending, which is highly possible since Heroes is also after Sunshine and Rainbows.

Either way, I'll be incredibly sad when(if) Project Horizons ends.

10 days, to be exact. Well... sort of. There's a teeny bit of a disconnect in that Pip was actually trapped inside Maripony for nearly 2 days, while this one didn't really suggest that BJ was out for 40-someodd hours.

By the way, Hinds, little editing matter:

...I said as I looked at the luminesant ghoul.

Should be "luminescent".

[Caoimhe]

FoE had an entirely disappointing, cliched and unfulfilling ending that raised more questions then answered. Folks should at least know that so they wouldn't be disappointed waiting for a satisfying conclusion like I was. :(

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