Re: [GRIMDARK] Fallout Equestria: Project Horizons Discussion

[Evilgidgit]

I'd like to think that Blackjack's special talent is Perserverance. No matter how much misery, death, and horse manure is tossed at her, she always keeps going. With Scoodle, Stable #99, P-21, Glory, every death, she kept on chugging along. Obviously, she nearly quit a couple of times, longed for death, or went on a bender, but she always came back.

[Icy Shake]

I'd like to think that Blackjack's special talent is Perserverance. No matter how much misery, death, and horse manure is tossed at her, she always keeps going. With Scoodle, Stable #99, P-21, Glory, every death, she kept on chugging along. Obviously, she nearly quit a couple of times, longed for death, or went on a bender, but she always came back.

One of the things that makes "Victory at a Cost" so much more appealing (and admittedly there are many) than simply "Victory" is that it, unlike the latter, is a special case of Perseverance.

[Derpmind]

I think Blackjack's special talent is whining.

Why is anyone taking this seriously. 

So I never bought the idea that "Go Fish" is BJ's real name, or that it's somehow super significant. I just don't see anything about her character that fits with the name "Go Fish". Besides that, pony's names and cutie marks aligning so much can only make sense if some ponies change their names when they get their marks. That's from the show, yeah, but it really is the only thing that makes sense. The CMC frequently pursue cutie marks that have nothing to do with their names, and when Apple Bloom had the dream where she got a mark for being a zappy pest exterminator, it was perfectly plausible to her that her special talent wasn't related to her name at all.

[SilentCarto]

Besides that, pony's names and cutie marks aligning so much can only make sense if some ponies change their names when they get their marks.

Well, even among the mane six, you don't see solid name alignments across the board. Pinkie Pie* and Rarity reflect their personalities more than their talents, and even then only in vague broad strokes -- "Pinkie" sounds like a playful name and "Rarity" suggests her elegance. Fluttershy's name addresses her personality and mark fairly directly, but not her talent, and "Twilight Sparkle" only connects to magic in retrospect. Actually, AJ gets mocked in the fandom for her direct name-talent-mark connection. Rainbow Dash only gets away with it because she's striving for a specific goal other than "be the fastest racer in Equestria".

So really, there's no particular reason "Go Fish" or "Blackjack" should have any particular meaning, outside of the nickname referring directly to the cards on her flank. In fact, Babs Seed forms an interesting counterexample, given that her name has nothing at all to do with hairdressing and the apple aspect of her mark really just alludes to her family connection.

*Yes, I know it's actually "Pinkamena Diane Pie", which has even less to do with anything.

[Gadget Steamhoof]

I made an account just to post here. I've been following Project Horizons for around 2 years now since I finished reading the original Fallout Equestria and now that I finally finished reading PH today, I wanted to leave my thoughts. Though Somber has regularly said in the author's notes that a chapter was horrible or appeared to doubt himself, and there were some hiccups along the way such as a few battle scenes feeling like they could've been cut, Blackjack's rising power level after she became augmented, and the Hightower Arc feeling like its only true importance was what we learned about Goldenblood and Stygius, Project Horizons to me is a near-masterpiece. I have never become so enthralled with a story or become so attached to its characters. Every one of them, even many of the side characters who only appeared briefly, felt like they were part of a living world and their interactions with one another were so well written that they felt real. Despite the story's length, ever chapter left me wanting more and I spent many sleepless nights reading till about 4:30am in the morning binge reading. Even now, after I've finished a few hours ago, I can hardly believe it's over and it still leaves me wanting more. 

I appreciated that Somber was able to address moral issues and themes such as the ethics of killing (even for a good cause), or the characters struggling to survive in a world with no rules while staying true to their core values. I especially appreciated that Blackjack was a character who, while frighteningly efficient at killing would try to use diplomacy rather than brute force in most confrontations. I admittedly was growing a little worried by chapter 64 how Somber was going to wrap everything up and how the entire story and everything we've learned about the projects and the secrets of the ministries would come together, but I was ultimately happy with the final result. The story has been an emotional roller coaster for me, reaching its peak in the first 33 chapters and the last few chapters. The death of two of my favourite characters nearing the climax really pulled at my heartstrings and I tried hard to read on without crying like a little bitch because it's hard to read through your tears (I almost succeeded). 

So Somber, even though you've gone onto newer and broader 'horizons', I just want to say thank you (and thanks to all your editors) for sticking with this story till the end. It may not have turned out how many people may have wanted and there are things that we could all suggest that we'd think would make it better, but regardless this story has had more of an impact on me than any other piece of literature, art, movie, or game I have experienced. Seeing such a dramatic and powerful story with deep but still cute characters all with their own opinions, relationships, etc. also was one of the major inspirations for beginning my own project featuring pony-inspired critters (I'd talk more about that but this is a post for praise not for plugging my own work). While it may get its flak and arguments about whether it should be canon or not and people might say that it's 3edgy5me (normally I'd agree with them but something about this story just made it all stick), this is a story that'll be in my thoughts for a very long time. Those memories likely resurfacing every now and then to yank at my heartstrings.

[O. Hinds]

I'm very glad you liked it so much, Gadget Steamhoof, and for my part, you're welcome. :)

[nallar]

Sorry for the downtime, the fic-list version is now up to date with the epilogue. Google Docs changed something a month ago (different mechanism for exporting a document as a .zip with HTML and images), and it broke the converter.

[O. Hinds]

Thank you, nallar! And thank you again in general for providing this service! I have found it very useful. :)

[Icy Shake]

I'd like to add my thanks to nallar as well, as I greatly doubt I'd have done a good portion of what I did without nallar.me, and what would have been left over would have been less consistent without the ability to actually check how things were done elsewhere.

[Icy Shake]

Besides that, pony's names and cutie marks aligning so much can only make sense if some ponies change their names when they get their marks.

Well, even among the mane six, you don't see solid name alignments across the board. Pinkie Pie* and Rarity reflect their personalities more than their talents, and even then only in vague broad strokes -- "Pinkie" sounds like a playful name and "Rarity" suggests her elegance. Fluttershy's name addresses her personality and mark fairly directly, but not her talent, and "Twilight Sparkle" only connects to magic in retrospect. Actually, AJ gets mocked in the fandom for her direct name-talent-mark connection. Rainbow Dash only gets away with it because she's striving for a specific goal other than "be the fastest racer in Equestria".

So really, there's no particular reason "Go Fish" or "Blackjack" should have any particular meaning, outside of the nickname referring directly to the cards on her flank. In fact, Babs Seed forms an interesting counterexample, given that her name has nothing at all to do with hairdressing and the apple aspect of her mark really just alludes to her family connection.

*Yes, I know it's actually "Pinkamena Diane Pie", which has even less to do with anything.

And it's not like the names of other characters in PH were particularly related to talents either. "Whisper" doesn't resemble her personality or talent, nor did "Fluttershy." "Psychoshy," sure, but that was a nickname she didn't even like. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that "Gin Rummy" didn't have much to do with the talent associated with Blackjack's mom's cutie mark. The story specifically talks about how Vanity was misnamed. Then there are people like Trottenheimer and Persephone. Tarot was a weird case, what with being named closer to Card Trick's theme than Marigold's.

Granted, talent relevant names still happen plenty, so looking doesn't hurt. But there's no point in trying to force it. Not everyone's is going to fit like P-21's, or even, say, Caprice's.

Editing:

[O. Hinds]

@Icy Shake:
Ah, thank you very much as always.

[SilentCarto]

Granted, talent relevant names still happen plenty, so looking doesn't hurt. But there's no point in trying to force it. Not everyone's is going to fit like P-21's, or even, say, Caprice's.

Honestly, that's the style of naming I like. I get kind of tired of the "two words, noun+noun or adjective+noun, relates to cutie mark and job" style that a lot of people employ if they're not thinking about it very much. I like to take "Scootaloo" and "Cheerilee" as examples. As awkward as Bastard's real name is, "Rooty Tooty" is a much better name than, say, "Hollow Point".

[Evilgidgit]

Rooty Tooty is Bastard's real name!? 

[SilentCarto]

Rooty Tooty is Bastard's real name!? 

Rooty Tooty Point-n-shooty.

I'm assuming it was a rough pregnancy.

[Icy Shake]

Quick question: back in chapter 41, the chieftain of the Highlanders (as of a few years ago and seemingly Bluebelle's mother was named White Lightning. Is that the same character as Big Momma, just name instead of nickname/what her family calls her, and if so, should she still be blue ("Gonna run off to some tropical beach with them striped sluts!  Again!  Martial arts my blue behind!")?

[O. Hinds]

I think that they're the same person. Not entirely sure about that. I remember noticing and looking into that a while ago and not finding any problems, at least.
As for the color, do you mean because of the color in the name? I think that her being blue is fine.

[SilentCarto]

Quick question: back in chapter 41, the chieftain of the Highlanders (as of a few years ago and seemingly Bluebelle's mother was named White Lightning. Is that the same character as Big Momma, just name instead of nickname/what her family calls her, and if so, should she still be blue ("Gonna run off to some tropical beach with them striped sluts!  Again!  Martial arts my blue behind!")?

One would assume so, since she objects to being called "big", and I'm certain her parents didn't name their daughter "Momma".
In fact, Bluebelle uses the terms interchangeably:

Bluebelle snorted.  “Still no match for White Lightning.  Momma’d give him a run for his money.”

I'd assume she's named for alcohol rather than her color, though I'd lay odds that her cutie mark is indeed white lightning bolts. (Possibly bottled.) Which wouldn't show up well on a white coat, after all.

[Icy Shake]

I'd hoped to get through a reread before posting what I had so far, but I can't be entirely sure when that will be and there are some relevant portions coming up in the FIMFic upload.
Is the seafaring zebra tribe the Atori or the Atoli? In chapters 35 and 59, they're Atori, in 63 they show up as Atoli. Or is it different depending on who says it, or to whom?

Atori/Atoli:

editing:

[O. Hinds]

@Icy Shake:
Ah, thank you very much as always.

Is the seafaring zebra tribe the Atori or the Atoli? In chapters 35 and 59, they're Atori, in 63 they show up as Atoli. Or is it different depending on who says it, or to whom?

Atori, I think.

"in the air"

This is not in 71. I tracked it down in 73.

I'm very, very, very sorry about the errors in chapters already uploaded, but Somber's orders on that matter are clear. Again, my great apologies.

[Icy Shake]

@Icy Shake:
Ah, thank you very much as always.

Is the seafaring zebra tribe the Atori or the Atoli? In chapters 35 and 59, they're Atori, in 63 they show up as Atoli. Or is it different depending on who says it, or to whom?

Atori, I think.

"in the air"

This is not in 71.  I tracked it down in 73.

I'm very, very, very sorry about the errors in chapters already uploaded, but Somber's orders on that matter are clear.  Again, my great apologies.

No problem. Figured it didn't hurt to ask on the older ones, since they came up anyway, and I wasn't sure on the ones in chapters just put up since he's been correcting most those on Fimfic. Sorry on the 71/73 mixup.

[O. Hinds]

Sorry on the 71/73 mixup.

No problem.

and I wasn't sure on the ones in chapters just put up since he's been correcting most those on Fimfic

He's... what? Sigh. Well, okay, apparently those chapters weren't/aren't as locked as I was told, nor are we keeping the Gdocs versions as the definitive as I was told. Unfortunately, since no one saw fit to actually tell me about these changes (until now; thanks), I rather have no idea what my orders actually are and will have to default to the most recent ones I was actually given. Argh.
Seriously, how hard is it to just send me an email? A PM on FIMFiction, even? Is it too much to ask that I be notified of this sort of thing, which, oh yes, does in fact rather concern me?

[RoboRed]

Looks like Somber's moving forwards with plans for FoE: Homelands.

Anyone have a chance to read that rough draft yet?

[Icy Shake]

Looks like Somber's moving forwards with plans for FoE: Homelands.

Anyone have a chance to read that rough draft yet?

I did, though it's been changed a bit since and I haven't had a chance to give it a second look. In some respects, it feels kind of like the early chapters of PH, maybe something like 3/4 - 9 or so, but less violent so far. Getting to know a new setting, seeing how these few people kind of thrust together by circumstances are dealing with each other, how they interact with these strange people outside the group they don't know.

@Hinds: Okay, so what is the way it works now?

Random: It kind of struck me a couple days ago, that I was surprised that, given Psychoshy's fairly heavy involvement for a couple stretches, nobody ever made a crack about her beating/wanting to beat a dead horse.

[MSCA]

Looks like Somber's moving forwards with plans for FoE: Homelands.

Anyone have a chance to read that rough draft yet?

We really never are getting off Mr. Somber's Wild Ride.

[O. Hinds]

@Hinds: Okay, so what is the way it works now?

Perhaps Somber will actually decide to tell me at some point. Until then, as I said, I suppose I'll need to continue operating under the last orders I actually got.

[SilentCarto]

Looks like Somber's moving forwards with plans for FoE: Homelands.

Woohoo!

We really never are getting off Mr. Somber's Wild Ride.

I'm okay with this!

[O. Hinds]

Okay, Icy Shake, word from Somber!

As for the errors, they occur when I upload and I'm changing a few persistent mistakes we made early on, like "buck" to "Stallion" and "clip" to "magazine." I'm not changing anything in the gdocs. Those are set in stone.

So it looks like no updates to our instructions on this, basically.

[Rayndalf]

Yesterday I checked on a whim and decided to finish the final two chapters and the epilogue.
My only complaint would be the time skipping in the epilogue. At the time I'd wished for a timeline, somewhat confused by the time skipping (Dusk and Crumpets scene after a 'two centuries later' scene). But rereading it now it makes much more sense, I guess it just took some time to sink in. 

Looking back on it, I doubt I will ever understand the degree to which this story shaped my outlook on life. I feel like most pieces of fiction I encounter, regardless of the medium, will be compared to Project Horizons, but such a "sacrifice" was worth making.

I have yet to read the backlog of chat, but I wonder how many other people thought that Glory's soul might be inhabiting a Brood Blank, and wonder the wasteland convinced that Blackjack died.

I'm genuinely curious about what drove Dr. Morningstar to become a Harold-like abomination, but assume it is vaguely Lovecraftien in nature.

[SilentCarto]

I'm genuinely curious about what drove Dr. Morningstar to become a Harold-like abomination, but assume it is vaguely Lovecraftien in nature.

I suspect a mix of peripheral taint exposure and innate mental instability. He seemed to enjoy getting turned into a mare a little too much, which in retrospect might point to an unhealthy interest in body modification.

[Derpmind]

So thought I'd give everyone here the heads up:

Fallout 4's ending has been leaked on Instagram.

That there's the grim news. Whatever your thoughts on how much or how little spoilers you're comfortable with, you'll probably want to try and steer clear of that. Personally I've only been looking at leaks to find out the perk chart and see if there were any glaring flaws that stood out. Now, I'm going to be a ton more cautious about it.

I hope this is an appropriate topic to post it in. We don't have a Fallout 4 thread so I just put it here.

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