Re: [GRIMDARK] Fallout Equestria: Project Horizons Discussion

[SilentCarto]

In fact, it's starting to seem like that exaggeratedly shy, delicate, demure little persona we see most of the time is a construct, a carefully controlled mask she uses to prevent herself from going into a rage state and tearing things to shreds. She refuses to talk to dragons and avoids going into the Everfree not because she's afraid of them, but because she knows they're likely to trigger that change into a version of herself that she's afraid of. She hangs out with a brash, confrontational pony like Dash because she knows that her friend will deal with threat so she isn't forced to, and doesn't risk going too far. She avoids conflict with other ponies whenever possible not because she fears them, but because she fears what she might do to them if they make her lose control.

[/crack theories]

I don't think this really stands up to testing the negative case. That is to say, does she have any behaviors that don't match this theory? The first that comes to mind is her fear of falling leaves, her shadow, and a blowhard like Gilda. Those events speak to an emotional vulnerability that goes beyond "You wouldn't like me when I'm angry". If she were just holding in the monster, we should see her giving way to others but not acting scared for her own sake.

I think that monsters leave Ponyville alone because ponies are freaking terrifying when they work together. Consider "The Secret of my Excess" -- three Wonderbolts faced down a grown dragon with every expectation of success. In Appleoosa, a small town full of ponies using pies for weapons soundly defeated a large herd of buffalo, each five times their own size. In "Hurricane Fluttershy", the town's pegasi -- no more than a third of the population, and probably significantly less -- were able to create a full-scale tornado, and most of them were not even dedicated weather workers.

[Vergil]

This is a bit early, but my job demands that I be up at the crack of dawn, so I should be asleep already.

Somber, you have my congratulations and my utmost respect on this first anniversary of Project Horizons. 46 chapters in 52 weeks is an amazing accomplishment for any work, let alone one with writing of this caliber. Here's to you, the editors, and your (highly entertaining) readers.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have about 16 hours before I can celebrate Queen Whiskey's birthday properly.

[FeatherDust]

Hey, okay, new topic.

How did Stable 99's Overmare get infected with the raider virus in the first place?

The reason I ask is, I could swear it's been mentioned more than once that the way to get infected is to eat infected meat. But I'm pretty sure the Overmare didn't do that. So does that mean it's also sexually transmitted?

On one hand, that would make a certain amount of sense from a "disease vector" perspective; rape is obviously one of the behaviors it causes, and assuming the victim isn't killed soon afterward, that would make sense as a method of spreading the disease.

But the issue there is that if it's sexually transmitted, that suggests that raiders' bodily fluids -- blood, in particular -- are saturated with the virus. And if that's the case, well... combat with them is a biohazard! How many times have we seen Blackjack get covered in raider blood? Gyah!

[Sindri]

Hey, okay, new topic.

How did Stable 99's Overmare get infected with the raider virus in the first place?

The reason I ask is, I could swear it's been mentioned more than once that the way to get infected is to eat infected meat. But I'm pretty sure the Overmare didn't do that. So does that mean it's also sexually transmitted?

On one hand, that would make a certain amount of sense from a "disease vector" perspective; rape is obviously one of the behaviors it causes, and assuming the victim isn't killed soon afterward, that would make sense as a method of spreading the disease.

But the issue there is that if it's sexually transmitted, that suggests that raiders' bodily fluids -- blood, in particular -- are saturated with the virus. And if that's the case, well... combat with them is a biohazard! How many times have we seen Blackjack get covered in raider blood? Gyah!

It's established to not be sexually transmitted; if it was, Boing would already have gone full raider.

I believe the latest version of the first chapter includes mention of the Overmare biting one of her attackers.

[SilentCarto]

It's established to not be sexually transmitted; if it was, Boing would already have gone full raider.

I believe the latest version of the first chapter includes mention of the Overmare biting one of her attackers.

Biting off one of her attackers, in fact. It's in the dialogue BJ overheard right before she confronted Deus while impersonating Two Bit.

[OneMoreDaySK]

@Sindri Now I feel even more sorry for Boing. Raped, having a friend torn in two, having two possible friends die, and now beaten within an inch of her life.

[Kattlarv]

@Everypony: Totally random, but I just lost my first RP character. It was a level 1 duster dwarf in dragon age, through really neat RP-ing, she had become converted to the maker belief. And with her last breath after a ghoul attack trying to protect a village after trying to help the Chantry, she asked the teary apostate mage, with no mana left to donate her possession to the chantry. A bit tired atm due to being 4 am, but that was kind of what happened, I just explain kinda bad atm heh.

As for going with that "moron" that I was in an argument with, they got pissed that I refused to bow to their will, blocked me, and ran off. Will see if they come back, or stay away for now.

@Kipper: Yeah, we can go with that ;D

@Ketchup: I'd need that tap card... or even one that has pay to destroy xP Liquidmetal coating has: "Tap: Target permanent is now an artefact in addition to it's other types.". On a side note, laughed so hard when I played against a counterspell deck, that had 10 untapped mana and put out their legendary "I win" creature, was just about to equip and go all "I win" with a combo, and I played Urza's Rage. They were quite upset hehe. :P

@Robo: Come now, you can't shoot it down if you haven't tried it xD You guys even have your prostate in there unlike ours, yet we seem to get it more, despite the fact you technically even have a reason to like it... and why did I trail the very short step from medicine to probing? Oh 4:30 am me, you so silly.

@Rafa: Badasses? Does cracking a skull with a pipe count? Or what are we doing here? xP

Edit: @OMD: Boing was raped? I don't recall that, I only recall that Scoodle mentioned being raped, or implied being raped... or something like that. But anyhow, with my new technical canon anatomical knowledge, it's not as physically bad any more. Still as mental though.

[FeatherDust]

Biting off one of her attackers, in fact. It's in the dialogue BJ overheard right before she confronted Deus while impersonating Two Bit.

Oh! Oh, okay. I see. I read that just a few minutes before posting my message but missed the implication.

[FeatherDust]

Edit: @OMD: Boing was raped? I don't recall that, I only recall that Scoodle mentioned being raped, or implied being raped... or something like that.

They all were. It's said late in Ch2 right after the rescue, when Blackjack is feeling bad about being so wimpy about open sky when so much awfulness had happened to the fillies.

[CamoBadger]

A conversation about fights, discipline in children these days, and another that somehow involved prostates? And I MISSED them?!

I need to come here more often

[Sindri]

I need to come here more often

Can't argue with that!

[Ketchup]

@Ketchup: I'd need that tap card... or even one that has pay to destroy xP Liquidmetal coating has: "Tap: Target permanent is now an artefact in addition to it's other types.". On a side note, laughed so hard when I played against a counterspell deck, that had 10 untapped mana and put out their legendary "I win" creature, was just about to equip and go all "I win" with a combo, and I played Urza's Rage. They were quite upset hehe. :P

Sounds like a devastating combo. And never underestimate an opponent with something that can kill you instantly. Unless you have a "counter any" spell. I once was on the verge of victory, and my opponent played a card, dumped all his mana into it, so I'd die. Negate solved the problem. He also likes to use Sanguine's Bond with a few cards, infinite life drain and win against everyone, or spawn 13 3/3 zombies, so I always keep a counter handy. I also once ended up with a -3/21 flying sword. That game was ridiculous.

[WavemasterRyx]

Holy moley... you ponies are so full of words... how many pages since the last time I posted? I'll um... try to catch up if there's anything I can/need to respond to later... and work on the meme-Boo picture for "Watch out, we got a badass in here."

But for right now...
Happy Birthday Project Horizons!

Warning, may cause diabetes and various health problems.:

http://wavemasterryx.tumblr.com/post/26327748898

[RoboRed]

But for right now...
Happy Birthday Project Horizons!

Warning, may cause diabetes and various health problems.:

http://wavemasterryx.tumblr.com/post/26327748898

I feel warm and fuzzy inside.

[Guest]

@Ryx D'aww, so cute! BJ's got extra-cuteness eyes enabled!

@Somber, editors, and the thread at large
Happy birthday, PH! I don't remember the exact date this story and you lot came into my life, but this occasion and date seems as good as any for a small celebration and smiles all around. :) Thanks to all of you for making a sterling story and a stellar... community. Alliteration is hard. Point is, you all rock hard.

[Guest]

Holy moley... you ponies are so full of words... how many pages since the last time I posted? I'll um... try to catch up if there's anything I can/need to respond to later... and work on the meme-Boo picture for "Watch out, we got a badass in here."

But for right now...
Happy Birthday Project Horizons!

Warning, may cause diabetes and various health problems.:

http://wavemasterryx.tumblr.com/post/26327748898

That was adorable, absolutely adorable. Another amazing picture Wave.

@Somber, and the editing time
Happy birthday PH! Here's to an amazing story that just keeps getting better with every chapter.

[Kippershy]

Jeez we got some badasses/violent people here.

Reminds me of the time I punched and knocked out a 1st grader...

Spoiler:

I know my story sounds violent, but I'm not actually a violent person overall.
I can be to protect a friend and I avoid it even in my own defence, bit I wont stand by and be attacked, especially for no other reason then "You're tall, you look strong, lets see how quick you go down."

Yeah, the guy actually said that as he readied the bat at me.


I don't stand down while in a fight until the other person wont be getting back up, because if they can get back up when you're walking away they can hit you from behind.
So... yeah. I made sure he wasn't going to be running at me when I walked, then put him through the agony of a forever fucked up shoulder for trying in the first place.

[WavemasterRyx]

@RoboRed, Overlong Analysis Cobalt, and guarddogr
Thank you all, I'm very glad that you enjoyed the picture.

I'm sorry that I couldn't do the kind of tribute PH really deserves for its first birthday, but I tried my best to make it as cute as possible.

Thank you again to Somber and the editing staff.
*hugs you all*

[Valikdu]

In fact, it's starting to seem like that exaggeratedly shy, delicate, demure little persona we see most of the time is a construct, a carefully controlled mask she uses to prevent herself from going into a rage state and tearing things to shreds. She refuses to talk to dragons and avoids going into the Everfree not because she's afraid of them, but because she knows they're likely to trigger that change into a version of herself that she's afraid of. She hangs out with a brash, confrontational pony like Dash because she knows that her friend will deal with threat so she isn't forced to, and doesn't risk going too far. She avoids conflict with other ponies whenever possible not because she fears them, but because she fears what she might do to them if they make her lose control.

One shudders to imagine what inequine thoughts lie behind this mask, what dreams of chronic and sustained cruelty...

[Sindri]

One shudders to imagine what inequine thoughts lie behind this mask, what dreams of chronic and sustained cruelty...

Do you believe in magic?

[O. Hinds]

Happy birthday Project Horizons, proving for a year now that recursive fanfics combining colorful cartoon ponies with postapocalyptic videogames can actually be incredibly awesome!

[Rafafidi]

Happy birthday Project Horizons, proving for a year now that recursive fanfics combining colorful cartoon ponies with postapocalyptic videogames can actually be incredibly awesome!

Was there ever any doubt?
Happy first birthday Blackjack, P-21 and Scotch!
Congratulations to Somber and editor team: O.Hinds, Bronode and Snipehamster.
I hope to see at least the second.
...dreaming is free, right?

[Cptadder]

Congratulations on surviving a year Somber with your highly interesting story which seems to fill in so many of the little gaps in FoE at first then went on to become it's own expansive world I wanted to explore.

Someone else can provide word count but I'll toss this in comment count.
In one year Project Horizon has generated three threads on EQ daily that hit the five thousand post cap plus the dead current thread of 359 plus 4923 comments here for a grand total of 20,282 comments this story has generated or a nice 55 comments a day for an entire year. I'd do a word count on the comments but that is frankly impossible without another thousand man hours I simply don't have.

*Edit and that does not count the comments on the story update threads before PH got it's own post.

OAN:Littlepip and Blackjack buddy cop movie needs to happen, P-21 can play the Chief.

[Sindri]

According to the EQD fic list, Project Horizons is currently at 887,494 words. The only entries higher on the list are the collected FoE side story posts and Mystery Fanfic Theatre 3000.

We even beat both the Conversion Bureau compilations.

[Elexius]

Congratulations Somber, you have reached the milestone for incredibly long fics that will be published eventually.

[Elexius]

One shudders to imagine what inequine thoughts lie behind t
his mask, what dreams of chronic and sustained cruelty...

Do you believe in magic?

Mmmmph Mmph!

[Guest]

How are ya'll today? <3

[RoboRed]

I'm sorry that I couldn't do the kind of tribute PH really deserves for its first birthday, but I tried my best to make it as cute as possible.

Hey, at least you have something. I don't have anything...

Happy Birthday to Project Horizons! Keep up the good work, Somber!

How are ya'll today? <3

Hungry for the flesh of the innocent. You?

[SilentCarto]

Happy Birthday Project Horizons!

Warning, may cause diabetes and various health problems.:

http://wavemasterryx.tumblr.com/post/26327748898

Yay, happy BJ and Glory! And thank you, Somber, for a year of awesomeness. ^_^

I feel warm and fuzzy inside.

That's the diabetes taking hold.

[Guest]

Hungry for the flesh of the innocent. You?

I'm great! :woops:

[Sponsored content]