Re: [GRIMDARK] Fallout Equestria: Project Horizons Discussion

[Guest]

It tastes like burning! You just have to drink it slowly, like over the course of an entire meal. It's also great for when you have a cold - clears you right up.

[Harmony Ltd.]

...it's in situations like yours, kipper, that most people join the military. It works well with single men with few attachments, gets them a more than decent education that can be applicable throughout multiple industries, usually has programs set up to help find work when you leave the service, and just generally helps you set yourself up for a new life.
Although, honestly, that's just how I know it works in the USA, but I wouldn't expect the UK's to be THAT much different.
There are plenty of non-combat posts you could take if you did decent in school, and they wouldn't saddle you with any debt debt beyond the time you'd need to put into the service.

I could point him toward some veterans who would explain him why it would be a bad gamble. Hint : the keyword is 'PTSD'.

[O. Hinds]

So, according to the fallout equestria wiki, PH has "about 1,101k words"

>1,101k words
>1,101k
>1101
>EC-1101

Also, that means 1,101,000 (roughly) / 52 = 21,173.
So, in average, his chapters last roughly 21.2k (though some must be a lot longer and others a lot shorter. Still.)


The reason I'm bringing this up is because writing my own chapter right now and I've just touched 22k.
(My previous longest having been 13k)

...Someone go grab a few random chapters and confirm this for me?

Interesing; nallar.me, which I know is a bit higher than the actual count, lists it as 1043822.

[SilentCarto]

I don't think I understand why anyone would think Caprice is evil or "bad". Every decision she made seems fairly rational and gentle -- if perhaps not "nice" -- from her own perspective. Drugging BJ was definitely less severe than slipping her a deadly poison, for instance. She sold Deus's brainbox to the Harbingers, yes... but she gave a lot of his parts to Glory, too. She didn't have the perspective on the Harbingers that BJ did.

[Kippershy]

I've never seen why people would dislike Caprice either.
She's deceived BJ, yes.
However, she was never actively trying to hunt down BJ.

Sure, she allowed drugs and sex trade in her place, but if you don't regulate it and keep it safe it'll only happen in more dangerous ways anyway.

And what, you seriously expect her to keep quiet about one person when the biggest, badest reaper walks up and threatens everyone to tell him? (Or get raped if they don't, no less.)

Aside from that, selling his body off was hardly meant as a bad thing.

[CannonFodder]

I've never seen why people would dislike Caprice either.
She's deceived BJ, yes.
However, she was never actively trying to hunt down BJ.

Sure, she allowed drugs and sex trade in her place, but if you don't regulate it and keep it safe it'll only happen in more dangerous ways anyway.

And what, you seriously expect her to keep quiet about one person when the biggest, badest reaper walks up and threatens everyone to tell him? (Or get raped if they don't, no less.)

Aside from that, selling his body off was hardly meant as a bad thing.

Yeah selling Deus' body can't really be considered evil, after all everyone except blackjack knew Deus as a cyborg rapist that went around killing everyone.

[Guest]

@Swicked
BTW sorry for not replying earlier to your message on Steam, I was in the iddle of a rather intense LoL match, and Steam was making the framerate drop (because my computer is not what you'd call good).

@Re:Caprice
I don't think she was particularly evil, no. She wasn't exactly a saint, and she sure messed up her fair share of times, but I don't think she was a power-hungry monster or psycho-sadist or anything. Sometimes just not trying hard enough to do right (debatable) and making mistakes can end up causing some seriously ballsed-up situations, but she wasn't a scourge of the post-apocalypse.

[FoolNeim]

Is it wrong to fall somewhere in the middle on America? There are things about America that are great, and things that are horrible. There's a song about it that is very educational (mildly NSFW).

And yeah, the lack of healthcare fucking sucks (Obamacare is a step in the right direction but it's still very far from a real national healthcare system). However, we have some pretty rad shopping malls.

[Kippershy]

I want to experience the malls, diners and other typical American things like las vegas. Damn shame really.
maybe some day... Maybe.

[Ironmonger]

America lacks things that one would consider common sense, but the country is much more developed than most. It's...odd. I'm not going to try to go into details, other than the fact we have larger road and rail coverage than our nearest rival China, because I just know I'll contradict myself.

@Kipper
Honestly I've wanted to visit the UK for a while now.

[Guest]

@'merica
I was trying to make a rundown of things to see in America, and realized that I really love the northern bits of the North American continent. The highlights: go to Yellowstone, see and walk on a glacier while you still can, visit east coast Canada maritime communities like St. Andrew's, spend some time in Prince Edward Island if possible, get lots of hiking in, and don't try to make friends with the wildlife, especially bears and buffaloes. This place has got an astonishing amount of natural beauty. (And yes, diners are pretty great where you can still find them)

Kipper, have you read Bill Bryson at all? He writes about this sort of thing, and is quite funny.

[Ironmonger]

Ohio and Kentucky have a really neat mix of natural beauty and heavy industry, sometimes it mixes very well and other times it provides stark contrast. It can be very interesting, ugly, or just plain sad. In conclusion, it can be very hard to get visually bored here. To be honest however, the farthest I've been is Maysville, Kentucky, and Dayton, Ohio. Dayton was one nightmare of a trip, but that's a story for another time.

[Guest]

Ironmonger you get your butt to Glacier National Park right now and sit on a glacier. THEY ARE REALLY COOL, PUN FLIPPIN' INTENDED (BUT LET'S NOT START A PUN TRAIN).

As regards Fallout Equestria , I've always wondered (both with this and with the games) why and how caps came to become currency. In the games, it's just sort of a joke, but since we take our FOE seriously around these parts... anyone have any theories? Bits don't seem uncommon, bullets wouldn't make a bad currency for simple bartering... whose idea was it to make bottle caps of Sparkle-Cola and the like worth something? And how was it that everyone agreed to this? My pet theory is that ghouls used 'em, back when they were the only ponies around, since they didn't really have much in the way of needs and thus could afford whimsical sorts of currency like that. Once the first Stables started opening up, they'd end up in a world in which bottlecaps were the standard coinage, and would have to adapt. Over time, this just became normal.

[Ironmonger]

Ironmonger you get your butt to Glacier National Park right now and sit on a glacier. THEY ARE REALLY COOL, PUN FLIPPIN' INTENDED (BUT LET'S NOT START A PUN TRAIN).

*takes hand off of the big red button* Over the intercom:"Sir, we are no longer at Deffcon 1."

As regards Fallout Equestria , I've always wondered (both with this and with the games) why and how caps came to become currency. In the games, it's just sort of a joke, but since we take our FOE seriously around these parts... anyone have any theories? Bits don't seem uncommon, bullets wouldn't make a bad currency for simple bartering... whose idea was it to make bottle caps of Sparkle-Cola and the like worth something? And how was it that everyone agreed to this? My pet theory is that ghouls used 'em, back when they were the only ponies around, since they didn't really have much in the way of needs and thus could afford whimsical sorts of currency like that. Once the first Stables started opening up, they'd end up in a world in which bottlecaps were the standard coinage, and would have to adapt. Over time, this just became normal.

As a practical man who also happens to lack time and who is also possibly lazy, I'm using this as my headcanon until something else comes along. 'Murica.

[Ketchup]

@cool things to see in 'Murica:
Canada has nice places too. There is the Hopewell Rocks, the highest tides on the planet with wicked erosion and caves. That is neat, I've been there a few times.
Niagara Falls is in both countries, but I think I liked the Hopewell Rocks more. Niagara Falls wasn't too spectacular and very wet.

@Caps:
Not useful for anything but abundant and... shiny?

[CannonFodder]

Ironmonger you get your butt to Glacier National Park right now and sit on a glacier. THEY ARE REALLY COOL, PUN FLIPPIN' INTENDED (BUT LET'S NOT START A PUN TRAIN).

As regards Fallout Equestria , I've always wondered (both with this and with the games) why and how caps came to become currency. In the games, it's just sort of a joke, but since we take our FOE seriously around these parts... anyone have any theories? Bits don't seem uncommon, bullets wouldn't make a bad currency for simple bartering... whose idea was it to make bottle caps of Sparkle-Cola and the like worth something? And how was it that everyone agreed to this? My pet theory is that ghouls used 'em, back when they were the only ponies around, since they didn't really have much in the way of needs and thus could afford whimsical sorts of currency like that. Once the first Stables started opening up, they'd end up in a world in which bottlecaps were the standard coinage, and would have to adapt. Over time, this just became normal.

It would make sense. Also since there are no new soda manufacturers there would be a set number of bottlecaps in the world so it would be a set standard of currency.

[Stringtheory]

just found these pics:

Spoiler:

should I post art here, in the chat thread or both?

[Caoimhe]

That Marauders pic is cool. Except Steelhooves was still Apple Snack iirc.

[WovenTales]

As regards Fallout Equestria , I've always wondered (both with this and with the games) why and how caps came to become currency. In the games, it's just sort of a joke, but since we take our FOE seriously around these parts... anyone have any theories?

Ask Red Eye did that one once.
I'd find it for ya, but I need to be gettin' to work, so...

I liked the explanations, so have Red Eye's practical take and something closer to a legend.

[FoolNeim]

Hmmm.... yeah America has tons of pros and cons. Keep in mind it's a country of 300 million people and geographically roughly the size of Europe. You'll find regional differences in country larger than a city state, but the U.S. is just so huge that the differences can be downright awkward, despite language barriers being limited to immigrants (there are a lot of Latino immigrants from Mexico and Central America in major urban areas and Latinos often are an unfair target of bigotry from small-minded people).

RANDOM TIPS FOR VISITING AMERICA:

Travel:
-Cars: America has arguably the most comprehensive road network on the planet. Also, gasoline is cheaper than most places. There are a lot of places where you really cannot even live without a car (notable exception: in New York City, particularly Manhattan, don't even try using a car unless you simply want to drive through it, and even then be prepared for outrageous bridge tolls and psychopath drivers). Anyway most North American drivers on average are pretty civil, particularly in the Southern U.S. America is very easy to drive around and there are helpful signs along most major interstate highways that tell you where to get a nearby fast food lunch at an exit, or a motel or gas. Driving 10 miles-per-hour above the speed limit is considered the norm, unless you spot a police car (then stick to the speed limit). Should you get pulled over for speeding or whatever, be polite, comply with the police officer's instructions, don't try to dispute the ticket, and pay it by mail.
-Public transportation in major urban centers is variable, but a lot of them are pretty good (NYC is extremely comprehensive, albeit dirty; Washington DC has excellent public transit and the subway is very clean and quiet; Chicago I've heard is nearly as good; Los Angeles' public transit sucks)
-Rail: mediocre, particularly compared to Europe or Japan. The Northeast corridor from Richmond (100 miles south of Washington) up to Boston has decent rail service but it is not terribly convenient for the rest of the country.
-Long distance buses: things like Greyhound buses are perfectly fine for going a couple hundred miles but they are hardly luxurious and while you technically could travel from coast-to-coast that way, keep in mind America is enormous and traveling a few thousand miles by bus would be a sadistic experience.
-Flying: there are some decent budget airlines (Jet Blue, Southwest), but compared to top international airlines none of the American airlines really stack up very well. Still, if you want to travel somewhere within the U.S./Canada that is more than about 400-500 miles away, flying is recommended if you can afford it. Tons of service fees with most airlines these days due to rising gas prices. Renting a car at your destination is recommended.
-Taxis: these can be pretty convenient in major cities, although there are usually cheaper ways to get to-and-from an airport.

Crime: A bit exaggerated, seriously. Avoid ghettos at night, don't look like a tourist if you can help it, and ignore panhandlers or anyone asking for money on the street (majority are scamming you, even the ones just asking for a dollar, sadly; there are plenty of legitimately destitute/homeless people and it's a bad societal problem but they actually are not the majority of panhandlers). If you go to a major city, do some research to figure out the bad areas. Also, don't honk your car horn at another car if you're in Florida, because you might get shot. I know that sounds awful and it is.

Brief guide to tipping:
-TIP YOUR WAITER/WAITRESS!!! There's a lot of tipping in the U.S. but this one is particularly important. They actually get the majority of their income from that. 18% is about average. 20% or more if the service is good. Tipping less than 15% is kind of a dick move. But yeah, a waiter or waitress makes a base salary well below minimum wage and are expected to make up the difference through tips. If they don't accomplish that, their boss will still be legally required to make up the difference but it's actually considered fair grounds to fire someone if they have to do that. In Orlando, home of Disneyworld, you might see the tip included in the bill automatically btw.
Other common tipping situations:
-Food delivery (15-18% is normal, and again, with some places the deliverers get most of their salary this way)
-Taxis (15% or more)
-Bartenders (about $1-2 a drink or at least $1 every other drink)
-Bellhop ($1 a bag or $2 if it's a huge bag)
-Haircuts (15-18%)
-Curbside luggage check-in at an airport (majority of airports don't even do this, but if you check your bags in at curbside, tip the guy a $1 a bag, $2 for gigantic bags; no tip + being rude = your luggage goes to Hawaii)
-Hotel maids: it is customary (although not culturally mandatory) to leave a tip on the last day (and only the last day) of your stay if you stay at a hotel for more than one night. This will depend on your budget and the place and how long you stay but for a non-wealthy tourist, $10-$25 is probably fine.
Situations where you might think you have to tip but generally don't:
-You will never have to tip at a fast food place and it is not even an option.
-Coffee shops and walk-up food places like an indy burrito shop or a deli usually have a tip jar, but that's like, only for exceptional service or if you're a regular, and only like a dollar.
-If you carry out your food from a place that delivers, same thing applies (I would tip a dollar or two if you get there right when closing)
-You do not have to tip your airline steward/stewardess and it is not even an option.

-Smoking: taxes on cigarettes vary widely from state to state, and smoking indoors in a public location is not possible outside of an airport smoking lounge (available at some large airports) or bars in certain states.
-Drinking: is fun. Avoid major American beers because they aren't very good but you knew that already. Don't drink and drive. Just... don't.
-Drugs: yes, marijuana was legalized in three states in November but none of them have figured out how to legally distribute yet it outside of residents growing their own. So no you can't get it legally here unless you have a medical marijuana card, sorry.
-Gay marriage: is surprisingly easy.


There are a ton of cool places to visit, and a lot of people have mentioned stuff. As mentioned before, if you're into hiking, there's quite a lot of it, and campgrounds are cheap. If you're in a rural-ish area in the Midwest/Southwest, campgrounds will usually be preferable to youth hostels, and you can get cheap camping gear at Walmart (you can get cheap anything there), or slightly less cheap camping gear at The Sports Authority or whatever. America has plenty of huge stores like that.

I have a soft spot for the beaches in South Carolina, and whale watching in Maine, but that's just me. Traveling is as much about the company you keep as anything else though.

[FoolNeim]

Btw, Psalm's expression in the pic above is perfect. Self-loathing ponies are the best ponies. Except Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash is Best Pony.

EDIT: Honestly, a lot of the flashbacks in PH do tend to drag a bit (*just a minor nitpick and please don't change your writing Somber*), but the one with Psalm's childhood backstory was heartbreaking. Really well done and I hope to see more on her. I'm guessing

Spoiler:

[Guest]

@FoolNeim
The general consensus does seem to agree with you - that more or less all of Psalm is in Lacunae, alongside any other memories and regrets the Goddess doesn't want.

[Kippershy]

Btw, Psalm's expression in the pic above is perfect. Self-loathing ponies are the best ponies. Except Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash is Best Pony.

EDIT: Honestly, a lot of the flashbacks in PH do tend to drag a bit (*just a minor nitpick and please don't change your writing Somber*), but the one with Psalm's childhood backstory was heartbreaking. Really well done and I hope to see more on her. I'm guessing

Spoiler:

Welcome to the party, since you're new here I won't be too much of a jackass with my sarcastic message.
Yes, yes she is and we've al known it for ages now.

[Harmony Ltd.]

Maybe the site, like, interpret "it's" and similar expressions as two words instead of one ?

[Caoimhe]

@FoolNeim

You should always tip 20% for everything, regardless if it's shitty or not. Tip more for exceptional service at a bar/restaurant. Though I usually give $2 for cab rides under $15 and 20% for over since taxi drivers in Boston proper are almost all fucking awful antisocial people that will curse at you if you dare to pay with a credit card even though it's the law that they have to accept it.

[Kippershy]

[ joking mode ]

Somber needs to step up his game. Just released a chapter that's 31,327 words long.

[ /joking mode ]


...and yet, when you look at the quality of my fic next to his... wordcount on a one off will never make up for it.
/cries

[Kippershy]

@kipper
You said that site claimed PH was 1100k words?

I keep all the chapters as .txts, so I had my computer concatenate the lot and it's reporting 907,173 including footnotes...

Huh, strange. I do know that Gdocs somehow adds words in occasionally, for some reason. Maybe that's what's gone on? I dunno.

[FoolNeim]

@FoolNeim

You should always tip 20% for everything, regardless if it's shitty or not. Tip more for exceptional service at a bar/restaurant. Though I usually give $2 for cab rides under $15 and 20% for over since taxi drivers in Boston proper are almost all fucking awful antisocial people that will curse at you if you dare to pay with a credit card even though it's the law that they have to accept it.

I rarely tip less than 20%. At the IHOP I sometimes go to, I usually tip upwards of 30%, and since they know me and know I tip well and that I'm polite it's why they'll do things like replace pancakes with broccoli or a salad if I ask for it (was very helpful when I was on a low-carb diet). I tip my barber 25% or so too, which is why they'll take me as a customer 10 minutes before the shop closes (I usually can't get there much earlier). However, I didn't want to overwhelm European folk not used to the American tipping culture so I thought I'd lay out the minimum guidelines. There is a stereotype that Europeans are usually horrible tippers, particularly for those in the service industry where they might make over 50% of their income through tips, and usually it's just because they don't realize why we do things this way.

[FoolNeim]

Also, yeah, I was pretty sure PH was north of 1 million words now. If
the idea is to make this in five volumes, at the current trajectory it
will finish upwards 1.4 million words. Which is awesome.

[Kippershy]

Luna

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