Re: [GRIMDARK] Fallout Equestria: Project Horizons Discussion

[Train Dodger]

That badass part in Chapter 54 where ...

Spoiler:

That entire Fallen Arch sequence in 29 was really, really disturbing, actually. The blood literally pouring out of the trailer. P-21's hooves blasted off. Can't win 'em all, I guess.

[SilentCarto]

Favorite scenes... hoo boy. Let me think.

The Star Dream rates very high for me. It meant a lot to me for Somber to populate space (or is it the spirit realm?) with friendly entities, not just the dread horrors mentioned in FOE. And it meant a lot to me personally for BJ to get the chance to say "goodbye" to her mother... or at least "see you soon".

While surfing a bathtub down a collapsing building was totally awesome, my favorite "drunk BJ trick" was getting Gun to aggro on Deus. "Mine's bigger!"

For the best action sequence... Yellow River was an amazing scene, even if it was also horrifying in that I was mentally yelling, "No, Blackjack! Don't do it!" the entire time. But for sheer holy-crap-that-was-awesome value, I have to go with the escape from Hippocratic. From the moment BJ plunges into the Pink Cloud until she crushes the Ultra with the elevator, it just keeps getting better (worse), and I love it.

[SilentCarto]

It's the accretion disk of the internet.

Well, you know... sewers are filthy and unpleasant, but they serve a vital purpose.

Unlike 4chan!

[Guest]

@SilentCarto
I thought accretion disks were in space! Like... where stuff in orbit accumulates or something. D:

[SilentCarto]

@SilentCarto
I thought accretion disks were in space! Like... where stuff in orbit accumulates or something. D:

Oh, they are. I was just making a random comment.

[OneMoreDaySK]

*slinks out of lurking*

Favorite part? Too many to mention. Really liked the moving parts, like PLAY and 33. Intersplice that with humorous scenes to break up the mood and turn it into a rollercoaster of emotions, like DrunkenJack.

If I had to pick one scene, it would have to be P-21 finally 'fessing up to post-op Scotch. Because if I recall correctly, we actually had a hand in saving 'er. Otherwise she would've become P-21's Scoodle.

*slides back into lurk mode*

[Caoimhe]

Actually the best part is anytime P-21 is an annoyed ninny and addresses Blackjack specifically by her name.

[Admiral Stoic Rum]

Actually the best part is anytime P-21 is an annoyed ninny and addresses Blackjack specifically by her name.

hullo,

[Caoimhe]

Can't really think of specific instances, other than pretty much every time P-21 works on a terminal and BJ bugs him. Probably also the time where they find Glory and BJ perches on a desk and basically asks too many questions.

Sooooo... what's the progress on 55?

[Meleagridis]

I wouldn't be able to pick any specific favourites, per se, but I'll not soon forget when BJ reunites with P-21 after being separated for the first time. When he's convinced that he's finally (convinced himself that he's) going to take revenge on the wicked monster and hold her still with an explosive collar, but she's just too excited to see him okay and licks his face.

If there weren't a few of these moments already had, it would have been where I'd just click and decide that I freaking love Blackjack. Drunken rampages are well and good, but Blackjack's unexpected impulsiveness is at it's best (for me) when it is something just... nice. On a different scale than singing brawls.

[O. Hinds]

Sooooo... what's the progress on 55?

I'm not sure, sorry. We're not brushing this weekend, though; Bronode is busy. Last I heard (which was last weekend), Somber was rather displeased with how the chapter is going, but I've not seen any of it myself yet.

[FoolNeim]

Sooooo... what's the progress on 55?

I'm not sure, sorry. We're not brushing this weekend, though; Bronode is busy. Last I heard (which was last weekend), Somber was rather displeased with how the chapter is going, but I've not seen any of it myself yet.

Somber is awfully hard on himself. While having an artist be tortured makes them more creative, he's really taken it too far. Is there perhaps something we can do to make him feel less miserable?

He doesn't think much of himself as a storyteller but he's taken wonderfully disparate elements and made a cogent, enthralling, epic story of it. The keystone of any great storyteller is making you care, and he's gotten people deeply invested to the point where he has this rabid cult following. Somber, whether you believe it or not, most writers have nowhere near your level of skill. Like, including ones who make a living off of it. Now being a successful novelist is as much luck as anything else, but you shouldn't be questioning your skill.

Somber, if you're out there, you don't need to be so down on yourself all the time. If you've got dire issues with your personal and professional life, you have a lot of company in this day and age. Life is a non-stop series of adjustments anyway, so keep at it, and take your frustrations out at an appropriate time, like on a boss or supervisor you don't much care for, because generally folks aren't friends with their bosses in the first place. It's what I do, I'm just subtle about it.

Anyway, if I could make something artistic to express my appreciation of Project Horizons I would, but I'm not the artistic type.

So, um, just pretend I've drawn a picture of a colossus version of Somber Pony angrily hurling lightning bolts like Zeus down upon the Nevada desert and Area 51, destroying a carefully attained secret interstellar peace between the U.S. and the visiting Grey ambassadors. Also there are dragons flying about for some reason.

[Guest]

@Neim
From what I understand, there have historically been some longstanding issues Somber has faced. Intentionally being vague here - I don't know if this is still the case, or if it's still stuff Somber is okay with having being known (things can change) but, well, yeah. It's not only a series of bad days and shitty situations (though there have no doubt been those, as we do all have 'em, as you say).

[Meleagridis]

@Neim
From what I understand, there have historically been some longstanding issues Somber has faced. Intentionally being vague here - I don't know if this is still the case, or if it's still stuff Somber is okay with having being known (things can change) but, well, yeah. It's not only a series of bad days and shitty situations (though there have no doubt been those, as we do all have 'em, as you say).

Still can't hurt to say that we appreciate the work he does. And judging by the thread count so far, it seems most of us do indeed appreciate it.

[Derpmind]

Still can't hurt to say that we appreciate the work he does. And judging by the thread count so far, it seems most of us do indeed appreciate it.

These threads really should have been numbered. XD This is thread number 20 on the Cloudsville forums. Each thread lasts for 33 pages of 30 posts each and one last page with one post. This is therefore post number 19,165. And there's also the 15,000+454 comments on EqD. No idea how much it's talked about elsewhere, but I'm gonna go with substantial.

[Moodyman90]

Those of us who are a part of the RPs here appreciate him. If not for Project Horizons we wouldn't have met up in the first place, and if not for Happyhorn then we wouldn't have had a starting point.

[SilentCarto]

So I just finished Bioshock Infinite, and I want to say that Zachary Comstock reminds me of The Goddess.

Minor spoilers you'll pick up on by midgame:

[OneMoreDaySK]

So I just finished Bioshock Infinite, and I want to say that Zachary Comstock reminds me of The Goddess.

Minor spoilers you'll pick up on by midgame:

Yes, very, good job

Just finished Bioshock for a class, should I go to 2 or straight to infinite?

[Moodyman90]

Just finished Bioshock for a class, should I go to 2 or straight to infinite?

I'd say Infinite. While there are some shared themes and very very very very loose connecting ties, Infinite is it's own game and the general opinion, from what I've gathered from others as I haven't played Bioshock 2 myself, is better then 2. Not say that 2 was bad, just that it was a sequel in not the best ways and acting mainly as a retread from the first.
Once again, just from what I've gathered from others so take that as you will.

[Exodus Hero]

So I just finished Bioshock Infinite, and I want to say that Zachary Comstock reminds me of The Goddess.

Minor spoilers you'll pick up on by midgame:

Yes, very, good job

Just finished Bioshock for a class, should I go to 2 or straight to infinite?

If you play one and two, you'll understand a bit more about why there is magic in infinite, but in all, infinite is a stand alone game and doesn't require knowledge of the previous two games to be enjoyed.

[Meleagridis]

Just finished Bioshock for a class, should I go to 2 or straight to infinite?

For a class?

And go to Infinite, Bio 2 was more about money than anything.

[Somber]

Sigh. So 55 is sitting at 20p. It's horrible. Lots of talking and it's taking forever. And did I mention horrible? As always, it just goes on and on and on... There's just stuff to cover and I can't do 'she goes to x and does y'. No, I have to show it... sigh...

Anyway, about my grumpybuttness... I have chronic depression. I have since I was a little kid. I've wanted to check out since high school and unfortunately failed the times I tried it. Trust me. There's nothing more pathetic or humiliating than failing to kill yourself. You could just die... Mostly I'm too much of a coward, and I recognize that doing so would really suck for a great number of people who really care about me. So I have real problems with feeling good. I'm a bit of a video games addict, have a horrible diet, and have resigned to a life alone. I'm a failed teacher with 50k in student loans building up debt. On the other hand, I've been told that I'm a nice person, and I've never been to jail, gotten drunk, or smoked or done drugs. So there's that.

When it comes to my writing though, I refuse to believe it's good. If I finish the whole story well, then I might accept okay. But ultimately the story is what it is. If I rewrote it, I'd do things a lot differently. There'd be a lot less sub plot going on. A lot less travel and immersion. And it'd probably be half as long. But I can't do that. I can only finish the damned thing as best as I can. I know it's crap, but other folks tell me otherwise, so I try to defer to their judgement. It's kept me from checking out more than once. 'But if I do, it'll really piss off my readers if I don't finish' has saved my life at least three times.

Unfortunately, finding out I'm losing my job really shook me. Snipe leaving the editorial team really shook my self confidence too. I was also recently exposed to 4chan criticism which isn't good for me either and a few IRC chats that beat up my self confidence a bunch. Lots of folks telling me I should do X or I should do Y. They don't understand that often I can't do X or I have to do Y, and I can't tell people because of huge spoilers.

So...yeah... sorry...

[tylertoon2]

Sigh. So 55 is sitting at 20p. It's horrible. Lots of talking and it's taking forever. And did I mention horrible? As always, it just goes on and on and on... There's just stuff to cover and I can't do 'she goes to x and does y'. No, I have to show it... sigh...

Anyway, about my grumpybuttness... I have chronic depression. I have since I was a little kid. I've wanted to check out since high school and unfortunately failed the times I tried it. Trust me. There's nothing more pathetic or humiliating than failing to kill yourself. You could just die... Mostly I'm too much of a coward, and I recognize that doing so would really suck for a great number of people who really care about me. So I have real problems with feeling good. I'm a bit of a video games addict, have a horrible diet, and have resigned to a life alone. I'm a failed teacher with 50k in student loans building up debt. On the other hand, I've been told that I'm a nice person, and I've never been to jail, gotten drunk, or smoked or done drugs. So there's that.

When it comes to my writing though, I refuse to believe it's good. If I finish the whole story well, then I might accept okay. But ultimately the story is what it is. If I rewrote it, I'd do things a lot differently. There'd be a lot less sub plot going on. A lot less travel and immersion. And it'd probably be half as long. But I can't do that. I can only finish the damned thing as best as I can. I know it's crap, but other folks tell me otherwise, so I try to defer to their judgement. It's kept me from checking out more than once. 'But if I do, it'll really piss off my readers if I don't finish' has saved my life at least three times.

Unfortunately, finding out I'm losing my job really shook me. Snipe leaving the editorial team really shook my self confidence too. I was also recently exposed to 4chan criticism which isn't good for me either and a few IRC chats that beat up my self confidence a bunch. Lots of folks telling me I should do X or I should do Y. They don't understand that often I can't do X or I have to do Y, and I can't tell people because of huge spoilers.

So...yeah... sorry...

Don't let anyone tell you what you can and cannot do. There's an old saying about opinions and asses which applies well to this situation. Stories have problems, people have problems, take what advice you can to heart but if you keep on your muse it will get better in time.

Eh People! Can we get some cherry shit up in here. Just paint this thread with cute stuff for a while?

[Exodus Hero]

Sigh. So 55 is sitting at 20p. It's horrible. Lots of talking and it's taking forever. And did I mention horrible? As always, it just goes on and on and on... There's just stuff to cover and I can't do 'she goes to x and does y'. No, I have to show it... sigh...

Anyway, about my grumpybuttness... I have chronic depression. I have since I was a little kid. I've wanted to check out since high school and unfortunately failed the times I tried it. Trust me. There's nothing more pathetic or humiliating than failing to kill yourself. You could just die... Mostly I'm too much of a coward, and I recognize that doing so would really suck for a great number of people who really care about me. So I have real problems with feeling good. I'm a bit of a video games addict, have a horrible diet, and have resigned to a life alone. I'm a failed teacher with 50k in student loans building up debt. On the other hand, I've been told that I'm a nice person, and I've never been to jail, gotten drunk, or smoked or done drugs. So there's that.

When it comes to my writing though, I refuse to believe it's good. If I finish the whole story well, then I might accept okay. But ultimately the story is what it is. If I rewrote it, I'd do things a lot differently. There'd be a lot less sub plot going on. A lot less travel and immersion. And it'd probably be half as long. But I can't do that. I can only finish the damned thing as best as I can. I know it's crap, but other folks tell me otherwise, so I try to defer to their judgement. It's kept me from checking out more than once. 'But if I do, it'll really piss off my readers if I don't finish' has saved my life at least three times.

Unfortunately, finding out I'm losing my job really shook me. Snipe leaving the editorial team really shook my self confidence too. I was also recently exposed to 4chan criticism which isn't good for me either and a few IRC chats that beat up my self confidence a bunch. Lots of folks telling me I should do X or I should do Y. They don't understand that often I can't do X or I have to do Y, and I can't tell people because of huge spoilers.

So...yeah... sorry...

Hey Somber, might be a stupid question to ask but I'm going to ask it anyways. Have you written anything outside of fanfic before? I'm sure that if you find a good literary agent, you could probably be able to publish a book and cover a portion of your financial problems as well as get your name out there and have people like us read a fantastic story. Would be nothing but a benefit to everyone if this happened imo.

[WavemasterRyx]

Sigh. So 55 is sitting at 20p. It's horrible. Lots of talking and it's taking forever.

*hugs you gently*
I know I've said this a lot, but please try and take care of yourself, Somber. We do care about you, so please do whatever you need to try and be okay.

Project Horizons is its own world, so just try the best you can with it, and write it the way you need to. If that involves lots of talking, then it just involves lots of talking.

[Guest]

@Somber
I think the story continues to be a damn good read, and I'm also one of those guys that, if you die, will need to become a Christian so I can believe in God so that I can then come up with and enact a plan to kill God. This is how I express affection when I'm on lots of caffeine and stress. Seriously, though, your work and the community it inspired helped me through some rough stuff - I dunno if I'd say it saved my ass, since, y'know, combination of a variety of factors and all that, plus I'm still not sure why I stopped feeling crappy and worse all the time. But you've done me a lot of good turns, that's for damn sure.

Point is, I think you're pretty fuckin' great, for what that's worth. I think tyler's right, too.

Have cute!


(Also you know that I am a sucker for shitloads of dialogue, right?)

[Derpmind]

So I've edited everything here out. I said some stuff that was personal, and while I've no doubt that ninja hackers can find it anyways I'd still rather not leave it up. Everyone who I'd be willing to say it to have read it by now. Basically, it was me trying to say stuff to help Somber.

You still don't have an excuse for not watching the episode posted below.

[Derpmind]

[O. Hinds]

I've wanted to check out since high school and unfortunately failed the times I tried it.

NOT UNFORTUNATELY

It's kept me from checking out more than once. 'But if I do, it'll really piss off my readers if I don't finish' has saved my life at least three times.

And remember, you've told me what you were thinking of writing next. Rainbow Dash on a motorcycle and Twilight hoping to use Nightmare Moon to fight the corporate system? Wouldn't want to miss that, either. :)

Unfortunately, finding out I'm losing my job really shook me. Snipe leaving the editorial team really shook my self confidence too. I was also recently exposed to 4chan criticism which isn't good for me either and a few IRC chats that beat up my self confidence a bunch. Lots of folks telling me I should do X or I should do Y. They don't understand that often I can't do X or I have to do Y, and I can't tell people because of huge spoilers.

You've still got me, Bronode, and the community here, and I've gotten a request from another person wanting to join the writing team (I told them that you'd decided not to worry about that until after 55). Yes, there are a lot of mean people on the internet, but this is not exactly surprising. I know that you've got chemicals swirling around in your brain that are telling you that everything is terrible and that your job loss is a genuine problem, but things are much better than they seem. If there's anything that we can do, let us know.

Err... odd that they wouldn't understand that. You'd think they'd pick that sort of thing up...

There are a great many stupid people out there. I, too, have difficulty wrapping my mind around their thought processes.

Hey Somber, might be a stupid question to ask but I'm going to ask it anyways. Have you written anything outside of fanfic before? I'm sure that if you find a good literary agent, you could probably be able to publish a book and cover a portion of your financial problems as well as get your name out there and have people like us read a fantastic story. Would be nothing but a benefit to everyone if this happened imo.

Speaking as the child of a partially-published author, it's unfortunately not that simple to get published. Having quality writing is by no means a guarantee. The key thing here is "finding a good literary agent", which can apparently (this is secondhand for me) be quite difficult. Still, Somber, if you ever want to, I could get you in contact with said parent; they might have some advice.

[Moodyman90]

Not really much I can say that the others haven't. What did that other place call us? The "Somber Hugbox"? I'm cool with that, cause he does need it.

But I will say that I don't want Somber to finish Project Horizons out of an obligation to us readers. I want him to finish it because he wants to.

Somber, I'm not going to say I know what you're going through, because I don't, but as a person who has lost a close family member because he decided the world was better without him, I sincerely hope you never get to the point of going through with it.

We're here for you Somber, even if it's for nothing else then for somebody to listen to you.

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