[GRIMDARK] Fallout Equestria: Project Horizons Discussion

For reference:

Sixty Six wrote:“Hey, I don’t hear you complaining about not being obligated to fuck your brother anymore!  Honestly, I finally find a community I feel comfortable in, where family members regularly fuck each other, and they still act like it's a bad thing. The whole world is insane, I tell ya...” Whisper retorted.

My formatting, bolded text is what I originally quoted in the running thoughts.

swicked wrote:

O. Hinds wrote:

Icy Shake wrote:How much of this was Swicked?

Why, whatever makes you think that swicked had something to do with this?  :)

...I can't help but think Icy means my contributions  (or, at least, the first one anyone seems to have recognized as specifically mine) didn't fit with the normal style of the work.
It's probably a bad thing if it's that obvious...

Edit: I also get the feeling he didn't find it that entertaining...

swicked wrote:

Derpmind wrote:

Somber wrote:To refine... [Takei] "Oh my!" [/Takei]

They're agreeing to suggestions of mine I really didn't expect them to.

This likely played a supporting role in me noticing it.

Now, bear in mind it's been a while since I've read the Psychoshy heavy parts of early-mid PH, so I may be off on details. But I do think that her incest thing was played heavier, or at least a little different here than it generally had been—not to say that that couldn't happen naturally; after all, her situation has changed quite a bit these last few months. Partially it's that there seemed to me to be some genuine ambivalence about her feelings—though it's also possible that was more about how Sanguine didn't love her back—and she at least fronted that she didn't care what anyone else thought through, in part, refuge in audacity exhibitionism. But even given that, I don't think that's why she wasn't really comfortable anywhere. Going a little further, as far as I know the batponies have only explicitly indicated intragenerational incest, and Psychoshy's was to her father. There could be that overlap, but not necessarily.

Looking back, the part that stands out most from a writing perspective is probably the Dangerfieldesqe sentence following.

And no, it's not like I think it's a bad thing, and it was entertaining; hell, I love your sketches and have made a habit of saving them off to a readily accessible file. I liked it, but it was recognizably in that style. An emoticon wouldn't have hurt in my comment, to add some emotional content to the sterile text. So have it now:

Icy Shake wrote:“Hey, I don’t hear you complaining about not being obligated to fuck your brother anymore!  Honestly, I finally find a community I feel comfortable in, where family members regularly fuck each other, and they still act like it's a bad thing.

How much of this was Swicked?  ; )

Question: Was this chapter's update submitted to EqD? I don't think it's shown up in their story updates since its publication.

...I was joking when I asked what tipped you off that it was swicked, you know. I did have an emoticon indicating it, too. :)

Regarding EQD, I'm not sure. I assume it was.

Oh well , time for me to stop lurking too them...
First of all , keep up the good work Somber you are awesome !

Now , regarding the current chapter , I have to say that the beginning surprised me a lot... and was kind of funny too.
The rest was... not so funny

Chapter 66 Thought and Expectations:

Before I forget , kudos to the editors too , because your editing allow us the enjoy this story even more.
(And sorry if my post is not perfect , English isn't my native language.)

Welcome, Deynarth!

Ahhh! So many new people! I'm terrible with names!

All these new people popping up warms the cockles of my cold forum admin heart.  

I'm...not sure what those are. In fact, I'm really not too sure I want to know.

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/warm_the_cockles_of_someone's_heart

Let me be disturbed damn you!

With the people you hang out with on TS, I'm surprised you still can be disturbed. 

ANYWAYS, OFFTOPIC...

Umm...yeah...

I'd have to say that one of the things that interests me the most about this latest chapter is that "shadow world" observation that Blackjack had of the gang and them running into Cognitum-jack. I really want to know what happened on their end, and moreover, why Glory was crying.

Well, since everyone else seems to be coming out of the woodworks...

Hello forum! New person reporting for whatever goes on around here!

Vergil wrote:Ahhh! So many new people! I'm terrible with names!

Hey, at least online we don't have to worry about matching names and appearances.

Syroc wrote:Well, since everyone else seems to be coming out of the woodworks...

Hello forum! New person reporting for whatever goes on around here!

Welcome!

I've said hello once before, but can I still jump on this lurker/new person train? It seems like fun.

Sure, why not. :)

Aaaaah new people / lurkers everywhere!
Crazy train starting to fill, Hinds. They better get their tickets ready.

Tickets? For a crazy train? Why would anyone have those? That's crazy-talk.

Also, because I didn't do it last time: great work on the new chapter, guys!

All the other lurkers are coming out of hiding, I might as well join in.
Hi guys!

So I was doing some thinking, as I am wont to do, and had a little thought: What if Cognitum didn't actually kill anyone when she was beam sniping?

Blackjack did notice that she had impressive special effect skills when shown the potential destruction of the Core. Is it possible Cognitum simply used this skill to trick Blackjack into thinking all those places were destroyed?

Just a theory.

RoboRed wrote:With the people you hang out with on TS, I'm surprised you still can be disturbed. 

ANYWAYS, OFFTOPIC...

Umm...yeah...

I'd have to say that one of the things that interests me the most about this latest chapter is that "shadow world" observation that Blackjack had of the gang and them running into Cognitum-jack. I really want to know what happened on their end, and moreover, why Glory was crying.

I'm pretty sure she was crying because BJ was finally back. If you remember, everyone thought she was dead and Glory was trying to find a way into the Core to try and find her. Probably tears of joy.


P.S.  I came out of lurking before it was cool!  :D

Silver136 wrote:

RoboRed wrote:With the people you hang out with on TS, I'm surprised you still can be disturbed. 

ANYWAYS, OFFTOPIC...

Umm...yeah...

I'd have to say that one of the things that interests me the most about this latest chapter is that "shadow world" observation that Blackjack had of the gang and them running into Cognitum-jack. I really want to know what happened on their end, and moreover, why Glory was crying.

I'm pretty sure she was crying because BJ was finally back. If you remember, everyone thought she was dead and Glory was trying to find a way into the Core to try and find her. Probably tears of joy.


P.S.  I came out of lurking before it was cool!  :D

It's said there, and I quote: "Clearly, Glory wasn't happy". Though... it could be that she wasn't happy with Blackjack once again wanting to go save everybody just after she got back.

Which means Cogs is pretending to be Blackjack, which means Rampage is cunt for going along with that, and I am looking forward to P-21 blowing the shit out of her as soon as Blackjack will catch up with them, even if Blackjack will tell him to stop. Which to me would be.... ugh, look, Blackjack begging Rampage to help her and her ignoring that and just walking the freaking away after assuring her that she will make sure Cogs keeps her word and lets her go was about the most hurtful thing for me in the previous chapter. I really hope Rampage will suffer some consequences for that!

I cannot help but have a bad feeling that the reunion won't be so happy for Blackjack, though... which is a pity, as, given how much peril they all already are in I think we could skip more drama. But oh well.

On another topic, since now we have confirmed that Goldenblood is alive and kicking... was it him that send Blackjack that message back when she and Stygius were attacked in his house and signed it as "Spike"?

And on another hoof; when Luna explains how she was to blame, how she could surrendered to save Equestria... look, it might be just me being atheist, but am I really the only person who puts the entire blame on zebra for the Wasteland?! I mean, sure, I know that ponies were to blame for it too, but the whole reason why zebra's escalated the war was because they couldn't tell a freaking difference between Luna and Nightmare Moon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Look, despite being atheist, I do have respect for religions. One of my friends from high school was an altar boy in catholic church and despite having different opinions on a lot of things we got along. But I think those parts of religion that cause you to go on a slaughter spree, like the Crusades, the today's islam's terrorism (read an article about a 14 year old boy who's in prison for attemting to suecide bomb police station or something... for the second time, and didn't regret a thing, saying that Allah demanded the infidels to die) are about THE MOST IDIOTIC THINGS WE CAME UP WITH AS A SPECIES!!!

So yeah, to me it will always be the zebra's believes on the first place on the list of "Who's to blame".

In general Fallout: Equestria news, here's Ain't Love a Buck to the Head? It's a ponified version of the every popular song featured in Fallout New Vegas: "Ain't That a Kick in the Head."

Yay, Deano's music. Did the person who made it use a ponified version of the name? Please say yes!

Borsuq wrote: that cause you to go on a slaughter spree, like the Crusades, the today's islam's terrorism are about THE MOST IDIOTIC THINGS WE CAME UP WITH AS A SPECIES!!!

So yeah, to me it will always be the zebra's believes on the first place on the list of "Who's to blame".

Borsuq wrote:cause

But NMM wasn't the cause. Her taking the throne escalated things sure, but to my knowledge it was never the reason.

Even if it was, it takes two to tango. Let's pretend that Luna gives up she orders a cease fire and surrenders herself to the Zebras and the Zebras accept, but they want to execute her. How would the ponies react to that? Would that spur them to forget their peace with the Zebras? Would they continue the war in the name of their fallen goddess? (Isn't continuing the war part of the reason in PH Celestia was better dead than a hostage?)

I don't know. I'm not going to claim to know. But in that scenario the ponies are just as bad as the Zebras. And as far as religion goes it's a little different in equestria, the pony's gods and demons walk among them.

I don't wanna get in the religous debate but I'd hope you'd agree that you can't make a direct comparison in this case.

Last wrote:

Borsuq wrote: that cause you to go on a slaughter spree, like the Crusades, the today's islam's terrorism  are about THE MOST IDIOTIC THINGS WE CAME UP WITH AS A SPECIES!!!

So yeah, to me it will always be the zebra's believes on the first place on the list of "Who's to blame".

Borsuq wrote:cause

But NMM wasn't the cause. Her taking the throne escalated things sure, but to my knowledge it was never the reason.

Even if it was, it takes two to tango. Let's pretend that Luna gives up she orders a cease fire and surrenders herself to the Zebras and the Zebras accept, but they want to execute her. How would the ponies react to that? Would that spur them to forget their peace with the Zebras? Would they continue the war in the name of their fallen goddess? (Isn't continuing the war part of the reason in PH Celestia was better dead than a hostage?)

I don't know. I'm not going to claim to know. But in that scenario the ponies are just as bad as the Zebras. And as far as religion goes it's a little different in equestria, the pony's gods and demons walk among them.

I don't wanna get in the religous debate but I'd hope you'd agree that you can't make a direct comparison in this case.

Last wrote:but they want to execute her. How would the ponies react to that?

And thank you for making my point for me.

I think it was mentioned at least a few times in PH that the Zebras would not stop the war until Luna was killed, so that's what they would demand if Equestria had surrendered. And... maybe I am thinking of ponies a bit too good, but I somehow doubt that they would let that happen. Sure, when you look at those traitors who used Psalm you can see that there were ponies who didn't care for anything and anypony, and had loyalty there where moon doesn't shine (;p). And heck, for that you can just look at the Enclave, who closed their skies, which Kkat had mentioned in the original FoE that caused strong winds across Equestria, which forced the Princesses to keep the barrier around Canterlot, so that the Pink Cloud would not spread through what was left of their country (in fact, one of the ideas I had for a FoE side-story would have mentioned that the pegasi worked together with the Zebras, and they closed the skies before the first balefire bomb exploded. Cloudsdale was destroyed a few days later by somepony who discovered the truth and was that pissed with the pegasi that he just blowed up their city ;p). But I believe that most ponies would generally not stand for Princess Luna be executed, so the war would go on, which in turn means this all circles back to it being mostly Zebra's believes fault.

Besides, after Littlehorn it was too late for peace talks. Both sides wanted blood after what happened there...

Speaking off, what exactly happened there according to Project Horizons? I remember that dream Blackjack had when she had bits of Psalm in her head (seriously, her friends put her through thoughest shit...), but even after reading it twice I am still confused. At the end there they stop shooting. So... who set off the bomb? (On that matter, what was a bomb like that doing in an refugees convoy in the first place...)

In another FoE side-story I read it was mentioned that the Pink Cloud was actually invented by Trueblood, and that it was being tested in a casino in the story and... via a collaborant, in Littlehorn. The author mentioned a few times that he tries to keep in cannon with a lot of other side-stories, including Project Horizons, so I don't know at this point had I missed something, or was it the author going a little bit creative with one of Somber's character.

I'm really curious about that one, as I had hoped to write a short FoE side-story in a few months that would center around... hm, some of Sanguine's old work. Though I am not doing anything with that right now, as I hadn't gotten a reply from Somber if that's okay, I'm still busy with the collage stuff (stupid BA Thesis!), and I need to finish two/three other stories of mine before I try starting something new.

Sorry for going a bit off-topic.

Getting back to the discussion... yeah, you're right that the War from FoE and... well, our real world shit shouldn't be compared (sorry). However, what I mostly was reffering to was how the Zebras, like the Crusaders and every other fanatical religious group, just wasn't allowing themselves even the tiniest moment of doubt. None of them ever went "Oh shit, what if we're wrong?". They didn't stop to consider that what they are doing might be wrong. In FoE we saw how Xenith reacted when she saw a piece of starmetal that made Nighmare Moon's armor, that it was just a piece of rock, when she had realized that what her people had fought and murdered and died for was just a rock. No evil whispering whatsoever, just rock.

Of course, in real life we cannot exactly have something similar happen, as goals of those who fight for religious causes mostly concentrate on spiritual sphere (not sure if I'm phrasing it right, english is my second language). I mean granted, the people that told them to do that were gaining money/power/influence, but...

Okay, I'm gonna stop here.

The point is, fanatism is bad.

Borsuq wrote:

Last wrote:

Borsuq wrote: that cause you to go on a slaughter spree, like the Crusades, the today's islam's terrorism  are about THE MOST IDIOTIC THINGS WE CAME UP WITH AS A SPECIES!!!

So yeah, to me it will always be the zebra's believes on the first place on the list of "Who's to blame".

Borsuq wrote:cause

But NMM wasn't the cause. Her taking the throne escalated things sure, but to my knowledge it was never the reason.

Even if it was, it takes two to tango. Let's pretend that Luna gives up she orders a cease fire and surrenders herself to the Zebras and the Zebras accept, but they want to execute her. How would the ponies react to that? Would that spur them to forget their peace with the Zebras? Would they continue the war in the name of their fallen goddess? (Isn't continuing the war part of the reason in PH Celestia was better dead than a hostage?)

I don't know. I'm not going to claim to know. But in that scenario the ponies are just as bad as the Zebras. And as far as religion goes it's a little different in equestria, the pony's gods and demons walk among them.

I don't wanna get in the religous debate but I'd hope you'd agree that you can't make a direct comparison in this case.

Last wrote:but they want to execute her. How would the ponies react to that?

And thank you for making my point for me.

I think it was mentioned at least a few times in PH that the Zebras would not stop the war until Luna was killed, so that's what they would demand if Equestria had surrendered. And... maybe I am thinking of ponies a bit too good, but I somehow doubt that they would let that happen. Sure, when you look at those traitors who used Psalm you can see that there were ponies who didn't care for anything and anypony, and had loyalty there where moon doesn't shine (;p). And heck, for that you can just look at the Enclave, who closed their skies, which Kkat had mentioned in the original FoE that caused strong winds across Equestria, which forced the Princesses to keep the barrier around Canterlot, so that the Pink Cloud would not spread through what was left of their country (in fact, one of the ideas I had for a FoE side-story would have mentioned that the pegasi worked together with the Zebras, and they closed the skies before the first balefire bomb exploded. Cloudsdale was destroyed a few days later by somepony who discovered the truth and was that pissed with the pegasi that he just blowed up their city ;p). But I believe that most ponies would generally not stand for Princess Luna be executed, so the war would go on, which in turn means this all circles back to it being mostly Zebra's believes fault.

Besides, after Littlehorn it was too late for peace talks. Both sides wanted blood after what happened there...

Speaking off, what exactly happened there according to Project Horizons? I remember that dream Blackjack had when she had bits of Psalm in her head (seriously, her friends put her through thoughest shit...), but even after reading it twice I am still confused. At the end there they stop shooting. So... who set off the bomb? (On that matter, what was a bomb like that doing in an refugees convoy in the first place...)

In another FoE side-story I read it was mentioned that the Pink Cloud was actually invented by Trueblood, and that it was being tested in a casino in the story and... via a collaborant, in Littlehorn. The author mentioned a few times that he tries to keep in cannon with a lot of other side-stories, including Project Horizons, so I don't know at this point had I missed something, or was it the author going a little bit creative with one of Somber's character.

I'm really curious about that one, as I had hoped to write a short FoE side-story in a few months that would center around... hm, some of Sanguine's old work. Though I am not doing anything with that right now, as I hadn't gotten a reply from Somber if that's okay, I'm still busy with the collage stuff (stupid BA Thesis!), and I need to finish two/three other stories of mine before I try starting something new.

Sorry for going a bit off-topic.

Getting back to the discussion... yeah, you're right that the War from FoE and... well, our real world shit shouldn't be compared (sorry). However, what I mostly was reffering to was how the Zebras, like the Crusaders and every other fanatical religious group, just wasn't allowing themselves even the tiniest moment of doubt. None of them ever went "Oh shit, what if we're wrong?". They didn't stop to consider that what they are doing might be wrong. In FoE we saw how Xenith reacted when she saw a piece of starmetal that made Nighmare Moon's armor, that it was just a piece of rock, when she had realized that what her people had fought and murdered and died for was just a rock. No evil whispering whatsoever, just rock.

Of course, in real life we cannot exactly have something similar happen, as goals of those who fight for religious causes mostly concentrate on spiritual sphere (not sure if I'm phrasing it right, english is my second language). I mean granted, the people that told them to do that were gaining money/power/influence, but...

Okay, I'm gonna stop here.

The point is, fanatism is bad.

I believe the Littlehorn bombing occurred afterwards, as a retaliation for killing the refugees.

awesomeluna wrote:All the other lurkers are coming out of hiding, I might as well join in.
Hi guys!

Karazu wrote:So I was doing some thinking, as I am wont to do, and had a little thought: What if Cognitum didn't actually kill anyone when she was beam sniping?

Blackjack did notice that she had impressive special effect skills when shown the potential destruction of the Core. Is it possible Cognitum simply used this skill to trick Blackjack into thinking all those places were destroyed?

Just a theory.

Welcome to both of you!

Katazu, I think that that hypothesis has been proposed before, but it is an interesting one.

@Borsuq re the zebras:
With those premises, you'd be right, but we clearly have some very different views of what the zebras were fighting for. In my view/headcanon, religion was an extremely minor part of the zebras' motivation, and at their absolute moral worst they'd be no worse than the USSR in the Great Patriotic War.

O. Hinds wrote:@Borsuq re the zebras: With those premises, you'd be right, but we clearly have some very different views of what the zebras were fighting for. In my view/headcanon, religion was an extremely minor part of the zebras' motivation, and at their absolute moral worst they'd be no worse than the USSR in the Great Patriotic War.

Wait, I'm not sure if I understand what you mean. You're saying that their first concern was survival, right?

But that also was kinda connected to their believes. They viewed Luna as a monster who had allied herself with the stars, so in their minds, losing the war would have meant annihilation.

I don't think that religion really comes into concerns about a loss meaning annihilation. I count the megaspell exchange as both the right thing to do and a victory, albeit very pyrrhic, for the zebras.

Borsuq wrote:Zebras, like the Crusaders and every other fanatical religious group, just wasn't allowing themselves even the tiniest moment of doubt. None of them ever went "Oh shit, what if we're wrong?"

But even without religion Nightmare Moon was a threat in a lot of their lifetimes. To Ponies and Zebras it was proven to be more than a fable, they witnessed her return. Why would they ever believe Luna was anything else?  

It goes further than religion. Luna as far as they're concerned is Nightmare Moon with a haircut and even without religion Nightmare Moon was an awful person, her sister thought so, and I can assure you she didn't subscribe to the zebra religion.

I just can't bring myself to fault them in the way you could, even if I did think that NMM was their main motive. I really don't, and I find it hard to believe the ponies were able to make that sepration without knowing her personally.

My blame tilts towards Celestia, as an experienced ruler and older sister she handed off her problems for someone else to solve. That doesn't make her a good example of either.

All right! Finally have all my other commitments out of the way and a nice chunk of time to dedicate to this.

Let's rock!

Execute Order 66:

Editing: