In which we finally get to meet new characters
Here we go again!
Chapter 5
- Looks like they're going out of their way to make it very clear that Pip likes mares, though they already implied it pretty heavily with Velvet in the first chapter.
- Medicine + alcohol? I guess potions are risk-free in terms of side effects.
- Drunk ponies are quite silly, aren't they?
- That's Ditzy? Wow...
- Gotta love video game currency. Exactly how you're supposed to make a mine out of a bottle cap, though, is beyond me.
- Right, because Derpy implies stupidity so much more than Ditzy does. I still don't get that logic, but at least they acknowledge both names.
- And it wouldn't be a video game town if they didn't have people to hand out quests! Go close a door (that will inevitably lead to more trouble than it's worth) and I'll teach you some magic!
- A gun made of awesome? Why do I get the feeling that Rainbow Dash has already tried to invent one of those?
- Damn expert level locks, always getting in the way of good loot.
- So everypony thinks Celestia and Luna are dead. Doubt it.
- So this Stable's schtick is to engineer a patriarchy? Interesting.
- Man, of all the things to take out a bunker from the inside, magically mutated super-snake-cats are the last thing I'd expect. That's just rotten luck.
- Poison. Of course they're venomous. This stable just has the worst luck.
- So that's how they bred. Venomous and chest bursters. Have I mentioned how extremely unlucky these ponies would have to be for that to happen? Because this is just the perfect storm of magical accidents.
- Good thing those things didn't inherit a cat's hearing or a snake's ability to sense heat. Invisibility would be pretty useless against those.
- And thus the little abominations went out with a bang.
Thoughts on Chapter 4:
The idea that the stables were social experiments was pretty interesting, as was the fact that it wasn't the experiment that spelled doom for the stable, but some freak one in a million accident (the craziness of it almost reaching incredibly contrived levels). The whole incident also let Calamity and LilPip's friendship develop naturally, which is nice.
Chapter 6
- I've noticed that you use parenthetical phrases in spoken dialog a lot, Kkat. Stop that.
- Poor Scoots T_T
- An instant booze spell? Now that's cool.
- DJ PON-3: Legacy Character, or immortal ghoul? You decide!
- If ya gotta trade, doesn't matter who you trade with. That's the way it goes, I guess.
- I'm honestly surprised that the railways are still functional. That's a pretty impressive feat for a post-apocalyptic civilization.
- Yay drugs! They're magically addictive!
- LilPip found an Applejack statue! Strength +1 Confidence +1
- Being a video game character also help with looting things extremely quickly. From dead bodies to filing cabinets.
- And there's Velvet. Poor girl.
Thoughts on Chapter 6:
This chapter introduces a lot of exposition, but it doesn't slow down the story for it, which I have to give props for. What I'm a bit wary of, though, is the introduction of the drugs. You just know that they're going to be a problem, and I really don't care for addiction subplots. This is also has our first major mention of Red Eye, and if the propaganda didn't give him away as a villain, the name certainly did.
That's all for now, more to come tomorrow, hopefully.
Comments
JapaneseTeeth
Since: Dec, 1969
May 9th 2012 at 6:23:37 PM
Yeah, I'm with you on the addiction subplot thing, although I'm a few chapters ahead of you, and it hasn't come up again, so maybe it won't be an issue.
Seraphem
Since: Dec, 1969
May 9th 2012 at 6:32:06 PM
ok fair warning, YES there is an addiction subplot, but it never really overtakes the main story until very close to the end of the subplot, and it ends fairly soon into the story, plus it really play into the backstory for the war. Glad your liking it overall.
and yeah the nightstalkers/chimeras were a major case of bad luck, though really almost all the stables that do fail did so due to bad luck/outside influence.
oh and the AJ statue was +1 STR, in gameplay terms at least.
AceOfScarabs
Since: Dec, 1969
May 9th 2012 at 6:28:18 PM
Bottlecap mines must function like Claymore mines.
Turtlebutter
Since: Dec, 1969
May 9th 2012 at 6:34:24 PM
You dont know how many times I got addicted to some form of alcohol or another in FO 3 and NV. Alcohol adds to your STR so you can carry more and I was always a bit of a packrat... I picked up everything. You never know when you might need a broom handle!
Seraphem
Since: Dec, 1969
May 9th 2012 at 6:33:30 PM
if you have to know the addiction subplot gets wrapped up in chapter 20 so it doesn't last all that long.
Seraphem
Since: Dec, 1969
May 9th 2012 at 6:34:15 PM
ok and just learned spoiler tags do not work and you can't edit your posts in this thing...good to know.
Sereg
Since: Dec, 1969
May 10th 2012 at 1:43:04 AM
Yeah, the addiction subplot gives you a lot of insight into past events and I personally found the end of the subplot to be one of the most emotionally moving things in the fic. It really got me into Littlepip's head. Also, the new characters really improve the story. While I like Littlepip, I prefer her companions. Calamity is a lot of fun and Velvet flips between fun and serious.
