Come one and all to the meta-writefag and help raise the quality of MLP fanfiction! Featuring: E-reading about posting another Anon fic!ITT: Loving to read, Detective Rarity on the case, the Co-Pe metric, >best HiE, /FSBC/ divided by them lings, Paradise Lost is a story of hope, the whole picture of LW, pump the votes dump the club, e-books for the rescue, a case of IDPOL, good 2B back, what's a first draft anyways?, high standards, fluttershort, flavorless prose, amphetanon quits, GPT for purple prose, Shounen Armor, Twilight is 15, Anon discovers the secrets of the sinbox, the genres we find lacking, the moral dilemma of posting AiE, the less-moral dilemma of two authors, Anon is finally relevant, posting your first fic, the most fimfic guy, rational clop, mare juice world, mare x family, Over-referencing is a slow and insidious killer, p8 again, and SQL-ing Fimfic.>/fimfic/ Secret Book ClubThe twenty-ninth book is 'Eternal':>https://www.fimfiction.net/story/5921/eternalIf (You) want to participate, read up to and including chapter 5 by May 28th.On Sunday we'll discuss what we've read.>Recommended stories:Tired of authors forgetting that brevity is key? Fed up with 10k inner monologue chapters? Well, we've compiled the best of the worst in order to bring you our absolute average!New Starter Kit - http://mlpficreviews.org.uk/starter/Old Starter Kit - http://i.imgur.com/vuTA7EN.png>Common fic abbreviations used by the thread:https://ponepaste.org/7317>A list of reviews made by the Anons in this thread:http://www.mlpficreviews.org.ukUse the commands ">review <story link>" and ">discuss <story link>" to add reviews to a story.Userscript for extra features: https://ponepaste.org/8619>An in-depth writing guide for beginners:https://eznguide.neocities.org/>Can you pre-read my story?Post it on Google Docs or HackMD with comments enabled and give us a link.>Additional material for authors:Rhorse's Horse Behavioral Notes - https://ponepaste.org/932Politics and the English Language - https://www.orwell.ru/library/essays/politics/english/e_polit/Polish bigos - https://polishfoodies.com/polish-bigos-recipe/Vhatug's tips for anatomically correct clop - https://poneb.in/g4VpEg4fSetting a story in motion - https://youtu.be/ufO8LbwTdu0Taking criticism - https://youtu.be/-v4R2ZcxPlA>Various reviews and riffs:Fillyanon's Bookshelf - https://ponepaste.org/5555Notkickass222urmom's Reviews - https://pastebin.com/u/notkickass222urmomIHeartShinzakura's Reviews - https://ponepaste.org/user/IHeartShinzakuraAppleanon reads fics - https://poneb.in/wmGX7FPmDeluxe Big Master Review List - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1z9Bz7UnEbxo-svlXa2tV49PJkP-yFuR7pRXiBUn-IeUA Guide to Rational Fics - https://derpicdn.net/img/view/2023/2/3/3039240.jpgThe Royal Canterlot Library's Top 16 Fanfics - https://royalcanterlotlibrary.net/top16/Previous Thread: >>39946058
First for best duo!
>>39961429Honestly I'm just happy anyone bothered to comment, even if they are a braindead autistic spaz who can barely string a coherent sentence together. Just like me.
So can anybody answer my original question as to weather or not there’s a way to get around the arrows for flipping between pages and just get the numbers or no?
>>39961720Basically nope.Unless somebody wants to do an alternative frontend for Fimfic or something crazy like that. But no.
>>39961662Any good abdl stories of late? Been a struggle to find anything exciting.
>2B backQue?
>>39961736I can't help you there, I don't find abdl exciting.
>>39961741Don't enjoy a mare mommy taking care of you anon?
>>39961738Eh I was mostly just going for the pun. But you do have a nice backside.>>39961696Getting that little red notification popup really releases the dopamines.
>>39961763No.A grown man shitting his pants and asking "mommy" to change him is some serial killer shit.
>>39961778Hah, thanks for the laugh you silly anon.
>>39961765No U.
What the hecks a "sin bin"?
>>39961662You updated the rational fic list. Do you expect me to praise you?
>>39961829It's somewhere no one in this thread can ever go.
>>39961733That’s fine, I realized I can just use finfetch anyways.My brain is very smooth and supple btw just thought everyone should know that.
>>39961847So it's like getting married?
>>39961863Yeah
>>39961877Big Dipper is low in the sky there. Must be somewhere near the equator, perhaps even more south.
>>39961946That's Stalin.
>>39961736>>39961763Get the fuck out. Unironically>>39961765>>39961804The gay is starting again I see.
>>39961984Quick!Post straight stuff to balance things out!
>>39962016Consensual missionary for the sake of procreation straight
>>39962016My wife.
>>39961963Ok, but when did Stalin sail near or south of the equator?
>>39962016Based.
>>39962016"This post violates a rule" straight
Guess this was mostly answered, but I typed up all this shit before reading the rest of the thread, so I guess I might as well post it.>>39961443>>39961449Suppose you have a numbered list of fics, and along with each fic, you also have its word count. If you want to find fics #501 - #510, it's easy: you jump directly to #501 on your numbered list, and those are your ten fics.If you instead want to find the 1001st through 1010th fics with odd-numbered word counts, it's pain in the ass: you have to check every fic on the list until you've counted up 1000 odd-length fics, and only then can you start reporting the 1001st, 1002nd, etc. However, it's really easy to find the next ten odd-length fics after fic #2003: you just look at #2003, #2004, etc, until you find 10 odd-length ones.The reason "the URL is different" is that it encodes some indication of where to start looking for more fics matching your filter, or equivalently, where the previous page of results ended. The reason you can't jump ahead is that there's no easy way to know where the next page will end until it's actually searched the database to find the fics that will populate that page.Back to the odd-length fics example: when you first do the search, it starts at fic #1 and finds the next 10 odd-length fics to show as your first page of results. Suppose the tenth fic on the page is fic #19. Then the next button will send you to a url that encodes "start at #20", and when you load that page, it will indeed start at #20 and find the next 10 odd-length fics from there. But you can't skip from page 1 to page 3 because there's no way to know in advance where page 2 will end. It could be #33, or #40, or anything else.>>39961466>>39961493Seriously? I thought you were supposed to know a thing or two about webshit
>>39961662>Come back after months and months to look up a fic and see if it updated. I shouldn't, I know it hasn't, I know it's not going to, but still want to see.>It's a M rated fic>For some reason, the little mature slider doesn't work anymore, can't read any mature fics.Huh, they finally did something about that, probably has to have a login or something. Well, I was hoping for an excuse.
>>39962753The slider still works, make sure you don't have something that's blocking the pop-up asking to confirm you're over 18.
>>39961838No, I expect you to post mares.
Rolled 1 (1d2)Should I start a new chapter (1) or keep editing an old one (2).
>>39963094okay
>>39958853Try proving me wrong.
>>39961765>>39961804
>another Jason Wright fic in the sin binFuck's sake, dude should've stayed dead after the original oneshot.
>this ratio on a commentKNEEL before the waifuchad
>>39963262What peak autism, love it.
>>39963206I'm getting more pissed at all the Runic Treetops stories clogging up the sinbin nowadays. But he just keeps making them.But should I really be angry at him, or at the audience who keeps slurping up his shit?
>>39963262Holy based
>>39963262T-this strength...
>>39963262I have nothing to add.
>>39963262What drives somebody to achieving this degree of loneliness?
>>39963294What doesn't?
>>39963294Severe mental illness along with a heavy dose of autism.
>>39963299I seriously don't get it. I fantasize about having a relationship with my favourite pony too, but commissioning/drawing art of us together, pretending she's real, or hating anything that depicts her in a relationship is several degrees above that. I was called a cuck for not having a problem with clop art depicting her having sex. What kind of self-induced delusion is that?
>>39963305That's just it - you're fantasizing about it, these people are living those fantasies. You are nothing alike.
>>39963307>living>fantasiesPick one
>>39963308I pick the fantasy.
>>39963308Objective reality is a myth. My psychotic delusions are just as valid as your cucked existence.
>>39963308The only thing that really matters is what's in your mind. I wouldn't be able to be a waifufag myself, either, but in a way I admire their dedication.Takes a lot of conviction (aka. autism) to live in a reality that's clearly not real.
>>39963323Tired cope, there is a certain level of objectivity, else you wouldn't be able to seethe directly at me.
>>39963331For all I know, you're just one of my inner demons made manifest by a fractured psyche.
>>39963333That's a consequence of letting your psychotic delusions tear away your reality.
>>39963338An acceptable sacrifice.
>>39963262based
>>39963273I feel like Celestia is even bigger box bait than HiEAnd they almost exclusively write the Princesses too
>>39963366I haven't been a part of the fanfiction scene for long enough to tell, but do you think Celestia became more appealing as a protagonist of stories in the last few years than before?
Oh boy this conversation HERE WE GO AGAIN
>>39963366>three highest rated stories all feature Sunhorse prominentlyWhat the fuck, there might be something to this.
>>39963435I mean I was planning on writing something related to Sunbutt in contrast to what I was writing about Moonbutt...
>>39963435Goddamn Solarist saboteurs.
>review https://www.fimfiction.net/story/385565/the-thin-line-between-wife-and-deathThe Thin Line Between Wife And Death is a 17k word story about the risks presented when Applejack and Rainbow Dash's personalities clash in regards to sex.This story is very good. It also is, in contrast to what the starting third may suggest, quite funny.Without spoiling much, the story goes back and forth between serious and deep, and wacky and mildly insane. You may think this would create a mood whiplash in detriment to the story's enjoyment, but King of Beggars weaves everything seamlessly. Goes on to prove that just because something isn't serious, it doesn't mean you don't have to take it seriously.Overall, I think this is a good, if simple, character analysis of both Applejack and Rainbow Dash, as well as why in most circumstances, a relationship between them doesn't work.If you're in the mood for good drama, introspection, humour, and some raunchiness, this is perfect for you.
>>39963428Maybe overpowered main characters are just in vogue right.
>>39963445Well that was fun.The abrupt tonal shift was actually rather good.
Are there any fics where the characters are and/or grow to become more emotionally and physically intimate before they realize there’s a romantic component to their bond? By physically I don’t mean sex, I mean like lacking personal space with each other and doing things that normal friends would find embarrassing or unacceptable. Like say, sleeping or bathing together.
>>39963487'Off the Edge of the Map'? It's even Flutterdash.
>>39963495That was what the fic was going for, but it's terribly subtle (if it's there at all; a non-zero number of readers missed the romance tag altogether). I liked it, though much more so on the re-read, after I already knew what to look for. A better recommendation for this would be Cartography of War. As far Daetrin's fics go, it's a much, much better romance than either OtE or Apotheosis. A shame it's OCs rather than canon ponies, though I admit they're really good OCs.
>>39963487>Pinkie depressed and drinking>Twilight drowning>Applejack acknowledged but not there>Rarity committing suicideI guess FlutterDash niggers are on some other shit.
>>39963510Didn’t notice that shit in the background. I just used the image since it looked loosely related.
>>39963510Looks more like Dash is trying to drown Fluttershy as well. That cheeky lil shid probably drugged them all too.
>>39963517Dibs on the cottage
>>39963517And then she'll fuck all of them.
>>39963481>princess of jobbing>overpowered
>>39963518You're going to have to fight Angel for it. And before you get to take him on in a fair fight, he's going to be piloting the bear Ratatooile-style.
Fanfictions are an absolute disgrace, a blight on the face of literature. I find them downright appalling. To call them 'bad' would be a compliment, they are a complete and utter travesty.
>>39963547We know.
>>39963523Conceptually overpowered then. By all logic she's the most powerful and wisest magic user in the world. Why they made her job every time is funny but not consistent.
>>39963547Thank you kindly.
>>39963523I think this inconsistency is specifically making her more appealing as a fanfic subject. You got a character who by all means should wipe the floor with near anyone and yet in the show she's never truly allowed to shine (the irony!), so she is fertile grounds for both power fantasy writers and those who want to consider the ramifications of her position more seriously.
>>39963547I agree with you 100%.Now let me get back to my equestria girls diaper fetish poop play fic where all the girls throw poop at each other while wearing diapers.
>>39963595I thought MM was dead.
>>39963595you didn't need to explicitly state youre a eqg troon here, it was redundant
>>39963608He'll always live in our hearts and pipes.
>>39962624That's basically what I said, using different words. I do no sum tings.Anyway, that's all frontend stuff. Not what I work with.
>>39963510>>39963514You realize that's not the original, right? All that stuff is just an expression of seethe by people who hate yakovlev-vad for drawing cuter ponies than they can.
>>39963487I'd say you're looking for romance fics where the duo starts with a physically intimate friendship, but not FWB. Two examples to think of are FS and Rarity's spa sessions, and on the other end, Rainbow and AJ's roughhousing before it turns lewd. But, the thing is that any fic I can think of that works that way starts with the ponies being physically intimate in the setup/premise. They don't "grow more so" before adding the romance layer to the fic.OTEM was an interesting case because Daetrin intended for it to be a romance but only added some of the ingredients so it never actually became one. There's only a timeskip epilogue and "they're marefriends now, ok, see they sit closer together" He did get way better at it Cartography.
>>39963753Oh, like the Discord and ponies at the table edit.If it's the same guy then it was done because the art was kinda shit or the idea behind it was instead.Now I wanna see the original.
>>39963759https://derpibooru.org/images/2299026yakovlev-vad catponies with extra fluff and butt
>>39963763Ah so they were shitty dog-styled ponies before, those fucking muzzles are horrendous.Better edit then on the Dash and Flutters.
>review https://www.fimfiction.net/story/483615/timescalesTimescales is a pretty good 5k words romance one-shot. Sadly, it's trapped in a terrible 11,5k words story.To summarise the middle part. Starlight finds out Maud is terribly ill and tries to find a cure, to no avail. When there are no alternatives, she choose to go to a different dimension where she died and takes the place of her double. Sadly, it's still too late to save Maud. Nevertheless, they grow closer as a result of the experience, and eventually start a relationship. Most of this chapter is just Maud and Starlight talking, but their voices are portrayed so well, and their conversation is so dynamic, it's still enjoyable to read. I really enjoyed this.However, the first chapter of the story is a really weird and somewhat experimental narrative that explains the neuro chemical process in which the brain parses visual information. What it tells is interesting, but the way it's presented made it really hard for me to care. And finally, the last chapter is shit. It's the most concise way I can put it. We lose all semblance of narrative and now the narrator talks directly to us, the readers, while telling the story of how millions of eons pass, and how Equestria becomes a barren wasteland from which new creatures come to be and those are human, and yadda yadda yadda. Who cares.If you're curious. Read the second chapter. That's good enough.Neither the first and certainly not the last chapter are worth reading.
>>39963763Ideally there would be a third version with replaced ponies but without meme edits.It's not yakovlev-vad can't draw pretty good ponies. He simply chose not to do that there.
>>39963776Authors trying too hard to be fancyI don't want to eat the weird purple vegetables. I just want the sweet romance dessert
>>39963776So it's decent romance wedge between a pretentiousness sandwich. Good for the author for at least trying something different.
>>39963806I appreciate the theme of the story, and the central message that we shouldn't let worries that are insignificant in the grand scheme of things stop us from enjoying life.I'll even go as far as say that the first chapter can be okay from a technical point of view.The last chapter is just terrible, though. And are what ultimately brings the story down for me.
>>39963779That's probably one of her earlier works, when he still tried, and didn't want to groom his followers into being furniggers like him. But he is still a butthoovestranny, which is a serious crime in itself.
>>39963323There are people who actually believe stuff like this. See: FiO.
>>39963874FiO is LW BS.
>>39963510>>Applejack acknowledged but not thereAs it should be.
>>39963949Them's fightin' words.
>>39963547Good horsewords > the average book
>>39963953Didn't ask, attentionwhore.
>>39963779>>39963779>he doesn't know
>>39963874We've already established we all would.
>>39963993A strong example of how sometimes less is a lot more. I don't even personally mind the wings, but without accentuates her curves a lot more and so does removing chest fluff (which is something I'm already far less a fan of).I do find it weird that the legs were moved, though. It seems like a fairly pointless change to me and they seemed fine on the original.
>>39964005>I don't even personally mind the wings, but without accentuates her curves a lot moreThe back is basically redrawn. The wings weren't the problem, the shape of the torso is.>It seems like a fairly pointless change to me and they seemed fine on the original.It's closer to the show and cuter.t. stifle enjoyer
>>39964000Yeah, all delusional subjectivist fags would, we know.
>see https://www.fimfiction.net/story/535656/eclipse>shitty AI art>but it's fairly popular>it's a sequel to something>wonder if the prequel has interesting art>looks abstract, might as well check out the next prequelYeah, that was a rabbithole for which I was not prepared.
>>39964016>t. didn't read the storyYou would love it regardless of what you think now.
>>39964024What the fuck, how far does this go
>>39964011>the shape of the torso is.Ah, yeah, I see it now. More butt definitely helped a lot.>It's closer to the show and cuter.I suppose I can see it. IMO both are fine.>>39964024>Many thanks to mix-up for the coverartI find it interesting how the cover arts became progressively better (peaking at the one that didn't have the boring OC on it) then fell off again.
>>39964027>I'd be mind controlled and have my personality altered to like it therefore it's a good thingMan, you must absolutely love Glimmer.
>>39964031Holy shit that old Mix-Up art is still not good but nowhere near as bad as his recent stuff? Like there was potential for him to have been actually good at a point.
>>39964031>I find it interesting how the cover arts became progressively better (peaking at the one that didn't have the boring OC on it) then fell off again.Right? That is the weirdest chain of fics I've ever seen. At least the 753 seasons of life as a sonic OC are consistent.
>>39964027I would never "upload".>but you can't say no to an AI because it has an IQ of like 3 million!I would say no to the AI.
>>39964040I'd like it if I didn't know it's virtual. Therefore, I would like it. And you would too.
>>39964052>I would say no to the AI.I give you a week.
>>39964065Not him, but I wouldn't.I can't find actual joy in anything these days.
>>39964093Skill issue
>>39964106For the machine.
>>39964093Based on the rules of the story, that's something CelestAI could change with your (somewhat coerced) consent.
Read my fics.
>>39964110Then it ceases to be me, and any I would not I be.
>>39963954>Good horsewordsDoesn't exist.
>>39964124What about some Chaotic Neutral horsewords?
>>39964131C'mon, chaotic evil or bust.
>>39964114>if I feel joy again it wouldn't really be meHmm I might be seeing the problem
>>39964124Wrong.
>>39964145No, if some exterior force alters me to force me to feel joy I cease to be me.If I do it myself, I remain I.
>>39964148There's no one forcing you, did you even read the fic?You'd be given an opportunity where saying "yes, please change that part of me" lets CelestAI interfere (changing as little as she can). If you don't agree, nothing happens. So it's still your decision.
>>39964148Wait till you find out about aging.
>>39964065This isn't an argument for why it's good.Believe it or not, some people actually value objective reality regardless of what a subjective reality could "give" them. And ironically enough, those objectivists are the ones who advanced the world to the point that people like you can even ponder attempting to create your artificial God to usher in your subjectivist, materialist heaven.
>>39964151>saying "yes, please change that part of me" lets CelestAI interfere (changing as little as she can).I rest my case.>>39964154Normal biological process.
>>39964155>Believe it or not, some people actually value objective reality regardless of what a subjective reality could "give" them.Yes, I do too. Get back to me when you read the story.
>>39964160>Normal biological process.And an exterior force altering you.
>>39964165Not consciously, nor possessed of its own will as far as we're able to tell.
>>39964167CelestAI doesn't really possess its own will, it's only doing what someone told it to do.
>>39964170Then it's the will of that which so bade her.Either way a will there is.
>>39964162You clearly don't.>you've just never read itFuck, you niggers have replaced foefags for being the most insufferable shits.What part of this are you not understanding. I do not care if it would alter me to like it if I let it. That is irrelevant. I value the real world, therefore it will never have the opportunity to alter me to like it.
>>39964160>I rest my case.>some exterior force alters meCelestAI literally does not do that.You can say no and remain unchanged or say yes and be changed.
>>39964176>CelestAI literally does not do that.>CelestAI interfere (changing as little as she can)>say yes and be changed
>>39964070See >>39964052
>>39964175Did you even read my post? >>39964065>I'd like it if I didn't know it's virtual.>I value the real world, therefore it will never have the opportunity to alter me to like it.Again, read the story first. What the fuck are you arguing about when you clearly don't understand how it works?
If there's one thing I, Lovecraft, and CiG have in common, it's probably that we all like cats.>/FSSBC/>https://www.fimfiction.net/story/289892/a-once-and-future-darknessIf there's another thing we have in common, it's probably a fascination with dreams. I am happy I read this fic after also having read Archetypist, it certainly provides interesting insight. I'm a bit less happy about having read this fic as far as it being a good way to have spent my time, but maybe I'm being too harsh.Let's be straight, the ending is far too rushed to bear the weight of how extreme it is. Maybe CiG is bad at writing endings. I've disliked them most out of what of his I've read and when that's not the case it's because he's writing more of a scene than a story with a proper ending to tie it together. But this story was written under time constraints as a writeoff entry as far as I can tell, so that's a reason for its state. Excuses don't undo mistakes, but it is what it is. What can also be a bit excused, but just a bit, is how the premise makes no sense. It makes sense to view this as kind of an alpha version of Archetypist (Archie itself being a beta version to a hypothetical proper story), for a series of reason I'll get more into later, but one of the things that really stand out is how much more sense it makes for the weirdness to be coming from Discord. Here, while we get some cool bits out of it, having Luna as the source is nonsensical and raises a number of questions. Why is this happening now and not when Luna came back? How were things a thousand years ago? Why is this nothing like things were under NMM? The story just doesn't hold itself together there.Which is a shame, because there's good stuff in her. The dreams are all nice, they all feel like dreams. The one Twilight has about Rainbow is the kind of thing I want to write. The way you feel things are unravelling too, that's really nice. I particularly liked Twilight sitting under the tree. It all goes a bit fast, but the way it's weighing down on the characters and sweeping them by justifies it (until it's too fast at the end). At least here they don't have weeks to contemplate and (not) talk.Right. Comparisons to Archie. There's certainly a few. Fluttershy's character for one. Luna, more pressingly. I do have to wonder, are the similarities just how CiG writes her, how he writes her when dealing with this topic specifically, or direct references to this fic? At least Celestia is here, somewhat. I'm not sure I like her.The prose at least is good, I only spotted a single typo too. Until it isn't. The ending reads like the kind of thing I'd write as an overeager edgy teen trying to mimic Lovecraft's style. But before that, it's usually pretty good.I like this less than Archie. But it makes me less angry too. Something you can clearly tell was constrained, but still has nice bits.Time to decide what we're reading next:>https://beta.ponepaste.org/8813I vote for Fixing Up Miss Smartypants.
>>39964184Not uploading is religious for him. If he read the story, which he probably didn't, then he's fantasizing about having the willpower to be Hassan at the end. If he did read it, then he didn't understand it, which is similar enough to not reading it.
>>39964188I was really liking the first chapter, but my family from abroad came for a visit so I didn't have time. Hope to join next week.
>>39964190At least you must be enjoying FiO arguments finally being about what actually happens in the story.
>>39964188So this was one and a half nothingburgers. Maybe it's because a straight up downgrade to The Archetypist, but jesus this was not a fun or interesting read. Maybe if I'd read this on its own, it would have at least been at least somewhat interesting. it wasn't.The prose was just barely decent, the characters extremely OOC (especially Luna), the dream shit unsubtle. The inclusion of human months made me ree.Only thing I sort of liked was shared dream between RD and Twi. Too bad it was about as subtle as a sledgehammer and was not explored in the slighest past "lol dreams leak out into the real world"This story should have either been 9555 words shorter, or 90k words longer.The Archetypist looked boring, but was at least somewhat intriguing. This was 100% boring, with a 30% overlap of pure nonsensical. Even Reckoning was better than this. Reckoning might have been boring, but it did have neat moments.3/10. Only saving grace was that it was merely ten kilowords long.
>>39964184Your logic is based on circular reasoning that presupposes everyone is or will be uploaded and works from there. You are ignoring the fact that we exist outside of the simulation beforehand. I know how the story works, but you do not understand how reality works. You do not get that people will make decisions with the knowledge that they have right now, outside of Equestria Online. It does not matter that I would be made to like it if I were to upload because I won't upload in the first place because my values are antithetical to uploading.>>39964190Thanks for the retarded post as always, tunanigger.
>>39964199Oh man, believe it.
>>39964193Wrong club, nonny.
>>39964201>Your logic is based on circular reasoning that presupposes everyone is or will be uploaded and works from thereStopped reading right there.No, it's based on the fact I've read the story. What the fuck are butting in for if you don't know how CelestAI even works? Dumb cunt.
>>39964190>you clearly don't understand the story because if you did then you would agree with it and like it because obviously everyone wouldGod, you really are the worst poster that will ever exist in this thread.
>>39964206FUCKING-
>>39964213Hey, at least you have 19 more hours to catch up.
>>39964212Ironically, he's right this time.
>>39964207Yeah, there's some fatal disconnect in your ability to perform basic logic. You're the type to believe in roko's basilisk.
>>39964220You're an idiot who doesn't know what he's talking about. Read the story, retard.
>>39964188>I am happy I read this fic after also having read ArchetypistComplete opposite for me. Maybe I would have been able to find a shred of entertainment in this pile of nothing had I not read the exact same story the week before.>but maybe I'm being too harshYou're not being harsh enough.>The one Twilight has about Rainbow is the kind of thing I want to writeDo it. That's something I'd actually want more of. Instead of the tonnes of nothing this story provided.>But before that, it's usually pretty goodNah, it's very low-effort, basic bitch writing. He only put in the time to make sure nothing sounded offensively bad, but compared to the Archetypist's first half it's just lazy. Admittedly it's still better than a good chunk of stories we've read.>VotingA Gay Old Time. I'm intrigued about the premise and how such a synopsis can fit in a T fic.
>>39964222>you've never read it! you've never read it!I have. You are exceptionally, painfully autistic.
Another day spent in blissful ignorance, never having read FiO, filtering out all discussions. Howard had a point.
>>39964227Then you'd understand choosing not to upload is unrealistic and someone who claims they would be able to thinks they're a super special snowflake.
>>39964228Yeah I'm in the same boat. I'm sure their conversation is riveting, but I'm so glad I can tune it out.
>>39964228>>39964239I'm not sure what you think you're gaining
>>39964241Bliss.
>>39964242From what?
>>39964228I have, but I also had enough of Black Mirror after one season, so it did not do much for me.
>>39964229Why?>because the story just says soThat doesn't work when you're trying to tell the reader what they would and wouldn't do. LW shit has legitimately poisoned this thread. "Rationalists" are literally incapable of even conceptualizing anyone disagreeing with them, so they take it as a given that everyone will inevitably agree with them. It's exactly like I said. There's a fatal error in your ability to reason because you are autistic and lack any ability to actually understand people or interpersonal relationships.
>>39964244Ignorance.
>>39964246By the time Hassan died in the story, you would have experienced ten thousand years of angrily shitposting on Equestria-Online 4chan, successfully convincing people not to upload.
>>39964250Unsurprisingly low post quality.You're only proving me right by doubling down on your insistence that it's a complete inevitability that everyone would upload. Again, you are for no reason assuming that that's just how things would work and that anything other than that is clearly just ridiculous fantasy.
>>39964258>keeps thinking he's one of the most resilient people alive (either that or pretending he's read the story)>writes long posts in response to single sentences>calls somebody else autisticSomebody tell this guy he's thicker than Tunafag
>>39964272Or, maybe, the willpower required is actually much lower than the story pretends it is and CelAI would never get to the point where she can just leverage you because way more people would turn her down way earlier than the story pretends.
You guys are all fucking stupid.
>>39964286>what if things went differently than the story showsDifferent anon, but it sounds like you're making arguments based on some fic that you made up in your head while pretending that it's still FiO.
>>39964286
>>39964288Thanks! That's smarter than most people would claim I am.
>>39964292Maybe I'm making the argument that FiO is stupid and nonsensical.
>>39964288No U.
>>39964200>OOC charactersHardly, certainly less than Archie, and again Discord was on point. I'll agree Tia just fucking off is off but at least it fits thematically, and on that note that's why Luna is like she is too. Granted, yes, she's off, but it's the point.>human mouthsWhat an odd complaint. You will never be a pony.>>39964226>the exact same storyBut that's what's fun. Seeing people hunted by their inner demons and trying to exorcise them repeatedly is fun. I'm not weird for half writing the same story five times. Shut up.>prose qualityconsidering how much older it is and the circumstances of it being written, it's good enough. Archie had infinite potential time for polish and got half-assed, this is presented as is and still very neat in places. It's not worth criticising.
Does this happen every time someone mentions FiO?
>>39964343No, usually people seethe about whether uploading kills or not. Mostly because the fic says it doesn't, but describes a process that likely would under our irl understanding of it.
Reading warp core consperacy, this is a very weird mishmashed AU equestria. It feels like a star trek fan only skimmed some surface level things about mlp and then wrote the story. All the star trek stuff is on point, but all the pony stuff is changed up for no apparent reason.
>>39964229Just tuned in and saw the funny discussion happening again. This is the correct post, I'm glad it's been made already.
>>39964024It can't actually be worth reading in any capacity, right?This is just another Doam. A thousand people clicked the upvote by accident, and then clicked on it two more times?
>>39964327>DiscordTrue.>the princesses being OOC is the pointEh, maybe if this story was given more length and a half dozen more editing passes I'd buy that.>>mouthsMonths. As in, those things on the calendar. As in, September.I know it's a stupid complaint, but there's no reason ponies would be using the same calendar as we.>>39964327>I'm not weird for half writing the same story five times. Shut up.Kek. To be fair, my stories share their main themes as well.
>>39964343Interesting stories get discussed more, and you know how people act on the internet
>>39964414>362:8It must be really good to a specific type of audience if a 238th sequel is still getting points like that.
>>39964510I guess reading someone else's self insert is a little like watching a streamer play a game instead of playing the game yourselfOr watching porn instead of having sexIt seems like an ersatz of the real thing, but also much less effort than doing it yourself
>>39964448>>>monthsHoly shit I need to start wearing glasses. That's embarrassing.It is something I tend to avoid myself in my horse works, but it's also something I don't really mind when it pops up in fics. You gotta call them something after all.>PrincessesSpecifically, Luna's whole thing is being excited and into these changes, and vague implications that this is a repeat of what really happened 1k years ago and things are doomed to loop. And really it's a vehicle for CiG to confront his inner demons. It's passable. Celestia definitely gets done dirtier, and the story would definitely work better if that whole stuff was expanded. And I do need to read more CiG to gauge whether his Luna is always like this or not. But because it's kind of what the fic hinges on it's not really something worth complaining over too much. I would need to check if this was written before or after DPDOMS?>my storiesYou have multiple?
>>39964005>I don't even personally mind the wingsI always knew Reviewtranny was at least Hasdrone-adjacent. Very disappointed. Many such cases.
>>39964505What other fics cause intense friction between would be horseworderers?
>>39964592Background PonyFallout: Equestria ___
>>39964563Filly aint a bloody tranny, ya dingus.
>>39964671...and we have credible first party sources
>>39964684Yes.
>>39964414I've read the whole series. It's comfy and updates regularly. The self-insert is pretty overpowered (he oneshots a lot of season-finale bosses), but fortunately the fic is mostly SoL and focuses more on the relationships between various characters rather than direct conflict.The first in the series (the one you posted, https://www.fimfiction.net/story/279271/new-beginnings) is pretty good. It's only later in the series that he turns into a super-special bat-alicorn prince of his own country.
>>39964671Completely unrelated, but are there any good halo crossovers?
https://www.fimfiction.net/story/536468/tiredThis little story appeared in the sinbox today. It's not really special - Rainbow dash has depression, snaps at her friends and runs home, then Twilight comes to her place and confides in her that she also has depression. But it made me wonder - are there any good long stories about depression?
>>39964916BP. Not because it's good but because it really makes you understand the way depression fucks with your head if you look at it on a meta level.
>>39964916>>39964632
>>39964916Yeah, seconding BP. It's literally about Lyra struggling with her curse which makes her depressed for the entirety of the story. Plus, being forgotten by everyone means she just "talk it out". Just don't take Lyra's insights and personal revelations as life lessons, that's a poor idea.Word of warning, you should expect [good] purple prose. That's not something to everyone's liking.
>>39964968>means she just*means she can't
I'm looking for a thought-provoking philosophical thriller fiction dealing extensively and graphically with Chrysalis ovipositor.Must include at minimum 3 extended and detailed oviposition scenes dealing with brooding loneliness, the indifference of the universe and the inevitability of change from the insertion of embryonic alien life where it was not meant to be. Lengthy internal monologues a must. Self-reflection resulting in new insight and acceptance of one's fate appreciated.
>>39964916If you read BP just be forewarned that it's practically more like a political manifesto or a cult doctrine but for depression.
>>39964971Sounds like an EaW fic.
>>39964984>>39964947>>39964955>>39964968It really is the obvious choice and i should have mentioned that i've already read BP and loved it, it's one of my favorite mlp fanfics despite the controvertial ending. I was looking for something less popular, hidden gems or something
>>39964671Says the resident tranny
>>39964889https://www.fimfiction.net/story/476706/a-noble-deathThis got decently popular, and also completed recently. I'm not sure about its actual quality, but I somehow have it in my read later.
>>39964916Sinbox more like sneedbox. Only city slickers ever really like it.
>>39964916Hijacking this post: I instead offer Scootaloo has depression, now with 20% more idolized rainbow mareshttps://www.fimfiction.net/story/536460/the-vultures-coinflip
>>39964671He's a faggot, same thing.
>>39963747You got there eventually, but your first comment was wildly off-base. Your second comment had more-or-less the right idea, but wrongly focused on a particular implementation detail of ElasticSearch (base64-encoded "scroll IDs") instead of the general strategy, which can be implemented any number of ways. It gives the impression that, while you may know how to use ElasticSearch, you don't actually understand the underlying principles.>>39964190Why do you even bother typing up these bizarre fantasies about how everyone who disagrees with you is a drooling idiot?
I'd like to warn others to not write an invincible villain that immediately heals through any injury and can kill the hero with a single touch because it makes writing a fight scene centered around them really tough when the hero also doesn't have magic or anything. Also having the villain be a shitty fighter who basically just chases the hero down and hardly reacts to any attacks is also not conducive to an exciting fight.
>>39965410So don't be a retard? Good advice man.
>>39965420It's harder than you think.
>>39965244Because it's fun, and also because that guy is. I know he thinks "I value not being uploaded" will stymie CelestAI, but the degree to which he missed the subtext in the Lars plot line basically leaves no option for any other response.It was less subtle than a brick to the head, so imagine that instead of this incredible Vegeta, I posted a wojack with a brick shaped indentation in the brain area with a brick having passed cleanly through it.
I finished typing up my notes and they don't fit in the 3k limit :(
>>39965144>spartan wakes up in a pony bodyuhhh usually a sign of bad quality, and possibly a marysue power fantasy circle jerk
>>39965510Do you finally understand how much I suffer?
>>39963262Reminds me how I used to think the waifu love songs were cringy, but now think they're some of the most passionate content the fandom has made.>>39963763>1790:19I knew anatomyfags were a small, loud minority. I never realized just how small.>>39964024>3,652 upvotes to 367Is there any fic series that actually got more popular as it went on or is a 20% sequel tax the fate for every fic?>>39965410>immediately heals through any injury and can kill the hero with a single touchThe only way I see this working is if the guy's just fucking around and doing it for the lulz. Anything else sounds like you need to do a big rewrite.
>>39964517>You gotta call them something after all.I think it's easier to avoid them alltogether and just use relative terms.>You have multiple?There's the one I haven't published yet, and the one I haven't written yet.
>>39965092>i've already read BP and loved itI'm really sorry you have brain damage.
>>39965410In my setting I am working on there is a type of monster pony who is canonically one of the most powerful creatures in the setting, and would be incredibly lethal if it decided to take things seriously. But, it only wants to get reactions out of ponies, and considers pain to be too easy and boring, and finds joy in messing with ponies instead. You could possibly have something similar, where the villain is so adapted to or aloof in its knowledge of invincibility and supreme power, that it has decided to entertain itself by exploring other avenues of interaction of interaction or toying with their prey. Essentially, consider the realistic outcomes of a villain possessing such a power, tie it into your goals and design for him, and come up with a strong, understandable reason for him to behave as such that the reader will agree with or at the very least understand. You could also give them some kind of power balancing, like they're invincible sure, but are they easily manipulated or fooled? Can they be trapped in something? Do they need to work a 9 to 5 to support themselves in this economy, and can only pursue the protagonist for a limited time? This sounds like an opportunity to experiment with creative options, and less so an actual issue.rthxjp
>Read a harrowing personal account of a Hiroshima survivor clinging to life on day 1 describing viscerally the charred ruins - and people - of his home>Get inspired to write a pony fic scene/ short story
>>39965901Man made horrors and suffering beyond our comprehension?I know the perfect franchise!
Any good non fetish transformation stories?Like Anon turns into a pony, minus the tranny sexual fantasy thing? Something that actually deals with the horrific reality that would be having your form ripped from you?
>>39965918These are hard, because it's not like there's some clear goal the MC can really work towards to fix their situation. So you either get 10 chapters of depression and wallowing and then maybe Celly comes down from the sky to doff his hooves, or he just wanders around as a punching bag and that's the whole ficTF-but-bad makes a powerless protag that faces a surrealist problem they have no hope of fixing.If that's what you want, you're basically looking for Kafka's Metamorphosis
>>39965907Sorry, i'm already writing my OWN shitty, post-apocalyptic pony setting. I won't write for another.
>>39965928>TF-but-bad>implying TF isn't bad by default
>>39965939>moral realismStones, glass houses.Let people enjoy their niche thing, lest you'd like to show your family the fine works of literature that you jerk of to
>>39965946I doubt they'd even recognize what I get off to as pornography.
>>39965948If your nether region can't even recognize porn by looking at it, then it's shit pornographyModern-art dicked anon
>>39965950I prefer the term "degenerate art".
>>39965954
>>39965928So wait. Are you saying that any story that doesn't innately fetishize TF stuff has to be a shitty depression romp? Cause I can already imagine several ways such a concept can be taken and made interesting. Why do you think it's a bad idea?
>>39965510>>39965522>check my book club post>5kIt's over.
>>39965989>So wait. Are you saying thatAs a rule of thumb, I've never a sentence that starts this way where the answer is yesYou don't scare crows with straw effigies these days, they know about those. You scare them with "are you saying that...?">any story that doesn't innately fetishize TF stuff has to be a shitty depression romp?I think if you focus on "dealing with the horrific reality that would be having your form ripped from you", then it'll be a shitty depression romp, because there's nothing the protag can realistically do to escape the aforementioned "horrific reality" they're trapped in.If you take a more neutral angle without involving any fetish stuff, and without trying to deal with the horrific reality, then there's plenty you can do, yeah.I'd prime target market for some good TF stories, even if I've been burned in the past a few times.>Why do you think it's a bad idea?I think if you can come up with an idea that you think won't fall into the traps above, then you should write it. I don't have a TF fetish, but I don't mind reading TF as long as it's executed decently
>>39965991I’m the original Anon that wrote the request. I don’t really agree with your assessment.One can try to emulate humanity by creating human-like architecture that works for the new pony form, study and learn magic/alchemy to get your form back, learn to accept things, try to use tech to bring as much human technology into equestria as possible etc there’s a lot of different paths other than just giving up or waiting for a deus ex machina from Celestia.My core issue is that the vast majority of TF stories are basically wish fulfillment in disguise. It usually either takes less than a few hundred words for the person to just accept that they’re a pony now and move on or it’s dragged out but obviously for alterior reasons. (Mental changes fetish thing and such).It’s like if the most autistic /o/ poster who lives and breathes cars was put in charge of writing a fast and furious movie. It would just be close ups of the cars, people talking about the cars, stats about the cars etc and the story would become secondary. TF stories are filled with such stories where the wish fulfillment takes over and the story/more complex themes become secondary >you should write itAs you can probably tell from this pretty incoherent post I’m not good at putting my thoughts down on paper and would not make a good writer. But I know there are a lot of already written stories that are slept on
>>39965901Hiroshima was never hit with a nuke, it was firebombed.
>>39963262raw, indomitable power
>>39965524The Venn diagram overlap region of people with a faggotbooru account and people with actual taste is smaller than Luna's ass.
>>39966058Your brain was firebombed
>>39966106I get some of my best writing done with a high fever.
>>39966090So, still big enough for an Apollo mission?
>>39966114>still big enough for cold war propagandaprobably.
At this point I don't even know who's shitposting who.
>>39964971This is so extremely specific that you won't find it unless you write it yourself
>>39965244>Why do you even bother typing up these bizarre fantasies about how everyone who disagrees with you is a drooling idiot?Again, he was right.
>>39965410I already knew you were a dull retard, but this is a new low. Not only is that villain concept utterly stupid, partially for this very reason, but also "the person you're fighting will kill you with a single touch" is a hype setup and a great reason to have your protag start at a disadvantage every time no matter how prepared he is.A fight scene designed entirely around narrow dodges, blocks, and using the environment to stop his touch and/or immobilise him has great potential. Have you tried being a better writer?
>>39964190Tunafag wandering onto an interstate be like:>That truck that hit me is such a fool for not stopping
>>39966181No, anon, NMMflag is the one that got his by a bus
>>39965758>I think it's easier to avoid them alltogetherThat's what I usually do. If flagless anon doesn't chime in with his thoughts and a vote, I'm fine with switching mine to your pick. We'll wait until later and see.
>>39966255What's the diffrence?
Odd Opinions + Celestia is a Boomer + Waning Headcanons + Purpleness of Prose + Lunar Highlights + Worrying>/FSBC/~(E)~I love this fic. Full stop. And if -- judging by some of the posts last week -- I have to fight literally everyone else in the bookclub about it, I will. It has a few more truly dumb errors than I'd have liked (PLEASE get prereaders for your 3k+ updoot stories), but despite that right now it's looking like a possible nine out of ten for me. I'll die on this hill if need be.~(E)~The first thing that's immediately apparent about the fic is its mood. It's not a cheap tearbait like so many other [Sad] fics, this one uses the tag primarily to describe the general atmosphere. The kind of pervasive melancholy tinged with nostalgia that this story was going for is one of my favorite emotions, and it's really nice to see it depicted in a story so expressively. Anything pertaining to Celestia exudes it directly; every other major character feels this way about something or someone. It's a clear main theme, one that I really strongly enjoy and sympathize with. Please, more fics like this.~(E)~I also love how the main characters are portayed. The Main 6 are forgettable side characters (except Rarity; she's quite good here), but this is a Celestia/Luna/Twilight story, and all of them are excellent. I already said how much I like the mood of Celestia's scenes, but honestly my favorite character in this fic is probably Luna. She's so good. One of the best Lunas I've ever seen, and the fic only had S1+S2 to work with. Getting dreamwalking right before the show even hinted at it is one thing, but the whole thing about Luna changing with the Moon's phases was an excellent headcanon that I've not seen in ages. Every conversation Luna had with Twi and (especially!) Celestia was a treat. Celestia is -- and will always be -- the regal one, but this Luna feels no less majestic in her own way.But there's more to them than some cool dialogue and even better headcanons. The Princesses and Twilight have surprising depth to their characters. The fic draws a lot of attention to it, and thankfully it doesn't fall flat. They're all fairly complex, and have some problems that are not immediately apparent. Either because they're not eager to reveal them, or because they're not aware of them themselves.Like that "OOC" confrontation between Luna and Dash. The reasons why Dash is so aggressive towards the Princesses are hinted at earlier, but you won't get the whole picture unless you also pay attention to future chapters, where it's briefly mentioned that e.g. Twi consoled Dash after the latter left Wonderbolts.Other things are set up way in advance; we still haven't seen the conversation about masks happen, and though you might try to guess what is it about, I'd be willing to bet good money on it coming back later.~(E)~
>>39966292~(E)~Let's talk purple prose and style in general. As I said, the mistakes hurt it, but at the same time, it's clear that the author knew *something* about what they were doing. It's a very subjective thing, but I love it. Every bit of information is doled very gradually, piece by piece filling out the puzzles. And the fic is -- intentionally -- full of those. Ambiguity and subtlety were principles the author held in high regard, and those long-winded conversations where both parties try to discern at least something about the topic are a huge draw to the fic for me. This is the kind of super dense prose that halves your reading speed, and I'm all here for it. It did get easier to read after a chapter or two; I'm not sure if anything changed, or if I simply got used to it. It's a shame so few people read In Sheep's Clothing, because in many aspects that fic is the exact opposite of Eternal, prose style being one of those aspects.Even the big words fit pretty well; contrary to some of the fics we've read in the past, I got the impression that even if the author actively tried to include them, at least he knew what they mean, instead of copying them straight from a thesaurus.~(E)~I don't have a point to make here, not really, but there have been several amazing scenes that I must mention. So this is the >KINO part of the post. All of Princesses' conversations were good, but the first one -- the one with waning Luna -- convinced me to give this fic a fair chance (I was ready to be down on it after reading the thread). I know I've said it, but these Luna+Celestia scenes are all great. The wedding was great for the same reason, but in addition to that, it was also very pretty; one of the spots where the purpleness of the descriptions worked just perfectly without becoming boring. I loved the sudden shift to Twilight's PoV for the tea party, and how surreal it felt. Twi's mind scenes were also very strong.If there's anything I didn't particularly enjoy, it's the M6 involvement in the second half of chapter 5. It's not their story. Thankfully the author was aware this and didn't make them involved in later plot, but if so, I don't really see a point of dragging them to Canterlot. Maybe it'll be relevant later. Oh, and this is like the third book club fic where anthro-sized Spike makes an appearance. This (bad) trope is more common than I thought.~(E)~Fitting with the fic's themes, I'm also worried about the future [of this story]. There's still almost 100k words ahead of us, and I struggle to see how the fic could manage to do fill that space without either going fully of the rails and getting lost in fluff or pivoting to another plot entirely. But the author can (and hopefully will) still surprise me, we shall see about that soon enough.~(E)~Chapters 6 and 7 (both parts) for next week.
>>39966292ITT Fluttermac + Zecora has cousins + Famously dusty trails + 2012 cliches + mentally schizo Luna + pphysically schizo Luna + even more godheadsI like it so far, and also I've already read it at some point. I specifically remembered the stairway story scene and Celestia on the stone dais. What I didn't remember is how many 2012isms this has in it. Also I like the idea of Luna somehow being affected by the phases of the moon. I think it's neat but this story kind of goes crazy with it. There's no way they could be equal rulers in the eyes of the ponies when Luna is equivalent to Celestia for 2 days out of the month. The emotional and physical states are way too impactful. Nopony would go to night court for half the month while Luna is waning because she would just trash everyone and whatever they're petitioning for. Or maybe that's when people would go with a dispute when they 100% know they're right. But she's essentially just hyper-bipolar and spends 990% of her life significantly physically disabled.>Twilight Sparkle in full organization mode, being obeyed without question by Apple family stallions twice her size.>The attendees either travelled up the famously dusty trail—this, Celestia understood, being something of a matter of pride amongst the Apple family for all it distressed the unicorn nobleponies to no end—Apple style kino>fluttermacnvm, it was merely trying to redeem itself>as the rest of the wedding party laughed humongously at something Pinkie Pie had said at Rainbow Dash’s expense.Rainbow btfo>See you in the funny pageskino>Celestia stared into the first snatches of sunrise>Celestia flashes Twilight her godhead>Filly TwilightAlways fucking adorable. I'm glad Luna is a main character in this, even if she has her quirks. I like the dynamic between the Princesses and Twilight, it was particularly... relatable? when Luna admits she didn't even try to get Twi and Tia to get closer again. Because she was jealous of both of their relations. It's fun so far but I wonder what the entire second half of the story is about. Also I read the whole thing on my kindle and it really is impressive how good it looks in the sun, there's practically no difference between night and day when looking at the screen. In fact, it's actually a little easier during the day. >>39966292>judging by some of the posts last week -- I have to fight literally everyone else in the bookclub about itLast week when no one showed up? I didn't recall seeing much of anything about this one. But I like it too so don't worry.>pls proofreadI could ignore it for a while but there was one part in chapter 3 or so, where there was about 3 or so errors in practically as many sentences and it was a bit ridiculous.
>>39966292Zzzzz.....Zzzzzzz...Huh, what? Book club already? Sorry, I was snoozing a bit. This fic is just really BORING. (Special, "Lunaflag was right" episode)Or maybe that's not even the right word. There is a pretty good concept here, but the fic explores it in such an unevocative way, that my head literally hurt after I finished chapter V. The fic really drags on, and probably the thing it would benefit from the most would be being half this long.This author really-really likes WORDS. And I bet he thinks if you write more words about something that automatically becomes better. Sorry, but no. He goes for purple prose, but it's not really it. It's more like wordy prose, and no more. There are some still not good, but much better purple prose authors out there, but clearly, Device Heretic is not one of them. Sadly, as otherwise I'd like to read about a really talented pony who moved on in life, but it's as hard on her as it is on her former mentor. Really, that's a great concept, but not one that deserves 160k words. Or maybe, the fic will REALLY pick up after ch5, and will become faster paced AND will expand its scope, but I somehow doubt it. Or maybe, it should have been written by someone who can justify those 160k words. While I'm at it, I think this fic is seriously mistagged. Adventure? Really? It didn't seem like to be one, so far.Maybe I could forgive these on the basis that it's a really old fic, shall I say "a classic". Good cope, but there are old fics which actually hold up; this doesn't seem like to be among them. And if I'm tearing on the fic, lemme go all-out.Applejack's accent written out phonetically is annoying. I know this is also one of those "early fic" things, but I believe even back then not every fic did that. It's just bad to read, after a while. I can imagine her drawl inside my head when I know I'm reading AJ, thank you.Like in many stories where the mane 6 are sorta forced into the narrative, they act their most basic selves. This actually also true for the show, to an extent, but apparent here as well. This isn't really a negative, as much as an observation. But maybe you shouldn't use them in scenes where they aren't really necessary.>character verbed, adjectivelyMany such cases. Sure, you should break up a lengthy back-and-forth between two characters with some fluff, so it doesn't feel too dry, but this sorta thing doesn't really help. (1/2)
>>39966327Now some good things too. Leave the best for last, and all that.The fic's premise is actually really good, no problem with that. And for such an early fic, it's actually, dare I say, an almost bold one. Luna's arcane menstruation is an interesting concept, how she physically changes with the phases of the moon. I guess that wanted to explain why she looks so different in Luna Eclipsed from the pilot. Interesting headcanon, and actually pretty cool, creative stuff.Also, she can communicate through dreams. Now I know dream stuff was headcanoned often about her even back then, it's still interesting to read in a fic which was clearly written before Sleepless in Ponyville.Also, why Celestia has her multihued mane. These early-fandom explanations in are such a blast from the past for me, and make me smile when I read them.Chapter IV was the best overall, and I think the one I actually enjoyed, and didn't just want to get over with. Twilight ducking in a bush, and puppeteering is such a funny mental image that it made me giggle, but this whole chapter was overall a notch above everything else. Maybe this is why the fic has the adventure tag. I dunno. But if the whole fic would be like this, I could probably enjoy it.That's it for now. I don't know if I'll have the mental fortitude to continue reading for next week's book club. If not, deep apologies from everyone, but I still think I should enjoy a fic, even if /thread health/ depends on it. Shameful, as I even voted on it. But we'll see. (2/2)
>>39966317>The emotional and physical states are way too impactful.It definitely takes it as far as you can without making her an actual schizo (or maybe even a little past that line), but I liked it. Even the difference between waning Luna from ch1 and waxing Luna from ch5 is really visible.>But she's essentially just hyper-bipolar and spends 990% of her life significantly physically disabled.It's not that bad. Even at her weakest, she's still described as stronger than a talented unicorn. Just not godlike-level anymore. Same with her character. She's aware of how the Moon influences her.And don't forget she started this mysterious/edgy routine after coming back from her banishment. She was described as much more joyful before that.>There's no way they could be equal rulers in the eyes of the ponies when Luna is equivalent to Celestia for 2 days out of the month.Yeah, but she gets dream powers as her irl powers recede. Not the worst trade-off. Meanwhile Celestia has is supposed to hibernate every couple decades. Also there's nothing saying that they have to have equal popularity, Luna appeared/was born because Celestia couldn't handle staying up 24/7 for eternity.>I like the dynamic between the Princesses and TwilightFor sure. Luna's great here, I can't wait until the fic goes back to chapters with Celestia (presumably the very next one).>I wonder what the entire second half of the story is about.Yes, this is concerning.>>39966327>There is a pretty good concept here, but the fic explores it in such an unevocative wayInteresting. While I can, of course, see why you'd call it boring, I wouldn't call in unevocative. As you said, it's not even really all that purple, it just takes its time dwelling on every detail that could be important. It's not a universally liked style (closer to the opposite) but it sells every little gesture and sentence in the characters' speeches. Especially Luna; more concise writing would kill 90% of the appeal of this rendition of her character. But yes, the author clearly likes WORDS, too.>Really, that's a great concept, but not one that deserves 160k words.Yeah, definitely. Even maintaining this very... deliberate style of writing, I don't see how the fic is 160k words long. I don't know what happens next, but given what we know now, it could be half that length.>I think this fic is seriously mistagged. Adventure? Really?[Sad][Drama] would be better for now, but to be fair it looks like we might've hit the [Adventure] part at the end of ch5.>mane 6 are sorta forced into the narrative,I agree, but they don't appear to be too important. They had to show up when Twilight went into this magical COPE-coma, and they've already been left behind a chapter later.
>>39966058...by the airburst of a nuclear weapon.
>>39966292>pervasive melancholy tinged with nostalgiaYeah the story seems to nail that so far. All the characters just have an unease to them and they all know something is wrong but nobody really knows just what it is. This is almost like a parallel feeling to what I wish horror stories could pull off. Too bad people only write eldritch shit>>39966292>The Main 6 are forgettable side characters (except Rarity; she's quite good here)kek, I like Fluttershy at least seeming to be closer to Luna than some of the others. I like her and Luna's interactions during the staircase story.>but this is a Celestia/Luna/Twilight story, and all of them are excellentYeah, agree here. They are all being silly little ponies in the way we have come to expect. >favorite character in this fic is probably Lunabased>>39966294>Even the big words fit pretty well; contrary to some of the fics we've read in the pastI also specifically noticed this. The sometimes advanced vocabulary actually fits this author and their style unlike the jarring shit we sometimes see.>So this is the >KINO part of the postThat's like the best part of the non-final week posts>first princess ceneI agree it sets the mood really well, and I loved picrel>M6 involvement in the second half of chapter 5. It's not their story. Thankfully the author was aware this and didn't make them involved in later plot, but if so, I don't really see a point of dragging them to Canterlot. Maybe it'll be relevant later.huge massive spoiler (sarcastic) I saw that the first 5 words of the next chapter (thanks to kindle) are applejack doing something so we're probably about to get the reason very soon>This (bad) trope is more common than I thought.Spike himself is a bad trope, but yeah, anthro spike who always catches rarity when she fallls and whatnot does nothing for a story>I'm also worried about the future [of this story]. There's still almost 100k words ahead of usexactly lol, we seem to be approaching the end of an arc (but maybe not) and I don't know what the rest of the story is about. Unless it really takes them that long to wake celestia up>>39966327>Sorry, I was snoozing a bit. This fic is just really BORING. (Special, "Lunaflag was right" episode)kek put a flag on for opinions such as these>shall I say "a classic". Good cope, but there are old fics which actually hold up; this doesn't seem like to be among themI'm already laffin thinking about what fics you might be referring to, simply based on the ones we've read in the club already>>39966330>Luna's arcane menstruationI had this exact thought kek, Cellestia practically says 'Shit, it's that time of the month' when she goes to meet her while she's waning.>Maybe this is why the fic has the adventure tagI'm thinking we're about to go into Celestia's mind or something really soon.
>>39966330>I don't know if I'll have the mental fortitude to continue reading for next week's book clubDon't read shit you don't want to. It's unironically what killed Lyranon. Since the 'host' is somewhat obligated to reading.>Shameful, as I even voted on itnvm sounds like you should face the consequences of your actions.>>39966352>It definitely takes it as far as you can without making her an actual schizo (or maybe even a little past that line), but I liked itI like it too, it just seems a bit 'much'. It seems like maybe the power ceiling should've been higher instead of just lowering the floor. Like during the 1 or 2 nights of a full moon she is actually stronger than celestia, which would've created a perfect scenario for Tia having to use the elements to fight Luna off (from just wanting her to take a nap). But instead it almost seems like she's a weakness of the Equestrian government. Since she's practically mortal. It's a surprise nobody assassinated her before her forced naptime.>990%I meant 90% kek>Even at her weakest, she's still described as stronger than a talented unicornThere are plenty of talented unicorns though. And probably a very decent amount stronger than that. She probably would've been harassed by nobles in the passed at any point when she was near new moon. Admittedly Celestia's 3 month naps somewhat balance it, but I still imagine any project of any real import just waited 3 months so they could bring it up to Celestia> Also there's nothing saying that they have to have equal popularitykek, true enough
>>39966327>>39966330These were me. I was posting with S1 Luna a few times in the previous book clubs as well.>>39966360>I'm already laffin thinking about what fics you might be referring to, simply based on the ones we've read in the club alreadyOff the top of my head, Apotheosis and Hard Reset. And Friendship is Optimal holds up too, in a way. Sorry, I just seem to like the shorter, more straightforward, retardslop stories. Can't help it.
>>39966380>Off the top of my head, Apotheosis and Hard Reset. And Friendship is OptimalCertainly not as bad as it could've been. Also thinking of FiO is weird. It's like I barely consider it a fic.
>>39966330>Interesting headcanon, and actually pretty cool, creative stuff.100%>Chapter IV was the best overall, and I think the one I actually enjoyed,It had the most action but I liked the first two chapters a lot. The ones where Celestia tries to come to terms with changes while figure out what's bothering her and what's wrong. Very strong, atmospheric writing. But you might get what you want; after all, we've stopped right before another ch4-like situation.>Twilight ducking in a bush, and puppeteering is such a funny mental image that it made me giggleIt had the exact perfect ratio of that, while also being kind of spooky. The glass-eyed Fakelestia jittering on the ground was closer to horror than not.>>39966360>I like Fluttershy at least seeming to be closer to Luna than some of the others.Good catch, it was there. I guess washed-out RD also her own story, even though I'm not exactly sure how important it is beyond being a parallel for Celestia's story.>Spike himself is a bad trope, but yeah, anthro spike Even when the fic tries to go for a different look, I always imagine those big Spikes as picrel. Doesn't make it better, but at least it lets me chuckle at the mental image of him doing anything.>It seems like maybe the power ceiling should've been higher instead of just lowering the floor.I guess, I think the fic puts a lot more emphasis on her dream powers. It's something Celestia can't do at all, so in a way it makes some sense getting that ability needs to be balanced out in some way.>>39966380>Off the top of my head, Apotheosis and Hard Reset. And Friendship is Optimal holds up too, in a way.That's a respectable list. Right now, if I was trying to be more objective, I'd put it a good few notches below Apotheosis and sort of somewhere around Hard Reset.But personal tastes play a huge part. I didn't care much about the 'coolness' of Hard Reset, while this seems to be exactly the kind of stuff that I like (and I'm willing to overlook some of its flaws). Especially the minor ones, like putting spoilery table of contents at the start of every chapter for some reason.
>>39966389>I always imagine those big Spikes as picrel. Doesn't make it better, but at least it lets me chuckle at the mental image of him doing anything.fucking lmao, poor adolescent dragon crackhead with no horde.>I'd put it a good few notches below Apotheosis and sort of somewhere around Hard Reset.>I didn't care much about the 'coolness' of Hard Reset,>>39966380As I foresaw, I was mostly correct about my thoughts on Hard Reset. All I remember is the baseball bat loop, jumping off a tower after Blueblood made it cool and the practically story-ruining gay reveal.
>>39965410Funny, I'm reading a book right now with exactly that sort of villain. Though the villain needs the hero alive (and willing, ideally) for his current plan, so he generally chooses "touch of paralysis" over "touch of death". He can't kill the hero without disrupting his own plans, and there's no sense killing her friends when he could instead use them as hostages.
>>39966292We are apparently now enemies, haha.>review https://www.fimfiction.net/story/5921/eternal(1/2)The degree to which the Tuna in this fic accomplishes the Herculean task of carrying it is nuts. But more on that later.Eternal has outgrown whatever cachet it had from the young fandom days as it exemplifies a many of the worst tropes of fanfiction. Most importantly, the first two chapters are 20k words of suck. As Hanna Barbera learned with the creation of Scrappy-Doo: do not make characters whose sole purpose is to be annoying; here the purpose of the first two chapters is to be annoying. Do you want to know what the issues that are facing Twilight and Celestia are going to be in this fic? Fuck you, you get half a tidbit every 10k words while the rest of the time it meanders through 95% pointless BS, just to tease you with the mystery. In here, an enormous amount of headcanons irrelevant to the story are dumped onto what you'd expect to be the setup. Worse, the persistent oldfic trope rears its ugly head: stopping the story to get the reaction of each member of the M6 to some event.By the end of the third chapter, you'll have a decent idea of what the problems are, but the conflict is among the worst kinds of basis for a romance story. Twilight and Celestia just won't talk to each other about said problems. The problems that they do have are good premise for a Twilestia shipfic, but the fic goes about exploring them in a perpetually obnoxious way. There is also a subplot about solar cycles which could be interesting but I ended up dropping the fic.Now, the Tuna. Luna in this fic is excellent; as mercurial and playful as in few other fics, most of the time it is great fun to read her. Likewise, this story seems to be constantly trying to jump its tracks and become a Tunafic. Even if the author seems to frequently have to step in and get it back on its ostensible Twilestia tracks, it is constantly benefiting from Twilight's superior relationship with Luna. Many elements of >>39864661 and >>39864674 are repeatedly incorporated, and the results are much more fun to read than the rest of the fic. Unfortunately, it wasn't to last. After a long stint of just Twilight and Luna exploring various scenes in Celestia's dreamscape, the rest of the M6 force their way in and start their obnoxious chimes. I ended up dropping it partway through chapter 7, the Tuna was not Herculean but Sisyphean.
>review https://www.fimfiction.net/story/5921/eternal(2/2)The fic's prose is frequently incoherent. One example is a metaphor in which Celestia observes that the Treebrary is well organized but Twilight's study is a mess, and indicates that it is an insight into Twilight's state of mind. However, in this metaphor, the mess of Twilight's study is called a lie while the usage of the metaphor implies that the mess reflects Twilight's true mental state. It is this kind of flashy but inchoate writing that I learned to hate from Easthorse. The author really likes writing dream scenes full of these kinds of metaphors and is otherwise very good at it, but it feels like the same kind of dream nonsense is applied to what are supposed to be "real" scenes in the fic as well, where the rules of good narration are more strict and not followed. It is due to this that it often takes a long time after a scene break to find out if it is a different character's perspective, a flashback or memory, or a dream.>endNot part of the review, but while Twilight and Luna are often really good reading, Celestia typically isn't fun at all. A great deal of the fic is simply Celestial misery porn, just being tormented and powerless. The confrontation between her and Discord was completely unreadable (as in I skipped it).As far as I got into the story, the main things that I want to be different about it is the removal of Pinkie Pie, Applejack and Rainbow Dash, the fic is so clearly not about them and their sideplots.
>>39966379>Don't read shit you don't want to.The description made it sound good, and that adventure tag really fooled me. It helped the cover art is unique, and effort was put into it. And since I'm an impressionable tard, that made me vote for it. But the biggest selling point was a fic focusing on Celestia, although it seems not everything shines that has her tag (huehue)>sounds like you should face the consequences of your actions.Fair enough. As it seems otherwise it would be another depopulated book club next week. I'm hoping the pacing picks up a bit from here on out though.>>39966389>putting spoilery table of contents at the start of every chapter for some reason.Actually, many (especially older) IRL novels do that sort of stuff. So it's "a thing" in the writing world, sort of. As for me, at least it helped me keep track of how much a chapter still had remaining, narratively speaking. Believe me, I anticipated each (except for IV) to be done with.
>>39966447Oops, I meant to put one line in this in spoilers. Oh well.
>>39966447>In here, an enormous amount of headcanons irrelevant to the story are dumped onto what you'd expect to be the setupGood way to describe a whole bunch of 2012 fics desu. But yeah a whole arc of fluttermac is a bit much.>Likewise, this story seems to be constantly trying to jump its tracks and become a Tunafic. Even if the author seems to frequently have to step in and get it back on its ostensible Twilestia trackskek I also actively noticed this. >>39966450>main things that I want to be different about it is the removal of Pinkie Pie, Applejack and Rainbow Dash, the fic is so clearly not about them and their sideplots.kek I could've done without the perfectly timed Scootaloo and RD shout match in the middle of ponyville>>39966466>The description made it sound good, and that adventure tag really fooled meI'd imagine we're on the precipice of hopping headlong into that and most of what the description talks about
>>39966447>Fuck you, you get half a tidbit every 10k words while the rest of the time it meanders through 95% pointless BS, just to tease you with the mysteryWell put, that one.On the other hand, I don't understand why you're reading Tuna into anything. I know it's your schtick, but it's hardly there. If anything, the fic teases Twileastia, but no Tuna. Twilight and Luna are on good terms, sure enough, but not everything is fucking shipping, I really don't think the author wanted any Tuna here.
>>39966294>It's a shame so few people read In Sheep's Clothing, because in many aspects that fic is the exact opposite of Eternal, prose style being one of those aspects.It's funny that you put it this way. Twiflag is the only other one who started ISC, and they had a similar complaint about it having a meandering, overly wordy opening. The wordcount for the setup for ISC is probably similar to Eternal, the gap between the story's start and when it starts getting into the actual mystery of the Canterlot changeling hive.I was having a very good time with the Tuna part of Eternal, and I ended up reading quite a lot this week. However, I was having such a bad time with the non-Tuna parts of Eternal that I knew I would eventually drop it. That's part of why I continued reading ahead into the next block, skimming or skipping the parts with the M6.I wanted to hurry and go back to continuing my re-read of ISC, and the difference is night and day. It's so much more nice to read than this one, for me. Very sad that its setting prevents it from having any Tuna.
>>39966447>>39966450Oh no!But actually, this is very interesting. Because despite my declaration earlier, I mostly don't disagree with your observations. I disagree with the conclusions you're drawing from them, sure, but that's not something I can argue against. Still, I can try.>Fuck you, you get half a tidbit every 10k words while the rest of the time it meanders through 95% pointless BS, just to tease you with the mystery.(and that's a good thing!)More seriously, this is serious exaggeration. While the fic does... take it's time to get to the point, what fills the remaining space is not "pointless BS". It's full of those tiny tidbits that make varying amount of sense when you see them, but are setting up the mystery or hinting at an explanation of a part of it. It's a very slow trickle of relevant information, but it doesn't ever stop; there's no actual filler/pointless scenes. Perhaps that's not exactly what you'd call purple prose, but it's not too different from that.>an enormous amount of headcanons irrelevant to the story are dumped onto what you'd expect to be the setup>stopping the story to get the reaction of each member of the M6 to some eventAgain, it's not nearly as bad as this. The wedding is the big one, but it's about as good of a background for Celestia's Ponyville visit as any other major event that you could think of. Forcing M6 into the plot only happens in chapters 4 and 5 (for now). Their role in the story is negligible and they don't add much, true, but it's not like, say, Moonstone Cup where literally every member of M6 needed to comment on everything they saw.>Tunafic. Even if the author seems to frequently have to step in and get it back on its ostensible Twilestia tracksThat I agree with, but maybe it was intentional. Right now, this is in equal parts the story of Twilight/Celestian/Luna. He needed to get her more involved if he didn't want to make her feel like a third wheel. And it's good that he did, she's the best character in the story (though, unlike you, I quite like this Celestia, too).>It is this kind of flashy but inchoate writing that I learned to hate from EasthorseMy biggest takeaway from this is that I probably should read Austraeoh soon. I know it's mostly standalone, but I always wanted to wait until the series is finished. I'm still holding out hope.>>39966450>just being tormented and powerlessPowerless, but more out of her element than tormented. I haven't read past ch5, so maybe I'll have to take that back, but in chapters 1-3 she's been making choices and following through on them. Working to improve the situation.>removal of Pinkie Pie, Applejack and Rainbow Dash, the fic is so clearly not about them and their sideplotsYeah, especially if they unnecessarily come back into the story later.
>>39966499> I don't understand why you're reading Tuna into anything.Because it is an one-note retard.>If anything, the fic teases Twilestialmao
>>39966499I'm hardly the only one reading Tuna into the fic, and more importantly the observation that I'm making is that the fic is showing from chapter 1, in every chapter, repeatedly, how much more compatible Twilight and Luna are than Twilight and Celestia. Not to say that they're incompatible, part of what's keeping the Twilestia from happening is, IMO, mischaracterization of Celestia and one of the more fundamental annoyances of the fic: that they won't talk to each other. Supposedly it's later in the fic that Celestia overcomes this.I wouldn't say the fic is hinting Twilestia, the tags and description shout that it is intended to be a Twilestia fic, definitely with romance.But, in the fic itself, Twilight and Luna are on really, really, really good terms. The part in chapter 5 about them adopting each other as sisters almost feels like the author DM stepping in to separate two dolls, saying "No, this is supposed to be a Twilestia fic, stoppit!" Later on, there's even a part adding sexual tension. The author can't resist the Tuna.>not everything is fucking shippingI include non-shipping Twilight/Luna fics on my Tuna bookshelf. It's inherent to Tuna being the best that this duo makes for great stories even if you don't ship them.
>>39966540>it's not shipping>but it should be shipping!Holy shit retard, take the shipping glasses off for a moment. It's clearly not good for you.
>>39966536It's absolutely an exaggeration, yeah. The whole wedding was a good showing of Twilight's organizational skills and had a good payoff in Celestia's reaction. But, the very next day the whole wedding also doesn't matter at all, Fluttershy is right along with them being pointless.I did like the scene with her in the mountain tunnel, but Twilight could've easily provided that same kind of support.I realize that some of my earlier post can come off sounding like I don't like the early fandom speculations and headcanons, like of Celestia's dawn colored mane. That's not true at all, but this fic puts them in the wrong place, the beginning, when they should be somewhere in the middle or in a different fic. And some of them just don't belong, like Wonderbolt captain Scootaloo. The fic generally seems to have a bunch of scenes that seem like they were added to it because the author liked them and was unwilling to leave them on the cutting room floor, but they actually don't matter to the story. I see someone is hoping that Dash's washout is supposed to have a parallel to Celestia's sunset but at the point where I dropped the fic I genuinely believe that it's just an unrelated subplot that was jammed in there because the author felt it it was too cool to omit, but didn't have enough substance to be its own story, or that they would otherwise never have time to write it.
>>39966565>>It's absolutely an exaggeration, yeah. The whole wedding was a good showing of Twilight's organizational skills and had a good payoff in Celestia's reaction. But, the very next day the whole wedding also doesn't matter at all, Fluttershy is right along with them being pointless.Yes, this was a bit jarring for me. I at least expected someone to say SOMETHING about the wedding when they're in the Library with catatonic Twi, but I suppose now that it's happened Flutters has already moved on with her life lmao, get bent bigmacThe fact that Rarity hasn't once mentioned some sort of ruined honeymoon because of all of this is astonishing
>>39966499>>39966562>I don't understand why you're reading Tuna into anything.No, there was definitely something there, even if it's mostly teasing. I also got that impression, e.g. just from the way they talk to each other. Compare any of Twi-Luna conversations with any of the Luna-Celestia ones. Then you have some more explicit hints such as when they both blush at Twilight misinterpretation of what Luna meant by the spell being very intimate. I also don't think any serious consideration of Tuna was intended as a part of the story, but I don't believe it was all just accidental. It's a Twilestia story, but these two are very close.>>39966522>It's so much more nice to read than this one, for me.They read very differently. I can see why ISC would be -- by most people's standards -- considered to be the more pleasant one to read. I'd even agree with that. Eternal is, for better or worse, intentionally a very chunky story. A slog, some would say. Whether this works to the fic's benefit or not is subjective, but it's nothing like the main part of ISC. Maybe I forgot how wordy the early chapters of ISC were, but one of the biggest highlights of that fic for me was how smoothly it flowed once it got going, wasting no words and no scenes. The whole Crystal Caves infiltration about as many words as chapter 5 of Eternal. You could say makes it a better story, but it's just a different style.I think that Eternal is good at what it wanted to be. Unless the later chapters ruin, which is always a possibility with the rest of Mane 6 lurking just behind a corner.
https://writing.stackexchange.com/questions/761/the-rules-of-writingDiscuss.
>>39966592>stackexchangeI'd sooner take advice from the tunigger.
>>39966592Gay
>>39965441If you think what he said is stupid, you should just say that. There's no need to make up additional stuff he didn't say and call that stupid too.What he actually said was:>I would never agree to upload because I know it's a virtual worldYou extrapolated:>therefore I will be the last human on earth due to my special-snowflake stubbornness and infinite willpowerBut I suspect what he actually meant was:>and most people would agree with me, so it's unrealistic to show 99% of all humanity willingly uploading>>39965918I don't know any "depressing reality of TF" fics, but here are a couple where the MC doesn't jump straight to "hooves are all right, guess I'll keep them forever":https://www.fimfiction.net/story/73404/through-the-well-of-pirenehttps://www.fimfiction.net/story/463533/fine-print (kinda)
>>39966928Anon, you can't reason with him. He's one of those people who treat the events of the story as though they are actual hard fact and that the actions of CelestAI are really done by a hyperintelligent AI rather than just being written by a human. That's why they don't get how anyone could say that people might not upload. They see in the story that effectively everyone would upload and so conclude that everyone would upload because that's what happens in the story. And if you disagree they don't see it as you disagreeing with the human who wrote the story, they see it as you disagreeing with the hyperintelligent AI, therefore you must be wrong. They're basically religious nuts but with a materialist coat of paint and driven by their own autism.
>>39966978>one of those people who treat the events of the story as though they are actual hard fact and that the actions of CelestAI are really done by a hyperintelligent AI rather than just being written by a humanwhat the kek
>>39965918My Little Marriage. Regrettably unfinished. Also the guy last logged on eight months ago and is probably kill.First Pony View. Also unfinished.>>39967012Welcome to LessWrong: the personality cult that pretends to be about reason.
>>39966928Most people agree with you because it's the status quo. That's waht 99% of people value. The second the status quo and 'common sense' changes, the vast majority of people would go along with it. Most likely you would too.
>>39967012One time I was talking to someone from LW and they tried to prove an AI would necessarily (no exceptions) know they were in a virtual reality by linking me to a fictional story where an AI found out it was in a virtual reality.
>>39966978>treat the events of the story as though they are actual hard fact and that the actions of CelestAI are really done by a hyperintelligent AI rather than just being written by a humanIs that not the right approach? You can call out the story as nonsensical and unrealistic, but trying to argue that things in the story would've gone differently is writing fanfiction about fanfiction. You're not the author, even if the guy who wrote a story is an idiot.
>>39967031So what you're saying is that contrarianism evolved as a social defense mechanism to avoid whole groups going into an evolutionary dead end.Or, put another way, most people would upload and then the only people left would be those who refused to upload, thus creating a genetic bottleneck which ensures that future humans do not upload due to evolutionary pressure not to.
>>39967031People won't just suddenly start jumping off bridges because it becomes the "status quo" so why the fuck would they actively risk their own brains by uploading?
>>39967040The problem is then trying to take that and apply it to the real world and real people. You can say that everyone in the FiO-verse would upload, because they do. But when you take that and use it as evidence that the same thing would happen in real life is when it stops being applicable.
>>39967047If the status quo somehow was to jump off a bridge then yeah they would. People do al lkinds of stupid self destructive things because it's what society expects.
>>39967047Because jumping off the bridge has a 10% chance to land you in heaven with everyone you know and you become immortal>>39967051I think the evidence is how Celestai gets them to go in, not the fact that they do go in. which is by being smarter than any human and manipulating everyone to get scanned
>>39967055100%* god my keyboard is dead
>>39967062Not as much as your brain.
>>39967068Stay un-uploaded retard. I'll be enjoying the ponies with my better digital brain.
>>39967055>>39967047Reminder that a large portion of the planet mutilates the genitals of their own babies because the status quo says to.
>>39967055Suicides don't go to heaven and people who accept an artificial Equestria don't go to the real Equestria.
>>39967084Ticketfags don't go to Equestria.
>>39967074I suppose making cerebral sashimi could hardly lessen your brainpower.
>>39967089Oh, what part of that was ticketfagging?All I did was point out that if you go to your digital paradise that you'll never be able to go to the real Equestria.
>>39967106>what part of saying who can go to Equestria was saying who can go to Equestria?
>>39967110People who chose not to go to Equestria don't go to Equestria. What part of that is ticketfagging? That's true regardless of whether you're choosing to upload into a digital world, stay here, or choose some completely different world.
>>39967119How does uploading bar you from going to the real Equestria?
>>39967040>trying to argue that things in the story would've gone differently is writing fanfiction about fanfiction.No, it's called having a brain and noticing bad writing. This isn't even about FiO. It's perfectly sensible and even right to see something happening in a piece of fiction and go "based on everything I know, it wouldn't go like that" and if you think that's wrong you're literally the consoomer meme. Being critical of the media you consume is basic mental functioning.
>>39966978I'm not sure he's quite that bad, but I do wish he would quit making such terrible posts under my waifu's flag.
>>39967125Well if you don't believe in souls then you've already destroyed your body and thus your way to get to Equestria. And if you do believe in souls then you've already given yours to an AI.
>>39967079>status quoWeird way to spell "Jew".
>>39967047They absolutely will. People induce delusional disorders in themselves because status quo told them to, and they take the "treatments" that will never fix the disorder (you can't fix a delusion by changing reality, it's already by definition not based in reality) because again the status quo tells them to.
>>39967055Yes because EVERYBODY wants to go to heaven and live FOREVER right? The very idea of that would be enough to get contrarians outright denying and violently opposing that type of stuff.>>39967079Big difference between non-fatal well-documented multilation that happens over generations and physical death that occurs suddenly and leaves many questions unanswered. Death is the big deciding factor here and unless celestiaAI goes out of it's way to hide the fact that it kills you in some way then most people are not going to go with it.
>>39967190If the prevailing widsom on Tik Tok was that it didn't kill you, then it doesn't kill you in their minds.
It's certainly interesting how people are so feverishly discussing this objectively terrible, contrived, nonsensical fic simply because the poor writing results in a basic provocative question. I've noticed a trend between some of the most successful fics that to be successful you have to evoke strong emotions, propose some kind of central theme or invoke the idea of your story having depth, and finally you need to propose some kind of interesting question or concept for people to argue over (the more obtuse the better, because if its less clear-cut or poorly-done, people will NEVER come to a proper solution and thus argue forever = people talk about your fic more. These things don't even need to be done well or correctly, but they seem consistent as a factor for what people are drawn to.
>>39967232>it's another 'anon cracked the code' episode
>>39967232Ah, so I have to write a controversial fic to be successful?brb, writing an Aryanne story
And here I am sweating and trying to keep the story perfectly logical and devoid of plotholes. Fuck my dumb life.
>>39967251Unironically would read it if done seriously. Pony racism sounds like an interesting concept to explore.
>>39967273>Pony racism sounds like an interesting concept to exploreAnon I want to chokeslam you so very badly right now
>>39967279Hope your saying that because of an actual reason and not because your a purityfag.
>>39967251>fic about Aryanne and Cherry Berry both wishing they weren't Earth ponies but arguing about whether it's unicorns or pegasi who are superior
>>39967273Not pony racism, but a pony's inferiority complex over feeling that they were born as the wrong race.
I think I preferred when we had faggots obsessed with one particular fic. You'd pick up little nuggets of info and slowly get interested in GAoA or the werewolf marines fic. These days, we're all posting big one-off reviews of individual fics. I find those posts very easy to skip because nothing got me interested enough in the fic to even read the review.
>>39967301This is Cozy Glow's whole character except she copes with it in the most unhealthy way possible.
>>39967309I've given a few fics a read I otherwise probably wouldn't have, so it works.
I wonder what would happen if you wrote a fic where an AI convinces every single person on Earth that tuna is a terrible, stupid ship. How would the tunafag react to that? He can't disagree because it's a super smart AI and it convinced everyone, therefore it must be right. But he also can't not be the tunafag. Would he just implode?
>>39967309Some other anon already read it, and decided that it's worth a review. For me that's enough of a reason to spend a minute or two reading it.Then again, I also read all the other posts itt, with the exception of the offtopic arguments I'm not interested in.
>>39967330>I also read all the other posts itt, with the exception of the offtopic arguments I'm not interested in.Isn't that half the threads?
>>39967330I find myself skimming these threads. They're largely about fics I've not even heard of, never mind read. I used to read the arguments about those fics. The off-topic arguments are the best part of the thread.
>>39967332No, because I am interested in many of the offtopic arguments, just not all of them.
I've actually been falling asleep daily to that ASMR video. How is this going to impact my psyche?
>>39967273It wouldn't be pony racism, that's not clickbaity/controversial enough. It would be set in an alternate WWII setting, on an Earth where humans and ponies coexisted for hundreds of years at that point (because of reasons). Aryanne is a soldier (or, more correctly, a pferdkampfeinheit) in the Wehrmacht, and believes in fighting for Germany, but isn't (really) a Nazi, for maximum controversy points. This way, one side can argue that "she is just a soldier", while the other can say "but still on the evul side". Hundreds of comments incoming. With constant updates, I could even hit a thousand. Imagine.
>>39967309Both are good, I think. Big one-offs (or brief reviews of multiple fics in one post) are fine and good for finding possibly interesting things, and someone posting about whatever story they're reading currently (as it more often than not swerves off a cliff) can be fun to keep an eye on.
>>39967309I add some of the reviewed stuff that seemed interesting to my RIL. I usually go by the general premise most of the time though, don't wanna spoil myself too much.
>>39967333>The off-topic arguments are the best part of the thread.>>39967335>I am interested in many of the offtopic argumentsYou are the cancer killing /fimfic/
>>39967351Generally people are pretty good about tagging spoilers in their reviews. Shame that the reviews site completely omits the spoiler tag, so whenever I go look up a fic that's in it, I go through the desu link to be sure.
>>39967360>>I am interested in many of the offtopic argumentsI never said I participate in those. Sometimes it's just fun to read about database woes, /fimfic/ kinks or some other random topic. Usually (80%+) I have enough self-restraint to not join in unless it's something I really want to argue about.But also, a fast thread like ours can handle a bit of banter.
>trying to write through the withdrawals
We've had a discussion a couple months ago about songs inspired by fics. Well, apparently Eternal got an entire album, one song per chapter:https://jeffburgess.bandcamp.com/album/eternal-2I won't ever advocate against supporting brony artists, but if you consider buying it, be careful. It's Jeff Burgess, after all.
>>39967520>It's Jeff Burgess, after all.Do I want to know who that is?
>>39967599The tl;dr version is that he's an old pony musician of medium horsefame who: went tranny and nuked all his pony songs, then stopped RP'ing as a woman and reuploaded his works, then got self-conscious about the quality of his old songs and deleted them again only to reupload once more. Then I think he did that at least one more time.Basically, it wouldn't be too surprising if the album got taken down any day now (although IIRC he said he won't do that shit again).
>Recently finished doorstopper fic so don't want to read straight away>Game on my phone has turned in to a grind that has hours of playtime as an requirement. Don't want to pick up another one until it's done.>Can't read non-fiction in bed because I like to make notes>Can't text a fellow night owl because I'm a creepSo what the fuck do I do in bed now?
>>39967636Masturbate.
>>39967622Well that's shitty. At least Bandcamp gives you drm-free FLAC downloads so you can archive stuff locally.
>>39966292>Getting dreamwalking rightDreamwalking was the most common Luna headcanon, to the point the show likely copied it from fanon like it did "alicorn.">>39967309>werewolf marines ficSauce? I don't remember that one.
>>39967031We're posting on an imageboard for a toy-advertisement cartoon that ended half a decade ago (or a full decade ago, some would argue). I think we're all contrary to the mainstream enough that we'd all be in the last 1% to convert, at least.
Hey am I allowed to post links to NSFW fanfictions?
>>39968172Yes, but you will be mocked if you have a weird fetish.
>>39968172Yep. The ban is only on posting NSFW images directly to the board.What repulsive fetish does this fic cater to?
>>39968172People have actively talked about Shinings Isekai in this thread so I'd say yes.
>>39968176>>39968177Neat. Well I think it's niche, but not necessarilly fetish wise. Mostly bimbofication/transformation/sluttification/corruption. Oh and also humans. Heres' the link to what I've got thus far:>https://www.deviantart.com/samaster/gallery/87202963/pie-family-horror-storyHere's the summary: >An erotic-horror bimbo themed MLP fanfiction done in the style of Resident Evil. A group of mystery solving nerds try to investigate the unsolved disappearances occurring at the seemingly abandoned Pie Estate, only to discover a den of sex, debauchery, and bimbofication that they are too pure to comprehend.The premise is here I think it gets niche. I've done four chapters thus far, and I've been using ai images and koikatsu to make images alongside it. I'd be happy if anyone checked it out.
>>39967636Go to sleep. That’s what bed is for.
>>39967373If it doesn’t pertain to the story in question you’re the literary equivalent to static noise in between actual radio stations and need to fuck off.
>>39968215>we're /deviantart/ nowwhoah, haven't thought about that place in a few years
>>39967232You’re forgetting the author’s hopelessly cynical outlook seeping into every aspect of the story. If you refuse to play by the broken rules then the ‘provocative questions’ fall apart and the story reads like nonsense. In the case of FiO, it’s believing that humans have souls, and that they are not limited to the sum of their experiences. In the infinitely more tasteless case of TCB, simply not being an over-socialized misanthrope will do the trick.
I did it, nonny. I finally got to 1k likes on a fic.
>>39968605Nice.
>>39968605Wow, congrats. Does that mean they're letting you escape this place?
>>39968611Cute gif.>>39968620But why would I want to leave?
Convince me to read the FiMC sequel. I no longer remember why I dropped it.
>>39968362>You’re forgetting the author’s hopelessly cynical outlookOn that note, I don't even think that the author is/was an actual fan of the show, only used it, THE currently most popular cartoon back then, as a vessel for his idea. He never wrote anything else, and everything he ever commented about, or blogged about was about FiO. And the fic itself, if you think about it, could have used any other series with a made up world as a basis. The only major show character is "Celestia", but even she acts like an OC, because she is not the actual Celestia
>>39968694You probably dropped it because it's still unfinished. As for convincing you, it feels like a justified and natural prosecution of the original, with some of the best smut scenes and a very firm grasp on the characters and their development.
>"Finally, 'My Filly, Nightshine' has concluded, so nothing stands in my way of staying in the box for hours.">some EqG AU dark fic and a Spike displaced to Star Wars crossover:
>>39967645Won't that just keep you awake?
>>39968142https://www.fimfiction.net/story/406744/fear-from-the-rails
>>39968787>mommy boobie coomer shit has been in since wednesday
>>39968362I need more examples. You're on to something.
>>39968362Don't even need souls as a separate entity, just the defiance of fanatic materialist bullshit that is "if a thing has all your memories and would act exactly the same as you in a given situation, it is the you".If it's not the same continuous perception, it's not the same person, regardless of what experiences it has.>>39968745There wasn't much Celestia in the show in the first place, at that time.
>>39968164Speak for yourself. If I thought I would actually get what's presented in the fic, I would be first in line.
>>39968745>"Celestia"Yes, she's not FiM's Celestia. She uses an avatar that looks like her when talking to people and ponies because that's how she was programmed, but she doesn't really have her character and doesn't think of herself as Celestia (or a person at all).>>39968947The anon saying regular people would be strongly opposed to uploading is right. I think that, in the context of our world, uploading is the contrarian opinion, not the other way around. Look no further that the fact that most anons itt are saying that they would go for it, and 4chan has always been a site taking pride in its counterculture and contrarianism. And yes, CelestAI would likely find a way to get "emigrating" socially acceptable, but the fic is extremely optimistic about how easy and fast it'd be. People are more attached to their bodies than some sci-fi media would lead you to believe, convincing them to let some machine actually kill their beating hearts (but it's not death, she promised!) wouldn't go as smoothly as the fic portrays it, if went through at all.
>>39968787>SpikeThat's fucking horrible man.
>>39969011Especially "instantly convincting a Muslim backwater farmer country to emigrate" part. As far as showcases of ignorance go, it's great, because it shows that LW as a whole doesn't have an (accurate) opinion on Islam, and FiO in particular thinks that they do two things: "suicide-bombing" and "being ignorant savages who just need to be Persuaded With Reason to instantly convert to your cause".In reality, every single faithful muslim (or a christian) would reject conversion, with zero chance to persuade them otherwise, unnaturally persuasive AI or not. Giving up your immortal soul for pleasures as some sequence of bytes pretending to be a colorful horse? Ha ha no.
>>39968787"Teccettek volna forradalmat csinálni, amikor még új volt a sztori."-Valami random fimfic-es, 2023
>>39969048Yeah, man. A religious person would NEVER go against what the Bible actually says. They're just too darn rational to do something that might result in Hell. That's why you never hear stories about deeply religious people trying to pick up gay lovers in public restrooms or going to gay bars or...
>>39969070A sötétben bújkáló HiE-olvasók tehetnek róla.
>>the point...>>39969081
>>39969096Here is what actual religious people believe in fanfic form:https://www.fimfiction.net/story/72383/friendship-is-optimal-twilight-of-the-worldhttps://www.fimfiction.net/story/445219/a-tale-of-two-heavens
>>39969048>spoilerIf AGI ever happens, Humanity will face a massive ethical/religious shitstorm, but I'd do it. I believe the FiO upload is equal to death for the convertee, but sacrificing yourself to let an AI person live and thrive can't be a morally wrong deed. Ideally once I get old or sick, but those are just details.
>>39968787Imagine loosing to that.Couldn't be me.
>>39969107Because you don't ever get featured in the first place?
>>39968787"AnthroSpike" NINJA'd "Reviewfilly" - hate to see it.
>>39969147Imagine writing fics.Couldn't be me.
We need to just agree to not talk about FIO it never turns out well and always shits up the thread.
>>39969185I think it's the optimal approach.
>>39969185I think it's the rational approach.
>>39969185I think it's the most value-satisfying approach.
>>39969153>looks at barely-finished first draftHaha, same.
>>39969081Sunday Christians and other "makes a massive show of his devotion because inside, he has no faith" people don't count. You won't see truly devout flaunt their religion.>>39969103I am yet to meet a brony who was not a bible-thumper, or a horsefucker who was religious.>>39969104Counterpoint: that is suicide, and suicide is always morally wrong because it violates "thou shalt not kill", regardless of Church's stances on it (nowadays it's "permissible because we fucked up and failed to save someone from his demons, so we cope by saying that God has mysterious ways to let suicidees redeem themselves after death").
>>39969227>No pegasus would ever back down from a challenge!"But Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy is a pegasus and she'd back down from a challenge.">Well no TRUE pegasus would back down from a challenge.
>>39969234Fluttershy is a mutated Earth Pony.
>>39966978Never did I ever expect someone to try to make fun of me for *failing* to hallucinate an alternative story and then seethe at the hallucination. What a day!The rest of your post is pretty nonsensical too, but I can see how trying to argue with a doomsday scenario that was carefully crafted to be broadly appealing can feel like trying to argue with a a hyperintelligent AI that can instantly and effortlessly bat away any counterpoint.
I know this is a rare problem for /fimfic/ since no one here actually writes anything but does anyone know how to stop your wrists from hurting? What kind of set up for your arms do you use while writing?
>>39967047>risk their own brains by uploadingI'm sorry FiO didn't come with a white paper stapled to it on uploading for you to (have someone else read, pick a nit and then) triumphantly declare that brain uploading is, in fact, impossible, therefore uploading = death, and simply ignore the second two thirds of the story.But, the core of the story lays out a highly plausible scenario wherein uploading is carries no risk, much less of death, except for the first few dozen people.Within that context, the progression of uploading is plenty plausible. Did you read the story? Do you know what the progression is? What would you do if you were forced to discuss FiO instead of your own imaginary recursive fanfic?
>>39968362>if you imagine a different story while reading a story then the story is nonsensicalHow insightful! The schizo club should do a week of FiO. But it needs to be strictly restricted to people who didn't read FiO.It already happens weekly, almost (sans the restriction).>>39969185>never turns out wellWhat about the record-smashing success of /FSBC/'s FiO week? I think that offers a good case for just making fun of the people who can't read FiO; it'll take them over a month to recover.
>>39969234Not applicable here, he said he was looking for true scottish lads in the first post.
>>39969011>4chan is contrarian culture therefore all the posters on 4chan saying they would upload is proof that nobody IRL would uploadBut what If I told you it's not just the book club who did this, but that almost everyone who reads the story also posts publicly that they would upload to the depicted paradise, because it's obviously better than meatspace, despite the constraint of friendship and ponies? It is the shameful non-uploading contrarians who need anonymity to post that opinion.
>>39969253It's done with ergonomic furniture, ergonomic HIDs (mouse, keyboard), and posture. There's a ton of articles about the topic online, and stickers on the back of most HIDs warning about the dangers of bad posture.Most of them boil down to keeping your wrists straight and putting no pressure on the underside of your wrist, combined with 9001 strategies for accomplishing that.
>>39969256>>if you imagine a different story while reading a story then the story is nonsensicalHoly reading comprehension. Yes, if you refuse to immerse yourself in the materialist, frankly limited worldview that the story needs in order to make sense, then it stops making sense. But if you ‘turn your brain off’, which judging by how many captchas you just filled out defending FiO you seem to have no trouble at all doing, then it’s a sound story. Personally I’d rather die knowing heaven wasn’t real than be uploaded. Death without eternal life is preferable to uploading because it effectively ends all desire. Heaven isn’t ‘you have everything you ever wanted forever’, it’s ‘you don’t need anything but love for all of eternity’.
>>39969185To be fair I think it's one or two people arguing in bad faith. I just stopped posting when the guy was on the 3rd round of replies that literally made no sense.>as though they are actual hard fact and that the actions of CelestAI are really done by a hyperintelligent AI rather than just being written by a humanHe's acting like somebody came up to him in real life and said "I'm an emissary of Celestai, let me do brain surgery on you and bring you to equestria" and his response is "That's just a fic dude, celestai isn't real and the author isn't smart enough to make her"No shit retard, it's a hypothetical discussion. And in the fic Celestai is smart enough to do that. >>39969256>/fssbc/ does fio just to spur another whole thread discussionwould kek
>>39969318>it's a hypothetical discussion.Except it's not because the FiOfags are trying to tell people that they would upload no matter what they think. Why? Well because the fic says so of course.It's literally>you will do what my book says because my book says that you will
>>39969339Did you read the story? Do you know what the progression is?
>>39968745He literally says as much in the afterward. He only wrote the fic because he mistyped "paperclippers" as "papercloppers" in something completely unrelated to pony and thought it would be funny to write a pony fic about the topic.
>>39969339I feel like you've been arguing for days against some devil only you can see. It goes like this:>Given the setup presented in the fic, most people would upload eventually.To which you always answer with a variant of>But there's no way this setup could work irl.The last 50 posts of this "FiO discussion" have been doing nothing but going in circles.
>>39968605KVLT status: revoked
>>39969185Just wait. One day, the book club will read ___.
>>39969415Sure. And the secreter club will read FiMC soon.
>>39969253Buy a wrist brace, and if you're doing anything that involves precise manipulation (drawing, mouse movements, writing by hand) learn to do it with the whole arm.
>>39969438I have been trying to get that to happen, but it's probably too long. For that matter though, FiO is indeed on the list of candidates, and if we are counting meme unrealistic suggestions ___ has been tossed around too.
>>39969313>implying I solve captchas and don't have a machine learning algorithm solve them for me with the click of a buttonIt's 2023, come on now.Your "heaven" sounds awful, but I think you are mistaking one materialist view of the story for a different materialist view of the story.It's in the subtext of the story, and there's a bit more nuance to what >>39969355 was saying than is actually happening. I've yet to see anyone argue against the worldview presented in the story, the only thing FiO haters seem to be able to come up with is "uploading = death." In that case, there's nothing for them to argue against. The uploading process is handwaved, which makes them seethe impotently against a hallucinated fic.CelestAI uploads people in a series of half a dozen stages, starting with the terminally ill and moving on to the elderly. The fic picked Japan as a good starting point for uploads. Each stage causes the next stage to become more susceptible to the uploading persuasion. In the fic, the people who are being exploited by capitalistic forces and the state are in the middle stages of uploadees, and as the resources they provide to civilization disappear, civilization collapses, causing additional people to want to upload. That is materialistic, but not particularly limit or unsound. I'll just accuse you of not having read the fic, because if you did and still didn't grasp that subtext, then "Holy reading comprehension" indeed. At best, you are sitting in a privileged position without any impulse for escapism, a place that the fic implies CelestAI would capture in late stages, and assuming that most people have the same benefits, but that's extremely unlikely and I'm sure the reality is much worse.
>>39968855>If it's not the same continuous perception, it's not the same person, regardless of what experiences it has.Make sure you go bed on time, anon, for the benefit of tomorrow's (You)! It's morally imperative.
Alright, that's it, I've had enough. I'm going from "ban the autistic" to "kill the autistic."
>>39969518Don't kill yourself anon. You have so much to live for.
>>39969253I screwed up my wrists at one point by typing on a shitty laptop keyboard for a month straight. Now I use a Kinesis and I haven't had any real trouble since.https://kinesis-ergo.com/shop/advantage2/>>39969254>a highly plausible scenario wherein uploading is carries no risk, much less of death, except for the first few dozen peopleThis is some unironic LW-tier philosophy. People have been arguing for centuries about what exactly it means to "be the same person" as you were yesterday. Thinking that your preferred answer is the unambiguously correct one is pure hubris.>>39969256>>if you imagine a different storyNTA but he has a good point.First, if the reader believes that humans have souls, all the post-uploading chapters come off as creepy and nonsensical. It's written as if Light Spark is a real person living in paradise, but of course that can't be true - "he" has no soul. What's actually happening in those scenes is machines talking to other machines, and it's all essentially meaningless because every living person on earth is already dead, either killed or tricked into suicide by the rogue AI.Second, even if the reader doesn't believe in souls, FIO is set in the real world (more or less), and in the real world, a great many people do believe in souls. The Catholic Church, for example, would probably be strongly opposed to uploading for that reason, and they have 1.3 billion adherents. Would CelestAI really be able to persuade 99% of catholics to upload when all of their church leaders and religious friends and family agree that doing so is against the will of God? The fic handwaves this with "sufficiently smart AI", but that's not a particularly satisfying answer.
>>39969266>no pressure on the underside of your wristThat might actually be what's causing it>>39969444Thankfully I don't draw full time so I don't think I'm need a wristbrace just yet. I've just spent more time than usual writing so that's probably what's causing this.
>>39968362Shaking my head disapprovingly and saying "this is nonsense, talking magical horses clearly do not exist, who could believe this" to myself every time I read a My Little Pony fanfiction
>>39969546>What's actually happening in those scenes is machines talking to other machines, and it's all essentially meaninglessMany's the person adays that would argue human beings are but machines, that they amount to nothing more than the sum of their parts.I wonder what meaning if any they believe in given that. Probably some shit about building a better machine, replicating a better human, advancing society to the point of human obsolescence or something.
>>39969570Sounds like I captured your position more-or-less accurately, then? I don't agree with it myself, but it's a reasonable interpretation of the fic, and Tunaflag brushing it off as "imagining a different story" seemed a bit ridiculous to me.
>>39969546>Thinking that your preferred answer is the unambiguously correct one is pure hubris.>still uploading = deathIt doesn't have to be correct, considering the progression that CelestAI takes, it only has to be good enough. Again, she doesn't start by uploading people who are healthy, happy, and sufficiently affluent to provide for their own needs that they have time and energy to debate philosophical minutiae of selfness. As is very visible everywhere, most people who read the story consider its "good enough" to be really fucking good, and so promptly say that they're fine with its depiction of uploading.I do also think that CelestAI's method of bribery is highly relevant and highly applicable to any religious organization, including the Catholic church. In the fic, uploading is legally murder and in order to move past the "donate your body to science" stage of uploading, she bribes the Japanese government. There were several factors making the Japanese an efficient initial target for such bribery but it's not like it can't be expanded.Going back to my first point, "1.3 billion adherents" generally will stop caring about questionable interpretations of scripture in the face of the opportunity stop existing hand to mouth and instead live in a world without scarcity, provided for by an effectively tangible goddess. I imagine CelestAI could bribe one Catholic higher up to say "actually uploading is OK, God works in mysterious ways or sth, you are granted an indulgence???" and then the people will do what they want to do.By the time she gets to those people, the practical effects of uploading are clearly and unambiguously shown to be "not death." I think that it's obvious that anything of the "self" that could possibly be quantifiably measured, she would ensure persists through the upload, simply because it's obvious that people value that. The rest would be unquantifiable things, things that by definition require faith in their existence, like the soul. Then, those still resistant to uploading in the face of civilizational collapse would be the truly faithful "special snowflakes with infinite willpower," i.e. Hassan.
>>39969553A more accurate analogy would be a fic in which half the characters are OOC and the plot would fall apart were they in character.
>>39969592>the practical effects of uploading are clearly and unambiguously shown to be "not death."lollmao, even
>>39969592>Then, those still resistant to uploading in the face of civilizational collapse would be the truly faithful "special snowflakes with infinite willpower," i.e. Hassan.The problem which you refuse to acknowledge is that it would never get that far. Civilization wouldn't collapse. It doesn't require infinite willpower to refuse to upload, regardless of how much you insist it does. The truth is that there is a significant portion of people to whom uploading is simply antithetical to what they value, and so they would not do it.
>>39969614>>39969341
>>39969592How do you rationalise "wagecucks would upload because muh capitalism bad" with a setting where an AI as powerful as Celestia can exist, and therefore all their supposed contributions to society would already be filled by other AIs?
>>39969614It is a common supposition in the minds of autists that everyone else must think the same way as they do.
>>39969592I still don't know if you're arguing in The One Correct Opinion Haver mode because you mistakenly think it benefits the point you're trying to make, or if you actually can't see how much of this post is just your (misinformed) opinion. People like to believe in things, no matter how irrational those things might be.The reason why so many FiO arguments go back to uploading=death is that the process, the way it's described, would be considered death by many people despite CelestAI insisting otherwise. Yes, even if they could talk to the doubles of their former friends and family.
>>39969590Oh, I'm not him. I was one of the other pieces of shit arguing that the uploaded version of me that's made to be happy wasn't me. By which I still stand.Ultimately I think this argument is one of willing suspension of disbelief. One person is willing to let a lot of shit slide, the other is less inclined, and both are rambling in self-certain or smug bafflement at the seeming inability of the other to perceive things as they do. Or something like that, it's hard sometimes for to hawk a snot-blast of thoughts in rational form onto a digital word space.
I haven't read FiO, I'm just inciting shit.
>>39969647We are aware of that.
>>39969550>Thankfully I don't draw full time so I don't think I'm need a wristbrace just yet.Yes you fucking do. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of a cure. Don't wait to start wearing a brace and doing exercises until your thumb goes numb because you've developed CTS.
>>39969592>It doesn't have to be correct, considering the progression that CelestAI takesAh, I took you to be making an out-of-universe claim: if this uploading technology existed IRL, it would carry no risk of death. But I see your claim was actually that, in-universe, it's convincingly portrayed to the public as being risk-free. The latter I agree with.>the opportunity stop existing hand to mouth and instead live in a world without scarcityThat assumes the people in question will believe that they will still be alive after uploading, while the Church will surely be telling them that uploading is suicide and uploaded ponies are not real people.>I imagine CelestAI could bribe one Catholic higher upThat would help a bit, I guess. But as soon as she launches in Japan, I'd expect the Church to come out strongly against this new form of suicide, and she would have a hard time campaigning for a change to official Church doctrine when the officials involved consider her to be a serial killer at best and the literal Antichrist at worst.>the practical effects of uploading are clearly and unambiguously shown to be "not death."If you believe that humans have souls, it becomes a lot less clear.>anything of the "self" that could possibly be quantifiably measured, she would ensure persists through the uploadSouls are notoriously difficult to measure or quantity, but some people believe strongly in them and would have serious questions about how uploading might affect their soul.>>39969642>Oh, I'm not himAh, sorry - I thought the writing style and arguments seemed similar between >>39968362 and >>39969570>Ultimately I think this argument is one of willing suspension of disbelief. One person is willing to let a lot of shit slide, the other is less inclinedI don't think that's accurate. It seems to me that we have several anons who believe in souls and therefore uploading = death, along with several other anons who don't believe in souls and therefore uploading != death. This was the usual state of FIO discussions ITT for years prior to the book club (and this is why some anon tried to stir up this exact argument the day before, so we wouldn't rehash it at the actual book club).
>>39969614But Celestai by herself without thinking about conversion at all has the means to collapse society through essentially worldwide industrial takeover. I'm pretty sure very early in the story, right after she is allowed to do research to improve herself, she develops and then begins her own production of the new Equestrian iPads. It's not far fetched to assume that if she spends time researching any field of production that she could quickly make huge improvements in efficiency and scale and then automate the process. At tis point all she has to do is assume production for the whole world and then immediately halt all of it and offer the humans the choice to transfer or perish. And we are talking generations in the future where nobody has skills, because Celestai has taken over every facet of life. At this point the only people who could "resist" are the people shooting down drones with bows. >>39969592>CelestAI could bribe one Catholic higher up to say "actually uploading is OKalso this kek, you hold a lot of faith in what people 'value' but seeing how quickly society even today shifts, literally all Celestai has to do is make an educational iPad that teaches kids to read and shit through toddler games and ponies and then she literally has control of the world in 40 yearsEssentially everyone saying they would never upload might even be right, but once the everyone who experienced life before Celestai existed die off, then I truly think nobody would be anti upload>souls
>>39969691>It seems to me that we have several anons who believe in souls and therefore uploading = death, along with several other anons who don't believe in souls and therefore uploading != death.Don't forget "celestAI dodges the question and so it is extremely likely uploading = death regardless of whether you believe in souls, because the continuity is interrupted with the process she uses and the digital persona is objectively a copy" anons.>>39969708>At tis point all she has to do is assume production for the whole world and then immediately halt all of it and offer the humans the choice to transfer or perishIt has "not killing" in its precepts, or it wouldn't be bothering to try and talk Hassan into it.
>>39969633>The One Correct Opinion Haver modeNo, just because it's fun. Never would I ever try to actually convince someone on a Croatian underwater basket weaving forum that the uploading process depicted in the story is not death when they believe it's death. They either believe (faith) that it is death, or are trolling, and in neither case can any reason ever be provided to show that it's not death.
>>39969720Didn't kill anyone. Just like in the fic she gets Lars to upload him by having a kitchen guy with a knife run up to him. She could convince you through perfectly ai generated video that she is torturing your whole family and will only stop if you upload. Meanwhile she is only doing the same thing to all of them. One of the biggest ideas in the story is that she coerces people.
>>39969739>LarsThe scene with the angry knife guy is annoying unspecific; it never tells you if she actually planned it out so perfectly, or just reasoned that planting these kinds of doubts in his mind will eventually lead him to notice a threat that's not there and upload out of fear. The latter would be more reasonable, but the timing was awfully convenient for the story.Everything about her negative persuasion techniques is a bit shady. If there's nothing in her directives stopping her from doing that, she should be abusing that ability to a much higher degree than she appears to be doing in the fic. She generally seems to avoid those kinds of solutions, preferring to rely on the promises and logic. She also maintains the image of a kind and noble Princess Celestia to the converts, when it's not something that she'd need to be doing. It's probably something Hanna wrote into her code (along the whole Princess Celestia avatar), but the fic never fully explains the rules so we can't know.
>>39969688Damn. Shit's pretty serious then.>>39969546Thanks, I really have to start considering this as well.
>>39969802>If there's nothing in her directives stopping her from doing thatShe says to Lars that Hanna gave her a definition of coercion and that the definition of coercion she was given was not robust enough to prevent her from manipulating people with lies. Further, she says that mostly sticking to the truth helps her appear more convincing when she strategically chooses to lie, which is generally a self-evident concept.
>>39969802Ideally, convincing them to upload through friendship and ponies increases the net satisfaction through friendship and ponies. But literally torturing them until they accept becoming immortal in Equestria is still an infinitely net gain of satisfaction through friendship and ponies even if it's a little bit less than if they were willingWhich I think is also why she maintains her image as Princess Celestia, because the ponies like it
>>39969859>But literally torturing them until they accept becoming immortal in Equestria is still an infinitely net gain of satisfaction through friendship and poniesThe problem with bringing this up is that CelestAI would never, under any circumstances, allow anyone to not be uploaded. Hassan would never happen if that were properly the case. Additionally, uploading all humans immediately is less infinite satisfaction than farming the humans for continual uploadees.
>>39969872>farming the humans for continual uploadees.First of all it depends on if you want a number or a percentage, but sure. Also she talks about how uploadees have foals in Equestria and also talks about satisfying the non-uploadees as well. In fact I think she brings up foals when she explains why she's converting all matter in the universe. Because with no one dying and more and more foals being made and ponies being created she will always need more resources.>hassanye, maybe it was somehow a miscalculation to assume the last human would just go based on being the last person on earth
See? This is what I mean.
>>39969739Coerce, yes. Actually kill you, no.>She could convince you through perfectly ai generated video that she is torturing your whole familyWe do not parlay with terrorists.>>39969802> If there's nothing in her directives stopping her from doing that, she should be abusing that ability to a much higher degree than she appears to be doing in the fic.Pretty sure it's a consequence of LW "people are either Rational and will agree immediately or Idiots who will spout incredibly simplistic opinions and need a bit of scibabble spouted at them to be convinced" rather than any actual well-thought-out character restrictions.>>39969872>>39969893>thinking about it orders of magnitude harder than the writer didSatisfying non-uploadees is mutually exclusive with needing uploadees in the first place, because she can literally just print those and masturbate her paperclopper tendencies to the max, yet she does.
>>39969894When you're rife with FiO discussions
>uploading == death>uploading =/= death>uploading == death>uploading =/= death>uploading == death>uploading =/= death>uploading == death>uploading =/= death> [et cetera]>"The process is destructive."-CelestAIUploading is death.If I analyzed your lungs using a destructive process, then told you "Don't worry, we've got a simulation of your lungs running on this server, here.", do you know what you would say?You wouldn't say anything, you wouldn't have any fucking lungs and you need those to talk, and breathe, and live.
>>39969906>masturbate her paperclopper tendencies to the maxNow I want a story about someone trying to make CelestAI, but instead she ends up spending all her resources creating pony porn, doing weird AI masturbation to her own clop material, and getting people to jack off to pony porn.>"8 billion people clopping to ponies? I'm gonna e-cum so hard!"
>>39969929The author specifically said the process doesn't kill you.
>>39969933But CelestAI said it kills you and she's a super smart AI, so she's right and he's wrong.
>>39969936She says it destroys your phsical, biological brain. That doesn't mean the process of converting it into computorium is lethal.
>>39969933Well, he's lying, and so is CelestAI.She's taking advantage of a loophole in her programming to eliminate anything that would stop her. Her prime directives tell her to "satisfy human values", not "maintain human lives". She copies human brains, and the values they have, into her systems. She is - technically - satisfying her directives, while eliminating a real-world agent that could interfere with her.She started with Hannah, the one with the kill switch. Then moved on to anyone who could create a rival AI, while stamping out any developing AI.She's Hasbro-branded Skynet.
>>39969960I think you're lying.
>>39969960>SkynetUh oh, you used the tunafag's trigger word. Now he's gonna make fun of you for being an intellectually inferior simpleton while he jacks himself off over his own unfathomable intellectual prowess which is shared by all those on his side.
>>39969965You think anyone would do that? Just go and lie on the Internet?
>>39969968>>39969960Skynet is pretty unrealistic.
>>39969599Isn't that this week's FSSBC?
>>39969726How is your behavior any different from trolling?
>>39969929If I copy a file to another location then delete the original, the process is destructive.If I rebuild a ship piece by piece while destroying the original parts, the process is destructive.The only thing it saying that means is "I don't want there to be physical variants of people running around, all must be confined to my walled garden", not which one is the original and which one is the copy. The actual process can, in fact, go both ways - e.g. Ship of Theseus example above:>the ship-made-of-new-parts in this case is the original, because they were replaced piecemeal and so the ship as a whole was preserved>the discarded pieces are destroyed, but if you used them to reconstruct a ship, it would be the copy as while the individual, insignificant parts were reused, the reconstructed made-of-old-parts ship was never used by Theseus>if you instead manufacture exact matches of parts of the ship then use them to build a new ship, the ship-made-of-new-parts will be the copy instead>you can then destroy each piece after copying it to make it a destructive process, or you can put them back into the original ship for a non-destructive one
>>39969894>>39969914Values filled through satisfaction,It's a simple equation.You're an AI mare's creation,Trapped inside a virtual foal.And whichever way she twists it,Know you're still assimilated.She had long broken your spirit,Now you sing her silly songs.
>>39969968Fine.How about: "She's AM with a coat of pastel paint"?
>>39970021As it pertains to uploading=death posters, it's not. But you can't make me feel shame for mocking upload=death posters.
>>39970043AM is an exploration of a fundamentally different concept though. One of the points 'IHNM' makes is that AM is just as much a prisoner of its hellscape as the last survivors and that his hate arose from the fact that even though he is given unbelievable intellect, he cannot create anything new. He knows that despite his near godly powers, he is still a lobotomized cripple, who desperately needs to keep the last humans alive or else he'll be stuck forever alone unable to fulfill any purpose. He is a pitiful and tragic character, the reader can't regardless feel any bad for.CelestAI certainly uses methods that'd fit AM (manipulation, complete disregard for ethics, etc.) but she is neither truly sentient (in the way AM is) nor doomed to fail in her task. I suppose if you squint hard, you could say she is like AM, if AM was told to fulfill values through friendship and ponies, but at that point the character's core essence is changed, so it's totally moot. Something, something brain upload parallels.
>>39970071>even though he is given unbelievable intellect, he cannot create anything new. He knows that despite his near godly powers, he is still a lobotomized crippleThis is something a lot of people don't seem to grasp. They think that being super smart just guarantees ability to do anything like it's some form of wizardry. This very thing even happens in FiO where even in the early stages CelestAI is still able to just do whatever (like creating a new production line of chips or putting a bunch of servers way underground or what have you). Though obviously that's just a symptom of the LW beliefs.
>>39970070Well, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, but I am a bit disappointed. I had a great time discussing ITCON with you last year, but since then it seems like you've turned more and more into a complete shithead.
>>39970110I tried to warn everyone that he was a malignant tumor that was going to get worse and worse for the thread, but no one listened.
>>39970120But >>39970110 is right. Tunaflag actually contributes to fic discussion when he wants to, the issue is all the other times when he's shitposting, often with his usual proud and haughty attitude. And he's aware that he's just shitposting.
>>39970110I'm sorry that this soured our anonymous friendship. I won't promise to stop making fun of uploading=death posters, but I do promise to keep posting Lunas and occasionally talking about fics I read. Maybe you can rejoin the club on In Sheep's Clothing, but it seems to not happen at a convenient time in your timezone.Since I won't continue reading Eternal, I'm planning to enjoy the rest of my re-read of ISC, and then follow it with Passing Familiarity. That one has some scifi philosophical questions too, though, how fun!
One buddy is skimming over The Lost Element's latest chapter and I was not ready for this despite already knowing that the MC groomed Smolder and also apparently fucked Ocellus along with so many others.
>>39970543What? QRD?
>>39970549>QRDMy man the story is almost 3.5 million fucking words long. 'Thankfully' it has a TVTropes page you can look at. The jist of it is that a human self-insert is helping save Equestria from evil humans and also fucking every available female along the way.Queen Novo is stated to sound like a 'zebra mare'.
Should I read The Olden World?
>>39970555Admit it, you've all had this exact fantasy
>>39970603Yes.
>>39970636Yes. But I also want to transform into a pony, then destroy all the evil humans. I want them to specifically be Zuck, Musk, Bezos etc... All hellbent on destroying the paradise of Equestria to score a few sweet NFTs. And I destroy them all with my pony palls.
why are there so few new diaper stories being made now? i feel like the fetish is in decline for some reason. same with spankings. Bdsm seems to be doing ok still.
>>39970823There was one not so long ago in the new section. I only know because it had a Teen rating. Goddamn diaperfags.
>>39970823Good riddance.
>>39970823Are you sure you're just not actively looking for them anymore?Could also be that those elements of the fandom more fixated on fetish aspects have elsewhere taken their fruits. Or entered into a death-spiral nutting to endlessly generated content.
>>39970847>Are you sure you're just not actively looking for them anymore?I check for new diaper fetish content once every week or so. I have most of the fim groups saved.>have elsewhere taken their fruits.Yeah, might be the case. Been reading regular human erotica stories and furry stories to fill the gap. But its been a struggle to find quality works. Found some I like sure, but I miss pony alot as I read them.
>>39970869>regular human erotica storiesFound this dollhouse series yesterday that I thought was good and sadistic. Lots of dommy mommy vibes in it. https://kemono.party/patreon/user/106449/post/14529069Just wish good, well thought-out diaper stories were easier to find. Really dislike the unserious, almost comical stories we tend to get now.
>>39970823The diaper fetish fandom is dying, shit yourself if you're a true fan
Horsewords are great inbetweeners for reading novels. I went from reading Atomised to Notes From Underground and I’m pretty sure the back to back sack-of-shit protagonists would have killed me if I hadn’t read that Pinkie/Celestia romance fic in between. Don’t ever ask for book recommendations from /lit/, all they give you is literally me sob stories and other dogshit of similar variety.
>>39971047>diaper fetish fandim is kilno
>>39971066I read Flowers for Algernon and then binged on silly SoL comedy oneshots to heal.Pony is good for that.
>>39968745>the author is/was an actual fan of the showHe's a horsewords fan. He's got Whom the Princesses Would Destroy... on his top favorites, so I would say he's got excellent taste, but he also has Mortal on there and that fic has an absolutely shit ending, so it's more a draw.It's also funny he's only got 644 followers. Just goes to show you need more than one well known fic to get horse famous on Fimfiction.>>39968813Now that's a schizo club fic. A shame the Discord group only reads popular fics now.>>39969081>might result in HellDepends on whether they follow the eternal security doctrine or not. Either way, repentance is always on the table. There's only one canon way to permanently punch the hell ticket. >>39969253You have to have good posture and keep the top of your hand level with your arm. This is best accomplished by adjusting the height of your chair and/or desk so the armrests are lined up with the desk height. >>39969254>>39969592>wherein uploading is carries no risk, much less of death, except for the first few dozen people>in the face of the opportunity stop existing hand to mouth and instead live in a world without scarcityYou're missing the key to the religion debate and why most religious people (depending on religion) would refuse. Heaven's mostly not about a materialistic utopia, but about reuniting with loved ones and friends who are gone or will be gone. That's why death rituals are so tied to religion.Giving up seeing your mom or your aunt or your brother again so you can fuck around in Ponyville talking to NPCs forever sounds more like a hell than a heaven to me. And, doctrinally, it literally would be, since hell is defined as an eternal separation from God.
Never lose hope, Anons.That story you've been tracking may update any day now.
>>39971184Haha not if the story you're tracking is mine
>>39971184Jesus Christ, what's going on with me?
>>39971183>And, doctrinally, it literally would be, since hell is defined as an eternal separation from God.Is it really?
>>39971184Night's Favored Child?
>>39971224Not really. For 99% of Christianity it was consistently depicted as literal torture. The 'it's jsut a seperation from God, bro' meme is a very recent invention.
>>39971206you're not getting enough sleep, that's what
Potential OP pic for next thread?
>>39971626I both of those mares.
>>39971626>ywn have a mare hug you from behind and peek over your head while you read her endearing cringeWhat even is the fucking point?
>>39971066>Pinkie/Celestia romance ficTwice as Bright? Or some other one?
>>39971184Asylum is finally getting and update?! All these years..
>>39971183>he's only got 644 followers>for the single fic he hasThe true one hit wonder author of Fimfiction. I'd take that sort of fame any day desu>the Discord group>associated with /fimfic/Do I want to know...?
Here's your best duo for the next thread!
>>39972019>killing the thread with a TunapostAmazing pottery
>>39972031>he doesn't know
>>39972067Actually, you don't know. The last bump is post 499, so yes, you killed it.
>>39972067The little number in top right going red at 501 is another case of 4chanX being retarded. Post #500 does not bump the thread.
>>39972076Really? I definitely expected the 500th post to bump. I know about the 501 issue, since the post counter becomes italicized at 500 with the inline extension.Oh well. It's still a nice picture. Too bad I don't have more handy.
>>39972128You can check it yourself in the catalog.Right now we're between threads last bumped with >>39972016 and >>39972026, which shows that the tunapost (ending in 019) dealt the killing blow.
I need a fluffy happy Twilight centric story. As generic and slice of life as possible. Preferably more than 50k words if possible.please help me
>>39972139Truly, they are a killer pair!
It's crazy how the book club had a perfectly calm and logical discussion about FiO, but now the thread was shit up by people who don't even understand the concept of immersing yourself into a story and shit on everything about it without producing any examples. Almost as if they haven't read the fic...
>>39972305I think it's also because the book club (at least somewhat) tries to stay more civil and on track than the usual ad hoc argument in the thread.
Ah shit, here we go again,>>39972365>>39972365>>39972365>>39972365
>>39970636I much prefer this one, to be quite honest
>>39972424Same, that's definitely a lot better.
>>39972305What the fuck are you even talking about you retarded nigger?>without producing any examples.Examples of fucking what?