tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post94208722371979267..comments2024-03-04T02:09:30.979-06:00Comments on One Man's Pony Ramblings: 6-Star Reviews Part 74: Stargate: EquestriaUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-89230498419684118432012-09-07T22:22:30.203-05:002012-09-07T22:22:30.203-05:00Hmm. I try not to "shaft" things based ...Hmm. I try not to "shaft" things based on my own familiarity or lack thereof with source material (and in my defense, I'll observe that there are several crossover stories whose second source I was unfamiliar with which rated 3-5 stars, Fo:E, Jack and the Ponies, and Creeping Darkness come to mind), but I take your meaning. Honestly, I usually don't read crossovers when I'm not familiar with both sources, but doing this blog has convinced me that there's no reason why a story can't be accessible to everyone (to use Fo:E as an example again, it's completely readable by those, such as myself, who've never played the Fallout games, and except for a few details about the canon characters, is remarkably accessible to Fallout fans who've never watched MLP). <br /><br />And to the question "what the hell are you doing, reading a FiM/SG-1 crossover, if you don't already like both FiM and SG-1?" I would answer: "It was posted on Equestria Daily, a pony-specific site, with a note saying that '[even] the non-Stargate prereaders liked it.'" I don't think a non-Stargate fan could be blamed for assuming on that basis that this story should be relatively accessible to them after the first chapter. Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11581572699330155065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-15932620018840290532012-09-07T02:10:19.035-05:002012-09-07T02:10:19.035-05:00While I agree that a FiM fic should appeal to FiM ...While I agree that a FiM fic should appeal to FiM fans, there is no reason a crossover needs to force itself to appeal more to one of it's 2 demographics. In fact, that irks me. I feel that a TRUE crossover should appeal EQUALLY in every way to it's source canons. Even if that means it confuses those who are not already familiar with both.<br />But honestly, what the hell are you doing, reading a FiM/SG-1 crossover, if you don't already like both FiM and SG-1?<br /><br />Kind of sick of these crossovers getting shafted in these reviews simply because the reviewer doesn't watch much TV or play many videogames.DPV111https://www.blogger.com/profile/01437920503784386649noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-12920373588780336112012-09-07T02:04:57.203-05:002012-09-07T02:04:57.203-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.DPV111https://www.blogger.com/profile/01437920503784386649noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-36131924160945887682012-08-11T18:59:56.873-05:002012-08-11T18:59:56.873-05:00This was a dirty pleasure of mine. Mainly for Dan...This was a dirty pleasure of mine. Mainly for Daniel getting to sit and read with Twilight ( OH GOD I WANNA!!! <3 <3 <3 ) and the delight in O'Neal's dealing with colorful ponies.<br /><br />Yes, this is a story JUST FOR SG-1 fans. It was made as if it was an episode from the series.<br /><br />This story is the same as someone having a hard time plopping down into the show half-way through the SG-1 series. <br /><br />In the episodic sense, it does fit the theme of the show very well, including the musing over bestiality. The show did frequently throw in little off-color nuggets like that.<br /><br />That being said, it was weak at a number of point, and as an SG-1 fan, I'd give it a 3 of 5.Alondrohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03723139379439204852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-71344328160096911672012-06-05T18:25:15.163-05:002012-06-05T18:25:15.163-05:00Oh yeah. There was that. Point taken!
That was p...Oh yeah. There was that. Point taken! <br /><br />That was pretty dark for a joke that is borderline in even being referred to as humour. I guess I moved past that with little trouble as it's the kind of gutter-trawling banter I'd expect from my usual circle of friends. So I guess that makes it more of a general tone issue. In a generally bawdy work, it would likely go unnoticed, or at least easily dismissed as the joke we assume it's intended to be.InquisitorMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10209346997929773686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-11514445451055529452012-06-05T18:10:20.114-05:002012-06-05T18:10:20.114-05:00>Well, I guess we'll see you Friday, consid...>Well, I guess we'll see you Friday, considering how UNGODLY LONG this next story is.<br /><br />What? No, Past Sins is definitely being posted Wednesday. I definitely didn't put together a filler post just now explaining how I'm still reading...Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11581572699330155065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-47244644906764956172012-06-05T18:08:35.925-05:002012-06-05T18:08:35.925-05:00Heh, this conversation reminds me of when we learn...Heh, this conversation reminds me of when we learned about different perspectives from which to analyze stories in school (8th grade, maybe 9th? Something like that). Sometime between learning about the humanist perspective and the feminist perspective (being a typical teenage boy, you can imagine how much sympathy I had for <i>that</i> perspective at the time) I raised my hand and plaintively asked, "Can't we just analyze stories by how good they are?"<br /><br />As far as how one can judge this story, I think two criteria are in play here: the fact that it was submitted to Equestria Daily, and the fact that it achieved 6-star status. Although the story's accessibility could be judged differently if it were submitted, say, Fanfiction.net as a Stargate/Pony hybrid, submitting to EqD means that it is valid to judge it as a piece of MLP fanfiction, and moreover that the author intended this to be, at the very least, a valid perspective from which to judge it, and that's exactly what I did in my review. As Mr. M points out, there are other perspectives from which it could be judged, but as he also allows, that's the perspective from which I'm evaluating the stories I read, and it's not an inappropriate one under the circumstances.<br /><br />As for the 6-star tag, that should indicate that this is one of the best stories in the fandom. While not everyone likes the same things, I think a certain level of accessibility is required to consider something a paragon in its field. A great romance should be enjoyable even to people who "don't like" romance novels, a great fantasy series should be able to draw in even readers who don't normally read swords and sorcery stuff, etc. It's true that the author had nothing to do with the rating being assigned, but I'd still consider that a legitimate way to judge the story.<br /><br />Oh, and the "mild disgust" I was referring to came from Daniel asking, with apparent sincerity, whether having sex with a pony was really bestiality, since both participants were sentient. That's not a conversation I want idly dropped into a fanfic: it should either be examined seriously (which is something I'm not sure I'd want to read anyway, but that's just me and my hangups), or should be made so ridiculous that it's impossible not to laugh. The presentation here was casual but sincere, and I found it uncomfortable as a result.Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11581572699330155065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-57663539914864381772012-06-05T03:47:22.510-05:002012-06-05T03:47:22.510-05:00Well, for starters, that doesn't prove anythin...Well, for starters, that doesn't prove anything. It's perfectly possible to write something for yourself and then post it around when it's done. Posting to EQ:D only proves that it was posted to EQ:D, not how or why. <br /><br />The point is that we (or at least <i>I</i>, don't know, and such motivations must be discarded for the purpose of review.InquisitorMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10209346997929773686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-15266831310979119372012-06-04T21:04:05.980-05:002012-06-04T21:04:05.980-05:00He submitted it to Equestria Daily. His audience i...He submitted it to Equestria Daily. His audience is "fans of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic", and definitely not just himself.Present Perfecthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16195959811544391904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-49374540670245533542012-06-04T19:26:57.838-05:002012-06-04T19:26:57.838-05:00Yes, but that assumes that his intended audience i...Yes, but that assumes that his intended audience is just 'all pony fans'. Maybe he was happy to pitch only to those that liked both. That's really no different than writing shipping and knowing that you're alienating a big portion of the fan-base right off the bat.<br /><br />When we're looking at something like the Battletech crossovers, I can see the issue, but SG-1 is an extremely popular show. Over this side of the water at least, it was one of the few programs to rival Star Trek: TNG for prime-time re-run value, so assuming familiarity doesn't seem like a big deal to me.<br /><br />That, and maybe his audience is just 'whoever wants to read it'. One assessment is as arbitrary as the next, which is why I didn't pass any comment on Chris' rating; I only gave my own with my reasons for being different. Considering the name of the blog, Chris naturally evaluates the stories as pony fiction, thus the score is low, but that doesn't make it the only way to look at it. I mean, your statement of 'Writing for this fandom' says it all, because you're making the assumption that the author is writing FOR the fandom, rather than for himself. I for one don't know either way, but I see no reason to assume.InquisitorMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10209346997929773686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-61792750440453480532012-06-04T18:14:50.549-05:002012-06-04T18:14:50.549-05:00When writing a story, any story, you need to know ...When writing a story, any story, you need to know your audience.<br /><br />Writing for this fandom, the only assumption you can make is that your audience watches My Little Pony. (Not even that they watch it obsessively.) They know the characters, their personalities, the setting, and some of the circumstances of the show. That's it.<br /><br />This is why, when writing a crossover, you have to write it for your audience, and you cannot assume that your audience has any knowledge whatsoever of the crossover material. The best crossovers work this way. The rest get overlooked.Present Perfecthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16195959811544391904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-31291826363841885152012-06-04T14:27:16.765-05:002012-06-04T14:27:16.765-05:00Sorry. It's just the next one is one just abou...Sorry. It's just the next one is one just about everyone knows, and we're all really excited to finally see it here.InsertAuthorHerehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16563861820054827515noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-76004031415990802452012-06-04T14:26:18.882-05:002012-06-04T14:26:18.882-05:00While it would be nice to compare the current vers...While it would be nice to compare the current version with the post-Season 2 edit, I personally feel that the one we have now is more than ready to review. The Season 2 edit may not be for weeks, and even then, this is the version people have read.<br /><br />And that seems to be the point of these reviews. It's going through old stories that got the highest rating possible on EqD, one of the biggest gathering places of FiM fan material, and viewing them through modern, more critical eyes. It's looking back at things we've read in the past and seeing how they hold up over a year later.<br /><br />And personally, I want Past Sins to be reviewed and done with. It's been run into the ground over and over again by everyone. EVERY critic has taken a shot at it. EVERY reviewer on Ponychan has stated their hatred for it. EVERY fan of the story has given their defense for why they like it. And while I would love to see Chris' review, I dread to look through the comments that will inevitably follow, <i>especially</i> if some die hard fan finds the blog, links a bunch of other fans to here, and we get something REALLY nasty going on down here.<br /><br />So, in other words, I might check the revision out, but I just want to see the current version reviewed so we can move on.InsertAuthorHerehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16563861820054827515noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-16330770567840008292012-06-04T12:51:56.695-05:002012-06-04T12:51:56.695-05:00I am amused at how all the comments (baring one or...I am amused at how all the comments (baring one or two) are focused on the OMG Past Sins is next! Rather than the reviewed fic.<br /><br />Being a Stargate fan (of sorts, I did lose interest as it went on), I was interested in this fic. Maybe I'll still read it, but it'll be a little less high on the list of To Do.SlyWithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01883186411351216984noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-77026724877509843422012-06-04T06:12:58.904-05:002012-06-04T06:12:58.904-05:00Stargate: Equestria is NOT a pony-fic. It is a sta...Stargate: Equestria is NOT a pony-fic. It is a stargate fic crossed with ponies, and therein lay both it's flaw and it's promise.<br /><br />Knowing the Stargate universe well, I actually thought this was the perfect way to write the story. Characterisation for SG-1 were excellent, although as Chris noted, they overshadowed the main 6 hugely. So if you know your Jaffa from your Goa'uld, the introduction was flowing, well paced and wonderfully 'Whedon-esque' in it's quality of banter.<br /><br />Later on there was some sloppiness as the initial impetus died off. Unclear dialogue, poorly executed fan service, that kind of thing. On the upside, the 4th wall reversal between Pinkie and Teal'c was a masterful idea. Not that well written, but it still stood out as a wonderful concept.<br /><br />Pacing was a problem throughout. It cantered along at an even pace, never really sprinting with action or drama, but never dipping into slower emotional interactions either. Variation is key when it comes to pacing, and a lack of it will make any sufficiently long story feel procedural, which it did. As Chris noted, the climax lacked any real conflict, despite it being a fight with a real enemy packing guns.<br /><br />As for the dodgy romance plot? Neigh I say! Sure, I get that it might look that way if you don't know Daniel Jackson as a character, but I thought he pulled it off as a NON-romantic plotline very well. The characters are very similar, and their mutual interest makes a good deal of sense, as does the fact that Daniel clearly has issues resolving his feelings for a sentient non-human. Worked for me, but it makes me very interested to know, what it was you find it disgusting, Chris?<br /><br />Lastly...as I've said before, I can't agree enough on the explaining magic thing. DON'T DO IT KIDS! Absolute minefield I tells ya. As is straying away from core MLP background to have your own way within a story, it's just a bad idea unless you're willing to accept an 'alternate-universe' tag.<br /><br />I'll give it a 3/5 (though only barely), since I think it's perfectly fair to assume that knowledge of BOTH backgrounds is a reasonable prerequisite for any fanfiction. I mean, how many straight up MLP fics would make zero sense without knowing MLP first? Yes, the pacing was off and SG-1 seemed to unfairly dominate characterisation, but it was really good fun to read, if at times a little clunky.InquisitorMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10209346997929773686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-17852406975867028362012-06-04T05:56:26.208-05:002012-06-04T05:56:26.208-05:00Reviews of both versions would be very interesting...Reviews of both versions would be very interesting. I'd love to see what impact the revisions have on the overall qualityAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-17317820703740900692012-06-04T05:31:02.998-05:002012-06-04T05:31:02.998-05:00Past Sins already? I thought there were still like...Past Sins already? I thought there were still like 3 or 4 more stories before it. :o<br /><br />The reason I view that as worth mentioning is because I'm pretty sure, based on the combination of an interview with him I listened to a few weeks ago and the fact that he's purposely saving it as his last story to upload to FIMFiction, that Pen Stroke is doing a big post-season-2 edit of Past Sins which is going to go live some time in the not-too-distant future, and therefore the review is going to be outdated within a couple weeks, and I'm not sure whether or not this is a run-on sentence but it probably is when you include this pointless tangent.<br /><br />Speaking of that, Chris, how do you handle things like that? I imagine you have some sort of solution to the story-getting-a-big-edit-after-you-review-it thing, but I don't know (or possibly just don't remember, if you've actually said what it is before) what it is.Tuliphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04194650595015243591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-58870114567774640472012-06-04T05:22:26.853-05:002012-06-04T05:22:26.853-05:00Past Sins... Hmmm. The name sounds awfully familia...Past Sins... Hmmm. The name sounds awfully familiar...<br /><br />In other news, I agree with you on how annoying crossovers can be without proper introduction or explanation; it really does terrible thing to emotional investment!Mystichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03814377439751758620noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-80293645936273062922012-06-04T05:21:18.466-05:002012-06-04T05:21:18.466-05:00I think you hit the hail on the head there PG. It ...I think you hit the hail on the head there PG. It was good at the time because there was a huge need for it, but on reflection, it fills me with mediocrity.<br /><br />Of course, I did read if off the back of Fallout: Equestria, which I still hold a big torch for, so it had some pretty big shoes to fill.InquisitorMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10209346997929773686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-64353371446129954552012-06-04T01:21:14.304-05:002012-06-04T01:21:14.304-05:00I can still remember when everyone was making a HU...I can still remember when everyone was making a HUGE fuss over Past Sins. Mud was slung from every direction, Ponychan became a minefield, the comments section on EqD was littered with trolls and anti-trolls, and that was just in the first week. The story itself is nowhere near as interesting as the simultaneous hype and backlash it received from every corner of the Internet.<br /><br />Personally - and I know I have to turn in my right to write fiction for saying this - I liked Past Sins when it was coming out. Mind you, it's not a <i>great</i> story, but it was still a pretty decent time waster while waiting for Season 2. The central idea was very good, although the execution wasn't quite up to par. It still didn't deserve the fanatical levels of worship it got, but when separated from the hype machine, it would be either a two-or-three star story.<br /><br />Well, I guess we'll see you Friday, considering how UNGODLY LONG this next story is.InsertAuthorHerehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16563861820054827515noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-74788577393833929802012-06-04T00:42:54.254-05:002012-06-04T00:42:54.254-05:00>Next time: Past Sins, by Penstroke
Now we c...>Next time: Past Sins, by Penstroke <br /><br />Now we come to it at last. It will be interesting to see how much of the vitriol that Ponychan throws at Past Sins is warranted. I only read it in the long ago times, and even then I had some issues with it. I'm eager to see what someone with a more critical eye will find, though I've heard that it's gone through several proofreading passes since then, so who knows.Drakmirehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13669122928866258216noreply@blogger.com