Paralysing thoughts about The Chase · 5:38pm Jun 15th, 2014
The enormity of the amount of work I have ahead of me is really beginning to settle in. I am starting to worry if it can be done. After this arc is over, and the next arc begins, a much larger amount of work awaits.
I have to construct the future. I am not sure how to do that. here. I have to think about the mane six as background characters, and, as Bucky, Berry, Derpy, and Thistle begin to become background characters themselves, I have to focus on their foals, all of them, an enormous task. But that isn't all. I have to find pairings for the main six. There has to be background foals of at least some of them for realism. It wouldn't be realistic if they never married or never had foals.
There is a tremendous task that lies ahead, and I am starting to worry if I can manage at least 100+ plus background characters, all of their details, character connections, and still maintain healthy story development.
Having some doubts. This is an epic undertaking. After the first few foals, Derpy and Berry are going to go on birth control, feeling well satisfied, while Thistle will continue to have many foals, feeling a need to remain almost continuously pregnant. A daunting aspect.
Berry:
Juniper Berry f
Brandywine f
Barley Bitters m
Take note, Juniper Berry will be from her second pregnancy, Brandy and Barley will be from her current pregnancy.
Derpy:
Ditzy Doo f
Dizzy Doo m
Take note, twins will result from the first pregnancy, and then Derpy is really going to have some troubles with her hips, prompting her to have second thoughts about pregnancy for a while. Both will also have their mother's lazy eye problem. Ditzy and Dizzy will be near identical fraternal twins.
Thistle:
Bell Heather f
Bog Myrtle f <-- Bucky's foal.
Probably more incoming.
Constructing the future world of The Chase is daunting. Very briefly I entertained the idea of making a major story change and keeping Bucky and his herd on the island, shaping the island's future, and then trying to deal with the aftermath of everything that had been planned in Ponyville. The school, the farmhouse, the lives I had started to shape, future storylines with Diamond Tiara and so many others...
And to be honest, I am still tempted to make a major change in story plans. I don't know. I must confess, it would do more than just ease the pressures of world building, I have been thinking of good justifications for doing so. Luring more unicorns back to the Isles. A magic school in a distant far away land that students would have to travel to... and the more I reflect upon Bucky's personality type, the more I realise how defined he is by his sense of duty. Leaving the Isles while they were still so broken would be a major betrayal of his character archetype the more I think about it. I've been struggling with it for a while now. And then there is Thistle, who needs the mainland and new bloodlines. I am sure I could write my way out of it, there is bound to be immigration to the Isles... but I just don't know at this point.
Anyhoo, comments, questions, ideas, and feedback welcomed.
If you ask me... I think I would prefer Thistle to join Sparkeler and Rising Star's herd, but I don't mind her joining Bucky Derpy and Berry.
2208733
Thistle stays where she's at for very good reasons.
Rising Star and Sparkler are going to have enough to worry about.
I have but one question, my dear and noble Author.
Do you have an ending in mind?
As long as you have an ending in mind, then no task can be too daunting, as it only takes patience and time. (And maybe a little rosemary, sage and parsley.
)
But I am curious as to how far this tale will go.
2208765
The ending takes place at a graveside.
Don't read that unless you really want to know. Symbolic really. The Chase finally comes to an end. No more running to be done.
2208768
Hmm... Well played, my noble Author. Well played, indeed!
We await thy weaving of this skein of fate. May the fabric be a tightly woven tale beauteous to behold.
(...and we still bemoan the lack of Luna emote, along with an emote for popcorn.)
Hmm... okay, I shall help you with the shipping idea. Now, out of all the ones I have seen, these are my personal faves for the main six with canon characters. All right, here goes (I assume you want stallions), in order of the best;
Twilight - Big Mac - Blueblood - Soarin.
Rarity - Blueblood - Thunderlane
Fluttershy - Big Mac - Braebun
Rainbow Dash - Soarin - Big Mac
Pinkie Pie - ...uh, can I come back to you on that?
Applejack - Soarin - Blueblood (I can't find that story anywhere!) - Flim/Flan/both.
As for the rest of it... it would be a shame to see such a delightful story disappear, and I think you can do it, but if that is what you decided to do in the end...
2208790
Thunderlane... really?
What if his herd found out?"
Yeah focusing on too many characters can make a story feel less personal and more like a statistical report. Try not to spread yourself too thin, a lot of stories try to go for the epic approach and end up with a bundle of shorts which make you lost track of what was the true plot in the fic.
2208796 Oh... forgot he was already used. Flitter and Cloudchaser, right?
I'm sure they could use a horny unicorn, in more than one way!
Okay then, I shall open up to more than my personal best.
Trenderhoof, Fancy Pants... Filthy Rich?
Think about it... what better mare to teach DT how to behave?
2208807
I want to avoid that.
Which is why I am considering the drastic change to make the Isles a permanent place of residence. Bucky might like having his own private island.
As long as Flash Sentry is nowhere near this story, pair them with anyone.
2208790
It's basically a given, but Pinkie Pie - Cheese Sandwich. He can't travel the land his entire life.
2208815 No. Sorry, but no.
I want to see Bucky and his herd return to Equestria, showing the nation that herds work. I mean, sure visiting the isles every now and then, but still living in Equestria.
But in the end, it's your story, you decide what direction to take it.
2208815
True, but if he stays on the Islands, you have to pull a boatload of OCs he can interact with, give them their own personalities and backgrounds to make them believable and stuff like that instead of having good'ol Pville crowd.
2208842
I know... rock and a hard place.
I think managing 100+ characters in the background and juggling them ON TOP OF the current background cast would be murder.
I mean, the mane six are going to have some foals and they are going to go to school.
2208848
OCs are flexible.
Ponyville and the mane six... Hello massive downvoting from people who can't stand shipping the mane six with the wrong pony or the downvotes of the waifu thief crowd. No matter how I stack it, some people are going to be really really pissed.
With the Isles, I have the flexibility I need to do whatever.
And I can make them background characters and treat them as such. I can make the students for the school, and not have to connect them to anypony in particular. Student A is Student A.
In Ponyville, Student A is the foal of Twilight Sparkle and So and So.
And then I have to plot interaction maps and personality profiles... ugh.
Planning ahead is obviously going to be needed for either direction; this is a story of truly daunting ambition. I suggest returning to Equestria, but without removing the possibility of returning. If you can, consider setting up some kind of teleportation gate or similar transit system.
As for the next generation, taking a bit of a hiatus to figure things out may help, but don't feel you have to write a Silmarillion beforehand. You can reveal the characters and setting changes progressively, and can thus come up with them in a similar manner... if that works for you.
Well, if you don't want to fill your story with too many details but still want a lot of OCs then I propose mini arcs.
Do seperate stories inside 'The chase' universe that focuses on the OCs you're planning. You can make them as long(or as short) as you like, add as much detail as needed without actually effecting 'The chase'.
Sir Hat is a good example with 'Ivory' and his side stories. Think about it.
I had no idea that you had such an grandiose plans made for this story. I figured it would have ended after this arc and they go home and resolve everything else.
Just take things one step at a time and hopefully you won't be overwhelmed. I do like the idea of separating arcs into different stories and having everything set in "the Chase" universe. It might make everything a bit more manageable, but not necessary.
I don't like the idea of them staying on the isles. Bucky has a school waiting for him back home and there are other things that have been developed that will be left behind. But if you decide to go that way, then that is what happens.
Good luck on your future endeavors.
2208877 Eh don't listen to people complaining about 'Their ONE TRUE PAIRINGS!'. Listen to what you want to do. If you really like the idea of islands as their permanent residence (which kinda makes sense since there is no freaking way to fix everything in few weeks), go for it. I just tried to warn you about the pit trap of going with a mostly oc story, since my s.o tried that and almost went crazy trying to develop so many backgrounds for so many ponies.
BUUUuuutt! (Heh butt) If you go for the islands, i demand you give Pina and Dinky some imported sugar and sweets, seeing them at dinner munching on that low grade crud was a horrible experience.
Look who's becoming Sir George Henry Martin!
Anyway, I always liked Twilight/Discord and Rarijack
As for setting, that's up to you. I would miss out the herd's interaction in Ponyville, I really liked the first act because of that. This is actually the first ever comment I've made yet for the story, I got a little write up to do for that post you made asking for feedback.
You're story has a great update pace, you seem to have things mapped well enough. Do what you gotta do, you're the author, and you must be doing something write if you got a whole bunch of people following this story.
I intend to move things back to Ponyville... But I might employ the cough gag.
"Hey there foal, how is your mother Twilight Sparkle and your father-"
"COUGH COUGH!"
"Somepony get that pony a cough drop!"