Thank you for adding This Isn't War to your favorites! Feedback is always appreciated!

2154640

That said, I lost interest at the part where Celestia says she'll comeback to meet with that old guy again.

It's a shame, you missed the bridging the gap part. The pace is still very slow, but it get better. Plus the story analyse things from both sides.
Celestia send Lyra to meet the old guy and they try to understand each others. Since there is less ellipsis then in Arrow 18, it is far slower and Admiral Biscuit choose not to do a Twilligth-ex-machina anyway.

There is this one old story that I read before, titled 'The End' by Shalrath

I will look into that one too, thank!

2154501 I've read Celestia sleeps In, though the constant language barrier started to get annoying. I find stories that linger too much on such a barrier create a gap of disinterest, because the characters would have to jump thru hoops just to understand each other. Arrow 18 Mission Logs: Lone Ranger does a great job at bridging that. And the pace [of Celestia Sleeps In] seemed to go by in a snail's pace for something taking place over a few days. That said, I lost interest at the part where Celestia says she'll comeback to meet with that old guy again.

When I read first contact stories, it's usually not the contact itself that keeps me reading, but bridging the gap, understanding differences in culture, etc, and expanding world views that matter to me.

There is this one old story that I read before, titled 'The End' by Shalrath. It's been on hiatus for so long and is practically dead at this point, but it does a great job a expanding world views to the ponies. It's set right at season 1, and the setting assumes that Equestria is as smart as the show purports it to be at face value, which about medieval or elementary school level at best. It's a good story that encourages science and open-mindedness . I totes recommend it.

2154390 I think it ficus a bit more on the adventure aspect rather then the "first contact" aspect.
It is not up to par with Admiral Tiger's work (Twilligth's note is also very good albeit more "goofy"). I don't know Ultimatum, I will look into it.

The other good kinda/sorta first contact story I came across was Celestia Sleeps In and it's sequel Onto the Pony Planet by Admiral Biscuit. But it's focus is more on world building. If you didn't try these, it migth give you the "immersion feeling" you re looking for, albeit not being a classic first contact scenario.

I'm about 5-6 chapters into that story, Protocol D. So far I've found it about sub-par to average in my standards. The writing style is from the immersiveness of Ultimatum or Arrow 18 Mission Logs: Lone Ranger.