Back to writing · 12:17pm Mar 31st, 2013
On updates - Well, the research papers have been submitted. Regardless of how well they do, I now have some time to put into writing again. It took a while but the chapter's out. As for editing, BP chapters 4-5 have been given the treatment.
I'm going to start using this blog to respond to some reviews and questions. Answering questions and revealing my intentions about the fic is something I have to put careful thought into before I do. I don't like falling back on "Word of God", I think it's a crutch for writers who cannot get their message across through their chosen medium. So I'll try my best to respond to reviews and questions in such a manner that doesn't force my interpretation of my story or reveal any spoilers.
Alright, to start, why don't we go with a review from the latest chapter? Here's one by CometChaser
While I honestly prefer to have this read to me step by step by PutTrustInFate, i still felt the need to come here and give the story one of my reviews.
First off i want to start by saying this story has an almost bizzare level of dedication. It's risen right up there to parrallell Fallout:Equestria, despite the fact that this is only one story. That takes a lot of effort so big props on that. One flaw, as necessary as it was for the story to make sense, was how closed ended you made the story. As season three progressed this story steadily slipped from being something that could possibly happen in the future to being something completely AU. That isn't necessarily a problem given what the story is, but i still feel like an author of your caliber might've done something a little more open ended. Another thing that I've never really been a fan of is shipping the mane six, really at all but especially with OCs. I get that you're trying to make a love triangle build up here, but I believe the best stories are the ones that focus on more action or romance and not try to fuse both. Of course based on your responces, and stuff like The Hunger Games, that could just be my opinion on it. I'm also not too fond of your ideals on pony halfbreeds (I.E. the half wolven and half dragons, particularly the grossly overused half dragon idea) which suggests the happenstance of things that don't belong in any sort of pony fanfiction, at all. You haven't crossed the line into the realm of smut yet, and i believe you won't, just watch out. Another point on that is the simple unliklihood of such characters to actually be compatible in a natural setting, which cuts into the realism factor you've done such a good job of preserving.
Otherwise, it's a fantastic story. You have an incredible number of well thought out and well portrayed OCs who move the plot along at a fast and gripping pace. Your writing style provides a certain flow and elegance that lets the story move without hinging on any one specific detail. You keep a variety of sub-stories, all completely crucial to the plot, which i believe is one of the most concrete parts of making a good fanfiction, so great job. I could've asked more as far as suspence went, it was one of those stories i don't have any problem waiting for, but toward the end up breaking point and during some of the high action scenes here you still did a fantastic job.
I think I've wasted enough of your time though, i get to writing in depth reviews and then bam here we are at three pages like some sort of essay. Thanks for writing a fantastic story and I can't wait to see where you go with it from here!
I do understand that there is a certain joy to be taken in a fic that gives the illusion that it just might happen in the actual series somewhere in the near future. However, that is exactly what it is. An illusion. And it's an illusion that has become too difficult to maintain. You say that the fic slowly slipped from that and into something completely AU? The Crystal Empire two-parter alone ruined any chance of the events of the canon being seamlessly integrated into Upheaval. There was no slow slippage, I would say it's more of an instant break. A purposeful one too. I've already mentioned in my first blog entry that I decided to ignore anything past season 2. Its a near impossible task you expected me to accomplish if you wanted me to maintain that sense of open endedness. The only way I could actually accomplish it would be to stop writing completely and just wait until the last episode of the last season airs, or if I stop world-building and keep things completely ambiguous until the show throws me something that I can put there instead. I could also constantly retcon the fic, forcing readers to keep going back to previous chapters because random bits of information that involve later seasons are cropping up without making sense.
Or I could build a time machine, consult fortunetellers, or just take over Hasbro.
Even season 2 gave me a run for my money. I had originally planned to make it known that only season 1 was going to be considered in the fic. But I watched the first two episodes of season 2 and I thought that I could work the entire season in. After all, the first two episodes serve as the brunt of the new things added into the MLP world, right? Just like Season 1 did, right? All the others would be slice of life episodes. It should be easy to integrate the rest of the episodes once I fit Discord in, and I had a plan for Discord.
And then "Canterlot Wedding" hoo boy.
I somehow managed to do what I had set out to do. But that settled it. I wasn't going to take that gamble again in season 3 so I closed Upheaval off so to speak.
I'm also not too fond of your ideals on pony halfbreeds (I.E. the half wolven and half dragons, particularly the grossly overused half dragon idea) which suggests the happenstance of things that don't belong in any sort of pony fanfiction, at all.
Look...I don't like clopfics, especially the ones that dispense with any attempt at storytelling. I also don't like self-insert human in Equestria fics, most Twilestia fics, crack fics that think making no sense immediately equals hilarious, fics which are really just the author telling me why he/she doesn't like a certain ship or character interpretation, and a bunch of others. However, far be it from me, or anyone, to say that something belongs or doesn't belong in pony fanfiction. If someone wants to write it, then let it be written. I don't have to like it, but I do acknowledge that some people do. It's not my place, nor anyone else's, to decide whether it belongs or not.
Glad to read that you think it's a fantastic story.
Here's part of stringtheory's reply to another comment.
There's been basically no mortal vs. divine combat yet, the closest thing was the Nightmare Moon/Pyre Valor vs EoH plus Vanguard and Scarlet fight back in Bastion city as the climax fight of Breaking Point.
You sure it was EoH + Vanguard and Scarlet vs. Nightmare Moon/Pyre Valor? How did Nightmare Moon assess the situation in that chapter?
Sex happening offscreen doesn't belong in pony fanfiction? Or maybe he means the rape that led to Vanguard's birth?
If it's the former, I just don't comprehend that opinion. Word of God stated long ago that the ponies in the show reproduce just as you would expect mammals to, and if that wasn't enough, the Cake Twins episode with the mane 6 visiting in the hospital pretty thoroughly implies that Carrot and Cup were getting busy beforehand.
As for the latter... All the violence in the story, and that's the point that's too far?
Yeah, I read that "Review" and it made me roll my eyes.
Glad to see though that you took the time to get a response.
I will never understand why some people are so reluctant or even straight hostile against the idea that [insert a mythological race seen in the show here] & ponies could have offspring...
It's a fantasy world where magic exists, for Faust's sake
Damn all your fancy biological "limitations" 
Visiden Visidane, I just wanted to let you know that finding you on fanfiction.net was one of the best thing that happened to me in relation to mlp:fim. I really hope to see the epic conclusion to upheaval in the future. Anyhow, you're practically the only reason why I ever go on any of the fimfic related websites, keep up the fantastic work!
I think you did an incredible job incorporating season 2 without knowing what was coming. I started writing after season 2 and never felt bound by anything after that but have gradually incorporated a large number of later characters, though often under different first meetings.
I also think you did a great job having your couples like Sablesteel/ Lion Court or AppleClash get sexy without being pornish.
For the record: Sombra and the Old Kingdom might have meshed with the old kingdom plausibly well if it was a high plateau rather than far north. Think Tibet rather than Alaska. Took me about 6 years to figure that for my work that had already filled in the northern part of the map as being griffins.