The blog about upcoming Mente Materia chapters (also, XCOM: Long War Lets Play?) · 5:32pm Sep 13th, 2015
Good afternoon folks. I had originally intended to write this blog earlier but things cropped up.
I had also intended to write this blog to address several issues regarding both the last chapters of Mente Materia and the coming plans involving The Sweetie Chronicles. There were several 'fire and forget' comments expressing concerns for both, and I tried to respond to several of them the moment they came up. This was a mistake in hindsight, as the vast majority of these comments never replied back. 'Fire and forget' critics do not help me. Conversations do.
So, going forward, I'll be doing the following: If a concern comes up, I will reply to it once to the best of my abilities. If that commenter chooses to reply then we can continue our dialog. If he or she chooses not to, then I will not reply to any comment about that issue again. If another commenter has an issue, I strongly encourage them to check the comments to see if it has been addressed by me. If it has and my reply answers their questions, great! If my reply brings more questions, then I implore them to reply to my comment so we can continue the discussion.
TL;DR? I'm not going to reply a dozen times to a dozen comments with the exact same problem.
Now, with that out of the way, I wanted to share some changes to what I'm planning for the next few chapters and The Sweetie Chronicles. Before I explain that, though, I need to elaborate a bit on the nature of the crossover itself.
The Sweetie Chronicles crossover storyline in Mente Materia is a canon part of the timeline for my story, but it will not be required reading (more on this in a second). Much like the Dusk Guard (and my Celestia story), it covers events that are closely related to but not completely entangled with the overall plot. As some people have voiced some antipathy towards this crossover despite my reassurances, I will highlight some of the changes I have planned.
The previous plan was to cross-post the chapters for the crossover with TSC at the same time for both chapters, but due to an understandable time difference in update schedules (plus reader concerns), this is no longer the case. The chapters posted on the TSC side of things will focus primarily on Sweetie's experiences from her perspective as she explores the events that happen in this universe. In the next few weeks I will be posting chapters for the Mente Materia side of things from the perspective of my characters. The plot for Mente Materia will still advance, and we'll be able to see a few of the events from the TSC crossover from another perspective. The full extent of the crossover events will be revealed when TSC updates for those who are interested.
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Lastly, with XCOM 2 being delayed, my plans for Lets Play got derailed. I am still interested in attempting this, so I may start up a new campaign of Long War and seeing about doing a Lets Play for that. If folks are interested let me know!
I think that's a fair enough compromise. Plus, it means we get double the content, after a fashion, as opposed to just the same content twice.
Not that I may be entirely unbiased as a long-term TSC reader and fan, but ehh.
Always interested in a Long War play through. It's fun to see different play styles and strategies. Plus I've never gotten in on one on the ground floor, so you've got m my vote.
I would totally be interested in a Lets Play of Long War. About three weeks before I got the news that XCOM 2 was delayed I reinstalled XCOM:EW to replay it again. I made it to to base defence when the news came out. I was devastated, but then I saw KOTAKU's other report that basically said if your waiting for XCOM 2 then just play Long War. So that is what I'm currently doing. It would be real fun so see how someone else plays this mod. The only other thing I might mention is that the canon for XCOM 2 is earth losing really fast which kinda makes Stardust kinda impossibruh. Maybe you could figure something out or it might just be best to start afresh. I cannot really say. Oh well, Good luck with your side stories. I might check them out when I am finished reclaiming South Africa from the Aliens. Wish me Luck!!
While I don't read TSC, I might read the chapters pertaining to this story. Shoot, it may even make me start reading it.
EDIT: Meant chapters
3390077
Double content, almost as good as double rainbow.
3390110
Same, I sometimes find it hard to get into an ongoing Lets Play as they make allusions to previous events, and there's HUNDREDS of episodes to go through.
3390112
The events of XCOM 2 aren't canon to the Stardust storyline (for the reasons you mentioned)... but like when Enemy Within was announced, that doesn't mean I can't borrow plot devices and events from the sequel as they become available. >_> And good luck with your base assault. They can be real monsters.
3390137
It's almost certain there's going to be more than one chapter, since the TSC chapters are something like... 50k words or more and cover multiple days.
I hope you enjoy it, though!
My only concern about the crossover is that the antisipation for me waiting to read it might cause me to explode. And I do like being non exploded. Awaiting eagerly. :D
3390175 I actually meant "chapters" my bad.
Ah, good. I do love TSC, and D is a damn good friend, but it's totally fair that people may not like a character from another story/world/etc. to pop up and play a significant role.
Best of both worlds, here, I feel, even if the people who don't like TSC are going to have to wait a bit for normal service to be resumed
You know I wouldn't mind having my boots on the ground in an XCOM playthrough, so count me as interested.
Also? yeah, still VERY interested with this new micro-crossover with TSC. Hell yes!
This worries me, in that the inherent implication of it being skippable means it won't have a significant enough impact on the story for it to be meaningful.
But authors have made skippable content meaningful before. I await with cautious optimism to see if you are capable of the same.
orig03.deviantart.net/05f6/f/2015/256/5/0/kritika_by_somenavyseals-d99gsrn.jpg
I'm ~25% of the way through TSC and it's dependencies from the point where I left off. (Ok, so I still haven't touched TSC itself since last time yet because 620k worth of FoE. On that note, I now want Fallout 4 more than XCOM 2 at the moment. Opps. I don't know what's going to happen when I have to move on from Fallout when Fallout 4 is right around the corner.)
My ETA for getting current on TSC(+dependencies) is somewhere between mid-Oct and mid-Nov. Gotta say, I feel like this is simultaneously the best thing I've ever done, and well... stupid as hell. At least considering that we're talking about ~3 million words to get caught up on with far too little time. It's totally worth it though.
Probably. FoE was at least.
With that out of the way, I have nothing useful to say in relation to the blogpost and probably shouldn't be posting this here.
3390247
The TSC side of things will be like the Dusk Guard crossover, or my Celestia story. Neither are required reading to enjoy Mente Materia, but reading them enhances the experience. Unlike those two stories, the TSC MM crossover takes place during the events of MM, and the next 2-3 chapters I'll be releasing take place parallel to the crossover chapters.
I suppose a good example might be A Certain Scientific Railgun and A Certain Magical Index during the 'Accelerator' arc. Two separate stories that follow two separate characters that happened to intersect to help each other out. Both stories can be enjoyed independently of each other, but if you read both then your understanding is enhanced.
3390257
I was actually thinking of something like this when I wrote that.
galeri4.uludagsozluk.com/107/rpg-7_185578.jpg
Though this might be more appropriate:
thevelvetrocket.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/molotov-cocktail-thailand.jpg
Three things.
1. What exactly can we expect from the crossover?
2. Which aspect of XCOM 2 are you looking forward to outside of playing it.
3. Are you up for a private conversation over an idea I had with XCOM 2 and your stories?
are you going to post a blog when you start the lets play?
3390328
1. Chrysalids. Chrysalids everywhere.
2. Mods and modding, TBH. That and doing a lets play of it!
3. Go ahead and send me a message. I've got my own plans that I'm keeping close to the vest, but I wouldn't mind talking about some of yours.
Which is understandable, of course, and I don't think anyone is realistically expecting you to. There are rather a lot of people reading this, after all. I'm not sure putting down that sort of "first come, first served, sucks to be you" policy (if you'll excuse the phrasing, I'm sure it wasn't meant like that) is the most productive kind of solution to that, though. Simply quietly going ahead and only responding selectively, at your own leisure, would've achieved more or less the same result and been a lot more diplomatic. Telling people straight-out that you're going to ignore them and what they say is really only making you also kind of look like a dismissive dick in the process, you know what I mean?
3390397
Lashes of the whip variety all around. Both the author and the readers got it right in the neck. Readers got told that things may or may not be changing in a big or small way and the author got what I assume is one of the biggest out pourings of negativity about his story.
3390397
I understand your reasoning here. I just wanted to explain my logic going forward rather than have my process be an unassailable black box. I am going to be selective with my responses from now on. If someone brings up a new concern, I'll address them as I see them. If someone posts with the same concern without reading my responses that may have addressed it... how do I have any guarantees they'll read my response to them?
It's an imperfect solution but it's the best one I can come up with that isn't arbitrary or susceptible to accusations of favoritism.
3390417
Exactly. I like writing but I love talking to people about what's been written. Having people leave negative comments without any intention of discussing them doesn't feel like a conversation. It feels like someone's throwing a brick through my window and driving off.
I write what I do because I have fun. Dealing with the commenting situation I mentioned earlier was not fun. At all.
3390428
I suppose you don't, but then again, does it really matter all that much? If they're not responding, then they clearly also don't have anything else they feel needs addressing, which is really the desired result anyway.
I don't really think you should worry too much about favouritism and such, though. In my experience, the kind of author feedback that's visibly given just because they enjoy interacting with their readers is the one that ends up the most well-received, anyway, so don't feel like you have to be all professional, all the time. In the end, we're all just here for the fun of it, after all, so if you're not enjoying yourself doing it, then there's really no point to it anyway.
I totally missed the MMxTSC announcement.
This aught to be cool anyways.
The issue that's come up with other major ongoing stories that have tried to incorporate a TSC crossover is that the crossover material suddenly comes out of nowhere and makes absolutely no sense to people who aren't familiar with TSC. It's like a massive deux ex machina that's invariably used to solve some major problem or other, and it's for this reason that people have trouble crediting assurances that said chapters won't be 'required reading.'
Just put up a blog post telling me when I can restart reading MM, and I'll be happy. If I restart and suddenly Lana's alive again, I will not be happy (see deus ex machina).
3390675
Seriously, Cold? You really think we'd do something like that? I get not liking the idea of a crossover, but that's outright contempt towards both of us.
3390706
Then I will be happy to be wrong.
3390675
3390706
Well, that escalated quickly.
First things first, thank you for knowing the proper definition of Deus Ex Machina. So many people use the term and don't understand what it means exactly.
Second, the original version of this blog explained some things that I felt were better left off. However, I think this conversation will benefit from a couple of points.
At Bronycon I had explained that there are two more 'plot arcs' left in Mente Materia, and that these following chapters are the start of the next arc. Sweetie isn't going to curbstomp the uber ethereal and eat Berzerkers for breakfast in the span of the next three chapters (which is the scope of the crossover).
That being said, we now have a couple of options. You can trust me and read what I plan to write and render judgement afterward, or you can stick to your guns and pick up after the chapters are done. The choice is ultimately yours.
Even though I got plenty of video games to play in the upcoming months and a few stories to edit (including this tale), incertainly wouldn't mind seeing ya play some Long War, especially since my computer since the recent hard drive crash and repair won't let me play LW for some reason :( (I admit it is probably a fault on my part instead of the computer lol). Anyways, whenever you get around to it, I will look for a link to watch you play.
Now I gotta get back to cooking dinner, then gonna edit another authors story while also playing some Mad Max. Till later Arad, have a good night!
3390278 Good analogy, weeb.
3390776
I do feel like the better option would be to have them as a side-story of their own. I mean, for me...on one hand, I like the idea of spinning them together. On the other hand, I honestly cannot help but feel there is no way this can improve the story. It's like...well, it's like if I were watching Breaking Bad and suddenly Fox Mulder shows up because there's an X-File in Alberquerque, and he's crossing paths with Walter White. Much as I love both shows...they don't really fit together.
And here, I think it's weakened because...MM is extremely strong as its own story. Celestia might be cool in Lord of the Rings, but I can't see any way she could improve it with her presence.
3391689
My comment to Swan Song does a good job (IMHO) of addressing these concerns, but in the end you'll have to take my word for it.
3391698
I guess the difference is Dusk Guard / Celestia 'fit' the universe to me. They're part of the greater whole, in that they are entirely within the self-contained multiverse. The TSC elements kind of go 'Welp, this story takes place as part of a far bigger multiverse and someone is just skipping in like Dr Who'. And while I'm not denying it can't be handled competently, I feel like it would be much stronger if it's just a 'This is me having fun, but its non-canon to the greater whole'.
I'm tumbling over how I want to phrase it. It's like...Stardust/MM is it's own, cool, really fantastic universe. Tossing it into part of a greater multiverse just feels like it cheapens the whole work. It's not any fault of you or W.D. as writers, and I'm not saying I won't read it - I will. And I'll probably enjoy it. But I still feel it's very much a mistake to go down that path and make it part of the greater canon, rather than just a one-shot noncanon side story.
I mean...would it be fun to read Dr. Who visits Middle Earth? Heck yes. Would LotR be better for it if it were canonical, even if Dr. Who only were tangential to the main story? No.
I did not, and still don't, like the "Dusk Guard" inclusion to the Stardustverse. For rather simple, IMO, reasons. They added nothing to the story but a giant plot hole. They are an "Elite Unit of Highly Skilled Badasses With Super Special Awesome Gear"... that are for some reason NOT helping against the greatest threat Earth and Equestria have ever seen. Their specialized gear doesn't show up either, because its "Too Awesome To Mass Produce". These are the kind of ponies that you would WANT to have work closest with XCOM. Hell they would have been more qualified for the last mission than Pinkie, a most untrained civilian. Granted Pinkie being Pinkie gave her an edge that I'm not sure anyone else could have had, but a trained spec-ops team still would have been preferable to a valuable resource like a Bearer of Harmony. The team exists, its canon, so is it's gear, but none of it matters because it will never be used/seen again. It comes of as stupid, contrived cameo that exists just for the sake of having a cameo with zero impact on the story itself, and that makes me want to bash my head into my desk.
Now, on the other claw we have TSC Sweetie Belle. This, I have ZERO issue with. TSC Sweetie is a highly skilled badass, and at times overpowered as hell, especially compared to canon or Stardust Sweetie. HOWEVER, from what you have already said her visit to the Stardustverse is NOT going to just be a cameo. Her journey will have LASTING effects, specifically for Twilight from the way I read the latest chapter. There may be further impact that you have not revealed yet. And her reason for not appearing later on is not contrived or a stretch of my SoD in the slightest. TSC Sweetie CAN'T come back, nor can she stay.