#sso talk

[jorvikzelda]

So. Star Stable's Spotify header.

I saw this on a little trip to SSO's Spotify page to see if they'd released any music without announcing it again and went hm. This looks kind of weird. I sure hope they haven't stooped so low as to use AI for their promo material. And then I looked closer.

First thing I noticed was the stirrups. Or, should I say... "stirrups".

Did they like... employ someone who doesn't know how tack works? What IS that? Also I'm only noticing this as I'm writing the post but why on earth does the boot not have proper laces or eyelets

And what the fuck are these weird straps on the saddle? And the guitar straps aren't attached to the guitar?? Actually... it can't be... but let me look at the hands. Just real quick

Uh. hm. that's not very hand. Are they fucking using AI

OH BOY.

The bit and the reins are... not properly attached to one another, just welded together. The noseband just disappears. The buckles at the top of the bridle don't really exist and the chin strap doesn't fit properly at all. The reins are double on one side, but not the other, and one or both of the reins on the far side almost look attached to the breast collar - or they're just being held a lot looser than the near side rein. Also, you need a very specific type of bit to use double reins, which is not the type of bit that's on this bridle. Or maybe the two weird straps are supposed to be a fucked up martingale, and that's why they're attached to the breast collar? But then why does the horse only have one rein? Also the martingale is attached wrong if that's what it's meant to be, see below (it's never attached directly to the bit). The breast collar is also attached to the underside of the saddle, rather than the saddle itself like it should be. The horse's front shoulder looks like it's drawn by someone who doesn't know very much about horse anatomy, or... y'know... AI.

The cart isn't fucking attached to the fucking horse. Poor guy is dragging that thing along with one singular back leg.

The keyboards all have the wrong number of black keys in the wrong places. And also those knobs do not look right. Oh, and something is DEFINITELY wrong with that drum kit.

And also just look at this fucking horse. Yeah, it's passable as a horse, but have you seen the quality of SSO's horses and horse art??? This isn't even anywhere CLOSE to that

So yeah uh, SSE used fucking AI art for their spotify banner. I feel like this is the greatest punch in the gut they could've possibly sent their laid-off artists' way. You cannot defend this.

#z talks #ssoblr #sso #sso neg

[vvenciel]

anyways, wyll's new kiss animation w/ astarion

#wyllstarion #bg3 #baldur’s gate 3 #wyll ravengard #astarion ancunin #AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA #FUCKKKKKK OH AMMYA DSFIUSGDIFBJDGWABJF #AIM FCYUCKING CRAZY IMF YUCJSIDGAJN CRAZT #IM INSANE IM ISANENA INSA EM #OH JESUSUS FYCKKKAKFWDK #THERYRE SSO FUCKAING IN LOVE JESUC CHRISTSTT #OUUGHGHGHGHGGHHGHG GODODDD FUCKKKK OH MYA GDSFUUCVZKCH GOGODDDDDDDDD #I NOTBNORNAKKLLLL IM NOT NORMLALLLLLLLLLL #venciel talks

[kagoutiss]

ppl talking about the new interview translation makes me feel exactly like this again

#not art #these are months old but i carry this same rage in me perpetually #‘thank yyuoy nintedno for making him Hot’ cowards. cowards all of you #‘oouyghg thank u Corporation for being sso lgbt and making your Evil Arab Man Character now also Sexually Consumable For Everyone’ #because you couldn’t see any appeal in his character before now right. now youre just happy to talk about putting his amiibo in the C*m Jar

[sso-montana]

Sometimes I forget that ssoblr ocs are just, like, ocs and not part of the actual game.

Like wdym Linda and Lucy aren't dating? You're telling me Joseph and Zoe aren't causing chaos? Dorian doesn't work at the circus? Marie isn't casually chilling in Valedale? Nora isn't hanging around at Gary's caravan? Dusty isn't casually wandering around? Alder isn't at the rangers station with Alonso?

Nuh uh, no. You are on Jorvik. Montana has seen you at least one time and knows of your existence. Every single one of ssoblrs ocs exists in some form on Jorvik to me. Maybe their story is a bit changed to fit into the narrative of Montanas but you exist. (If I didn't mention your oc I apologize if I could I would name them all but I am but one single bitch with a short attention span)

#sso #ssoblr #mo talks shit #I do not accept that you guys aren't real in game you are to me #there is some sort of ssoblr multiverse where we exist in each others version of Jorvik and I will not change my mind

[centeris2]

You know, I feel really bad for the SSO writers

Not even from a "constantly changing lore, unfinished story threads, and so many NPCs good luck remembering characterization" sort of way. I mean in a meta and game writing way.

I look at the events and wince because oof, these are tough decisions. I play through the latest story quests and think about how hard that job is.

Unless there has been a staff change since I did contract work (and given it's been a while now, that is possible), it's mostly two ladies trying to wrestle with a difficult challenge:

How do you create the illusion of choice and feel of an RPG when writing a linear story with no possible deviations?

A player gets dialogue options, they are given a choice! The choice they pick doesn't matter, it doesn't change the outcome of the quest because it can't change. The story is linear. The characters ask the player for ideas, but either have to shoot them all down or the player can actually only suggest one idea.

There is also the issues of the world of Jorvik changing and not matching what the text says. The dialogue says to hide in bushes to stay hidden, but no bushes are around where the characters have been positioned. Katja and Jessica ride off on ice made by Katja, but the quests are released during winter, so the ice effect isn't visible at all under the snow textures and the dialogue about not being able to follow across a river now look very silly. A character mentions Moorland Stables getting renovated, which doesn't make sense years after Moorland's update. And so on.

And then there are events! SSO comes out with these brand new shiny models: the Dark Riders! So obviously they want to use their newest and best looking characters in events to show them off to all players as soon as possible. This makes things no longer make sense. How does Sabine know a brand new player? Why would a player recognize Katja or Sabine, who they have never met in game? There is the tug of war between "this doesn't make sense to have these characters at these events" and "these are the best looking models in the game and therefore we want to show them off", so the writers have to find a way to write these characters in and just sorta accept that the events are non canonical for most (all) players. How else would all the soul riders the brand new player hasn't saved yet be there standing around?

It's tough, it's a tangled mess, it's a balancing act with lots of other departments and needs pushing on the scales. I don't envy them and I don't know a good solution. (Short of like, releasing a single player story game for the story quests. IDK about the events, have event-only npcs? having every event have an ongoing updating story every year means a lot of time and resources is going toward just events, I can see why they would want to stop that, especially with 4 major events a year.)

Don't get me wrong, if I had a chance to do another writing or proofreading contract for them I'd do it in a heartbeat. But my god, tough job.

#sso #ssoblr #don't mind me I'm talking

[cheval-grand]

it makes me feel a kind of way when i see SSO complaints that are just players not understanding very basic game and business logic.

"why don't they add XYZ?" SSO's framework is over a decade old, it has limitations as to what they can do.

"why are there always bugs when an update is released?" because not all bugs can be found in testing. this happens with every single game out there; there are singleplayer games from 15 years ago still getting bug fixes to this day.

"why does Star Rider cost $80?" you are getting over a DECADE of content, in the form of areas, quests, and star rider exclusives, as well as a weekly allowance of paid currency, for LIFE! A MAJORITY of MMOs charge annually ONLY, and a lot of those also charge you for new areas in the form of expansions on top of being billed monthly, half-yearly, or yearly.

"why don't they just remake SSO?" That's like deciding to tear down a mansion because you want to add a room onto it. Building games is HARD. And it costs a LOT of money.

"why does everything cost star coins, or a ridiculous amount of shillings?" because most of the playerbase bought lifetime membership YEARS ago; those funds have LONG since been used. SSE's revenue is mostly likely coasting on star coin sales.

"why isn't SSE more transparent about things?" Probably because of how consistently there's backlash to the smallest things. It doesn't look good for interested new players when your playerbase is actively hostile about the game, especially on official posts. The best damage control is to not cause damage in the first place.

SSE aren't saints or without fault, but I will say. I've been playing consistently for almost a year now, and they have fulfilled every promise they've made so far. And it's A LOT considering what was the starting product. Enjoy what we have! Celebrate the progress! And continue to anticipate and encourage what's to come!

#sso #star stable #star stable online #and please stop talking on things you dont understand #this is why we have half a dozen half baked horse games in development and/or published that i know won't make it to final release #im not saying not to criticize #im saying KNOW what you're talking about when you are criticizing it

[dorianwolfforest]

This is the full email I was sent, I just cut out the greeting cause it had my email in it. You ever just. Get real tired.

For context here’s the response I sent after his last email.

#sso #ssoblr #very important additional context is that I’m not Jewish #but the fact that he thinks I was and still decided to ignore who he thought was a Jew talking about antisemitism is fucking disgusting #I hate this company and it’s employees I am no longer caring about any of them #except ismael. ismael is still chill.

[toruq]

first time

#if you're processing trauma talking about it with loved ones will not hurt them the same way you experienced it yourself #they will likely feel sorry but that is not the same as spoiling their time with you or perception of you #if they are a true person to you they will care for you and *try* to understand (even if they never can) #and it can be scary for them to hear about but it is never ever wrong to share what you go through #sso #ssoblr #my art #star stable online #sso anne #anne von blyssen #sso concorde

[fixations-101]

#ik I just reblogged this talking about fo4 but I don’t have a pic of that character so #sso #Star stable #sso sabine #star stable sabine #sso oc #star stable oc #oc: Ronja DoveDew #Ronja x Sabine

[andxlusian]

everyone has a fully fleshed out dark rider version of their mc right? ...right?

#this is kinda old #i know kara falls off that horse CONSTANTLY #we don't talk ab what happened to dagon #sso #ssoblr #sso oc #star stable #star stable oc #nemain sso #andxlusian_doodles #character-lament #calamity au sso

[newportangels]

Updated Riley reference :)

#star stable #ssoblr #sso oc #Riley Wolfstorm #my art #I don't wanna talk about how long I spent on this #ref

[jorvikzelda]

By the way... Equine Epics, the artist behind SSO's loading screens and book covers before SSE stopped working with independent contractors (which she was) and started using 3D renders for their loading screens, has a store where you can buy her designs on various physical items. Think t-shirts, mugs, posters, notebooks, mousepads, so on and so forth. Some of the old SSO loading screens are on there, plus some other designs in the same style.

#also since the SSO designs are on there and SSO isn't using them it would seem like she retained full rights to her own art? #which. Good For Her <3 #z talks #sso #ssoblr #it's like subtle SSO merch but even better because instead of SSE you're directly supporting one of the artists they gave the middle finger

[gladewood]

place ur bets either

a. sse keeps spiraling and goes bankrupt, game shuts down

b. they actually get bought out by fucking. epic games

#star stable online #sso #ssoblr #FOR LEGAL REASONS i do not think they are near the point of shutting down even with the noticeable plummet #NOR DO I BELIEVE epic games will rlly buy them its just a dumb rumor #for anyone who doesnt know wtf im talking about sso is available to download on the epic games store and thats where this came from

[jorvikgender]

best update off all time possibly ever....

#sso #star stable online #its the little things in life that keeps me going #such as my pixel horses talking to me

[sso-montana]

Ok quick question just how the actual fuck do the soul rider and soul steed connections work because it's clearly not based on a single pair of souls being reincarnated and finding each other over and over again

Like there can be multiple generations of soul riders at once which okay it seems that every soul rider has their "own" incarnations of their soul steeds so it's clearly a generational thing that every I'd say 20-30 years there's a new group of riders

This means the reincarnation cycle should be based on the soul steeds life span which brings it's own set of problems like what if one of them gets killed (the Concorde incident) and it also would mean they have regular horse life spans which... you have talking magical horses surely they can live longer than your average horse next stable. They also seem to reincarnate pretty soon after they die if not right after they die, probably works like the avatar circle in atla. It's also pretty well established that there is only one guardian horse of each circle at any point in time. There can't be two starshines at once.

But there can be two (possibly three depending on how old the members get) incantations of soul riders at once

Elizabeth and Anne's mom (previous sun and star) were both still very much alive and kicking when Anne and Lisa (current sun and star) were born and bonded with their horses and discovered their powers and-

Do the previous soul riders just get weaker? are they just as powerful? How does it work??? TELL ME SSE TELL ME

#ssoblr #sso #star stable #star stable tumblr #kali talks shit #kali talks lore #this has been bugging me the last few hours ever since realizing it and I don't know how to find an answe #yet #I am working on working it out #or just rewriting it #we'll see how it goes

[hajen14]

Yesterday at Närcon I told my friend that "I'm keeping my eye out for a Starstable cosplay that I saw on Tumblr" and right after I said it I saw a little red hood far away on the horizon and my brain went "target locked".

With determined steps I zigzagged and powerwalked through the crowd and caught up with @toadriders!

She was super nice and I love the cosplay! <3

#very nice cosplay #in my head i had so many things i wanted to say and talk about but my mind went blank #but at least i didn't forget to take a photo! #sso #starstable #starstable online #sabine #darkriders #cosplay #starshine legacy