ShorthoofScrawl

To anypony still following this topic, thank you so much for your input and support! I've finally got Hoof Trails up on Tumblr, and within the day I should even have the last page of the first section done! In the meantime, feel free to check in and offer advice, as I still need to fine-tune the look a bit. http://hoof-trails.tumblr.com/

Not garbage, friend! I'm always happy for more input!I do a fair bit of D&D myself, and can understand what you're saying here, but keep in mind that I won't really be quantifying things in this comic in terms of stats and numbers, and the "balance" of the team can be as lopsided as I like and still make for a good comic, if not an actual game. For the purpose of the comic, I kinda put together my own concepts of what a "shaman" is (i.e. one who summons elemental spirits and uses more obscure mystical rituals to accomplish tasks or seek knowledge), and she wouldn't really be able to replace another primary spellcaster, certainly not both. I made a barbarian in the "tank" ideal for the sake of just having a party member who can wade into battle and pound everything until it stops moving, with no real call for subtlety. He'd be the semi-Herculean steamroller at the front, ready to do the dirty work for the group.

I'd have to say "Magic Duel", beating out "Keep Calm and Flutter On" by a fairly thin margin. Yes, I do tend to find favorite episodes based around the characters involved, but I also enjoyed seeing slightly more adult fare in having Trixie affected by something properly evil, not just unpleasant or vaguely irritating. She was becoming cruel and fiendish, and making things miserable for everypony around her! You don't see that in many kids' shows. The finale episode was good, and definitely made my Top 10 Episodes list, but the constant songs and the relatively arbitrary problem that Twilight has to solve kind of lessened the impact for me. It was really just a means to the end of making her big transition, which is fine. It just didn't put it above "Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000" on my list. Now that episode had catchy music!

I think I liked the episode. Yes, it changed the status quo for the series, but it also opens many more doors for upcoming episodes. I read somewhere that the first two episodes of Season 4 will follow directly on from this one, and I'm anxious to learn how Twilight settles into her new role as a princess alicorn, and if it is indeed a permanent fix. Will Twilight be expected to stay in Canterlot, or is it acceptable for a princess to live in a small town tree library? As an alicorn, is Twilight now immortal as well? Will she regret being lifted above her friends once the high of her coronation wears off? Also, where was Discord in this episode? And is there a reason for Celestia recruiting so much new magic power recently? What is coming that requires a draconnequus and a new alicorn's power? If any of these questions get addressed/answered in S4, I'll be a very happy pony. ^___^

Nice to see Berry getting some more love! ^_^As for Zecora, I should prolly mention that the way I'm working a "Shaman" in this comic is someone who conjures elemental spirits, communes with the beyond, and creates non-magical potions from everyday ingredients. Not actually a healing class, really, or at least not a strong one. She could keep you alive in a pinch, but she's no substitute for a Healing Potion or a cleric's divine power. Update: I've drawn the first few panels now, and if possible, they'll get scanned today. After that, I just need some time with my photo-shopping program, and my first entry of Hoof Trails will be ready for posting!

Hrm, unfortunately, I've got too much going on lately to keep up a weekly schedule, and my art skills aren't really geared toward dark stuff anyway. Thanks for the follow (returned), and good luck again with the project.

This sounds like an interesting project. Not sure if my art skills are good enough for it, but you can check out my Tumblr blog, if you like (http://askbraveshield.tumblr.com/), and decide for yourself. Either way, I'll be interested in seeing this when it somes out, and good luck. ^__^

I'm just keeping readers' questions in mind; sometimes a person reads a completely fictional work of whimsical fantasy and asks, "WHY DOES THAT HAPPEN??" I just want to have an answer ready, and it also opens poissibilities for story and world-building.It's just like Mark Twain said: "It's no wonder truth is stranger than fiction. Fiction has to make sense."

Thanks. It'll take a while to put together, and I want to allow a little more time for folks to cast their votes here, just in case, but I'll be working as best I can.

I'm thinking that zebras are from another land, which the party might have to travel to, for whatever reason. If more canon zebras haven't shown up by then, I'll decide for myself whether iambic pentameter is a racial trait or not.

Yeah, you're right. If she didn't speak obsessively in verse, she would just be a female zebra with a mohawk who kind of looks like Zecora. Now to figure out why she always talks in rhyme. A curse? A quirky habit? Part of some personal shamanic ritual? Hmmm...

A bit surprised at how many votes Zecora is getting. If I include her, the question becomes, "Should I make her rhyme everything like she does in regular continuity?"

I'll likely include OC's here and there (perhaps at the request of any followers the comic may get), but some fans don't really gravitate to them as well. People find it easier to get into characters they already know, even if those characters have strange twists to them. Well, Trixie is currently topping the charts at six votes, so there you go. Also, Redheart voted up to second place out of nowhere!

I'll prolly get around to including everypony on the list at some point, if not as main party members, then as recurring side characters.Well, now it's still tied between Spitfire and Trixie. Personally, I'd love to include Gilda early on, but I'm determined to go by the will of the people.

Bump. If bumping a post works on this site. If not, guess this thing isn't going any farther. Anyway, my interest in doing this is being rekindled. Any more votes? Anypony...? Also, thinking of simplifying it, making it a one-character thing at first, maybe introducing further characters gradually. Whoever has the most votes to them when I buckle down and start this thing will be my initial character. In the lead right now are Trixie, Spitfire, and Zecora. Any more takers?