My Little Pony XXXV: The Thread Everypony Should Know

[Zevox]

So, there was apparently a panel for My Little Pony: Fighting is Magic at a recent con, and they posted links to videos of it on their site.

Some interesting information:
- Applejack builds her magic power by hitting with her rope, which appears to be a command grab that she can use at a few different angles, and which they say leaves the enemy in position for a mixup.
- AJ's magic can be used to perform a counterattack when she blocks an enemy attack. This costs two magic meters.
- AJ's stomp attack is unblockable, but only hits on the ground, and costs one (magic?) meter.
- One of AJ's supers has her charging in a manner similar to Spencer's Bionic Arm from MvC3.
- AJ is the most powerful character damage-wise, but only on the ground. Her air attacks are much weaker.
- Twilight builds magic by reading her book, and this gives her access to more special moves, including traps and an energy ball that causes wallbounce.
- Twilight "can't take very many hits" - so she's probably a low-hp character.
- Twilight's teleports seem to move her a set distance forward or back.
- Rarity and Pinkie are incomplete in that their magic and supers haven't been implemented yet, and Rarity apparently doesn't have a walking animation yet, but they were playable.
- Rarity is a more long-range character, with her fabric making her normals reach further, and is apparently able to lay traps as well, with the one that they showed being a gemstone that sat onscreen for a moment before shooting off like a projectile. Sounds like she'll be a zoning-style character.
- Pinkie is a charge character (her special moves require holding the joystick in a direction to "charge up" before she can use them). They also said she is very combo-centric, and won't do much damage with just individual hits.
- Pinkie's attacks are very goofy, and include having her lick her opponents.
- Rarity's theme plays in video 4, when they show Rarity's stage, but is very hard to hear past the audience background noise, the comments from panel, and the sound effects from the game itself. According to a mini-FAQ they posted on their site, this should be up on Youtube soon (though not from the composer of AJ and Twilight's themes, from their second composer, called DJ Derpy Hooves).
- There was no mention at all of Fluttershy or Rainbow Dash. I'm guessing that means they're the most incomplete at this point.

Zevox

[Orzel]

--snippy snip--

They said Fluttershy or Rainbow Dash are incomplete to the point that showing what they have would be embarrassing.

I asked them about Grapplers. They were thinking about it but there is no plans as yet.

[Zevox]

I asked them about Grapplers. They were thinking about it but there is no plans as yet.

Hm, who would they even use for that kind of style? I'm having a hard time thinking of MLP characters that would fit a play style like that. Gilda maybe?

Zevox

[Pokonic]

So, all that brought up an interesting question. If you use telekinesis as your primary manipulative apparatus - as unicorns and Jalyrkieons do - what would a gun designed for you, look like?

Specifically, what would you do for a trigger? The design constriants would be entirely different to those of monkey-fingers, so what would you use? (And unlike the show, we're assuming it doesn't have to be recognisable by young audience.) A button? A lever? And where would you put it, considering you'll be holding it with TK? (Or rather, where would it be best to put it?) I must admit, for once I am at something of a loss and would definately like some suggestions.



Also, what should be the title of their race We've already got Empires and Kingdoms, Federations and Confederations, Dominions and Aggressions (and they sorta are in the bad guy file) - so, what do you reckon, ponythread? Something different and unusual would be cool.



I have also come to a conclusion, that when it comes to the Jalyrkieon - specifically for naming vehicles, ships and ship classes, that ponythread is going to have the entirely dubious honour of unwittingly helping me.

When I normally do things in alien languages, I cobble up something that uses a subset of letters or sounds that seem consistent. This is actually quite hard work (especially by the time you're onto the, what, fifth or sixth race, not including the fantasy languages on your campaign world) it gets quite hard. Thus I am intending to use, as my source of syllable clusters, the collection of your screen-names of ponythread.
(Unless anyone has an extremely violent need not to have nothing more than three coterminous letters of their screen name (if that) to be randomly stuck with other people's (assuming you could be sure it even came from yours), though why anyone might would be a mystery...)
Indeed, I have already done so, using the names of the Mane and some supporting cast for both the world and race name of the Jalyrkieons (no-prizes for anyone untangling which ones..!)

Which I will probably start tomorrow, since doing all the thinking for the Jalyrkieons has been fragging mentally exhausting!

Oh, hear's a scary thought: there is not a visable external trigger. Thanks to there telekinesis, they could handle very large guns above there back, or, if nessisary, connected to a harness on there back.

Such a gun might seem strange to another creature, but they quickly figured out if the apponent could not use there weapons without modifing them they could not use it themselves. They, in fact, use a piller-like object inside the gun as the "trigger", pushing and pulling on it to fire and reload, respectivly.

Also, a small amount of names, use them as you may. Probably not what your looking for, but might as well post them.

Evernfine Everfree

Magrousa Ursa Major

Aplenusai Take a guess...

Sebr'rifil Zebra Rifle

Pishoute Pie Shooter.

Cemelboc Camel-Back. Probably a realy big gun.

[Orzel]

Hm, who would they even use for that kind of style? I'm having a hard time thinking of MLP characters that would fit a play style like that. Gilda maybe?

Zevox

Unicorns have Telekinesis. It's how Twilight grabs in the game.

And AJ's lasso grabs power up her super bar.

[the_druid_droid]

@AotRS: I agree with what was posted above. If I were an intelligent telekinetic I would make military hardware only another telekinetic would be able to use, especially if my enemies were unlikely to have access to TK.

[Geno9999]

Unicorns have Telekinesis. It's how Twilight grabs in the game.

And AJ's lasso grabs power up her super bar.

Maybe Big Mac then?
Stronger and can do more w/ his lasso, but is slow as molasses and even worse air combos than AJ.

[Orzel]

Maybe Big Mac then?
Stronger and can do more w/ his lasso, but is slow as molasses and even worse air combos than AJ.

Big Mag is Birdie (SF)?

[Lix Lorn]

(Space Ponies)

So much awesome

On the subject of pastry wars...
...PONIES!
There may come a day when the ovens of equestria fail... but it is not this day! The pie must be made here. This far NO FURTHER. They may take our cakes, but they will NEVER TAKE OUR FREEDOM!

[Thanqol]

So much awesome

On the subject of pastry wars...
...PONIES!
There may come a day when the ovens of equestria fail... but it is not this day! The pie must be made here. This far NO FURTHER. They may take our cakes, but they will NEVER TAKE OUR FREEDOM!

You can keep your freedom. You are free to be free and cake-less. I am completely happy with this turn of events; the conclusion that has me with all the cakes and you with your freedom. That seems an entirely acceptable conclusion.

[TheAmishPirate]

You can keep your freedom. You are free to be free and cake-less. I am completely happy with this turn of events; the conclusion that has me with all the cakes and you with your freedom. That seems an entirely acceptable conclusion.

I can think of one pony who might object to this.

[Thanqol]

I can think of one pony who might object to this.

I reckon I can take her. She's, like, three feet tall.

[Lord Raziere]

Fortunately, I like to eat chicken more than cake. Meat for the Meat God. Bones for the Bone Throne….the first one is me, the second is mine.

[otakuryoga]

I reckon I can take her.
She's, like, an Eldritch Abomination.

fixed that for ya

[Capt. Ido Nos]

Charger: *Draws sword, severs cardboard tubes, claps hands together and releases a thundershock directly into Ido from her electrical buzzers.*

"Put your shirt back on."

Haha! Little did you realize that my time spent faking my way through engineering work has rendered me immune to electric attacks! It's just not very effective!

*ido pulls out an oar and wields it like a bo staff, which requires excessive whirling about and plenty of grunts and keeyahs*

[Thanqol]

fixed that for ya

What could Pinkie Pie possibly do to hurt me?

Haha! Little did you realize that my time spent faking my way through engineering work has rendered me immune to electric attacks! It's just not very effective!

*ido pulls out an oar and wields it like a bo staff, which requires excessive whirling about and plenty of grunts and keeyahs*

Charger: Faking being an engineer makes you immune to electricity?
Mask: Yep. You didn't know?
Charger: Urghhhh. Now I'm going to have to have a kung fu battle with a shirtless man...

*Charger strikes the ground once, and the air seems to vibrate and hum. It settles over everything, a thick, heavy, smothering vibration that slows all movement around her. With a flick of her wrists, her sleeves tear open to reveal a line of razor sharp white feathers along the back of her forehooves. Tiny droplets of water and gleaming white feathers surround her*

"Water Dragon Style!"

*Magical transformation sequence complete, Charger hesitates for a moment. Then the sky cracks overhead, and as the first drop of rain falls she kicks off the ground and is on the offensive!*

[Thanqol]

Mare In The Mirror p4: Quadrangles and Inappropriate Music

Spoiler

Show

P7:

...

Okay that was ace start to finish and I don't have the whisper of a complaint.

P8:

Still managed to read that without tripping up on anything.

P9:

A little expositiony at the start, but that's a quibble, and a recap at that point isn't objectionable because a lot just happened.

Rarity knelt down and smiled at the two young fillies, "Please call me Rarity, dears."

Ace scene.


I have to say, last night I was gearing myself up to write something along the lines of "Diluted focus, improper seeding and follow-through mishaps have significantly harmed the strong points of this story, four stars". But these last three parts just worked for me, start to finish; the story's really hit it's stride right here. I really hope the rest of the story keeps up this level of quality!

[Anarion]

@AotRS: I agree with what was posted above. If I were an intelligent telekinetic I would make military hardware only another telekinetic would be able to use, especially if my enemies were unlikely to have access to TK.

This line of thinking assumes that unicorn telekinesis can go through solid objects. It could work like D&D spells where you need a line of effect to the object manipulated with telekinesis, in which case the firing mechanism could be finely manipulated but would still have to be external. In that case I would suggest some kind of pressure plate that looks more or less identical to the rest of the surface and has a small and very delicate safety so that if the weapon were lost, it would be quite difficult to reverse engineer it.

So much awesome

On the subject of pastry wars...
...PONIES!
There may come a day when the ovens of equestria fail... but it is not this day! The pie must be made here. This far NO FURTHER. They may take our cakes, but they will NEVER TAKE OUR FREEDOM!

Elan, is that you?

[Zevox]

Unicorns have Telekinesis. It's how Twilight grabs in the game.

And AJ's lasso grabs power up her super bar.

Well yes, but grapplers in fighting games tend to be big characters who are much more reliant on their grabs than other characters. Anyone can have a throw - in most fighting games, everyone does - but that doesn't make them a grappler.

Maybe Big Mac then?
Stronger and can do more w/ his lasso, but is slow as molasses and even worse air combos than AJ.

Hm, Big Mac is a possibility I hadn't thought of. He'd fit as being the kind of character who could be portrayed a big, slow, grab-heavy type, yeah.

Zevox

[Rebelhero]

Space pony snip of epicosity.

I would a slide system. it would be very hard to hold and aim, slide and fire for anything without TK to use these weapons. Also, sliding back (assuming balistics are being used) would act as the release for shells. Slide all the back for automatic fire, half way for Burst. also then the sides are in place it helps enviorment-proof the weapon, allowing for for say, desert warfare, or aquatic insertion. I imagine the weapons to be long and slim, not needing all the hand holds and stocks and weight balancing that human weapons need.
I also imagine these "ponies" would design there weapons for improvization, easily swapping out pieces to mod their weapons as needed, or even combine them into bigger ones. Such as taking 2 mid range rifles and turning them into a sniper rifle.

What could Pinkie Pie possibly do to hurt me?



Charger: Faking being an engineer makes you immune to electricity?
Mask: Yep. You didn't know?
Charger: Urghhhh. Now I'm going to have to have a kung fu battle with a shirtless man...

*Charger strikes the ground once, and the air seems to vibrate and hum. It settles over everything, a thick, heavy, smothering vibration that slows all movement around her. With a flick of her wrists, her sleeves tear open to reveal a line of razor sharp white feathers along the back of her forehooves. Tiny droplets of water and gleaming white feathers surround her*

"Water Dragon Style!"

*Magical transformation sequence complete, Charger hesitates for a moment. Then the sky cracks overhead, and as the first drop of rain falls she kicks off the ground and is on the offensive!*

This.... this is just wrong. Skyrocket... Prepare the pie barrage. Blackberry.
*giggles* Cannons loaded.
Are they warm?
Fresh out the over.
Fire at will.
*Slams hoof on the "Fire" button*

[Thanqol]

This.... this is just wrong. Skyrocket... Prepare the pie barrage. Blackberry.
*giggles* Cannons loaded.
Are they warm?
Fresh out the over.
Fire at will.
*Slams hoof on the "Fire" button*

Mask: Being hit with pies shows me that you are capable of harming me, not that Pinkie is in any way capable of *buried under mountain of pastry*

[Forum Explorer]

What could Pinkie Pie possibly do to hurt me?

She's got a gaze attack that goes straight for your pancreas!


Plus she has a party cannon. It won't be fatal except for maybe your pride after you get hit with the frat setting.

[Lord Raziere]

I'm not afraid of Pinkie Pie. I would gladly emotionally manipulate her into becoming depressed Pinkamina again, just to stop her annoying noise, parties and singing. I hate all three, and prefer the quiet.

How would I do this?

Ebon Dragon Charms

[Capt. Ido Nos]

What could Pinkie Pie possibly do to hurt me?



Charger: Faking being an engineer makes you immune to electricity?
Mask: Yep. You didn't know?
Charger: Urghhhh. Now I'm going to have to have a kung fu battle with a shirtless man...

*Charger strikes the ground once, and the air seems to vibrate and hum. It settles over everything, a thick, heavy, smothering vibration that slows all movement around her. With a flick of her wrists, her sleeves tear open to reveal a line of razor sharp white feathers along the back of her forehooves. Tiny droplets of water and gleaming white feathers surround her*

"Water Dragon Style!"

*Magical transformation sequence complete, Charger hesitates for a moment. Then the sky cracks overhead, and as the first drop of rain falls she kicks off the ground and is on the offensive!*

This.... this is just wrong. Skyrocket... Prepare the pie barrage. Blackberry.
*giggles* Cannons loaded.
Are they warm?
Fresh out the over.
Fire at will.
*Slams hoof on the "Fire" button*

Seeing the sudden revelation of a masterful execution of the Water Dragon Style, Ido tenses deep in his horse stance. With one arm he balances his oar across his shoulders, blade pointing like a defensive phoenix at his foe.

Suddenly, a low rumble behind him catches one of his many points of attention. A reflexive dodge, and an ... apple cobbler? rockets over his left shoulder. Ido has scare time to be confused as a second rumble announces a second volley. Ido pivots, turns, and releases his coiled up energy. The oar's blade slices through the air as easily as water, gingerly caressing a key lime out of its parabolic flight. He plants his foot midswing, and with an upward thrust, sends the sky pieward wait that doesn't make sense wait it's happening anyway?!?

[Forum Explorer]

I'm not afraid of Pinkie Pie. I would gladly emotionally manipulate her into becoming depressed Pinkamina again, just to stop her annoying noise, parties and singing. I hate all three, and prefer the quiet.

How would I do this?

Ebon Dragon Charms

Arguably depressed Pinkamina is still pretty noisy. Now with the added benefit of Pinkie never not talking. Better to just get her some super taffy.

[Rebelhero]

Mask: Being hit with pies shows me that you are capable of harming me, not that Pinkie is in any way capable of *buried under mountain of pastry*

Did you at least hit the shirtless one and the Kung-fu Griphon? (charger is a griphon correct?)
Cant confirm. I think i fired too many, cant see anything.

Did you happen to catch what the mare in the mask was talking about?
Taking everyones baked goods i believe.
*facehoof* and we just fired a ton of it at her.

[Geno9999]

I'm not afraid of Pinkie Pie. I would gladly emotionally manipulate her into becoming depressed Pinkamina again, just to stop her annoying noise, parties and singing. I hate all three, and prefer the quiet.

How would I do this?

Ebon Dragon Charms

YOU FOAL! Have you learned NOTHING from Party of One!? Depressed!Pinkie doesn't shut up, she stops being your friend and replaces you with a bucket of turnips!

[Thanqol]

She's got a gaze attack that goes straight for your pancreas!

Plus she has a party cannon. It won't be fatal except for maybe your pride after you get hit with the frat setting.

Mask: Ha! Joke's on you! I have no pride!

Seeing the sudden revelation of a masterful execution of the Water Dragon Style, Ido tenses deep in his horse stance. With one arm he balances his oar across his shoulders, blade pointing like a defensive phoenix at his foe.

Suddenly, a low rumble behind him catches one of his many points of attention. A reflexive dodge, and an ... apple cobbler? rockets over his left shoulder. Ido has scare time to be confused as a second rumble announces a second volley. Ido pivots, turns, and releases his coiled up energy. The oar's blade slices through the air as easily as water, gingerly caressing a key lime out of its parabolic flight. He plants his foot midswing, and with an upward thrust, sends the sky pieward wait that doesn't make sense wait it's happening anyway?!?

Charger's hoof touches the pie flung in her direction, and instantly it dessicates into sand as the purified water is extracted from it's structure! The water revolves around Charger once, then extends out into six tentacles of liquid, each of which snares a different pie. The pies are then thrown at Ido simultaneously from different directions!

If there is a bright side to this, it's that some of the sand got in Charger's eyes, momentarily distracting her!

Did you at least hit the shirtless one and the Kung-fu Griphon? (charger is a griphon correct?)
Cant confirm. I think i fired too many, cant see anything.

Did you happen to catch what the mare in the mask was talking about?
Taking everyones baked goods i believe.
*facehoof* and we just fired a ton of it at her.

[Jayden is the Griffon/Forces Mage. Charger is the Earth Pony Martial Artist. Mask is a coward in a mask]

Mask: Flawless *nom* victory.

[Lord Raziere]

YOU FOAL! Have you learned NOTHING from Party of One!? Depressed!Pinkie doesn't shut up, she stops being your friend and replaces you with a bucket of turnips!

she can talk to the bucket of turnips all she wants. I'm going to be moving far away where I can't hear her. I win.

[Anarion]

she can talk to the bucket of turnips all she wants. I'm going to be moving far away where I can't hear her. I win.

Not to be too much the voice of reason here, but wouldn't moving far away solve the problem without forcing an especially cute pink pony into the vast gulf of depression?