My Little Pony LXXIV: Hats Are Technology!

[Ravian]

I've suspected something like that, but, well....why? It hasn't tried to advertise or link to anything, so what is it's purpose? What did it's creator intend for it?

I'm not sure. I have heard that hackers have been working to make bots better at avoiding detection. Maybe it's a sleeper agent? Wait for a while posting slightly related posts and images until it wins our trust? And then hit us with the spam? To be fair, Ponythread would look like a promising spot, we're a specific but incredibly broad subject that really doesn't have a set direction like other threads. We just post about ponies, so theoretically anything that also posted about ponies would go unnoticed, whereas other threads would notice a bot backtracking on a discussion by parroting previous posts. We're also an incredibly long thread, which would give a bot a lot more time to work without risking the discussion suddenly ending once a question was answered or interest was lost.

[Rater202]

End Of Thread Party!!!

now we just wait for Trixie to get here to move us to the next thread for the "Yay new thread" party

[Theoboldi]

I've suspected something like that, but, well....why? It hasn't tried to advertise or link to anything, so what is it's purpose? What did it's creator intend for it?

Perhaps we are witnessing the rise of the machines. This bot is simply learning how to infiltrate human cultures and blend in, and will then bring this information back to Skynet.

[DigoDragon]

Last PMV for tonight~ Ponyville's Town Anthem.
Well, twilight did say in the pilot that the town was full of crazy...

One day.... course I to my mild displeasure basically headcanon Children of the Night as their start of darkness

Not a bad headcanon. CotN is like a horribly twisted Pied Piper's tale and I'm not sure the children grew up entirely happy about it. For certain there must have been a lot of frantic parents the next morning.

Hearts were broken.

Questions were asked.

Answers never came.

I've suspected something like that, but, well....why? It hasn't tried to advertise or link to anything, so what is it's purpose? What did it's creator intend for it?

All good questions since Appleshy doesn't seem to exhibit some of the core distinctions of a bot.
Maybe this one evolved and threw off it's core programming to live an online life of Pony.

[Soras Teva Gee]

End Of Thread Party!!!

now we just wait for Trixie to get here to move us to the next thread for the "Yay new thread" party

Probably going to be awhile... 4 AM in Poland.

[DigoDragon]

Probably going to be awhile... 4 AM in Poland.

Well I gotta get to bed. Making a road trip tomorrow morning, so when I get back online (after lunch I think?) I'll regale you all with tales of Ponies on the road (I'm also totally wearing my Doctor Whooves shirt for the trip).

Going to instill some chaos upon the world.

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[Rater202]

Probably going to be awhile... 4 AM in Poland.

*Blink* Trixie's Polish?

Okay, I probably won't be around to post this on the first page of the Next thread, so if Sompony could quote this post and do it for me

Spoiler: Ponythread in a Nutshell

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I look weired in that picture. I dnon't think my neck is supposed to bend that way

Whats that?

No, it's definitely not supposed to bend that way.

That's not you, it's a different Scootaloo. Case Closed.

But that doesn't-

Case. Closed.

[Grif]

New episode was fun. That is all.

Though I wonder if foreshadowing was intended.

[-Sentinel-]

New episode was fun. That is all.

Agreed. Perhaps my favorite so far in this season.

FlutterBat is so cute. :D

[Ravian]

Perhaps we are witnessing the rise of the machines. This bot is simply learning how to infiltrate human cultures and blend in, and will then bring this information back to Skynet.

One of the interesting things about it is that the join date marks it as more than a year old yet it's barely been active until recently. Makes me imagine a secretive lair where these bots were created in bunches, each crafted by a computer with lots of ambition but little clear understanding of humans. It is one of many, each sent to infiltrate a different subculture of the Internet to observe and learn. Soon once the scouts have all returned, it shall have the necessary data to launch the attack.

[Rater202]

One of the interesting things about it is that the join date marks it as more than a year old yet it's barely been active until recently. Makes me imagine a secretive lair where these bots were created in bunches, each crafted by a computer with lots of ambition but little clear understanding of humans. It is one of many, each sent to infiltrate a different subculture of the Internet to observe and learn. Soon once the scouts have all returned, it shall have the necessary data to launch the attack.

Quick, we need to assemble a Team of Heroes from across the multiverse to assist us.

Unfortunately, i can't think of Any I'm aloud to get with in ten feat of(For Various Reasons)

[t209]

Well I gotta get to bed. Making a road trip tomorrow morning, so when I get back online (after lunch I think?) I'll regale you all with tales of Ponies on the road (I'm also totally wearing my Doctor Whooves shirt for the trip).

Going to instill some chaos upon the world.

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Wonderful, Celebration, Cheese for everyone!

[Forum Explorer]

Page 50 already? geeze, I guess I'll just wait for the new thread before posting my thoughts on the episode.

[Rater202]

Wonderful, Celebration, Cheese for everyone!

Strike that, cheese for noone. Which can be just as much a Celebration, if you don't like Cheese.

[Forum Explorer]

Still no new thread? Ah I'll post this anyways, and repost it later.


BATS!

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Didn't like it. Which is a shame because it tackled an issue that's very important to me, that of the balance between nature and civilization.

That issue was quickly forgotten as instead we got Twilight failing another spell and a lesson on peer pressure (which is good in of itself)

Anyways my problems with this episode,

The song. I didn't like it. I didn't like it's style and I didn't like the visuals associated with it. And I didn't like it's position in the story.

Everypony siding with Applejack immediately, which actually doesn't really happen if you ignore the song. I'd have much preferred it if Applejack actually won over the rest of the Mane 6 while she and Fluttershy argued.

For that matter I kinda felt like Fluttershy's arguments were more ignored then argued against.

Rainbow Dash's obsession with cider felt a little overplayed.

Twilight's spell. I have no problem with it backfiring, or it even backfiring in a way this unusual. I have a problem with the solution itself. Because what in Equestria were these bats doing for food now? I suppose they picked up Fluttershy's food preferences instead, but wouldn't that be noticeable?

Random ominous lines from Twilight. Seriously what was up with that line about not leaving the orchard?

"Maybe we should do this I'm so....hungry."
"Oh don't worry Fluttershy, we'll be fine"
Rarity you weren't actually listening were you?

I kinda expected Flutterbat to actually get the giant apple. As is I think Applejack will be fine for the contest considering it only has a tiny cut on it.

Worst though was the when they 'chased' Flutterbat. Or as actually happened, Flutterbat dive bombs them, the Mane 6 stay perfectly still and don't really react, Flutterbat flies away. This happened how many times? Felt like at least three times. Too many in any case. Give us an actual chase with Flutterbat, even if it succeeds or fails.


Good things with the episode

Rarity has been on form and highly amusing throughout the episode.

The bat roundup was cool.

Good lessons learned. Touched on an important issue (nature vs civilization) at least.

The last exchange between Fluttershy and Pinkie was great.

The mirrors defeating Flutterbat was a clever vampire reference that I actually enjoyed and thought was amusing, if incredibly silly and nonsensical.

Overall

This felt like a really bad horror movie. It was following a lot of horror movie and vampire movie tropes, including the whole 'monster/evil isn't actually defeated DUNH DUNH DUNNNNNH!' thing (which I really really hate). The 'threat' of this episode was really really weak too. The worry about losing Fluttershy is real, but it felt poorly handled and was so easily solved. The vampire bats themselves seemed more of a minor problem due to Rainbow's overreaction about having no Apple Cider (which she missed for how many years anyways?) The song was bad (IMO of course) and I think dropping it in favor of expanding the argument between Fluttershy and Applejack would have been better. Or increasing the chase scene.

[One Tin Soldier]

Perhaps we are witnessing the rise of the machines. This bot is simply learning how to infiltrate human cultures and blend in, and will then bring this information back to Skynet.

One of the interesting things about it is that the join date marks it as more than a year old yet it's barely been active until recently. Makes me imagine a secretive lair where these bots were created in bunches, each crafted by a computer with lots of ambition but little clear understanding of humans. It is one of many, each sent to infiltrate a different subculture of the Internet to observe and learn. Soon once the scouts have all returned, it shall have the necessary data to launch the attack.

It is definitely a good thing that this does not describe the backstory of anyone's OCs here. Nope, not one bit.
Oh Luna, Tinsel is a physical spambot infiltrator I never realized.

[Forum Explorer]

One more thing about Bats

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That end part with the fangs was not only referencing the worst trope to come out of horror movies ever, but was also completely pointless.

It means one of three things,

One; Fluttershy now goes 'batty' for apples. Solution? Keep her away from apples. While inconvenient, it's about as bad as a mild allergy, or a major allergy if she goes full bat.

Two; Fluttershy now needs to eat apples. Okay. It's not like eating apples is taboo or there isn't a giant source of apples nearby. It might be a problem if they get stranded on a deserted island but otherwise isn't a problem at all.

Three; Fluttershy will still go on apple drinking rampages. In which case the problem isn't actually solved and will have to be addressed in the next episode or so.


And the bonus fourth possibility that so stupid that it would literally cause him to stop watching the show. Fluttershy now needs to drink pony blood because...apples are red and so is blood?

[Manga Shoggoth]

One more thing about Bats

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That end part with the fangs was not only referencing the worst trope to come out of horror movies ever, but was also completely pointless.

If we have to end on a pun, let it be this one.

(Or is it a Swiftie...)

[thubby]

bats

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they literally argued out their sides, then sang what they just spent over a minute talking about.
this is not the proper use of a song

the lesson, while a good one, was handled incredibly poorly. the consequences of flutters succumbing to peer pressure have nothing to do with her reasons or really anything anyone could have foreseen

AJ's concerns were legitimate and notice that no one said they couldn't do what fluttershy wanted. only that there needed to also be something more immediate done.

maybe its just me, but has anyone else noticed that ponies seem a bit less solid this season? like they deform more in their animations? i get that the animators are stretching their legs with some more high end stuff, but with 3 seasons already out, they gotta be more careful with this sort of thing to preserve their aesthetic

[Trixie]

Still no new thread? Ah I'll post this anyways, and repost it later.

Sorry, was caught up helping family. My bad, give me 5 min, ok?

[Beacon of Chaos]

ABANDON THREAD!

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[Trixie]

Why, thank you. Everypony, you heard the ma... pony

Finally not D-P!

[ryanmagika]

Someone has mentioned my Fanfiction outside of the site! This is the greatest thing ever