My Little Pony XCVI: Long Live the King

[Spamotron]

As I have noted before Oliver on FIMfiction has probably put more thought into this than anybody. Including evidence from, show, comics and chapter books. His assertion that that Equestria is most likely a small planet orbiting a dim body like a high-infrared red dwarf and is itself "orbited," by small highly magical "sun," and moon makes a lot of sense.

[t209]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkIJYrjUYyQ
Cannot stop thinking about Season 2 Finale whenever I see Domon and Rain using their power of love.

[Pi Pie]

Next random, stupid question about ponies and physics: how tough are ponies?

We've seen ponies survive things that would easily kill people such as a piano falling on Twilight from far up. She also survived getting blasted into a mountain although that was when her power level was over 9,000.

We also have seen that the Cutie Mark Crusaders are still alive. Given that, we know that ponies can take some serious punishment.

On the other hand, ponies can be injured. Daring Do and Rainbow Dash broke their wings. Twilight was half blinded, scarred, and partially blown up after being visited by her future self.

So what do you think would be required to cause permanent, catastrophic harm to a pony? I'm thinking that a .50 caliber armor piercing round or equivalent would be needed to cause enough damage they could not regenerate naturally or use magic to fix it.

[Thanqol]

Next random, stupid question about ponies and physics: how tough are ponies?

We've seen ponies survive things that would easily kill people such as a piano falling on Twilight from far up. She also survived getting blasted into a mountain although that was when her power level was over 9,000.

We also have seen that the Cutie Mark Crusaders are still alive. Given that, we know that ponies can take some serious punishment.

On the other hand, ponies can be injured. Daring Do and Rainbow Dash broke their wings. Twilight was half blinded, scarred, and partially blown up after being visited by her future self.

So what do you think would be required to cause permanent, catastrophic harm to a pony? I'm thinking that a .50 caliber armor piercing round or equivalent would be needed to cause enough damage they could not regenerate naturally or use magic to fix it.

Oh, we solved this one - ponies are made out of dark matter.

Although I personally favour the idea that they are made out of candy.

[Aotrs Commander]

Next random, stupid question about ponies and physics: how tough are ponies?

We've seen ponies survive things that would easily kill people such as a piano falling on Twilight from far up. She also survived getting blasted into a mountain although that was when her power level was over 9,000.

We also have seen that the Cutie Mark Crusaders are still alive. Given that, we know that ponies can take some serious punishment.

On the other hand, ponies can be injured. Daring Do and Rainbow Dash broke their wings. Twilight was half blinded, scarred, and partially blown up after being visited by her future self.

So what do you think would be required to cause permanent, catastrophic harm to a pony? I'm thinking that a .50 caliber armor piercing round or equivalent would be needed to cause enough damage they could not regenerate naturally or use magic to fix it.

And the rest, quite likely.

We (well, I) estimated pony strength at the capaibility for the local seamtrss and librarian at being able to lift about three of four tons, and that said seamstress was able to take a 90º turn without harm at a speed of somewhere between mach one and mach four to five, despending on estimates; and RD can do that INTO THE GROUND unharmed. (I am a little dubious that Rarity - or Fluttershy - would have been more than injured from a fall from that distance, provided they didn't get unlucky. After all, it's all about angles'; you can kil yourself if you trip over.)



(The good ensign has, not unreasonably, declined to personally test whether she can withstand a direct it from a Snake warhead fo me to add some more... scientific data.)



I believe, in fact, this is the correct time to dust this off:

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Ponies have superpowers.



Superpowers.

[DigoDragon]

Ponies have superpowers.

Magic is a type of super power, so essentially correct.

They also can weaponize cuteness.

[Pendulous]

DWK recaps episode 3. As usual, much adult language https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FoOFh3Tdvo

[Forum Explorer]

DWK recaps episode 3. As usual, much adult language https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FoOFh3Tdvo

"10/10 Twilight!" has to be my favorite part for that one. Though the very last line was pretty amazing too.

The only Spike OR Twilight can be intelligent at a time thing is just true.

[DigoDragon]

"10/10 Twilight!" has to be my favorite part for that one. Though the very last line was pretty amazing too.

The only Spike OR Twilight can be intelligent at a time thing is just true.

Haha, right? And the thing with apologizing to Pinkie and getting her a treat, but guess wh's doing the work to make it. XD Batting a thousand there, Twi.

The switch is so true as well.

[Pendulous]

I say this every time, but Spike is usually the logical one when the episode doesn't focus on him.

[Aotrs Commander]

Got a good chunk of painting done today...

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MiniMe and Mini-Hopereaver, launching some Sentry Drones froma pair of Reign of Angers



Alos got a load more Jalyrkieon ships and some of the Wodef (the trainship, for those of you with long memories) done, and started the next round.

Bleakplays Plays EUIV: Necrolantis Rises!

Spoiler: What has gone before

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Necrolantis Arises! 01
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Spoiler: Necrolantis Arises! 17

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Okay, in the absense of being able to quickly get the very-shortly available insitution via devleopment, pressing owith conquest ASAP is the best option.

After some though, the ideas sequence revised currently stands at Innovative (sort of need to take that now or never), then influence, then humanist (to basically obviate rebellions and save of the resource drain) and finally offensive.

Someone wanted to spend 50 ducats reinforcing Cape Verde, for a few years, but honestly, it has been sieged, like, once? So Selagus took the minor prestige hit and told them no.

In early 1599, Songhai put down a rebellion as fast as it arose. good job, chaps.

Claim fabricated on Tidore. Just now waiting to the OE to drop.

Selagus was given the opportunity to forge more documents, but turn it down this time (probably too hastily...)

By June, the cores were at 90%, so now seemed a good time to strike, except I first needed to call the third diplmat back since both the others were making spy networks. *skulldesk* Well, as soon as he'd done one wat, we'd start the second. Oh, few, he was only 8 days away!

Hmm. I could drop everything to intervene in the great power war between Britain and Castile/Portugal... over the one province near Pausanis on the offshore isalnd next tot he one remaining Castilian one. Hmm. Aid my rival to get a province that would be easier to take from Castile later. How about no?

So. First target: Tidore. (Hilariously, Ternate and Tidore were now at war. Time to Outside Context that little dispute...)

As the war started, Miliarty 16 came in, bringing with it an upgrade to chambered demi-cannon! Nice! And almost immediatel thereafter, the previous round provinces finished coring.

Mission complete! Once again, no useful mission goal. (I might have been tempted to the "75% fleet limit" one again, but with the change to sailors, I appeared to already be using more than I was gaining, so that'd be a hard "no."

The diplomat came back, so I immediately declared on the surprised Ternate, who actually had been helping me besiege Tidore. They were even more surpirsed to suddenly fidn they were under attack from a massively numerically, technologically and professionally superior army. The battle was an absolute massecre, 4630 infantry, 1907 cavalry and 961 cannons Ternate froces stackwiped to a pittance of 240 Necrolantic Legion Mercenary Infantry.

What did people occasionally say about Necorlantis being trustworthy...?

By the end of December, at 99% Warscore, Tidore was absorbed into the Necrolantic empire.

January. Expecting Trade companies to spawn any time now...

A local fortification expert was found. However, since Necrolantis was nearly always on the offense, he was allowed to stay home.

By March 1600, it was all over, though it wasn't until April that the diplmats would be back.

Selagus ordered the construction of eleven new transports (to supplement the one that Necrolantis has just captured), so as to leave the local 12k stack around if needed. The main twin 12k stacks were heasing out to Theronis, as thence from there to attack Concocha as as soon as a claim was fabricated.

June and Protugal reported the growing demand had increased the value of tobacco.

I figured that at this point, I probably ought to maybe promote some cultures to accewpted (since trying to culture convert the entire world aside from Atlantean colonies would take... a looooong time and a lot od diplomatic points.) On the otherhand, perhaps it would be best to only sink one or two in, since Diplo 17 wa only a year or two off completing and due to Selagus' limited diplomacy... (Oh, wait, were were also waiting for a new advsiort... Maybe time to leverage a 3-skill out of the nobles...?)

So I elected to use two of the 4 accepted cultures, for which we had the most development: Hausa (Central African) and Khoist (South African).

Huh. Only another four or five years, as we could have a nother go at Mali and Kanam Bornu. So, maybe by the time Concocha was done...

In November, Admin 17 came in (just one more tech until the next idea group!). This brought more states, Administrative effecienc (so even lower coring costs!), universities (next priority construction item, for lower development costs and essentially being itself a bonus slot).

Bikol finished. I should have recalled the colonist, but I forgot that it was only a "get started" mission, not a completion. After some thought, I relucantaly sent him to Abenarah on the second of the two islands that made up Deucalionis, just to try and ensure that Theronis woudl the be more powerful than the probably Portufeuse CN in the area.

Next colony targets would be the Andermans (in the Indian Ocean, missed that set of islands!) and probably two of the furthest islands in the Phillipines (as much as to stop Portugal getting access to them).

April 1601 - time to get moving so that as soon as the cliam was fabricated, the army could attack Concocha...

On the first of August, the war began. as did the first university construction in Cape verde.

In January, a trade company monolpoly was formed. The choice was between 50 diplomatic points and 15% teade efficiency for ten years, or nearly 1500 ducats. I opeted for the latter, estimating that would probably be more money and at the moment, I was not ever so short of monarch points. The cash windfall went on several more universities in Africa and Ile Bourbon and Mauritius.

Native assimilation in Yamdema (the colony we'd snatched from Tidore), which put that to nearly finished. I pulled the colonist from the nearly-complete Aluriri in New Zealand and dispatched him to the Andermans.

Hoho! This time, with being much close to my CNs, they were actually pitching in to attack rather helpfully! Enmasse! Great!



No Britain, you are not going to have your CN steal provinces in MY war, you little excrement stain.

Next colony: Tuvalu islands... I pulled the colonist from Tondo and sent him to the Gilbert Islands for good measure.

In December, Concocha was basically beaten (just the last percent to go), and the fifth colony in Austrailia formed, creating the new nation of Selagis!

In January 1603, Concocha was defeated. It lost all but four provinces to Necrolantis (picked such that in was enveloped within the bounds of Necorlantic territory, so there wopuld be sniping by the British, thank you...)

Before we went back to the mainland, a stop over in Poytrek and Manumuskin to grab enoiugh territory there to start the next couple of CNs before Castile and Britain's colonies got too large seemed wise...

Hey, no seperatism in the former Concocha territory! Nice!

Mali - perhaps because they are idiots - gave Necrolantis a diplomatic insult.

Weeeellll... with the 18k merc stack and the 12k regular stack, maybe we COULD afford to give them a kicking now... Ph, wait, not yet, we still had little over a year to go before the truce expired. Hoho, nice try, Mali, Nice try...!

Over in Poytrek/Manumuskin, the Manumuskin target nation, Munhacke, was at war (and winning) against Castile and CNs, so I figured I'd leave them to it. The northern larger nation, Tiocapa, was figthing against some neighbors, but otherwise a target to hit; so the diploamt went there.

I started building some more transports, so that mainland Africa could shunt the majorty of thoise troops around if needed.

The diploamt in Concocha finished fabricating a new claim (for next time!) and returned home.

Telesphoria declared war on Portugeuse Snedsted. I figurd I'd better keep an eye on that. I was pretty sure my guys could handle it, but I had better just watch Portugal itself didn't try to jump in, or I'd have to myself (and if last time was anything to go by, I'd be unlikely to get anything out of it...)

I was running enough cash in now, I could afford to run at six colonies. I thus recalled the colonist from Abenarah and sent him to the Marshall Islands - just to keep running backwards from where Portugal was colonising, to try and lock them out a bit more.

I could probably afford to build another army unit on the mainland, actually... Especially since Necrolantis was now nearly at only half its force limit!

First new army assembled. Frack it, may as well make a second...

July 1604 (still no instituion, but that's fine) and the Concocha cores started to come in - and not long until the first claim fabrication is completed, great!

Switzerland apparently had gone into civil war. Unlucky.

The rest of the cores finished, creating the new colonial nation of Acononis!

Tipcapa ws at 80% in its war, so I decided I would hold off just a little; maybe if it won, I'd be able to snag some more stuff off it!

Tondo finished, so I recalled the colonist from Tuvalu and dispatched him to Nauru, in the same region (four colonies in that area now); I aslo recalled the colonist from the Andermans and dispatech him to Areek in Deucalionis (Portugal had started on its fifth province there). Something which I could have sworn I did earlier, but apparently not saved afterwards. Eh, we could take seven colonies...!

Muahahahahaha! Excellent, as I'd hoped, Ticapa grabbed some more territory - which I can now take from it...!

26th of November, 1604 and we begin again!

New merchant sent to Ceylon...

Whoops, looks like when I made all Tipcapa allies co-belligerents, Ipulled more folk into the war that I expcted. Oh well, more to peace out!

On that basis, I elected not to take Diplo tech 17 just yet; I might need the diplomatic points!

One OPM (Attanonton) down. Couldn't core it, so I just got it to give me cash, reparations and trade power.

Our subjects are renowned world wide for the loyalty. Damn straight! (Sofis had even arrived to help, bless 'em!)

The Gilbert Islands settlement needed to be moved around a bit, but that just meant more tax!

First of January 1606 finally brought in to Global Trade instituion (in Valencia, of course...) I wasn't even going to bother to try and development around this one. Fortunately, that was not necessary, because I was getting a flow anyway to everywhere. This flow was increased by trade buildings and trade power in the province, so I immediately started to build market places in all the coastalt trade centres. Further, Diplo 17 was now in reach and a good few points cheaper, so I cracked that out before the cost went up, unlocking trade depots, the next step up from market places, so that I could upgrade as well to shunt the trade power of those up. But I probably wan't going to get too much technology quickly now, unfortunately...

It also enabled me to peace out Chonuihara from the war (again for just cash, reparations and trade power).

Then we gained a boost to siege power because of ou military doctrine! Nice!

September, and Arumbia fell. And THIS time, it could be taken!

Then Omnioreg and Tsoumatseh were occupied. I actually pulled the diplomat oiff relations, so I could peace both out quickly...

Tsoumatseh, due to location, "got away" with only cash, reparation, tradepower and becaue I could, being forced to become animists.

Omnioreg was next, the single province absorbed wholesale.

March 1607 brought Military tech 17, fortunately before the tech penalty go too high. It would be some while before the next techs would be available, but at least ewe had got them more or less before Global Trade came in!

Teongouten was the last resistance, crushed and absorbed.

And then and only then, was Tipcapa sent terms. And it too, was annexed. This left Necrolantis as a "by pure chance, I had been prepared to slip over) 97% overextension! Nice!



(Apparently, Chonuihara ate Attanonton. Whatever!)

Dropped the diplo points to negative, but who cares?

Though only disppointing thing was that all but one province (Gammeldansk, whcih was mine already) was in the Manumuskin region; so while there would a be (very) strong CN there, soon, I'd have to colonmist a load to get a CN in Poytrek. Well, that would just have to wait for a good long while.

The next job was to accept a mission to build a trade centre in Katsine because why not?

The immediate plan would be to leave the troops over there, ready to come down and stomp on the next nations, but in the meantime, once things had cored, it ws time to have another stab at Mali and Kanam Bornu!

And there we shall have to leave it for another time.

But hey! Good session! Three wars, plenty of new CNs - things are going very well!

[DigoDragon]

I say this every time, but Spike is usually the logical one when the episode doesn't focus on him.

First thing that came to mind was "Can you do that? Can you explode twice?"


Posted without comment.

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[Desert Sun]

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[/QUOTE]

Why? Why did I have to think dirty when I immediately saw that? Curse you, Digo!

[Rater202]

First thing that came to mind was "Can you do that? Can you explode twice?"


Posted without comment.

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Good God Trixie Phrasing

Too keep this vaugly pony related

Spoiler: Guess what I ship in Homestuck

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[Topaz]

Just to note, now that Tails of Equestria is published I've updated the Pony TRPGs post with the UK and US publisher's websites.

Still hoping for a PDF version.

[Derjuin]

Too keep this vaugly pony related

Spoiler: Guess what I ship in Homestuck

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Spoiler: SUCH MAUDLIN DISPLAYS OF TOUCHING AND SIMPERING

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I personally matesprit-shipped Vriska/John before it was demolished.

[DigoDragon]

Why? Why did I have to think dirty when I immediately saw that? Curse you, Digo!

Hahaha! Your curses only give me strength!

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Have +100 xp for your suffering. :3

[Pi Pie]

Got a good chunk of painting done today...

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MiniMe and Mini-Hopereaver, launching some Sentry Drones from a pair of Reign of Angers

Very nice. The colors look nice unlike some of those aliens that do not see or process in the same spectrum as humans.

I was wondering about the Aorts use of drones. Your epic convention battles generally did not seem to use them very much. With advanced warfare, I would expect a significant use of drones for support such as communications, intelligence gathering, and tactical strikes.

[Aotrs Commander]

Very nice. The colors look nice unlike some of those aliens that do not see or process in the same spectrum as humans.

I was wondering about the Aorts use of drones. Your epic convention battles generally did not seem to use them very much. With advanced warfare, I would expect a significant use of drones for support such as communications, intelligence gathering, and tactical strikes.

Nah. At the sort of levels involved, remote-controlled devices are WAY to easy to jam or hack. (It's all fine and dandy until the moment you run into someone with better computer/communications technology, because then you are well buggered.) You don't need drones for communications anyway (my helmet comlink and the com function scanner each have a 20AU range unassisted and a hand comm-unit has about 8 lightyears). And sensors render a lot of the actual looking part of recon easier¹.

So you are in practical terms, having to use AI for that sort of job.

And the problem is AI is it has to be stupid.

You might go, "hang on Bleakbane, you've got super-high level tech, why do War Drones, Hunter Drones and Sentry Drones have to be stupid, surely you can make them smart?"

Yes. Yes, of COURSE, you can. That's not the difficult part, actually.

The problem is, once you make them smart... They inevitably become sapient (eventually, but all it takes is one). And that's a problem on several levels. For a kick-off, once they become sapient, you don't have proper control over them and more than you do over people. And there is the moral issue as well, since you are then dealing with sapients... So they can no longer be considered disposable, which is primary reason you HAVE drones in the first place. (Starship computer have the same issues, only magnified. See Andromeda for an example of how making starships people is a terrible, terrible idea (the Commonwealth are right bigots the way they treat their AIs).)

Basically, to borrow Mass Effect's phrasing, you have to VI, not AI. (See also: Geth.)

It becomes then, a HIGHLY complex balance between being able to program intelligence and simultaenously actually actively preventing sapience; higher tech generally allows a better understanding and thus "smarter" robots that are still, y'know, robots, not metal people. (And o course, make them not smart enough and you're back to the hacking problem...)

So, if you look at two of the biggest drone/droid users - us and the Herosine Empire - both of us Evil powers, you will notice that our drones and droids are kept deliberately as stupid as required to not breach that threshold. (For a given value of stupid.) Because that KEEPS them drones, and not soldiers. Even then, anti-sapient protocols are not infallible. And on occasion, the War Droids can develop sapience. What happens to them afterwards really depends, but in a few cases, the War Droids have continued to serve the Aotrs as regular Aotrs personel. (I.e., they are automatically disqualified from being disposal assets.) The Elenthar (who have a higher proportion of mechanoids, both androids and drones in both civilians and military life) operate on similar prinicples.

(The fact that the Herosine, who are more domineering than we are and who are in many areas, better at the art of droid programming then we are (because it's their thing), do not trust their programming to create some sort of Robocop-like behavioral controls that would reliably work if a droid gains sapience to stop them rebelling (which would be entirely in keepinf for their modus operandii), should speak volumes.)

All of which means that drones and droids are actually kind of expensive, and not cheap replacements for infantry or whatever. Yes, expensive disposable assets. The Herosines use them for the majority of their infantry and like 40% of starship crew because they have more money than any pantheon of gods. We use them because a single War Droid, despite being worth a lot of money/resources, pales into insignificance compared to the cost of training an elite solider over often decades to centuries. Droids are disposable, but not cheap disposables.

In general, then, most ground armies tend not to bother with significant drones or mechanoid ground forces; it's typically just not cost-effective without a significant technological and economic effort.



On the tabletop, on top of all that, more drones also means more bit-counts, which is the limiting factor in game speed. I've had six Sentry Drones printed; I expect I will rarely use that many. (I made a dozen at 25mm and never used more than half). Particularly as Hunter Drones can do the same job (but are also combat units, Sentry Drones are very disposable). That said, when playing as the Herosines or Aotrs, we DO actually use the drones a fair bit. But as they tend to be only 5-6mm in size, they are quite hard to see from many of the wider shots and you don't tend to use more than one or two at once. Their main job on a tabletop game is acquiring target locks to be shunted to missile vehicles. (The rules we use for Manuevre Group SEVERILY play down the actual capabilities of missiles for playability. If we let you establish a targeting lock without having a line-of-effect and attack a realistic number of targets at once (a modern apache can target, like a dozen), the game would be nothing more than a dice-rolling exercise.) So we basically demote targeting locks to glorified laser-designators (or the missile locks from TIE Fighter). But you also have to be careful not to use too many even then, as they are quite powerful given that - aside from the Strayvians, whose targeting is up to it - you can only attack turret-down targets with missile weapons themselves.

In games where one side is actually starting hidden, sensors and scouting in general becomes more important (and at some point, you have to drive someone down the road, metaphorically speaking), but we obviously don't do that at conventions, for both aesthetic and game speed reasons. Funnily enough, having to find where the defenders are before you can attack them drastically cuts the game speed, and it's a bad convention if we get more than one or two bounds in. (Also, several bounds of a half dozen Sentry Drones flying over the board scannign down or provoking the defender to shoot them down isn't very interesting for either player and especially the defender, as we found the one time I actually did that.)



¹The bits of recon that don't involved driving down the road to get shot are not jobs you outsource to robots. Remember that proper recon units are not like in 40K where they are the newbies or something; real recon is done by elite forces like the SAS. And that involves being behind enemy lines, finding the right roads to watch and counting trucks (which is not as easy as it sounds). The reality of it is, like everything, you can't substitute something for trained experience.

[DigoDragon]

Spoiler: New Episode

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Maudalina Daisy Pie? Huh, I actually believe it. Fits! I like it!

Overall kinda meh again. It has a few funny moments throughout though. I feel like it was trying too hard at first to where Maud and Pinkie were pretty much flat caricatures. Then it got much better with Starlight in it. Starlight of all ponies?! She likes kites, she's getting Maud to talk about non-rock things! OMG, character-building!

...and then Pinkie ruined it. Okay, seriously--

Pinkie.

Ruins.

This.

Episode.

Gah, she was just too much, even for Pinkie. I get she wants Maud to come live with her, but wow that got grating on me. Reminds me of a friend I used to have that simply would not leave me alone. He'd come over unannounced and sleep on my couch and stay up all night watching my DVD collection using up my electricity... last I heard he wound up in the Foreign Legion or something. Weird, but I don't miss him. I wouldn't miss Pinkie.

So anyway, take out Pinkie and this is a really good episode! Maud actually shows interest in non-rock things talking with Starlight. Put in Pinkie and ehh... gets on my nerves. Mixed feelings on this episode. Jalapeno on red velvet not withstanding. The hell, Pinkie. D:

[Alabenson]

Spoiler: New Episode

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This episode highlights the problem with Pinkie Pie episodes in general, in that writing Pinkie Pie tends to involve walking something of a tightrope between her being endearing and her being annoying. Here, Pinkie took a nosedive straight into the annoying side of the spectrum. What's frustrating is that we've seen in the past that Pinkie Pie is able to tell when she's being overwhelming and can tone herself down if necessary, so having her be so hyper and overbearing here is problematic.

That being said, this episode does have some good points to it, at least enough to keep me from labeling it a bad episode outright. Maud and Starlight's interactions gave Maud an opportunity to actually have some additional characterization beyond her usual one-note presentation, and it also let us see Starlight in a role that allowed her to be her flawed self without dwelling on it (not all ponies are going to consider a friendship problem to be the emergency that the mane 6 treat them as, especially if it means getting out of bed early ). Overall, I'd say this was the weakest episode for the season so far, but if it turns out to be the worst of the season I'd be perfectly happy.

[Appleshy1973]

Average episode. Maud's cave looks like Pamukkale in Turkey.

[Aotrs Commander]

Frag damn it, Big Finish Terrahawks! That ending.. I had to check that was a cliffhangar, otherwise dang, that would have been a pretty dark way to end the series!

[Emmerlaus]

Spoiler: That last episode with Maud

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Their is so much good in this episode that it overshadow the bad!

Ok, Pinkie Pie character was NOT portrayed in the best way in this episode. She was annoying until the end where we see Maud home.

Then again... Althought Pinkie Pie can be like a adorable little sister... Most of the time... Pinkie Pie is annoying, especially her voice. " dodging the rocks throwed at me like Spiderpony"

Ok, ok, I think I need to start to talk about the good things:

Good character developpement for both Maud Pie and Starlight. Loving kites might seem like a small thing... but Starlight character was just being a magic-user genious, reform vilain and enjoying her new friends only. I'll take ANYTHING that show told us she likes/dislikes. And I love kites!

Maud Pie want a friend is also good! I love how she dont wanna talk about feelings. I get that. Im good with psychology, introspection and behavior analysis even thought Im no expert on it. Without getting boring by going too deep, I understand not everyone love this however. Maud have problem expressing those emotions and she dont wanna be judged from it. And she is not judging anypony either. Thats a RARE quality. Its so easy to judge others. For her, she simply accept everything about everypony without judging. Seriously, I havent seeing her judging badly anyone. She just probably connect less with most ponies but its NOT judgement.

And I liked how they connected without the need to express it or analyse their feelings. True, Im good at that but it doesnt mean its good to have a daily conversation with it and I appreciate its not.

I loved Maud Pie new room, its dreamy! She makes everything funny too, I like it!

Yeah, maybe Im biased, I know.

EDIT: Oh and I love Derpy apparance and how she actually didnt mind being hit by a pizza box for free pizza. She got her priority straight! LOL

[Deadly]

Spoiler: S7E4

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What sorcery is this?! I can't believe I'm saying it, but I actually enjoyed Starlight in this one. Clearly, something is terribly wrong.

Way too much Pinkie, though.

But other than Pinkie, this was a very enjoyable episode.

*

Is this the first time we have confirmation of Lyra's last name? Either way ... awesome!

Can you shred on guitar, Maud?

[digiman619]

Spoiler: In Maud We Trust

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Apparently character development is a zero-sum game, as both Glimmer and Maud got insight to their characters while Pinkie felt one-dimensional. I am dissappointed.

[DigoDragon]

Spoiler: S7E4

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What sorcery is this?! I can't believe I'm saying it, but I actually enjoyed Starlight in this one. Clearly, something is terribly wrong.

Is this the first time we have confirmation of Lyra's last name?

Spoiler: New Ep. #4

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I know, right? I couldn't fault Starlight in this one. She darn well was pretty enjoyable. Huh, guess the secret is not throwing around alicorn-level magics and focusing on personality.


I think this is the first time on the show yes. So now our mostly canon is officially super canon. Or something.

[Alabenson]

Spoiler: In Maud We Trust

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Apparently character development is a zero-sum game, as both Glimmer and Maud got insight to their characters while Pinkie felt one-dimensional. I am dissappointed.

Spoiler

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Actually, We had confirmation of Lyra's last name prior to this in S5E12 Amending Fences; when Spike is listing off the names of Twilight's Canterlot friends he refers to her by her full name of Lyra Heartstrings.
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And now my work here is done, Pedantic Man Away!

[Aotrs Commander]

Bleakplays Plays EUIV: Necrolantis Rises!

Spoiler: What has gone before

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Spoiler: Necrolantis Arises! 18

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Aiming for a relatively short session today (got to be up early tomorrow, Mam and Dad are having a renewal off vows thing for their 40th anniversary tomorrow)...

Today's aim, therefore is to time out the overextension and kick sand in Mali's face again.

Border friction with Mali. Well, doesn't matter what their opinion is anyway...

*sigh* No, doesn't lie we're going to get anythig done today, we're apparently on a "throw wobbly with RNG" day.

January, and (finally) we got a rsuh of colonists that gave us back the just-expired global settler bonus.

In March (even more FINALLY), Selagus became tolerant (+1 tolerance of heathens and heretics).

Dionysis just declared war on Castilian Yasina. Harhar. Get 'em lads!

Speaking of, I just checked darrn sarff, as they say, and Telephoros (unsurprisingly) won their war agaomsy Colonial Snedsted and reduced them VERY dramatrically to four or five provinces.

March, 1609 and the coring was done! Aoril thus created the new colonail nation of Nicodemis (after our current general).

Right, then. Mali.

During the war, Ming rivalled us. Dammit.

Jaunaru 1610, Nicodemis found favour in us being the same religon. (Duh.)

Gilbert Islands finished, and Marshall islands was close, so I recalled the colonist and diuspatched them out again to Wake and Micronesia.

Frag damn it: Castile has finally started colonising Rat Cove. Right, well looks like that the next spammed target, then...

Nauru wasn't far off, so I recalled the colonist and sent them to Pimaqin, the higehst dev provoince in Rat Cove. Unfortunately, British Poytrek had eaten most of Chonuihara, which I hoped to snag but would have needed colonies to access to. So getting a foothold there will be quite hard. I might - regretably - have to cede Poytrek laregly to the British for some time (although actually attacking them directly was a midterm goal)...

Dionysis - again, not surprisngly - won their war against Castillian Yasina, and ate most of it.

June of 1610, and Mali was occupied.

I took enough provinces to get a 99.9% over-extenions (neither Songhai nor Bonoman were in a good position to cure anything for me this time), some cash and war reparations. The diploamt fabricate one more cliam (for next time!) and then was pulled to be re-assigned to Kanam Bornu.

And there we shall leave it, just after a local tax increase arose in Lesser Namaqualand.

Tomorrow, in addition to Kanam Bornu, we should have above sunk enough global trade spread to be able to embrace (I mught in fact save until after the war, see how much the cost comes down), as well as make a concerted effort to colonise Rat Cove ASAP, before continuing in the Phillipines. And - as Munhacke in Manumuskin had finally forced Castile to concede some colonies, they would be the next conquest target.

I was actualy considering this mornig whether to vassalise what remains of Morocco and then MAYBE look at attacking Portugal directly (at the moment, they don't have any especially strong allies...) Might need to have a second crack at Brunei, first though...

Stop! Pony time!

[digiman619]

Spoiler

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Actually, We had confirmation of Lyra's last name prior to this in S5E12 Amending Fences; when Spike is listing off the names of Twilight's Canterlot friends he refers to her by her full name of Lyra Heartstrings.
...
And now my work here is done, Pedantic Man Away!

Spoiler

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Actually, you quoted the wrong post. Counter-Pedantic Man AWAY!