[Copy-pasted from the topic on the Archive]

So, I might just be concerning myself with this a bit too much (a product of my mild OCD), but this has been a thing I was thinking about for some time. Reading many of the riffs, it occurs to me that most of them seem to all follow a similar setup and plot (with a few exceptions, obviously), and each seems to try and be a portion of the same "canon-verse". Allow me to elaborate...

For example: Fallen Prime riffs started partway through MPPT3K, and twow started out his riffs (canonically) about partway through THAT. Now, these two series appear to run parallel, in the same universe, same characters, etc. Glassed and Hydkore also established themselves in MPPT3K canon (though it's more of a "behind-the-scenes" thing) early on. Some series, like these, reference and build off of each other's series', and even cross-over from time to time.

Granted, some of the series don't line up with the rest precisely. MrSing's series takes place in the changeling hive, far away from the rest of the "canon series" (though I'm working under the impression that it is still in the same universe). Simon o'Sullivan's riff series recently crossed-over with twow's, so I'm willing to say it's a "spin-off canon" in a way, even though it can literally take place at any time and isn't directly related. Atlas and Glitch's individual canons also suggest a relationship with the "main universe", though some character interpretations are different. (Fallen and Atla's interpretation of Vinyl Scratch, for example, are notably different.)

It seems the idea of a "Riffverse" began with Mystery Pinkie Pie Theater, and pretty much everyone has been following or basing off their own series on that universe that RatherHomely established (with the notable exception of Mystery Equestria Theater by RJ Bachler, which looks to be in a universe of its own). Heck, I was even planning on adding on the canon-verse in my own upcoming series (more on that later). So, my question is: "Should we accept the idea of one continuous canon "Riffverse" and work towards expanding it as a whole (perhaps also involving more collabs, crossovers, etc.)? Or should we just go wherever our riffs take us, and buck the inconsitencies?"

Discuss, bronies.

I say we continue on the paths we're already on, considering some major differences in certain characterizations. Namely, as you said, Atlas's and my Vinyls. Mine's closer to the general fan interpretation, since I based her off of "The Vinyl Scratch Tapes" and "Epic Wub Time: Musicians of Ponyville," while his is an ultra-friendly hug-monster, which he basically came up with from scratch, as he's wont to do.

Neither one is wrong, but... think of what would happen if they MET. Keeping those divergences opens up a LOT of fun crossover ideas. Embrace both the overlaps AND the alterations.

871803

I agree. Parallel continuities is better than one overall MSTverse.
But it would be nice to have a master doc with each major riffer's alt reality and the premises by which they are there, the ponies (if any) are there, and why they are doing MSTs.

My current headcanon for this is lots of little mini-universes in a massive MLP/MST Multiverse. That's what I was operating under the assumption of.

For canon remember, It's just a fanfic I should really just relax.

871803
That might be the best action. Variety is the spice of life, so they say, and perhaps the same will apply to a riffing series. (And if your Vinyl and Atlas' Vinyl were to meet, I'd think the results would be hilarious.)

872254
This, I agree with. Perhaps we should bring back a variant of the "profile page", like what with F/F/T3K had for its members a long while back? Only instead make it for the specific series, the characters and setting it involves, etc? I'll have to think about this a bit, but we definitely should have a way to keep track of the series that are ongoing.

873060
Personally, I think of the Riffverse as a somewhat-disjointed continuity, but a static world, like a Discworld or Tolkien novel. In my interpretation, it all takes place in the same Equestria, just at different times and with different circumstances. Many of the in-universe riffers, like Author and Fallen, are known and accepted well enough by the general populace that they don't cause a huge stir along the lines of "OMG HUMENS!" every nine minutes. The riffers all know of and are aware of each other as well, and make it a habit of visiting and/or picking on one another on occasion. And the ponies themselves, apparently, have a hidden capacity for dickery. So in essence, the entire Riffverse is just one big Human in Equestria fanfic that goes out of its way to mock terrible fanfics. Including other Human in Equestria fanfics.

...Goodness, my headcanon is rather convoluted. I think I need to tone it down a notch.

875276

875276

... *Proceeds to face-desk* I just remembered in my little mock-intro song I wrote, for BNT42K no less, I put the lines'

If you’re wondering how they co-exist,
and other canon facts. (La la la)
Just tell yourself: It’s just fan works,
I should really just relax.

I am a complete idiot.

879130

My idea more was it's a multiverse where universal individuality and the timeline weren't exactly stable, causing universes and ponies to merge, split, the timeline to change, and all the other shennanigans.

871803 I say it's a Riff Multiverse. And the only constant is Pinkie, because she's actually pulling strings in ALL of the riffinverses.

905825 OH SHIT.

873060 This is what I see as well, though maybe not as base as that.

905826

You see, Pinkie's gone insane from having the 4th wall of her home universe shattered, and finds herself suddenly in a nexus between a number of universes. Seeing that humans and ponies coexist in a lot of them, she pulls them closer together, and decides that, since she's now completely evil and insane, she's going to start sending out pieces of terrible literature to all of the 'verses, and while this does get the other Pinkies in on her terrible plan, they're just so... NOT Insane!God!Pinkie that they end up doling them out as pranks, and enjoy participating in them, even. Now, at some point, this angers Insane!God!Pinkie, and she pulls all the universes so closely together that characters start spilling into others, and crossovers happen. Once all the universes are pulled so closely together they become one universe with a multitude of Equestrias, then every single riffer will need to band together and take on the ultimate marathon...

Though I'm aware that I use a slightly different approach for the riffing stuff, it's still open to possibilities of meeting other riffers without too many problems.

My riffiverse consists on Drakkar, the Doctor and me traveling in the TARDIS, searching for fics that, in their badness, they've become real monsters, with claws, acid breath or whatever you can imagine (if I ever get myself a tablet, I'll try to make "comic covers" for every fic, designing the monsters and such). Being the only one of the three who isn't married, it's easy to take some time out with other fellow riffers as both ponies enjoy their loved one's company. I still wear my own Nordic battle gear wherever I go, which includes an iron chain shirt, a wooden shield, a steel helmet and a viking axe.

Aside from that, the story behind my beginnings as a riffer are quite funny when you think of them, but that's a story for another time.

I'm liking the whole "multiversal" thing myself, though that may be just because of my personal experiences with metafiction, and the fact that some of my guys jump dimensions like no one's business. You can probably guess which ones. ...And yes, they're the ones I riff with.

I think I mostly go with several smaller universes that overlap at several points, one universe for each riffer, that combine into a generally working macroverse where occasionally there's more than one of the same pony.

But there's never more than one Pinkie Pie. Because we all know how that turned out.

879130
I'm glad someone else realized practically everyone's framing stories are HiE fics. Or maybe everyone else did and you're just the first I've seen voice it.

New thread for further discussion HERE. Additions to the general MLP/MST canon can be made on this topic from here on out.