Manehattan Moo

The Guardian and Friends

The Guardian and Friends #1 · Nov 16th, 2014 · · ·

Reply

I shall read this when I get a chance to, because I am Babs and this is a long fanfic

Cold Spike

Cold Spike #2 · Nov 16th, 2014 · · ·

Reply

Very cute story, you should add a comedy tag! Perhaps my only criticism is the lack of real conflict. It;s true Fimfiction has plenty of these tales and they can be mixed on who likes them. Seems to be a mix right now, was this meant to be an experiment?

hawthornbunny

hawthornbunny #3 · Nov 16th, 2014 · · ·

Reply

5275505

Yeah, it was a bit experimental :) The main goal was to try and capture the feel of a game of Mao, while also being true to the characters (or at least, the Filly Five characterisation of the characters). There isn't supposed to be any real conflict, although I consider the game itself to be one.

It;s true Fimfiction has plenty of these tales

Of fillies playing card games?

Loganberry

Loganberry #4 · Nov 16th, 2014 · 1 · ·

Reply

Heh; I think that's worthy of a like, if only because it's the first Mao/Moo-related thing I've ever seen that actually did make the game feel fun. I'm probably missing a little by only really having the canon characterisations of the fillies to go on, but it worked well enough like that, with a little bit of an allowance for DT. Something that did occur to me was that if the "no explaining the rules" rule had been strictly kept, the game probably wouldn't have worked, and the story certainly wouldn't. So breaking the rules was actually required here. (I'm guessing that making "not explaining the rules" a penalty would be considered unsporting!) And the other point of interest that occurred to me was that of pony-specific rules. For example, any "no touching" rule could easily be circumvented by unicorns using levitation.

Anyway, it was an achievement in itself to get someone (ie me) who doesn't have much interest in playing a game to read and enjoy a whole story based around it. That's also why you get the like, really. :) The one thing that does drag this down a little from the heights is something I don't think you could have avoided: it does read, at times, as though it's trying a little too hard -- it can get close to evangelising for the game first and telling a story second. I admit, though, that if I ever do write a story about ponies playing cricket, it's likely to be very similar in that regard! :P

hawthornbunny

hawthornbunny #5 · Nov 16th, 2014 · · ·

Reply

5277082

I think that's worthy of a like, if only because it's the first Mao/Moo-related thing I've ever seen that actually did make the game feel fun

Hurrah! Wait, there are other Mao-related things?

Calling it 'Moo' was my attempt to give it an Equestrian feel (although ponies do sometimes refer to real-life human figures, I didn't really feel like trying to find some way to justify the existence of Chairman Mao :) )

Something that did occur to me was that if the "no explaining the rules" rule had been strictly kept, the game probably wouldn't have worked, and the story certainly wouldn't. So breaking the rules was actually required here.

Yes, there's always some leeway with the 'explaining the rules' rule when you're introducing newbies. That's why Babs penalises herself at one point; she's demonstrating that any player is allowed to call penalties. There's always rulebreaking in Mao; what matters is whether or not you get caught (or whether people are willing to call the penalty). Babs also fails to penalise herself for swearing, and there's a moment where Apple Bloom could have called someone for lying but didn't (because she doesn't like the lying rule).

And the other point of interest that occurred to me was that of pony-specific rules. For example, any "no touching" rule could easily be circumvented by unicorns using levitation.

I did briefly consider this, but I figured that in the interests of fairness, an Equestrian version would simply extend the rule to include telekinesis. It's an unwritten rule in Mao that all rules have to be fair and can't discriminate against any player.

Anyway, it was an achievement in itself to get someone (ie me) who doesn't have much interest in playing a game to read and enjoy a whole story based around it. That's also why you get the like, really. :)

Mission accomplished! ^^

The one thing that does drag this down a little from the heights is something I don't think you could have avoided: it does read, at times, as though it's trying a little too hard -- it can get close to evangelising for the game first and telling a story second.

It was a bit difficult to avoid that. It was intended to be a little evangelical, in the sense that I wanted to convey the fun side of the game to people who aren't familiar with it. But in the interests of fairness I also tried to show that not everyone enjoys it. Apple Bloom's reaction is one I've seen a few times before.

I admit, though, that if I ever do write a story about ponies playing cricket, it's likely to be very similar in that regard! :P

Well now, this would put me in a similar situation to you, because I don't really understand cricket or why people enjoy it. I want to see this now. ^^

Loganberry

Loganberry #6 · Nov 16th, 2014 · · ·

Reply

5277191

Hurrah! Wait, there are other Mao-related things?

Yes! Chapter 2 of Game Night features first Crazy Eights and then Mao itself. I can't even remember why I read that story in the first place, but my problem with the Mao section was that it was that I just couldn't get into the way Luna (especially) and Celestia were characterised.

Well now, this would put me in a similar situation to you, because I don't really understand cricket or why people enjoy it. I want to see this now. ^^

It's been rolling around in my head for ages, partly since at one point I thought it would be amusing to play it absolutely straight. It's very easy to write a cricket piece that seems bizarre to a general audience, especially a largely American audience like this site's. It's much harder to write one that treats the game properly but is still interesting to people outside the charmed circle. (As I said, hence my upvote for your story here!)

Of course, the difference with cricket is that it's not only acceptable, but virtually compulsory, to explain as many rules as possible to the newcomer, whether they want that or not.

hawthornbunny

hawthornbunny #7 · Nov 16th, 2014 · · ·

Reply

5277500

Chapter 2 of Game Night features first Crazy Eights and then Mao itself.

Ooooh. I was sure I searched for other people having done this before I started. I am so reading that -

ten minutes later

Yeah, it doesn't seem as fun. ^^ The version shown in that story is Dictatorial Mao, and is a bit more punishing. Manehattan Moo is a variant of Democratic Mao, which is more social (and, as Babs said, is more about having fun than actually succeeding).

Of course, the difference with cricket is that it's not only acceptable, but virtually compulsory, to explain as many rules as possible to the newcomer, whether they want that or not.

I'd hope so! I might actually learn something. ^^

PeachClover