Site Post » The OC vs OTHER tag: How to tell if you made up the character or not · 12:43am Aug 3rd, 2012
It has come to our attention that there is some confusion regarding the "OTHER" and "OC" character tags for stories.
This is perfectly understandable, as they are the same color. I myself sometimes catch myself trying to eat stop signs for this very reason, because they're the same color as red apples.
It is a shame we all experience from time to time, which reminds us that it is important to keep the specific differences between one thing and another in mind. So, let us be more clear about the definitions in the hope that it means less time in the dentist's chair, and/or the nightmarish screaming void where the admins send people who don't tag things correctly.
The "other" tag is for characters that have appeared in-show, but do not have their own tag. This include background characters who are not fandom favorites like Lyra Heartstrings, Vinyl Scratch, or Carrot Top, as in the case of the Ponyville resident who goes by the placeholder name Wind Whistler, which was apparently given to her model by a storyboard artist on deviantArt:
Minor/one-episode characters who aren't quite as beloved as our Great and Powerful Overmare, or don't have names, like Garble and the other teenage dragons who apparently were not clued in that 1995 was more than 15 years ago now:
And even a few more prominent characters who just don't have tags at the moment, like whoever these ponies are:
Er,
The "OC" tag is for characters who do not appear in the show at all because you made them up. That includes the alicorn version of yourself you made up after huffing those paint fumes that one time, who seduces Twilight Sparkle, Luna, and Rarity by getting three MOABs in one round of Call of Duty, Dark Demon King Ravenblood Nightblade:
...or any other you made up in general, if they are a major character in the story. Remember, you only get five tags, so only pick the most important characters.
There is an important exception to this rule: if you, in the process of committing a crossover fic, ponify or otherwise include a character from a different show, a movie, a video game, or whatever, he/she/it does not get a tag. Such is the word of knighty!
Hopefully this should resolve any questions you may have, and prevent awkward encounters with the police when you're found gnawing on signage.
(this blog post contributed by device heretic)
So...
Is that Alicorn from a real story?
That alicorn bit was brilliant. XD
I was going to ask a question illuminating a loophole, but I can't find any. Well done.
Yay! But what if you're using a character from another series... Other, or OC?
266402
Of all the things you could ask, that is the first thing.
Why?
266409
Hi plz to read all the texts before asking questions
Again, I'm dumbstruck by the need to point out obvious things.
This wasn't obvious?
Awesome! Another blogpost to eventually be added to the "FAQ for Dummies" book.
I'm assuming that featuring characters from other fics (ie, LittlePip from Fallout: Equestria or something like that) would count as other?
266402 Sadly, I'm pretty sure I saw that as the cover picture for an OC fic, so yes.
266417
266404
HOW DID YOU GUYS ALREADY SEE SOMETHING I MADE UP SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS POST BEFORE I POSTED IT dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/sillyfilly_Twilight_Sparkle.png
So, what if you use Fausticorn, but she isn't actually Faust?
266413
Love the profile pic. R.I.P The Rev.
If our story includes a character that is an OC, but not our OC (i.e. a crossover with a different fic on this site), which tag would we use?
266422 Great story bro. I'd read that fic
266411
Ohhhhhh. I didn't read that one line. Sorrys.
266414
To be fair, I did just learn that the lack of an 'Other' tag isn't going to protect me from a bad crossover with a vague summary.
What about stories with crossover components in which a character from the crossover universe that already exists takes a prominent role? Does that count as OC or other?
Oh, blind is me. It's there; no tag.
Thanks for clearing this up. I always assumed that [Other] could be used for imported crossover characters if they were main characters.
But I'm still wondering whether or not you use [OC] for OCs created by someone else. I'm assuming yes, but look where that got me.
266411
So, just to clarify, if you have a crossover story where the only main character is a ponified version of a character from the source material, you would have no tags whatsoever?
266428 None...
"There is an important exception to this rule: if you, in the process of committing a crossover fic, ponify or otherwise include a character from a different show, a movie, a video game, or whatever, he/she/it does not get a tag. Such is the word of knighty! "
I get it... Characters that come with a crossover are included in the "Crossover" tag for the story, so any other tags would be redundant.
BTW I loved that you worded it "committing a crossover fic" instead of "writing a crossover fic." Alsmost like you're implying that crossovers are crimes. (Just kidding, I love a well written crossover. When I can find one!)
266411
This is just to clarify: So if I did a fic where Waldo from Where's Waldo? is ponified and wanders around Equestria meeting lots of ponies for a few paragraphs each, there should be no character tag at all. Because Waldo is a crossover character, but there is no original or canon main character.
Correct?
What if I'm a storyboard artists who created in-show characters that don't have tabs?
266480 I thought he meant if we included characters from non-pony stuff, like Minecraft or Red VS Blue or stuff like that. Whoops.
266513 mistakes are always made, after all, we're only pony.
266476
266493
Correct. TBPH we had to go to knighty on that issue; my original thought was that they're "others", but the "Crossover" story tag implies their existence.
5? Dont some fics have round about 9?
Want to buy Junebug tag...
We have Rumble so seriously come on.
Speaking of tags - we have a character tag for Rumble, (whom I've never seen a story for), but don't have one for Junebug (for whom there are several). Junebug tag please. dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_RageFace.png
Also, I'm still amazed/amused that people need this stuff (other vs. OC) pointed out to them.
266550
LOL sniped :]
I now have the strange desire to read a fic about Twilight eating stop signs
This wasn't obvious?
By the way, we need a Roseluck tag.
Badly.
In the first part of the rant, you sound like Cr1tikal on youtube. And for that: Well done.
Yeah, I know that problem myself. I had to go to a support group for people who eat traffic cones because they're orange like oranges.
Besides, do you know how many traffic cones you have to squeeze to get enough juice for a decent-sized glass of traffic-cone juice? It's ridiculous.
(On a less off-topic note, I suppose I'll have to edit another tag on my story. Again. WHY DO YOU PEOPLE HATE ME SO )
People actually do searches for OC? I probably wouldn't ever use it even if I had an OC, since I can't imagine anyone bothering to search by it. Besides that, can't really bear any free spaces with you guys being obsessive with the 5 character thing regardless of the fic size.
I love your humor, Knighty I'm gonna check to see if you have any fanfics
EHY WHO DELETED MY COMMENT
(USER WAS BANNED FOR THIS POST)
See, I knew all that already, up till the "crossover characters don't get tags" part. I was using "other" for those. Now I know, and knowing is half the battle.
266661
Same :/
Thank you.
I was just wondering what the difference was myself. And thank you for clarifying that crossover characters do NOT get a tag. Though I thought that the character tag limit was ten or something like that (though I have seen more than that in stories.)
266661 I was under the same impression as you. Now I know before I start writing that eleventy-billionth TF2 x MLP:FiM crossover fic.
I'm going to replace every single character in all of my stories with this character.
i.imgur.com/C98bC.png
And everything will be lovely.
First thought upon glancing at this post: "Lots of images? HM, SEEMS FAMILIAR"
266558 I have a strange desire to bother someone about it. Or perhaps I'll just wait for Blueshift to do it
266605 Have you ever seen that pic of Twilight and her traffic cone? It's NSFW, for obvious reasons dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/Twilight_Sparkle_lolface.png
Aaand I'm off to update a story character selection.
But wait! Which is the sign and which is the apple!?!?!
On a serious note: thanks for explaining! dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Bonbon_grin.png
thanks for clearing that up. my dentist hated to find metal stuck in my teeth.
266695 You... you win everything.
TAKE THESE MOUSTACHES! TAKE THEM AND LIKE THEM!
266555 Unfortunately, those hideous things come up multiple times in a day.