Patreon sponsors: January will be Dictate My Blog Month. (Get your topics in now.) · 7:47pm Dec 25th, 2017
There's been some new arrivals since the last time we all did this, and that means keeping track of exactly who's eligible. So here's how it's going to work this time around.
First, this is a Patreon perk. In order to participate in this, you must be pledging at the $5 (or higher) per story/update level: once per month is fine. If you're absolutely desperate to make me talk about something, it's okay to put in a new pledge or increase yours to the critical level through the end of December. You can also visit my new Ko-Fi page if you want to, but all that's going to do is potentially help fund a special book purchase. Because Reading Is Fundamental. And in the case of that book, it's also Fundamentally Treasonous.
Second: if you're at that level, you can pick a topic which, for reasons known only to yourself and your deity, you want me to blog about. However, I do reserve the right to reject some requests. For example, if you ask me to "Post every last secret of the 'verse," you're not going to get very far, unless you count the plummet after the defenestration wraps up and gravity exerts itself. And if you know a topic which would get me thrown off the site? Guess what: so do I.
Third -- and this is where I got in trouble last time -- Patreon IDs don't always match FIMFic ones. And I'm pretty sure that the last time we did this, I missed someone's request because I didn't recognize them as a sponsor. For that, all I can do is apologize, feel horrible -- and change the system to make sure that doesn't happen again.
So as always, if you're on that sponsor tier or higher, you can now choose your topic and post it in the Comments below: direct private messages are also an option. But after you do so, send me a private message containing your Patreon ID, so I can verify you. That'll keep things flowing smoothly, might help me update the Sponsors box on my userpage, and means I'll have to find a whole new way of getting things wrong.
You have until the end of the month to get your topics in.
Commence marching orders.
So, I already sent my request through Patreon, but just so no one accuses me of cutting in line here's my request:
I think I've decided on what I'd like to hear about: sports in your 'verse. We've already seen how Golf works for the Minotaurs, and we know they have Hoofball (Rarity's father), Bowling, and Tennis (since Apple Bloom tried to use an apple as a ball), but how do these sports work when about of the third of the population is telekinetic, a third can fly, and the remainder have super strength/seismic senses for situational awareness? I know my headcanon for Hoofball basically requires the teams to take turns picking what tribal makeup both teams use every quarter, with restrictions on what each tribe can do (e.g. pegasi can only block the ball while flying), how does it work in your verse? Are there other sports that are specific to particular tribes, like only earth ponies being strong enough to sumo wrestle? Sports we have no equivalent of whatsoever? Thanks in advance.
I'm going to ask for a superhero post. I'll give you all a moment to get over your shock.
Option 1: Reinterpret a super hero's powers (and maybe backstory, but only if you feel like it) to fit in the magic system of Triptych. Like, Booster Gold doesn't have a flight ring, his suit generates something like the magic wings Rarity used in So1. Instead of a jock bonding with a scientist and getting nuclear powers, a nerd bonds with Discord and gets Discord powers.
Option 2: Everything about Earth 3 (or Flipside, or the Dark Multiverse, or whatever you decided to call it) that you're willing to give me.
There's also some sports from other species?
The New Crop Sort of MLP meets Rocky
https://www.fimfiction.net/story/222112/the-new-crop
Colin Dudley - $10 Patreon - I would love it if you waxed on my favorite race of technicolor mini-horse: Earth Ponies.
I was originally attracted to Tryptch because of how you portray them and their "power".
Oh shit, Paranoia. I love that game.
Do you play RPGs online, by any chance?
Whether magical or cultural, what are you willing to tell us about zebras in the Continuum?
4759040
I would recommend you edit this and send your Patreon ID by PM, so this doesn't become public.
4759040
4759083
That's why I asked people to PM their Patreon usenames. I have a few sponsors who don't want their Internet name in the userpage box under any circumstances: putting real information into the world can get scary fast.
(I'm tempted to delete the actual comment. The main thing stopping me is that for someone else's words, I've never done that before.)
Beyond that very desperate warning...
I need you to narrow that down a little. What exactly about earth ponies do you want me to discuss?
4759058
No. I had a Bad Experience (TM) once. I haven't done anything of that nature online since. And I don't even really play Paranoia -- well, I have a couple of times, but it's really one of those things I enjoy most for the setting. A setting which, given any chance, I play rather -- Straight.
I only learned about the reboot recently and decided I had to get a look at what had been done. All I really know so far is that they turned the Complex's current year into a rolling joke, and that character creation is now being done via circular firing squad.
Paranoia. Excellent choice citizen. Friend Computer approves.
4759102
Okay, you convinced me to read one of your stories. Well done.
If you could make one aspect of Triptych canon to the show, leaving everything else the same, what would it be?
Or if that's too vague...
Have you done any reading on psychology? I feel like the verse has some of the best deep looks into the mental states of its characters that I've ever read. It really makes reading the fics rewarding, especially on repeat viewings with the complete context in mind. How do you delve so deeply into a character's psyche?
I guess the easy answer to that could just be 'writing ability', but I'd love to see what you have to say on the matter.
4759102
Paranoia always struck me as a lot more fun to read than to play. Same goes for my favorite RPG, sadly. Never had a Shadowrun game last more than a dozen sessions in the 20+ years I have been GM'ing it because the rules break down.
My request has been sent by PM. I hope I haven’t caused too much anguish...
Eh, I'm not worried about people knowing who I am.
As for clarifying, I'm not sure what is a secret to be revealed or something just not mentioned yet.
How about explaining the Cornucopia Effect then?
Request sent through PM.
I'll admit I seriously considered asking you for a meta-level topic about the bad parts of interacting with Patreon's Patrons, but in the end I asked you for something closer to my interests and which won't necessitate you to put yourself in an awkward place. Apologies.
Who would win in a fight, Rarity or Rainbow Dash?
Things to consider:
Rarity was the first to physically attack the manticore
Rarity adapted to her Power Ponies superpower fastest
Rarity might fight giant crabs as a hobby, or a way to make extra bits
Rarity possibly knows martial arts (consider her stance when threatening the teenage dragons)