In case you're not aware, there are new character tags which have been added to the roster very recently. The full list as it currently stands is included at the bottom of this post. It brings the total up to 238 character tags (29 were added).

What I'd like to ask is: What, if anything, does this mean for our group? Obviously, with only eleven days left until the end of this year, we're not going to push these tags over the 100-stories mark before the deadline hits, but are there other considerations?

For instance, it might be expedient to ignore these new tags for the end of 2017, when we make the final count (however we do that under the new site overhaul, as it makes a hash brown of my existing system). Alternatively, and for the January and other pre-existing tags too, I wonder if it would be worth creating a Time Action Glory Challenge Group, Version 2018.

Penny for your thoughts?

• Bow Hothoof
• Bright Mac
• Capper
• Captain Celaeno
• Chip Cutter
• Coconut Cream
• Crackle
• Daydream Shimmer
• Flash Magnus
• Gaea Everfree
• Grubber
• Kettle Corn
• Lemon Hearts
• Meadowbrook
• Mistmane
• Pear Butter
• Pharynx
• Princess Skystar
• Queen Novo
• Rockhoof
• Somnambula
• Songbird Serenade
• Sphinx
• Star Tracker
• Storm King
• Tempest Shadow*
• The Pillars
• Toola Roola
• Windy Whistles

* Tempest Shadow was added a few weeks back, if I remember correctly, but is included here for completeness' sake, considering there have been few tag updates since January 2017.

6251823

Is it weird that the only one that really catches my interest is Lemon Hearts?

Concerning a possible 2018 extension, I'm personally determined to make it happen. The only question in my mind is whether Masterweaver, the group founder, wants to continue it on this group, or whether I make a new group specifically for 2018 (and then post a topic here pointing out the new group for members of this one to see who's interested in continuing). We've got till the end of the year, so I'm waiting to see what he says.

6251827

Sweet! Glad to hear it, and good luck with your longfic featuring Skystar. One thing I will say in favour of the overhaul is how convenient it is to have the tags for the Movie, Equestria Girls, etc. clearly delineated.

6251820
I haven't been able to participate nearly as much as I would've liked, but I think the idea behind the group is still fun and I'd like to see it continue.

6251855

Neither have I, to be honest, which is partly why I want to keep it going. Good to hear another user agrees. We'll have to see what can be done.

6251825

I'll start planning an overhaul along with all the other projects I'm doing, shall I?

No but seriously I am planning an overhaul. I just have to figure out what all these new tags can do and stuff. Problem the first: The new system has gotten rid of the 'categories' which I would use to determine the path each month should take. We can keep some of the old, but, well, look at the new tags. Who goes where and do we need new categories (Movie for instance)?

6251880

If you can find the time in your schedule, of course. I'd be more than happy to provide assistance, should you like any. While the old categories (side characters, comics, background characters, and so on) seem to be obsolete, I'm sure we could work out some new system.

6251880

Re: the classification system. Since we originally derived the old categories from the existing scheme (as of January 2017), perhaps it would be worth using one of the new systems introduced this month. Currently, the candidates are:

• Alphabetical Order. This does mean having to sort through tags with larger counts as well before deriving the story counts for the tags we're interested in, but it's also a stable category.
• Order of the Number of Stories. I believe we tried this earlier this year, with mixed results before refining the scheme. This is an inherently unstable system that would require regular updating as tags gain or occasionally lose stories, but we instantly have access to the counts.
• Some combination of the above two candidates, though admittedly I haven't thought up any yet.

Also, something else to consider: should we preserve the existing folders but mark them as "2017" and lock them, or should we add those stories to new folders and then terminate the old folders?

I'm inclined to the former, especially if we could shove them all under one folder to minimize the clutter, though I appreciate the latter - despite initial "moving-this-and-that" complexities - would nullify the clutter problem.

It's just that mixing old and new, or worse deleting all the old and losing the story count, might both end up messy and retroactively weaken the 2017 effort.

6251880
6251881
As for wwhether or not to form a new group for the next iteration, I would vote for a no go on that. There's a perfectly fine set of people, who are already dedicated to the cause of promoting underutilized tags, right here!

6251888

Seems fair enough. Would you recommend changing the name? I had thought we could add "2018" to it. Send a clear signal our scope has changed. Otherwise, it might be simpler (if less dramatic) to update the front page of the group without changing the name at all.

So, going through the old list and comparing it to the new one:

Categories that are labeled as all utilized

• Main Cast: The Mane Six (both as a group and as individuals) and Spike. They were all used by the time this group started, so we don't need to adjust those tags.
• Cutie Mark Crusaders: The CMC as a group, the CMC as individuals, and Babs Seed. Also all used by the time the group started.
• Princesses: Celestia, Luna, Nightmare Moon, Cadence, Flurry Heart. Flurry Heart was the only one we had to work on, but she's a non-issue ATM.
• Apple Family: This category had Granny Smith, Braeburn, and Big Macintosh, and I think somebody else? I don't know. The big conflict is, of course, the fact that Pear Butter and Bright Mac exist now. On the one hand they're Apples, on the other reviving a whole category for only two characters strikes me as... off. I'd consider moving them down to another category.
• Others: OC, Other Character, Anon, Self Insert. Yeah, there's no reason to change this and no reason to address it.

Categories that currently need stories.

• Side Characters: A number of one-shot characters who affected the main story. A large number. I'd keep it, and integrate some of the new tags, but the new characters must be named in universe and have a role crucial to at least one episode's plot.
• School Kids: There are only two tags in this, Ruby Pinch and Zipporwhill. As such, I would consider moving them into Background Ponies. Or possibly Zipporwhill into Side Characters. Not sure.
• Animals: One tag: Pets. Yeah, uh, no. In fact, I'm going to suggest a new category: The Groups tags, like Wonderbolts and Dragons and Minotaurs, tags representing multiple characters.
• Background Ponies: While not as large as side characters, Background Ponies do exist. Actually, a number of characters I'd consider Background have ended up as Side Characters and vice versa in the old system. Let's just make this the "characters who don't fit any other category" category.
• Equestria Girls: HUMANS HUMANS HUMANS there are still PLENTY of humans that need stories and new tags for this group. If it's in the EQG movies (or I guess the webseries) it should go here.
• Lore: This is an odd group now, given that Star Swirl is here. I think I'll say anyone that existed "a thousand years ago" should go here if they don't go elsewhere. So yes, all the pillars and stuff.
• Comics: This one... this one is a little tough to tell. Two characters here fit into Lore, and two don't. I... think we can put Nightmarity and Tiberius into lore, possibly? Decisions, decisions.

New Categories:

• Movie: Characters from the MLP Movie. EQG's got a unique category, why not these guys?
• Group: Tags that represent a group and not an individual. We'll have to pull them from current categories, but it should be doable.
• Family Members: Family of the Mane Six. Mostly parents, really.

So... by my calc, that's seven categories, plus with three statuses (Less than 10, less than 50, less then 100) that's ten months worth of objectives. Of course Side and Background characters are pretty large categories so they could crop up twice.

6251893

(Imitating Jeeves) "Very good, sir."

No major quibbles otherwise, but would it be worth subdividing Side Characters? Perhaps according to which season introduced them, for example? That category is easily the biggest, and it might be worth cutting it down somewhat.

6251896

I have considered it, but seasonal divisions make no sense in my head. Besides, like I said, the Side/Background character groups have... waaaay too much overlap. I think we should organize that out first before making any such decisions.

6251896
The following list is A PROTOTYPE of the list that will be used in the next year. Feel free to pick it apart.

Groups

• Zebra - 62
• Breezies - 55
• --
• Timberwolves - 46
• Minotaur - 20
• Yaks - 15
• --
• Pets - 9
• --
• The Pillars - 0

Movie

• Tempest Shadow - 58
• --
• --
• Songbird Serenade - 1
• --
• Queen Novo - 0
• Princess Skystar - 0
• Captain Celaeno - 0
• Grubber - 0
• Storm King - 0
• Capper - 0

EQG

• Spike (EqG) - 79
• Sour Sweet - 68
• Lemon Zest - 66
• Midnight Sparkle - 57
• Dean Cadence - 53
• Principal Cinch - 52
• --
• Sugarcoat - 48
• Indigo Zap - 43
• Sunny Flare - 39
• Sunset Shimmer (Demon) - 35
• Timber Spruce - 35
• Gloriosa Daisy - 28
• Sandalwood - 11
• --
• Micro Chips - 5
• --
• Gaea Everfree - 0
• Daydream Shimmer - 0

Lore

• --
• Clover the Clever - 46
• Commander Hurricane - 32
• Princess Platinum - 32
• Radiant Hope - 23
• Nightmare Rarity - 18
• Smart Cookie - 15
• Princess Amore - 13
• Chancellor Puddinghead - 10
• --
• Private Pansy - 9
• Tiberius - 5
• --
• Somnambula - 0
• Flash Magnus - 0
• Rockhoof - 0
• Meadowbrook - 0
• Mistmane - 0
• Sphinx - 0

Family

• Marble Pie - 57
• --
• Limestone Pie - 47
• Zephyr Breeze - 31
• --
• Windy Whistles - 1
• --
• Bow Hothoof - 0
• Pear Butter - 0
• Bright Mac - 0

Side Characters

• Sunburst - 94
• Mane-iac - 89
• Little Strongheart - 85
• Cranky Doodle Donkey - 79
• Suri Polomare - 74
• Filthy Rich - 67
• Ms. Harshwhinny - 60
• Trenderhoof - 53
• --
• Coloratura - 48
• Spoiled Rich - 46
• Tantabus - 34
• Matilda - 32
• Garble - 32
• Gabby - 31
• Double Diamond - 31
• Sugar Belle - 29
• Seabreeze - 24
• Vapor Trail - 23
• Quibble Pants - 23
• Party Favor - 22
• Night Glider - 21
• Sky Stinger - 19
• Sassy Saddles - 17
• Troubleshoes - 13
• Svengallop - 11
• --
• Saffron Masala - 8
• Wind Rider - 7
• --
• Pharynx - 0
• Star Tracker - 0

Background Characters

• Hoity Toity - 76
• Sapphire Shores - 70
• Cherry Jubilee - 60
• --
• Treehugger - 37
• Blossomforth - 23
• Twinkleshine - 19
• Flitter - 15
• Cloudchaser - 14
• Lily - 14
• Pony Joe - 14
• Ruby Pinch - 14
• Moonlight Raven - 13
• Tender Taps - 13
• Zipporwhill - 12
• --
• The Smooze - 7
• Sunshine Smiles - 6
• Daisy - 5
• Parcel Post - 4
• White Lightning - 4
• Plaid Stripes - 4
• Steven Magnet - 3
• Coriander Cumin - 3
• Mr. Stripes - 1
• --
• Crackle - 0
• Kettle Corn - 0
• Toola Roola - 0
• Coconut Cream - 0
• Chip Cutter - 0
• Lemon Hearts - 0

Preliminary thoughts:

1. Place Zephyr Breeze under "Family".
2. Place Timberwolves under "Groups".
3. "Background" and "Side Characters" really are a problem, aren't they? The highest members of the "Background" group, for instance, really strike me as being "Side Characters".
4. Following on from the previous, "Groups" could be renamed "Groups/Species"? OR we could have a category for "Non-pony" and then the Pillars could be added to "Lore". That might make it easier to balance "Background" and "Side Characters" once we remove a few members.
5. (Minor) Who's Chip Cutter? I can't find them on the MLP wikia.

Can't think of anything else, at least right now, but will let you know if I do.

It's great we got new tags. Too bad the new search system is ass.

6251929
Chip Cutter is apparently that one colt that the CMC helped who made a statue. Like he wasn't even the focus of the episode, he was right there at the beginning, bam cutie mark, and then... yeah.

Anywho, could you describe how you'd define Background versus Side Characters? Maybe explain who you'd want to swap? That's my big worry ATM.

6251960

I can't say my conception of either is particularly original or insightful, but here it is:

If they were a major player of an episode (Hoity Toity and Photo Finish, for instance, in "Suited for Success" and "Green Isn't Your Colour" respectively), mainly in their introductory episode, then I'd say "Side".

If they featured predominantly as a background character - even if later they appear in a dedicated episode (e.g. Minuette and Rumble in "Amending Fences" and "Marks and Recreation" respectively)* - then I'd say "Background".

* I appreciate this is debatable, but I'm simplifying for now.

For now, the "Side" list looks fine, so it's mostly transferring from "Background", namely:

• Hoity Toity - 76
• Treehugger - 37
• The Smooze - 7
• Coriander Cumin - 3

Cherry Jubilee, Sapphire Shores, Pony Joe, Tender Taps, Zipporwhill, Steven Magnet, and both Stripes seem to me to be ambiguous cases, since they get actual brief roles in certain episodes (Pony Joe, for instance, in "MMMMystery on the Friendship Express" as one of the chefs, and Steven Magnet in the Season One premiere as a temporary obstacle), but don't have a huge amount of sway over the narrative. These ones I'm undecided about.

6251960

On balance, those ambiguous ones I'd probably place under "Side", simply because they do have significant interaction with the main cast (i.e. more than a few words or one line) in their debut/early episodes. That still means I'd place Rumble and Minuette under "Background", because they were established that way long before they got prominent features.

Admittedly, that does leave the "Side" category greatly bloated, but I wonder if the "Non-Pony" category might go some way towards alleviating that problem. Any thoughts?

6251937

I wouldn't quite say it that way, but yes, I really don't like the new search system much either. The coding is just clumsy, and if anything it's less intuitive and straightforward than the simple menu options from before.

There are new character tags? Huh. With the new tagging system not showing what tags you have to choose from, I had no idea... and it's not an unreasonable guess other people will miss them, too. Maybe at least some of your efforts should go toward simply making sure people know they exist?

6252018

I stumbled across them by accident, trying to work out that drop-down menu thing when you put in a hashtag and then a letter.

I left a comment on the update post asking if there was going to be a formal announcement. So far, I haven't received a reply. And I posted this here. That's a start, right?

By "making sure", you mean, like, posting about it on a blog, or posting a new thread in some popular group where loads of people would see it? Maybe, but I wonder if it would be a bit presumptuous before any formal announcement.

6252024 I honestly have no clue. Really, pestering knighty might be all you can do... but since he wants tags to be completely user-definable, it'll eventually become impossible to catch and use all the random tags people make up.

6252028

Really, pestering knighty might be all you can do.

So there's nothing we can eh?

6251960

Just to clarify: do we have a final classification for all the tags we're going to be using? If so, then I think one of us should post a new thread to act as a helpful guide for other users. The thread would break down the classification so that readers know which folder to add any works to, or which folder to go looking for works with particular tags.

6266835
No, no we do not. I just put the ones that I felt fit in Side in Side and every other unused in Background.

6267001

Shall we proceed with the prototype list as it currently is, then?

6267426

I just... updated the thingy over in the Stats of the Tag thread.