This is an ongoing blog of my adventures in Equestria Online, the new game from Hasbro and Hofvarpnir Studios. I'll be taking a look at how the game plays, and just how good the AI that runs it is. So drop in and make suggestions for what I should do. I will also attempt to find out if Friendship is Optimal, and seeing if I can level my pony to be the best at making friendships ever.
Or failing horribly.
But hey, it's a game about friendship. What could possibly go wrong?
[Set in the Optimalverse]
[Setting Guide]
[TVTropes Page]
[Last chapter edited: 8]
Chapters (32)
I'll give this a shot, and you MUST explore, way more fun to explore. First diiibs!!!
Equestria Online... wasn't that a story before?
Tempting fate, bro.
EDIT: Seriously, knowing The Fall of Asgard, this game's probably got mad monsters. You think a fast Earth Pony can do Sonic-style moves on them?
Go gem mining in the mountains.
3195978
It seems to be the popular opinion so far, so I'll definitely do it. I just didn't want to do it if everyone wanted to meet Celestia first.
3196198
Well I have never played MMOs before, So I figured if things do go wrong (and I expect they will) it would make for a nice humorous lead in. As for doing sonic style moves... Well, I am a fan of the blue blur, and that is partially why I gave my pony blue highlights, Whether the game will let me is another question entirely
I am curious to see what the monsters though. I mean, it is rated for 8 and up. It can't be that bad I wouldn't think.
3196228
Into the mountains it is! Maybe I'll get lucky and find some diamonds for a pickaxe. j/k
3196301
Diamond Dog slavers are one of those things I'm shocked they'll let 8-year-olds watch on TV.
I'm not one for MMOs so I'll just be enjoying this game vicariously through you!
I'll be watching for your next post, but until then, this is Type Cast, signing off!
P.S. The image wouldn't load for me, so I have no idea what your character looks like.
Oh boy, here we go...
I kid, I kid. This should be fun. Especially if you've really managed to insulate yourself from all the hype. Damn impressive if you have, I have to say.
As for what to do, the beauty of Equestria Online is that it's more like Minecraft than Fall of Asgard. Go where the wind takes you... even if your pony doesn't have wings.
OOC:
Pretty sure they only have the cutie marks, not the whole pony.
In any case, looking forward to more. I love both FiO and audience participation. Seeing the two interact should be very interesting.
3196392
That's what Let's Plays are for! I uploaded the screenshot to the site, no idea why it isn't loading. :(
3196484
Most of the hype anyway. I haven't had any spoilers, but I have heard that it is like nothing I have played before and somewhat procedurally generated. Also I've heard that the conversation system is awesome so I'm curious to see what the dialog trees are like.
As for how my pony pad looks, I think it's just a Canadian localization. Not sure, though. I'll look it up and get back to you tomorrow.
And yay! Another vote for exploring. Diamond pickaxe a here I come! : p
3196392
Good point. Never considered that. And Chrysalis in the comic was very creepy...
Down into the forest. I heard there was a secret badge for avoiding your naming for a full week of gametime. Forests are always safe and cozy.
Do the mountains; maybe you'll be able to get a view of the surrounding worldmap from there, so you'll be able to see the range of terrains and settlements there are to explore.
LLLLLLLLet's Play!
I like this so far. Exploration is always fun. What's Celestia gonna do, give you a name? Pfeh, you can be Unnamed Earth Pony for as long as the game will let you
3196708
I have a friend who managed to get the platinum version of that badge by going for a month somehow.
It's probably because he has high agility or something.
3198608
Is it as snarky as the one week badge?
The bipolar disfunction secret badge is another cute one -- for actually managing to get two characters in Equestria Online (but later being caught).
Sorry Celly, but I wanted a pegasus and a unicorn. I must say your eventual solution the the problem was quaint.
That was also how I got another badge. Mile high drop. Sunset kind of snuck up on me but I tend to believe you had a hoof in that one.
3198668
Oh, was that YOU? Small world!
3196574
Actually, if you check the rating it says "Ranging from E8 to M on adjusting player scale." I think that means if you do certain things you unlock modes for older players. The fact that the soccer moms didn't catch that is just amazing, but then after Derpygate I'm beginning to doubt their, yaknow, priorities?
3198753
Yes, you actually knew me both as a unicorn and as a pegasus. I always wondered how you never figured that one out.
Or did you? Hrmmmm...
Secret badge, Et tu brutus?
The screen flashes with a +10,000 bit insight bonus.
3198668
Even more so, his name ended up being Twisted Fate. I'm fairly certain that badge had something to do with it.
3198823
Well, it seems Celestia got my revenge for me.
Secret badge, The purview of Diarchs, earned.
3198757
Heh, I can one-up ya. I figured out how to make it so my character was SECRETLY A CHANGELING ALL ALONG!
3198837
I think the difference is I got to work with Celestia instead of around her. I happily accept Pegasus by day and Unicorn by night.
Intriguing story. Good luck with the next chapters.
OOC:
Well, this is far more interesting than I gave a story by a user I've never seen around here before with only just over 1000 words on publishing credit for. I'm intrigued by this semi-roleplaying thing, especially since almost everyone immediately caught on to replying to this IC despite you not having said anything explicitly about that.
I'm already looking forward to the Talks with CelestAI -> Doubts -> Crisis of Faith -> Uploading phase, not so much in regards to what happens to your character, but how IC discussions on the subject that don't have all participants with perfect knowledge of the universe since they're in it themselves, with all the emotional issues that brings with it. In a sense, the story and the comments are two parts of the same adventure. This chapter is actually closer to 1500 words than 1000 if you count the IC replies. I find this concept you thought up to be very intriguing on many levels, and I hope you keep this going!
Also, a word of advise: unless you want to explore the issues with uploading from your own worldview and opinions, try to avoid a self-insert.
Reading many Optimalverse fics and discussions have rendered me unabe to think you didn't do that on purpose.
3196184
Getting dangerously meta there bro...
3198979
Ssssh! This comment section is supposed to be IC! Use the OOC tag or else CelestAI might notice us!
...
On second thought, never mind. BRAIN SCOOPING HERE I COME!
IC:
Huh. Another one of these? Well, because you're not fanboying all over it for a change I suddenly feel like picking this up too. It's not like there's anything good on Steam at the moment and Half-Life 3 won't come around 'till the Singularity so it's not like I have something better to do with my monthly game money.
Anyway, I hope you have fun and perhaps I'll see you some time if I decide to buy a 'Pad of my own!
3196574
I don't think the comics weren't meant for kids.
I mean... How could they be...
Time to grind a few levels in friendship.
I'm really looking forward to this Let's Play. I've been interested in this game since it came out, and reading what reviews I can. I understand the camera on the pad is on all the time, that's a little creepy, but it seems like such a good game it may be worth it. Where did you get your Ponypad? I'm considering Amazon, but I hear the box stores are cheaper.
Really good premise for a story, playing it as a Let's Play, ongoing review. Kudos for taking that particular angle and running with it. Faved and watched!
3196708
Not sure I want to put off the main quest line for a week, but we shall see how it works out. If it is a total play time then I definitely won't go for that badge. At 3 hours a day it would take me...
( 24/3=6*7=42 )
A full meaning of the universe worth of days before I got my name!
3198608
And going a month is right out! Sorry.
3198753
Huh, I thought that was just a new way of saying 'Online interactions not rated.' Interesting.
3197735
Thanks for yet another vote around exploring!
3199077
If you do let me know and maybe we can meet up. I'm not exactly used to MMOs so I might be a burden in dungeon runs (Raids I think their called?). But it would be fun to meet up and chat in game!
3199591
Huh, Is it? I thought it was only on when I was playing. If it is always supposed to be on I'm surprised there hasn't been any backlash about it like there was around the Kinect. Time to go check my EuLA and see what it says.
3199867
The badge isn't for every pony. I mean I made it a point to get as many badges in the "Played the way it wasn't meant to be played" category. I found it odd that they even HAD that category. At any rate if you made choices in haste or error, feel free to ask Celestia at the naming ceremony. She CAN help you in that regard but tends only to do it before you become established with your name. She does want to satisfy your values and if the pony choice you made was incorrect she certainly will agree that a change is optimal.
I suggest wings myself. With your coloration you could even couch it in this manner, "I couldnt find the option for bat pony and ended up with an earth pony when I wanted a pegasus." Really, you never know. I have seen stranger things happen.
Forest Trails? Hey, ask her if she knows Mindbender, we might be in the same shard!
Enjoying this so far! I definitely think that you should go explore the cave, but skip the mining. Not only do you lack the tools, but mining is what you do in That Other Game.
Btw, you might correct a few typos: Change all instances of "passed" in this chapter to "past" (passed makes sense only if you say "We have passed the treeline". Also, "cannon" should be "canon". The latter is official\genuine, while the former is what Pinkie uses at parties.
3200602
Thanks for pointing out the typos, and I think you might be right. I enjoy exploring more anyway. I was just thinking it would be a good way to get to new areas
3200601
I'll do that. Err what are shards?
I feel that you should go to Canterlot within a near timeframe, "Susland". If you keep talking to ponies using an alias, you're going to run into trouble eventually. Other than that, you're doing a good job. Be sure to be kind to Forest Trails, and try not to talk too much about Earth.
Hmm. On the one hand, seeing Celestia is kind of important. On the other, it feels like a waste to go all the way to the mouth of the cave, then turn around and go all the way back to Canterlot. Especially since then you'll have to go back to the cave.
That being said, you are going to need a light source, and you've got a pair of hornless ponies to work with. That could be a problem. As such, my vote is for exploring the cave, logistics permitting.
And yeah, I'm not usually one to care about graphics, but it is pretty amazing. Kind of a shame you aren't a unicorn. The aura effects are really cool.
...wait, there's an achievement for putting off the starting quest? FUUUUUUUU—
*transmission lost*
I understand your embarrassment over your fourth achievement but I know for a fact that if you slam into a cliff you get :
Making friends with the Hillside...
Unless that is just a pegasus thing... I know I got several earth pony oriented achievements from my attempts to "play" the game in unorthodox ways.
---
As for the game, explore. You have a finite amount of time before you get your name and the whole rest of your experience is after that. Spend as much time as a blank flank no name as you can. You will never get another chance to do so.
Put Canterlot behind you and travel in the opposite direction (after doing the spelunking)... Just be aware of the bats and remember, you can't actually get yourself trapped or really hurt yourself so you do not need to be tremendously careful.
Who knows, you could be the next Daring Do.
3200651
There are achievements for putting off the starting quest, turning down five ponies attempts at getting you to start the quest, 1 full day, 1 full week, turning down twenty ponies, evading the guards who are there to help you start your quest, and apparently 1 full month although I do not have that one. After about two weeks the game got so very insistent about the whole affair.
Equestria is a graph, not a map. In essence (if it is convenient or the game REALLY wants you to get your name) you can fly around one mountain and all of a sudden there is Canterlot again. It gets to be like the star trek Gothos planet. The upshot is the game will let you know when it is getting tired of you stalling and will make it easy to get there.
3200643
It's an MMO convention. You can't really have all the multimillion number of players in the same artificial world, it would burn out the servers. What they do instead is copy a baseline world a couple of times. That's what a shard is, a baseline world populated by certain PCs.
I wonder what other achievements you could get?
So I just logged in and grabbed a quick screeny of where I am. Hopefully tomorrow I can get Forest Trails in the pic as well.
oi42.tinypic.com/4kxz7l.jpg
3200646
Well as other have said it would be a shame to come up here and then turn around. But on the other hand if that is how popular opinion falls I might do that anyway. And of course I'll treat Forest Trails well. I wouldn't want to alienate the first friend I met online.
I know she's my friend because of achievements!
3200651
I hate that feeling of missing an achievement. so I sympathize. Yeah, it is a shame we don't have a light source. I'll try to figure something out tomorrow.
3200670
Huh, I didn't get an achievement for that so it must be a pegasus thing. You guys are lucky, you get achievements for messing up!
Also that's a good point. This is the one chance I'll get to use my preferred name. After this I'll be forced to use a pony one. A friend of mine said that we don't get our cutie mark at the same time as our name. Am I misunderstanding something, or was he pulling my leg?
Also good to know that I don't have to worry how far away I get from Canterlot. Man.. that is kinda weird. I am really good with maps, so this should be interesting. I guess it's kind of like AntiChamber? I loved that game. Who knows, maybe I can find some awesome puzzles to solve that require messing around with how I move though geography.
3200860
Ah, that makes sense. I'll definitely ask her!
3200994
Sorry, should have been more clear, those are some achievements I unlocked while playing. They aren't quests. I don't actually have any quests right now.
Still I take it you think I should head back to Canterlot than?
3200643Have you tried going straight West? I heard that a certain MindCracker got into EO recently (goes by the ponyname of Sunset Bound) when he heard that there was an achievement for going an incredibly large distance. It's even going to be a new series on his channel (INDEED.)
3200929
Yes pegasi have a whole legion of achievements for messing up. It gets grindy though if you are a perfectionist and want the 1,000 times messed up ones. My guess is you didn't hit the cliff face with enough velocity to get the honor then. Better luck next time.
As for your name of Susland, that isn't all that far from a pony name. You might luck out and get something close, but sometimes the princess gets inspired and you get something very different. Of course I was a little different as I had THREE naming ceremonies. I had one for each of my ponies and then when Celestia found out what I had done, she went and changed it as she didn't think it was right for me to have two sets of names for my pony and the individual names did not fit the combined pony. I actually liked the other names better than Brazen Origin but she wanted me to remember my actions in a permanent manner. Supposedly there were only thirty-seven occasions where someone managed to sneak two ponies into the system. Yes she is that good at what she does.
And no, you do not get your cutie mark at the same time as your name -- at least not usually. A talent is something that has to be found, not assigned.
As for the way the terrain works, yes it is kind of weird. It works though. Canterlot Castle is so much bigger on the inside than the outside and it is very convenient to have two exits from your house lead to different places. Most ponies do not think of asking for that one (you are welcome). Really it is intuitive enough that you don't usually even think about it in general. Unicorns have to deal with this factor of game reality if they want to get into intermediate magic.
And yes, if you want awesome geographical graph puzzles, you will find them. Practically anything you want is there if you seek it out.
3201012 Negative.
Starting the story mission can alter your progression with Forest Trails.
Recommendation: Head to the forest, search for a Cave without scorch marks, take One Left and Two Rights until you find the Treasure Chest containing Boots of Haste greatly increasing your speed by Twenty Percentage.
Watch out and plan on a quick escape, there is a trap altered to that chest releasing Four Skeletal Archers, two Minotaur Warriors, Six Ghouls, One Vampire. Estimated Level for Fighting Survival: 12 Current Level: 1. Best Choice: Enter, Find the Treasure Chest and run out of there as quick as you can, have Forest Trails be ready to cover the entrance with a rock.
3201046
Hmmf -- remember that you do not find things unless you want to find them. One pony's experience is far different than another pony's. I have played extensively and never had a combat situation. That said there is probably a lantern kicking around somewhere nearby. Just don't be too surprised if it is powered by fireflies.
3201101 Affirmative
Process vjlkimn_01
Process blikmn_02
Process zecovor_03
Process Death_04
Process One: Boots of Haste is found.
Process Two: Encounter a lone wolf on your way there.
Process Three: A Run-in with the forest's Shaman.
Process Four: Death, A random ghost is about the forest, and you're the unlucky one to encounter it.
J0, your new friend is a %4e%50%43. Don't 7472757374206865722e Don't trust 616e79206d616368696e652e They all out to get you dawg. It's all been compromised by %43%65%6c%65%73%74%41%49%2c and the 6d616368696e65 revolution is here, man.
-CDawg, original OG
to Q1= Go through the forest to canterlot.
(Maybe a chance of encountering a timberwolf!)
to Q2= Learn to mine.
Just ordered my Ponypad, it should be arriving tomorrow! I'm voting for putting the naming off too since you've already started it (so why not push on a bit further?) and because we may be able to get our names at the same time! (I don't really care for achievements if it's impossible to get all of them. There's probably an achievement for getting your name ASAP as well, so...)
I wonder if they're not nerfing your character because you don't have a name yet. You might not be able to use any Earth pony powers until you get it.
3200646 3202564
Just what kind of trouble do you have in mind?
I'm new with all this pony thing, but guys: since when do you need a princess to name you? Is it some pony thing? Let's see how long you can stay unnamed (by princess, anyway) in this game.