PonyGrove

Alright, so I will be getting the Luna by Luna in a few days. My Fiance really, REALLY wanted to try it out, so I picked it up. For those of you not familiar with We Love Fine, let me break it down how this works.... The website sells mostly t-shirts, but also sells scarfs, wallets, all kind of clothing really. It doesn't sell just MLP items either, but also a wide range of pop culture apparel. That was the good news because I was able to do a bunch of Christmas shopping for both my Brony and Pegasister friends, but also for my other non-pony friends. As you add items to your cart on the site, you unlock "tiers". For example, if you spend something like $25, you unlock the first tier. Upon checkout, you can look at the items (about 3 or 4 average) that they have for offer in that tier, and get it for FREE. You add it to your cart and there is no cost attached. In my most recent order, I had exactly $200 in my cart, which means that I was unlocked up to tier 6. From tier one, I got a sticker. From Tier 2, I got a pin. From Tier 3, I got a key chain. From tier 4, I got the Luna by Luna perfume... So I didn't pay anything to get it, but I did have to make a purchase of over $100 to get access to put it in my cart. If you are all interested, I can post an update in about a week when I get all the merchandise.

Well, the party starts tonight over here! Getting together a group of about 6 or 8 and drinking, playing games, and eating through the night. Also, we will be prepping food for tomorrow, which is going to be key! Tomorrow Morning starts at the crack of dawn. All of the food that was prepared the night before gets cooked and buffet style breakfast is had by all. Waffles, eggs, toast, Casserole, Pancakes, bacon, the works. The Hub is starting a pre-game marathon at 6:00, so we will be watching through the morning and getting coffee to keep us going until the show starts at 10:00. So after little to no sleep, at 11:00 I clean everything up and get ready for the Bruins game at 1:00. It's going to be a long, long day...

I think if you can get it to work, the more power to you! I would totally support something like that. There are going to be some pretty big hurtles to overcome. I know that when playing these sorts of games, if there is a card that I am not familiar with, I need to read it over and asking the other player to hold that card up to the camera would be a bit cumbersome. Also, as cards interact with other cards, put counters/buffs on opponent cards, or steal opponent cards it is going to be tricky to keep track of if you don't have identical decks. If you could get somebody to make something like the magic:the gathering on-line system, that would be ideal. Otherwise it is going to be hard to determine if this game will work via web cam until we know all the mechanics.

Made the same pre-order here. I did watch the game demo that was posted on-line and think that it could be really fun.

Awesome! Thank you for the visual aid! As you can see, in The Last Roundup when AJ doesn't meet the expectations of others, she doesn't just give up or fall to pieces! Instead, she takes on a new job to raise the money she promised to the town. She continues her same work ethic and goes about trying to make additional liquid income. However, her flaw in this episode was that she was embarrassed about not being able to keep her promise. This episode could have worked equally well with Rainbow Dash, Twilight, or Rarity... but I think because of the "honesty" element it does work best with AJ. Keep in mind that AJ doesn't try anything extreme or out of her comfort zone to earn the money, but instead turns back to harvesting fruit... because that is what AJ does after all. Being a simplistic character doesn't make a bad character, but it does make it so that nearly any focal point you would have had could easily be replaced by another character. AJ does make a great vehicle for some very important life lessons, and you are correct in saying that unlike Fluttershy, AJ doesn't need to constantly relearn life lessons through the season. In a lesser show, I know that it would be a crutch to constantly find a new way of telling the same moral five different ways... but not with MLP. Also, with Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000, we can also call that a non-AJ episode as nothing is resolved, no lesson is learned, and the high stakes of loosing the farm is essentially meaningless.

Great post! You made some really thoughtful points in there and I wanted to address a few and keep the banter going. When I think about Fluttershy, I do think that she remains pretty static. However, while Fluttershy doesn't have what may be considered "ambition" she basically has a weakness that she is trying to overcome... namely her shyness. In Dragonshy, Putting Your Hoof Down, and Hurricane Fluttershy, we see her and her friends try to deal with her shyness. It does seem kind of lazy that the character revolves around a "defect" that they are constantly trying to overcome, yet never make any progress on... but when you consider it as a true aspect of who Fluttershy is, then it becomes more about accepting your friends and yourself for why they/you really are. From a narrative standpoint Fluttershy has something to focus on that could drive an episode and basically has a character flaw that can serve a lesson to the viewer and cause enough dramatic tension to carry a story. For Pinkie Pie, I would only argue that this character has nothing but ambition. She constantly strives to be a friend and bring laughter to others. For an idea as to how to make a Pinkie Pie episode, just look at A Friend In Deed... then just substitute another type of character for Cranky. The dramatic tension here is that external forces around her aren't having a good time or being friendly, and she needs to fix that. In Baby Cakes and Too Many Pinkie Pies we see that it can't always be about having a party and that there are things in this world (important things) other then having fun. Like Twilight, Pinkie is constantly striving for what may prove to be an unattainable goal. If you really wanted to develop this character, I have some ideas, but I'm trying to focus on AJ. Basically, Pinkie's drive for acceptance and universal happiness means that the character can grow. Applejack is a bit different. Unlike Fluttershy, she doesn't have a character flaw to exploit or add tension to the group. Unlike Pinkie, AJ's self worth and motivation is internal and not dependent on other people. There lies the problem. Imagine the Applejack show. As it stands now when the other characters come to Sweet Apple Acres, AJ is basically always doing the same thing... working on the farm. The tasks she is working on change, but it's always farm work. In a slice-of-life show, you could just focus on AJ's daily tasks and make constantly occurring random problems, but the feel of that show would be more like "Azumanga Daioh" which is entertaining... but in the back of my head I would be wondering where all the magic was. While good pacing and dialog could make mundane tasks interesting, I would be thinking about the next big disaster to befall Ponyville. After monsters like the hydra and Cerberus, the show as raised the stakes to a certain level that has to be met. If the base line of the show was mundane tasks, then that can totally work as a slice-of-life... but you can't switch gears so radically in the same program. And that is the other problem. AJ is too damn nice! In Fall Weather Friends, Rainbow Dash is really the main character. AJ has the level head through the competition and keeps everything in perspective. When Dashie cheats to win, she doesn't make a huge deal about it and call for a re-do... she moves on and suggests another contest with new rules to make it fair. Dashie is the one that ultimately goes too far and pulls AJ into the whole mess. If anything, the only fault on the part of AJ is that she sank down from her pedestal of being always right to tussle with Dash. It works a bit like this: To have a character who builds emotional impact, it helps if we can empathize with them and their plight. If, however, that character looses their contest or goal and they just dismiss it as "better luck next time" then it diminishes that impact. Now, that attitude is totally the Right one to have when you loose, but for dramatic story telling you have to have the stakes at a certain level. You can't just tell the viewer, "it's bad if the character doesn't meet their goal!" and then not explain why that is, or worse, show them miss their goal with no ill effect. AJ is the sweetest character who actually has the world in perspective. Unlike Pinkie who basically shatters when her ambition of not being able to please everyone is unmet, or like Twilight who breaks when she isn't the best student, AJ understands the world just keeps going on. This a a super role model and the kind of person that I would like in my life... but not the type of character that I would put into a fantasy setting and focus on. MLP does a great job of having a character in there that serves a great life lesson, but it is hard to wright for. I can understand this, and I am totally for not changing her as well. I think she is fine just the way she is... but the name of this thread is, "How would you give applejack more character development" For this exercise you must assume that AJ doesn't have enough character and must build more some way. Really the only way in the show to build character is to focus on that character, and to do that you have to make apparent a flaw or desire that they have. To have character development, basically there has to be a challenge to overcome, and since AJ's life is so put together, there really isn't that much to do. I am with you and think that the real question should be, "Why do people think Applejack needs more character development?"

@ K.K Slider - Some of the best advice that I have gotten. Thanks a bunch! For registration... so some Cons have a pre-reg line to hop into the night before the con. If you buy a pass right now on the Bronycon site, when can you pick up your pass? How about if you buy in at the "Bronze" level or above with the "pre-reg" perk? I'm looking more for what the lines are going to be like between the two and when you will be able to pick your badge up. Thanks again!

I am already signed up and booked. I have rooms, con badges... the only thing that I am missing is train tickets. I am going to start trying to put together an elite group of bronies and pegasisters to go down to the con this year... Since this will be my first BronyCon, is there anything that I should know? Any tips from the seasoned vets' that you would like to pass to a newbie? I have done many cons in the past... just not a Brony Con.

Alright, so at some point in the future I am going to make a huge, long, rambling post about why I started watching the show and what it means to me... but no spoilers! As of right now, I watch the show because the characters are great, the lessons are genuine, and it is honestly just a fun program! The more I look at the show, the more the lessons really resonate with me. I don't think you are ever too old to learn something about friendship or life in general. Also, the characters in the show do a great job of being sincere and enjoyable. In short, put me down for the generic answer of, "The Characters and The Plot!"

It's a very good point. From most people that I have talked to, each of the M6 really helps set an example, or ideal in life style. While people look up to Twilight because she always strives to be better and pushes herself to bigger things, people also look to AJ as an example of being content. AJ worked hard every day to get where she is, and she now gets to enjoy the rewards of her hard work... the biggest reward being stability. There is nothing wrong with haveing a blue coller job and punching the clock for 8 hours a day, as long as it's something you enjoy doing and you do it with honesty and to the best of your ability. At the same time, Twilight shows there is nothing wrong with being the consumate student, either in college, high school, or just self-taught, as long as you don't think you are better then others because of all your knowledge (Trixie). This is actually more of a lesson for grown ups out there who look down on other people's life styles or professions. Living in Massachusetts I know my fair share of high level professional academics who really don't think highly of blue coller workers in factory jobs. At the same time, if I turn on the TV, the criticism is that East Coast Liberal Elite live in ivory towers and contribute nothing meaningful to society. You say she isn't interesting because all she has to do is sell apples... I say that she adds diversity to the cast and reflects a very broad demographic that deserves recognition and respect. In short (too late) if anyone out there thinks that this is just a "kids show" and doesn't have lessons for adults as well, they need to think again. Back to the main point: How does this leave possabilities for character development? We have both been right from the very begining... there really isn't anywhere to go with the character as it stands now. To sum up a point I made above, to focus on a character who has a lack of goals is to pull attention away from the narrative and that is bad story telling. So I think we have our main answer here to make AJ a viable main character that we can devote focus to an a regular basis... Give Her Some Goals/Ambitions! Until she comes out and says, "I want to do XXX" or "I want to be XXX" then there really is no point in making her a central character. There is no reason to hate her. There is no reason not to like her... but there is also no reason to really focus on her. I would also add that perhaps it's not always a bad thing to keep her the way she is. That is, she gets to remain the bedrock character that has a stable life. That is a great example to have, afterall. Of course, AJ fans would need to understand that she is going to fill a less central role in the story and will kind of remain in the background.

@ TailsNotAlone : Those are some great ideas as well! It can be hard to think up AJ stories that haven't been done and are not repatative in nature...