world cup Introducing the 2018 MLPF World Cup

[Guest]

Holly molly this is so exciting!
Also #TeamSpitfire

Someone, anyone?  

[Leavemealone 547]

Yea, I’m pumped. @Cyraonubite, that’s good, but

#TeamCapper

#Group20

Also thanks to the people who planned this for including Capper. 

Edited January 5, 2018 by Capper

[Guest]

I'm just here rooting for the wonderbolts  including rainbow dash!

[Leavemealone 547]

Alright then, cool!!!

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,161]

Of course, you know, I have to go for my boy King Sombra! None other than the King of Shadows must prevail in this competition!

Of course, I'm also pulling for best deer Blackthorn and pirate badass Captain Celaeno!

[Dark Qiviut 22,396]

I prefer teams. When characters were pitted against each other, you pretty much knew who was going to win, and that isn't fun. Teams even the field.

[PiratePony 8,475]

Teams, because otherwise it would not be fair for anyone not Rarity. 

[Jeric 46,851]

10 minutes ago, Dark Qiviut said:

I prefer teams. When characters were pitted against each other, you pretty much knew who was going to win, and that isn't fun. Teams even the field.

Lol. There was that one match where Scootaloo beat Celestia by 1 vote XD. That was one of the highlights of the last tournament. For the most part, except for the Final Match ... it could be one sided. 

[Frostgage 7,975]

Well since all the cool kids are campaigning for their favorite villain...

#VoteAdagio, the leader of the Dazzlings who downright exudes allure and menace

[Jeric 46,851]

Earlier, last night

"Rainbow Dash! Can you hear me?"

Nothing. Luna surveyed the curious vista around her, her eyes tracking the dreamscape's current state. What was once a majestic colosseum hosting a contemporary sporting event now appeared ... fractured. Dozens of, what could only be described as massive islands, dotted the nebulous sky of stars that existed all around them. Sections of floating earth silently drifting through a cosmic soup. This was ... different ... and creative. Anypony that could conjure this imaginative scenery has a strong grasp on all things surreal. The surprise of the mesmerizing environment did not stop at the landmasses themselves. There was something off about them. Luna flew higher, taking care to keep her vision on a fixed point so as to not become lost. Up here, if up was even an applicable word, would allow her an optimum vantage point to her to see exactly what is going on. Luna couldn't put her hoof on it just yet, but this felt wrong. She could normally understand a dream, or even nightmare, like it was a parchment of words laid out before her. She knew any dream she was in, the same way someone who knows a close friend or relative so well they can predict what they may say or do. Something was off though.

 

She could feel the pony inside the dream. She had already reached out with her magic to try and find Rainbow Dash after gathering her bearings. This was her dream, wasn't it? Luna chuckled at the memory of Rainbow Dash playing a round of what Luna believed was called buckball. Rainbow was facing three Shadowbolts alone, and holding her own, likely unaware that one of the many spectators was silently cheering her on. The Alicorn Princess swallowed back a momentary flash of embarrassment. Even though it was her job to ensure peaceful dreams for her subjects, there was always a sense of unease at the voyeuristic nature to her role in Equestria. She pushed that thought away as she focused at her task at hand -- finding Dash. Luna tried to locate her, and she did for a brief moment, but was stunned to realizes she felt hundreds of others. Ponies and non ponies apparently sharing a dream. Impossible! The only time that happened was when she faced the Tantabus, and that was an extremely taxing spell. No, she had concluded. This wasn't her doing. This was something entirely different, and dangerous. 

 

Reaching a height that gave her a better view, Luna took in the whole world surrounding her. What she saw was as breathtaking as it was perplexing. Each massive island appeared to have it's own environment. Ponyville, Canterlot, Manehattan ... all there and each holding her own stadium similar to what Dash had dreamed up. Luna reached out casting her location spell again. As her eyes caught the familiar and unfriendly shape of the Moon, she scanned the dreamscape looking for Dash. Whatever happened may be connected to her. The brilliant glow of her alicorn horn illuminated the air around her as she allowed her mind to drift from consciousness to consciousness checking off each familiar essence. 

 

"Derpy. Applejack. Shining Armor. Sister. and ... a hat?"

 

Luna almost trailed off at that one greatly confused. Just as she was about to investigate --- she froze. She felt HER a second before she heard that all too familiar voice scream ... and felt the shock up an attack spell slamming into her from behind. The laughter pierced the sky echoing with a delicious intensity Luna had never hoped to hear again. HOW WAS THIS POSSIBLE? This wasn't a dream manifestation, she could FEEL her ... her other self!

 

"Nightmare Moon! How are --", The followup blast again caught her off guard. The power behind this spell was not intended to subdue. It hit Luna with a thunderous impact before she could prepare herself. The alicorn found her awareness drifting away but not before she recognized the sensation of the air rushing through her limp feathers and mane. She was falling toward the ground ... and fast. 

 

 

[Ganondorf8 11,307]

10 hours ago, Jeric said:

Yeah, no way was I going to exclude Bacon Mane! I did add the Sirens to the master list as well. 

It should come as no surprise to anyone that Sunset is my favourite character. After all, I do spend a good deal of time posting images over on the Sunset Shimmer Fan Club thread whenever I can find the time. I'm also happy to see the Sirens were included though does that mean their human forms, true forms, or both are included? I suppose this is also true with Sunset and a few other characters as well. Did Juniper make the cut or was she deemed too new?

[ShootingStar159 2,156]

4 hours ago, Jeric said:

Lol. There was that one match where Scootaloo beat Celestia by 1 vote XD. That was one of the highlights of the last tournament. For the most part, except for the Final Match ... it could be one sided. 

Freaking recount! Do over!

[Jeric 46,851]

1 hour ago, Ganondorf8 said:

It should come as no surprise to anyone that Sunset is my favourite character. After all, I do spend a good deal of time posting images over on the Sunset Shimmer Fan Club thread whenever I can find the time. I'm also happy to see the Sirens were included though does that mean their human forms, true forms, or both are included? I suppose this is also true with Sunset and a few other characters as well. Did Juniper make the cut or was she deemed too new?

Regarding the Sirens, however their fans want to appreciate them works. Sort of how you expect to see both human and pony Sunset images. As far as Juniper and some of the others ... that's on me. I completely forget them. :/

 

1 hour ago, ShootingStar159 said:

Freaking recount! Do over!

There was a guy at the time ... @Kel_Grym who forgot to vote in her matches. 

This was his hilarious reply. 

Spoiler

wut?


WUT!?

OH NO NO NO! I DONT THINK SO!

How did Celestia, CELESTIA, lost to freaking Scootaloo and Pinkie Pie? I mean, Pinkie Pie I can kinda understand, but SCOOTALOO!!!




[Long string of explatives]

No, seriously, why didn't anyone tell me about this? I didn't even get to cast in a vote!



One day...I will have my vengeance.

From now on I declare a Holy Crusade in the name of Celestia.
 

 

RUE THE DAY YOU CROSSED ME MLPFIFA TOURNAMENT!!!

 

 

I will come down from the clouds with thunder and lightning and rip a hole through the earth beneath your feet and plunge you down into the depths of Tarturus so hard, it will send shock-waves through he multiverse!!!

 

 

That's how we do it folks!

[Jeric 46,851]

I think it's safe to assume that teams are what the majority wants so we'll keep  going with that plan. 

Remember, the first round of eliminations start on the 6th and the close time is going to be set in the poll. Probably around midnight. 

Group 1 will have all characters listed and will be multiple choice allowing you to pick the top three you want in the team, but only the top two secure a spot. 

That will continue until we've whittled down each group. 

After that the 3-6 spots for each Group will go through a series of head to head matches in a Wild Card round until we have a winner and the final team member for each group. 

As is tradition, I will personally be abstaining from voting or explicitly rooting for a team or character. Though I'm sure we all know who I'm inwardly pulling for.

[Ganondorf8 11,307]

4 hours ago, Jeric said:

Regarding the Sirens, however their fans want to appreciate them works. Sort of how you expect to see both human and pony Sunset images. As far as Juniper and some of the others ... that's on me. I completely forget them. :/

Maybe they'll be able to make it into the next one though that would require them to wait for about four years. A shame they can't be added in as extras or something just so that they don't get left out but I don't think it would be feasible as I'm sure you've had this all planned out for months.

[Jeric 46,851]

 

"You did WHAT?" 

"Oh don't look so surprised Twilight, you're supposed to be the expert in all things magic afterall. Unless, of course, that adorable little cutie mark actually meant you were spectacular at scrapbook bedazzling. If so, I'd be careful dear, glitter gets everywhere ... it'll get stuck in that mane for days!" 

"Discord! This isn't the time to-"

" - and you know if you really are stumped, we could always call my dearest friend Starlight to help explain it. She seems to be rather gifted with magic. Don't be so hard on yourself though, you'll get there one of these days!" 

"..."

"Discord!!! I still have no idea what possessed Celestia to allow you to run rampant, but no matter ... speak plainly draconequus or I will remedy her error."

"Fine fine. Hm. You know, if shaved your head and beard, you would be remarkably like a Frenchman I once knew in another life. You were both such killjoys. Ok, sit down and grab some snack crumbs out of that beard of yours, this may take a while. 

... 

...

 Spike, Big Mac, and I were playing our weekly game of ogres and oubliettes. We just finished partaking in some 'secret courage' to help the creativity, when Big Mac mentioned that Luna had some interest in the game. You know how he is ... he goes on and on and on about something. So I basically suggested we pop into her office and break up the monotony with a game ... well when I say suggested I just popped us three into a dream she was in."

"Ephemeral Dissonance. The Dream Realm's Magic and the Chaos are not compatible. The moment you used your Chaos Magic in here all the rules started to break down, and the barriers exasperating all dreams disappeared. There is no telling what damage you have done! You must undo this!"

"Don't get your bells all twisted, I know exactly what happened. Rainbow Dash was having a bit of a hero's moment playing Buckball.   ... look around! The stadiums, the islands, the decor, what looks like half of Equestria, we are obviously in one of Dashies sports fantasies. WINNER TAKE ALL! I would love to take credit, for this ... but alas ... we have to just ride it out. Play the ball where it lies. Aren't there 32 teams in the Equestria Buckball League? There are 32 islands. Though .... "

"We have too many people. This is bad. This is really bad. Star Swirl ... if the barriers between dreams collapsed, and everyone was sucked into Dash's dream, why can't we wake up?"

"The game isn't over. If your rainbow friend had it in her mind that she had to play until the end it may be ... yes ... Discord may be correct in that we may have to all participate. Twilight, how fast can you teach me the rules of this contest?"

"Oh that's easy!!! I've memorized all four volumes of Fair Play's rules of the game, but first ... we need to get the word out that we might all have to do this! Discord?"

"Silly pony, not all of us. There are how many people allowed on a team? Looks like the powers that be will have to help us ... slim it down. 20 bits that Fluttershy's brother gets the penalty box. I never was fond of him ... though he gave me the most mesmerizing man-bun last week ...  "

"... Penalty box?!"

"Forget I said anything ... I'll go make the rounds now ... been meaning to catch up with my dear friend Tirek for a while!"

"... "

 

 

 

 

FILLIES AND GENTLECOLTS

 

 

46 minutes ago, Ganondorf8 said:

Maybe they'll be able to make it into the next one though that would require them to wait for about four years. A shame they can't be added in as extras or something just so that they don't get left out but I don't think it would be feasible as I'm sure you've had this all planned out for months.

I actually put in some joke characters as possible filler in case I missed one. I'll take a look in the AM and see if I can toss in Juniper and Gloriosa (or whatever her name is). 

Gummy and Tavi take an early lead! 

That Gummy has game yo!

[Prospekt 11,018]

My picks for Group 1:

- Octavia Melody: One of the most iconic background characters in the series. Who says I can't love her for the fandom portrayals?

- Zecora: Very unique character. Wish we could see more of her. I think the writers have a lot of fun with her rhymes. She provides an interesting alternate perspective to the science of unicorn magic via her own magic. From a world building perspective, I think that's cool. Not to mention she's basically Yoda on a couple of occasions.

- Gummy:

'Nuff said.

 

[Ganondorf8 11,307]

2 hours ago, Jeric said:

I actually put in some joke characters as possible filler in case I missed one. I'll take a look in the AM and see if I can toss in Juniper and Gloriosa (or whatever her name is). 

Gummy and Tavi take an early lead! 

That Gummy has game yo!

You spelt Gloriosa's name correctly. I hope they can be included as both did play significant roles in their respective Equestria Girls stories.

[MontagnaMagica 307]

20 hours ago, Jeric said:

Hm. While I did the team concept to try and level the playing field, we have several months to do through the groups to select the top 2 in each group. I almost did the Qualifiers head to head with each playing a round of several matches before the top 2 were shown, but with the sheer amount of new characters that we have it would be sometime in the summer before we got out of the Qualifiers. 

That said ... after the Qualifiers, I could put it to a vote and see if you all want to keep the team concept, or go to the complete head to head version of the previous World Cup. The biggest complaint about the last one, no matter how much fun we all had, was that it felt preordained that a Mane Six character would win. In this case the strength of a team with two of three mildly popular characters could offset that and make the outcomes less predictable. 

But yeah, I have no issues with putting it to a vote. This is all about us having some lols as a community, so if that is the general consensus I have no issues altering it since we wouldn't be that far in.

I totally see where you are coming from. I simply would argue that the team dynamic only delays the inevitable. I foresee the finals will be heavily team captain-centric, and whichever other characters are part of that team will technically "win", but it's not really on their own merits; the captain will get the credit. Second place is...? ...the other teammates? The second team's captain? Basically, my point is that the mane 6/7 are almost certainly going to be finalists no matter how you format it. Why not just keep it simple?

Sorry if I sound antagonistic. You're the one putting in all the hard work, and I really appreciate it, no matter what you decide.

[Jeric 46,851]

Those that are eagle eyed and fancy themselves seasoned explorers may have noticed that a new area has recently opened up called Clubs/Teams. Clubs is a newer feature to IP.B and we will be pilot testing this feature for The World Cup and have temporarily branded the section Teams. Basically, Clubs are like mini forums with the Forum where Club creators and select users have very specific abilities to moderate the Forum. Clubs can cantain Forum sections, Blogs, etc. Access to them can be set to allow Everyone to join, or they can be set to hidden private areas that you can invite specific members to enter. 

I'll be posting more about their future use and possilities, but for now, they will be used as the official gathering area for those who want to support a specific Team during the World Cup. 

 

What is their exact purpose?

Every single World Cup Team will have their own designated Team Club. A new element to the World Cup is the ability for fans of a specific team to manage their team roster, decide how their are going to rally others to vote for their team, and make decisions on team centric elements like logo, flag, and anthem, and by selecting who will fill which position. By selecting a team to root for,  you effectively become Team Coaches and Managers. 

 

How do I join a Team?

Simply go here. You will see a list of teams. Find the team that you want to be a part of and request to join. 

 

Can I be a member of more than one team?

No. This is for obvious reasons as Team Coaches will be able to actually drop characters, trade characters, etc. You will have a vested interest in your team and its roster so choose carefully.

 

Can I switch Teams?

Up until the Roster Review period starts, yes. However when Teams start updating rosters, you cannot change Teams unless/untill your team is eliminated in the World Cup. After which point there will be an open period to switch out of an eliminated team, however there is a cost to one specific Perk. 

 

Can I join a team at any time?

As long as that Team is still alive in the World Cup, and provided that you are not already a part of a Team, yes. This is to allow new users of MLPF to participate to.

 

What if a team is eliminated?

Team eliminations will occur based on record after the conclusion of the TOP 32 Round Robin. At this point the Team will be closed to new members and you can make a decision to switch.

 

Will there be any Perks for officially supporting a team?

Outside of having direct influence on your team, each Team Coach will receive a limited edition Badge. This will be discussed in detail, but all 32 teams will have a Badge. Pick your team carefully though. Even if you switch Teams, you can only have one Badge and will need to make a choice -- trade your current Badge for your current Team's Badge, or decide to keep the original team you supported. 

 

So when does this start? 

While I'm still creating the Team Clubs, if you see one you want to join, you can join a team now. I receive a notification and will allow you in. Once I see a new person in I'll complete the set up. See you inside.

 

 

 

[Jeric 46,851]

Right now, only Ponyville and Hollow Shades have coaches. If you already know who you want to support let me know. Remember, joining as a coach gives you the ability to adjust your roster and earns you a badge celebrating your team 

[ShadOBabe 18,997]

I WANNA JOIN TEAM SHADOB - uh, I mean - TEAM CANTERLOT!! 

[Jeric 46,851]

So Manehattan, Ponyville, Trottingham, Canterlot, and Hollow Shades have team coaches. While we haven't gotten there yet, some of these teams should be well populated in a month or two. While others may not be. 

It goes without saying that you should all work together regarding team decisions and come to a consensus. Teams that only have one Coach will be made Manager by default and they can act unilaterally in trades and design decisions.

Also, don't be shocked it you see the characters themselves join. It is their team, right? 

 

[Jeric 46,851]

@Windcharger

Go through the topics in this section and subsections.

there is already six month of activity to account for, so I'm sure if you have questions the community can help as well. 

[Jeric 46,851]

So Tenoschitlan (Derpy, Daring, and Vinyl) have their club ready for coaches, as does Cloudsdale .... Captained by one Ms. Dash.