Common OC Problems

[An Old Head 4,816]

Could I take this opportunity to welcome critiques of the OC I created? 

When making her I bore in mind not to make her a Mary Sue, that alicorns were bad, to give her reasonable faults and not to make her too similar to the Mane 6. If anypony has a few minutes, please read through it and give me your thoughts. n.n

[Elric J. Cornelius 7]

Many of the OC's that I've come across are trying to be edgy. They're trying much too hard. I am not against a more morally ambiguous pony. Just give me a good reason for your pony's darker outlook. Its not hard when you think about it.

[Flicker 141]

I'm definitely not a fan of alicorn OC's as they are very, very, very rarely done well. Most end up being mary sue's with all kinds of powers and they are best friends with every character in the show etc...

 

Normal OC's are hit and miss with me. I like well designed OC's instead of those who just use pony creator ones. Don't get me wrong lots of people make nice pony creator oc's, I'm just talking about those which have identical mane styles to canon characters (Like somebody already mentioned with the abundance of Vinyl Scratch manes). 

 

Brightly coloured OC's I don't mind so long as the colours suit it. As in not bright red everything for example. And it can never hurt for an OC to have a well made backstory. 

 

When I made my OC Ion I tried to avoid all of these. I'll let others decide if I succeeded. 

I had an alicorn OC once, and I worked really hard on her. I took pains to make sure she wasn't perfect. To make sure she wasn't all powerful I broke her horn.  She didn't have a big, long tragic backstory. But that wasn't enough. Eventually I had to rewrite the entire fanfic to please the crowd. Oh wait, there was no crowd. The instant anybody saw the word alicorn they turned tail without giving her a shot.

Now an alicorn can be used appropriately. Another OC of mine is only mentioned in passing. Queen Lumina, Celestia's mother. I wrote up a creation story for Equestria and it only made sense that their parents were alicorns. So I said that there was a queen of light named Lumina and a king of darkness named Niger. Nothing more. That's how to tastefully use an alicorn.

[SrFrog 927]

I guess, but that doesn't very much change the stigma associated with the pony creator oc's, regardless of the end result. Even hastily made sketches of oc's tend to have a better reception than most Generalzoi made ponies, "hint".

[Victor van Dort 202]

I don't get why people complain about OCs being alicorns. They're just unicorns with wings that live presumably longer. Other than that, I agree on everything you said. Too many Vinyl manes, and almost ridiculous looks concerning color and accessories. I'm not sure that I agree about ponies being connected to another one on the show, though. Sure, it might make the OC seem like they're self-centered a bit, but it adds a certain interest to the character.

[Pripyat Pony 2,608]

My only problem with alicorns is if they are either OMGSPESHULPOWERZ! or just thrown in without an explanation. In canon, alicorns are rare. I have an alicorn in my fanfic; he isn't the main character and isn't particularly powerful.

[Concord 1,982]

There's a thing about Alicorn OC's. Most people don't understand, that you don't have to be a princess or a king to be an alicorn... you don't have to have all sorts of super magic to be one...

 

As some of you know, there was an Alicorn filly in one of the episodes in the background, and she wasn't a princess or very special in some way... Sure, Alicorns are rare, but they aren't "THAT" rare. Though i also don't approve of Badly made OC's

Edited January 10, 2013 by Concord

[Fender 1,283]

Right, I can't help but feel like I fall somewhat into this category for Fender's bright green-yellow/brown hair pattern, though I tried to make Fender not so unusual.

 

 

 

Art by Motion Spark, by the way.

[Alex Kennedy 1,228]

There's a thing about Alicorn OC's. Most people don't understand, that you don't have to be a princess or a king to be an alicorn... you don't have to have all sorts of super magic to be one...

 

As some of you know, there was an Alicorn filly in one of the episodes in the background, and she wasn't a princess or very special in some way... Sure, Alicorns are rare, but they aren't "THAT" rare. Though i also don't approve of Badly made OC's

So four Alicorns in the entire world means they aren't that rare? Which is assuming you can even really count a character that only appeared very briefly in the background. My problem with Alicorn OC's is that we know virtually nothing about Alicorns, except that the ones we've seen (not counting the filly in the background) have incredible powers. Even then, we can't judge if all Alicorns have such incredible powers or if it is because Celestia and Luna are essentially gods anyway, and Cadence, being a part of the royal family and therefor related to them, inherited their tremendous power.

 

Going back to my point, we know almost nothing about Alicorns, and since they are never listed as one of the tribes of ponyfolk, in Hearthswarming Eve or anywhere else, we don't even know if being an Alicorn is something you're born with or something you become. Not to mention the fact that you don't see Alicorns just walking down the street, (again, not counting that one weird exception) they're all in positions of power, specifically royalty. But even among the royalty we can assume they're rare because Prince Blueblood is royalty and he's not an Alicorn, nor are any of the various background ponies and minor characters we see at high society functions. Thus, it is safe to say Alicorns are extremely rare, and the odds of any random pony, royalty or otherwise, being one are ludicrously remote.

 

In conclusion, I don't approve of Alicorn OC's because it doesn't make sense for anyone other than the princesses and perhaps their parents to be an Alicorn based on what we know and have seen of the mlp universe. However, if their powers and simply the fact that they're an Alicorn are underplayed rather than a major focus of their character, I don't mind it so much.

 

Congratulations to anyone who actually read this whole thing. I barely had the patience to even write it.

[Fender 1,283]

It's not really a subject worth arguing. People will be reckless with their OC's sometimes, and make them how they are for no reasons other than being the way they are for the sake of JUST that. Being how they are. It's nothing more to discuss, people will do as they please, no matter how much we wish they wouldn't sometimes. Get over it, tolerate them. And between Alex and Concord, don't start a bloody arguement on this thread...see enough arguments everywhere else as it is.

[Alex Kennedy 1,228]

It's not really a subject worth arguing. People will be reckless with their OC's sometimes, and make them how they are for no reasons other than being the way they are for the sake of JUST that. Being how they are. It's nothing more to discuss, people will do as they please, no matter how much we wish they wouldn't sometimes. Get over it, tolerate them. And between Alex and Concord, don't start a bloody arguement on this thread...see enough arguments everywhere else as it is.

As wise pony once said, "Oh, we were arguing? I'm sorry."

 

I had no intention of starting an argument, I just disagree with him. He's entitled to believe that if he wants to, just as I'm entitled to tell him why I think he's wrong, and in that regard I certainly could have said a lot more than I did if I had wanted to. But I didn't because I felt that I had already said more than enough to make my point. I apologize if my comments seemed somewhat hostile, because that was hardly my intention. My intention was to bring up a point which I don't believe anyone else has brought up in this thread. Trust me, if I'd meant to attack @@Concord I could have been much more hostile. But I don't go around looking for fights, and if I did I wouldn't do it over an online forum.

 

I don't have a problem with Concord or anyone else, I just really don't like Alicorn OC's, and at this point I have half a mind to go on another rant about it, but I'm not going to bother wasting any more of my time or yours on it.

 

So, yeah, no hard feelings or anything.

[Concord 1,982]

Hello again!

 

It's not really a subject worth arguing. People will be reckless with their OC's sometimes, and make them how they are for no reasons other than being the way they are for the sake of JUST that. Being how they are. It's nothing more to discuss, people will do as they please, no matter how much we wish they wouldn't sometimes. Get over it, tolerate them. And between Alex and Concord, don't start a bloody arguement on this thread...see enough arguments everywhere else as it is.

Ah, but arguements are what usually leads us to a good decision on something.

 

 

So four Alicorns in the entire world means they aren't that rare? Which is assuming you can even really count a character that only appeared very briefly in the background. My problem with Alicorn OC's is that we know virtually nothing about Alicorns, except that the ones we've seen (not counting the filly in the background) have incredible powers. Even then, we can't judge if all Alicorns have such incredible powers or if it is because Celestia and Luna are essentially gods anyway, and Cadence, being a part of the royal family and therefor related to them, inherited their tremendous power.

 

Going back to my point, we know almost nothing about Alicorns, and since they are never listed as one of the tribes of ponyfolk, in Hearthswarming Eve or anywhere else, we don't even know if being an Alicorn is something you're born with or something you become. Not to mention the fact that you don't see Alicorns just walking down the street, (again, not counting that one weird exception) they're all in positions of power, specifically royalty. But even among the royalty we can assume they're rare because Prince Blueblood is royalty and he's not an Alicorn, nor are any of the various background ponies and minor characters we see at high society functions. Thus, it is safe to say Alicorns are extremely rare, and the odds of any random pony, royalty or otherwise, being one are ludicrously remote.

 

In conclusion, I don't approve of Alicorn OC's because it doesn't make sense for anyone other than the princesses and perhaps their parents to be an Alicorn based on what we know and have seen of the mlp universe. However, if their powers and simply the fact that they're an Alicorn are underplayed rather than a major focus of their character, I don't mind it so much.

 

Congratulations to anyone who actually read this whole thing. I barely had the patience to even write it.

 

Never mind on anything i wrote here. Best if i delete everything i wrote here ._.

 

I apologize for the inconveniece.

Edited January 10, 2013 by Concord

[Fender 1,283]

Sorry guys, had a pure ermahgerd moment! I was kind of just thinking: "No! This thread was going perfectly, don't argue! No. No! NO!." So yeah, panicked, heheheh, it happens.

[Alex Kennedy 1,228]

Hello again!

 

Ah, but arguements are what usually leads us to a good decision on something.

 

 

 

Never mind on anything i wrote here. Best if i delete everything i wrote here ._.

 

I apologize for the inconveniece.

Oh, if you want to argue, fine. By all means make a seperate thread or something and I'll be glad to waste a worrying amount of time debating it with you.

[Concord 1,982]

Oh, if you want to argue, fine. By all means make a seperate thread or something and I'll be glad to waste a worrying amount of time debating it with you.

 

Ah, but the truth is, there's nothing to argue about! It's a personal opinion really, there's not much how you could prove me wrong on that...

 

Hope this post to be the last here! See ya later!

[Flare Fire 15]

i like simple OC's ones with few or no accesories. the colours also should compliment each other. I for one do not like the OC's that's body colour is lighter than their mane, i think it looks kinda wierd. like a jet black body and a fluro yellow mane! eww!

i think you have your words backwards there cause from what you say is lighter body color and darker mane but then you say jet black body and a fluro yellow mane

that is a dark body with a light mane not a light body with a darker mane

and your avatar has a light blue body with a darker blue mane

 

I for one do not like the OC's that's body colour is lighter than their mane

[ToridAkbolto 170]

Is mine alright, or is it too bright? I colored her based off of a vocaloid because she's a pop star. Unfortunately the fanfic for her is discontinued and I will probably need to rewrite it. (She's the one in my avatar by the way)

Edited April 5, 2013 by jwutheheadcase

[Blue Moon 6,340]

I agree with this. I have seen way to many overly flashy alicorn OCs. Your OC needs to look normal and simple. Another thing I tend to see a lot in OCs is that a good number of them have tragic back stories  This is cliche and unneeded. When making your OC, ask yourself if you could see your OC in the actual show.

 

Anyway, I should probably see what you guys think of my OC before I judge others. Did I do a good job on him? He is below.

 

Edited April 5, 2013 by Blue_Moon

[Motion Spark 7,807]

ugh!

 

I mega hate these poor OC's that are the result of the poor imaginations of their creators, unfortunatelly pony creator offer TOO many options and windows for wildness, breaking the balance of the world of Equestria, I believe that the OC's must remain truthful to the show without being too borderline.

 

Colors

They must know how to use colors, they can't be too bright! or too dark and please don't mix yellow and green, chocolate and blue? NO! D: My eyes!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kc9W2LrFPZM

 

Bodies and Accessories

Also the ponies that are too disproportional in terms of bodytipe, too tall with a regular mare's face (like Twilight), that's just wrong, also the Zebra stripes and the different colored spots on their fur is just no, they look more like real horses and less than MLP ponies. And the ridiculous amount of accessories that are repetitive in the end because Pony Creator is very limited.

Please, I can't stand horse hooves on mares, why do you do that to them? they don't look good with those, take them off!

 

Mary Sues

Yeah, the most outrageous OC's there are usually mary sues, and they don't have the fault to have said owner. I'm not an expert in RP's but I guess it would be annoying to play with these kind of people. I don't have a problem with alicorns, but the owner must offer an objective and understandable storyline for their character if they want me to believe it. Most fails at that. They only focus in the ungodly abilities of their ponies, even if they are earth ponies, go figure.

 

canon manes and tails

I just hate it, it's so unconfortable to see a pony with a Fluttershy's mane and a Celestia's tail to throw an example -_- *sigh*

 

In the end I can't blame them all, a lot of people wants OC's so badly but they can't draw so they work with what pony creator can offer..... it's sad in the end.

 

 

---

 

here are my 2 OC's as of now, I think both Motion and Beat are very.... common in color palettes, since most horses in RL are brown I guess. I played safe with both of them.

 

Motion Spark

 

Beat Spark

[hana 217]

sooo

you are right, putting lots of stuff suck

when i make ocs, i make sure they look original and clean, not fance, not too much, and not copied

for example, my avie

 

 

but you have something against anusual ocs

why? like, i made one once, and i think she doesnt look bad, but she is clearly not normal

 

 

Edited April 5, 2013 by hana

[~Chaotic Fireball~ 499]

Brightly coloured OC's I don't mind so long as the colours suit it. As in not bright red everything for example. And it can never hurt for an OC to have a well made backstory. 

Just wondering, does my OC count as bad, since she's completely bright red?

Her red colors aren't all THAT bright, and they suit her. At least they're not neon green with neon yellow tie-died with a black background color, right?

 

Anyways, back to the point.

I personally HATE any OC's that are one or more of the following. If it's more than one, you better believe I'm going to hate on it.

• Alicorn. The people who always make them make them all-powerful, with no weaknesses or pesonality faults. This is the kind of thing that really tugs on my nerves. I mean, if your character can be an Alicorn, then we should ALL be alicorns!
• Any OC that is superclose friends with, a lover of, or a mate of one of the Mane 6. Or main characters in the show, for that matter. (Celestia, Luna, CMC, etc.) and making them follow you around like a second tail ALL THE BUCKING TIME. I mean, you just made up a little character out of a figment of your imagination. Why the heck would the Mane 6 or any other cannon character want to be with them, far less KNOW them?? (No offense to people I know whose charcaters are like this...)
• Royalty. Why should your character be the all-powerful ruler of Equestria? Then we should all be the rulers of Equestria as well! I'll be the ruler of all things choclate, and you can be the ruler of the sky and the sea, and science, and the air, and bananas, and rainbows, and WHATEVER CRAP YOU FEEL LIKE RULING!
• Mary/Gary Sues. Nopony's perfect, so why should yours be? You yourself aren't perfect, and never will be. Stop dreaming.
• Cannon-character look-alikes. You're not Rainbow Dash's twin sister. Stop pretending that you are.

Tragic backstories are tolerable by me, but it can't be overloaded with that kind of stuff so that you want us to feel sorry for you and blah blah blah.

I DO NOT REGRET ANY OF THE SAID ABOVE!! 

 

 

 

BTW, extra question. Is my ponysona alright? I tried to make her look as unique as possible. Yes, I know I was maybe pushing it close when I made her a very bright red, but she's not all that bright, is she?

 

 

Note well how she is not a Mary Sue, she has all my personality faults, and she is not an alicorn.  She is not royalty. She does not look that much like any of the mane 6 except sometimes in a few of her pictures she looks slightly like Rainbow Dash, but that's only because of the expression and the fact that I most likely used a Rainbow Dash picture for the base anyways.

She is not closely acquainted with any of the cannon characters in the show, althoughs she's probably seen them around Ponyville, and said 'hi' to them, politely, but that is all.

See, this is how you make an OC.

Edited April 5, 2013 by ~Chaotic Fireball~

[Descant 1,897]

Is mine alright, or is it too bright? I colored her based off of a vocaloid because she's a pop star. Unfortunately the fanfic for her is discontinued and I will probably need to rewrite it. (She's the one in my avatar by the way)

She's not too bad. Suits the pop look, and there's brighter in the show, anyway. I'd suggest toning down the shade of the headset to a darker blue, but that's just me.

 

I agree with this. I have seen way to many overly flashy alicorn OCs. Your OC needs to look normal and simple. Another thing I tend to see a lot in OCs is that a good number of them have tragic back stories  This is cliche and unneeded. When making your OC, ask yourself if you could see your OC in the actual show.

 

Anyway, I should probably see what you guys think of my OC before I judge others. Did I do a good job on him? He is below.

 

blumoonzokomin.png

I could not agree more with you here. Not everyone's life is horribly tragic IRL, so it shouldn't be here either. I usually only give my OCs tragic backstories for when it seems necessary for an RP. 

 

I like your OC. Good color choice.

 

Colors

They must know how to use colors, they can't be too bright! or too dark and please don't mix yellow and green, chocolate and blue? NO! D: My eyes!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kc9W2LrFPZM

 

Excuuuuuuse me? Evergreen looks pretty good in yellow and green. I'm gonna go back and redo the eyes soon... They look too much like Twilight's.

Edited April 5, 2013 by Glaceon

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 41,206]

You know, probably the only thing that might bug me is the color issue. Other than that, I honestly do not care. I really do not have it as my objective to nitpick other people's characters.

 

They are not making the character for me, most likely they are making it for themselves, so they can do whatever the hell they want with it. If they use the pony creator, fine, because if I can get the general idea, then it works in my opinion.

[TailsIsNotAlone 3,695]

I designed the worst OC I could think of last week, just for kicks. Here's what I ended up with. I should warn you, it's not pretty.

 

 

 

 

 

 

As awful as it is, I couldn't make it not cute. Confound these ponies...

Edited April 5, 2013 by TailsIsNotAlone

[Motion Spark 7,807]

 

She's not too bad. Suits the pop look, and there's brighter in the show, anyway. I'd suggest toning down the shade of the headset to a darker blue, but that's just me.

 

I could not agree more with you here. Not everyone's life is horribly tragic IRL, so it shouldn't be here either. I usually only give my OCs tragic backstories for when it seems necessary for an RP. 

 

I like your OC. Good color choice.

 

 

Excuuuuuuse me? Evergreen looks pretty good in yellow and green. I'm gonna go back and redo the eyes soon... They look too much like Twilight's.

your OC's colors are very opaque. Try a bright yellow and a bright green, she would look fluorescent :pukes: She doesn't look that bad, but I admit that I'm not a big fan of green manes