My-Little-Pony
Latest
Fighting is Magic creator Mane6 to crowdfund new game in 2014
Mane6, the group behind a My Little Pony-based fighting game titled MLP: Fighting is Magic, is back on their feet (hooves?) and will soon begin work on their totally-legal, not-going-to-get-shut-down-by-Hasbro-this-time project. A recent post on the group's blog revealed that the team plans to launch a Kickstarter or Indiegogo campaign at some point in early 2014, after which, "game development will explode." The new game will use the Z-Engine, which was first used for indie fighter Skullgirls, along with some proprietary editors for hitboxes and scripting. While the characters may not end up being ponies, the cast for the game will be designed by Lauren Faust, creator of the My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic television show that Fighting is Magic was based on. You can see a tease of one of the game's ungulate fighters above.
Brony Alert: Xbox Avatar My Little Pony gear, includes Rainbow Dash pet
Let he who is without wonder cast the first stone, for we support the Brony community and wish to inform them of Xbox Avatar gear from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. The Avatar clothing offerings include backpacks as well as with individual hoodies to wrap your avatar in the skin of Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy and Rarity. Yes, the hoodies can be worn by male and female avatars. There's also a Rainbow Dash pet, which we've posted a clip of above. The hoodies are priced at $2 (160 MSP), the Rainbow Dash pet is $4 (320 MSP). This is a far more innocent use of the My Little Pony crew, as compared to the time they learned Fighting is Magic or attacked Skyrim.
One Shots: Friendship is magic
Oh pretty ponies, is there anything you can't do? Any wisdom that you haven't already mastered? Any look that isn't absolutely stunning? Any swish of your tail that doesn't grant wishes? I think not! I'm sure that reader Michelle agrees with me, since she sent in this picture of her little pony from Star Stable. "It's April Fool's Day," she writes, "and this is my character Lili Wolfwood and her horse Everdream after having clicked on an NPC Bunny. My horse is usually brown and black." Why do I keep forgetting that there's an entire MMO about horses? Why haven't I done an extensive six-week article series on it yet? While I deal with the shame of neglect, you may proceed on to our other excellent player-submitted screenshots.
Skullgirls dev may license engine to Fighting is Magic team for free
Skullgirls developer Lab Zero Games announced plans to provide former MLP: Fighting is Magic developer Mane6 with a free license of its Skullgirls engine should Lab Zero Games' Indiegogo campaign reach $725,000. Lab Zero Games launched its crowdfunding campaign in late February to fund new characters for Skullgirls with an initial $150,000 goal that it reached in just 24 hours.As for Mane6, its ambitions to create a fighting game based on the My Little Pony property were halted by Hasbro in early February due to Mane6 not having the rights to develop the game. Mane6 has since noted its desire to continue development on its game, now using new characters in a new setting. Lab Zero Games' Indiegogo campaign is currently at just over $427,000 with 11 days left before it closes.
Unlicensed My Little Pony fighter shut down by Hasbro
Indie developer/non-profit brony collective Mane6, the folks responsible for the unofficial My Little Pony fighting game MLP: Fighting is Magic, have received a cease and desist order from Hasbro Inc., according to its official blog. As a result, all Fighting is Magic related material has been stripped from Mane6's official YouTube channel and other online media portals."We have attempted negotiating with Hasbro for the continued use of the property in our non-profit, voluntary project, but so far we haven't received an answer," the update reads. "As such, we're complying with the contents of the C&D letter until we receive answer from their PR and/or Legal departments."Whether development on the title continues behind the scenes remains uncertain. MLP: Fighting is Magic was one of the many games under consideration for this year's EVO 2013 Championship Series, with its community raising a total of $5,280 during the tournament's breast cancer research charity drive competition.[Thanks, Aries!]
My Little Pony Online put out to pasture
OK, so maybe the game wasn't really too old (it had only been live for a month), but Hasbro's cease-and-desist order definitely sent My Little Pony Online into retirement. Of course, this action came as no surprise; back when we first reported on the project, we noted that legal troubles were likely, as the endeavor was not backed by the official copyright holder of the popular ponies. But all is not lost for fans who want to continue their adventures with ponies -- it just won't be My Little ones. In the same announcement where they revealed the demise of the game (while deflecting blame away from Hasbro), MLP:O creators divulged that they are sticking together and are all set to work on another pony-inspired project. Under the name Starlight Studios, the group hopes to have the new project ready in time for Bronycon 2013.
My Little Pony megamod cutsifies World of Tanks
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, a relatively new TV show that's garnered a huge geek audience, is now invading the most non-pony of places: World of Tanks. Modder RelicShadow has combined several of his and others' modifications for WoT into a definitive 5GB overhaul package. The result? A ground-up transformation of World of Tanks in which ponies pervade every inch of the battlefield. "I was playing this game well before I became a fan of Friendship is Magic," RelicShadow explained. "My newfound interest lead me in search of potential mods for it. After all was said and done and I had my big pile of mods, I decided I might as well be the one to make [the megamod] happen." The conversion package includes 90 audio tracks, renamed nations, new achievements, pony tank skins, and rainbows out the wazoo. Reportedly, it is a somewhat tricky to get the mod to work correctly, and RelicShadow recommends that no other mods are installed in addition to this one. If you're interested in this powerful pony mod, you can either download it here or check out a video of the voice changes after the break.
Google patches SVG and IPC exploits in Chrome, discoverer banks $60,000 in the process
Google revels in hacking contests as ways of testing Chrome's worth. Even if the browser is compromised, the failure provides a shot at fixing an exploit under much safer circumstances than an in-the-wild attack. No better example exists than the results of Google's Pwnium 2 challenge in Malaysia: the company has already patched vulnerabilities found in the contest that surround SVG images and IPC (inter-process communication) before they become real problems. Staying one step ahead of truly malicious hackers carries a price, however. Pwnium 2 winner Pinkie Pie -- yes, Pinkie Pie -- is being paid $60,000 in prize money for catching the exploits. That may be a small price to pay if it reassures a few more Internet Explorer users looking to hop the fence.
Gameloft bringing My Little Pony game to mobile platforms this year
Until now, fans have taken the lead, but you'll finally have the chance to get an officially licensed My Little Pony game before the end of this year. Gameloft has formed a partnership with Hasbro to make My Little Pony games for mobile platforms including iOS and Android.Gameloft hasn't detailed the game, but Hasbro did provide some corporate boilerplate if that helps: "Creating highly inventive and accessible digital play experiences based on our world-class brands continues to be at the core of Hasbro's mission and we envision Gameloft to be a key player in the ongoing execution of that global strategy," said Hasbro SVP of Digital Media and Marketing Mark Blecher.Along with My Little Pony, Gameloft will be creating games based on Littlest Pet Shop, which is even littler.
Netflix signs multi-year deal with Hasbro -- and knowing is half the battle
Hasbro, the toy-maker behind pervasive long-form ads shows for kids like Transformers, GI Joe and My Little Pony, is bringing its back catalogue to Netflix. While the '80s hits will arrive some time in 2012, both Transformer Prime and the more recent Pony-based adventures are already available to stream now. Get a full list of the Hasbro heritage being readied for streaming in Netflix's proud press release below.
Daily iPhone App: Monopoly Hotels checks in on EA's freemium expertise
Zynga's gotten a lot of flak for creating basically a clone of Tiny Tower, and you could make the argument EA has done the same thing with its new freemium title Monopoly Hotels. The game features a set of freemium goals as you set up a series of businesses in Monopoly's famous establishments, and just like Tiny Tower, you're recruiting guests, building shops, and so on. But while Monopoly Hotels is definitely influenced by the popular freemium trend, there's enough here that it's really a different game. There's not nearly enough love for the craft as Nimblebit puts into its titles, but there is some really good thinking about reward cycles (money occasionally falls from the sky in Monopoly Town, tasking the player to grab it by tapping away with glee), enough to suggest that if you're all done with Tiny Tower, this one's probably worth a look as well. Of course, EA is shameless with the product placement, so you can build rooms branded around Mr. Potatohead and My Little Pony, and even the rooms themselves (you start by building a "horse room," a gardening themed-room, and a cupcake store) are squarely targeted at the younger, more feminine audience. But the game is well-designed anyway. It's a nice chance to see what a big but open-minded studio like EA can do with the freemium genre (largely led, so far, by indie developers, or at least developers that used to be indie). If you're not a young girl or a freemium junkie, you might find this all a little boring, but hey, it's free. Why not?
Hasbro and Zynga make a deal, toys and games incoming
Hasbro has struck a deal with Zynga to produce toys and games based on the social developer's catalogue of rich, nuanced IPs, which is great news if you've ever found yourself wishing you could somehow continue to give Zynga all of your money, even when you're away from your computer and smartphone.Now, Hasbro's definition of "games" is more board-oriented than Zynga's, and while the licensing arrangement allows for "co-branded merchandise," it doesn't allow Zynga to make games based on Hasbro brands. The first products will hit store shelves sometime this fall, and while no specifics toys or board games have been announced we've got a feeling that My Little Ponyville and Ouija With Friends aren't that unlikely.
Skyrim mod replaces dragons with My Little Pony
As Bronies can attest to, the "Yay" of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic's Fluttershy is far more terrifying than any thu'um of a dovahkiin. As seen in this Skyrim mod, watch as a pack of the winged horses devastate a town, all while repeating their haunting call.
Ask Massively: You know what day it is edition
Because of the way Thanksgiving works in the USA, Ask Massively always falls on the holiday. Last year's approach was closer to my usual one, but you know what? This year, I'm just going for the straight dope. We all know what day it is, we all know what holiday we're celebrating, and in all likelihood we're all so stuffed with turkey that we don't want to think about anything other than slowly sloughing to the bathroom. So let's not kid ourselves. At any rate, the important part isn't the paragraph I devote to ridiculous nonsense; the important part is the questions. And they're just past the cut -- questions about video personalities, loneliness, and last week's forbidden screenshot. If you've got a question you'd like to see answered in a future installment, leave it in the comments or send a letter to ask@massively.com. Questions may be edited slightly for clarity and/or brevity.
Twilight Sparkle is a My Little Pony to be reckoned with in Fighting is Magic
Brony up, boys and girls -- Twilight Sparkle has been studying some sick moves for Fighting is Magic, the fanmade My Little Pony fighter. Developer Mane6 has released a character video showing off Twilight Sparkle's pre-alpha move set, which includes book-reading, energy blasts from her horn and an impressive special that releases a blinding explosion of what we assume are sparkles. Deadly sparkles. The first release of Fighting is Magic will feature Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Applejack and Pinkie Pie, so rest assured there are plenty more guilty-pleasure ponies coming our way. We know Our Little Bronies were worried. [Thanks, Darkdrium!]
Fan-made My Little Pony MMO gathers a following
Yesterday bronies across the world rejoiced as Kotaku reported on the production of not just one but two upcoming My Little Pony MMOs. Both My Little Pony Online and Equestria Online are set in the fictional world of the popular series My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, and use graphics and characters from that setting. On further investigation, both of the startup MMOs appear to be fan projects being developed without the official backing of copyright holder Hasbro Studios. As such, the projects may run into legal difficulties as they continue development using characters, artwork and names from the My Little Pony series. The cartoon series that inspired these fan projects was originally aimed at a young female audience, but its popularity among an adult male crowd grew when it became a huge internet meme. There may even be enough fans of the series to make an official MMO commercially viable, as developers on My Little Pony Online have noted a clear interest in the development of their game.
'Fighting is Magic' in fanmade My Little Pony fighter
Indie developer 'Mane6' is fulfilling brony dreams with an unofficial My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic fighting game, made in 2D Fighter Maker. MLP: Fighting is Magic is simultaneously one of the cutest and most uncomfortable things we've seen, with six adorable cartoon horses kicking the adorable cartoon hell out of each other. The first version will have playable versions of Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Applejack and Pinkie Pie, with 11 more to follow in DLC. There's currently no release date on this project, but if you want to help the team finish, it's looking for voice talent now. [Thanks, Zac]
Maker Faire pony has Wiimote-controlled indigestion, belches fire (video)
There's a good reason why My Little Pony wasn't marketed to boys. Shown off at the 2011 Maker Faire in Detroit, this animatronic, fire-breathing horsie got to spread a little heat thanks to the Louisville, KY-based modding duo, LVL1. The partially Wiimote-controlled mechanical filly is the result of the duo's Hackerspace efforts, and plans are already underway to loose this steed into the great, fully wireless open. Also on deck for the hot-mouthed stallion: a flame-spewing cabbage patch doll riding companion. How's that for a DIY-perversion of your precious 80s youth? Peep the full pyromania-tinged project after the break.
World of WarCrafts: Rock, paper, scissors
World of WarCrafts spotlights art and creativity by WoW players, including fan art, cooking, comics, cosplay, music and fan fiction. Show us how you express yourself; email lisa (at) wow (dot) com with your not-for-profit, WoW-inspired creations. World of WarCrafts brings you arts and crafts around a theme this week: rock, paper and scissors. First up: "rock" -- a ceramic wind rider cub from Lakira of US Area 52. "I made this statue in my HS ceramics art class as an extra project," writes Lakira. "He's made out of clay and painted with acrylics. I later added some brown felt fur for his little mane; I didn't have any faux brown fur, but I think he looks better with the felt!" "I toiled over a few weeks, working out his design and hoping he wouldn't chip or break -- or even worse, blow up in the kiln," Lakira continues. "After he was finally fired, I had to finish painting him fast, in fear of someone stealing him. It's happened before, blah! I've never done anything really on this scale before; I've made tiny fel hound figures, but that was about it." Our verdict: adorable! Follow us past the break for more rock, paper, scissors crafts.
Sunday Morning Funnies: Ribbon-wielding cultists
Happy Valentine's Day everyone! Pudie and Antubis and Sukugaru won last week's trivia! Pudie was the first to identify the origin of the song, and Sukugaru and Antubis reminded me that I had asked for the name of the song in specific, and not the movie title. The full answer was The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Music from The Sound of Music. Lys' idea of Beauty and the Beast would also fit, and it hadn't occurred to me. You each have won a virtual and imaginary pet bunny prize! These bunnies shall come from outer space; very savvy and and genteel bunnies of witty and adventurous natures. As a bonus, for identifying the My Little Pony, Serthida wins a virtual and imaginary epic purple Valentine's Day cake! It tastes however you wish it to taste, and contains no calories, sugar, fat, etc. Heck, it's actually nutritious. This week's list of comics only appears to be of moderate length; it's actually quite long. As always, leave your comments, and send tips about WoW-related webcomics through our tip form, or leave them in the comments section as well.
