PLEASE READ: Quest System+Customs Template+Rules!

[Your Little Phony]

. Welcome to Product Proposals! .

Also known as the I WANNA PONY customs questing forum! 8D

My Little Phony started out as Jun simply wanting to learn how to draw G4 MLP, asking for a bunch of custom requests to fiddle around with. Though My Little Phony now concentrates on pre-conceived releases, customs remain an important part of the Phonyland experience due to popular demand!

Phony customs work a little differently from, say, HyTech customs because of the merchandising nature of the…original franchise. This basically means no customs like 'supar beautiful unicorn pegasus with flowing sparkly rainbow-coloured hair!' because there's already one in the cartoon who is ancient royalty and the moment the G3 toyline decided everypony was a real princess was when that particular project went down the drain. Most questers are sensible people who will never run into that kind of problem, but just in case, Phonyland has come up with a Quest System that will elimate all the pesky doubts that can bug a project like this. First off, we have a handy official Customs form for you to fill in for each Phony quested for…

Name: [We'll be trying to enforce this henceforth: please keep the nature of MLP names in mind!]
Sex: [Girl or Boy - if Boy, Regular or Feathered Fetlocks]
Type: [Earth | Pegasus | Unicorn | Flutter | Carousel | Mer - keep in mind that Earth ponies are supposed to be the most numerous and Carousels extremely rare]
Build: [If this matters to you, do specify if regular, slim, squishy, etc. Draft indication goes here too - but do note it's non-normative]
Body: [Colour]
Eyes: [Colour + Expression]
Hair: [Colour + Style]
Cutie Mark 8D: [Each Phony's unique symbol - keep it simple and thematic, but not too generic!]
Brief Character Description: [Feel free to elaborate outside of the form, but a condensed bio for this section would be nice. c:]
+ Ref pics where possible: [OCs, etc. + ref pics for anything that helps in the fields above (such as hair). If you would like to try colours out, there are plenty of MLP colouring book images, or Pony-makers, but please do not edit others' personal work!

[b]Name:[/b]
[b]Sex:[/b]
[b]Type:[/b]
[b]Build:[/b]
[b]Body:[/b]
[b]Eyes:[/b]
[b]Hair:[/b]
[b]Cutie Mark 8D:[/b]
[b]Brief Character Description:[/b]
[b]+ Ref pics where possible:[/b]

…feel free to add as much information as you'd like beyond these fields - but these fields must be filled in to be considered a complete Quest. Once you are reasonably satisfied with your Quest details [don't worry, changes can still be made but will need a re-vet], just label your Quest thread title with [QC NEEDED!] and Fireflight will [eventually] come round and either stamp your Quest with the official seal of approval, or tell you what you should adjust to gain that seal. Once your Quest is stamped, it becomes a Phony Potentiate that is eligible for any of the Customs events that we may be holding, whether auctions, RPs, or otherwise!

Having said that, we really advise against becoming attached to your Quests - there is never any guarantee that a Quest will ever be made into a real Phony! If you're really, really into the idea of having your very own Custom Phony, we usually have at least one Custom Contest every year, between June to September, and sometimes have other events for Semi(or Quasi)customs.

When Fireflight comes around to your [QC NEEDED!] thread, he will change that designation to [QC DONE!] There are four scenarios that may have resulted in your thread, three of which have specialised stamps:

NOTE: PLEASE DO NOT STRESS OUT ABOUT WHETHER YOUR PHONY IS NORMATIVE OR NOT.
Customs events for which only normative Phonies are eligible will be VERY RARE, so whether or not your approval level is absolute or conditional will usually be a moot point.
You can always update your quest, so it's best to concentrate on what you want - unless we come crawling to you begging you to simplify stuff or something, heh.

This stamp means that your Quest is now a Phony Potentiate that may be obtained through any Custom method, whether RLC, auctions, RP contests, or otherwise. Fireflight may still leave some suggestions, or simply comments - we do suggest taking his suggestions onboard, but otherwise/afterwards you can just delete his lines, leave them there, or move them around as you see fit to keep the thread neat.

This stamp means that your Quest has non-normative features, and so is a Phony Potentiate that can only be obtained through a Custom method that is specifically stated to allow for special traits, such as RLC and most auctions. Our conditions for this may seem strict (e.g. even an extra marking would be non-normative), but we're really not trying to give you a hard time - we'd like to keep most Phonies on an equal footing, so we make non-normative features more difficult to achieve. Fireflight will specify what it is about your Phony that makes it non-normative - you can keep your Phony as it is and get everything you dreamed of through the appropriate methods, or you may choose to change it enough to be approved for all methods. If you decide on the latter, just make the appropriate changes and reflag the thread title with [QC NEEDED!] and Fireflight will drop by again. Otherwise, you can just delete his lines. leave them there, or move them around as you see fit to keep the thread neat.

Reserved for trolls, Quests so unbelievably Sue/Anti-Sue-ish Fireflight cannot believe they were not made by trolls, and when he's feeling particularly bored. You will almost never see this unless you are a very good friend (or a troll).

No stamp - but a lot of text!

Sometimes a Quest is made that will make Jun cry to draw, but the person who made it doesn't seem to be a troll. Fireflight will be gentle and not break out the RUSRS stamp, but will probably spend a lot of text telling the person why their Quest is untenable and what should be done. Then the person will just have to try again.

. Quest Basics .
♥ Anyone may set up a Quest thread to plan out Custom Phonies - you may also quest a custom as a gift for a friend,
though ideally your friend should actually be interested in one...
♥ Please begin the title of the thread with your name for easy identification - e.g. [Jun D] Sum Phonies! 8D
♥ To officially make your planned Custom a Phony Potentiate for all Customs events [including RLC]
please fill out the form provided above in your Quest thread for each Custom, and label your thread title with [QC NEEDED!] for vetting
- e.g. [Jun D] Sum Phonies! 8D [QC NEEDED!]
♥ Fireflight, our QC Officer, will [eventually] get round to your thread (ONLY if it is marked [QC NEEDED!])
and one of the scenarios outlined above will occur
Please note: The range of Customs allowed are currently assumed to be regular Earth/Unicorn/Pegasus/Flutter(rare)/Carousel(rare) Phonies [other types such as Mer are likely to be added in the future]
- additional work-intensive features, such as Brush 'N' Grow length hair, Twice-as-Fancy and other extra markings, et al., will be vetted on a case-by-case basis,
likely to be allowed mainly through special grants such as auction ladders and RLCommishes.
NOTE NOTE: YOU MIGHT HAVE NOTICED WE HAVEN'T MENTIONED ANYTHING ABOUT ALICORNS. This is because we actively discourage Alicorn quests, due to their heavy association with rarity and uniqueness. However, our discouragement has not discouraged that many of you, and you might have noticed Alicorns still exist. These Alicorns are available through RL MONEY ONLY - we quoted prices that were much higher than usual to the first RLC Alicorn seeker, and to our amazement the quote was accepted. To respect this sacrifice, we are preserving the value of your special unique Alicorns by restricting them to RL Money means. But seriously, unless you will absolutely die or you feel that the character of your Phony will be eviscerated by not being allowed to be an Alicorn, might we interest you in the hornless or wingless varieties of Phonies instead? 8D;;

Also, certain quests may have to be rejected due to potential release in future events. These include characters [especially prominent ones] from the core franchise, certain Gaia items, and certain cosplay characters. There're many items and cosplay characters that we would never consider using in future events, so whether or not your quest is rejected usually depends on popularity or intention, so it's still worth a try - just ask if you're not sure.

Now plan away! 8D



If you'd prefer to pay real holla dolla for Phonies, please check if RL bribes are open here.

 

[Your Little Phony]

. VERY IMPORTANT NOTES .
Please bring yourself to read this and check that your quest makes sense before asking for QC!
If your quest makes sense in our setting, it will make QC go much faster.

♥ We are NOT EQUESTRIA!
- So your Phony does not and cannot live in parts of Equestria.

♥ We are Phonyland, a theme park filled with manufactured bio-organic
nanotechnology plastic pony toys which become Phonies.

♥ Your Phonies are not born into Phony families with a long history!
Your Phony is purchased by you, having come out of tubes or packs
unless they are your Phonies' babbens.
- Your Phony does not have an ancestry. They come from a FACTORY.
- If your Phony has a defect, you requested it.
- If your Phony has a special trait, you requested it.
- Phonies are made to order - if not your order then ours.

♥ The best we can do is implant fake memories - but please keep all the above in mind!



. COMMONLY-REQUESTED NON-NORMATIVE TRAITS .
(i.e. YES THESE ARE NON-NORMATIVE)

♥ ANY and ALL Phonywear & accessories (anything not part of the Phony - including dirt smudges, etc.)
♥ Brush 'N' Grow: any section of mane past knee/tail past hoof is considered BnG, to varying extents
♥ More than 2 streak colours in hair; extra colours introduced into hair via other patterns than streaks (e.g. dip-dye)
(Yes, this includes hair gradient, which is the only gradient we'll ever use, the rest being hard-edged. Hair gradient
will only be considered if the two shades are close to each other, and while we will approve the quest if it is reasonable,
it is very rare that we would pick it up as Maxx hates having to make the gradient flow when colouring... Ideally only
unstreaked hair, ideally never for hairstreaks, definitely not more than one gradient in hair.)
♥ Twice-as-Fancy: technically, any non-main-Cutie Mark marking is considered TaF by Phonyland standards, including
real-life horse markings. Some TaF is based on the Cutie Mark/is considered the Cutie Mark (i.e. like the G1 TaFs)
- these will only appear when the Phony gains their Cutie Mark (usually when they become Old Enough)
(EXCEPT for freckles in Applejack's specific triangle pattern - ONLY this pattern is considered normative)
♥ Twinkle-eye; sclera; gradient eyes; non-black pupils



. PHONY NAMING CONVENTIONS .

The Phony Naming Convention is integral to the integrity of our Phony environment!
Most Phonies follow a fairly obvious naming system, usually [noun], [noun]+[noun], [adjective]+[noun],
compound words of the previous, or more rarely some sort of [noun]-based pun, related to their Cutie Marks,
and we're going to try to follow this system as much as possible! [For reference, the core characters
of the animated series are named Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rarity, sooo…]
For the most part, we would prefer a more specific name to a general one [e.g. Tender Heart *cough* rather than Heart];
depending on the root word in question [e.g. Heart]; we may allow single words to be used,
especially when they are not common keywords in the sparkly MLP lexicon, but in such a scenario, please understand
that modified variations of that root word may be used by others in the future [e.g. Heart, please don't go and assassinate Tender Heart].
Puns and portmanteaus will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, and any human-name hybrids will be subject to especial scrutiny.
Names that are prominent in the Hasbro MLP franchise or certain fandoms may have to be rejected in case of potential events,
but do feel free to check ahead.

A note on non-English names: the lingua franca of Phonyland is English, and most Phonies are expected to be named with English words.
The exceptions are if 1. the non-English word/phrase has been assimilated into English parlance (e.g. Bon Appetit, Noël),
or 2. the Phony in question is themed/explicitly manufactured to be from the culture of the language in question in an acceptable,
consistent, and believable way, with the non-English name something that does not have a common English equivalent
(e.g. Taiko, Ikebana; disallowed e.g. Kokoro). If the name comprises of two or more root words, the mixing of languages is generally
not allowed unless it is a commonly used phrase (e.g. Silk Kimono) or an acceptable pun (e.g. Moulin Roll).
Again, feel free to check ahead if you're not sure your non-English name fits the requirements!

In all cases, the final decision for name approval rests with our Grand QC Officer, and we thank you for your understanding!



. A NOTE ON 'UNICORN MAGIC' .

Unicorns in Hasbro's My Little Pony have a history of unicorn magic. In the G4 canon, all unicorns are shown to be able to
manipulate objects through sparkly telekinesis and Phonies are no different in this regard. Each unicorn is also entitled to a
personal minor-power 'special talent', ideally related to their cutie-mark (and thus purpose in life), that is usually asinine and trivial.
You are not required to assign a 'special talent' to your unicorn, and admin is quite happy for you never to - because as soon as you
decide on a 'special talent' that your unicorn should officially have, you will have to vet it with Phonyland to ensure it is ICly possible.

For Phonyland Phonies differ from Hasbro ponies greatly in this regard: NOTHING in Phonyland runs on magic,
everything in Phonyland runs on pseudoscience. Furthermore, Phonyland QC is highly dedicated to making sure its products
can be controlled at all times if necessary. Thus, all unicorn 'special talents' must be explicable through psuedo-science
as the ability is instilled through Phonyland's pseudo-scientific manufacturing process, and 'special talents' that are too
powerful in effect would never have been allowed through the QC process.



. REGARDING SIMILAR QUESTS AND ROLES .
Due to the fairly basic nature of My Little Phony, names and concepts may end up similar or repeated in various quests.
Please note that quest Phony names cannot be reserved, nor can concepts,
since these quests are not guaranteed to become actual Phonies.
People are bound to think of common nouns and phrases for names and concepts [e.g. food-based Phonies],
and/or character tropes [eg. songbirds] and/or inspirational objects [eg. Jewel ponies]
without having seen others' quest threads, and as such we will not police such quest similarities.

We would appreciate a general awareness of existing Phonies and their purposes in life
[please take a cursory look at the the Phonyland Yellow Pages if you have job-related plans],
but it doesn't mean Phonyland absolutely cannot have another [type of] baker and so on.
We do not expect quest-makers to look at other quests, which may or may not become actual Phonies.

If your quest has similarities to an existing Phony or a pre-existing quest, we may inform you of it,
but we will only request changes in extreme cases.

We do take it in good faith that similar quests with common nouns/tropes/etc are not copied off another's quest/Phony,
so please refrain from doing so.



. A NOTE ON WHITE/WHITE AND BLACK/BLACK PHONIES .

We at Phonyland try to vary the colour combinations on Phonies so as to avoid unrelated Phonies looking
like knock-offs accidental relatives. While most colour combinations allow for judicial hue adjustment
to avoid the above, this is extremely difficult for Phonies with white bodies and fully white hair, and
Phonies with black bodies and fully black hair. You are certainly allowed to quest for them, but do understand
that, unless the Quest concept is exceptionally appealing to us, we are usually more reluctant to take full-white
and full-black Phonies on. Even just a single coloured hairstreak could really help to differentiate your Phony.

Thank you so much for your understanding!