If anything, it's just for fun! But hey, rewards! I like rewards. I also like ponies, and people I know outside of the internet liking ponies with me. It really is always going to be based on who you are showing the episode to.
You can find the entire copy paste below courtesy of GhostWolf.
The Pony Study of Science! is a research effort started by Diomedes on ponychan and that was the cause of the "Best Starting Episode" poll here on ED (which gave the researchers the list of most used episodes to test). The goal is to analyze which episode(s) give the greatest increase in interest and positive opinion gain after viewing (GhostWolf, another pony scientist, is a graduate student, and has had several high-level statistics courses). It is a common experience for all Bronies that after weeks of pestering our friends, the best we can hope for is: "FINE, I'll watch ONE episode, and then you have to stop bugging me about ponies!" So, then we need to figure out how to hook them on the show in 20 minutes.
Based on the previous fan surveys (and the huge comment debates) there are many ideas and reasons for each episode to be used or avoided, and we aim to test the most commonly used episode's effectiveness, BUT WE NEED HELP!
We are calling out to the Brony community to find their friends and family that haven’t yet seen the show and get them to join in the study. To motivate their participation (i.e. bribe them) GhostWolf is putting up at least 5 (and maybe more if we get a lot of participants) $20 gift certificates to either Amazon or iTunes (winner's choice) in a random drawing for those that complete the survey.
So here is what we want Bronies to do:
- Ask friends and family if they would be willing to watch 1 episode of the show for science (and potential cash prizes).
- Email us at [email protected] with the AGE and GENDER of the participants ONLY (we don’t need names or contact info). This lets us randomize them correctly.
- On Saturday July 9th, we will email the Bronies back with a login name and password for each participant, who will then have 2 weeks to go to the survey website and watch the episode.
The participants must meet the following criteria:
- They must not have seen an entire episode before (clips on youtube are fine, as well as trailers and PMV’s – just not entire episodes).
- They must be at least 14 years of age or older (both male and female participants are needed - try to get as many of both as possible)
- They can be from any country, but must be able to read and understand English (the episodes will be the English versions).
In case anyone is interested, or list of episodes to test (in order of priority - based on the previous survey responses) are:
- The Elements of Harmony and Mare in the Moon (Ep 1 + 2 = counted as 1 storyline here)
- Party of One
- Sonic Rainboom
- Dragonshy
- Winter Wrap Up
- Applebuck Season
- Bridle Gossip
- Swarm of the Century
- Fall Weather Friends
- (More episodes after this, but we will need LARGE numbers of participants to test them)
59 comments:
Totally going to try this on my sister.
ReplyDeleteF*** ponies.
ReplyDelete@Anonymous
ReplyDeleteFluffy Ponies!
Cool! I get to pester my friends with ponies more except this time I could get money! But no bonus points for me.
ReplyDelete@anonymous (1:04)
ReplyDeleteI feel the urge to love and tolerate you into submission for that! That had better have stood for "Foal"
Poly Science?
ReplyDeletePonies are getting to addictive, contain them now or die =)
ReplyDeleteWe totally need more professional game designers for the herd >:D
ReplyDeletePerfect, now I can make all my friends Bronies too!
ReplyDeleteNow with prize incentives!
Do they want us to email them all the participants we've found in one email, or would they prefer separate emails for every participant?
ReplyDeleteLol at ponychan for thinking that the bronies here actually have real friends.
ReplyDelete@Anonymous
ReplyDeleteActually, I don't think I know anyone who doesn't have any real friends. Besides, how do you think these ponies keep spreading?
Neato, looks like we have a new troll in the comments.
ReplyDeleteEeyup.
ReplyDeleteSo if I email them with some participants, they'll send me the episodes they should watch and then the survey stuff? Right?
ReplyDeleteI personally think the first episodes is the best for this for the simple reason that besides being the first, the art, story telling, and how engaging the story is really hits a watcher's heart. It was the first I saw, and even though I wasn't WOW'd, I enjoyed it so I decided to keep watching. As you can guess, after 26 episodes I'm now a hard core Brony and LOVE this community! I hope we can spread the love and friendship ^^
ReplyDeleteEpisodes like Pary of One or The Best Night Ever are only at their best if you already know the ponies well :)
@Thattagen
ReplyDeletePutting a fake gender and age doesn't make them real friends...but wait, free eps? Hope they're downloads
@Anonymous (1:32)
ReplyDeleteGtfo.
@Anonymous
ReplyDeleteBut if we didn't have any friends, who would we have to hide our love of ponies from?
I am very relieved to see that this isn't an amateur physics exposé by some presumptuous high school student. *cringeshudder*
ReplyDeleteAnyhow, it probably depends on the personality which episode would be best to start with, but it all comes down to a matter of taste. Not everyone ends up liking the show, and many who do, including myself, only do because they gave it a second chance.
YES!
ReplyDeleteOUR PLANS FOR WORLD DOMINATION ARE FINALLY BEING BEING PUT TO WORK!
ALL PRAISE FLUTTERSHY!!
What really made me become a Brony is knowing that i have friends that really do enjoy the show. That gave me the will to say "you know what? im giving this a second chance."
ReplyDeleteFriendship is magic.
I can't take part in this study, I've already turned my friends to the pony side (save for two who refuse to watch it and have silly arguments for why)
ReplyDeleteNeat study. There is a tiny technical detail I want to comment on, though. I'm hesitant to label the episode that is most likely to get the person interested in the show the "best starting episode." I'll illustrate what I mean with an example.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite episode of the first season is "Party of One." From what I can gather, it is a very good episode for getting people interested in the show. However, I wouldn't use it as an introduction to FiM for a few reasons. Most importantly, even if Pinkie's breakdown is funny in any case, I think it is best appreciated once you're very familiar with Pinkie, as you can actually grasp how bizarrely out-of-character her behavior is. I'd hate to spoil that moment by having somebody see the scene before becoming well-acquainted with her otherwise perpetually bubbly attitude.
The test itself is very clear about its goals, though, so cheers to that; my probably excessive pedantism just makes me reluctant to assign the title of "best starting episode" to the top result of the study.
Because we all know weaponizing pony cuteness is the right thing to do. Yay!
ReplyDeleteHonestly, a remarkably stupid study. Enjoy letting the Hub exploit you guys. You aren't bronies, you're sheep.
ReplyDeleteShit. I think I only have one friend who isn't in the herd yet, and she doesn't have internet or cable to watch ponies with. For fucks sake, my mom has watched the show with me several times, too.
ReplyDeleteI may be able to get my sister to try this. I'll have to work on it.
I think we can all agree that 'Show stoppers' is the worst starting episode. It barely mentions the mane cast and relies on you having previous knowledge of the Cutiemark Crusaders.
ReplyDelete@Anonymous (4:11AM)
ReplyDeleteSo... You're against introducing new people to MLP:FiM?
Surely bronies will want to be able to share it with friends, and I personally think it'd be nice to have a definitive answer to "which is the best introductory episode".
Fall Weather Friends.
ReplyDeleteThat was the episode that got me into ponies and it should do the trick for other people. Hopefully
Will definitely try this with my sister
ReplyDelete@Anonymous
ReplyDeleteAt least we're not chicken
My hunch is that it's the first 2-parter. Why? Because anyone who isn't interested enough after the characters introductions of part one to carry on and watch the second part, wouldn't be "hooked" by any of the episodes anyway. Any episode they watched would be 'eh, cool animation style but not for me". However, if they get to the end of ep2...BOOM instant Brony.
ReplyDelete@Craft
ReplyDelete>Do they want us to email them all the participants we've found in one email, or would they prefer separate emails for every participant?
You can send us one or multiple emails - we have the participant registration open for a week, so if you get 3 friends today, send those in, and if you get 1 more on Friday, send another email. I will try to keep track of the sender's emails so I only send you one response, but it may end up that you get several emails.
@Anonymous
>So if I email them with some participants, they'll send me the episodes they should watch and then the survey stuff? Right?
Actually, we have set up a survey website, which will be included in the email, you just hand them the site and the username and password for them (this is to prevent parasprites from spamming the surveys). They then go onto the website login, answer the pre-viewing survey, and then it will take them to a page with their episode embedded, then after the episode, it will take them to the post survey, then finally the email form for the drawing (their email will be kept separate for privacy, and will be deleted and overwritten several times after the drawing to ensure privacy).
@Fly Amanita
I will work on the wording - it should probably be something like "Most Effective Episode for Increasing Interest and Improving Opinions about the Show" (it just doesn't roll off the tongue as well).
I've seen arguments both ways on Party of One, and that is why it has such high priority, either the statistics will justify it as a starting point, or will reveal that it does have that major downside.
I don't think that there is ONE episode that will get EVERYONE hooked.
ReplyDeleteEverypony is different, so you have to choose one of the best episodes that will speak to that person the most. And the only way to determine that is to be intimately familiar with the show, and know your friend as well as possible.
@ Anonymous 6:22
ReplyDeleteExcept for Pinkie's song, I really don't like the first two episodes. It WAS the other episodes that got me into the series, even after I had already seen the first two.
For the bonus points! Bill nye reference Of Science!
ReplyDelete@Anonymous I have real friends
ReplyDeleteI think the one that had the cutie mark crusaders going around and asking each pony their cutie mark was a good one, because it kinda explained what each pony was like and stuff. Though the whole cutie mark thing might be a bit confusing. I liked party of one though, it's a bit darker then the others in a way.
ReplyDelete@nathonix
ReplyDeleteYay! Someone got it!
Also, it seems blogger filtered my big reply post as spam... so in answer to the questions:
1) Send as many emails as you need to, I will try to send only 1 reply, but if you get 2 people today, and 3 more on Friday, feel free to send them separately (although you can do multiple people per email).
2) We set up a website for the survey (trying to keep the testing conditions standardized). So we will send Bronies the login info to give each participant, rather than have you show the episodes yourselves.
Always a tough one, I've tried to get a friend hooked with "Party of one" and while he did see the whole thing, he said he was turned off by the girly parts and did not understand it.
ReplyDeleteHere's his report, in case anypony's interested:
http://screwattack.com/blogs/Realm-of-Darkness/Episode-Punisher-my-little-pony-ep25
He had some claims against the show, and I tried to explain some things that he addressed in his review, but his decision remains and I respect that.
I really like this idea and would love to support it, I have a couple of candidates in mind as well.
@Anonymous
ReplyDeleteFUNK Ponies!
OH YEAH
@Anonymous
ReplyDeleteCause letting Hasbro know what episodes we like would be HORRIBLE. o_O
I started with the first episode and watched them in order from there, but I think it was Dragonshy that really sealed my fate as a brony. Needless to say it also sealed my fate as a Fluttershy loyalist. I have not been disappointed! ^.^
ReplyDeletePonies **** YEAH!
ReplyDeletePony Study... of Science! (Trumpets!!)
ReplyDeleteIt's Bill Nye, obviously.
Now all we need to do is to convert Bill Nye into a brony.
ReplyDeleteThen this will be true science.
Here is my issue with episodes 1&2 being used as an introductory: the introduction itself. It's so diabetic-coma-inducingly sweet, it turns many people away without them actually getting far enough in to see any of the enjoyable elements (except for the fantastic illustrations in the introduction which have no real relevance to the rest of the show thereafter). You can't really just skip the introduction, either; it's integral exposition to the rest of the story. It's a shame, because the first two episodes are really a good basis for introducing the characters and their foibles.
ReplyDeleteAlso, a two-part episode taking up 45 minutes in total is beyond pushing the limits for the "Fine, I'll watch ONE episode" demographic that is already hesitant to "waste" 23 minutes of their time that "[they'll] never get back" just to watch one episode; which indeed is the very premise of this study, is it not?
I do notice that each episode tends to have a different flavor to it, "Party of One" being more appropriate for those who are more likely swayed by deep inner character conflicts/insecurities/flaws/psychosis, "A Bird in the Hoof" for folks who enjoy gags more characteristic of classic cartoons á la Loony Toons and Hanna Barbera, "Swarm of the Century" for overwhelming amounts of randomness (and non-diabetes-inducing levels of cuteness), "Bridle Gossip" for those that just need the moral of the story to be a swift kick in the pants to them for not wanting to try it in the first place, "Applebuck Season" for slapstick and silliness, "Winter Wrap-Up" for show tunes, "Fall Weather Friends" for sheer action and competitiveness.
I'm leery of "Sonic Rainboom" because some might find Rarity to be insufferable for most of that episode. I would also be more inclined to nominate "Staremaster" for the role "Dragonshy" seems to be filling in for the 'toughens the f*** up when she needs to' element, while also laughing at the crazy antics of overly-eager young children (which I find to be much more watchable than in "Showstoppers"); though I could see Dragonshy winning out for the whole "band of heroes setting off to conquer a friggen' dragon" factor, which let's be honest, if you were a skeptic watching for the first time this would probably pique your interest enough to try it.
I think that a few would be good for different reasons.
ReplyDelete1. Ep 1&2 - It has character development that cant be matched by the later episodes, anyone who sees the first 2 will know their personalities. Any later episodes and people will have to peice together their own opinions on each pony's personality.
2. Dragonshy - This was the episode that grabbed me, (Fluttershy is my favorite) Also, In this episode, all the ponies seemed to be more of themselves.
3. Sonic Rainboom - This one was a good episode, it had a bit of action, Fluttershy was funny in this one, and the Sonic Rainboom was great to see. But, It would mess up people's preception of how Rarity normally acts.
--- About Party of One, I dont think it would be the best to start on. People would get much more out of it after seeing more episodes first.
K, I said what I wanted to.
---Fluttershy 4 evar!---
Well, after one friend of mine got tired of hearing me talk about ponies for hours on end at school he decided to watch the first two episodes. I didn't particularly bug him too, but he did and said he didn't like the show. I know he didn't do it with an open mind, so that might be part of it. I, personally, am unsure if he even did watch the first two episodes. So far the first two episodes stand 1 out of 2 here. (Hooked me, didn't hook him)
ReplyDeleteI've been trying to convert my friends, so maybe this could help. The problem is, since schools out, I can't see all my friends. One candidate is moving, so he has no technology at the moment. The others are ether at summer school or are going to lie and say they don't like it.
ReplyDeleteI dont think this is going to work, people just have different preferences.
ReplyDeleteLike some others have stated I don't think the first 2 episodes will get anypony hooked to the show however it is important cause it shows each characters' role/personality. I remember watching just to see what this Pony craze was about and didn't quite like it but kept watching.
ReplyDeleteI actually became a Brony during Dragonshy but got truly interested during Griffon the Brush-Off. It also turned me into a Fluttershy lover!
crap. my phone deleted what I typed.
ReplyDeleteI showed an episode to my stepdad the other day.
Is it too late?
My stepdad watched The Ticket Master the other day.
ReplyDeleteopinion went from gayest show ever (I am disappoint). to not as bad as I thought (20% cooler)
he is 43.
I've got my list already, already sent to ponyscience's gmail.
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
Is it too late to join?
ReplyDeleteMy opinion - Naturally people have different preferences. As for me the first thing I have seen from the show was the Winter Wrap Up song. While most people agree these songs can actually scare aware a new viewer, it got me interested enough to go and watch the whole Winter Wrap Up episode.
ReplyDeleteThen I watched the first two.
While it is undeniably the Winter episode that got me interested, I had LOTS of blank spots and questions after I watched it. It was the pilot episodes that answered those questions and sealed my fate as a brony ^-^
Anyways, the survey still has the potential of revealing some interesting information.
So, what ever came of this?
ReplyDelete