@Jonny Manz
Good to see that BP #32CE was right, and it was just an unfinished render that got finished for the episode proper.

@Background Pony #3261
Well, at least they chose properly as far as which aspect to focus on.

@Background Pony #32CE
That’s actually quite possible, now that I think about it - I remember how the first trailer for the 2017 MLP Movie had the shadows rendered incorrectly, so it looked very strange, but then it looked fine in the movie proper. (I also remember how the blimp looked much better in the movie)

@Background Pony #B8B5
I mean, not really surprising, considering this is the Make Your Mark series proper. Honestly, for all the limitations and restraints put on it (from the lower budget to the COVID-induced restrictions), I thought it turned out quite good, all things considered. Obviously it was never going to be up to the movie’s level in terms of animation (considering that was just about perfect for a non-Disney/Pixar/Dreamworks CG movie), and that’s not to say there weren’t some really rough looking scenes (mostly towards the beginning - the scene of Izzy sliding into Posey’s roses comes to mind first, and then the lighting of some of those early scenes making it look like the characters, especially Izzy, had bags under their eyes), but overall I consider it a win.

As far as character development goes, I really liked the characterization of the Mane 5 (especially) in the special, so at least as far as main characters go, it shouldn’t be a problem. Will be intrigued to see what role Opaline and her assistant (Misty?) play.

As far as storyline goes, I’m interested to see what the series will do with the setup it’s gotten so far - but I did like what the special explored further in terms of what we saw in the movie (i.e. the Earth pony magic, since that was hinted at in the after-credits scene, as well as beginning to explore how Sunny’s Alicorn powers work).

Probably just unfinished renders, so they focused on getting the characters done.

@Background Pony #305D
Maybe yes, maybe no…

Could she be Opaline’s daughter?

Quite astonishing to see such a contrast in animation quality between the characters (remarkably good) and the scenery (relatively basic).

Zipp working with Opaline’s assistant to help out with the flowers. Great, now that is just perfect!

@Background Pony #2F7E
Oh she does. I don’t think she messes around. She is probably gathering information for Opaline.

does she even notice Zipp looking at her through her magnifying glass?

@Background Pony #B8B5
Animation takes time to improve. We probably will see it either in the last episodes of the first batch or in the second batch (Hasbro probably will renew the series if the toys sell well).

Wow, you can see the polygons making up the leaves!

Well, I think it’s confirmed…the series’ animation is going to be just like the Make Your Mark special.

Here’s hoping the storyline and character development make up for it.

This is before she turns good.

$10 says the others will be nice to her, she’ll speak to her boss about how nice friendship is, the boss will chastise her, and she’ll keep being a villain until the pivotal moment where the evil alicorn is about to achieve total victory, and that’s when our newest heroine pulls turns against her, nearly dying in the process but redeeming herself.

That dirt is just a texture. HL2 gameplay graphics from 2004.

@Shydale
Look OK, you can’t expect a tiny company like Hasbro to know advanced concepts like smoothing surface normals. Stuff like only just came out like 40+ years ago at the dawn of 3D CGI. :P

I don’t like that look on her face, it’s an evil look.

p O l Y g O n S

Neat. So is there a trailer dropping I. The next couple of days?

@IsmaZheCat
Maybe yes, maybe not. Only time will tell…

Could it be the 6th pony??

Yeah, maybe not, just let me dream xD

A fine demonstration of earth pony fertilizer. Mmm hmm. nodnods

I really like her mane.

Those polygons haha

I, too, want a closer look at that mane.

@LeoNero
I think so too.