The Pony Personality Test is one of the more popular goodies available on the site. Because of it’s popularity, I’ve been actively looking for ways to improve it and also to fix any imbalances. We all want a really nice and accurate test, right?

This page here should list several different questions that I probably just wrote myself, but in the name of science and education. But feel free to ask any questions about the Personality Test in the comments below and I will answer them!

Why do you keep messing with the Personality Test?

Because I want it to be accurate and to properly represent each pony. It’s not quite as fun if there’s a massive bias towards Twilight or Rarity. (Version 1.0 of the test resulted in people getting Twilight three times as often as any other pony!

When you update the Personality Test, what happens to my result?

All results are stored along with the score you got when you took the test. Links to these results will all still work, too. The only thing that might be a little off is if new questions are added to the test, the average may seem higher than it was, because it is now averaging off of, say, 33 questions instead of 27. But that doesn’t affect the actual result, and you’re free to take the test again.

How do I share my result with my friends?

After you’ve taken the test, there’s a link inside of a box that you can use to link them to your result. There are also options to share your result on Facebook, Twitter, or tumblr.

If you’re logged in, your five most recent results will be stored and shown to you whenever you visit the page again; if you aren’t logged in, it will show it based on your IP address as sort of a “best guess” thing that usually works.

Wait, IP address? Are you storing my information?

Eeyup. And it’s going to be sold off to a whole herd of zombie spammer ponies so I can profit immensely.

Just kidding. Yes, all of the results are stored to help build averages and also so you can share them with your friends. What fun is the test if you aren’t sharing with your friends? The fun must be doubled!

Here’s exactly what is stored and how it is used:

• IP address (only used to fetch you your recent results)
• Your user ID on Bronyland, if you’re registered (used to help fetch your results even better)
• The time the test was taken (partially informational, but this also helps create your share URL)
• What pony you got (that way, in the event of a tie — which does rarely happen — you won’t be confused when it says you got a different pony)
• The scores for each of the six ponies (this helps determine the averages and also rebuilds the result charts when the URL is shared)
• Your answers (currently not being used, but I was planning on having it someday show what answers you gave in case you forgot)

Do I need your e-mail? Nope. Do I want your e-mail? Nooope. Do I sell this information? Noooooooopppe. Will I ever do any of that? Absolutely not! I’ll look at aggregate information from time to time to see how the test is being used, to see if there are any drastic imbalances, and to quell my boredom, but it’s not like anyone is going through all of this to stalk you or like I’m sending it off to a bunch of survey guys in France for some quick dough.

I mean, if you have a problem with any of that or how it’s being used, well, ok, don’t take the test, then. But at least know that this test isn’t like some cookie cutter online test site thingy that sells data to, uh, ponies that buy data, I guess.

I don’t like the result I got! I think I’m MUCH more of a Fluttershy!

Alright. Just because you like a pony doesn’t mean you’re most like that pony. And if you think you’re more of a Fluttershy, hay, maybe you are and the test got it wrong, or maybe you’re just being a sad pony because you didn’t get what you wanted, Rarity.

Questions like favorite number and favorite color are stupid. Why do you have them?

To mix things up. The effect those questions have isn’t just “oh what color is the pony”, but it’s based on scientific evidence on the internet documenting color preferences and number preferences and tying it together with personalities. Scientific evidence! On the internet! You can’t argue with that.

Just answer the danged question and be done with it, neighsayer.
(* It’s not like this is a psychologist certified personality test or anything; it seems to be accurate enough with these questions)

What happens if there’s a tie?

The computer flips a coin and picks one for you. Clearly it’s a better option than the universe exploding. At least you’ll be able to see who else you were most like by looking at the chart.

Why are there only six ponies? You should have more background ponies and side characters!

The main six ponies do a pretty good job at representing key personality types. Although it would be cool to have a gigantic test where you could get anyone from Discord to that one cow, trying to get that to be accurate would be impossible.

Mind you, I am planning two separate personality tests: one for noteworthy side characters (Spike, Celestia, Discord, Trixie, etc.), and one for noteworthy background ponies (Octavia, Vinyl aka DJ PON-3, Lyra, etc.), but mixing them together would just be disastrous. And I also need to keep the possible outcomes down to no more than 8 or so, otherwise, uh, well, something about the universe exploding.

What are all of the easter eggs in the test?

You stinker, you should figure them out yourself! But if you really want to know… *coughScootalooandSeaPoniesandRockcough*