Aliasing species_swap → alternative_species
Link to alias

Reason:

Seems a lot more intuitive.

Barely used species_change seems to be a transformation-related tag (and there's probably a more widely tag for that too, but I can't be bothered looking into it atm).

The only related tags that I can think of mashup (Edit: this tag is barely used) and transformation, but those are for slightly different things. We also have hybrid/humanized/feralized/anthrofied which are arguably related, but obviously not the same thing, but are worth mentioning.

As for the alias. +1, except I would prefer to go with alternate_species to be consistent with alternate_color, alternate_hairstyle, and alternate_costume.

To anyone who isn't aware, in American usage alternate (all-terr-nit) can mean the same as alternative[/i (all-terr-ni-tive), but in other regions such as the British Isles this meaning is generally seen as incorrect, alternative being the correct form. If you're not from America this may clarify things a little, if you are from America you are probably highly confused right now because you didn't even notice there was a difference.

Summary and related alias suggestions:

• species_swap -> alternate_species
• alternative_species -> alternate_species
• alternate_colour -> alternate_color (I just changed 2 posts)
• alternative_color -> alternate_color (I just changed 2 posts)
• alternative_colour -> alternate_color
• alternate_colors -> alternate_color
• alternate_colors -> alternate_color (optional, not currently an issue)
• alternative_hairstyle -> alternate_hairstyle
• alternate_hair_style -> alternate_hairstyle (optional, not currently an issue)
• alternative_hair_style -> alternate_hairstyle (optional, not currently an issue)
• alternate_hair-style -> alternate_hairstyle (optional, not currently an issue)
• alternative_hair-style -> alternate_hairstyle (optional, not currently an issue)
• alternative_costume -> alternate_costume
• alternate_outfit -> alternate_costume
• alternative_outfit -> alternate_costume

parasprite said:
As for the alias. +1, except I would prefer to go with alternate_species to be consistent with alternate_color, alternate_hairstyle, and alternate_costume.

Oh, yes, crap, you're right I mistyped that (too used to typing "alternative" in various other places).

Other relevant possible implications:
ponification → alternative_species
humanized → alternative_species
furrification → alternative_species

Personally I do not consider that alternate_species should be used when the image depicts ongoing transformation or a sequence. In that regard shifting the -fication tags to -fied would probably help. Luckily there's relatively little transformation fetishism being uploaded in general.

Circeus said:
you're I mistyped that

parasprite said:
*snickers*

Circeus said:

Other relevant possible implications:
ponification → alternative_species
humanized → alternative_species
furrification → alternative_species

Personally I do not consider that alternate_species should be used when the image depicts ongoing transformation or a sequence. In that regard shifting the -fication tags to -fied would probably help. Luckily there's relatively little transformation fetishism being uploaded in general.

Ponification/furrification seem like reasonable candidates, though I'd like to hear other people's opinion on this.

Humanized, I'm less sure of. I'm can't exactly put my finger on why though. Perhaps just because it's a massive tag and it would swamp the little tag too easily. When using a tag like alternate_species, I would think that people would be looking for something more...uncommon. That's just me though.

I agree with the transformation part though. Except perhaps the last, but I'd use it mostly for series characters anyways.

Circeus said:
I'm not helping my case, am I?

post #422599

Thoughts on this one?

parasprite said:
Thoughts on this one?

What if a non pony equine is ponified? Is probably the only problem I see without much thought, except what's already been brought up with humanized and mid transformation stuff.

Chessax said:
What if a non pony equine is ponified? Is probably the only problem I see without much thought, except what's already been brought up with humanized and mid transformation stuff.

Hmm, good point (post #154934). That one is really more of a style change than anything ("my_little_ponified") and it doesn't really work for a lot of images. The same could be said for equestria_girls characters who are sort of both humanized and real characters (they probably shouldn't be tagged humanized if they are show-accurate IMO). Furrification might work but it definitely needs a cleanup (post #607272, not sure about post #633215, whatever post #607187 is).

Approving everything in the summary above (forum #148576 - the ones that weren't already). Leaving implications off for now since it seems like there are too many variables to rely on.