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The discussion about this got a bit lost in the swamp. Not much was decided about it yet. I recall that members wanted to stick with a set theme, wanted to allow photos and painted images and one fixed dimension for the images. Is that correct? Do we move on from there, or start all over again?
I beleve This is what you mean.
https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=47834
Ive already bumped it back up for you was prety much in the middle of the watch tower threads.
Hello,
I am newer so pretty much missed this discussion. However it seems from a quick glance at the link Just A Girl provided would support your recollections.
I would like to have a custom avatar but I believe everyone should still be forced to have TW orientated ones. In addition I like how everyone has the same size avatar, keeps the forums tidy in my opinion.
Edit: Oh yeah, I meant to say a custom avatar would be nice. But the preset collection is extensive and so easy to find at least one avatar that you like.
Hello Tosa.
Regardless of a custom avatar option I always found that the S:TW avatars are too few. I know that the amount of source images is limited but I created some (100+) new profile pictures for the Shogun mod of M:TW_VI and some epic event pictures. (mostly taken from japanese woodblock prints)
There're also the images by TomteofDoom who worked on DukeJohn's Sengoku mod and which are very popular.
Maybe we could add some of those pics (in avatar size) to the Shogun collection? (about a dozen)
I'd of course offer to upload them in the required format.
What do you think?
:bow:
I think the TW avatars are good, but in order to get the really good ones you have to have upwards of 150 posts...
I have one i like at the minute but i really like a 250post one...
i like the system of TW avatars, but maybe there should be more encouragement to make more and better avatars..
For instance, in TWcenter there is a screenshot of the month. We could do the similar, with people taking screenies of their fave units, or their own units from any TW games, except the winner's screenshot is made into an avatar for just him/herself. Also, maybe Mod team leaders should submit 3 or 4 avatars for the mod teams to use, if their mod has been completed...
and the ORG yearly awards should have a special avatar competition, with the best 30 for instance being able for the public to use...
My ideas are very 'competition orientated' but they would give someone with 1/2 an hour free to do, and would make a nice improvement to the forums, with people being able to do more than they can...
Although This has been said, custom avatars in my mind would be slightly tatty, and the competitions would be fun and help the avatar problem...:2thumbsup:
I dont know about the post limit avatars...
would give people a reason to spam.
.
Mod teams could be encouraged to enrich the avatar pool with their custom portraits.
.
How large are they R'as al Ghul?
The URL avatar system could easily have some default pool to choose from, in case a user doesn't have another source. And anyone could submit avatars that match the theme/size (whatever they gonna be) to be stored in the pool for public use.
As there's always the issue of someone not going with the theme, or worse, posts something inappropriate and the endless ~:( that brings, the system could be made so that only avatars hosted here can be used. One difference with the current system: anyone can submit avatars and anyone can use those after some community approval.
Game size:Quote:
Originally Posted by TosaInu
https://img468.imageshack.us/img468/...eral0110ep.jpg https://img468.imageshack.us/img468/...eral0271gl.jpg https://img468.imageshack.us/img468/...eral0299ms.jpg
https://img468.imageshack.us/img468/...eral0465um.jpg https://img468.imageshack.us/img468/...eral0691gg.jpg https://img468.imageshack.us/img468/...eral0866gb.jpg
https://img468.imageshack.us/img468/...ncess059to.jpg https://img468.imageshack.us/img468/...ncess111ku.jpg https://img468.imageshack.us/img468/...ncess123wk.jpg
resized:
https://img381.imageshack.us/img381/...ral086a9sh.jpg
:bow:
A nice size, how about using that 96*142 for the URL avatars? These are ~5 kb only and even allowing up to say 10 kb is fair?
This is a fantastic idea. :2thumbsup:Quote:
Originally Posted by Mouzafphaerre
I think all the mods hosted in this forum should be represented by portraits.
Wouldn't that be great? I think there are already a lot of portraits which could be uploaded.
A URL avatar pool would be ok, too. But in the end you loose control aboutQuote:
Originally Posted by TosaInu
the theme/ content of the images. There's nothing that prevents offensive
content. With additional hosted galleries the board would remain in control.
The decision which ones to include could be made by you or the community
in this sub-forum.
I have DSL. 10K is fair enough if needed. ~;)Quote:
Originally Posted by TosaInu
i think you should be able to have your own custom avatar, but it should either be of a hosted mod you are included in (which in that instance there should be mod avatars for devs and ones for supporters) or ones which you could submit to someone, but has to be approved of i.e to do with the Total war series of games...
I agree to a certain extent on the posting system, which is cooler avatars require more posts. However, i think before having 0 posts OK ones, and then 100 post fairly good ones, there should be a bigger variety before this can happen. Also, if there were a few for each ten or twenty posts it would mean people may not spam as much for a good avatar. This system would mean in a couple of days normal posting you could have another 2-3 avatars to choose from...
URL avatars (an alternative system) will not use postcounts.
There's a varity between 0 and 100: 20, 50 and 75 are other limits.
I'd rather have post counts then custom avatars...:juggle2:
You're already served then: the postcounts are displayed.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alexanderofmacedon
Back to topic.
The existing avatars probably satisfy many ORG members already - after all, most people are here to post their opinions, not to look good with some fancy avatar / signature ~D
That said (and since this topic is based upon change), why not scrap the required posts limit for the various default TW avatars currently available? Instead, allow all of the present TW avatars (and potential ones to be added to these exisiting pools) to be used from 0 posts upwards. At a stroke this will provide more satisfaction and choice to members, as they can browse a wider catalogue of avatars.
However, I can see the negative opinion to scrapping avatar-related post counts. Where is the reward for posting X times in the ORG? Well for these members, since they've (probably) constructed many important / relevant and so on topics in the past (and with post counts numbering in the thousands), why not allow them to upload a custom avatar of personal preference? Obviously rules and guidlines could be laid down to make custom avatars either related or non-related to TW, and the relevant warnings / punishments for exceeding the forum rules.
From what I've pieced together already on this topic, some distinct members are currently allowed to use a custom-designed avatar that relates to TW. Why not continue in this tradition?
Since 96*142 is used for the game avatars, and mod created avatars also have that size, do we think that size is a good one to go with?
One of the older disussions about avatars showed that some people like the uniformity here, Seasoned Alcoholic. So, I'm pretty hard to please when it comes to custom avatars. The ones made by R'as al Ghul are very nice and I've seen many other beautiful pictures, but they're not going to be included in the normal pool. The URL avatar is a compromise and an option to please the other side of the spectrum.
Right at this moment, it even isn't technically possible for users to upload custom avatars to this server (and that has nothing to do with me being unwilling to pull the switch). But, when the large majority of users can come to some agreement together, I'm more than happy to change as soon as possible. Playing cop for legal PG-13 pictures is neither fun nor rewarding.
OT: R'as al Ghul, the 1st on the left in the 2nd row is Toyotomi Hideyoshi right?
Quote:
Originally Posted by TosaInu
i think it is a good size.
Right.Quote:
Originally Posted by TosaInu
https://img8.imageshack.us/img8/1691...samurai1by.jpg
This text goes along with the pic on the "electric samurai" webpage:
Cute, isn't it?Quote:
(1536-1598)
He was born in poor farmer, but he succeeded to Daimyo.
As for him finishes the long war-shattered age, formed public standardization finally.
I do, but I still would like more variety in the Shogun section.Quote:
Originally Posted by TosaInu
:bow:
i propose an avatar competition every once in a while. the winning one is put as a public avatar, simple
96*142 being the uniform size? Objections?
None here...
.
OT but could the profile picture size be a little bit increased? Something like 320*200 maybe?
.
thats a large avit...
As i use a tv not a monitor If i want to actualy be able to read any text i haft to use 800x600,
sometimes even 640x480.
320x200 would take up a bunch of my screen and i was hopeing to view the custom avits as well.
wouldnt 220x100 be adequate enough ?
actualy i think 200x200 wouldnt bother my display much either.
.
The profile picture is not an avatar or sig image Sham; it appears only at one's profile page.
.
OOOOH
Now i see what you mean by OT.
:stwshame:
Oh well then i have nothing to say :P
:bow:
No objections, 96*142 will be the fixed size for UrlAvatars.
The initial idea, was to make it 100% free for registered members who have say more than 3 posts (obviously to prevent incompatible acounts to display just anything). But, since most users here want to stick to a theme, the hosting may have to be done differently.
There are two options.
-1 Hope for the best, expect people to stick with the theme (whatever that is going to be) and allow external linking to a picture.
-2 Host the images on this server and only allow images hosted here to be used. That would be more like what is done for the avatars we have now, but the difference is that the collection can become much bigger and richer.
Option one or two?
Would this option mean the url-avatars are unique to a single user?Quote:
Originally Posted by TosaInu
If so, then I'm for option two.
I know it may not be pleasant to nanny those uploads but imagine
the circumstance of allowing all possible avatars. Even if
misuse is punished I wouldn't want to watch over it.
There are no checks for double using avatars.
There may be possible methods/checks and we may add those. But that's not the question here. The question is:
-allow remote linking -> I'm not going to police unless it's dirty.
-only allow local linking -> I'm not going to police either, but will ask some members to move candidates from an uploadfolder to the pool.
I think it would be best to allow only local hosting. Should be a reasonably straightforward job to move avatars from an upload folder to the hosting folder, plus it saves potential problems further down the line.
.
:yes:
.
Quite a few things are sorted then, better start now.
It's some sort of theme (TW related I guess), 96*142 pixels, max 10 kb and hosted at org. I'll see to make some gallery (may be basic at first) so it becomes easier to add.
I'll add the gallery/uploaders tomorrow. Perhaps we should just display some sets first and then make up our mind what's still theme?
Sounds good, I'll try to get a resized version of my current one ASAP, will it continue to be displayed until then or will it stop working?
I'll draft resize your current one, I'll have to redo some code and like to see the result.
Oh, okay thanks Tosa!:2thumbsup:
Let me know when you've done that so I can switch to a different skin and check it out. If a lot of people start getting custom avs I may need to switch permanently away from the dial-up skin....
It's still basic, but it works. Need to do a few things.
Who has some avatars already?
http://www.totalwar.org/patrons/pics/avatars/index.php
Still working on things, but here's a start.
Here's an uploader http://www.totalwar.org/Downloads/Up...s/uaupload.php
Thanks Tosa! That looks great. It also doesn't interfere with the layout anymore.:2thumbsup:
Unfortunately that means I'll have to turn my back to the dial-up skin for now....:shame:
Dial up now has the option to display graphics. Lite is now the bare skin, only PDA is less.
I've borrowed R'as al Ghul's avatars to fill the review for the time being.
Start submitting avatars so we can use this. We can do further tweaking while we walk.
After a GOOGLE Image Search, I've used a few of the default MTW characters (and custom ones), and resized them to 96*142. Obviously they are not my images, but I've adjusted their properties, in terms of scaling and lighting enhancement. Also, these images are widespread across the internet, people seem to copy images from each other these days; anyway here they are:
https://img58.imageshack.us/img58/3734/mtw16ej.jpg
https://img157.imageshack.us/img157/9018/mtw21cp.jpg
https://img58.imageshack.us/img58/8158/mtw32es.jpg
https://img58.imageshack.us/img58/1252/mtw41wb.jpg
Would you consider using them as custom avatars at the ORG (in other words, shall I upload them?)
Sure, upload them. They'll be added to the review directory. People can comment then: we still don't know what theme is and what not. When it get's the ok, I'll make them available.
Do you plan to make more? I intend to make subdirectories. A batch/set should contain a few to justify extra browsing.
I'll do some more GOOGLE image searches and will create some more. I've also noticed the 10kb limit filesize, I'll reduce 2 of those avatars before I upload them as there slightly over 10kb, thanks :medievalcheers:Quote:
Originally Posted by TosaInu
Here are some more STW-related ones:
https://img153.imageshack.us/img153/7625/stw15bn.jpg
https://img164.imageshack.us/img164/1834/stw28lk.jpg
https://img153.imageshack.us/img153/8517/stw37hb.jpg
https://img153.imageshack.us/img153/4061/stw46xv.jpg
https://img153.imageshack.us/img153/2299/stw59bk.jpg
https://img164.imageshack.us/img164/7265/stw60nk.jpg
https://img153.imageshack.us/img153/5849/stw71og.jpg
https://img164.imageshack.us/img164/3528/stw85xk.jpg
https://img164.imageshack.us/img164/2606/stw90am.jpg
https://img153.imageshack.us/img153/8010/stw100iy.jpg
https://img153.imageshack.us/img153/2876/stw116oy.jpg
[EDIT:]Uploaded 24 avatars: 12 of MTW and 12 of STW themes.
Neat Seasoned Alcoholic. I'm eager to know what people think.
RTW and various related avatars:
https://img65.imageshack.us/img65/450/rtw16xv.jpg
https://img62.imageshack.us/img62/7458/rtw24wd.jpg
Caesar
https://img62.imageshack.us/img62/1183/rtw30tr.jpg
Pompey
https://img62.imageshack.us/img62/8848/rtw48mh.jpg
Crassus
https://img62.imageshack.us/img62/8176/rtw58al.jpg
Hannibal Barca
https://img62.imageshack.us/img62/3606/rtw65mg.jpg
Alexander The Great
https://img62.imageshack.us/img62/6241/rtw70sx.jpg
Spartan: Total Warrior
https://img62.imageshack.us/img62/47/rtw80rq.jpg
Another Spartan: Total Warrior
https://img62.imageshack.us/img62/9601/rtw92qv.jpg
https://img62.imageshack.us/img62/6899/rtw100gt.jpg
https://img65.imageshack.us/img65/9658/rtw111ga.jpg
https://img62.imageshack.us/img62/5114/rtw129ph.jpg
[EDIT:]These 12 RTW-related avatars have now been uploaded.
Tosa, this is quite confusing.
1) No external avatars (check).
2) Members can submit custom, TW-themed, uniformly-sized avatars (check).
3) Member submissions will be screened (check).
What's the criteria to pass screening?
Ex. If I submit a custom avatar, that I will use, then who's to decide if I can use the specific avatar?
Meaning, If I want to use an avatar, then should another member or a mod get to decide whether it is feasible for use (given it passes normal guidelines)?
1) No external avatars. That was originally the plan together with it being more 'display whatever' as long as it's PG-13 compatible. But we want a theme and the choice between hosting here or remote was up for days if not weeks.Quote:
Originally Posted by Quietus
2) Yes.
3) Yes. And a bit 'more' at this moment, since we're basically clueless about what members consider theme. Instead of sorting that all out first and wait longer, we activated it now and will sort details while we walk.
Seasoned Alcoholic submitted quite a bunch. I'm sure there are avatars one would not use for him/herself, but that's not the point. Which do suit the theme and which do absolutely not suit the theme and why?
The system is up and there are no avatars available yet, but once we have the idea what is part of the theme, new uploads will be added asap. So, say the community decides that a picture of a rose fits the theme, then your avatar of a tulip will pass in no time. If you however submit one of a battleorc, then we have to see first whether that fits. If you submit one of a racing car and the community already decided that such things are not part of the theme, then it will be removed.
Some feedback about Seasoned Alcoholic's avatars related to theme please?
All are ok, apart from the game-box covers and the Shogun castle.Quote:
Originally Posted by TosaInu
I think an avatar should picture a person, not objects?
Of course this is open to discussion.
I could imagine weapons as avatars but racecars?
I prefer persons.
:bow:
I agree, they should all definately be pictures of people.
Otherwise they are great!
I see.Quote:
Originally Posted by TosaInu
Personally, I'd say the theme shouldn't include supernatural beings (except when it's part of a historical culture or ancient mythology).Quote:
Seasoned Alcoholic submitted quite a bunch. I'm sure there are avatars one would not use for him/herself, but that's not the point. Which do suit the theme and which do absolutely not suit the theme and why?
But I don't mind objects (eg. Tanks, Weapons, Heralds, etc).
Quote:
The system is up and there are no avatars available yet, but once we have the idea what is part of the theme, new uploads will be added asap. So, say the community decides that a picture of a rose fits the theme, then your avatar of a tulip will pass in no time. If you however submit one of a battleorc, then we have to see first whether that fits. If you submit one of a racing car and the community already decided that such things are not part of the theme, then it will be removed.
I like the busts and statues best.Quote:
Some feedback about Seasoned Alcoholic's avatars related to theme please?
Practically all of them pass the theme, but some of the avatars are hastily put together, thus not as nearly as nice, particularly the RTW screens and some off-center TW artworks.
You mean: no display of Christian, Islamitic or Jewish God, son, prophet?Quote:
Originally Posted by Quietus
I agree with that.
As for other religions, ancient or new: I'm not aware of any problem with displaying gods/spirits/holy men (talking from the believers point of view). But some respect should be given there too: shouldn't display Hachiman/Mars picking daisies.
Two things in one here, splendid.Quote:
But I don't mind objects (eg. Tanks, Weapons, Heralds, etc).
-Display or don't display war objects?
-Era? Is an avatar of a 1980 USSR spetsnas part of the theme? Or do we look at what's part of official TW titles and mods? So, around 19th century and earlier.
[/quote]
This is a basic point where people disagree. We'll first see whether we an settle it here, otherwise a poll will decide.Quote:
Practically all of them pass the theme
Meanwhile: I can add the busts, non objects and non covers? Add R'as al Ghul's ones too? Those are from the STW mod for MTW/VI?
If patrons like those, I'm prepared to upload 100+ male Shogun-themed avatars and 50+ female.Quote:
Originally Posted by TosaInu
Just let me know.
They will be the same that are used in the Samurai mod for M:TW/VI.
:bow:
Is it possible that those are already uploaded somewhere here? Me using FTP would be much faster then.
Yes they are. If you could copy them via ftp it would save a lot of time.Quote:
Originally Posted by TosaInu
http://www.3ddownloads.com/strategy-...y_R.a.Ghul.zip
:bow:
They're TGA format, I batch convert them to GIF?
I did a test conversion to .gif. Looks good.Quote:
Originally Posted by TosaInu
Seems as if nothing is lost.
I say go ahead.
:bow:
Uploading.
I spent a while trying to get a small image from RTW to be my avatar. Is that not possible ?
Hello Severous,Quote:
Originally Posted by Severous
It's a new feature and not fully worked out yet. We know it has to be 96*142 pixels, 10 kb or less and it has to be a theme. What the theme is is still not clear (not for me at least). Submit yours to Here's an uploader http://www.totalwar.org/Downloads/Up...s/uaupload.php and we'll make it available for you when we know what's ok and what not.
Whereas the boundaries are still not defined, I think it's pretty safe to allow the TW related avatars which depict people, i.e. the avatars that are similar to the default board avatars. IIRC, nobody has objected to avatars of this type. So perhaps it might be an idea to approve those uploaded avatars which fulfil those criteria, so people can start to use to the new system? The range of acceptable avatars can be expanded if necessary at a later date.
Good point therother.
Added R'as al Ghuls avatars and Seasoned Alcoholic's ones. The rest is still open for debate.
Very cool R'as! :bow: I'm using Assassin11, thx.Quote:
Originally Posted by R'as al Ghul
So who's for or against the TW-themed objects?
In response to the announcement:
I think that custom avatars are dangerous ground here. The current policy does much to add to the sense of order here. Simplicity is very important and not to be underestimated.
The current avatar policy of in-game family member icons contributes towards a real sense of community here. Personally, I identify users by their avatars just as I would a human face in the "real world". And just as occurs in the real world when seeing a new face, a judgment is made about a person by the avatar they select. The positive thing is that the judgment isn't bad, it's just something that occurs naturally when trying to get to know somebody. This may or may not have been the intent, but it is certainly what happens.
That said, the desire for a custom avatar is understandable. I would adopt a very conservative approach towards policy change in this direction. Allow users to slightly modify existing avatars, and allow some very limited additional avatars so long as they very very closely match the existing avatar set. I don't care for many of the pics submitted by Seasoned Alcoholic, but a few work well. The BI Priest, if fit to the current avatar size would be good since it follows current policy.
I have resized one of SA's submissions:
https://img464.imageshack.us/img464/1669/avatar9pt.jpg
This I would find acceptable. I would find most of the rest unacceptable unless they could be resized to fit and be of only one person.
I'm not sure if that pic posted, I'll try again:
https://img527.imageshack.us/img527/4940/avatar7nl.png
Divinus, if you go to User Options, then tick the custom avatar field
then go to User Profile and paste 'blue text' from the new avatar gallery, you can use the new ones.
It's a choice Divinus Arma: display the system avatars (which will be what it always was) or this more custom set. Each user can select what works best for him. There's a choice in forumskins, each user can decide to display pictures or signatures, this is just another choice.
I did a batch conversion: and quite a few avatars are larger than the proposed 10 kb, what to do there?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Quietus
User options? I have "USER CP"...
Well, I think he means that.Quote:
Originally Posted by Divinus Arma
Of the issue at hand, I am in full support of the system. And from what I've seen, all, including the yet-to-be-usable ones are acceptable except a few in-game snapshots from Rome, which are off. My criteria would be of TW-themed -- or Japanese, Medieval, and Classical themed, as long as they fit well with the TW concept -- objects, portraits, busts, etc., in which all of the uploaded avatars basically fit.
AntiochusIII, isn't that Simon Appleton's old Avatar?
I can't find where to do this. All I see is User CP and then Edit Avatar...
:help:
Wait.... I don't get it.
Custom URL avatars? Are these supposed to show up in the discussion board or only when you look at someone's profile...?
Oh that is soooooooooooooooooooo weird. I just figured it out.
Now I see two heads? bleh.
I totally get it now. Wow. Uhm.... Ya. One head, two head, whatever, eh.
Most of them range between 12 and 15 kb.Quote:
Originally Posted by TosaInu
We could set the max at 15kb. I think only a few of them are over 15.
Or convert them all again. :dizzy2:
How much would the overall traffic be influenced at 15kb?
OT: The new avatar suits you very good, Tosa. :bow:
You're welcome. :bow:Quote:
Originally Posted by Quietus
Some very nice avatars there R'as, there is now plenty of depth and variety for forum users to select from.
I know the avatars submitted by myself are probably not the best - the results of a GOOGLE image search, then some tweaking with the GIMP. I'd just thought to include a bit of variety using a TW theme. Many of the pictures are to be found in TW promotions, case packaging, in-game screenshots and so on and so forth. Some of the avatars were inspired by what I'd seen at other forums, specfically the busts of famous generals.
Obviously the TW theme is debatable, every single avatar submitted is debatable. But as more and more themes are submitted, the greater the strain of acceptability, IE "do we accept yet another varied theme for avatars, or should we block the use of this latest theme?"
The concept of custom URL avatars is still relatively new at present; it will be interesting to see how it develops.
I've been considering editing some of my .TGA screenshots (IE from the battlefield) from RTW and BI and possibly submitting them as custom avatars. I have a good selection to choose from, roughly 1300+ at present. Would I be starting a new theme with this idea? ~D Thanks :medievalcheers:
[EDIT:]Btw, I think one of the avatars in the SA subdirectory (this one) was uploaded by somebody else than myself. Looking at the posters in this topic already, I'd think it was therother ~D, thanks.
It's a second system. Each user can display one or the other or both (there are toggles in the UserCP).Quote:
Originally Posted by Divinus Arma
This second system was intended to be 'display whatever you want', but we have some rules now.
Instead of staff making a middleway selection of many wishes (search Watchtower, there are several avatar discussions since 2002), users decide. I'm fine with a Teletubbie (R) (C) (TM) or Harry Potter (R) (C) (TM) theme if that's what users want, it's obviously PG-13 safe and a black antenna or a purple dragon will suit me as well.
There's still work to do. This page should provide best help to set your account for now: http://www.totalwar.org/patrons/pics/avatars/
All users who don't have an URL avatar yet, now show a default one so everything looks balanced.
Tosa,
I've a question.
Before we started this Uesugi Kenshin was the only one whos
avatar showed while all other patrons had board avatars.
Now, it seems that all who haven't selected a url avatar
get this default one:
http://www.totalwar.org/patrons/pics...ar/SA/mtw2.jpg
Is this a bug or intentional? I find it confusing and would like
it more as we had it before. Meaning, that their old board avatar is shown
instead of the default url-avatar.
:bow:
EDIT:Nevermind, you've explained it above.
Yes, there's a lot to say to display the board avatar instead. But as we have one dimension now, it's neat to make it like this.