Url Avatar size

[KukriKhan]

Just my 2 cents as a regular member:

since url avatars are toggle-able via the userCP (and not 'on' by default) I see no particular reason to restrict the image content of those pictures. In other words: I vote "no theme requirement". Just size. They should be the same as the regular avatars, so as to not interfere with the display of the more important text content of posts....IMO.

[therother]

The signature picture allows a patron to display any picture they like. I supposed I'd like avatars to be, well, avatars – representative of the poster in some fashion, and at least to some extent relevant to the board, i.e. something at least loosely to do with history and/or warfare. It's a pretty wide topic.

As for the size, I'm happy with the current limits. It shouldn't take up much more space, if you turn off system avatars, than people using the full signature picture allowance of 200 pixels. Therefore it should only interfere with board formatting to the same extent.

[Epistolary Richard]

Talking theme, I'd prefer protraits - not necessarily connected with war (look at the MTW princesses for example) but ideally non-photographic in order to keep the 'look'.

That's not to say no photographs at all - Kaiser's Rommel (especially Tricky Lady's version of it) is quite nice at blending both photographic and artistic sensibilities in a way that a modern photograph wouldn't. There are various photoshop effects that can be used to 'stylise' a photo to make it less incongruous on these boards.

But...

When we're talking themes I think for the sanity of whoever gets lumbered with the monitoring job we have to be realistic in saying that these should be guidelines and not absolute requirements.

Say, we have a military/historical theme - what do we say to the person who wants to upload his Legolas avatar? There's a Middle Earth mod in progress in just the same way as a Napoleonic.

And what do we say to the person who wants Bart Simpson? Hey, we've got a Simpsons mod on the Forge right now! It's undeniably dead, but it's there. What about the guy who wants Han Solo or Yoda or, lord help us, Ja-Ja Binks?

Have guidelines, yes, say what's preferable in an avatar for these forums. But be realistic in that - within the bounds of legality and decency - you'll either have to allow people to use what they want or you'll have to put up with a lot of unnecessary grief.

That's one of my reasons for suggesting you just don't make a big deal about it, allow new joiners to pick a system avatar until they get used the boards and its atmosphere and they decide they want to hang around a while. Then when they go up to normal membership those that desperately want a custom avatar can upload one - and the ones who aren't too bothered will stick with the one they've already got.

I'm not saying, don't give them to junior members because they're second class citizens or anything like that, I'm just saying give them a chance to get familiar with the place first. In my opinion, it would be the best way to allow the maximum liberty with the minimum of hassle.

[Quietus]

If everyone agrees to the TW 'theme' then IMO it doesn't have to be historical or military in nature, rather cultural. Statues, shields, headdress, cartouche, vases, bookcover, buildings, tanks, paintings, it can be anything.

Personally, I have already have my custom avatar staked out. I'm only waiting for the agreed upon size so I can format it as such.