Custom URL avatars

[Conqueror]

Here's a suggestion: we could make an invisible avatar by creating a fully transparent .gif image. That one could then be displayed as the "default" custom avatar for all those who have not specified a custom avatar for themselves, instead of the SA/mtw2.jpg which seems to be the dafault picture at the moment. This way, those who haven't set a custom avatar would appear to have no avatar.

Perhaps not the most elegant solution, but it would at least fix the problem of the same avatar being displayed all over the place.

[Quietus]

You mean: no display of Christian, Islamitic or Jewish God, son, prophet?
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.

I didn't necessarily meant Gods, but Supernatural as in beyond the natural laws of the world (ie. cartoons, fairies, Transformers, E.T. etc.)

IMO, Gods and religion are fair game, only in that they are part of history (i.e. Crusades, Jihad, etc.). Although I'm aware of that cartoon depictions of Muhammed (will offend Dariush, Mouzaf, faisal and LEN). Outside of the forum, to me it is still free speech....

Two things in one here, splendid.
-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.

IMO, modern military technology is fine, but I just have an inkling that everyone wants the pre-mechanized warfare.

@Seasoned Alcoholic: nice new batch!

@Divinus: LOL

[TosaInu]

I didn't necessarily meant Gods, but Supernatural as in beyond the natural laws of the world (ie. cartoons, fairies, Transformers, E.T. etc.)

I see.

IMO, Gods and religion are fair game, only in that they are part of history (i.e. Crusades, Jihad, etc.). Although I'm aware of that cartoon depictions of Muhammed (will offend Dariush, Mouzaf, faisal and LEN). Outside of the forum, to me it is still free speech....

A simple bloodtest will tell you're nanoprobes free. It's even your good right to say inside this forum that you don't believe this or that (TM).

All three mentioned God religions have in common, granted I'm not an expert, that displaying God is off. For some reason that's extended to Son, Spirit, prophets and Holy men. I know there are exceptions, condoned, officially supported or heretic. Feel free to discuss all that in the Backroom. There will not be any such avatars: no Michelangelos God, no Jesus Christ, no Mohammed, no JahWeh.

Other religions/beliefs don't have imposed limits in displaying gods, spirits or holy men (there are events without cameras, holy men who don't like to be photoshot, but that's different). Displaying a picture of Boeddha is fine, but don't mock it (though I doubt you could possibly do that).

IMO, modern military technology is fine, but I just have an inkling that everyone wants the pre-mechanized warfare.

We should hear more opinions.

The system avatars are displayed again when one does not have an URL one. But now it's exploded to the large size (not 100% crisp and sharp, but should do).

[R'as al Ghul]

The system avatars are displayed again when one does not have an URL one. But now it's exploded to the large size (not 100% crisp and sharp, but should do).

The idea to display the system avatars is very good.
But, as you've said, the exploded size doesn't look that good.
Maybe we could change them all to 96*142 as in the game?
Other skins could downsize them automatically?
Arrgh, I think I'm asking too much.

I also like the option for the personal avatar pool as suggested by therother.

[Zain]

Hello, I believe that people should be able to suggest custom avatars, but they have to do with the subject at hand. Either something around Shogun times, Medieval times, or Roman times. I'm happy with my avatar, but some may not be...

-ZainDustin

[Seasoned Alcoholic]

I also like the option for the personal avatar pool as suggested by therother.

Yeah, I'll second therother's idea. If you want to share an avatar pool R'as thats fine with me, I know mine are somewhat varied to your own, but at least they are along similar lines (IE the TW theme)

[TosaInu]

Is possible.

[TosaInu]

The idea to display the system avatars is very good.
But, as you've said, the exploded size doesn't look that good.
Maybe we could change them all to 96*142 as in the game?
Other skins could downsize them automatically?
Arrgh, I think I'm asking too much.

I also like the option for the personal avatar pool as suggested by therother.

One of the reasons to make the old avatars 50 pixels wide, was to keep filesize small. So, sorry. They are the same proportions, so apart from not looking that great, they don't become abstract art.

Personal avatar is possible, same criteria, use your nick to give it a name: for example therother.gif or Ras_Al_Ghul.jpg. The server doesn't like spaces ' or other keys here, underscore, letters and numbers only.

[Narayanese]

Is jpg format OK?
I don't have something to lower the size of gifs, but jpg are easy to make small.

Renaissance warfare theme.
And as said by others, one prefers a unique avatar.

[TosaInu]

Any web compatible format is fine: gif, jpg, jpeg (cough), bmp, png. Flash is a whole different ballgame though.

You have jpg cruncher?

[Narayanese]

Any web compatible format is fine: gif, jpg, jpeg (cough), bmp, png. Flash is a whole different ballgame though.

good

You have jpg cruncher?

No, just the standard 0 - 100% quality slider. I'm using GIMP, and it refuses to save gifs in any other colour depth than 256 colour, which makes 13kB.

[King Henry V]

May I just say that we go back to the original default avatars for the URL ones? The enlarged "normal" avatars do not look good.

[Viking]

Toggle URL avatars on and normal avatars off -> displays only URL avatars.

May I just say that we go back to the original default avatars for the URL ones? The enlarged "normal" avatars do not look good.

Yeah, the old size is way better, IMO.

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

Gah!

I don't know if it's been brought up or not, but would it be possible to allow only "default" avatars to be displayed for people? IE, members can choose their own custom one but they also have a default from the normal avatar pool and you can choose to see which avatars are displayed for you personally: either custom avatars or "default" ones?

[TosaInu]

Renaissance warfare theme.
And as said by others, one prefers a unique avatar.

Do you want this avatar to be unique for yourself? It will have to be renamed to Narayanese.jpg then and will be uploaded to a non public folder. Yes? -> I do. No? -> will be moved to the public folder. Yes/no?

No, just the standard 0 - 100% quality slider. I'm using GIMP, and it refuses to save gifs in any other colour depth than 256 colour, which makes 13kB.

Does it have a preview and size info for that? The application I use, is a bit limited.

May I just say that we go back to the original default avatars for the URL ones? The enlarged "normal" avatars do not look good.

The options are:
-display nothing.
-display just a large avatar.
-display the system avatar as it is.
-display enlarged system avatar.

I doubt that there are other options, without increasing the filesize of the system avatars, but suggestions are welcome.

[Narayanese]

Do you want this avatar to be unique for yourself? It will have to be renamed to Narayanese.jpg then and will be uploaded to a non public folder. Yes? -> I do. No? -> will be moved to the public folder. Yes/no?

Yes, I'll upload it as Narayanese.jpg, please delete the old one.

Does it have a preview and size info for that? The application I use, is a bit limited.

No, you have to test until you get the right file size.
Here is a link to GIM btw: http://www.gimp.org/ in csae anyone is interested. It's freeware.[/QUOTE]

[Uesugi Kenshin]

Tosa would you mind making mine unique to me? If you'd rather keep the guinea pig series public that's okay too, but It'd be nice for this one to be unique to me.

The custom avatar system seems to be taking nicely, good job!

[TosaInu]

Tosa would you mind making mine unique to me? If you'd rather keep the guinea pig series public that's okay too, but It'd be nice for this one to be unique to me.

The custom avatar system seems to be taking nicely, good job!

It is now. You still have the source? The re-edits and re-saves may not have made the best result.

[Simetrical]

All three mentioned God religions have in common, granted I'm not an expert, that displaying God is off. For some reason that's extended to Son, Spirit, prophets and Holy men. I know there are exceptions, condoned, officially supported or heretic.

The exceptions are the rule in most of Judaism and Christianity, but then, hardline Muslims are against any portrayal of a One God, as well as any of those they consider prophets (including Jesus and a number of [other] Jewish prophets).

I'm using GIMP, and it refuses to save gifs in any other colour depth than 256 colour, which makes 13kB.

256-color is the only color depth for GIF. But the real point is that you probably want JPG, not GIF. It will very likely give better compression.

GIMP does have a filesize preview, incidentally. There's a checkbox for it somewhere.

[Narayanese]

256-color is the only color depth for GIF. But the real point is that you probably want JPG, not GIF. It will very likely give better compression.

GIMP does have a filesize preview, incidentally. There's a checkbox for it somewhere.

Found the checkbox, thanks.
I once had a program (from Ulead I think) that could save gifs in any number of colours (powers of 2) up to 256, and image size decreased with lowered colourdepth. But yes, jpg is better.

[Uesugi Kenshin]

Yeah I do, here it is: http://www.sinister-designs.com/grap...rutora2-2.html

Thanks for doing this Tosa, it looks pretty good right now, but if you want to resize it again, or focus it in on his face a bit that'd be great.

[R'as al Ghul]

Yeah I do, here it is: http://www.sinister-designs.com/grap...rutora2-2.html

Thanks for doing this Tosa, it looks pretty good right now, but if you want to resize it again, or focus it in on his face a bit that'd be great.

I took the liberty to make this one:


Feel free to use it if you like it.

[Seasoned Alcoholic]

Submitted a small batch of shogun-related avatars.

[Uesugi Kenshin]

That looks great R'as, Tosa would you mind either tossing that one in and setting it as my private av, or instructing me on how exactly to do it.

Thanks for the help everyone!

[Quietus]

Tosa, can I use this as my unique avatar?



I've also uploaded Avatars (aculture1-17). :)

ps. they are all less than 10 kb.

Thx

[Uesugi Kenshin]

Thanks a lot for changing my avatar Tosa, now it is perfect!

[Quietus]

My new avatar looks nice as well, thx Tosa.

I've uploaded new avatars (aculture18-32).

[Seasoned Alcoholic]

I've uploaded new avatars (aculture18-32).

Some nice ones there

Uploaded a batch of 16 RTW-related avatars.

[Avicenna]

Could we add older versions of the current RTW family members in? (most are only the younger version of the char, ie <50)

[TosaInu]

I'm unsure, what to make available: http://www.totalwar.org/patrons/pics/review/index.php