Custom Avatars for all!!!

[starlifter]

Personally, I agree with Gonzo. Custom Avatars can be quite ugly, because they can be (and are) almost anything. However, some are actually quite cool and do fit right in! At least TF kept them small (a very very wise move)! They are not nearly as intrusive as at other sites.

It would take more admin work, but in a more perfect world, a custom avatar would be submitted for approval and eventual inclusion in the selection list as a standard avatar... and people could not just upload anything. However, I know that's not realistic, and so it's not even practical to suggest. But at least overall, from what I've seen, the majority of custom avatars are pretty good.

PS, Ones like Matrix' even look like they belong in the original group!!

 

[floppa21]

I noticed slowdown but I was not going to take the time to try and post about it then... Nice and fast now. Thanks goodness, my avatar will not be turned into something stange or hideous now... <phew!> I think so far the avatars have been not too bad. But the two times I went to apolyton, I did think it was messy looking... And slow... Gosh they suck, I'm sure glad yada yada...

 

[Becka]

Yay, speed is back to normal for me. I've turned on avatars again so I can look at my cute puppy.

 

[starlifter]

Hey Floppa, I'm no graphic artist, but I used my screen capture program to smooth out the scragglies (all are 1 K transparant GIFs), if you want...

Squared Grin

Rounded Grin (My vote )

Blue Smug

Red Smug

 

[starlifter]

Hmmmm.... The attachment did't make it on the prior post. Here are all 4 Floppa Smugs, zipped:

 

[Padma]

Wow, starlifter, those 'smugs' look great! If floppa wants a vote, I, too like that second one best!

 

[.:KNAS:.]

Thank you Matrix for reading my mind and got a Garfield pic on your site

 

[starlifter]

It just occurred to me that now Floppa can change his Smu Smiley based on his mood... sort of like the 1960's "Mood Ring" that I'm sure most people have never even heard of. When Floppa is happy, he can be green. When he is down in the dumps, he can upload blue. When he is mad, he can upload red . And everyone all over CFC can see his mood because all his posts will have the "mood" colored Smiley!

I'm no graphics person, and believe it or not, I was just learning how to use those little tool things that are all over my Screenshot program (I use HyperSnapDX4, but don't know all the little goodies in it yet). I even learned how to make a tranparent GIF, and change "colors" (actually, I just moved a slider next to the "hue" function) so that was a good learning experience.

 

[floppa21]

They do look nice Starlifter but alas, I am technically stupid and have no idea how to do anything with them... They look better smoothed and all the colors are great though. Download upload unzip,

 

[starlifter]

They do look nice Starlifter but alas, I am technically stupid and have no idea how to do anything with them... They look better smoothed and all the colors are great though. Download upload unzip

You can either right click on the icon & save it to your machine, then go back and select it when you go into your CFC control panel and choose tha custom icon upload.

When you get the hang of changing your Avatar, you can change colors of your smug smiley, too .

 

[floppa21]

Hmm... I'll try it...

 

[floppa21]

Hey Look!!!! So a question, if I delete the pic from my desktop, will it screw up here? I better go get the red and blue ones too...

 

[King of Camelot]

It won't screw it up floppa, but if you want to change moods then keep it incase you lose a mood... I'm not sure if the database keeps it after you change your custom avatar, some one else might know though.

 

[starlifter]

Ren, This one will work, I think. I have been learning more about this stuff when making yours and Floppa's Avatars. I used a series of mathematical transformations to clear up the reduces size image, and maxed the X-dimension. The limiting fator is of course the city name, which sets the reduction amount. It is 3.6 KB, a GIF, very sharp, and clearly readable.

BTW, JPG, even at 95%, just did not do this particular graphic justice, due to the fine detail around the city and part of the name. It needs to stay GIF to look good, and a 95% JPEG is about 4K anyway, yet more fuzzy. .

Original:

3.6 KB GIF:

 

[starlifter]

by Floppa21:

Hey Look!!!! So a question, if I delete the pic from my desktop, will it screw up here? I better go get the red and blue ones too..

Once you upload it, it is stored on Thunderfall's server. You could smash your machine to bits, and it will not affect what is at CFC at this point.

However, if you want to change Avatars again, I recommend leaving your machine in one piece .


So..... I guess this means you have joined the Technically Savvy club now, Floppa!! It looks good on your posts, BTW.

 

[floppa21]

Heck yah Starlifter, looks loads better! Thanks man! I right clicked the three faces and saved them all.

As for smashing my machine to bits, I AM at work so don't think the idea doesn't cross my mind! But I better not. I do badmouth my monitor, and I've given it the occasional finger... How far could I throw my keyboard WITHOUT unplugging it first?

 

[Padma]

Woo-hoo! Lookin' good floppa, ya Mean Old Bastard!

 

[MadScot]

Before the custom avatars - no problems

as soon as they exist - repeated, constant 'cannot locate server' errors
(to the extent that I cannot open posts from the 'xyz has replied to a thread' emails any more)

is this a coincidence?

 

[gonzo_for_civ]

No, your machine hasn't adjusted to the new DNS server yet. We got moved my telefragged the other day.

But we can blame it on avatars if we'd like!!!!

 

[MadScot]

Thanks gonzo

(hangs head in computer idiocy shame and slinks away )