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Avatars

KainyKainy Pimpin' and righteousRegistered User regular
I hate to be making a new topic with how inactive I am here, but...

64x64 and 6KB or less. Is there any reason that these limits are so... er, almost ridiculously strict?

If there's a rant or appropriate thread that explains it, please direct me there. Search didn't turn up anything after 4 tries or so, so I figured I was okay to make a new thread about it.

One forum I post at, whose name I probably shouldn't mention here for its connection to fansub downloads, has a limit of 100x100 and 50 KB, with limits on sigs similar to PA. Another has a (weird) size limit of 130x220 and a total of 100 KB between the avatar and sig. Neither of them has any problems with people complaining about load times.

So... yeah. Anyone have answers for me?

IcyLiquid wrote: »
There's anti-fuckery code in there now :) Sorry :)
Kainy on
«1

Posts

  • ThanatosThanatos Registered User regular
    edited December 2005
    Some people use dialup. When you're talking 25 posts of avatar, that's a lot of saved download time/bandwidth per page.

    The dimension limit is, I would assume, an aesthetic issue. Because 64x64 is large enough to be significant, but small enough to not be obnoxious.

    Thanatos on
  • TubeTube Registered User admin
    edited December 2005
    Because there is no way you need more than that. No one cares about your avatar. Not even the clown.

    Tube on
  • HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    edited December 2005
    People are really creative with avatars here, and it has never gotten in the way. Something that should be noted is that Penny Arcade gets a lot of traffic, which means there are probably a lot more people on dial-up browsing the forum (as members or lurkers) than most other websites. It's something of convenience, and yet at the same time, is not a nuisance. Besides, I'm interested in what people have to say more than their avatar. As are most others here. :wink:

    Edit - About two (almost three) years ago the dimension limit was 40x40.

    Henroid on
  • contrabandcontraband Registered User regular
    edited December 2005
    Henroid wrote:
    People are really creative with avatars here, and it has never gotten in the way.

    Personally, I wouldn't mind if the limit was bigger. But yeah, 64x64 is done for courtesy and aesthetics and I'm fine with it.

    contraband on
    sigxw0.jpg
  • DogDog Registered User, Administrator, Vanilla Staff admin
    edited December 2005
    It's not as much a strict rule as it is a guideline. You can go over 6KB, but don't go overboard. There are plenty of people with > 6KB avatars.

    Unknown User on
  • JasconiusJasconius sword criminal mad onlineRegistered User regular
    edited December 2005
    if your avatar is too big in filesize try running it through Macromedia Fireworks, that should trim it down bigtime with virtually no quality loss.

    Jasconius on
  • contrabandcontraband Registered User regular
    edited December 2005
    Jasconius wrote:
    if your avatar is too big in filesize try running it through Macromedia Fireworks, that should trim it down bigtime with virtually no quality loss.
    :?:

    (what does fireworks do?)

    contraband on
    sigxw0.jpg
  • WoodtopianWoodtopian Registered User regular
    edited December 2005
    contraband wrote:
    Jasconius wrote:
    if your avatar is too big in filesize try running it through Macromedia Fireworks, that should trim it down bigtime with virtually no quality loss.
    :?:

    (what does fireworks do?)

    It's a poor man's photoshop that I like because it's integrated to work real nice with other Macromedia programs, like Flash and Dreamweaver.

    Woodtopian on
    sig8ee.jpg
  • KainyKainy Pimpin' and righteous Registered User regular
    edited December 2005
    Thanks for your replies.

    I don't really believe that it'd be such a burden on 56k users to have higher limits, but I suppose that might be part of why I'm not an admin. I don't really care what's a burden on 56k users. I've had cable for 5 years now, and it really isn't much more expensive, especially considering what you get with it.

    I have an avatar that I use on every other forum, that is 100x100 and 8KB. Tiny, by most standards of filesize. I have tried resizing it, and it looks like ass. Having no avatar on this forum is kind of like saying "HAY I R ASSHAT WHU NO UNDERSTANDS IMAGE HOSTINGS!!1" and thus removing nearly all credibility from your posts, so I would kind of like to have one. Making yourself seem more credible is about the only way to be more credible, on a forum, regardless of how artificial the means are.

    But oh well, I'll just stick with it, I guess. Maybe someday I'll see an image at 64x64 that doesn't look like ass which I could use for an avatar.

    Kainy on
    IcyLiquid wrote: »
    There's anti-fuckery code in there now :) Sorry :)
  • EchoEcho ski-bap ba-dapModerator mod
    edited December 2005
    I kicked someone with 1.5 megabytes of animated GIF avatar in the crotch once.

    Echo on
  • Regina FongRegina Fong Allons-y, Alonso Registered User regular
    edited December 2005
    Kainy wrote:
    Thanks for your replies.

    I don't really believe that it'd be such a burden on 56k users to have higher limits, but I suppose that might be part of why I'm not an admin. I don't really care what's a burden on 56k users. I've had cable for 5 years now, and it really isn't much more expensive, especially considering what you get with it.

    I have an avatar that I use on every other forum, that is 100x100 and 8KB. Tiny, by most standards of filesize. I have tried resizing it, and it looks like ass. Having no avatar on this forum is kind of like saying "HAY I R ASSHAT WHU NO UNDERSTANDS IMAGE HOSTINGS!!1" and thus removing nearly all credibility from your posts, so I would kind of like to have one. Making yourself seem more credible is about the only way to be more credible, on a forum, regardless of how artificial the means are.

    But oh well, I'll just stick with it, I guess. Maybe someday I'll see an image at 64x64 that doesn't look like ass which I could use for an avatar.

    No one would care if you had an 8k avatar (provided the avatar wasn't obnoxious).

    The 100x100 is a problem though. If resizing it doesn't work, try cropping it.

    Regina Fong on
  • BlutnerdBlutnerd Registered User regular
    edited January 2006
    Kainy wrote:
    Thanks for your replies.

    I don't really believe that it'd be such a burden on 56k users to have higher limits, but I suppose that might be part of why I'm not an admin. I don't really care what's a burden on 56k users. I've had cable for 5 years now, and it really isn't much more expensive, especially considering what you get with it.

    I have an avatar that I use on every other forum, that is 100x100 and 8KB. Tiny, by most standards of filesize. I have tried resizing it, and it looks like ass. Having no avatar on this forum is kind of like saying "HAY I R ASSHAT WHU NO UNDERSTANDS IMAGE HOSTINGS!!1" and thus removing nearly all credibility from your posts, so I would kind of like to have one. Making yourself seem more credible is about the only way to be more credible, on a forum, regardless of how artificial the means are.

    But oh well, I'll just stick with it, I guess. Maybe someday I'll see an image at 64x64 that doesn't look like ass which I could use for an avatar.
    It doesn't need to be 64x64 as the forums resizes it automatically. You can use the 100x100. As long as you stick fairly close to the filesize limit, you'll be golden.
    Hell, my ava right now is 120x120.

    Blutnerd on
    spiritsig500x80.jpg
  • Gabriel_PittGabriel_Pitt (effective against Russian warships) Registered User regular
    edited January 2006
    Avatars have very little to do with credibility. Whether or not your post has a picture by it has no effect on what people think of your writing. If you shout 'shitcock!' every time you write, people are going to call you a moron no matter what your avatar is. The opposite is also true.

    Another thing to think about if you have big avatars and sigs, is the bandwidth they'll chew up. PA gets a lot of traffic, the forum gets a lot of lurkers, each of them taking a little more of your hosting bandwidth with every page view. Any time a picture heavy thread appears, you'll have the occasion image from someone's private site, which can go down within minutes, just from the number of views that 150kb or so image gets.

    Gabriel_Pitt on
  • Target PracticeTarget Practice Registered User regular
    edited January 2006
    It's also worth noting that the size limitation is somewhat flexible. If you have a really cool anigif that you made (like Branduil's iPod version of the Azumanga intro), and it's say 50KB, most mods are going to let it pass.

    Target Practice on
    sig.gif
  • Mr. Yos MannMr. Yos Mann Registered User regular
    edited January 2006
    Yeah, sometimes when you're avatar is really really awesome you might get special mod approval. Like mine almost 2 years ago. 72kb methinks.

    Mr. Yos Mann on
    shinichiropot2.gif
  • KainyKainy Pimpin' and righteous Registered User regular
    edited January 2006
    Sadly, auto-resize (and every resizing option I've so far tried) has made it look like ass. Cropping also really destroys the image, it's meant to be exactly as big as it is.

    Oh well, I will keep a lookout for an option that doesn't fuxxor it, or a new image.

    Kainy on
    IcyLiquid wrote: »
    There's anti-fuckery code in there now :) Sorry :)
  • JohnnyCacheJohnnyCache Starting Defense Place at the tableRegistered User regular
    edited January 2006
    This is not a forum where people really care about big avatars and sigs.

    Small avs and sigs and frames therefor keep the acutal part of the forum where the meaningful text is bigger and better organized.

    Don't worry about your epeen kainy it is a good size.

    JohnnyCache on
  • Regina FongRegina Fong Allons-y, Alonso Registered User regular
    edited January 2006
    Kainy wrote:
    Sadly, auto-resize (and every resizing option I've so far tried) has made it look like ass. Cropping also really destroys the image, it's meant to be exactly as big as it is.

    Oh well, I will keep a lookout for an option that doesn't fuxxor it, or a new image.

    Post your avatar in a high-traffic chat thread and ask people with mad photoshop skillz to re-size it for you.

    I do this frequently and usually someone will fix whatever image within an hour or so.

    Regina Fong on
  • PheezerPheezer Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited January 2006
    Woodtopian wrote:
    contraband wrote:
    Jasconius wrote:
    if your avatar is too big in filesize try running it through Macromedia Fireworks, that should trim it down bigtime with virtually no quality loss.
    :?:

    (what does fireworks do?)

    It's a poor man's photoshop that I like because it's integrated to work real nice with other Macromedia programs, like Flash and Dreamweaver.

    Fireworks has more in common with Illustrator than Photoshop.

    Pheezer on
    IT'S GOT ME REACHING IN MY POCKET IT'S GOT ME FORKING OVER CASH
    CUZ THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE AND IT'S GIVING ME A RASH
  • SmasherSmasher Starting to get dizzy Registered User regular
    edited January 2006
    Kainy wrote:
    Thanks for your replies.

    I don't really believe that it'd be such a burden on 56k users to have higher limits, but I suppose that might be part of why I'm not an admin. I don't really care what's a burden on 56k users. I've had cable for 5 years now, and it really isn't much more expensive, especially considering what you get with it.

    Just wanted to point out that despite its penetration, not everyone has access to broadband, and though it's not that expensive, for some people it might be the straw that broke the camel's back as far as bills and whatnot.

    Smasher on
  • PheezerPheezer Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited January 2006
    Smasher wrote:
    Kainy wrote:
    Thanks for your replies.

    I don't really believe that it'd be such a burden on 56k users to have higher limits, but I suppose that might be part of why I'm not an admin. I don't really care what's a burden on 56k users. I've had cable for 5 years now, and it really isn't much more expensive, especially considering what you get with it.

    Just wanted to point out that despite its penetration, not everyone has access to broadband, and though it's not that expensive, for some people it might be the straw that broke the camel's back as far as bills and whatnot.

    I don't care if everyone gets free T1 and bandwidth no longer becomes a problem for anyone, everywhere. I'll still kill whoever I have to in order to prevent more larger animated shit from cluttering things up. What's already provided is enough and allows people to be creative and have fun while also not resulting in forums that look like this.

    Pheezer on
    IT'S GOT ME REACHING IN MY POCKET IT'S GOT ME FORKING OVER CASH
    CUZ THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE AND IT'S GIVING ME A RASH
  • FyreWulffFyreWulff YouRegistered User, ClubPA regular
    edited January 2006
    I've been to a forum once where people were using Final Fantasy wallpapers (as in, 1024x768) as their sigs.

    It makes me really glad for PA's limits.


    edit: if you want your eyes violated, Nintendojo's forums will also do the trick.

    FyreWulff on
  • ScrumYummyScrumYummy PortlandRegistered User regular
    edited January 2006
    Wallpapers??

    ....was there any substance to what they were posting? Or was it just a forum to show off your favorite wallpaper?

    Sorry. I find big signitures/avatars to be annoying. I think 100x100 or less is good for an avatar, and sigs shouldn't exceed the width of the text area.

    ScrumYummy on
    -Scrum
  • TimeCruiserMikeTimeCruiserMike Past Organizer of the West Coast Train Trip San Fernando ValleyRegistered User regular
    edited January 2006
    i've never really considered it an issue. I simply resize my avatar to comform to whatever forum i'm visiting or i make a new one just for one particular forum. anyone who needs to create a topic to complain about avatar size just isn't creative enough to make an avatar that looks nice within the size limits.

    I have no sympathy for dail up users . . . if they wanna be dumb and use dial up then they can wait the half hour or so it takes to load a page that is a little more graphic intensive. That is not to say that i feel every one should have 500x500 avatars . . that's just asinine.i think a 100x100 limit is suitable. 64x64 does seem a little small but it's alright since my avatar seems to look fine.

    TimeCruiserMike on
    SkOelFN.png
    {Fondly remembers the PAXTrain}
  • TubeTube Registered User admin
    edited January 2006
    Yes, because broadband is freely available throughout the globe.

    You fucking moron.

    Tube on
  • OrikaeshigitaeOrikaeshigitae Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited January 2006
    I think that not everyone has broadband available to them and it's unfair to them to expect them to have it.

    Also your sig was too large, so I edited it.

    edit: hi5 tube

    Orikaeshigitae on
  • DogDog Registered User, Administrator, Vanilla Staff admin
    edited January 2006
    I have no sympathy for dail up users . . . if they wanna be dumb and use dial up then they can wait the half hour or so it takes to load a page that is a little more graphic intensive.
    You do realize that a large majority of people simply cannot get access to a high speed connection.

    Unknown User on
  • DogDog Registered User, Administrator, Vanilla Staff admin
    edited January 2006
    Man, fuck you guys.

    Unknown User on
  • OrikaeshigitaeOrikaeshigitae Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited January 2006
    we are all over this avatar issue


    total coverage

    Orikaeshigitae on
  • KnobKnob TURN THE BEAT BACK InternetModerator mod
    edited January 2006
    Yeah

    Knob on
  • Nfinit VylenceNfinit Vylence Registered User regular
    edited January 2006
    I'd just like to take this moment to thank TimeCruiserMike for the material.

    Nfinit Vylence on
    The world is so exquisite with so much love and moral depth, that there is no reason to deceive ourselves with pretty stories for which there's little good evidence. Far better it seems to me, in our vulnerability, is to look death in the eye and to be grateful every day for the brief but magnificent opportunity that life provides. -- Carl Sagan

    For small creatures such as we the vastness is bearable only through love. -- Also Carl Sagan
  • Mr. Yos MannMr. Yos Mann Registered User regular
    edited January 2006
    Even though if I can manage to squeeze some funds into subscribing into broadband, I'm just gonna use it to download huge stuff. Like a couch. Or somethings I can't possibly get out of my 56k modem. Other than that, browsing this forums venturing to unknown sites, I'm gonna use my 56k. So it's probably best if we have a restriction for avatar sizes.

    Mr. Yos Mann on
    shinichiropot2.gif
  • The CatThe Cat Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited January 2006
    I don't care if I have enough bandwidth to download the moon right onto Chuck Norris's house, I have better things to waste it on than your stupid little pictures.

    The Cat on
    tmsig.jpg
  • EchoEcho ski-bap ba-dapModerator mod
    edited January 2006
    The Cat wrote:
    I don't care if I have enough bandwidth to download the moon right onto Chuck Norris's house, I have better things to waste it on than your stupid little pictures.

    The internet is for poooorn! The internet is for poooooorn! Grab your dick and double-click, the internet is for poooorn!

    Echo on
  • autono-wally, erotibot300autono-wally, erotibot300 love machine Registered User regular
    edited January 2006
    Bandwidth is not the problem here, but frankly, a forum with giant avatars and sigs looks like shit and will be most likely frequented by 12 year old retarded kids

    autono-wally, erotibot300 on
    kFJhXwE.jpgkFJhXwE.jpg
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] regular
    edited January 2006
    The user and all related content has been deleted.

    [Deleted User] on
  • 150cc150cc Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited January 2006
    Good grief how often do people ask questions like this

    64x64 is enough

    It used to be 50x50

    Stop whining

    Shut up and go away

    150cc on
  • KainyKainy Pimpin' and righteous Registered User regular
    edited January 2006
    Actually, I was asking if there were specific reasons and providing examples of other places where a larger avatar size works absolutely fine.

    But okay, I guess that's whining. :roll:

    Issue semi-solved, thanks for those of you who responded helpfully.

    Also, according to search, this sort of thing doesn't come up very often. Ever, that I could find, before I made the thread, although I'm sure that's hardly true.

    Kainy on
    IcyLiquid wrote: »
    There's anti-fuckery code in there now :) Sorry :)
  • Mr. Yos MannMr. Yos Mann Registered User regular
    edited January 2006
    Echo wrote:
    The Cat wrote:
    I don't care if I have enough bandwidth to download the moon right onto Chuck Norris's house, I have better things to waste it on than your stupid little pictures.

    The internet is for poooorn! The internet is for poooooorn! Grab your dick and double-click, the internet is for poooorn!
    It's the go signal for us to have porn for avatars! What the hell are we waiting for?!?
    GO! GO! GO!

    Mr. Yos Mann on
    shinichiropot2.gif
  • Regina FongRegina Fong Allons-y, Alonso Registered User regular
    edited January 2006
    pheezer FD wrote:
    Smasher wrote:
    Kainy wrote:
    Thanks for your replies.

    I don't really believe that it'd be such a burden on 56k users to have higher limits, but I suppose that might be part of why I'm not an admin. I don't really care what's a burden on 56k users. I've had cable for 5 years now, and it really isn't much more expensive, especially considering what you get with it.

    Just wanted to point out that despite its penetration, not everyone has access to broadband, and though it's not that expensive, for some people it might be the straw that broke the camel's back as far as bills and whatnot.

    I don't care if everyone gets free T1 and bandwidth no longer becomes a problem for anyone, everywhere. I'll still kill whoever I have to in order to prevent more larger animated shit from cluttering things up. What's already provided is enough and allows people to be creative and have fun while also not resulting in forums that look like this.

    That's just awful. My first thought was "I guess these sigs aren't *that* big.


    Then I flipped through a few more pages and realized just how fucking shitty 4 inch tall sigs in a thread full of one-line posts actually looks.

    Regina Fong on
This discussion has been closed.