A note about Custom Avatars

RawBearNYC · 06-09-2005, 06:40 PM

The whole point of an avatar on a message board is to create a graphic identity to help identify posters by more than just their name.

With the growing subcommunity of avatar artists here on the boards, there's developed a new trend of regularly changing avatars.

I, personally - not an official Giant in the Playgroun policy, would like to reccomend that people not be so cavalier about changing their Avatars. I come to associate the posters with their avatar. When it changes, I actually think it's a different person posting, which defeats the original purpose of avatars. Most of you have figured out how to put graphics into your signature lines, and those changing on a regular basis is a good deal less traumatic (and sometimes fun) for me.

Anyway, just my 2cp.

Wukei · 06-09-2005, 06:49 PM

I've done that a couple of times, and while I have Coravel (my snow elf) I will be using Sivain (the current avatar) while I'm in the PBP Eminence Grise. I hope I didn't confuse you too much. (At least I don't change my posting name at all so that it'll match the character.)

Mick_the_Rogue · 06-09-2005, 06:58 PM

I think that ever since I got my custom avatar, people have been able to recognize me more than they were able to before I had recieved it (thanks once again to Veera)

But ya, usually if you have a custom avatar you start to say, 'Well, its that avatar so it must be such and such' because some people might not actually look at the name. and if you change the name on top of that, then no one will have a clue as to who you are (which may or may not be a good thing depending)

sktarq · 06-09-2005, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mick the Rogue

But ya, usually if you have a custom avatar you start to say, 'Well, its that avatar so it must be such and such' because some people might not actually look at the name. and if you change the name on top of that, then no one will have a clue as to who you are (which may or may not be a good thing depending)

Have suffered this exactly....in fact i think i've lost about a half dozen people i was supposed to be paying attention for (had interest in games etc). Also have "New" people suddenly appear and continueing a discussion that "Someone else" was running is well - off putting to say the least.

Lilly · 06-09-2005, 07:50 PM

Worse than avatar changing is changing names. As far as I remember, we don't allow MuPs here so it's not a completley new name, and you can still find their old name, but it still freaks me out throughly.

Saying I don't like it when people change avatars would make me a hypocrite. I typically keep mine around for a month or so before I even think of changing them. But it is annoying.

Gorbash Kazdar · 06-09-2005, 09:36 PM

I don't see a problem with changing avatars if you stick to one style, or variations of a persona. Veera does that a lot - the avatar changes, but its still clearly Veera. I think Lilly does the same thing, and it's what I try to do. But switching to a completely new one more than, at most, once a month tends to bother me in the same way it does RawBear.

In addition, as an avatar artist myself, I really have to say that changing them within a week after having just gotten one made for you by another artist is, frankly, rude. Even a basic avatar takes 30 minutes at least for me, and often longer. I know the other artists put in similar amounts of work. To see it more or less immediately replaced is irksome, to put it mildly. So, be kind to the arists and use the avatar for a while before you replace it. A month at least, I'd say.

White Blade · 06-09-2005, 09:54 PM

I think I have changed my avatar... three times in my memory, once to a hippy avatar my brother made, once to a avatar I am proud to say was one of the few made by a one Aedan, and now to a losaratar... And I seriously need to change back to my minotaur, anakin doesn't feel quite right...

RawBearNYC · 06-09-2005, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gorbash Kazdar

I don't see a problem with changing avatars if you stick to one style, or variations of a persona. *Veera does that a lot - the avatar changes, but its still clearly Veera. *I think Lilly does the same thing, and it's what I try to do. *But switching to a completely new one more than, at most, once a month tends to bother me in the same way it does RawBear.

Veera is the exception to the rule, however, Veera has managed to make a recognizable character (I daresay, even more than the Giant's own). * I've seen people change to entirely new characters and find it very distracting. *I rarely pay attention to the names and rely on the avatars. *That said, I'd say changing an avatar even once a month is alot.

pumpkinetics · 06-10-2005, 05:48 AM

I do apologise for changing my avatar a few times. In my time here I've had 6 different avatars, though they've been variations on 2 different characters.

1st: Standard Gitp kobold
2nd: Kobold torso
3rd: Same kobold, new pose (Reaching upwards)
4th: Male fighter/wizard (Only lasted a day)
5th: Male fighter/wizard (Replaced old one on the grounds of "Being more OoTSish)
6th: Current Veeratar (Same guy again)

I've otherwise tried to keep my avatar changing at a minimum, unlike some people...

Sneak · 06-10-2005, 07:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pumpkinetics

I've otherwise tried to keep my avatar changing at a minimum, unlike some people...

That would probably be me. I apologize too, and I shall keep this avatar that I'm currently using for the time being, unless it is easier to recognize me with my old Barbossa avatar.

Wukei · 06-10-2005, 11:40 AM

I like your Barbossa one better, but that's just me.. ;D

erisian · 06-10-2005, 12:52 PM

I've changed mine from a Giant default one to my tabletop game character and just recently to my PBP game character. I do not plan on changing regularly more than to whatever character I am playing in a game.

So, despite the temporary confusion this may cause, I will on rare occasions change my avatar. I am understanding of the confusion associated with this and certainly not change multiple times in a short span of time.

I hope this is an acceptible compromise.

LadyGlutter · 06-10-2005, 01:14 PM

I gotta say, the most mixed up I was was during the Monkey days. *Now that those avatars have been retired, and I only see one Monkey on a regular basis (Alec) I'm much less confused. *Then again, I go by avatars and by names, not just the avatars. *Also, I agree, the themed avatars (like Gorbash's or Veera's) aren't a problem. *I also love it when The Losar does a series of avatars, they crack me up.

I like it when people have unique avatars. I think that changing your sig, like RawBear says, is a nice compromise that keeps everyone straight on *who* you are, while allowing for a little creativity. *It took me a while to ask Gorby for what I wanted, because I thought long and hard about what character I could live with for a long time on the boards. * I have another character I considered having a stick figure drawn of. *I love her more, but first off, I'm very attached to her and have a very particular idea what she looks like in her mind. *So I picked a more "glamourous" looking avatar, thought a while to make sure I wouldn't get bored in a few months, and asked for it. *Now I find that people remember my posts more often than when I had the generic NecroGirl avatar. *All that to say, maybe put a lot of thought into something you can live with on a longer term than a week.

erisian · 06-10-2005, 01:23 PM

I wholeheartedly agree about "something you can live with on a longer term than a week." I plan on using this for many months (well, I may tweak it a little like I just did by adding the bow, but it'll be the same basic avatar).

Wukei · 06-10-2005, 01:26 PM

For me, my sig should stay the same, as will my name, so it shouldn't be too hard for people to tell who I am. I really love my Coravel (snow elf) avatar, but I wanted to have one of my character so people could say "ah, look, Sivain's talking" in the PBP without being confused because the avatar's a boy.

HempRope · 06-10-2005, 03:08 PM

I used the OldMan for about... (counts months)... well, maybe 8 months or so, & then the Losar did this beatutiful rendering of me/Arthur Dent, which I've had for the past... month & a half?

I am happy with either one, as they are both quite confused. I now feel that I have held on to them for quite a long time, what with all of the rapid changes about. I must say that Erisian & Sneak's rapid metamorphoses have thrown me off every so often, but am of two schoolos of thought about custom avatars on the whole and changes do not factor into my opinions at all, oddly.

Part of me loves having all of the beautiful custom avatars running about, as it makes everyone more easily distinguishable. It also adds color, and shows the dedication that most of us have to these boards.

Another part of me is nostalgic for the days when everyone except for the mods and Gorby had the stock avatars. It seemed to make the whole place seem more homey and friendly. I would find the variance in avatars intimidating, were I to join now (I think I joined 10 months ago, or so).

Reading back over this, I don't really know why I have written it all. But I nonetheless feel that it is somehow related to the topic.

Anyway, I am occasionally bugged by the rapid changing of avatars, but my first thought when they started flying around that it was an insult to the artists. I think above all people ought to be polite to the people who have been kind enough to craft these for users. If people make their own and change them, though, I don't see a huge problem with it.

Sneak · 06-10-2005, 03:35 PM

I now decided that I won't be able to live with my avatar being Crag for a long time, so I've switched to El Syl, a monk of mine. *I'll keep this avatar for a long time, I like it much better.

EDIT: I might do some different poses with the same avatar, but it won't be very different.

Wukei · 06-10-2005, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Another part of me is nostalgic for the days when everyone except for the mods and Gorby had the stock avatars. It seemed to make the whole place seem more homey and friendly. I would find the variance in avatars intimidating, were I to join now (I think I joined 10 months ago, or so).

When I found out that you could have your own avatars when I signed onto the boards (just this month..wow..I feel like I've known you guys forever...) I immediately wanted a custom avatar because that would make me, well, me. No one would say, now is that her, him, or her? I mean, I role play with two people who have the same avatar, and I have to take a second look to see which game I'm in at the moment, and whether I have to be the nice cleric, or the mean bard.

erisian · 06-10-2005, 04:15 PM

Well poop. I was hoping that I hadn't changed often enough to have caused anyone confusion. I am sorry about that Mr. Rope.

I (like Senor Sneak) will keep this character (although possibly adding glitter if I can figure out how to do it, and eventually wings when my character's wings sprout) for a long time.

Early on I used a stock avatar and so did at least two other posters. It bugged me to confuse my own posts with someone else's. I like to make pictures and so decided to learn to make my own. I searched a little for an identity before deciding that that only D&D character (psychic warrior) was appropriate. Now that I am in a game on these very boards, that seems more appropriate to me here (especially since it's also my first custom race - custom anything really).

To make a short story long (sorry about that) I'll settle down now that I am me.

Being new here myself, I found the variety of avatars (especially since they almost all were in the Giant's style) to be comfortable. I think I would have been happier if I knew I could end up with a unique one so that I would not be easily confused with someone else who happened to use the same avatar. The idea that mine would be in the same style (whether stock or custom) as the comic and the other posters would feel more connected to me.

That's how I see it, anyway.

RawBearNYC · 06-10-2005, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by El Sneak

I now decided that I won't be able to live with my avatar being Crag for a long time, so I've switched to El Syl, a monk of mine. *I'll keep this avatar for a long time, I like it much better.

EDIT: *I might do some different poses with the same avatar, but it won't be very different.

Ugh! Ugh, I say!

Veera · 06-10-2005, 04:50 PM

Thanks for the compliments RawBear! I'd just like to say that I do agree with him, the constant changing of avatars is a bit annoying... I've actually lost a lot of motivation to do stick figures, since a lot of the time I'll make one for a person, they'll use it for a few days, then dump it. It is *really* disheartening.

erisian · 06-10-2005, 04:54 PM

I can't really understand that, Veera. Your avatars are simply the best of all the custom ones! I am not disagreeing that it's happened, just amazed and disappointed.

sktarq · 06-10-2005, 06:39 PM

Maybe I'm odd in the fact I don't feel any need to have a custom avatar or that it even enhances my presence here.....Does anyone else feel this way?

Mick_the_Rogue · 06-10-2005, 09:06 PM

You also notice that you're the only one on this thread that doesn't have a custom avatar?

And, in theory of course, one's avatar should be kind of an expression of one's self.

And as for your question, I disagree, I think people have recognized me more now that I have an avatar, which may be a bad thing, just being known because of your avatar. Or maybe its that I'm more recognizeable, don't know.

And Veera, I am still using the avatar you gave me, even after like what? A month or two(man time has flown). But then again, that could possibly because my avatar is possibly one of the best you have ever created. Not that I have a personal bias or anything ;)

The_King_of_Durf · 06-10-2005, 09:49 PM

I loves my Veeratar and shan't change it for a good long time, most likely forever.

Sktarq, you told us why you chose a flumph remember? Since the flumph is more "you" you feel that it fits you so you have no need for another avatar, IMHO anyways

sktarq · 06-10-2005, 11:28 PM

Fair....Just lucky I had an attachment to one of avalible monsters i guess....

HempRope · 06-11-2005, 12:32 PM

I like seeing the old stock avatars. Especially on a long-time member.

I kind of thought that I would always stick with my Old Man. But then Losar created this for me (I asked him for one in an off-hand manner, & didn't expect to actually get one). I couldn't not use it, 'cause that would be an insult, and I really love it. So I will use it until someone forces me not to (or someone gives me a better one -- I'm not going to ask for one).

SKTarq, I admire your attachement to you Flumph.

Balthor · 06-11-2005, 12:47 PM

I's got me the purfect dwarf barbarian. and since that was my PC, and the SN was my PC'S name. I think it will stick.

sktarq · 06-11-2005, 05:36 PM

Long time member? I've been here since what? Feb?

HempRope · 06-11-2005, 06:38 PM

Longer than many. :-/

I've been a member since... maybe... last August?