Increased File Size Maximums for Avatars and Sig Images

[Fricka]

Here are the new rules (also available here (http://thesafehouse.org/forums/faq.php?faq=forum_rules#faq_sig)):
General Art Restrictions
• Avatars and signature art are bound by our standards established in The Safehouse Code of Conduct (http://www.thesafehouse.org/forums/faq.php?faq=forum_rules#faq_gen_rules). This includes links as well as the art content.
• Animations are tentatively allowed for Profile and Avatar pics.
• Thou shall not use flashing animated art that will induce seizures. (See also, Killer Japanese Seizure Robots (http://www.seizurerobots.com/)).
• Allowed File Formats: JPG, BMP, GIF, SWF, PNG.

Profile Pictures
Animation allowed.
400w x 400h
150k in size

Avatar Only (No signature art)
Animation allowed.
125w x 100h
25k in size

Signature Only (No avatar art)
No animation allowed.
400w x 125h*
65k in size*
* maximum and includes the use of up to 3 images)

Signature and Avatar Combination
Avatar: 120w x 100h, 20K in size. Animation allowed.
Signature: 400w x 125h, 45k in size (maximum and includes the use of up to 3 images). No animation allowed.

[Lenilya]

Avatar Only (No signature art)
Animation allowed.
120w x 100h


125w is what we currently have, is that getting reduced?

Otherwise, nice to see animated avatars come back. I might have to actually someday try and make one.

[Nocte]

Nope not reduced. That's a typo. We didn't want mongo avatars breaking the flow of things so the dimensions stay the same. If your an avatar only person you get 25K now though. Doesn't sound like much, but it means a lot more colors.

Edit: This change was primarily for the sig art people. The file sizes were a bit restrictive.

[Lenilya]

Ohhh me like pretty colors.....:applaud

[Sollon Darkmoon]

Can't do GIFs still btw...=(

You may not upload animated images.

[Lenilya]

Sollon, that text sig is huge, make it smaller.

[Sollon Darkmoon]

Sollon, that text sig is huge, make it smaller.

Sorry made it late forgot the size tag =/.

And GIFs still don't work...

[Tivia]

Is this still up for discussion? I know I instigated the change, and I am not ungrateful that it was changed. I just really wish we could have slightly bigger Avatar dimensions, Size is more then fine. For example my Avatar I am displaying right now original size is 150w x 200h, and if you look at the space the forum generates by default, it is more then small enough to fit in there without causing a bit of problem for the forum. Also it is a scant 12.5kb, well under the 20kb limit. Of course right now the forum auto scales it down and it looks horrible, I cannot likewise scale it to the dimensions without it looking terrible in Photoshop. This is an EQ Pixel Army Avatar, which I know there are a ton of supporters here. The new on I created for myself I was using as a sig, but I just cannot stand using an avatar as a sig, however at the same time the dimensions here just make it look horrid despite me ensuring it meets the file size requirements.

I am not asking for any further size in crease on the Signature, it is perfect and the file size is fine. File size on avatar is great as well, its just a dimensional requirement I am beefing at, I would think this place of all places would at the minimum allow the size required by EQ Pixel army. Can we please have this small concession? 150w x 200h, maintaining the 20kb max file size.

[Lenilya]

Back in the day, there really were no size limitations other than 'not huge'. When site traffic became heavy, the size was changed to a rather generous 125x100, considering many other high-traffic forums offer filesizes, file types, and dimensions far more restrictive than The Safehouse. Heck, we can even use animated avatars again.

In short, it isn't going to happen.

[Tivia]

I ask mostly because I am not asking for a larger file size, so bandwidth is a non issue.

Also, the 25 difference in width is not really what I am concerned about, I can adapt to that difference though given the size of the sidebar is far wider then 150 by default, I point this out because it would not impact the structure of the threads any. Also I point out that the average post puts the sidebar at greater then 200h, so I am just baffled as to why given the nature of this forum and its community why they would cut something like that if the file size remains the same.

[Ruccus]

Over 82% of Safehousers view the forums in a resolution of 1280x1024 or less (including the 1440x900 users, though they're less than 7% of the total).

Height is a major concern in this forum to avoid someone's screen being taken up by two or three one-line posts. 100 pixels is going to be a maximum for a while; the extra width versus height is because we can offer it without distorting the forum width.

[Tivia]

Well I had to ask.

[Pyrocat Moonstalker]

Woot! Been browsing this forum for seven years, and the avatar limit is finally increased 10kb!

That may sound like fake gratitude but I assure you it's real.

[Haradek Shadowstalker]

I use X-fire and it won't let me use it on my sig, is that sign too large?

~H

[Dragynphyre]

Unintended formatting issue due to this new patch, I think.

Text in all posts is centered when I'm viewing a thread.

Sig posts twice.

IE 6.0 with SP2
1280 x 1024 resolution

[Nocte]

Yar... I see Aidden working in the admin panel. I would assume he's working on it.

[ShadowCross]

We're just trying to help Wix (alright, it's a little late, but slow reactions are better than none!)

[Sollon Darkmoon]

Yay we all get to see our spam count err i mean post count! :P.

[Nymm]

I'm enjoying the "Signature for every edit" feature emmensely.

[Aidden]

that will teach me not to pay attention to which site im editing...

Sorry Folks.. Everything back to normal.. Carry on!

[Lilum]

Damn the post counter went away too, now my e-peen will have to go back into hiding.

[ShadowCross]

Member List is still here, for all your epeen needs.

[Lilum]

Yeah but you actually have to go looking for it. I like my e-peen flopping out in the breeze for all to see.

[Chromite]

Any chance we could get an <hr> between the sigs and the text of a post? There's a few people who have sigs that look like it's part of their post and it gets really annoying to have to read them over and over.

Just need a separator between the normal post and the sig.

[Tivia]

Okie then, Tivia is up for another Q&A session.

Signature: 400w x 125h, 45k in size (maximum and includes the use of up to 3 images). No animation allowed.

Why the specific ban on no animation? If an animated sig falls into the file size and dimensional requirements listed here, what does it matter if it is animated or not? 45k, is 45k...takes the same period of time to load a 45k flat file as it does a 45k animated gif.

So..can we negotiate this?

[Fricka]

It matters because I, and others, find animation in a sig area annoying. Aesthetically I don't like threads that contain post after post with large animated graphical signatures.

Allowing an animated avatar was a concession to those who want to animate, but at least avatar's are off to the side of a post and smaller in size.

[Tivia]

It matters because I, and others, find animation in a sig area annoying. Aesthetically I don't like threads that contain post after post with large animated graphical signatures.

Allowing an animated avatar was a concession to those who want to animate, but at least avatar's are off to the side of a post and smaller in size.

Fair enough, however do realize that with your file size restrictions, you would at most be looking at a very subtle animation, and a fairly small sig. and or a rotating sig. One cannot do a 45k animation with anything over really about 50px, realistically 35px.

http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/577/tiviatest1yl1.gif

Is an example of what I call a subtle animation, now even with that little animation my size is well over the allowed, so obviously I am not trying to get to use this, I am just using it as an example. Is that type of animation really bothersome? That type of animation would shrink that sig down to 35px in height simply due to file size restrictions for example. That is about the same as 2 sentences height in this font.

Clearly you guys are trying to avoid large flashy irritating signatures. I understand agree with that. I feel however that we can come to a compromise that allows a bit more flexibility for those of us with Photoshop/image ready and bored minds, and still keeping those who do not want to see it fairly happy as well. Especially considering you can turn off sigs as an individual option.

So example restrictions
Animated sigs Cannot contain the following;
-Offensive material as per Forum rules
-Japanese Seizure bots
-excessively flashy animations

The members of safehouse have always been a fairly mature lot as a whole. I realize as a moderator myself on other forums that something like this in some situations can be a pain to moderate, hence why some choose to bar it outright. That said, given the types of members we have around here. I do not feel like this is something that membership would abuse, I think it would require little if any influence from the moderators, with only the rare person going overboard, no different then current sig issues.

[Lenilya]

I see this more as 'why bother'?

You are inviting more problems by allowing animated sigs. Heck, the sig above would look fine WITHOUT animation.

[Tivia]

I see this more as 'why bother'?

You are inviting more problems by allowing animated sigs. Heck, the sig above would look fine WITHOUT animation.

Yea, but then it is boring. :)

[Nymm]

I vote we go back to the days of no graphic sigs at all.

Text Sigs Rule!

[Lenilya]

Yea, but then it is boring. :)

So are laws against murder, yet I obey them.

[Sollon Darkmoon]

Signature: 400w x 125h, 45k in size (maximum and includes the use of up to 3 images). No animation allowed.

Just curious why its 400w. Just seems most places do like 500w x 125(150).

[Lenilya]

Should have sig requirements that are non-rectangle. Something crazy like 100x250x10x50x40x50x20x50x40x300 just to see if people are paying attention.

[GunSpeed]

It's a war I tell you!! :poke!

Strike! Boooo

[Lenilya]

319x396 would be interesting.

I have no idea why I have a picture that size; but man, that would be a huge avatar.

I'm bored.