New Rules for Avatars and Mini-Profile Backgrounds (Updated Opening Post: 2016)

How do I make mine smaller without it repeating?

reply to post by Pauligirl


Mine started repeating at around 190x440 ... to make it smaller and not repeat, you would have to make the picture smaller and superimpose it onto a solid background color (or) turn your background into an avatar instead, dimension: 170x240

Originally posted by LadySkadi
reply to post by Pauligirl

 

Mine started repeating at around 190x440 ... to make it smaller and not repeat, you would have to make the picture smaller and superimpose it onto a solid background color (or) turn your background into an avatar instead, dimension: 170x240

edit on 2-11-2010 by LadySkadi because: (no reason given)

I've got the transparent background avatar thing--guess I'll try the background color. Thanks for the help.

Testing 1 2 3 - I have no idea if its okay or not - did my best. All the avatars here look good on my screen.

Hi there,

I used to use irfanview, found it lacking severely in comparison to another free one called Faststone, portable too (for those who haul programs around with them)

Very powerful little program, when you open a pic, check out the sidebars that pop out. Apart from that.. I use photoshop and gimp.

Love the forums!

I would like to know why it keeps squashing my background pic though.. Mmmm

This was a bad idea.

I used to enjoy seeing everyones creativity in their avatars. now their all gone. All i see people using are horrible gifs and other images from imageboards. Not sure what the point was in changing the size but if it aint broke dont fix it. This was a bad move and I ahve spent over 40 minutes now trying to figure out how to change my avatar and cant find out how to do it. now I am stuck with the bottom of mine cutoff. this website is changing everything so much its becoming more a burden to use each time I visit since it seems I have to learn how the new navigation features work.

Originally posted by SkepticOverlord
Animated backgrounds are not allowed.

Enforcement Timeline
Beginning November 1, 2010, our staff will begin removing avatars and backgrounds -- observed in recent postings, they won't "look back" at old posts -- that don't comply with the new dimensions and file sizes.

Sorry I haven't read all 10 pages to see if ATS still plans to enforce the "Animated backgrounds are not allowed." rule, is this still going to be enforced beginning November 1, 2010? Because I noticed some people still have them.

reply to post by Arbitrageur


I noticed people who've joined after Nov 2010 still have them.

No really, this isn't just a second line filler or anything - I've noticed them.

-m0r

reply to post by SkepticOverlord
Thank you, but I am having trouble putting up an avatar. When I joined I didn't know to make and intro, sorry I am late. I have never want to join any kind of chat site, but ATS is different. You don't allow bullies, and there are a lot of intelligent people on this site, and a lot of caring. which I find unusual on the web.

I downloaded a generic avatar. I am testing to see what it looks like. Fingers crossed it worked!

Yay it worked!

I've reasoned that posts which don't pat-the-backs of 'believers' get more attention than threads which scrutinise silly or invalid claims.more than actual following of the rules.

Seems animated backgrounds or avatars (or signatures) which are in the rules don't matter as much as towing the party line. But it ain't no party and the line isn't democracy.

-m0r

reply to post by SkepticOverlord

Animated backgrounds are not allowed.

Why, specifically? What parameters of an animated background prevents it from being used? May I please be granted specific clarification on the reasoning behind this additional rule to the mini-bg image in an avatar?

The one I had maintained the new image constraints so I am failing to see the issue with mine specifically.

That, and to this day I continue to see other members with them. If I am to adhere to this rule, then on principal, it should be enforced upon everyone, yes?

Respectfully,
UberL33t

reply to post by UberL33t


I have heard it said in the past that dial up people appreciate not having to deal with backgrounds. However, I can say that I am positive that animated backgrounds are obnoxious to the majority of members. You likely would not be obnoxious....but I have seen members with backgrounds that are animated with flashing yellow and red lines or some other such nonsense.

ATS is really great. It would be a shame if it gave me a seizure.

reply to post by bigfatfurrytexan


Now that I could understand. Perhaps an approval system then would eliminate that possibility. Submit your animated bg to staff, and if it is ruled as an eyesore, then by all means require it to be removed. The one's that can be frugal with their animation and otherwise is within size constraints and isn't determined to be an eyesore would then be okay'd? Just a notion.

ETA: Here is the image in question.. 73K animated .gif
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/1393b10ae167.gif[/atsimg]

This is my current bg image.. 31.3K non-animated .jpg

..with a difference of 41.7K ...the images, regardless of their mime type are cached in the memory, once loaded, it should not affect the stability of the page to the best of my knowledge.

reply to post by UberL33t


Current image...exceeded 4 hour editing time two hours early...interesting..none the less

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/0fb48b5da29b.jpg[/atsimg]

reply to post by UberL33t


that is a pretty cool moving star field.

Problem is, subjective rules lead to strife. While i agree with your theory, in practice it would likely harm the site more than allowing animations would help it.

Then again, as Pythagoras said, "When laws are necessary, men are no longer fit for freedom."

I just wanted to say due to this thread I have noticed some very beautiful and creative avatars
An avatar is a very personal expression of yourself that you wish to show through.
I’m loving the new look of everyone’s Avatars.

And as you can see I found an image that I feel represents my personality.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/d4fccea3ffbb.jpg[/atsimg]

reply to post by Whateva69


Very lovely indeed, well done!

reply to post by bigfatfurrytexan


So the phrase "adapt and overcome" is the approach I plan to take. It's simple really, I am going to take the animated background that I love so much and incorporate it as a layer under my avatar therein making it an animated avatar therein adhering to the T&C for the 2010 avatar rule. This will be a rainy day project

reply to posts by anyone else involved in my tirade

I apologize that this got as out of hand as it did. It was not my intent and I as well intended no disrespect.

Respectfully,
UberL33t

reply to post by UberL33t


You could place a "tear" as in "rip" somewhere in your avatar and have the stars appearing to pass in the background behind that tear. It would still be part of the actual avatar and not the background. Then again, such a picture might end up being a too large file.

Sorry, I kind of got carried away there with my imagination. I'm with you on the animated background issue. If it meets all the other requirements, who cares if it moves? If it is disturbing, there is always the "esc" key to stop it.