Avatar popularity

[Hammers]

What with the Avatar database and a rather sizeable member corps there are quite a lot of folks using the same Avatar ( as I am sure you have noticed). Take a look at 'Members' in the sections bar and click on 'Avatars'. I think these are close to fifteen members using this fella:



...and that's just an example. I never completely managed the transition from picture books to lettered ones so to me that's a bit confusing. We have mentioned this before and I understand the forum software doesn't allow for automatic checking of an avatars uniqueness. Being quite a liberal fellow I of course think people should use whatever avatar they find cool but perhaps one could add a blurb in 'Forum Profile Information' saying something like this:
'Feel free to use any avatar from the forum database you like. if you want a unique one, first take a look at the 'Members' table.

Rob_Jedi: I am not one for flash animated avatars but yours a corker.

[Plynkes]

Wow! There's a lot of Henry Morton Stanleys. At the very least we should have no trouble finding Livingstone. 


I must have a very visual brain, too. I get easily confused, and cannot tell members apart who have the same avatar. My mind just doesn't register the writing in comparison with the visuals. I keep thinking former user is the Prof, as he uses an old cast-off pic of his.

[General Roos]

This is a link where you can make your own avatars:

http://www.shrinkpictures.com/create-avatar/

Choose a photo from your computer. Set Avatar size 80 for LAF. Press Rezise button. Download the re-scaled picture and upload it in the Profile - Profile information page. 

[meninobesta]

I must admit that sometimes I'm also a little bit confused!

but since there are presentantion threads we can warn the users about their current avatar already being used!

or make a painting competition to get first dibs for avatars 

[Dewbakuk]

I'll admit I look at pics before names too. I changed my avatar when someone else started using it and uploaded my own individual one. I'd skim a thread looking for my post and kept finding someone else, very annoying so I changed

[Pentaro]

I guess it's easier to remember a picture than a name. That's why I always stick with the same avatar in LAF, La Armada and TMP (or is it "stick to"?)

[Orctrader]

Though I change them periodically, I always use a figure that I have painted.  And often different ones in each forum. 

[Captain Blood]

I must admit I find it confusing now. There are several people using the gorilla in the pickelhaube - at one point I think there were three of them all contributing to the same thread! (Traveller, The jammedgatling and someone else)

I must admit I thought the whole idea of avatars was to give an immediate visual clue to the identity of the poster...
It does seem a bit pointless if lots of people are all using the same visual identifier 

Honestly, my personal preference would be that avatars are unique.
Once someone has grabbed a given avatar for use on the forum, that's it - it's gone.

It's not a big deal, of course, but it would stop me getting confused between people!

[Hammers]

I tend to change to something which reflects what I am working on ATM. Not a good strategy, I admit, since i am most often working on nothing.

[Operator5]

I always pick some unique piece of art that I have commissioned for a book or something else to use as an avatar. I tend not to look at who has posted until after I read the post, though there are some people who's icons immediately provoke, the "must read" response in me.

[Svennn]

I must admit I thought the whole idea of avatars was to give an immediate visual clue to the identity of the poster...
It does seem a bit pointless if lots of people are all using the same visual identifier 

Honestly, my personal preference would be that avatars are unique.
Once someone has grabbed a given avatar for use on the forum, that's it - it's gone.

Surely that is the only way to go.

[Malamute]

Surely that is the only way to go.

Yep, I agree with Guanty Bago (for once)

[Dewbakuk]

I agree,

"MAKE AVATERS UNIQUE"
"JOBS FOR UNUSED AVATARS"
"UNIQUE AVATARS FOR ALL"
And other such lefty placard slogans

[Hammers]

Surely that is the only way to go.

I basically agree but Alex's said SMF doesn't allow for that type of control. One way to encourage unique avatars is to omit the forum avatar db, but that be a pity, IMO. Lots of cool images in there.

[General Roos]

Or, you could go get your unique personal avatar outside the forum like I did! Link above to create one from your favorite adventure pic