A note about Custom Avatars

[RawBearNYC]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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

[erisian]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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

[HempRope]

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]

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]

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

[HempRope]

Longer than many. :-/

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

[sktarq]

And since I'd guestimate that more than half of those who have post counts over 250 have custom avatars that would make me unusual....Didn't think i was until a month ago.

[Sneak]

Dunno how long I've been here. I think I registered maybe a day to a week before SKtarq.

And now for something completely different. I don't like lurking, especially when people never post at all. I just feel like: "Well, why did you register if you're never going to post?"

Okay, sorry, I just felt like ranting for a bit.

EDIT: The reason I was reminded of this was because we were discussing when we joined, and I was thinking that so many people post in the "Hello" thread, but only some of them ever post at all.

[The_King_of_Durf]

No actually, you joined April 17, SKTarq joined February 25, I know, because SKTarq was here before I was, and you came after. I came March 31

[pumpkinetics]

Late october for me.

(Casts telekinesis to move this thread back on topic)

I must admit though, now that a custom avatar is more common than a regular one, the style of the forum seems to have changed. Nowadays there's a lot more vibrancy it seems, and more... optimism.

shudder

[Mick_the_Rogue]

Looked back, I joined april first of this year, seems so long ago at this point. That was also when I used the ninja avatar too.

[White Blade]

Early July of LAST year. ;D

[RawBearNYC]

Late october for me.

(Casts telekinesis to move this thread back on topic)
You don't get points for trying to get the thread back on topic when you participate in it's derailment :P

Voice of a Mod: Um, lets drift back in the direction of the topic...discuss lengths of membership elsewhere.

[HempRope]

Apologies. I think I am to blame.

Now, I'm confused. How many people make custom avatars?

Veera is most famous, yes, and she and Losar started the trend (of making them for others), I do believe. Now, Gorby maikes a few, and recently Sneak & Erisian have started offering their services.
That's... 5 people, but I'm sure there are other manufacturers artists.

Aren't there?

[The_King_of_Durf]

I started but I have a crappy old version of Illustrator so they don't come out very good, I'm learning to fool around with the program and I think I may have finally got it to work

[Wukei]

Yea..and he also said he was planning on making avies of all of Eminence Grise and never did ^.^ but his are actually really good, save that the eyes might be a little too big.

[HempRope]

I just saw Nikolai II's caption, & then went to the custom avvie thread to check (I've never been there)... and it's true! Veera is retiring!!!

I weep.

So that's one less avatar artist... but does Peregrine do them too?

[Alarra]

I was the first person offering them. But don't anymore, mainly because I don't have AI, so mine don't look as nice.

But yes in the vein of the main topic, it is kind of irritating when people change to drastically different avatars all the time, although I have started going mainly by names rather than pictures, although then they change those too. And I really can't talk, cause I have changed my avatar a fair number of times while I was trying to figure out how to make them, what I really wanted, etc.

[Wukei]

My name never will change, though my avatars probably will maybe once a month. However, all of my avatars are listed under my sig (in the ootsatars link) so at least if people get confused they can look and say "okay...is this the person I was talking to"...and you know, at least when your avatar changes, it changes on all of your posts...the last board I was on didn't do that.

[Peregrine]

Now, I'm confused. How many people make custom avatars?
I'm responsible for five that were by request, and a few others that I put out free to good homes, as it were. I guess you could lay a little blame on me for the avatar-swapping trend, because I know of at least a couple of people who used my drawings for only a very short period. On the other hand, four of the requests I did are still used exclusively, and the fifth gets alternated with a Veeratar.

[HempRope]

My name never will change, though my avatars probably will maybe once a month.
That's a lot. :-/


However, all of my avatars are listed under my sig (in the ootsatars link) so at least if people get confused they can look and say "okay...is this the person I was talking to"
But no one will ever do that. Ever.

[Gorbash Kazdar]

I did! Before reading this thread, too ;D

Anyways, when it comes to changing avatars, changing to different versions of the same persona doesn't bother me, and rotating a couple regularly would probably be ok. It's the drastic changes to seemingly unconnected avatars on a regular basic that gets me.

[Wukei]

my problem is that I don't like all of my avatars to look nearly the same. But I only plan to rotate between the avatars given to me. (And not my wanna-be-tar Grim)

[HempRope]

Changing once a month is still a lot, though... ::)

[Wukei]

Yea, I don't actually intend for it to be that often..I'm just saying that's the soonest I'd change it out. I dunno, I might ask for holiday avatars from someone, avatars that look almost like the original, but their wearing santa hats or holding boxes of chocolate shaped like hearts or something... not all the holidays ..just christmas mostly, cuz X-mas rocks! Maybe easter they could be holding an easter egg or be wearing bunny ears. (It'd be fun to see Sivain in floppy bunny ears)

[sktarq]

Well I went to the New people say hi thread. and starting on pg 64 (selected randomly) i counted up 15 new users. 3 now have custom avatars (but post counts of 7,1, and 39 since March). We also have only 3 with post counts over 50 (including 1 over 500) and none of those had a custom avatar. So we seem to have quite a few people creating avatars as soon as they arrive (generally the non-OotS style ones). Now when people started flipping over in droves I don't think i can look up, otherwise i'd start searching for events that might have caused the cultural shift....does anyone have ideas?

[The_King_of_Durf]

Well some people such as Sneak as erisian, to name two, make avatars for those who have less than 50 posts

[Wukei]

Yea, Eri made mine even though I'd only been here 1-2 days..but my post count was over 50, so there :P Now I've been here 11 days and it's over 500

[sktarq]

To get away from how long people have been here.

Maybe Veera or someone else who was active in the Avatar request thread can answer this.....was there a growth in the number of artists and then a boom in demand or the other way around? And roughly when did many people who had been around awhile start asking for them?

[Veera]

April was the big avatar boom for me, when I ended up getting swarmed with requests from members both new and old. That was also about the same time that I noticed a large number of people starting to create their own avatars. Oftentimes, right after I made them one. >_>

I'd say the demand came first, then the artists.

[Gorbash Kazdar]

I agree. There's always been a desire for custom avatars, but until Veera came along no-one who was able to accurately portray the style was doing requests. And once it became clear that it was in fact possible to get very close simulations of the OotS style, others (including myself) started trying to make them ourselves.

[bingo_bob]

Guess I came in during or around the boom, but it took me a while to reach dwarf, and I only got my current avvie AFTER 250 posts, and I plan on sticking with it for a LONG time. The only major rapid-changer I ever saw was Sneak, and he did most of his own, and has pretty much quit that now.

[Sneak]

Er...yes....I stopped that....huh..... ::)

But seriously, I will try to keep avatar changing down to a minimum. Probably not for another month, at the LEAST.
But if I do change it, it'll look basically the same, but with different weapons, some more clothes, different pose, etc.

[GeeVee]

I got my lovely little tonberry here from Veera. It's one of the few custom avatar of a monster. It's a completely unique avatar, and there isn't a chance you'll mistake me for another member of the board. I absolutely love it, and wouldn't change avatars if you paid me to.

Ok, I'm done bragging. :P

[sktarq]

Okay, why do you people care so much for your avatars....i picked one where i had a single experience with something that looked similar...I thought this would be normal but i am apparently mistaken. I want to know what you get out of having your spiffy neeto custom avatars.

[Jibar]

To show off really,
Personally, I got my Jibar and jibar the Bard because I wanted to see what they looked like OOTS sryle (thanks Sneak by the way) Then Annex made me makobo and Edwardo for something to do, and Gorbash made me Jibarrp so it was a full set,
I then got Sneak to make me a spiffy little changing avatar so that I could show all their talents,
So I'm showing people their work, not mine,
And did that make sense?

[Wukei]

Also, getting the rotating avatars makes it where we don't switch avatars as often, hopefully. ;)

And besides, if we do get another avatar we want to use, all we have to do is get it added on to our current rotation.

Speaking of which..I forgot to get Sneak to add my Angel of Death to the lot...oh Sneak....*goes running off to the Comic board*

[Adghar]

So everyone will know:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v480/Adghar/Avatars/ootsyshort.gifis now http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v480/Adghar/Avatars/thedarkpaladin.gif

[Wukei]

Yea, and I just figured out how much I rely on avatars. I was looking at your name then at your avatar and was like "I...don't remember who this is." I knew you'd posted a lot, cuz I recognized the name. I just didn't recognize what your personality is like.

[Adghar]

Yes, well I think that this new one shall be my current avatar for a while.

And Wukei, your avatar kind of creeps me out because it seems that whenever I scroll past your posts, your animated GIF is showing the Anubis avatar that I made...

[Sneak]

That's probably just timing, Adghar. I made that gif, and it spends some time on each one, but while you're scrolling (at least if you're using the scroll bar and not the arrow keys) then the avatar doesn't change while you're doing it. That is true for all animated gifs.

[Wukei]

Why does he creep you out? I think he's cool. And nm, Sneak, I can't find the white background version of the AoD.

[Adghar]

Well of course he's cool but it's the fact that HE always appears and rarely anyone else that bothers me.

[Sneak]

He's stalking you, Adghar... :o :P

But really, I think it's just a timing issue of when you click the scroll bar.

[Estrogen]

Does anyone want a custom avatar?

I'm soo bored! Please employ my use of time!

PLEASE!

[Adghar]

That goes here (http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=comics;action=display;num=1119405459 ) if you haven't noticed :)

While I'm here, how about you make a... Large Banana! With one of them grass skirts! Wielding a dwarven urgrosh! Making a remark about the economy! With a pet house cat sitting beside him/her/it!

[Estrogen]

http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/8485/theeconomy6ab.png

Wow...

[Sneak]

LOL! ;D

Sorry, but that was pretty funny. Hey, it kinda reminds me of the dancing banana/s...you've seen that, haven't you?

[Adghar]

Peanut Butter Jelly Time Peanut Butter Jelly Time!

Of course. Who hasn't? Probably the same people that haven't seen the llama song or Magical Trevor.

[Jibar]

Everyone loves, magical trevor because the tricks that he does are..ever...so...clever?
What!?
I was singing that for 15 minute sstraight the other day....

[Estrogen]

Of course. Who hasn't? Probably the same people that haven't seen the llama song or Magical Trevor.


THERE'S A LLAMA ONE?!?!??!

[Wukei]

yea, I forget what site its on, though. I just recently saw it.

Anyway, we're getting off topic, people.

RawBear, as long as we keep the original avatars, it's cool if we add more to the rotation, right?

[RawBearNYC]

RawBear, as long as we keep the original avatars, it's cool if we add more to the rotation, right?
Frankly, I'm not a fan of rotating avatars, I don't think they help me figure out who you are much more, but c'est la vie.

Be careful with animated gifs, tho. They increase in size for every frame in the image. As long as the images aren't hosted on the Giant's site, he won't be paying for the bandwidth, but we have some 56K (or worse) people with us, and they won't appreciate your artwork as much if they take lots of time to download.

[Wukei]

well it didn't take any time for it to load for me, even the first time, and I'm a 56ker...but I will be cautious and not put too many in the file.

I still go by the conclusion that my name's unique enough that people are like "oh yea, Wukei, I know who that is."

[Mad_Max]

Wukei? who's that?? J/K :P

Since ppl change their avatars here fairly often I've learned to identify ppl by their avatar AND their name.

Also I kinda like the rotating avater, it gives ppl with a lot of them the chance to show 'em off.

[Sneak]

Here it is!

The Llama Song! (http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/llama.php)

Tis loadin... :P

[Estrogen]

LOLOL The Llama song is great!

Yey! I'm in Wukei's Ootsatars page!!! You didn't have to put up all 5 lol. I just did all of those so ye had a choice, but whatever floats yet boat :P

[Adghar]

Well. Since Ullii likes Sneak more than me, and this thread has careened off topic I would like to say that I knew a person that memorized the llama song. And I'm going to let it loop over and over again so that I can memorize it too!

[Sneak]

Whoah, those lightsabers are awesome! How did you make those?

[Estrogen]

First of all, Adghar, why would you say that? It's certainly not true, if you were serious. If you were joking, then disreguard this message :)

And Sneak, I made the lightsabers in photoshop, using a 2-pixel wide white line, and giving it an outer-glow (in the blending options for the layer) of the desired colour. Then I simply rotated it and moved it where I wanted :)

(edit)

oh, and also in the blending options, I did a colour overlay of the desired colour, but VERY light to being ALMOST white. having it white works too though.

[Adghar]

Well, I said so because I sent a PM with the link to the llama song but you chose to reply to Sneak here. :/

[Estrogen]

I read your PM, and new you were replying in this thread, so I knew you'd read it. It wasn't in reply to anyone in perticular. In fact, a couple other people told me about it as well.

Sorry if I ofended you, I certainly didn't mean to.

Also, sorry for going off topic, I just wanted to clear up any misunderstandings.

So yea...... how 'bout those custom avatars, eh?

[DarkCloud]

Just as a side comment here- I don't see why it's so terrible that people change their avatars. I think that it increases the visual variety and interest of the site.

Bring in the new and out with the old.

Honestly, it's not that hard to look at the little names above the images- I always do that even when I recognize an avatar.

-DC.

[Wukei]

DC, I'll tell you what's bad about it:

I've been here a little more than 1 month. I've changed avatars countless times. For those who don't know me yet, it's hard to keep up with me when I keep switching my avatar.

Still, I prefer custom avatars, due to the fact that every new person that I see seems to like the red wizard...it gets confusing.

[sktarq]

I't not intuitive but as more and more people have been using custom avatars I've been paying attention to them less and less.

[Sc00by]

Picking an avatar and sticking too it is a good thing. People then 'recognize' who you are...

On another board I've had the same avvie for 3 1/3 years. I'd confuse the heck out of everyone if I changed it...

I like <-- that one of sneaks. I can't see me ever changing it (unless someone does a stick Scoobydoo... ;) )

[Sneak]

Yeah. I'm not sure I'll ever change my avatar, as I really like this one. But I can see how it can be confusing to change avatars a lot.

[Pax]

Me, I've got two that I (infrequently) change between - my Zombie BArd (which I'm using asof this post), and my Pixie sorceror. Since they're both clearly of a single style (3D-effect "frame" and all), I think I stay reasonably ecognisable as "me".

And when the changes are "My usual avatar, re-imagined to suit __