Polls and Avatars

[Leper]

What do you think of having public Polls?

I currently have them disabled on my site because I feel that they cause more trouble than they are worth. I have noticed that this site doesn't have polls either, and I'm wondernig if there is a valid reason (that I'd like to confirm) behind this.

Avatars.. no Avatars on my site either. Primarily because I think they make a site look too busy, cluttered, or messy. I also feel that if I put in avatars that look right, I'll open up a can of worms ie: "Why cant we upload avatars?" "why cant we link to them?"

Regardless, I would like to find out if any site owners are for/ against polls and avatars as well.

[soniCron]

I rather miss avatars in this forum. I'm certainly no fan of the messy, busy forums out there, but I like to think this forum is populated by a mature group of developers that would keep it "clean." I'm always surprised to see what our posters look like when they upload a photo of themselves, and I think it would be great to be able to put a face to a name. Many other mature forums keep the bar high when they allow avatars, and I don't believe these forums would be any different. I'd love to be able to see what we look like. If there was some sort of rule that the image had to be:

1. Yourself
2. Your company logo
3. or a character from your game

...then I suspect we could keep it civil while adding a touch of personality. How about it, admins? Pleeeeease? *begging*

[Leper]

Man... I'm totally doing that Dan!!!! If I can call you Dan?

[soniCron]

Man... I'm totally doing that Dan!!!! If I can call you Dan?

Of course. You know, I was talking about the Indiegamer forums, but...I'm glad I could help you out!

[Leper]

Yeah.. I realize.. But I know a good idea when I see one

[turbo]

Imho, polls and avatars can add greatly to a forum. If you keep it well moderated, as this one appears to be, you shouldn't have any problems.

Our forum, Krabbit Korner is a family oriented site which has polls, avatars and pic sigs. We also allow uploading of images.

We moderate diligently. Any images must fit within specific size guidelines. Any content not suitable for small children to view is not permitted.

True, our forum is not that big, but mostly because we aren't ready for it to be.

[electronicStar]

If it was my board, I would personally not authorize avatars and signatures, if you want to keep your discussions relevant and full of content.
As for the polls, they can be useful, you just have to moderate heavily the useless polls.

[Savant]

If it was my board, I would personally not authorize avatars and signatures, if you want to keep your discussions relevant and full of content.

I agree for the most part. Sigs here are OK as people tend to have useful links in them. The trouble with avatars is that soon people start putting their system specs and whatever CD they're currently listening to in their sigs.

[ggambett]

I like to think this forum is populated by a mature group of developers that would keep it "clean."

Lots of people here don't even have reasonable signatures nor any kind of maturity, as evidenced by the amount of noise they produce. I think allowing avatars would be a disaster.

BTW, once upon a time, polls were enabled. They were disabled after it was painfully obvious that most of the time they were completely useless and were pure noise ("should my blog use the red design or the blue design?"). I'm against anything that makes useless content easier to generate.

[soniCron]

The trouble with avatars is that soon people start putting their system specs and whatever CD they're currently listening to in their sigs.

I'm not following the correlation. I could say that avatars cause "ppl 2 talk liek dis," but that simply isn't true. Just because forums with avatars also have people with retarded signatures doesn't mean the avatars are causing the juvenile sigs.

Lots of people here don't even have reasonable signatures nor any kind of maturity, as evidenced by the amount of noise they produce. I think allowing avatars would be a disaster.

I can't see any reason not to at least try it, provided some ground rules are laid out. (Personal photos or logos only, no animations, etc.) I'm really not understanding how this could pollute the forum -- signatures are already allowed, and there is a far greater capacity for abuse in those than an avatar.

[ggambett]

I'm really not understanding how this could pollute the forum -- signatures are already allowed, and there is a far greater capacity for abuse in those than an avatar.

Just imagine this

Matthew A McFarland

Free Music For Your Game -|- Free SHmUP Enemy Pathway Editor -|- SHmUP DEV

Latest Song: Right Where I Want You(mp3) (1.6 MB) - A funk song that just pulls you right into the mood to get up and move it! Although a little short, I may extend it and add more parts if I feel up to it. Still, it hits the spot if you are in the mood for some funky bass and a breakbeat that'll nod your head.

but filled with pictures and colors. I don't want to imagine what could happen with avatars.

[soniCron]

Just imagine this...but filled with pictures and colors. I don't want to imagine what could happen with avatars.

But you won't be allowing images in signatures. An avatar is just a tiny, static image, like 40x40 pixels. Perhaps I'm talking about something different, because I cannot fathom the harm you are forseeing, nor the comparison with a huge signature filled with images.

[turbo]

It's sooo easy to moderate. Simply put restrictions on size, for one..
avatar = 50x50 and sig = 410x90 .. remove or deny anything not fitting the guidelines.

I have seen glaring sigs on some other forums.. but am quick to remove anything like that from ours..

Guidelines on size and content. Simple rules.. Moderate, enforce.. easy.
It brings character to a site. Lets people roleplay a little..

Its very easy to pop someone a little pm letting them know that their sig is distracting, please remove or replace..

[Chris Evans]

I think Gabriel should be nicknamed the "Iron Fist".

I'm normally against avatars in forums meant for serious discussions. However the idea of people here putting their company logo or game characters in the avatars does sound interesting.

But Avatars are very easy to abuse and would probably require more moderation on our part. We need to be able to finish our games too! Until recently even the signatures were starting to get out of control.

[soniCron]

But Avatars are very easy to abuse and would probably require more moderation on our part. We need to be able to finish our games too!

I would be more than happy to offer my time to help moderate avatars, provided a solid ruleset is given. You guys know I spend enough time on here -- I could be doing something useful while I'm at it.

[Chris Evans]

I wouldn't say it's "hard" to moderate sigs and avatars but it can be time consuming. PM'ing can take up time especially if the offender doesn't agree with your decision.

[Ricardo C]

I'm all for avatars, provided their usage is tightly regulated. Standard size (say 150x150), with no on-the-fly resizing allowed, meaning people wouldn't be able to get away with hotlinking to a 1920x1080 true color .bmp and making the rest of us load it every. single. time. just because they're too dumb to learn to resize.

Of course, no pictures in sigs, which themselves should be kept to 100 characters or less.

I don't see what the problem would be if rules were set, and enforced.

As for polls, the potential for abuse is too great. "Should my first game be a MMORPG or a tactical FPS?" *shudder*

[Chris Evans]

I would be more than happy to offer my time to help moderate avatars, provided a solid ruleset is given. You guys know I spend enough time on here -- I could be doing something useful while I'm at it.

Well I'm personally neutral on having avatars (assuming we have strict rules for them), so I'll defer to the higher powers to decide.

[soniCron]

I wouldn't say it's "hard" to moderate sigs and avatars but it can be time consuming. PM'ing can take up time especially if the offender doesn't agree with your decision.

My thought is that -- if there is a solid ruleset, like only personal photos and logos -- any PMs can just be ignored. Anyhow, my offer stands: I'd love to be able to offer more to this community than my valuable words of wisdom.

[Vorax]

Guidelines on size and content. Simple rules.. Moderate, enforce.. easy.
It brings character to a site. Lets people roleplay a little..

There is already to much roleplaying on here - I am guilty myself. I often pretend I know what I am talking about...you would be amazed how often people around here take that role

I don't mind avatars (no bigger then 80x80), but I don't want sig images at all. They take up way to much of the page and to many people think they are artists - you get sigs that look like a lion chewed up the cast from "That 70's show" and then barfed on the screen.

[turbo]

lol @ Vorax

... there's another way to do it.. which is usually what I do..

Rule with an 'iron fist'.

I simply remove distracting or offending content. And if people don't abide by the forum rules they are removed.

[Anlino]

Avatars sounds good to me, if they are following strict rules. Thoguh i don't think images in the signatures should be allowed - the place would be full of advertising, with "Buy Now" buttons all over it.

[Leper]

I'm testing out the Avatar thing.. and Gabriel just so you know, I wouldnt make an ugly signature

It would remain text..

I think the Avatar idea which Dan posted is a great idea, actually..
I'm glad I'm the first one who did it around here

[Savant]

The question isn't the ease of moderation, the question is: What does it add to the site? Will people get more value from the site if they can see pictures and logos? No.

People mistake this site for a social venue but it's really an informational resource. Developers come here to get information and facts, not socialize and swap pictures.

[soniCron]

The question isn't the ease of moderation, the question is: What does it add to the site? Will people get more value from the site if they can see pictures and logos? No.

I assume you don't, but I find it very comforting to have a face to put to the text. It becomes more personal for me to know there is another human being at the other end of the line -- that I'm not just reading cold, hard text with no emotional value beyond the bits and bytes.

[Vorax]

Avatars can serve a purpose - They make it easy to see posts from the people you want to read...or those that you want to ignore.

[Ricardo C]

The question isn't the ease of moderation, the question is: What does it add to the site? Will people get more value from the site if they can see pictures and logos? No.

People mistake this site for a social venue but it's really an informational resource. Developers come here to get information and facts, not socialize and swap pictures.

Yeah, who needs touches of individuality and personality muddying up the sacred exchange of information... It's not like this is a forum devoted to a creative medium or anything

[Savant]

Guys, there are hundreds of other forums on the net that have avatars and whatever other touchy feely community crap you're after. I don't see why the internet needs another one.

[Ricardo C]

Dear Santa:

When I last wrote to you, I asked that you remove the stick from Savant's ass. Clearly, you misread my letter.

Thanks for nothing, fatso
Ricardo

[Savant]

Eh, I'm not a moderator so it's not my decision anyway. All I know is that the mods here have always worked very hard to prevent this place from devolving into gamedev or any number of other bordering-on-worthless sites.

I don't think you'll be getting your avatars.