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[Dradolan]

I have nothing against them, I actually have been trying to get a animated gif as an avatar but it never seems to work. I seen Kilmore's and PD's avatar and it makes me wonder how their avatar animates and not mine. So how would I get it to work? 

The animated gif is just two avatars of mine switching every 5 or so seconds. All I see is just the first picture and it doesn't change. Oh magical admin and mods, answer me with your wisdom and technological intelligence!

[Alastago]

There are programs you can download for animating gifs. Just google on "gif animator" and you'll find a bunch of them. It's really not more than a series of images switching on set intervals.

http://www.htmlgoodies.com/tutorials/web_graphics/article.php/3479881/So-You-Want-An-Animated-gif-Huh.htm

[Selroth]

Keep in mind though that though animated avatars are cropping up, we're actually trying to keep them down.

There's no official guidelines for animated avatars yet, but if we find them distracting (doesn't take much), then we'll ask you to remove it.  We originally didn't even want animated smilies.  So, as a rule of thumb: if it's more animated and eye-catching than sillydraco's smilies, it may be too much.

[Dradolan]

Alastago I thought I said I made the animation. I done it right and it works with no problems outside and inside my browser. What the issue is that this site doesn't recognize it as a animation.

I tried Adobe Fireworks and creating (I do know how and successfuly have done so in the past) created a gif. It does not work. I used picasion.com. It has not worked either. I am not sure whether I should give up or continue. Heh.

EDIT: Sel I know what you mean. I however made the gif to not rapidly switch but go off within a certain amount of seconds (between 3 and 5). It is like PD and Kilmor's. I understand why animated gifs are somewhat frowned about due to distracting other members but I honestly didn't know that until now. Maybe I am bad at reading but I didn't see anything relating to this in the info or the site's rules :S. If there is, please point it out. Just so I can remember in the future and to know it was actually said somewhere. If it hasn't it wouldn't be a bad idea to make a mention of it now.

[Selroth]

Alastago I thought I said I made the animation. I done it right and it works with no problems outside and inside my browser. What the issue is that this site doesn't recognize it as a animation.

I tried Adobe Fireworks and creating (I do know how and successfuly have done so in the past) created a gif. It does not work. I used picasion.com. It has not worked either. I am not sure whether I should give up or continue. Heh.

Hmm...  Try attaching it to a post, or emailing it to me.  I'll fix it for ya :)

[Dradolan]

Hmm...  Try attaching it to a post, or emailing it to me.  I'll fix it for ya :)

Uh sure if you want it so.

I just read the bit about no guidelines about animated gifs. It is late so I am not reading very well. But it still would be an nice idea to mention of what is allowed and the boundaries of animated gifs. Just so this wouldn't have to be discussed like this again. Although knowing new members randomly joining or people who don't read through all threads this will probably be talked again.

[Alastago]

http://www.draconity.org/index.php?action=dlattach;attach=4670;type=avatar

The one you're currently using is recognized as a PNG.
My first guess is that the avatar you're trying to upload is too *big* in dimensions, so the site downsizes it and *poof*, away is the animation.

[Selroth]

The one you're currently using is recognized as a PNG.
My first guess is that the avatar you're trying to upload is too *big* in dimensions, so the site downsizes it and *poof*, away is the animation.

I think that's what's going on too.

Also, I'm hesitant to upload it cause I think this may be crossing the line for animations.  The contrast between color and not has a "flash" effect.  At least to me, it's fairly distracting and annoying.

[Dradolan]

Okay that's fair enough. I will be fine with just a picture for an avatar. It wasn't really something needed or anything. I have been curious about the whole 'is ani gifs allowed or not. If so how to use' on draconity so this answers my questions.

I best be off to bed. Very late. Very tired. Goodnight all. 

[Selroth]

Okay that's fair enough. I will be fine with just a picture for an avatar. It wasn't really something needed or anything. I have been curious about the whole 'is ani gifs allowed or not. If so how to use' on draconity so this answers my questions.

I best be off to bed. Very late. Very tired.

G'nite!  Sorry about that, but glad we got it settled.  I'll see if I can draft up some better guidelines on them, cause yes we do allow them, but they can't be distracting which is very subjective.

[Lunarya]

Try making the image smaller.

[sillydraco]

i was gonna post my smiley / animation tutorial, but i see its just a size issue :3 i can fix that up right quick and in a jiffy!

ill post that tutorial anyways :3


EDIT: here it is! ill tell ya what i did so anyone can do it next time ^^

i opened photoshop, clicked FILE and scrolled down to where it says IMPORT >

i clicked on IMPORT VIDEO

in the file name text box, i typed *.* and hit the ENTER key (or click okay)

i double clicked the image you posted, then clicked okay

i clicked IMAGE at the top (near FILE), clicked IMAGE SIZE, unchecked CONSTRAIN PROPORTIONS and resized it to 100 x 100 pixels, then clicked OKAY

under the WINDOWS tab i made sure ANIMATION toolbar was open, i deleted the extra frames and set each slide to 2 seconds

i clicked on FILE again and clicked SAVE FOR WEB...

i clicked save and saved as DRADOAVVY.GIF

i posted here for you to enjoy :)

[Selroth]

Maybe that animation's not so bad, seeing it smaller.

What does everyone else think?  Is it OK?  Or is it too distracting/annoying?

[Smotri]

Smaller is good, but the transition is too rapid and distracting in my view. I did my own quick-fix and extended it to 5 seconds per frame. My next longest setting is 10 seconds per frame, then I have to do tricks with multiple images of the same to get it longer or anything in between. If desired I can adjust it all around to change framing and whatnot. My tool of choice for GIFs is Adobe ImageReady.

[Valinor]

5 seconds seems like a good interval, its not really that distracting and it seems to suit in the general way of things.

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