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$100 Prize - Design Competition for our Default Avatars

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overmykneenow
Active Ink Slinger
Quote by Liz
This is quite a tricky concept to create original designs for which avoid the old clichés.
Here are a few sets I've been playing with but am not 100% settled on. I like the hearts.

Criticism welcome.


A good start and a decent indicator of what does and doesn't work

1. Don Draper and Charlie's Angel - bit dull (not necessarily a bad thing) but logo behind seems lost and unnecessary. Looks a bit like a re-brand for Islamic State

2. I don't like the watermark - the imagery is ok. I like the colour coding

3. Too busy, pointless branding, colour coding doesn't work any more.

4. Best of the lot. The female is better as it's representative of eroticism - the male is just a male though

We're going to see these a lot so simpler works better. Don't bother branding them - they're not going to be pinched and seeing the url 20 times on a page just looks weird.

On the broader scope - two avatars is certainly enough, unless of course you have plans to expand the options available for gender. Though I would suggest making a non-selectable gender neutral avatar used only for deleted accounts on the forum.
Warning: The opinions above are those of an anonymous individual on the internet. They are opinions, unless they're facts. They may be ill-informed, out of touch with reality or just plain stupid. They may contain traces of irony. If reading these opinions causes you to be become outraged or you start displaying the symptoms of outrage, stop reading them immediately. If symptoms persist, consult a psychiatrist.

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Stormdog
Gentleman Stranger
Quote by noll


I thought the blue one with heart shape, by Liz, does in fact match crossdressers on Lush pretty well as it reminds me a bit of two balls and a thong ;) That's not to criticize Liz' designs btw. She did a swell job.


Hmm, you're right, it does! I hate it when my balls hang out of my thong though, so for me it would have to show them duct-taped in place, just like in real life.
noll
"insensitive prick!" – Danielle Algo
Personally I'd love to see something abstract that doesn't necessarily point to men and women directly. Something as simple as...



(not a competition entry, but more like an idea)


===  Not ALL LIVES MATTER until BLACK LIVES MATTER  ===
Liz
Scarlet Seductress
Quote by overmykneenow
A good start and a decent indicator of what does and doesn't work

1. Don Draper and Charlie's Angel - bit dull (not necessarily a bad thing) but logo behind seems lost and unnecessary. Looks a bit like a re-brand for Islamic State

2. I don't like the watermark - the imagery is ok. I like the colour coding

3. Too busy, pointless branding, colour coding doesn't work any more.

4. Best of the lot. The female is better as it's representative of eroticism - the male is just a male though

We're going to see these a lot so simpler works better. Don't bother branding them - they're not going to be pinched and seeing the url 20 times on a page just looks weird.

On the broader scope - two avatars is certainly enough, unless of course you have plans to expand the options available for gender. Though I would suggest making a non-selectable gender neutral avatar used only for deleted accounts on the forum.


Thanks for your input, OMKN. In retrospect, I agree with most of what you are saying. Anyone who does any design work knows that it often takes several revisions of the same design to come up with something that works. Preliminary conceptions can vary from 'almost there' to 'what the fuck was I thinking?'. You very rarely hit it out of the park on the first try.

I think a more simplistic design would work best. I also love the idea of a neutral avatar to be used for the 'guest' account which posts of deleted members are assigned to. Good thinkin'.

What area of the male anatomy would you choose for design number four?
overmykneenow
Active Ink Slinger
Quote by Liz


Thanks for your input, OMKN. In retrospect, I agree with most of what you are saying. Anyone who does any design work knows that it often takes several revisions of the same design to come up with something that works. Preliminary conceptions can vary from 'almost there' to 'what the fuck was I thinking?'. You very rarely hit it out of the park on the first try.

I think a more simplistic design would work best. I also love the idea of a neutral avatar to be used for the 'guest' account which posts of deleted members are assigned to. Good thinkin'.

What area of the male anatomy would you choose for design number four?





To be honest, I don't think I would.

I think i'd go for something like a pair of y-fronts and a pair of knickers. Clear and simple but also open for ambiguity (which we have in spades on here). I think it would also encourage new users to "get their kecks off" and replace it with a more interesting and personalised avatar
Warning: The opinions above are those of an anonymous individual on the internet. They are opinions, unless they're facts. They may be ill-informed, out of touch with reality or just plain stupid. They may contain traces of irony. If reading these opinions causes you to be become outraged or you start displaying the symptoms of outrage, stop reading them immediately. If symptoms persist, consult a psychiatrist.

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Myamibi
Active Ink Slinger
Oops sorry, I missed Nicola's original post about keeping it simple at two.
ChuckEPoo
Chuckanator


Saw this on shutterstock
Liz
Scarlet Seductress
Something completely different...





I know you won't necessarily be a 'newbie' if you have a default avatar, but if you've been here a while it might give you the motivation to get off your lazy arse and pick a new one. smile
nicola
Matriarch
Quote by Liz
Something completely different...

I know you won't necessarily be a 'newbie' if you have a default avatar, but if you've been here a while it might give you the motivation to get off your lazy arse and pick a new one. smile


I like that thinking. It's why the current ones were deliberately a little on the vulgar side. But some people don't seem to mind that at all!

The other option could be to disallow story submissions until people have changed from the default avatars? That could potentially annoy people and put them off submitting though. Or perhaps a pop up after a week or two, suggesting people will see more activity / attention, by customising their avatar?

Bump for more ideas!
Liz
Scarlet Seductress
Quote by nicola
I like that thinking. It's why the current ones were deliberately a little on the vulgar side. But some people don't seem to mind that at all!

The other option could be to disallow story submissions until people have changed from the default avatars? That could potentially annoy people and put them off submitting though. Or perhaps a pop up after a week or two, suggesting people will see more activity / attention, by customising their avatar?

Bump for more ideas!


How about adding the avatar selection to the sign-up page and making it part of the registration process?

They can pick one of the existing stock images initially and change it once their account is up and running.
noll
"insensitive prick!" – Danielle Algo
Lusho Vitruviano:

 


===  Not ALL LIVES MATTER until BLACK LIVES MATTER  ===
Guest
Lurker





Did someone mention Avatar?
nicola
Matriarch
Quote by Liz


How about adding the avatar selection to the sign-up page and making it part of the registration process?

They can pick one of the existing stock images initially and change it once their account is up and running.


Win.
noll
"insensitive prick!" – Danielle Algo
Quote by nicola
Win.


Only if the stock images are reduced to two #competitionspecs


===  Not ALL LIVES MATTER until BLACK LIVES MATTER  ===
Magical_felix
Wild at Heart
Quote by noll


Only if the stock images are reduced to two #competitionspecs


Her idea is perfect. Way better than default avatars.
noll
"insensitive prick!" – Danielle Algo
Quote by Magical_felix
Her idea is perfect. Way better than default avatars.


True, it would hardly raise the hurdle of entry. Removing the set of stock images and still making the avatar a required field would push even more towards custom avatars (you'd probably need an option to reference any online image as well as use uploads, just to make sure the hurdle doesn't become too big).

The current default avatars might eventually become the vintage avatars for hipsters, in a decade or two ;)


===  Not ALL LIVES MATTER until BLACK LIVES MATTER  ===
nicola
Matriarch
If we go this way, it would be a small selection of avatars offered at signup, otherwise it may add a hurdle we don't want. The easier it is to sign up on a site, with the fewest steps, the better.

Or we could go the default route, and pick 2 of the most attractive models, like these:
overmykneenow
Active Ink Slinger
Quote by nicola
If we go this way, it would be a small selection of avatars offered at signup, otherwise it may add a hurdle we don't want. The easier it is to sign up on a site, with the fewest steps, the better.

Or we could go the default route, and pick 2 of the most attractive models, like these:



Any hurdle will see a drop off in new sign-ups. Choosing a username and password puts enough people off, then asking them to choose an avatar ("Will I be able to change it afterwards?") will have them hovering over the close window button.

Defaults should be simple and unobtrusive (think of the twitter "egg") you have to able to see that image on the same page a dozen or more times without it looking weird.

Social networks often use prompts to encourage users to improve their profiles - LinkedIn is probably the most pushy as far this is concerned. Friendly advice about the benefits of improving ones profile - especially to new authors - could appear whenever new users log in.

Whatever way you want to go, I think you still need a third non-selectable one for orphaned forum posts
Warning: The opinions above are those of an anonymous individual on the internet. They are opinions, unless they're facts. They may be ill-informed, out of touch with reality or just plain stupid. They may contain traces of irony. If reading these opinions causes you to be become outraged or you start displaying the symptoms of outrage, stop reading them immediately. If symptoms persist, consult a psychiatrist.

Why not read some stories instead

NEW! Want a quick read for your coffee break? Why not try this... Flash Erotica: Scrubber
nicola
Matriarch
Thank you for the feedback omkn.
Guest
Lurker
Here's an idea- can someone make an animated avatar of a clock or watch?

That would be the default avatar and new members would probably not want to keep it for long.

It just keeps going and going?

This is too small but like this.
Evie
Blackbird Supernova
Did I draw these on a napkin in the kitchen? Yes.

I'm thinking purple for both, instead of the standard blue and red. The shape is different enough that it shouldn't need extra distinction. Maybe use some black outlines to give it a little more visual interest. I like them better without the inside lines, so, the hour glass and the vase shapes, with the framing angles. I'll try to do something more electronic when I get the chance.

Verbal
Gravelly-Voiced Fucker

Male avatar (though no one is certain Godzilla is actually male)


Female avatar
Guest
Lurker
alright



or in the color tradition of the site
noll
"insensitive prick!" – Danielle Algo
Quote by nicola
If we go this way, it would be a small selection of avatars offered at signup, otherwise it may add a hurdle we don't want. The easier it is to sign up on a site, with the fewest steps, the better.

Or we could go the default route, and pick 2 of the most attractive models, like these:



You may end up with the same discussion there was about emoji. It's one aspect where abstract images may have an advantage over photos of actual people: implied ethnicity vs the lack thereof.


===  Not ALL LIVES MATTER until BLACK LIVES MATTER  ===
noll
"insensitive prick!" – Danielle Algo
Quote by a_chica
alright


or in the color tradition of the site



Your rooster's not standing still. Is that a dick move?


===  Not ALL LIVES MATTER until BLACK LIVES MATTER  ===
Guest
Lurker
Quote by noll


Your rooster's not standing still. Is that a dick move?


hahahahaha did not notice I had saved it as a GIF
its fixed now lol
angiegirl
Princess D
Quote by a_chica
alright



or in the color tradition of the site



.................oh i vote love yours choices..huggs chica