Gender-Specific Avatars Options

[Guest_Ares Baggins_*]

This has probably mentioned before, but I think there should be gender specific avatars.
So uh...yeah...
*Runs off to hide*

EDIT: I guess I wasn't fully awake this morning...



This post has been edited by Ares Baggins: Apr 1 2000, 05:00 AM

[Graphite]

race specific avatars? o.O... So you mean... an avatar for felines... and one for equines... and maybe another one for canines or lapines or some such?  Cause that's the only thing I can think of when I hear 'race specific avatars'

[Genslal]

Ares, be more specific. I'm not sure what you mean by "race-specific" avatars. But from my intrepretation, I think the avatars that are available already on Furcadia seem to be classified readily- if you want to state them as "race." (Ex. Feline, canine, lapine, equine, rodent, musteline are all avatars of different "races.")  

[Napster]

Probably means, since we can already assume Ares knows about the different races, that it was intended to be 'species-specific'?


Which would take too many FSH files, like the "Wearing armour" suggestion. Still, another addition that would be nice to see, but not plausible, only that it be left to editing FSH files within dreams.



This post has been edited by Napster: Mar 31 2000, 06:00 AM

[Carrie O'Kaye]

Using the literal definition of things, I think that Ares meant to say that Furres should be subclassified.

For example, right now, each Furre are different according to their species.  Ares is probably suggesting that we'd have cats from Tibet, cats from France, cats from Africa and so on.  Same thing with clothings.  Same things with profession class.  I think all of this messy stuff will be implemented in PhoenixSpeak -- where we'll be able to track and assign a set of data to each player.

[Cassiel]

Well, I don't think it's about data, seeing as he or she used the word "avatars."  Right now, the avatars aren't that customizable.  Who knows what the future holds, though?

[Guest_Ares Baggins_*]

Heh, I guess I wasn't fully awake this morning!

I meant to say, "Gender Specific Avatars."

[Leikeze Ajnin]

From http://www.realtime.net/~pixel/a/#A34, Talzhemir's FAQ:

# 34. "Could you add male and female walking shapes?"
--I'm sorry, but no. This question isn't as simple as it sounds. Early on, Furcadia's predecessor DragonSpires had both genders. As a direct result of this, the atmosphere was different. Amongst the major problems was abusive behavior towards females and strong adult language that the filters could not prevent.

The need for Owsla [Guardians] would have been much higher and I was never in favor of having the game be forever patrolled by "babysitters". I was faced with a VERY hard decision here: to risk my livelihood by taking the chance that we'd have a game that we would have to ban anybody under 18, or to make a game that I felt confident even 10 year olds could have a good time playing!!!

I knew there would be time for four or five shapes. We could have males and females but we'd have to have limited it to canines and mustelines. Or I could dump the females and have canines, mustelines, equines, and rodents. I opted for having no genders, and twice as many shapes. Unless we're charging for it, I'm inclined to add 1 new Types, not an extra version of an existing ones. Having to have three winged versions already makes adding one new type a huge chore.

If we were to go over to having females now, it would cost as much time as it takes to modify 400 frames of animation. Even if there was time to add the second genders, the size of the download is still a MAJOR limiting factor for Furcadia, and it still is. Furcadia's market includes people with slow connections, who can't play real-time action games and often can't afford a game that charges a monthly fee. It also includes people who have slow connections because they live overseas.

Every byte added to our download increases the chance of a disconnect during download. If that happens, they may try again. But they're very very likely to say, "Heck with this-- I'm playing NeoPets!" and then we've lost a potential Furre. Our download size is already severely pushing the limits.

I *do* agree with everybody who says, it would be nice to have female figures. I'm still open to that possibility. But something would have to change that counteracts the abusive atmosphere problem in a way that doesn't depend on us having to police the game more.

Another (less significant) problem is that, in the year 2001, wearing skirts is subtly associated with a menial position, more and more. Waitresses, female secretaries, female nurses, female receptionists, cheerleaders who are there to lead the worship of male athletes, stereotypically all wear skirts. In modern times, women don't all have long hair, they don't all have big Lara Croft sized breasts, and they don't all wear skirts. Maybe it's just as well that Furcadia's avatars are unisex for now.

[Cassiel]

I think the bottom two paragraphs sum it up the best.  Wait to see what the future holds.  The FAQ is quite old and subject to change.  I suppose we can't quote it like a bible at the ferals and gender avatar suggestors.

[Camrynne]

I like the idea of gender specific avatars, but the arguments posted are valuble ones. I know within the indevidual dreams, the avatars shown can be changed, just as the default portraits can be changed. Perhaps if there was an option for dream makers to have gender specific avatars and implement them? That might be a good compromise. Granted, not everyone knows how to change the avatars, but if it is really important, they can learn, just as they had to learn dragon speak to create a dream.

[Cassiel]

That's been suggested too, along with dreams having a "slot" for a blank avatar to be designed to their preferences.  Not a bad idea.

[Guest_Dementous_*]

They should make Owl avatars! Everyone loves Owls!