April 25, 2008 11:49 pm

Avatar Update

We have removed the 64x64 from the site (including the news) and have replaced them with Headshots of your Human Avatar. If you've noticed, the site is moving considerably faster, because instead of having to save and load (And query the database for) both versions of the avatars, we only have to do this for one :)

Let me explain this, in a technical way. As best as I can - to answer the questions that have been posted up to this point.

The avatars were located in one folder, that was over 13GB in size when it was just removed. That means that each time an avatar was displayed on the site (the 64x64 one) it had to search that directory for the right image (which caused crashing in NFS) as well as query the user database, for information on which avatar was the users.

With the HA only version, it queries from the HA image folders (which are separated) and there are no MySQL queries, as the information is already cached for each user.

That means that we're saving 13GB worth of file searching, and a database query to the most important table in the database, for each avatar load.

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

Meka Leka Hi Meka Hiney Ho

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

I don't like this.

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

Actually, I think it's kind of cool.

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

Quote:

; border: 1px solid ; font-family: georgia; font-size: 10;">Why not offer the option to provide a link to the image, hosted offsite then? Like tinypic or photobucket or something?

Or OMGimages!

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

Hmm, I guess my question was answered now that I Ctrl + F5'd... The people without HAs at all don't have anything I feel bad for them, especially since for a very long time I was one of those people.

(I was also around before HAs came around, so I guess that helped my reluctancy).

I did finally make one when the raven items were released in the accessory bin, but that's another story.

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

I suppose for those that miss their avvie, they could code a section and paste it in the box as an image. Aside from your lookup it only showed up on comments right?

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

I am not going to whine and complain at all, just state my opinion..
Well what I think of this is that it IS a successful change I must admit, it's just that...it's less..unique for each individual person now. Less different, less exciting and entertaining. I do like the idea of hosting an image somewhere else, but of course it's all up to Keith pretty much.
But yeah..I would prefer not to have this change, but it is nice not having as much or any lag.

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

Thanks Keith. If this isn't necessarily permanent then I'll just shut up and wait it out. I really really hope you can figure a way around this though. n

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

Wait, so... WHY can't we host them offsite? o__o Wouldn't that be okay?

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

I can see why a graphic maker would be upset to lose business, though. But thereâ€™s other graphics around the site to make, too.

Maybe there could be some way to have an off-site host for avatars, but I don't honestly see why everyone's so up in arms. : Sure it was more personalized, but it's not that big a deal. If you commissioned someone for your avatar, put it on your profile. That's the only place they were displayed other than news anyway.

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

Since you dont host the youtube vids and it doesn't lag is there a possibility of implementing the same thing with avies?

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

Yeeeah. I don't think things that affect the site's overall performance and server load should need to be polled. TBH, I didn't know why the avatars existed in the first place. You could always host it yourself and put it on your profile or forumset somewhere. It's just not going to show up in newsposts.

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

"Also, we don't host the youtube video's, so they don't lag the servers in the least bit."

Why not offer the option to provide a link to the image, hosted offsite then? Like tinypic or photobucket or something?

Don't get me wrong Keith. I love Subeta, you and the staff have done amazing things with it. This just really bugs me. I don't want a bunch of heads floating around. D=

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

Man.. I appreciate the site going faster and all.. but... huggles poor avvi's

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

-dies-

at least, the site will be faster...right?

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

Bah, this sucks. I despise the HAs and never use them. I actually have the HAs adblocked so I don't have to look at the damn things. I much preferred my 64x64 avvie.

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

Dang it. I paid a pretty penny for my avatar. I don't think I even had it saved to my pc yet. Thanks.. alot.. ish very upset I don't like this change. Again, I ask.. why the ____ fix something if it isn't broke to begin with??? And especially.. why were we not polled on this??? sigh

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

Correct me if I'm wrong; but these avatars are really loading in the background. THE FULL AVATAR.
It only shows the head though. And you know the more items you wear on your HA, the larger the file size. So if I'm right about this, then we're loading everyone's full avatar on one page, which would make these pages load even slower than a little 64x64 image with a lot less colors than what's available on a human avatar :/

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

Again, if this were an option, i'd have polled it, or I'd have removed it now due to a lot of people not liking it.

However, it's not really a question of how much you dislike it, but how much you want Subeta to stay online.

I'll look into the possibility of using your pet, or an offsite hosted avatar in the future, but for now - this just isn't possible.

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

I just hard refreshed my profile and can now see the headshots - of course my HA is wearing a clown/mime theme and looks like a total goober lol I like the idea of having the option to be able to host an avatar off-site if we wanted, that would be great.

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

:/ I don't like this.
My HA doesn't define me. My avatar got me recognized by more people and attracted more people with similar interests then my HA ever could.

I agree that we should have an option or it should have been fairly polled :/

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

It's kind of a hideous solution. Shall we eat cake with this disembodied feature? I'd nearly prefer just removing the UA entirely if it's hassling things.

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

D= I lost my...avvie...That was my only copy of it. I'm going to have to ask Vela if she still has it. Dang. I admit, the site is running faster now, I suppose...

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

Keith, I understand it was a major error, but with something loved by alot of users, couldnt you find SOME way to make us able to have unique avatars? Either allow use to show through another host/ make it GA only? T.T

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

i dont really mind I am just glad the site goes faster, people will just have to deal with it

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

I completely love this change! I've noticed the increased speed and I love seeing headshots of the avatars <3

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

So then does this mean the site will crash less? Because lately subeta has been down for hours on end... =/

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

Aww, my clover's gone?

I also would have preferred a poll first, but Keith's explanation makes a lot of sense.

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

Indeed, the loads are quite faster.

I don't mind the avatar change.. too much..

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

Aww Now where can I use it? My poor little avvie -hugs it-

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

As much as I loved my avatar, I don't mind my HA appearing instead. o: Thank you Keith, I really see the speed of the loads now O_O

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

Hmm. I do see where you're coming from now. But eh.

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

Also, we don't host the youtube video's, so they don't lag the servers in the least bit.

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

But the Youtube videos are streamed from Youtube iteself, not something Subeta's hosting. And there are THOUSANDS of the things on the site, so that would be a huge chunk of bandwidth right there.

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

I like this a lot more.

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

can't we have the option to host it ourselves?

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

Though, I'm not complaining.

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

humm I'm not sure I like this idea, maybe a Poll should of been added to get the players votes, since Subeta is used via players So what happens to those pplayer's (not me) that don't like HA's and use an 64x64 avvie only?? guess they don't have a choice anymore. I also will miss seeing my friend's chosen avvie shown on my profile, as I know which avvie belongs to which friend All my friend's change their HA all the time so it's going to be hard to identify my friend's without having to look harder at my friends list to find the friend I want to click on and go to there profile. I do wonder if it make the site any faster though. I also feel Subeta is concentrating on HA's more than other 'important' changes/things that were promised.

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

I'll miss my cute draenei icon

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

Let me explain this, in a technical way. As best as I can - to answer the questions that have been posted up to this point.

The avatars were located in one folder, that was over 13GB in size when it was just removed. That means that each time an avatar was displayed on the site (the 64x64 one) it had to search that directory for the right image (which caused crashing in NFS) as well as query the user database, for information on which avatar was the users.

With the HA only version, it queries from the HA image folders (which are separated) and there are no MySQL queries, as the information is already cached for each user.

That means that we're saving 13GB worth of file searching, and a database query to the most important table in the database, for each avatar load.

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

I also really preferred the old avatars. There was more variety to them than in a bunch of faces and it made it easier to tell who was who.

If hosting is a problem I also like the idea of requiring the avatars to be hosted off-site.

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

-weighs options- Faster site... gorgeous graphics.

Gah. I guess I have to go with faster site, but still. It's a bit disappointing, in a way.

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

Cool! I like this change, it prevents me from having to worry about making another pretty avatar any time soon, which gets old So thanks for the cool new care-free avvies, they rock!

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

I dont like it at all its not cool.........i want my old avatar back because its cool

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

Kewl update!! =D

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

I like the idea of hosting them on another site (though I guess this might be a problem if they contain unacceptable content) or, honestly, getting rid of them altogether. I don't HATE the HAs, but so much of the site focuses on them already. |: I just get tired of seeing them after a while. People are only going to spend more time worrying about them if you see those little faces everywhere.

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

So sorry for the double post.

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

Ctrl F5 on your profile, the HA heads show there as well :/

---

Oh my...that doesn't look so good xD
We'll get used to it I'm sure though

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

Eh, I personally liked having icons. But whatever.

December 31, 1969, 7:00 pm by

D8 awwww.

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