Request for larger banner-style signatures

[Baconstrip]

Currently, the signature limit is 240x120... which is rather small.  I've found it difficult when making signatures of this size to fit a lot of things into them.

For instance...

the first signature I made was for Kobuk, before I knew there was size restrictions.



That image is about 100kb and 550x110 size.

I had to scale it down to this.. which just isn't as nice.



This image is about 50kb.  

I could reduce the size of the bigger image by saving it as a lesser quality with little difference... but Im guessing kb size isn't why they are restricted (or maybe part of it?)  My arguement would be that anyone on 56k MOST likely has signatures turned off, because a page full of 50kb signatures is a lot to download.

I would love to see the size changed to around 550x120... keep the height.. that's where sigs get really annoying.  But if something is 600 pixels of width it really won't change much.  Instead of having just black space to the right of your signature, you'll have a purdy picture or something '>

and considering that everyone will at least be running 800x600 resolution, it should not readjust anyone's sizing or cause them to have to scroll.

Just a suggestion to make the forum be allowed to have more elaborate signatures!

[Richard K Niner]

I agree with increasing the width, but I would like to also point out a couple of things:

Firstly, I never expect people to adjust their settings in ways that would result in improvements, so for the dial-up users, it still seems like a nice idea to have some restrictions on signatures; however, they'd be better dealt with using file size, not image size.

Secondly, I'd be a bit wary about increasing the signature width past 500 pixels, because at that point, it has an effect on the layout (sans images, once the message area gets narrower than 495 pixels, a horizontal scrollbar will appear, primarily because the top menu consumes 700 pixels).

EDIT: And while I'm at it, the vertical size limit would be better off applied to the entire signature, rather than just the images.

[Mazz]

This has been asked before and as a staff team we agreed to NOT allow for larger sized images.
images of 120 by 240 are perfectly fine in signatures.
With every post a signature is repeated and larger images can be heck on resources as well as not fair to those with dial up or other slower connections.
I've had no problems in creating many signature images in the alloted size and neither should anyone else.

As for height for words in signatures that are images. We currently don't have a limit(though number of characters allowed in a signature is limited) but if that size allowance is abused we may have to make one.

This is a forum for communicating with others not for showing off how flashy and big you can make your signature images.
Some forums don't allow signatures at all so be happy we do allow them.

[Richard K Niner]

Ah, but signature images are still loaded only once per page, regardless of how many times it appears.

And also, I've run across quite a few stock signature images (userbars), where the standard size is 350x19 pixels - much smaller in the height department than what is required, but too wide to be acceptable under the rules used here.  In fact, you could place four of them in the sig, and they would still take up less space than a single 240x120 image (in terms of both height and overall pixel count).

[Savaaha]

When WS returns we can speak to him about it.

[Woofers Hayes]

I also like the idea of larger sigs, just throwing in my two cents.  

I believe that a nice signature is a great way of communicating with others and is by no means just "for showing off how flashy and big you can make your signature images."

Images are nothing but methods of communication.

But if file size and bandwidth limitations are the reason then I understand the restrictions. I agree with Savaaha, ask WS  '>

[Savaaha]

A vote by the staff on this issue is now under way and will conclude tomarrow evening. Results of the vote will be posted here.

[Woofers Hayes]

May I inquire about the results of the staff vote?

[hd25]

I'd like this too - I wanted to put in some userbars but they're too wide.

[Savaaha]

egads.. sorry this hasnt been updated... the staff did vote NOT to add larger parameters for Signatures as many of our members still use dialup..