FFoW Sigs for Forums

**Bommando** · 02-28-2008, 03:37 PM

I'm working on an auto-sig generator for FFoW right now, but until I'm ready with that, I'm going to make people custom sigs who post regularly on external forums.

I have accounts on the following forums as examples:

I encourage anyone who's interested in spreading the word to check some of the other FFoW discussions taking place to find out breaking news, ideas and just to create a presence for us on the outside.

Having the server info and links in your sig can go a long way to promoting our community and getting people involved. Below is an example of sig code I use on the KAOS forums:

Code:

[center][url="http://www.focusedgaming.com"][img]http://static3.filefront.com/images/personal/b/Bommando/129369/vjnwrxjwto.jpg[/img][/url]

[size=1][b][url="http://www.focusedgaming.com"]Focused Gaming[/url][/b] | [b][url=http://steamcommunity.com/groups/focused-gaming]Steam Community[/url][/b]: [url="steam://friends/add/76561197978272726"]Add Me[/url] | [b]XFire[/b]: [url=xfire://add_friend?user=bommando]bommando[/url][/size][/center]

So, if you have a forum account on another site, post a link to your profile(s) here or PM them to me and I'll get a sig made for you until I get the auto-generator ready. With your sig request, please include your preference for:

Faction: (WC or RSA)
Loadout: (AV, Assault, Close Combat, Heavy Assault, Sniper or Spec Ops)
Role: (Drone Tech, EMP Tech, Ground Support or Airstrike)

I'll make you a sig that matches the forum your account is on. I only have one background done at the moment, but will have several to choose from for the auto-generator.

**Zoopy** · 02-28-2008, 03:46 PM

Faction: RSA
Loadout: Heavy Assault
Role: Ground Support

PS: My signature is better

**Hidus** · 02-28-2008, 03:53 PM

Size restrictions for Kaos forums:

Quote:

Please make sure your signatures, avatars and profiles conform to these specifications:

Signature Images: 400x60 or 15kb
Avatars: 100x100 or 10kb
Profile Pictures: 100x100 or 40kb

**Bommando** · 02-28-2008, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hidus

Size restrictions for Kaos forums:

I'll worry about that

Just go ahead and request your sigs.

**Nemesis** · 02-28-2008, 04:45 PM

Just a question, but since we're already posting on a Frontlines forum, wouldn't it be better to switch the FocusedGaming.com with the Frontlines logos?

To make it larger and/or stand out better?

The sigs look great as is, but I just thought the FocusedGaming was a little small. Though to switch it up would probably take a lot more work, so it might be a moot point.

Appreciate the effort as always.

**Zoopy** · 02-28-2008, 04:47 PM

Can't you make the area above the box transparent or will that not work with your sig generator?

**Bommando** · 02-28-2008, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nemesis

Just a question, but since we're already posting on a Frontlines forum, wouldn't it be better to switch the FocusedGaming.com with the Frontlines logos?

To make it larger and/or stand out better?

The sigs look great as is, but I just thought the FocusedGaming was a little small. Though to switch it up would probably take a lot more work, so it might be a moot point.

Appreciate the effort as always.

Our logo's colour scheme doesn't fit well with the theme and I don't want to be overtly advertising all over the place. If people like the look of the sig, they'll see the URL.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoopy

Can't you make the area above the box transparent or will that not work with your sig generator?

Yes and no. The best quality alpha transparency is achieved with a 24-bit PNG, which makes the file weigh in at over 80KB. Setting the BG colour to match the forum allows us to use a JPG at 20KB, but means we need a different BG colour depending on the forum. Using an 8-bit PNG with transparency brings the file down to 27KB, but means that the alpha transparency is lost from the edges of the FFoW logo and the shadows around the soldiers / roles. This index transparency leaves an ugly pixellated border around the image top.

The reason I have the black top on our sig here is that we will have a dark theme available for our forum, so our sig needs to look right on both types. I will be making the dark theme the default, with the option to choose a light theme, so the black-top sig will blend perfectly.

The auto generator will work similarly, except you'll be able to customise it on-the-fly with your loadouts, backgrounds, roles and images.

I will also offer subscribers the option of a randomiser in their sig to switch between the different images. This will be subscriber-only because of the number of database calls and bandwidth it will consume when used externally.

**Nemesis** · 02-28-2008, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bommando

Our logo's colour scheme doesn't fit well with the theme and I don't want to be overtly advertising all over the place. If people like the look of the sig, they'll see the URL.

Makes sense, thanks Bomm.

**Zoopy** · 02-29-2008, 01:49 PM

Just to let you know: Having server address on the official Kaos forums is considered advertising and you will be warned/banned (most likely just waned and have it removed like myself).

**Bommando** · 02-29-2008, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoopy

Just to let you know: Having server address on the official Kaos forums is considered advertising and you will be warned/banned (most likely just waned and have it removed like myself).

How strange. I've posted a crapload and not had it removed. Well, scratch that then. I wasn't aware of this.