quote:

Technically, we could use in-game characters for avatars already, it just requires the additional steps of taking the picture yourself, editing it to the right size, and uploading it. But it's that last part, the uploading it, where issues arise, as custom avatars are a right reserved for certain people. Using your own character as an avatar, and allowing everyone to do it, would run into the issues of why custom avatars aren't granted to everyone in the first place. In theory, you could make avatars based on your character and then send them in to be uploaded, but then everyone would be able to use it if they wanted, rather than it being solely yours.

quote:

allowing everyone to do it, would run into the issues of why custom avatars aren't granted to everyone in the first place

quote:

3) "Why can't everybody have a custom avatar?"

quote:

First, practically speaking, storage space can be tight sometimes. We have a lot of posts in the database, and a lot of members.
Second, speaking on policy, custom avatars are a privilege used to denote status. They are given either to those who are helpful or creative or to those who volunteer their time.
Third, aesthetically speaking, we have made the decision that all of our publicly-available avatars would be based on the Artix Entertainment games. This is an Artix Entertainment forum. If you're not satisfied with the choices, submit your own AE-related avatars or earn the privilege to upload your own.

quote:

As the bottom of every page informs us, we are currently running on ASPPlayground.NET version 2.4.2 SP2. We know that is not the most recent version. However, our forum coders have modified the code and added enough custom features that our software bears little to no resemblance to the official published version. They would have to redo all of those modifications in any new versions. With that said, making the case to upgrade is a tricky proposition. It's really unnecessary.

quote:

The avatar issue is pretty well addressed in the Frequently Asked Questions:

quote:

quote:

3) "Why can't everybody have a custom avatar?"
quote:

First, practically speaking, storage space can be tight sometimes. We have a lot of posts in the database, and a lot of members.
Second, speaking on policy, custom avatars are a privilege used to denote status. They are given either to those who are helpful or creative or to those who volunteer their time.
Third, aesthetically speaking, we have made the decision that all of our publicly-available avatars would be based on the Artix Entertainment games. This is an Artix Entertainment forum. If you're not satisfied with the choices, submit your own AE-related avatars or earn the privilege to upload your own.

Being used to denote status (forum staff, titled, etc.) is definitely part of it, but not the sole part. I don't disagree that it would be fun to allow people to use their characters as avatars, but there are practical reasons for disallowing it.