See Copyright and Usage Notice

For Pro VeePsters

Pro or veteran VeePsters (as they are often called) frequently sport their own avatars. Making your own avatar is simple. Use a paint program or scanner to create an image. You must make a GIF file out of this image (just a plain old GIF, not the transparent kind). This GIF file cannot be any larger than 48 by 64 pixels.

Design tips when making an avatar

Virtual Places and America Online have provided the following tips for building your own avatar in VP:

• Try not to make the image too complex, and avoid a lot of detail (it will be lost at this size).
• Try to avoid multicolored schemes.
• Head shots work best.
• Create big images then size them down to 48 by 64 pixels.
• Keep TOS (Terms of Service…common decency) standards in mind.

Tools often used to make images for avatars include:

• AOL's built-in image editing feature.
• PaintShop Pro (enter keyword in AOL: PaintShop Pro). You can also download PaintShop Pro from the Internet (there is a shareware version available) at http://www.jasc.com/psp.html.
• JASC Image commander (keyword: JASC).
• Adobe Photoshop from Adobe Systems Inc.
• An image scanner to transform an image from paper into pixels and then edit it using the above tools.

All you have to do is make a GIF file with the above specifications and place it into your personal avatar folder. The location of this folder is set in the directories section of the Preferences dialogue, found under the Tools menu. For example, in Windows 95, this personal avatars folder is located at: C:\program files\vplaces\exts\gallery.

Note also, that if you are using the 32-bit VP client, the stock avatars that came with your VP client have moods. Point your mouse at your stock avatar and click the right mouse button (or click and hold on the Macintosh). Choose the mood you want from the drop-down menu, and your avatar's expression changes instantly. Moods are currently not supported for personal avatars.

Avatar galleries

You can get plenty of pre-made avatars from dozens of avatar galleries created by VeePster users on the Net. VP maintains a listing of galleries athttp://www.vplaces.com/vpnet/support/support2.html. See the section at the end of this chapter called, ìAvatar Galleries and Builders,î for a comprehensive list of avatar galleries and VeePsters who build avatars. Visiting these galleries and selecting an avatar is easy. Simple go to the web page, select the image you like with the right mouse button (or click and hold on the Macintosh) and save the image into the directory or folder indicated in the Preferences dialogue under the Tools menu.

Private rooms and auditoriums

A recently added feature now allows private rooms and auditoriums. For a view of an auditorium, see ìDigiís Diary,î at the end of this chapter. Private rooms are a new feature which is not yet finished in versions of VP documented for this book. This feature should be complete by the time you have this book.