Sig trends; where do I even begin?

Yeah, I'm talking about the crappy sig trends that are going on these days here on ZU. Already, too many people are using such stupid sig trends like rotators, 'copy & paste' sigs, ZU 'friend & BF/GF' lists and bad tansparency sigs. (though there are a few tansparency sigs that are good).

Rotators:
This is a recent sig trend and it's pretty stupid. I mean, why the hell are you going to list what programs you use like, animes you watch, or music you listen to when in fact, nobody cares about it? I mean, if you want to show how much you like a certain band or anime, you reply to a thread that asks what's your favortie band or anime or better yet, make a sig with your favorite band or anime in it. It's also getting very ridiculous with such crap like, 'girl lover'. Oh wow, you love girls so do I. In fact, my friend, his firend, and his worst enemy also love girls, but they don't say, "I LOVE GIRLS" unless somebody asks them. Wy the hell should I know your sexual orentation, I don't see gay ZU'ers putting 'Boy lover' in the rotators, so when you put 'Girl lover' in your sig, you're basicly saying that since you are hetorsexual, your better than other people. In fact, why don't I make a rotator that reveils my whole personal life? It'll say things like 'Got molsted by perverted teacher' and 'Has 40 younger siblings' (mind you, the examples are not true of my life)

Copy and Paste sigs:
The worst sig trend of them all, it just pisses me off to no end to see, '98% of the teenage population has done or tried smoking pot. Copy and paste this in your sig if your the 2% who hasnt'. Not only is this stupid, it's also compleatly inaccurate. Only 25% of teens have smoked pot and if 98% of them did, then 98% of the population in the average highschool would conisit of stoners. I'm sure many of you go to highschool and you only see a small fraction of kids smoking pot (in fact, the majorty of people who copys and pastes this 'fact' in their sig are middle schoolers ignorant of the world around them). In fact, when you put this in your sig, you bascily making yourself look like an arrogant jackass by saying, 'Look at me, I haven't smoked weed so that makes me better than you!' Guess what, I never smoked weed, but I'm not gonna shout it out like some proud buffon. Even the imitators of this like, '98% of the popultin hasnt palyed zleda, put his in ur sig if ur the 2% who did!' is just as stupid. Hear that, thats the sound of people not careing about what you have/have not done.

ZU 'Friends and BF/GF' list:
Another trend thats just annoying to look at. Now, before you judge me a hypocrite, notice that it says 'Real-life friend' in my sig, implying that he is pretty much my friend on ZU and in real-life. Very few people who even list certain people in their sigs as friends are actauly friends with them (On ZU or outside of it). Most of the people who are in somebodys 'friends' list are just people who just said, 'lol i hvae no leif, u wunna be ma friend??' I highly doubt that the person with the huge friend list even talks to the people often on their list, when theres just so many people on there.

As for theZU BF/GF thing, it's basicly some stupid trend that started out when somebody saw an oldbie with a 'ZU wife/husband' in their sig from the marrige thread of 2003 and decided to do something similar in order to fit in, when in fact the're making themselfs look stupid. I don't mind if you ACTUALY like the person or date the person, but to have a ZU GF/BF just for 'laughs' is quite stupid and is a relfection upon your life.

Transparency sigs:
According to Radek, this is resurrected tend from several years ago. There are very few sigs out there that actauly pull off transaprency sucessfuly. Most of the transparent sigs I see are just the background color of whatever forum skin they are using or bad transparency effects. If people are going to make good transparent sigs, they usualy put a lot of hardwork and effort to have their sig look good and transparent on all foum skins.

In short, sig trends are a foolsih cry for getting noticed among people. If you want to be noticed among other people, do it thorugh positng and such. The sig is just there to have an image and whatever text you can think of, not to make some foolish point (Copy and paste sigs) or cry for help ('Buddy and BF/GF' lists). Now, before people reply and say, 'But you can ignore their sigs, why talk about it?' there are sigs out there that are good that I like to see. Besides, getting into a sig trend shows your lack of creativity.

My transparency sig is done properly, i think, I did it my self, well my sig works on all forums and i don't have to change nothing.

But the rest is crap, I love your sig Nox, but they won't stop.

I'd be in favor of abolishing all text and images in signatures.
I just feel the need to tell people I'm adopted. Not too much of a big deal there.

No it isn't, Ninboy.

Originally Posted by milk

Nice hentai avatar, Nox.

Where did that come from?

Anyway, I agree 100% with everything you said, Nox. I guess it just seperates the n00bs from everyone else.

I don't care about sig trends. It's just a little bit of space under someone's post. You don't have to look at it if you don't want to. Sure, you say that you like looking at some sigs, but, you don't have to look at the ones you don't like, do you? I mean, I'm not going around watching every movie ever made just so I can see the ones I like. Let's face it, it's not exactly going to affect your life very much. It doesn't hurt in any way. So...instead of moaning and whining about it...you could just not pay attention to people's sigs.

One sig trend you forgot to include, people putting things in their sig attacking sig trends. Kinda hypocritical don't you think?

Originally Posted by Nox

Rotators:
This is a recent sig trend and it's pretty stupid. I mean, why the hell are you going to list what programs you use like, animes you watch, or music you listen to when in fact, nobody cares about it? I mean, if you want to show how much you like a certain band or anime, you reply to a thread that asks what's your favortie band or anime or better yet, make a sig with your favorite band or anime in it. It's also getting very ridiculous with such crap like, 'girl lover'. Oh wow, you love girls so do I. In fact, my friend, his firend, and his worst enemy also love girls, but they don't say, "I LOVE GIRLS" unless somebody asks them. Wy the hell should I know your sexual orentation, I don't see gay ZU'ers putting 'Boy lover' in the rotators, so when you put 'Girl lover' in your sig, you're basicly saying that since you are hetorsexual, your better than other people. In fact, why don't I make a rotator that reveils my whole personal life? It'll say things like 'Got molsted by perverted teacher' and 'Has 40 younger siblings' (mind you, the examples are not true of my life)

Bah, I just did it cause I like to show my interests. Not because I want to fit in. And, yes, the girl lover thing is crap, as is the image that goes with it. If I see another picture of a girl's breast in a sig, I'll probably delete my rotator.

Copy and Paste sigs:
The worst sig trend of them all, it just pisses me off to no end to see, '98% of the teenage population has done or tried smoking pot. Copy and paste this in your sig if your the 2% who hasnt'. Not only is this stupid, it's also compleatly inaccurate. Only 25% of teens have smoked pot and if 98% of them did, then 98% of the population in the average highschool would conisit of stoners. I'm sure many of you go to highschool and you only see a small fraction of kids smoking pot (in fact, the majorty of people who copys and pastes this 'fact' in their sig are middle schoolers ignorant of the world around them). In fact, when you put this in your sig, you bascily making yourself look like an arrogant jackass by saying, 'Look at me, I haven't smoked weed so that makes me better than you!' Guess what, I never smoked weed, but I'm not gonna shout it out like some proud buffon. Even the imitators of this like, '98% of the popultin hasnt palyed zleda, put his in ur sig if ur the 2% who did!' is just as stupid. Hear that, thats the sound of people not careing about what you have/have not done.

Hell, yeah. No one cares about your problems. I'll just say that the "2%" who don't in fact do likely with the logic they're using. I would probably make fun of it in my sig, but it would become another sig trend all its own.

ZU 'Friends and BF/GF' list:
Another trend thats just annoying to look at. Now, before you judge me a hypocrite, notice that it says 'Real-life friend' in my sig, implying that he is pretty much my friend on ZU and in real-life. Very few people who even list certain people in their sigs as friends are actauly friends with them (On ZU or outside of it). Most of the people who are in somebodys 'friends' list are just people who just said, 'lol i hvae no leif, u wunna be ma friend??' I highly doubt that the person with the huge friend list even talks to the people often on their list, when theres just so many people on there.

Pretty much right, I have to admit how I likely made the epidemic worse. Having three lines of text saying who your "friends" are is stupid once you think about it. I still have those I don't talk to on my buddy list, I'm just too lazy to take them off.

As for theZU BF/GF thing, it's basicly some stupid trend that started out when somebody saw an oldbie with a 'ZU wife/husband' in their sig from the marrige thread of 2003 and decided to do something similar in order to fit in, when in fact the're making themselfs look stupid. I don't mind if you ACTUALY like the person or date the person, but to have a ZU GF/BF just for 'laughs' is quite stupid and is a relfection upon your life.

Heh, I'm probably in between. I talk to my "GF" but I don't actually know them in real life or anything. I'm probably in the middle or the latter.

Transparency sigs:
According to Radek, this is resurrected tend from several years ago. There are very few sigs out there that actauly pull off transaprency sucessfuly. Most of the transparent sigs I see are just the background color of whatever forum skin they are using or bad transparency effects. If people are going to make good transparent sigs, they usualy put a lot of hardwork and effort to have their sig look good and transparent on all foum skins.

Hmmm... I partially agree with you here. The bad ones are fairly noticable. But most of the good ones are just sprites ripped off the Internet. The only transparency sig I know of is Ninboy's. Who else?

In short, sig trends are a foolsih cry for getting noticed among people. If you want to be noticed among other people, do it thorugh positng and such. The sig is just there to have an image and whatever text you can think of, not to make some foolish point (Copy and paste sigs) or cry for help ('Buddy and BF/GF' lists). Now, before people reply and say, 'But you can ignore their sigs, why talk about it?' there are sigs out there that are good that I like to see. Besides, getting into a sig trend shows your lack of creativity.

Well said. I just needed to clarify the sig trend I got into weren't for the trend, and I when I did most of these were when I was more of a n00b than I am now. (yes, I still am a n00b. Like you didn't notice.) Yes, I am a hypocrite for saying all this. But still, I can't help but agree.

EDIT: Oh yeah, I think a new sig trend is sweeping the forum: Even worse than posting your friends in your sig, posting your friends in your sig using images. I'm hating the old me more and more.

I'd like to point one thing out:

Alot of the people who use those may have noticed happy little messages edited into thier signature within the past two or three days. Guess what? Chances are, that was me! I've been removing a crapload of signature images and text because a good chunk of the community doesn't seem to understand that the 400x150 limit applies to the combined dimensions of thier images or that three lines of text does not equate seven.

I will continue to delete signatures that break the rules and warn those who put them back. These things listed by Nox are the cause of alot of these, so I'm inclined to agree. Of course, I find some of them annoying too (namely the copy/paste junk), but annoyance is not enough to warrant deletion. That space is the users to utilize as they desire, within the rules of course. It's the fact that people disregard the rules in using these things is what makes me delete them.

So remember people, when you get a rotator so you can showcase your likes and dislikes, have the urge to tell the world that you are awesome because you don't smoke pot, proudly display your clan affiliation in a second place, promote a fangame, or decide to list your friends, make sure that it's not breaking the rules, lest you desire to make me unhappy. You guys don't want to make me unhappy, do you?

And you don't think having stuff in your sig simply complaining about the problems at ZU (which quite alot of people have) isn't an annoying sig trend.
Really, Nox, you have some good points, but it's just as annoying to sit their and complain about those things.

Rotators- some people do like to know what people's interests are, even if the majority of it is just trying desperately to fit in

Copy/Paste sigs- this is pretty pointless and stupid, but not as pointless and stupid as people who make a joke one and get others to copy and paste it in their sig

BF/GF- ok, i'll give that to ya in full. that's pretty stupid

Transparency sigs- yeah, i know that mine is just from the skin color i choose, but i honestly don't know how to make a true transparency. I don't find anything wrong with this at all, some people can do cool stuff with it, and it's just a way that people prefer to do their art. Using someone's idea isn't necessarily just a stupid trend

Overall, I think that complaining so much about it is pointless! Almost everybody that takes the time to call out people in their sig for doing stupid fad things in their own is doing it more for the attention, as far as i'm concerned.
If you really care that much, that's fine.
But i think it's better to just get over it.

People are gonna have sigs, that they make either to be funny, artsy, or stupid, no matter what people say. They may do it to make a point, identify themselves, or yes, to conform.

But, really now.
Let's move on.

As long as they are not breaking any rules, no matter how much complaining about these sigs, they'll just keep on coming and appearing. The best way is to have some resistance toward these things and ignore them. Because while you, as an olbie, trying to generate attention to how annoying these signatures are, new members and other older members do have the right to put whatever they want in their sigs as long as they are not breaking any board rules.

I don't pay much attention to all the different kinds of sig trends. Quite frankly, none of them bother me at all. Some are a little irritating to look at, but I never give it a second thought.

Its the user's space and they can fill it with anything they want as long as it doesn't surpass the size limits.

I honestly liked the rotators I thought they were cool, simple ways to express your favorite things without having a thread for each one

Everything else- blah. But I can manage

Originally Posted by Kaze-one

Transparency sigs- yeah, i know that mine is just from the skin color i choose, but i honestly don't know how to make a true transparency. I don't find anything wrong with this at all, some people can do cool stuff with it, and it's just a way that people prefer to do their art. Using someone's idea isn't necessarily just a stupid trend.

Totally agree. Copying is the highest form of flattery any, so who cares?

Originally Posted by Tsukasa

Alot of the people who use those may have noticed happy little messages edited into thier signature within the past two or three days. Guess what? Chances are, that was me! I've been removing a crapload of signature images and text because a good chunk of the community doesn't seem to understand that the 400x150 limit applies to the combined dimensions of thier images or that three lines of text does not equate seven.

I'd like to point out that I've been doing the same. It's damn annoying trying to keep this stuff in check, and whenever you remove a signature and leave the member a notice, they don't follow it and just put their images back in...or put in something even bigger next time around.

It's bad enough that they break the rules in the first place, but to ignore a note directly from a staff member is downright inexcuseable. So, if someone is arrogant enough to disregard my edit, I give them a happy warning.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: The forums would be better off if sig images were disabled altogether, and we brought in a strict character limit for text sigs.

I've had sigs disabled for years, because I just can't stand to look at the faceful of **** our members like to attach to the end of every post.

Originally Posted by lord-of-shadow
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: The forums would be better off if sig images were disabled altogether, and we brought in a strict character limit for text sigs.

I've had sigs disabled for years, because I just can't stand to look at the faceful of **** our members like to attach to the end of every post.

I dont mean to cause an uproar, but the sig is one of the best parts of ZU! I mean without sigs, we would just be boring members! Sigs tell what we like! Sure long text is annoying, but only 4 lines? Come on! I dont mean put 10, more like 6 or 7 lines! Plus you have to fit in your BA characters! And just having a sig and BA characters is no fun!

Originally Posted by Ninja Blade

I dont mean to cause an uproar, but the sig is one of the best parts of ZU! I mean without sigs, we would just be boring members! Sigs tell what we like! Sure long text is annoying, but only 4 lines? Come on! I dont mean put 10, more like 6 or 7 lines! Plus you have to fit in your BA characters! And just having a sig and BA characters is no fun!

He proposed we ban signature images. Text would still be allowed, but strictly enforced. I'm sure we'd still have avy's to distinguish one another.

Sig trends don't bother me. I think if you're that hung up on it you need a hobby. I do mind people who blatantly disregard the signature limits and rules. Not much else to discuss.

I want sig images and sig text! Sure avys are fun to have, but its just like looking at a face! A sig is like your clothes, it tells your style, who you are! I want sig pictures! And text! I wouldnt even mind if they cut the limit size just to get more text in! As long as they dont make it too small...

EDIT:

I would like to state something! Complaining about stupid trends, and dumb pics, well that just shows how stubborn u are! Me, sure I like to be quiet, but I like to have style! I hate going to places that takes away who you are! Look at your sigs everyone! Who are U? A person who hates sigs, a zelda lover, starwars player, or perhaps you love movies! The fact is, is that if you take away sigs, you take away me....

Like that was a threat... I would like to apoligize for any inconviences...

Personally, I generally gloss over all the text in the signatures, so some of the sig trends don't bother me that much. The "98% of people do _______" stuff is really lame, in my opinion, but there isn't a law against being cliched and unoriginal. I actually think this siggie-delusion is kinda comical, in a sad way.

I don't think we should get rid of signature images all together. I think the forums would look incredibly, incredibly bland to look at if it were all text. Signature images make the forums look more like a colorful magazine and less like a newspaper.

Plus, signature images make it easy (at least for me) to identify posters. You could make that argument for avatars, I suppose, but I tend to notice the signature first. Every time I see Mirren's signature, for example, I very quickly know who's posting. That's just me though.

Besides, as l-o-s said, you can always disable the signature images if you don't like looking at them...