Simple game, rules in the post.
Real answers from people here are usually more useful than search results.
I suspect the answer is more nuanced than it first looks, which is why I wanted to ask people who have been there. :)
Curious what the consensus is
I think you need a special one
That is a tough one because avatars are so dependent on the vibe they give off rather than just what is in the picture. A good avatar can say a lot about someone before they even post.
Would probably give this one a solid score. It has that "I know exactly what I am doing" energy without looking like it tried too hard.
The special ones are always the hardest to rate though. There is a big difference between a random image and one that somehow becomes part of someone's forum identity :)
The special avatar comment is fair. Some people have those profile pictures that you instantly recognise after years of seeing them around.
It becomes less about whether the image itself is amazing and more about the memories attached to it.
A classic forum avatar is basically like a username. Change it too much and everyone spends a week wondering who the new person is ;D
Rating avatars is harder than it looks. A simple image can work better than something extremely detailed because it is easier to remember.
The best ones usually have a bit of personality behind them. Funny, mysterious, weird, or just something that fits the person using it.
A special one is probably not something you can force either. It usually happens naturally over time.