(SORTED) Username Colours

Okay, so both Uncanny and I are very much polar opposites about this, and due to this, we've decided to leave it to the general public! Because votes are the best way to solve clashing matters, of course!

And what's the issue? Name colours of course! And we need you guys to decide on what you prefer! As you all know, this forum has allowed custom make colours for over 3 years. Usually, it was only if you reached 15 posts, but these days it's 100 because the colours were getting clustered. However! I have made a suggestion on changing this system, so that your colour changes depending on your rank (for example, all Basics would be one colour, and if you became a Standard member you'd be coloured something else). But rather than go into details, let's just give you pros and cons!

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CUSTOM username colours:
+A lot more freedom of choice to what you have, as you can choose your own
+Promotes individuality a lot
+Post count is 100, and therefore quite high and motivates to post
-Makes the forum look messy and unprofessional, and they can clog up
-No motivation to post beyond the 100 when you get your colour
-If you're not active enough, it'll get removed anyway to stop any clog-up

RANK username colours:
+Looks a lot more professional and clean, and people know where they are.
+Can provide friendly competition to post, and syncs up with rank labels
+You'll be able to tell staff and members apart, and gives more of a reward to members who've been here a lot longer and contributed a lot more.
-Can suck a lot if you're stuck at a colour you really dislike
-Unfair that members can't choose their colours, but the staff can choose theirs
-No individuality from the crowd

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PLEASE vote, and give us your feedback below, on why you do ordon't prefer one of the sides!

Well, you already know my opinionon this, but guess I'll speak it out. You know I'm a sucked for professionalism, and aesthetic cleanliness. Never really been fond of the various name colours, as has probably been quite evident in the past from both my general lack of requesting a name colour change (and usually somehow getting one anyway?) and complaints that trying to read in the Cbox is like trying to gaze at a hideous rainbow. It just looks visually... really unattractive. Especially when you have certain people picking darker names which blend right into the forum. And then you can't really say 'no' to them because you run into the whole previously mentioned issue of 'playing favourites with what colours people can have their names as'.

In terms of Admins having different name colours too... I mean, personally, I'd prefer it if they had their own sort of grouped colour too. In fact, I'd be happy personally with the colours literally being;
Admin colour
Mod colour
Chatbox Mod colour
Member colour
And throw all the rank stuff out the window, but I realise in that regard I'd be rather on my own. Still, it'd be nice - especially for new members - to be able to instantly look at someone and go 'Okay, I know that's a staff member. I know their position. I know who I can go to if I need help, and I know if they're speaking down to me about rules it's not just someone back-seat moderating'. Sooo... yeah, that's my whole opinion on the matter.

Dregans post is EXACTLY my view on the entire issue. I'm a big fan of custom colours for various things, but on a forum like this it just... it looks rather icky.

My one alteration would be mods and such being able to choose their own colour. Whilst having set colours per rank is nice, theres so few of them that having a set 'uniform' isn't really.. needed? So instead I think mods and admins and such should still be able to pick their own colour.

So far in the skype debate a good middle ground seemed to have be suggested:

Allow members to pick from a limited pool of colors. That way the colors are still limited and can be a good non eye burning color and allow for a more professional touch while still giving a freedom to pick for the members.

For username colors, I think there should be three categories:

Admins/Staff 
Rank
Canon Characters

Since canon characters are rather important to the series in general, and since canon characters used to have their own ranks but were removed for some reason or another. It would allow people to know who plays what important canon character without having to go into the character bios and the listings- though I guess that also promotes laziness in a way. 

But that would also require a separate group for every single character, unless you just grouped all canon characters under one color. 

Or we could just get rid of colors altogether and have the admins be the only ones with colored names. That would be the most fair option, IMO. Most other forums do it, I think it's only natural that it be that way.

if I had to pick an option out of the two that were given, it would be rank.

Here has been my suggestion from the skype chat. Uncan's has already posted part of it, but:

Higher post requirement - This is a privilage thing. 100 posts is fairly easy to get, if you're posting often every day. I was going to say 500, but apparently giving it to the truly dedicated isn't an option, so an undecided number between 200-300
Limited colour pool
Mods and Admin have a different effect on their name, to help them stand out. This would be effects us member plebs can't get.

Another suggested middle ground:

I don't know exactly how the forum works in terms of colour, but I was going to suggest this

don't worry about rankings and such. To be frank, the only 'ranks' there should be are members, mods and admin, which should probably be divided by another font thing.
every so many posts, like... 50, you're allowed access to one more colour, or one more pool of colour or whatever.
If you want to change your colour, you can do as long as yoou stay within the limits of your post 'unlocks'. If you don't want too, you don't have too. People still get the joys of being special snowflakes, but they're still motivated to keep posting.

A middle ground has been reached:
There will be a limited color pool members can pick from.
However there will be tiers/ranks and as your rank/tier increases you will be able to pick from a larger and large pool of colors.