I can't copy you, but I want to BE YOU.

Did he really just killsteal

Yes	21.8%	[ 26 ]
No	17.6%	[ 21 ]
Your mum killsteals	60.5%	[ 72 ]
Total Votes:			[ 119 ]

[hornworts]

Gaia is all about creating yourself and representing who you are through your avatar, signature, posts, and profile. However, a website can have its limitations, so sometimes the end product you've created isn't up to your satisfaction of who you really are. And when that happens, it's so much more crushing when you see someone else that pulls off their entire online presence so much better.

They've got their signature look they're known for, their posts are nice and always cause good discussion, their sig advertises links to their profitable other threads, and their profile looks professional. They look so good that you just sort of want to... be them. Or at least catch some of that great look they got going on. But of course, they are not you, so it could work out and it couldn't.

Has anyone else felt this way about some other users before? That their successes are so nice that you want in on that too?

It's happening to me now-- a certain user has avatars that seem so effortlessly great (HOW can they match the most obscure colors of the newest most expensive items to make looks that are both simple in form but complex and detail?!) that I had to try my hand at it-- with results that aren't just right. It doesn't help that they have plenty of art they did of their avatars in a style that I like.

Discuss:

-Have you ever liked a user's anything so much you copied them/tried to emulate their style?
-Is it bad to copy/try to copy someone else if you like what they're doing?
-When should you know to stop copying/emulating?

[Yukitsu]

I appreciate some people's interesting or new concepts of combining certain items, but it's more of a 'oh that's interesting!' and I move on kind of thing.

I've never been one for copying av concept/ideas, I enjoy coming up with my own stuff too much.

As far as ...being someone else o_O I don't think there's anyone in any of gaia I look up to, to that capacity.

[Nemariel]

Every now and then I find myself in complete envy of somebody's personal style and their art collection. It doesn't usually extend so far as profiles and posts because honestly I just don't pay that much attention.

[Infamous]

I haven't ever wanted to be someone but there were people that I did look up to in the past. My first memory of the site is when I was so jealous someone had 1k and bought some stupid bow that I wanted and was like, flaunting it.

Back when I used to post in the Art Discussion, several users there would dress a certain way and seemed to have a certain color that was specific to them. And I always thought it was cool how they could pull off matching at that time.

Which is why I think I still do matching now. Because years ago it was something that people did that had been on the site for awhile and had the gold to buy the items. Plus, I think I'm rather good at it. o3o; I've tried more character and such but I feel like I can't pull it off.

[J 4 C K]

My avatar, my profile, my threads. I think it's obvious that I emulate nobody.

I don't think it's bad to follow a style though, if the person leading is doing a legitimately good job. Impersonation and copying are different though.

[Rabid-Turtle]

lol, I will admit I have seen some mighty rad avatars around the site. I can't say I've tried to emulate someone but I might get new ideas from a certain pose or style. I generally stick to more of a persona if anything.

♪♫ And I am, whatever you say I am
If I wasn't, then why would I say I am? ♫♪

[Krissim Klaw]

I'm a bit to narcissistic for that, plus none of you have praying mantises....

[Anja Sedai]

Every once in a while I try to emulate someone's style. And every time I fall flat on my face. I can never get it to look as awesome as the inspiration avi and I just give up. Nowadays I mostly just drool over the other person's avi and move on. I've come into more of my own style of outfits anyways. Less fail that way.

[Leizce]

No point. Being somebody else won't make me feel accomplished or fulfilled. gonk

[Catena Carswell]

No but there exist people like that for me IRL

style copying is even harder in real life where you have to go on a bender at goodwill if you want to change s**t up :T

[Akiralta]

I definitely envy certain people's styles. The OP is actually one--I can never make avatars that complex. I also admire the people who stick to a certain theme or colour, though personally I'd get bored pretty fast. I don't know that I'd actually like to be someone else, though I might feel like it on days where I feel like I don't have enough gold for x item.

[Pengaana]

In the world of cosplays if somebody's got a better cosplay more improving then stealing
It's looking at theirs compared to yours and weighing in your mind what they did to what you did
you can tweak some or change it completely to theirs, I find no problem with either

But for normal avis; nah, why would I do that?
My OC has her own thing she likes to do
I enjoy certain combos other avis may have
but that's as far as it goes

I greatly admire people who keep to a similar OC style
people who don't change their avatars as well because I know I sure as hell can't

[VKiera]

-Have you ever liked a user's anything so much you copied them/tried to emulate their style?

I don't think so, not like utterly copy strait up. I've come across people who like might have an item combo on that's awesome so I'll go try it on, play around with it and make something wholly my own from it.

-Is it bad to copy/try to copy someone else if you like what they're doing?

I don't think it's so bad as long as you're doing it for the...proper reasons? Like if you wanted to be successful like someone else, you might work a similar style, work hard at the same areas they did and succeed all on your own. But to outright copy someone, just to...'ride their glory' as it were. Naw.

-When should you know to stop copying/emulating?

When it stops being flattering and starts being creepy. It's one thing to want to wear your favorite stars outfits for example, but it's another to have plastic surgery to make yourself look more like them.

[Morality Killed The Cat]

I've used my avatar to cosplay.

Back in the day when there weren't many items (gaia's first year) we often copied one another by accident...perhaps some were intentional.

I don't remember having copied anyone. I just like to toss items on and see if they work out.

I'd like to think I was the first with my current look, I've never seen anyone else use it. smile

[Bigby_Wolfson]

The closest I've come to copying is seeing an item on somebody and going out to get that item.