So, why should I hog this information for myself?
So, be thankful! Here's how you can create your very own animated GIF:
Two ways: Stop-motion (using photos) and No-Stop-motion (using video files).
Stop-motion:
Get a collection of photos together. Remember that if you want smooth transitions, you'll need something in the middle of two different images.
Now, you must get a program called Photoscape. (at time of writing: v3.5)
Download from cnet (an absolutely virus-free site): http://download.cnet.com/PhotoScape/3000-2192_4-10703122.html
Or from the creators: http://www.photoscape.org/ps/main/download.php
What Photoscape is, it's essentially just another photo program, although it's got some interesting features, such as the Animated GIF feature we're going to be using.
Install it and run. Go to "Animated GIF".
Now, you'll be at an interface that has a big empty box at the top. Simply drag and place your images into the space. You can drag them from one place in the box to another, to reorganize them chronologically. You can also tinker around with the amount of time each image is shown by double-clicking a photo's image in the box. (by the way: 100 units=1 sec) There will be a space below the box that will show a preview of your GIF. It will change if you make changes to the photos and their times in the box.
After you're finished, save. Once you close the program, though, you won't be able to load it again; there was no save button I could find to save your projects.
Then, you'll have something cool to show off to your friends! Like this:
Hidden/Spoiler:
A little different, this requires that the video you are going to use is in avi, mpg, mpeg, mov, 3gp, flv, wmv, or mp4 format.
Now, go to this site: http://www.gifninja.com/ConvertVideoToGif.aspx
Upload your video to the site and wait a while. By the way, it does tell you the video should only be 4 seconds long (as, I'm guessing, most sites have a frame limit or something).
Once it's done uploading, it'll show your video, in 160X120 format, or at least it did for me when I created my Battlestar Galactica avatar. The size restrictions on Gametoast are:
-No bigger than 150X150 pixels
-No smaller than 14X14 pixels
So, you'll need to resize it. First, save your GIF by right-clicking on the image it generated and save it to desktop.
Then go here: http://resizeimage.org/
Upload your just-saved GIF to the site, and once it finishes loading, go to Advanced Resize. If you want to keep the ratio, keep the box checked. After you're done dragging it to be smaller (and the site does tell you what the size is, look to the left) press Save.
It'll tell you some monkey message.
After the message closes, press Download (at the left). Save the image to desktop.Then, without further ado, go to Photobucket or some other photo/video uploading site, and upload your animated GIF. Grab the link (in Photobucket, under the image, it's called Direct Link) and go to your Gametoast profile page and, in the Link Off-Site box (in Profile>Edit avatar), paste the link there, and press Upload. As long as your image is no bigger than 150X150, you're fine. Now you're done.
Then you've got an animated image for your avatar! Yay, go animated avatars!!!
If you have any problems, don't hesitate to post below, and if that fails, then
. Have fun!
