Chathead

Chatheads are the term for the icon which "talks" when players and NPCs are engaged in conversation. They are animated and show the face of the player or NPC. NPCs with chat heads vary from humans and gnomes, to dragons and cats. Players' chat heads can show either their default face and hair, or if they have something equipped on their head (for example, a helmet), the equipped item will show. Chathead animations were updated and smoothened, allow for many more different animations and designs and styles when RSHD was released.

Chat heads can display emotions such as anger, worry, drunkenness, happiness, shock and sarcasm.

For images and animations of chatheads, see here. Warning: The page contains a large number of animations and may cause lag.

Trivia

 * According to Mod Alec, it takes about six hours to model and animate a chathead.