New forum Theme/look/format

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Wilshire

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« on: May 10, 2016, 07:38:19 pm »
All,

With the advent of TGO neigh, we wanted to spruce up the forum a bit. Since are currently working on transferring to a more stable host (which should fix the posting and PM issues), we wanted to change things up.

We will be sticking with a Simple Machine Forum (SMF), so as to avoid interruptions, but  there is a lot that can be done to re-skin this place and make it not look like it was built in the 90's.

Any and all are welcome to provide feedback, though I can't guarantee any one person will be satisfied with every change.

Some notes:
No dark background with light text.
We are considering buying/designing a custom theme.
This site has some examples of whats possible: http://smftricks.com/index.php?action=portfolio;sa=premium;start=0
Alternatively you could go here and select from the dropdown menu up at the top banner one of their themes. This lets you look at a demo site, very cool:  http://demo.smftricks.com/index.php?theme=1
Wish list of features anyone? We will do our best to keep an quorum/IM equivalent.

« Last Edit: May 13, 2016, 05:42:33 pm by Wilshire »
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« Reply #1 on: May 11, 2016, 12:59:30 pm »
I feel we should salvage what we can and make the new one look like the old Three-Seas board.  I really liked that look, but I might be in the minority.
I am a warrior of ages, Anasurimbor. . . ages. I have dipped my nimil in a thousand hearts. I have ridden both against and for the No-God in the great wars that authored this wilderness. I have scaled the ramparts of great Golgotterath, watched the hearts of High Kings break for fury. -Cet'ingira

Bolivar

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« Reply #2 on: May 11, 2016, 02:11:08 pm »
^ I like that look too. I would also be partial to something like a light brown, yellowish background like you see on old paper or scrolls in a fantasy kind of way if that makes sense.

It would also be great to have a big colorful banner along the top. Maybe Jason's scene of Kellhus leaving Ishual with "THE SECOND APOCALYPSE" across it?

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« Reply #3 on: May 11, 2016, 04:19:42 pm »
In case anyone doesn't remember what it looked like when it was really working, you can see it here: Old Three-Seas Board.
I am a warrior of ages, Anasurimbor. . . ages. I have dipped my nimil in a thousand hearts. I have ridden both against and for the No-God in the great wars that authored this wilderness. I have scaled the ramparts of great Golgotterath, watched the hearts of High Kings break for fury. -Cet'ingira

Wilshire

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« Reply #4 on: May 11, 2016, 05:16:28 pm »
That's a fair suggestion. I really like the intigration of the Rankine covers into most aspects of the old forum.

Any thoughts on some of the themes with a bit more... features? I can't decide if the extra stuff going on, with banners or collapsible menus is just irritating or if it provides some more value. Also, I like the idea of a scroll-able banner, but having it auto-scroll like in most of the themes is nauseating.

I like the thought of having a faded background, similar to what one of the Bakker wikis used to look like using one of the Rankine covers. Something that the forum proper sits on top of.

I was thinking the circumfix as the symbol to the left of all the boards. Its potentially more identifiable than the Tusk with so few pixels, but I also like that idea.

I'd also like to have better links on the top to the various media platforms that 'bakkerfans' has encompassed, and having them exist as symbols (the twitter bird, the facebook f, etc) seems like a simple way to do it without cluttering things.
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« Reply #5 on: May 11, 2016, 05:50:43 pm »
I don't see much value in the collapsible headers, since we have so few sub-fora, but some people might find it useful, I guess.

I think a decent outline of the Tusk wouldn't be bad, but it's really a toss up between that and the Circumfix, I think either is fine.

I do prefer a darker color theme, I really liked the old board's black, gray, gold and red theme, but again, that is just personal bias.
I am a warrior of ages, Anasurimbor. . . ages. I have dipped my nimil in a thousand hearts. I have ridden both against and for the No-God in the great wars that authored this wilderness. I have scaled the ramparts of great Golgotterath, watched the hearts of High Kings break for fury. -Cet'ingira

Bolivar

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« Reply #6 on: May 11, 2016, 06:34:16 pm »
Would it work to have a Tusk for PoN sub boards and Circumfix for aspect Emperor ones? Maybe that would be a little too much.

I also don't see worthwhile functionality in collapsible headers or auto scrolling banners. Just one big banner at the top of a page to give some visual flair to the forum would be nice. Maybe a different banner depending on the subforum?

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Madness

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« Reply #7 on: May 11, 2016, 09:47:18 pm »
I think "the look" of the ZTS reflects the fact that it is phpBB rather than SMF. As far as some phpBB boards go, Three-Seas was fairly simple.
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« Reply #8 on: May 12, 2016, 12:31:04 pm »
I think "the look" of the ZTS reflects the fact that it is phpBB rather than SMF. As far as some phpBB boards go, Three-Seas was fairly simple.

Easy for me to say, but could we forgo SMF and just use phpBB?
I am a warrior of ages, Anasurimbor. . . ages. I have dipped my nimil in a thousand hearts. I have ridden both against and for the No-God in the great wars that authored this wilderness. I have scaled the ramparts of great Golgotterath, watched the hearts of High Kings break for fury. -Cet'ingira

Wilshire

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« Reply #9 on: May 12, 2016, 06:04:47 pm »
I think "the look" of the ZTS reflects the fact that it is phpBB rather than SMF. As far as some phpBB boards go, Three-Seas was fairly simple.

Easy for me to say, but could we forgo SMF and just use phpBB?
Eh, we've not had great luck with transferring forums and formats. We're likely stuck with SMF for the foreseeable future.
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« Reply #10 on: May 13, 2016, 01:50:20 pm »
Also - v1's phpBB error has... made us uneasy about phpBB.
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Aural

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« Reply #11 on: May 13, 2016, 02:47:57 pm »
Why no light text on dark background? Just curious.

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« Reply #12 on: May 13, 2016, 02:57:55 pm »
I hate it :). Literally that is the only reason and one I will not yield to the collective judgment of the Second Apocalype Hive-Meld.
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Aural

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« Reply #13 on: May 13, 2016, 03:01:30 pm »
Wow. What a dictator...

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« Reply #14 on: May 13, 2016, 03:05:12 pm »
I hate it :). Literally that is the only reason and one I will not yield to the collective judgment of the Second Apocalype Hive-Meld.

Booo!  I love it dark on light...
I am a warrior of ages, Anasurimbor. . . ages. I have dipped my nimil in a thousand hearts. I have ridden both against and for the No-God in the great wars that authored this wilderness. I have scaled the ramparts of great Golgotterath, watched the hearts of High Kings break for fury. -Cet'ingira