Skin and Template Discussion

[Wish]

Okay, so I'd like some feed-back from you all regarding the template for the characters as well as the skins themselves. For instance do you all like the collapsable catagories or would you like to go back to the running list of things? Do you guys like how the side tables are or do you want a middle table to be added as well? What sort of things do you all want to see on the tables?

As for the templates for the characters would you all like to see a more refined version that has pretty font/lyrics and is a bit easier to fill in and looks more finished or are you all okay with how it is? Anything need to be added or clarified on there? I've already added a section regarding the baby descriptions as was asked.

[Wish]

Alright, so regarding the new skin, I can make the site look something like This. DotM as you can read in the welcome section is just a place for me to write and whatnot, but you can see similar things I've been learning to do as well as some different character templates that are more pretty and clean...once I actually get those up. >.<

[Wish]

Do me a favor guys and vote, but also post what skin you currently use as well as what sort of boards you all want to keep and which can become sub-boards!

Currently the Categories and boards are as follows:

Ooc Boards 1:
-Rules
-Library (3 sub-boards)
-Records (4 sub-boards)
-Market
-Out of Character (5 sub-boards)
-Advertising (3 sub-boards)

Ooc Boards 2:
-Meet the Members (1 sub board)
-Staff Hatching
-Member Hatching
-Staff Ploting
-General Staff (Already being removed)
-Suggestion Box

Characters:
-Availabilty
-Character Help
-Character Registration (2 sub-boards)
-Trelis Weyr (8 sub boards)
-The Obsidian Rebellion (6 sub-boards)
-Character Logs and Thread Trackers
-Plots and Things

Trelis Weyr:
-Weyr Bowl
-Rider's Weyrs (1 sub-boards)
-Weyrling Area (2 sub-boards)
-Lower Caverns (4 sub boards)
-Hatching Sands
-River
-Forest
-Caves
-Beach

The Rebellion:
-Main Camp (4 sub boards)
-Cavers (3 sub-boards)
-Weyrling Area (2 sub-boards)
-Hatching Sands
-Plains
-Forest
-Delta
-Beach

The Holds:
-Sollace Hold
-Apolla Hold
-Trelis Wherhold
-Rindell Vilage

The Rest of Pern:
-North (6 sub boards)
-South (2 sub boards)
-Skies

Alright, which ones do you all want to get away with, which do you want turned into sub-boards, what sub-boards do you want added? Also, do you want to put the info about the wherhold and holds with Trelis and use The Holds category for a Rindell Village instead?

[Zirin]

I use the blue one, which I am happy with.

[Kitsuneko]

As far as design goes, I am a big fan of KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) and favor anything with at least an option that isn't too hard to read for someone with less-than-perfect eyesight (Which usually translates to dark writing on a light background, I think.) I also favor designs that don't involve a lot of scrolling past useless pretty stuff or complicated stuff that may be hard to navigate. (I use the Winter skin, black and white)

Categories and Boards:

I would suggest the library and records pages could be condensed into a single category, perhaps with a sub-board for records.

Most of the Arts and Crafts topics involve member-shops, which could possibly be moved to the Market. Then either leave the rest in Arts and Crafts or just allow non-shop art and writing posts in General OOC.

Possibly the General Staff Board could be gotten rid of; I don't know that any of us really use it, since we usually talk through AIM or pms.

I would suggest the topics in Character Help could go either into Plots and Things or the Rulebook (and/or change the Rulebook section into a general New People, here's what you need to know section/guide).

Seems like the topics in Availability could be stickied in the Character Registration section.

Character Logs and Trackers could be a sub-board under Plots and Things.

The Trelis River, Forest, Caves, and Beach sections could possibly be turned into sub-boards under a general Outside Trelis Weyr section. (Ditto with Rindell)

Considering how relatively few topics are set in the Holds, they could probably be changed to sub-boards under Trelis and Rindell, possibly included in the "Outside ____" section.

I'm kind of undecided whether the Gather and Threadfall sections should remain as they are or be sort of combined into a general "Site-Wide Plots and Events" Section, maybe with different Sub-boards.

Basically, the boards as they are right now require a lot of scrolling to get anywhere; I would suggest either condensing and combining a lot of the boards as suggested or going back to the way it was set-up before, with different titles to click on to go to the different sections. It was a little confusing to figure out at first, but considering the large amount of boards we've got, it was a good way to reduce scrolling.

[jovia]

just a few cents from an artist and fellow avid rper on forums.

The banner, at least for the forest skin... you know the hardly legible words? Those will greatly chase away potiential new members just because they can't read it. Even if it is just for looks or not, some people like me would like to know what they mean or not want them there so that is something to consider.

The lyrics for the category names? eh I wouldn't do. Lately all music artists have been cracking down hard on people using their copyrighted lyrics and frankly I don't want to see this site just get deleted by proboards... That and it is hard to figure out what is what.

And yeah I have gotten used to the switching so don't have to scroll as much, but maybe if you can change things back to that and the category names still show up below that put something in your own words and write your own lyrics to give a more personalized forum?

and depends on the characters on if there is a huge wall of text or not, keep it simple and safe. Not many people will want to deal with alot of coding just to write up their character. Some coding can be outright appalllings trying to find exactly where to type things.

Oh and also on skins.. if you have dark backgrounds use light text, light backgrounds dark text... it helps them stand out way more. and I don't mean neon pink on black either but there is a way to male even mellow colors together like that, that does well.

Also should put the info on the left side so people can see it no matter where they go on the site? Could put the events or lessons or even the poem with the dragon picture there instead.

[Wish]

Personally I don't think it's a deterrent to have the words like that. I love the effect that faded words have and have learned in Computer Graphics classes before that it can be a good thing just as much as it can be bad. There will be other skins though and not all will have headers like that.

I have not seen sites being put down for having lyrics in posts or on their site. I have put a disclosure in the credits box however, and Proboards always sends e-mails before shutting down sites. If they send one stating that it is against a copyright rule then I will take it down and put something up in its place instead. For now it will stay as it though.

The boards have the category name in the title. It is after the .... and is even bolded in the coding. As for scrolling I have all the main rps up at the top and they're more condensed than they were when the code was first changed. It should be fine.

There would not be a lot of text on the character templates. I mainly want input on things to keep, add, or remove in terms of what is on the templates themselves information wise.

I'm currently making a black and white, with a light sky blue and grey accents, skin. The Forest one, that one, and the Blue one will be definitely staying. The other three will be open for debate on whether they are staying, being changed, or not.

Your last suggestion has been put to use, thank you.

[Zirin]

I am in complete and absolute agreeance with Jovia on this one. I can't even look at the banner on that skin because the inability to read the words frustrates and annoys me to no end. I feel like I should be able to read it, since it is a site banner, and since I can't it, pardon the language, pisses me off. Now I'm no artist, and I'll never claim to be one, but as far as opinion goes that is mine. I've always seen the site banner as a quick preview of the site, and to me the messy lyrics (i assume they're lyrics?) makes me think the site is messy as well. One could probably figure out a similar visual effect using something other than words and that might be a better option.

As far as the lyrics go. Plain and simple I just don't like it. I don't like having to 'search' for information, and while you have added the category title to the end of the lyrics, I still have to put forth a tiny bit of effort to know what the category actually is. To me it comes off as useless, annoying and distracting. I'm a fan of clean and consice and I'll be honest when I say I've ignored a site because of the use of lyrics, they're a huge deterrent for me.

Edit: Is there any way to make the transparent part of the background less transparent? Or like.. solid?

Edit2: The new skin 'The Night' is snazzy. Great job

[Wish]

Second skin is up, it's called The Night. I've also switched out the banner on The Forest skin for a slightly different one. I also took out all the lyrics on the skins.

[Zirin]

Much prefer the new banner. Thanks

[Taylor]

I agreed on the lyrics (they seem unnecessary and cluttery) but I see they've been taken out already so that's good.

I do like the new layout in general, with everything condensed into one thing, rather than the clicking. But that may just be that it's what I'm used to. I probably would have gotten more used to the other way with more time, but as a new member it means a lot of clicking around to different sections in the OOC tabs just to find the board I wanted. Which could be bad for new members - information was pretty hard to track down as I was applying.

So yeah. I like the layout, it feels simplified and like a lot of clutter got taken out. But on the night skin, there is a typo in the banner. It says "run for you life" instead of "your life."

[Wish]

Damn, thanks. lol

[Elessar]

whatever the hell you did with the blue one makes my eyes hurt. so i'm going to switch to something else.

[Wish]

The blue one? You mean the spring? I didn't do anything to it. :/

[Elessar]

spring, yeah. and yeeeesssss something definitely happened to it. its all gradiented where it wasnt before and i hate it so now i'm using not the forest brown one but the other brown one