User-Selected Styles

[Ghurlag]

Hi Guys,

As promised, I've turned some attention to getting a range of styles for the Bolthole. I've collected a number of likely candidates, and they're now installed on the forum. What I'd like is for you guys to test them out, see which ones you like (or if you like none of them, say that) and what needs doing to them to bring them up to scratch (there's obvious things like changing the default images, but anything you point out would be helpful).

To flick through the styles, go to your user control panel and from there to 'Board Preferences'. You should be able to select a style of your choice.
The forum will load a little slower than usual during your first explorations with a new style, so be aware of that in assessing it. Also, bear in mind that you're likely a little accustomed to the old style by now, so they might all feel a little odd.

Post up your observations, groans and requests about the styles here, and I'll begin filtering them until we have a set that we're fairly sure covers most people's preferences.

[Vivia]

There is excitement in the air. Celtic Dreams, looks interesting. Thanks a lot for the changes. ♥

[Dorian]

I fell in love with Saphic right away. You just can't beat green.

Great job!

[Mossy Toes]

Hmm, it would appear (to me, at least) that the astrum skin is the only one that has a link to the shoutbox.

[Vivia]

The Saphic skin has a major flaw; it's exposing all the old spoiler tags and not only are they gone but the text is bigger than normal. The same happened when I changed skin on Warseer.

[shadowhawk2008]

Major flaw in the extreme dark red style: Regular registered user name colors are in red, a colour we use to denote administrators.

[schaferwhat‽]

I think it is evident that nothing has been sorted with regards the other themes fitting into the unique bolthole elements of the forum.

[Raziel4707]

Major flaw in the extreme dark red style: Regular registered user name colors are in red, a colour we use to denote administrators.

i also had a great deal of trouble locating the tab for the shoutbox, it may not be there at all...

[Major Rawne]

I had a look at them all and decided to go back to boring old default. Suits me just fine.

[Vivia]

The Saphic skin doesn't have a Shoutbox tab either.

[schaferwhat‽]

Major flaw in the extreme dark red style: Regular registered user name colors are in red, a colour we use to denote administrators.

i also had a great deal of trouble locating the tab for the shoutbox, it may not be there at all...

It likely isn't, it isn't a button that is on the skin as default you see.

I think what Ghurlag is after is words with regards which are the popular themes to bring up to scratch.

[Raziel4707]

I know it's not a default button, dude, but it is one that's kind of integral to how I use the site so thought they should probably know...

Hence why I've reverted to Astrum.

[Xisor]

Ghur, have you much knowledge of what has to be done to knock together 'custom' themes for phpBB, offhand? I'd be happy to give it a go, but my experience is limited at best.

I've a bit of an idea in my head how I'd like things to look, but none of the new skins really tickle my fancy. (I'll check them again later this evening, initial knee-jerk reactions and all that.)

[schaferwhat‽]

It has been years since I did a phpbb skin myself, so I'm no use.

[Ghurlag]

Thanks for the responses, folks. As schafe said, this is so I can get an idea of which themes should be given due attention for long-term support more than anything else. The shoutbox link will be added to the themes people want to use.

Xisor, I haven't done much myself, but I can send you some resources and guides if you like. An understanding of how HTML/CSS works is fairly useful, and I suppose some capability for making images (or stealing them from somewhere). The amount of work kinda depends on what you're after. If you get something together, I'd be happy to put it up for others to check out.

[Squiggle]

the green one is way too green! maybe a more mellow green would work better! I like green, so that would be good.

[Bod the inquisitor]

I like the Bl@ck by sevenalive personally, but then I've always been a little odd

[Xisor]

Aye, I've temporarily switched to Bl@ck. Well, I say temporarily, we'll see how it goes.

My main concern in HTML & CSS is the (im)proper widening of the boards. Bl@ck's nice and wide on my screen, but I'll see if I like the widening of the paragraphs this way. Shrinking windows and whatnot.

Anyway, if you've got the tutorials to hand, Ghur, I'd be happy to have a poke about in 'em. I don't want to promise much, but there's no particular reason I can't dig out the knowledge/inspiration buried in here somewhere. (That said, wed design's probably my weakest side on all computery-gubbins, but who knows, maybe I'll surprise myself.)

[Vivia]

I really like Saphic, the green has has a calming effect on me. Despite that I've changed back to Astrum because of the few problems with the new ones. It gets a little distracting.

[Tyrant]

I've been through them all, and very definitely prefer Astrum. I'm set in my ways and don't care for change.

*grumbles*