2016-09-12 - New Forum Layout

[Infernette]

I tried to let the white grow on me but sadly it is caused me too much of a headache to deal with, so I had to switch back. Unfortunate, I actually liked everything else...

[Tigerkralle]

The contrast betwenn the background and the everything else is too big. So i stick with the Spring Skin. Soooooo much better for my eyes. Would be much easier if the background doesn't have this contrast of light on the left side and dark on the right side and in the middle the bright pale white forum/scroll. I use the background images as my desktop background but not for my scroll or this forum. Just too much contrast!

 

Could not say much about it, because i only take a glimpse and ran the other way.

 

Hopefully we will get a bigger update in the future and still have a very good private message system. And an archive function. That reminds me, have to use it. *starring at the pile of messages*

Edited September 13, 2016 by Tigerkralle

[Darien]

Yeah I'm switching back to the old default for now, I'm just more attached to it anyway <3

 

Me too I like the old default better...

[Kaini]

Oops, I've been using the spring skin for... I don't know, three years? What can I say, I deal poorly with change

[Stellaluna22]

I've been using the spring skin too I don't like the default red one so.

[daba555]

I find the white far too harsh for these old eyes. I'm sticking with the green (Spring) skin.

So, if I can change this, how do I do it, LOL. I had no idea this was even an option for the forum?

[Tigerkralle]

@daba555

 

Go to My Controls and then in the left corner there are options and one link should read Skin and Languages -> Select desired skin in drop down menu and save

Edited September 13, 2016 by Tigerkralle

[Shokomon]

Some people are saying that can't see the Unread Eggs for forums, but I can see them on mine. For me, just the scroll icons have been replaced with generic icons.

 

Do people not see the red eggs:

When a forum has new stuff?

 

What do you see instead?

[Purpzie]

Finally! I'm glad you've updated it. Now it doesn't look like it was made in 1999. It looks very nice!

[Obscure_Trash]

Will the blue layout be updated as this too?

I don't want to be forced to use the red one since red is my least favorite color.

Probably not. From the first post:

 

The default forum skin for all users has been updated to this design. Users who prefer the old default may still select it from the settings page, but any of the non-default layouts are going to receive limited support, and will be going away in the case of an eventual forum upgrade.

 

It's harder work than you might think doing updates across multiple skins, unfortunately.

 

I suggest you and other users continue to point out what you don't like about the layout or what makes it hard to view, along with posting suggested changes so that you can more easily view the forum with the layout. ^^

[lilbird]

I am using the new skin to try get used to it. I will add my two cent with the others noting the font is smallish and the white background is harsh. Notably, in contrast to the beautiful border.

 

I would suggest a the default scroll color as an alternative. It is easy on the eyes and would, of course, blend beautifully with the background here.

Edited September 13, 2016 by lilbird

[Fuzzbucket]

Probably not. From the first post:

 

 

 

It's harder work than you might think doing updates across multiple skins, unfortunately.

 

I suggest you and other users continue to point out what you don't like about the layout or what makes it hard to view, along with posting suggested changes so that you can more easily view the forum with the layout. ^^

Sock - EVERY other forum I am on - even the free ones - has a vanilla one. PLEASE encourage TJ to allow for this. The new one is VERY hard on the eyes of many members, and if we could just have a "plain" one, one forum calls it; "basic" is another, and there's "alternate" - would help SO much.

 

As far as I know, this basic feature is in all the forum software the others use (which isn't invision) as at least one was set up by someone who knows even less than I do about how to do it.... It seems to use the default but automatically strip colour and everything out, so there's no modifying or updating required.

 

here's an example:

 

 

Totally basic, but perfectly adequate for those who can't bear the contrast levels etc.

 

Basically I thank everything out there mine is set to blue....

Edited September 13, 2016 by fuzzbucket

[legofrodo12]

Ooh, I just had an idea... The main thing seems to be that the new skin is too bright. So what about a skin that's like the Portal 2 skin in the cave? It'd be nice and dark, so easy on the eyes, and it'd still match the main site.

[Cinnamin Draconna]

I'm with Fuzz.. I need something that is plain, simple and easy to read. Something that uses shades of gray would be perfect. Light gray background, medium gray borders and highlites, with dark gray text. That's all we really need colorwise.. then add the new post icons, replied to this post icons and all the other interaction icons... and of course the smilies.

 

While I need glasses to drive, I don't need them for everyday things. My problem is light sensitivity.. any kind of glare makes my eyes hurt and my head ache. There is waaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy too much brightness and sharp color changes on the new skin. I can NOT use it without getting a headache. The old default skin is perfect for my eye condition.. not too bright and not too dim.. and personally I don't think it looks dated.

 

Please keep the old default working until you get the new forum software installed.. AND make sure the new forum has a BASIC layout for those of us with eye problems.

[Obscure_Trash]

Sock - EVERY other forum I am on - even the free ones - has a vanilla one. PLEASE encourage TJ to allow for this.

I'm not sure why you think I should be in charge of this when you're perfectly capable of asking for it yourself, as you just did here - as I just encouraged users to do.

 

There's not a lot of visibility issues amongst mods. (For example, I have no idea what users mean when they call this skin bright. Part of the reason I was using spring rather than the blue or default red is because I found them overall bright and harsh on the eyes, while the spring and this new layout are a nice mix of light and pale for me.) Users posting about their issues and suggesting possible corrections is the best way to go.

[Fuzzbucket]

I'm not sure why you think I should be in charge of this when you're perfectly capable of asking for it yourself, as you just did here - as I just encouraged users to do.

 

There's not a lot of visibility issues amongst mods. (For example, I have no idea what users mean when they call this skin bright. Part of the reason I was using spring rather than the blue or default red is because I found them overall bright and harsh on the eyes, while the spring and this new layout are a nice mix of light and pale for me.) Users posting about their issues and suggesting possible corrections is the best way to go.

I have indeed asked here. And I hope very much it all gets read.

 

But you have the ear of the TJ more than most of us do, and you did say

It's harder work than you might think doing updates across multiple skins, unfortunately.

which suggests to me that that is the way he thinks - and the "plain" skins don't need any updating to match anything - it's automatic. And you have to admit that the ones I posted are far less eye-catching than the new skin. The new one has HUGE contrast between the various areas; it jars painfully. If it is the only one available after a while, then I for one would have to turn off page style - and that makes it hard to read in other ways....

[Obscure_Trash]

I have indeed asked here. And I hope very much it all gets read.

 

But you have the ear of the TJ more than most of us do, and you did say which suggests to me that that is the way he thinks

I am literally just repeating what TJ has said publicly on the forum.

 

https://forums.dragcave.net/index.php?showt...dpost&p=8391608

 

Right now there are eight different site layouts. Often, testing new things on each one of those is more work than its worth, especially given the numbers (the vast majority of people just use the default site layout).

 

Now that is for the cave, which receives far more updates than the forum, so I am not sure how applicable it is here. But that is literally where my statement came from, as well as an assumption based on TJ's first post in this very thread.

 

I honestly do not have any more of TJ's "ear" than you. In case of bugs and glitches, I have other, sometimes/supposedly faster ways to contact him than you. I am probably less wary of talking to him than many users seem to be. But that's it. There's absolutely no reason to think that my opinion should have any more weight than any other user's. Not when it comes to preferences, visuals, accessibility, etc.

 

If users want changes, users should be the ones suggesting them.

Edited September 13, 2016 by SockPuppet Strangler

[silver_tiger]

Some people are saying that can't see the Unread Eggs for forums, but I can see them on mine. For me, just the scroll icons have been replaced with generic icons.

 

Do people not see the red eggs:

When a forum has new stuff?

 

What do you see instead?

I see the large eggs, but the tiny sub-forums, shall we say, have nothing. They also used to have tiny eggs next to the words.

 

But that's not what bugs me as much as once I click on a sub-forum it's really hard to see at a glance what's been replied to and what hasn't. I see no icons, not the scrolls, not anything (except the star, paperclip, and poll squiggle, but it's often hard for me to see when those are slightly bolded.)

[Predat0rs]

There are some things I love and some things I dislike, but overall I love the new layout. I don't think suggestions on how to improve something is complaining, though.

 

The white background is too bright in my opinion. Tone it down a few notches and it would be beautiful. Unfortunately, I have to turn my brightness level down on my laptop. While this is a fix, it's only temporary as I cannot for the life of me see the other webpages I try to look at. I need my high brightness--just not in the form of blaring white pages.

 

I know the cave art is nice and all, but I don't really like it on a skin. You have a bright pale pinkish white sky on one side, and a dark black/gray cavern on the other side. I don't know how bigger/smaller screens see it, but that's how I see it. I'd prefer a solid background or a repeating background.

 

I am one of those people that realllllllly preferred the blue skin anyways, but seeing this new skin, I fell in love... with most of it.

 

I'm not asking you to change this particular skin, though some improvements might be good. I'm suggesting that more skins get created that give us the current "look" but with different sorts of colors, backgrounds, et cetera. I agree with fuzzbucket, we need a plain jane as well.

 

I'm also one of those people that LOVE change. I can't wait for the new forum software. If we're heading that way, then I could see why we're not given a multitude of new layouts. But just 1 more - one that is not so bright - would be wonderful.

[Daydreamer09]

I didn't realize until now that there was an update since I've been using the spring skin. It's really depressing to hear that it'll eventually be gone. I really like the cheerful pink and greens.

[OMGitsKairi]

 

 

I've got the same problems with this one as I did when the new layout for the site was released.

Sudden onslaught of eye pain and headaches. I'm really glad the old layout is still an option,

unlike the way it is in the cave. I'm with Cinnamin and fuzzbucket. A simple, easy-to-read layout

is needed. Til then, I'm back on the old one. "Limited support" be danged.

[HeatherMarie]

According to the first post, the other layouts will disappear if there is ever a forum upgrade? Well then I PRAY that there is never a forum upgrade. I simply, honestly, cannot use this layout. I'm on the new layout right now and I'm about to change back to blue because this is so difficult to use. The brightness (and yes, it *is* bright) gives me a headache and the font is so tiny and squished as to be hardly readable. I really, really, really hope that this *never* becomes our only option, because honestly I would be forced to abandon the forums if that happened.

[purplehaze]

Today I have no problem with this new layout, but on days when my eyes are bothering me, which is about half the time, I think the harsh white will strain them badly.

 

I like the softer background of the blue skin, which is what I have been using. The grayish background that is being used on this skin for the quotes is easy on the eyes, too, so that might be an option. I know I do not want a really dark background -- I avoid sites that have that because they are too hard for me to read.

 

So far I've had no trouble with the font, but I will reserve judgement on that until I see how my eyes react to it on a bad day.

 

I have also been missing when I have new messages today because it seems that the print does not stand out as much on that line as it did in the old layout.

[daba555]

@daba555

 

Go to My Controls and then in the left corner there are options and one link should read Skin and Languages -> Select desired skin in drop down menu and save

Thank you so much After all these years, I learned something new. With my luck he'll decide we don't need the options, but I hope they stay.

 

 

[Pippyspot]

Cool, thanks for the change