Planning on Custom Skin Commission

[oddMLan]

Do you mind if I suggest other (minor) changes too?

 

-Lessened the lower drop shadow.

-Added a very small smooth noise to the gray background.

-Added a bit of glow to the black/blue stripes bar.

-Changed the upper gradient to be less blueish.

-Flattened the search button a bit.

-Changed the search icon to monochrome.

-Changed the search box gradient a bit.

-Made the header lighter overall

 

What do you think?

 

 

 

Btw, how can I attach images directly into the forum?

[Shadow Fire]

Some of it actually does look nice, but at the same time, we have to take into account the CSS capabilities. It would also be wise to not adversely affect server load. Also, remember that the images provided are just mere mock-ups. The actual skin may look a little different, based on the coding provided for it. Also, the mock-up shows things that we don't actually have on here, namely the arcade, store and chat.

 

As for attaching images, users in lower-ranking groups cannot upload attachments in the conventional way that I have been. That is how the permissions are set, as outlined in the Group Permission Index.

[CloudMax]

Everything oddMLan changed, should be perfectly doable with css (as long as the colors are websafe) without affecting server load, except for "Added a very small smooth noise to the gray background.", as I assume the grey background is a css gradient rather than one big image.

I agree on several changes he did, especially the shadow in the search box, which was way to dark in my opinion. It looks like the search box goes very deep, and the search button pops out. It just look weird to me, I'd flatten it out a little.

As for the other things he did, I can barely even see the changes.

[oddMLan]

Everything oddMLan changed, should be perfectly doable with css (as long as the colors are websafe) without affecting server load, except for "Added a very small smooth noise to the gray background.", as I assume the grey background is a css gradient rather than one big image.

I agree on several changes he did, especially the shadow in the search box, which was way to dark in my opinion. It looks like the search box goes very deep, and the search button pops out. It just look weird to me, I'd flatten it out a little.

As for the other things he did, I can barely even see the changes.

Actually all the changes I proposed are doable using CSS like you said, yes, including the small noise in the gray background, and without affecting the server load at all. Here's a link for everything needed. (Just a very small css snippet) And a live demo here.

 

The changes I proposed are minor and not very important, but those small details definitely make the skin look a bit more stylish and consistent overall. Again, IMO.

[CloudMax]

Well, it IS using data uri, which basically is an inline file, which is why I said that it wasn't really doable with CSS. (Several of my subsites even use data uri for the favicon, and I use data URI a lot for many of my sites)

Sure, data uri makes it so that you won't have to load additional resources to the site, which does decrease the server load, but it does make the file containing the data uri itself larger, which will have an effect.

I was thinking more along the lines of being able to do something natively with css.

 

I'm not really sure if it would be worth adding it. I barely notice a difference. If I wasn't aware of the difference, I'd never notice it.

[Shadow Fire]

Base64 would not be a viable way of doing so, since HostGator tries to restrict it from being used where possible. A lot of base64 code can often trigger a positive with AV systems.As for the others, they're really just minor nit-picks. I like your search button replacement though.

 

With the skin now being worked on, I'll be waiting for it to start showing on the IBSkin forums, to follow its progress.

 

Bleh... writing at around 4AM has me being sleepy.

[Vixolyn]

Probably too late, but just thought I'd throw in a quick redesign of option 3 I made not long ago with a few "touch-ups":

 

 

 

Just two small edits; the top-most portion of the page has been replaced to mirror the navigation area's gradient effect. I did this because the dual-gradient look in the previous options weren't as visually appealing (now that I look at it though the top part looks like it's going inwards rather than outwards, like it's bottom counterpart ). However, I'm not very pleased with the way the text and icons sit on it—that could be improved upon, but it's nothing major. Perhaps a nice white semi-transparent bubble around the two different sections could potentially look nice?

The second edit is not as noticeable, but a slight shade of blue in the main-content area (just turned the saturation up on those areas by 100%). Also, I put oddMLan's search box in as well, which will hopefully be implemented in the final design since it looks a lot nicer than the original. 

I also forget to add the settings icon next to the search box back in, my mistake. >.<

 

But that was just a quick mock-up I did out of sheer boredom. I both like and dislike my touch-ups at the same time, but just thought I'd put it out there anyway even if it's too late.

Also, is the favicon of this site getting an update as well? It looks kind of squished, and looks weird in Google Chrome.

[oddMLan]

Hey Shadow Fire, any news on the skin designing progress? :3

[Shadow Fire]

It's coming along, although a little slowly. Sherri has been experiencing major snow difficulties, odd for Florida. So she hasn't been able to work much on it the past few days. However, what she has done, you can see by going to http://www.ibskin.com/forums and changing the skin to "Gamer's Collective 3.4.6 (custom)".

[Airikita]

It's coming along, although a little slowly. Sherri has been experiencing major snow difficulties, odd for Florida. So she hasn't been able to work much on it the past few days. However, what she has done, you can see by going to http://www.ibskin.com/forums and changing the skin to "Gamer's Collective 3.4.6 (custom)".

I love it!

[Shadow Fire]

I should let you know, a lot of the imagery is placeholder for now, until she finishes working on them.

[Airikita]

Don't crush my dreams!  ;-;

 

jk though... whatever the end decision is, I'm sure it will be fantastic.

[oddMLan]

Sorry for insisting but... It's been two months since the last update. Have there been any progress?

Edited April 2, 2014 by oddMLan

[Shadow Fire]

Sorry for insisting but... It's been two months since the last update. Have there been any progress?

Actually, the skin is just about done. A few things are being tweaked, and I'm waiting on the PSD files for some of the icons. Sherri's been outrageously busy over the past several weeks, and I haven't wanted to bother her, since I know just how crazy it's been for her.

[Vixolyn]

I apologise for bringing this up, but I feel that the skin is still incomplete. I know this has been stated many times but it has many inconsistencies in certain areas, namely text being inappropriately coloured in contrast to the background.

 

For example, on the main page and the forum index there are significant amounts of black text on a dark background, making it somewhat difficult to read. The search box in the top-right hand corner could also do with darker text.

 

 

 

Also, does anyone else face this issue with the logo? This image is taken on a screen with a resolution of 1366x768.

 

 

 

I'm just wondering when these issues will be fixed? I'm not trying to sound pushy or anything, but given these problems with the skin have been known for a few months, it'd seem reasonable to assume they'd be fixed by now considering how minor they are. Anyways, I'll probably use an alternate theme in the meantime until then.

[SoulofDeity]

 

That isn't a problem. The text is supposed to be almost invisible; it's a watermark. When you begin typing the text is black.

 

 

 

 

How is this in any-way an issue? It's caused by a difference in screen resolution. Resize your window by 1 or 2 pixels and it'll go away.

 

 

Serously? Are people still nitpicking about this? If you don't like it, change your fucking theme, it's not rocket science  -.-;

[Vixolyn]

That isn't a problem. The text is supposed to be almost invisible; it's a watermark. When you begin typing the text is black.

 

Now that you mention it, it does look normal. I suppose I'm just used to darker varieties of grey used for text like that, my bad.

 

How is this in any-way an issue? It's caused by a difference in screen resolution. Resize your window by 1 or 2 pixels and it'll go away.

 

 

Serously? Are people still nitpicking about this? If you don't like it, change your fucking theme, it's not rocket science  -.-;

I understand that, but I'd rather have my browser maximised than having it windowed just to fix that. Thus it is an issue.

 

I just feel that the theme looks half-assed because of some of these issues, and I doubt it'd make a good impression. Regardless, I feel like the only thing really needing to be fixed majorly is the black text on the dark backgrounds, and that should be quick and easy to do.

[SoulofDeity]

Regardless, I feel like the only thing really needing to be fixed majorly is the black text on the dark backgrounds, and that should be quick and easy to do.

 

 

I don't see why people keep saying this. No where, anywhere, do I see black text on a dark background. Even in the areas with the least amount of contrast, it's still easy to read. I'm sorry if I'm coming off as an ass, but people were causing a riot about this like, last year, blowing it ridiculously out of proportion. Complaining about a few pixels on a checkboard not lining up perfectly with your preferred screen resolution as being "unfinished" or "half-assed" is just beyond absurd to me.

 

 

EDIT:

 

Just pondering this a bit, taking into consideration that the side of the borders and scrollbars on browsers is different. I'm using a 1366x768 screen resolution with Maxthon browser (sidebar disabled) which has no horizontal borders. Trying resolutions of 1360x768 and 1024x768, I've concluded that for the checkerboard to line up 100% perfect for me, I would need either 2px more or 4px less of space. Then, consider that typically, in Win7, the borders on windows are 8px wide. If he was using a 1360x728 screen resolution on Win7 with a browser like Firefox or Chrome, disregarding the width of the vertical scrollbar, the checkboard would have been lined up perfectly for him.

[Vixolyn]

I don't see why people keep saying this. No where, anywhere, do I see black text on a dark background. Even in the areas with the least amount of contrast, it's still easy to read.

Not all is necessarily on the actual forum section of the website, but rather the main page. For example:

 

 

This is located underneath the news ticker for reference.

 

 

 

Considering the main page of the site is where new members will be brought to, it isn't the best impression when they are faced with that.

And for the parts that are on the forum section of the website:

 

The welcoming, the topics the user participates in and the recently discussed topics text are the other examples.

 

 

It's not necessarily that difficult to read, but it isn't exactly nice on the eyes depending on the monitor you're using. As for the screen resolution, it's the only one that fits my monitor that I have currently and the other resolutions aren't ideal. It's a pretty common resolution, too. But my "half-assed" comment wasn't directly at the checkboard part of the logo, but towards the issues as a whole.

 

But anyways, I was only asking to see if and when the issues would be fixed. I'm not particularly fazed by it, I'll just use another theme in the meantime.

[SoulofDeity]

 

It's the last breadcrumb in a trail; doesn't link to anything, is redundant, and not even that difficult to see. Navigate to anywhere else on the forum, and the last breadcrumb is white as well.

 

 

 

None of these are dark backgrounds, and the text is very clearly visible. It's not hard on the eyes at all. Maybe you just need glasses.

[Keanine]

I can see what Vixolyn means with the text on the home page, it isn't too difficult to read, but isn't exactly the best colour choice in the world, and on some monitors could be difficult to read. However, I don't see it as a huge deal, the rest of the theme works perfectly fine and it's the one I've chosen to stick with! Personally I really like it.

[Vixolyn]

None of these are dark backgrounds, and the text is very clearly visible. It's not hard on the eyes at all. Maybe you just need glasses.

I have perfect eyesight, I'm just saying that some monitors (especially older ones) could make it harder to see for some, even those who do have eyesight difficulties. The point is that a lighter-coloured font would be an improvement, and could help those who can't see it as clearly if that is the case.

[xdaniel]

It's the last breadcrumb in a trail; doesn't link to anything, is redundant, and not even that difficult to see. Navigate to anywhere else on the forum, and the last breadcrumb is white as well.

 

None of these are dark backgrounds, and the text is very clearly visible. It's not hard on the eyes at all. Maybe you just need glasses.

I would call #202D3A dark, and while its visibility can be argued, I can also imagine the text being hard to read for some people. It's not exactly the easiest for me to read either. And I do have glasses.

[SoulofDeity]

I would call #202D3A dark, and while its visibility can be argued, I can also imagine the text being hard to read for some people. It's not exactly the easiest for me to read either. And I do have glasses.

 

Maybe they just have shitty monitors then  -.-;    Seeing the text on my screen is as clear as night and day. This seems less about visibility and more about aesthetics, which is what irked me. If the problem is that they simply just don't like the colors, they can pick a different theme.

[Netsrac]

It really must be the monitors, because I don't have any problems reading any text at all. The only hard thing to see are the bubbles on the recently discussed topics (the light bubbles, not the darker ones).