A Better, Brighter Forums
 

In this thread, we discuss what we can do to make the OWF a better place... Visually, mentally and such...

GrigtheSlig :D

Good job Grig, saved me alot of thinking there!

Yeah basically everyone we are bouncing ideas for a new forum skin and logo. Feel free to post any logo/layout concepts and color scheme ideas you might have.

I like the old Native theme! 'Twas cool! We could do something like that again...

The native scheme was ok, but I must admit I did like the industrial scheme a bit better.

I was thinking of something like this or this.

Something with some nice smooth lines. Obviously incorporate some XBOX gamer forum style MO and Stranger type logos. We would have to make some changes and adjustments, but so far these are just suggestions for general skin.

I like the first one out of the two, but it was a bit too dark for my eyes...

Well it was only an example of the sort of skin this forum could use. I thought the first was a bit dark too, but that could always be modified.

I personally prefer the second one. With some XBOX/OWI logos here and there, and a really decent OWF logo at the top, it could look quite nice. It would be bright too, which would make a change to the current, so far rather dull schemes that OWF has used.

I don't like any of em, one is to dark and the other is to bright. You could use the design though if you change the collours to something simmelar to this or the industiral colors of the OW games.

True, you have to admit that the design itself is much more slick than this one.

Actually the dark one of those two is still lighter than Abe Babes industrial theme.

I liked both of those schemes real well. They were so sleak looking. Still awaiting Abe Babe to bring back the Industrial theme. Maybe she could incorperate the smooth lines we all love.

How do you make a skin anyway? Abe Babe is really busy. Maybe if someone knew how to do it and approved with Alcar, we could get some better styles real quick.

-oddguy

The whole point of this thread is for us to collectively come up with a skin and logo we all like. We are going to brainstorm ideas until we come up with something truly "us".

I'm sure I speak for all of us, when I say that I hope Abe Babe and Alcar will be happy to go along with this.

Well, if somebody here knows how to make a skin, they could take our ideas and make the ultimate OWF skin. I think you would be a good candidate, Death. :D

-oddguy

I would be yes, that is, if I had any idea how to make vBulletin skins... :D

I think it would be a bit better if we could all agree on a pre-made skin like the ones I linked to. Maybe not those skins in particular, but something like that. Perhaps Alcar or Abe Babe could perform the nessecery CSS document alterations to have it all appear in the color we want.

But nothing is set in stone yet. Come on people lets get some ideas! What color do you want the forums? Do you have any graphics concepts? Any logo ideas?

I may try to whip up a possible logo this weekend.

But I dunno if I'll have time or not.

Western colors, I'd say. That's something which hasn't been done yet, and may help characterize with Stranger. Also, I don't really like either of those designs. When I post somewhere, I don't want to be distracted by fancy stuff, or have too much contrast all around. excluding text, of course.

Hmm, I think you'd find that you would get used to the "fancy stuff". The truth is that we need a slicker layout. Those two demonstrated slicker layouts perfectly. Smooth lines rather than boring tables.

True, I'd probably get used to the designs. After all, you can't really deny that they're slick and quite professional looking, except I just don't find them as suiting here. There's a time for wicked graphics, and there's a time for plain sophistication where forum personality is the attraction. The Oddworld games don't show off trendy, futuristic-esque details and such; I don't think the forums should either.

Also, although I don't like exhibiting anything to be taken as arrogance, this is one matter where I believe the older-standing forum members should have a more important say. We've been here longer, we know more of the forum taste and tradition.

OW not future-esque? That's subjective, but in my opinion, OW is vintage looking industrial machinary on a future-esque scale.

Older forum mebmers are actually not more or less important than new members in this. We won't settle for a design until EVERYBODY likes it. Old, new, everybody. So while your long stay may be appreciated, it is not required.

This way, the new members don't mess it up for the old ones, and the old members don't mess it up for the new ones. It's a balanced, overall appreciated appearance that represents the tastes of OW fans. We each get an equal say it what it ends up being, and to that end, it truly represents OWF.

Have you seen this one? It looks very XBOXish.

http://www.extremepixels.com/forum/index.php?styleid=36

I say we take the good features out of the ones we like and make the ultimate skin. From background to buttons, headers, footers and tabs.

-oddguy :fuzcool:

Eh, I'm with Majic on this one...I like the simple, calm colors. Dark yet unsaturated...mmm.

I honestly don't care what it looks like, as long as I can be a bastard I'll be happy.

I was actually looking at that one yesterday.

I don't like that one. It seems much more suited to a tech-help board, or possibly a general gaming forum. I really don't feel that style fits very well.

EDIT: Style = being all super curvy and such. The coloring could be tweaked a bit, and if it were squared off some, it might make a decent industrialish theme.

EDIT 2: Esus posted while I was editing. He has the right idea.

Euch, those ones demonstrated in this thread are awful. If you want to go for tacky, common and boring styles then choose those ones with their cuving lines, and gradient-ed tables.
Or we could go for a bit of originality, style/class and pick a new theme to fit the next game. One with straight lines and no gradients on title tables... Perhaps a sandy colour? Or a colour scheme similar to the Depths of Oddworld website.

Bingo! And the Western theme of a slight sandy colour is neither horribly dark nor terribly bright.

Just my thoughts...

It sounds like you basically want a really boring tabled out design like the current one. If you do that's fine, we could always compromise by just making a second theme for you guys. Since what you're asking for is so basic, Alcar could probably do it himself.

But could you at least link to some sites that show the sort of thing you're talking about? I really fail to see how any of what you're talking about could ever look fantastic.

Personal opinion, chap. Personal opinion.

I'll admit, plain, squared off styles like what's in use currently don't convey the message of "kick ass" or "cool". I wouldn't quite call it boring, though. I feel it suits the board and game just fine. Once Abe Babe gets the Native and Industrial styles back up, you can comment on how to fix up those. When stranger eventually comes out, I'm sure a theme to accomodate that will be up.

I'm positive suggestions for how to make that wil reign in from everyone, but remember to keep true to the games. This is what the forum is supposed to represent, no? In my opinion, I just don't feel the sleek, curvy designs are all that fitting to Oddworld.

Exactly how I feel to your common tacky curves which are absolutely everywhere.

This forum looks brilliant. You'll most likely grow to appreciate the simplicity, once you've seen as many of those tacky curvy things as I have.

YUCK! That forum looks tacky!

Reminds me of some of those disgusting Geocities websites with animated construction worker signs and other such overused gifery.

But since some of you seem to like that stuff, here is what will happen: If you like the forums as they are now, go away, we don't want your input. This is aimed at the people who want a NEW and REFRESHING skin and logo. Something that doesn't look like it's been ripped straight off of ezboard. Sorry if it offends you, but you can always continue to use the current skin after the new one is implemented. If you ever want a color change you could always talk to alcar about making some css file adjustments.

To all of you that DO want something new, and DO find the current skin boring, please stay and post your suggestions, since you are the ones this thread is aimed at.

Thankyou.

You're way of instantly telling someone to go away when you don't agree with them is not good for your communication skills.

Ignorance is bliss, I suppose.

I suppose thats your opinion, but anybody can get a crummy PS program and create a curve or gradient.

Precisely what I want. I just know what looks good. REFRESHING and NEW does not instantly mean tacky common curves or dark backgrounds.

Liar.

Ez board is appalling. Doesn't mean the forum I posted is. That happens to look good, have a brilliant community, have incredibly fast loading times, have simple, easy-on-the-eye graphics and not be EZ board. Sorry if you don't like straight lines. Really, I am.

Just what I've been doing - though you acted as if I wasn't... hm...

's'alright, but I know you dont really want to thank me, because I dont agree with you.

Gah, too many quotes...

You are very bad tempered and completely the opposite of calm and collected. I'm not telling people to go away because I disagree with them, I'm telling them to go away because they are posting off topic spam. Now, go away. Stop telling us how much you like the current design.

No, not quite. It is my taste in forum skins. Don't be so arrogant to think that your personal preference is the "right" one, and everyone who thinks otherwise is somehow ignorant. That is just big headed.

Oh you suppose that do you? Perhaps you should suppose some more. But meanwhile, inbetween your supposing, perhaps you could back up your wild claims by making an attractive 3D gradient curve, with all the correct light sourcing and shading. In Photoshop of course.

No what you want is not refreshing and new, sorry but the kind of refreshing and new I'm going for, is something that doesn't look identical to the current skin.

Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. Until you perform a lye detector test, there is no way you'll ever come near certain, or correct, with a statement like that.

Ez board actually has a VERY similar appearance to the one you posted.

What you've been doing, is basically suggesting that you like the forums as they are. If you like the forums as they are, or just want a basic color change, then you're offtopic. This forum is for people who want something COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.

I wasn't thanking you. I have nothing to thank you for. All you've done is attempt to aggravate me.

Yes, too many quotes because you are picking at every single detail. Rather than accept that your offtopic ranting isn't wanted here, you try to justify it by telling everyone how ignorant they are to have a different taste in forum skins. If you like this one, fine, stick with this one.

It's entirely possible to create a new look with straight lines and a simple layout that doesn't just look like a color change of this.

http://www.reallifeforums.com/index.php

I visit there on occasion. Though I hope our future design doesn't look like it, I see nothing wrong.