New Forum Theme

[Knightmare]

Hi all,

Since we've decided to deploy a new faction selectable variant theme we thought it would be a good idea to poll the community to see if they like what they're seeing. This poll is going to run for 15 days, and during that time we want you all to try out the new theme and vote whether we keep it, go back to the old themes, or add new factions to the list. For those of you who run the Curve and Core defaults, don't worry. Those themes will remain.

Thank you all for your participation.

[PurpleDragon]

Maybe I am not seeing it, I already miss the ability to go to my unread topics I have replied to. 

[monbvol]

Not sure which option I need to actually click to express my vote with the wording of the question so I just clicked "no" but I too miss my previous theme that if it is available now is no longer named what it was and likewise miss the easy link that displayed replies to my posts or am being my usual unobservant self in not seeing the replacement.

[Knightmare]

Unread topics can now be selected per category. To the right of every category title on the index is an unread topic button next to the upshrink button.

[ColBosch]

No. This is extremely difficult for me to read. We're talking "giving me a headache" levels of painful. Please get some sort of substitute up ASAP.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

That seems worse than having one button at the top of the page that shows all unread replies.

[Knightmare]

No. This is extremely difficult for me to read. We're talking "giving me a headache" levels of painful. Please get some sort of substitute up ASAP.

Seeing how it's the same color & font for the main body, could you please be more specific or provide screenshots? The variants are usable selectable, and the existing forum theme is still available. Feel free to change at any time.

[monbvol]

Not what I'm missing.  There used to be a link that allowed me to see replies specifically to threads I had posted in.

What you are referring to is the old "see all new posts" functionality.  Similar but different functionality.

[Knightmare]

Ah ok, I'll see about putting that back.

[monbvol]

I'll be honest, that it was even removed and that the old theme I was using is no longer available(I've checked) have made me less than a happy camper, especially since there was no warning about their loss.

[Knightmare]

To be honest, maintaining almost a dozen-odd themes safely, while adding new faction-based ones, reducing forum bloat, speeding load, keeping pace with mobile devices, etc., etc., etc. was becoming too much. We're mostly volunteer driven so options to accommodate every need is limited.

I have no problem returning to a single default BattleTech theme (along with the Curve and SMF Core themes) at the expense of individual faction themes.

As I mentioned earlier, the existing BT theme (along with Curve and Core) are still available. You need only navigate to your Profile -> Look and Layout -> Current Theme (change)

[SteelRaven]

Not sure what it is, maybe the bright yellow but I prefer the old style. I'm all for having more options.

Edit: Yeah, just notice you can change the colors, still seems off but I'll give it some time.

[ColBosch]

I used a theme with light text on a dark background. It was far easier on my eyes, given the 12-14 hours a day I have to spend staring at a screen already. I've switched to the "silver" theme to bring the palette into a narrower range, but I'd much rather get some sort of light-on-dark text again.

[Empyrus]

Urgh. Can't stand the new theme.

Battletech 2.0 is so much better, font and all. Still prefer the CapCon theme but if not having faction themes is better for the forum, that is OK.

So what should i vote? Because the voting options are not the best ones... Answering with yes or no to a two-option question isn't clear. "No" i presume?

[jimdigris]

I'm not really a fan of the faction-specific themes, but I do like the new backgrounds and the different colors.  Would it be possible to mix and match?

[DarkSpade]

Not really sure which option to choose on this one.  Pretty much as long as the one currently called "curve" is available, I don't care what else is.  I'm really not a fan of whatever it is I logged into today.  Wish I could give specifics as to why, but I have no words for it beyond the "ugh, no" I muttered to myself when I first saw it.  [##]

Unread topics can now be selected per category. To the right of every category title on the index is an unread topic button next to the upshrink button.

I read most if not all of the different sub sections.  I'd much rather be able to click one link to get the full list of what's new. 

Then again, not really an issue for me as long as Curve(forum default isn't it?) is available since it still has that link as well as the one that shows me replies to threads I've posted in.   O0

[Dragon Cat]

I like it something new

Only thing missing is where I've previously posted

[monbvol]

Your goals are understandable but some sort of warning would have been good or giving us previews of the new themes before losing the old ones would have been better and would have earned you more of my patience to get things worked out.

I was using the Republic of the Sphere theme but now that is gone I'm trying to find a replacement that doesn't hurt my eyes or look ugly.

[Dragon Cat]

Surprisingly I find ComStars to be the best on my phone will have to wait until home to check computer

[BrokenMnemonic]

I like the idea, and have had a cycle through the various themes. In general, I think they're good, although my eyes have trouble with a few of them - the green in the Capellan theme (and to a lesser extent the Jade Faclon theme) is difficult to read against the background, as is the blue clickable text in the Steiner theme; it'd be useful if the font could have some kind of drop shadow added to it, it would make text in all three themes easier to read.

[Reldn]

I'm not a fan, to be quite honest. For some reason the new format and text is really making my eyes hurt.

[SteelRaven]

Yeah, tried every theme but not matter what color/theme I choose, it just seems too loud and strains my eyes. I really like the idea but one dominate color doesn't seem to work well for my eyes.

[Empyrus]

Wait, there are still faction themes? Are they these things named "green" and "blue" and etc.? EDIT Nope, these do not work apparently?
When i said i like the CapCon theme, i meant the one that i used to have... Uh, gotta go check the new themes.

EDIT RotS theme is OK.
Still going to use Battletech 2.0, the forum default makes my eyes bleed.

[Knightmare]

I was using the Republic of the Sphere theme but now that is gone I'm trying to find a replacement that doesn't hurt my eyes or look ugly.

Added it back to the list.

[ColBosch]

Added it back to the list.

Thank you.

[ColBosch]

Knightmare, I do appreciate the hard work. Thank you for listening. The forum is absolutely loading much faster.

[Knightmare]

No worries. It seems like a lot of the link colors are a little too bright. I'm reducing the shade by a few notches to help. I've also changed the forum text to a different font and increase its size. Added shades to the bright white category headers.

[Empyrus]

Oh, wait, what? Those squares? That's how this works?
...
Too complicated for me, apparently.
I'll just go over there now...

So, yeah.
It might not hurt if the font were bigger... I've been using 110% zoom (on Chrome) even with the old theme. (I'm afraid of the day when i'll have to use 1080p display, helping my brother with his laptop was difficult thanks the resolution.)
Have the green selected right now. The colored text could be a tad darker, or the background should be darker, slightly more contrast anyway. Also not a fan of the shade of green (jade?) on those horizontal bars, slightly darker might be better.
Steel's colored text needs even more contrast, or just having darker yellow would be good. Same with red, and blue... and probably everything else.

EDIT Corrected to green. And did the font just change?

[Weirdo]

I'll be honest, the appearance is of little importance to me, but my forum-wide Unread Posts and Unread Replies buttons are all-important.

[Empyrus]

Ah, what happened to the font.
Looks good but too small with 100% zoom.
110% looks wrong (dunno why, just managed to be somehow unattractive while not being exactly bigger either). 125% is better except when writing, almost looks like bolded. Oh, well, i can live with that.

EDIT Now 125% looks way too big, yet 110% is too small.
Man, i need an extension that enables more zoom steps. Or i should probably change browser. I cannot, after all, change my eyes.

EDIT Sorry if i talk too much about the font size and zoom, i just realized how much it matters nowadays to me.