A new skin for the forums!

[FORDification]

Hey all....I've been working off and on over the past week or so getting another skin for the forums, just to give you all a little something different to look at visually. All the same forum mods are included, it's only difference is in it's appearance. The past couple evenings I've been messing around with trying to come up with a forum header, and even though I'm still not totally convinced I'm going to stick with the one that's currently being used on this new skin, I decided that it was close enough to go ahead and do a grand unveiling.

CLICK HERE FOR A SCREENSHOT

There ARE a few other subtle differences with this skin....for example, you can search the forums right from the top of each page, instead of having to bring up a separate search page (although you can still click the Search button to bring up the Advanced Search page). Also, there IS a Quick Reply button at the bottom of each thread that must be clicked on to view it, but it's there immediately without having to load the standard full Reply page. There are a few other minor differences too, but everything you're used to using is there.

If you want to actually try it out, just go into your Profile, and scroll down to the 'Board Style' dropdown menu. You'll see 'subSilver' currently selected. Select 'Artemis' from that menu and then scroll down to the bottom of the page and hit the Save button. If you decide it's not your style, you can always go ahead and reset it back to the default 'subSilver' skin at any time.

This new skin will remain available for you to choose from at any time. In the future I might go ahead and incorporate other skins as well as time allows. Let me know what you think.

As of the time I'm posting this, the only thing that remains to be done is to do some minor modifications to the ranking stars under each username in a thread. The star images we're currently using were set up for a light-colored background and don't work very well with the dark background of the Artemis skin. That should be fixed within a day or two. If you do try this skin out, you'll notice that some font colors are very hard to read, but that's just the nature of the beast.

However, there IS one other cool feature about this new skin. When you go to reply to a thread, you'll notice that immediately below the reply box is a link that says "Add image to post". This is something completely different from the normal attachments that you're used to. Clicking this link will bring up a small pop-up window that will allow you to upload an image to PostImage.org, another free image hosting service. While I didn't really think it was necessary to include this feature, I figured WTH....it's just another option you can use if you should want to do so.

So anyway....there you go. Have fun playing around with it.

[jhannahokla]

i think its pretty cool

[trukcrazy]

I kinda like it. Normally I don't care for change too much, but I think it adds a more updated look to the forum. I will use it for a while and then see how I like it. Good mod keith. Trying out the posting feature.

[67RED]

i like it keith good job. thanks

[dduude]

The new background is cooool. Thanks.Dude

[rjewkes]

so we have choice in what we use? That would be cool unless it would kill the server.

[FORDification]

Yes, you can choose whichever skin you prefer, and it makes absolutely no difference in server usage.

I'm thinking about making the new Artemis skin the new default, so that even the visitors will use it. As it is now, only registered members can. However, the subSilver skin will still be available as an option for registered users.

[rjewkes]

cool but we'll need some smileys that'll work with the darker background. Probably just give them a solid background.

Maybe the skin has nothing to do with it but seems everything is loading faster with this one. And the only smileys i see witht trouble or the ones with words on a stick.

[FORDification]

Yep, I'm still finishing up the last-minute details on finalizing the skin install. The emoticon with the bad sign has now been fixed.

[71 LONG BED]

Cooooollllll!!! I like it, I like it!!! It sure takes some getting used too, though.

[71 LONG BED]

The submit and preview buttons are reversed on the new skin. I keep hitting the review instead of submit.

[willowbilly3]

I painted my house once and couldn't find my way home for two weeks.

[boots]

badasss!!!!

[binder56jd]

very good addition Keith

[FORDification]

I've taken the day off today to get some of this work done to the forums, and am playing around with another skin. Therefore, if you go into your Profile and see a third skin listed (other than subSilver and Artemis), keep in mind that it's probably a temporary addition....and if it IS kept, that it might be a week or so until the necessary mods are added to that skin. You could use it for basic forum features, but it'll be limited. Just an FYI.