What I meant to put across is that one should be willing to expend the requisite minutes, hours or even days performing a task satisfactorily so long as the end result justifies the expended effort. I'm quite happy spending lots of time building a nice looking skin - I don't care if I could spend less time generating an aesthetically inferior one.

Considering aesthetics are mostly subjective, the value of your resultant work will vary based on opinion. The effort you put into it really doesn't matter. I can make things attractive to certain people with minimal effort, or unattractive after putting in great effort. So, making a skin easier to modify doesn't necessarily improve or degrade it's ability to be made pleasing to whatever stakeholders existing with the design. Nonetheless, making it easier reduces the barriers to entry for those wishing to modify the look of IPB to match their tastes and needs. Because that person doesn't have as in-depth an understanding of the organization of template bits or the CSS layout doesn't mean they can't have something come out that works best for them.

One thing I noticed is that you've not given any specifics as to what specifically you do not like about this skin. How about some constructive criticism on it? It's not impossible for them to change things at this point. It's not been released, so there's still the opportunity to resolve any issues people see. In fact, that's the very point of it being made the default on this board.

I personally think the color selection is a bit too dark. The positioning of elements is excellent. But something irks me about the "feel" of the skin. It's kind of depressing and dim. Plus, it loses the blue color branding that IPB has obtained over the years. As an example, I associate vB with the color purple. It makes that software distinctive in my mind. And it's similar to why I don't have as strong a distinction of phpBB, SMF, or something else.

I love the new skin...
Personal preference to the dark colour schemes I guess. but it would be a ggreat skin for those few Dial-Up users that come to your site.
I know I wouldn't wait 5 mins waiting for a page to load. This skin is great.

Although I think they should change the blue images still left from the old skin (Fast Reply, the Send Message icons [in Profiles]) but other than that, it's an awesom skin...


This skin has even inspired me to create a web layout somewhat based on it. Without depending on images to make it look good kinda thing.
I see all these major tech layouts and stuff that take SECONDS to load! (on cable internet. lol). I can't be expected to wait for the page to load that slowly... ^_^


In closing. Why are you complaining? they are keeping the default blue skin there... lol

@konquer - You make it appear as though you think the new skin has fewer images in comparison. From what I understand, though there may be some optimization, the number of images and places in which they are used is identical. The old blue images have just been revamped to allow for easier branding and colorization.

@Rikki - is that correct?

they are not replaced by other images...
check the CSS.
I gotta go so thats all I can say. lol

 

they are not replaced by other images...

check the CSS.

I gotta go so thats all I can say. lol

The old bluff and run. :lol:

 

I personally think the color selection is a bit too dark. The positioning of elements is excellent. But something irks me about the "feel" of the skin. It's kind of depressing and dim.

I agree with that. This is what stroke me when I first saw the skin.

But, to me, it's not a question of dark colors, it's more a question of using colors that match together and also hues.
I believe the skin wouldn't have a feel of depressing and dim if there were hues. For instance, this site has dark colors but the feel of the skin is good (well, to me) :
http://www.ipbstudio.com/index.php?act=idx

 

With IP.Board 2.3 release. :)

With 2.3? Cool! And when is that 2.3 going to be released again? :D J/K

If it not too much trouble, please throw in some cool emotions and favicons. Thanks :)

 

I think we're due for a beta release with this skin :P

Edit: Was thinking that the favicon should be updated too though.

I totally agree with you.

Why care about the favicon? It's the IPS logo, so there doesn't seem to be much sense in them changing it for this site. As for your own sites, sheesh, just make one with your own logo or graphic.

 

Why care about the favicon? It's the IPS logo, so there doesn't seem to be much sense in them changing it for this site. As for your own sites, sheesh, just make one with your own logo or graphic.

Well it is the old blue, and figured it might be updated.

I don't CARE about it for myself, I use my OWN favicon :P

 

@konquer - You make it appear as though you think the new skin has fewer images in comparison. From what I understand, though there may be some optimization, the number of images and places in which they are used is identical. The old blue images have just been revamped to allow for easier branding and colorization.

@Rikki - is that correct?

Yes, there is the same number of images - but they're neutral, so if you don't want to change them, you don't need to. In lots of cases you'll still change the images anyway, but it's not essential now.

 

Don't know about you, but I'm imagining running through the CSS replacing the hex values where necessary, then using Photoshop to batch alter the hue of the images. I estimate that I could complete that in under ten minutes.

Even if this new design is geared towards those who want a "quick fix", I see no reason for setting it default on the corporate forums. Surely you want to show off your best assets?

I highly doubt you can do that in under 10 mins, without it looking horribly done.

:lol:


If I am correct the favicon is set for all the skins since its found in the main forums folder ?

By default, the favicon are not per-skin, it is a global thing for the site.

 

By default, the favicon are not per-skin, it is a global thing for the site.

I realize that, and figured you (at IPS) might do the "right" thing and pick something more suited to what's new, perhaps going a bit darker with it :)

New skin is truly professional. When will it available to download at ipsbeyond.com ;)

Okay, it looks clean and tidy, but the colour coordination looks like a grey suit with a pink tie. Horrible to my eyes. :blink:

 

New skin is truly professional. When will it available to download at ipsbeyond.com ;)

WHen 2.3 is released aparantly.

in this month :unsure: ?

 

By default, the favicon are not per-skin, it is a global thing for the site.

You could override it per-skin with <link> tags?

 

Considering aesthetics are mostly subjective, the value of your resultant work will vary based on opinion. The effort you put into it really doesn't matter. I can make things attractive to certain people with minimal effort, or unattractive after putting in great effort.

As a general rule, the more time spent on a task the better the end result.

 

So, making a skin easier to modify doesn't necessarily improve or degrade it's ability to be made pleasing to whatever stakeholders existing with the design. Nonetheless, making it easier reduces the barriers to entry for those wishing to modify the look of IPB to match their tastes and needs. Because that person doesn't have as in-depth an understanding of the organization of template bits or the CSS layout doesn't mean they can't have something come out that works best for them.

It's a balance, I accept, but I for one err on the maxed-out aesthetics side of the balance.

 

One thing I noticed is that you've not given any specifics as to what specifically you do not like about this skin. How about some constructive criticism on it? It's not impossible for them to change things at this point. It's not been released, so there's still the opportunity to resolve any issues people see. In fact, that's the very point of it being made the default on this board.

• Main dark blue titles are far too dark
• Gradients left off buttons and some images for no good reason (As long as they're neutral, right?)
• General lack of proper borders leave the style feeling vague

Having thought about things, those comprise my main beef.

 

I personally think the color selection is a bit too dark. The positioning of elements is excellent. But something irks me about the "feel" of the skin. It's kind of depressing and dim. Plus, it loses the blue color branding that IPB has obtained over the years. As an example, I associate vB with the color purple. It makes that software distinctive in my mind. And it's similar to why I don't have as strong a distinction of phpBB, SMF, or something else.

I've long thought that IPS had a distinct advantage over vBulletin and other forum software developers due to the simple fact that their design is (generally) just so darned good. I was surprised to see such a weak offering in this case, therefore. I would imagine that IPS are still keen to maintain this distinct advantage over their competitors.

 

I highly doubt you can do that in under 10 mins, without it looking horribly done.

:lol:

You probably don't know what I'm talking about then.

ETA: Although, I do quite like the Closed button in red form...

 

You could override it per-skin with <link> tags?

Yup, you can edit the skins to point to their own custom ones. I was just noting by default they all point to one file.

can we set the classic blue as default via ACP? I changed to classic blue, but when I log out the skin is back to the new grey skin.

 

can we set the classic blue as default via ACP? I changed to classic blue, but when I log out the skin is back to the new grey skin.

You can set any skin you wish as default on your own board, including the classic blue skin.

So this new theme, are we able to get it for our current 2.2 boards or will we need to wait until 2.3? I've been looking around for downloads of it but at the moment can't seem to find any.

 

So this new theme, are we able to get it for our current 2.2 boards or will we need to wait until 2.3? I've been looking around for downloads of it but at the moment can't seem to find any.

they said it will be released with the new version.

I think the problem is that once phpbb3 boards with prosilver based skins start popping up, everything else is going to look about five years out of date.

I think it's no coincidence that this new skin with the same goals as prosilver is coming out at around the same time.