OCEANSIDE TWO POINT OH

[Emily!]

Do you like the new layout for Oceanside? Let us know what you think and what you would change! Also, let us know if you see something funny that doesn't look quite right. We may have missed something and we'll change it ASAP.

-Note that this layout was made in Safari, so it probably looks best in Safari. Be sure to let us know what browser you're using if it looks odd to you.-

[Cal Libitina]

I have to be honest, and I don't mean the nice honest, I mean the brutal as fuck honest.
I hate it.

I don't care on what browser you're looking, it's ugly and I have Safari, Firefox, and Google Chrome.
The choices of fonts clash terribly, and the font size is ridiculously tiny regardless of how many points it was raised to "improve" it.
There is absolutely no color theme, it's a weird mix of macro and minimalism that is completely aesthetically unpleasing - flash sites are better and they're the worst kind of site out there because of all the cliches they fall into like pit holes.
I'd say the only relatively cool thing on here is the banner at the top but even that has its faults once you hit the actual site. There's no smooth transition from the decent background into the core of the site and even then, when you get down there, it's a mess of the aforementioned color regurgitation, sans-serif and serif discordance, and illegibility that could make even a preschooler's head explode like a supernova.

You asked for honest and this is mine.
Seeing as the "Graphics and coding credit goes to Emily and Maria," I'm going to figure everything will be an absolute snap to fix for site wizards like you two though truly, I miss the simple, clean, old Oceaniside layout we had. This one is trying way too hard; it screams pre-made.

[❥Toshie Makinami]

I don't hate the new layout, it was rather refreshing; however, that doesn't mean I essentially like the new layout. Reasons? Well, Cal basically said them all.

I do agree that you need some sort of background so that the banner doesn't just stop, it looks messy. The color scheme leaves a lot to be desired. Other than the names of the students/staff, everything else doesn't mix, and it's hard to read the plot/rules®/etc. links since they don't contrast with the background behind it, but blends in instead. Dark vs dark is never a good combination.

The header images for the categories are obnoxious in my opinion. The font size for them is huge and the font is disgusting.

Uhm... that's about it. I think.

[†Øߡ§™ Knight]

I have to be honest, and I don't mean the nice honest, I mean the mean honest.
Hate is a strong word, but I really really really don't like it.

Browsers shouldn't really matter, but I do have IE, Firefox, and Google Chrome.
The choices of fonts terribly clash, and the font size is super duper tiny despite the "improvements" to it.
There is absolutely no color theme, it's a weird mix of macro and minimalism that is completely aesthetically unpleasing - flash sites are better and they're the worst kind of site out there because of all the cliches they fall into like pit holes. (Stuff I don't understand 'cause I'm not a cool graphic artist, just a poor college student)
I'd say the only relatively cool thing on here is the banner at the top but even that has faults. Is that thing a meteor with leaves on it? Why is there a volcano shooting out glowstick liquid? There's no smooth transition from the decent background into the core of the site and even then, when you get down there, it's a mess of the aforementioned color regurgitation, sans-serif and serif discordance, and illegibility that could make even a preschooler's head explode like a supernova. (Font arguments and big words!)

You asked for honest and this is mine.
Seeing as the "Graphics and coding credit goes to Emily and Maria," I'm going to say this: I think you both worked very hard and probably put a lot of time and effort into the site update, but you should have followed 'KISS' (Keep It Simple Silly!). There wasn't anything wrong with the site before, not in my opinion at least, and I miss the simple, clean, old Oceaniside layout we had. This one is trying way too hard. I don't know if you'll even read this far. I'd like think that you'll take this as constructive criticism and not a personal attack, but I won't be surprised if there is a rage-post to follow.

(Credit for the post layout goes to Cal. Any misspelled words, grammatical errors, or nonsensical sentences are due to human failure on my part.)

[Cal Libitina]

TK, bro, you rock.

[Lyra ♫♪ Calnote]

now coming from a non-graphics major

The banner is pretty, if you guys did the whole graphics art by yourself with out actual pictures used, then I give you major props but stamps can be your friend? filters are never your friend Except if you could have a transparent background for the actual form, that would be nicer than the background you already had and then BAM dark block of text.

I don't like how the boards are grouped. The big, fancy cursive is not cool or chic, neither is the tiny font. I'm an old fart and I see enough small text on college text books. The clumps for each section is blah and it doesn't look pleasing.

I understand that a new, renovated layout might bring the board back alive, but it is not just the layout. I do think the personalized header thing for the inbox is cute.

All I ask is please, don't get too cocky in the mind and ignore this critique, thinking we are all ganging up on you. although it might be funny we are a part of this board too and as friends we all like to role play together, but on a board that we enjoy and is pleasingly viewable.

[Cal Libitina]

I agree with the clumps or section bit, Lyra.
It's nice having them listed instead of being squished side by side.

[Lyra ♫♪ Calnote]

Jan 8, 2011 1:46:18 GMT -8 †Øߡ§™ Knight said:

I have to be honest, and I don't mean the nice honest, I mean the mean honest.
Hate is a strong word, but I really really really don't like it.

Browsers shouldn't really matter, but I do have IE, Firefox, and Google Chrome.
The choices of fonts terribly clash, and the font size is super duper tiny despite the "improvements" to it.
There is absolutely no color theme, it's a weird mix of macro and minimalism that is completely aesthetically unpleasing - flash sites are better and they're the worst kind of site out there because of all the cliches they fall into like pit holes. (Stuff I don't understand 'cause I'm not a cool graphic artist, just a poor college student)
I'd say the only relatively cool thing on here is the banner at the top but even that has faults. Is that thing a meteor with leaves on it? Why is there a volcano shooting out glowstick liquid? There's no smooth transition from the decent background into the core of the site and even then, when you get down there, it's a mess of the aforementioned color regurgitation, sans-serif and serif discordance, and illegibility that could make even a preschooler's head explode like a supernova. (Font arguments and big words!)

You asked for honest and this is mine.
Seeing as the "Graphics and coding credit goes to Emily and Maria," I'm going to say this: I think you both worked very hard and probably put a lot of time and effort into the site update, but you should have followed 'KISS' (Keep It Simple Silly!). There wasn't anything wrong with the site before, not in my opinion at least, and I miss the simple, clean, old Oceaniside layout we had. This one is trying way too hard. I don't know if you'll even read this far. I'd like think that you'll take this as constructive criticism and not a personal attack, but I won't be surprised if there is a rage-post to follow.

(Credit for the post layout goes to Cal. Any misspelled words, grammatical errors, or nonsensical sentences are due to human failure on my part.)

I thought it was Keep It Simple Stupid

[Emily!]

Wow guys, thanks for your input. I can't help but think that this all came from my posts in the cbox over at yerawizard- seeing as the site's been like this for a few weeks, and you had all previously said that you, at the very least, like it. Please do correct me if I'm totally off.

First off- we're working very hard to find a way to have certain codes only affect certain layouts.

I'll reply to you all individually.

Cal:
I'm not sure which fonts you're speaking about. I'm going to assume that you mean the Category titles and the descriptions. I also don't know which fonts you're talking about in regards to size. Please clarify on both.

There is a color theme, however. I was under the impression that it was predominantly blues, greens, and white, with beige in the side bar. The category titles are in different colors, because we thought that it would look better than having them all the same.

I do appreciate your honest opinion, however it will not be a snap to fix. We spent a good few weeks getting the coding together- and we are by no means site wizards, we're just learning as we go along. When I first made Oceanside, I thought the simple clean layout would be very sleek. I thought that something like this- new and revamped, might help Oceanside appeal to both old members and new to help get it started again.

Toshie:
The background banner does not just stop, it fades out into the blue, if you look closely. However, I can make the fade longer, so its not as abrupt.
What color would you suggest for the plot/rules/etc links?

It seems that you all don't like the category titles. Those can be removed quite easily.

Tobias:
Ideally browsers wouldn't matter, but there are small differences.
As I said to Cal, I don't know which fonts you're talking about, so please clarify.
Yes, that is a meteor, and yes there are leaves on it, and yes, the lava from the volcano is neon blue and green. Don't ask me why- I didn't make it. I think it looks cool.

Thank you for appreciating the work we spent on the layout. No rage post from me, part of Oceanside 2.0 is a less protective me.

Lyra
Yes, those are pictures, but there were no stamps on them. One day there will be a detailed 'credits' post which will have the links to the site we got the background from, but that just hasn't happened yet. They are credited in the 'credits' section of the side-bar.
"Except if you could have a transparent background for the actual form, that would be nicer than the background you already had and then BAM dark block of text." - Not sure what you mean by that. What form? What dark block of text?

And okiedokie for the category headers. Those will go after I'm done typing this out.
Thanks, I think the inbox thing is cute to!

Like I said to Tobias, I'm trying not to be offended. It does feeling a little bit like you're ganging up on me, especially since this all came right after I posted in the cbox on Yerawizard, and a few weeks after the layout was initially launched.

---

I really do appreciate all of your comments, however abrupt they were, and I would love it if you could clarify a few things (which I wrote you about).
I have gotten rid of the Category headers, and created a skin called 'simple'. Until we can figure out how to have codes only affect certain skins, it's going to have to look like it does, but hopefully its better in your eyes to the default skin.

[❥Toshie Makinami]

The categories look much better now (simple and clean), while the font you used for the header images (the category titles) were rather large and... ugly. Thank you.

Cal is also talking about how in the speech bubble for the inbox there are three different fonts that all clash with one another. It's not aesthetically pleasing. If you plan to use different fonts then they must relate with each other. Not be three completely different looking types. It doesn't look clean nor professional in any way. Otherwise, it was a cute idea.

For the plot/rules/etc links? I would say a nice, bright color. White always works, maybe a brighter shade of the color you are using now. You always want to contrast so that it stands out. Color wheels help.

---

(click it cause it stretched out the page when it's not thumbnailed).
>><<
Do you see the clear define line between the dark and light blue? Or is it just me?

I would say make the fade darker then, the fade for the banner is lighter than the background itself and so it looks like it just cuts off. At least, that's how it shows on my computer, and I have a mac (as I know you have one as well, regardless of how old it is).

---

For the whole "affects only one skin" thing you're going to have to make skin_ids which I haven't gone into because I have no time to figure out how.

---

Also: although I did find your comment in the yerawizard cbox irritating (because you were essentially gloating for no reason), these posts were not out of spite (well, maybe a little, but that's because Cal and I are graphics students and rage, and those category headers were... yeah). If this were a personal attack; however, then we would not have had reasons behind why we dislike certain things about the new layout.

While you may have been under the impression that we did like it-- well-- it's like this: when you see a new layout on a site it's very like "oh! how neat!" but the more you see it, the more you can either dislike or like it. Obviously, our stance took on the side of dislike or a "it's whatever" feeling.

Remember, the four of us loved roleplaying on this board and so we all mean well with our suggestions. Although, to be honest, and do mind my language, you were a possessive bitch about this site, and I hope that you do keep your word about being less protective about it.

[Emily!]

Thanks for clarifying that, Toshie. It wasn't supposed look totally 'professional', more cute, but I will edit the images so they have a better font pattern.

Now that there are two different skins, I'll just make the plot/rules/etc links to be the color of regular links.

I see the lines you're talking about in the picture, but not on my computer. For me, the banner is a tiny bit darker than the forums, where for you its lighter. But I think if I just make the banner fade to transparent instead of a color, and make the forums transparent, it should fix it.

The skins already have ids, its just their names. I've found a few codes but none of them seem to be working properly.

I know I was gloating, but I was doing it jokingly. I should know by now how much tones don't convey well over text. And yes, the possessive bitch is stopping, haha. I was beginning to notice how this board was sort of turning into yourlifeathogwarts, which is the reason Tari and I created this board in the first place. So less possessive bitchness from me, and more 'thanks for your input, i'll make improvements right away.'

[❥Toshie Makinami]

As jokingly as it was meant to be it still irked me.

A transparent fade would be the best course of action here, yes. And yeah, I have no time for figuring out the coding anymore.

[†Øߡ§™ Knight]

Jan 9, 2011 0:05:31 GMT -8 Emily! said:

Wow guys, thanks for your input. I can't help but think that this all came from my posts in the cbox over at yerawizard- seeing as the site's been like this for a few weeks, and you had all previously said that you, at the very least, like it. Please do correct me if I'm totally off.


†Øߡ§™:
Ideally browsers wouldn't matter, but there are small differences.
As I said to Cal, I don't know which fonts you're talking about, so please clarify.
Yes, that is a meteor, and yes there are leaves on it, and yes, the lava from the volcano is neon blue and green. Don't ask me why- I didn't make it. I think it looks cool.

Thank you for appreciating the work we spent on the layout. No rage post from me, part of Oceanside 2.0 is a less protective me.


Like I said to Tobias, I'm trying not to be offended. It does feeling a little bit like you're ganging up on me, especially since this all came right after I posted in the cbox on Yerawizard, and a few weeks after the layout was initially launched.

---

I really do appreciate all of your comments, however abrupt they were, and I would love it if you could clarify a few things (which I wrote you about).
I have gotten rid of the Category headers, and created a skin called 'simple'. Until we can figure out how to have codes only affect certain skins, it's going to have to look like it does, but hopefully its better in your eyes to the default skin.

People still go on Yerawizard? Haha, jk guys. I don't have any serious problems with 2.0, however some things were strange to me. Most of my grumblings are probably due to disliking change and seeing my 1.0 Oceanside gone. Either way, it's 2011 and new things are to be expected.

Let's start with some good things! I like the changes to the side bar. A very good job there imo. The recent change to the category titles is pretty chill too. While I initially found the penguins annoying (partly due to their job of replacing Mr. Hamster), I suppose I can live with them because they're like black and white Ewoks. It was also nice to see that the alignment thingamabob works now. It was glitchy before iirc.

I still don't understand the top banner. Perhaps I never will understand it! The font size on posts is really small. That's bothersome. Ummmm... yeah. I'll edit or make a new post if anything else comes up.

_Teehee!

[༺Robyn Dupont༻]

I thought I should say something here, but HM Maria pretty much said everything that I would have said, so I'm just going to say this to Cal: maybe next time make your criticism a bit more constructive? I feel like opting for the 'brutal as fuck' honesty was not the best thing you could have done. I appreciate your honesty, but the general tone of your post was actually kind of hurtful. Maybe its just me, but (even rereading it now) it sounds snotty and demeaning, and when I read this whole thread for the first time, your tone affected the tone of the other's posts. I don't mean to say that you should dampen your thoughts and feelings, Cal, but maybe just phrase them a little bit nicer. Please.

[Lyra ♫♪ Calnote]

If you notice what Cal does, she posts in the tone/personality of the characters that she plays.