An Open Letter

[DeadSeraphim]

[COLOR=Indigo][SIZE=1][FONT=Arial]Dear James,

I know you've got a hardon for updating OB's styles lately till we (being me and you) finish up OB:Evolution (Note for the kids at home: This will take a while. Redesigning every page on the site usually does.), but please, please, please, [i]please[/i] change the forum icons for geisha back to something big and blocky. I'm on my monitor's native resolution, and my eyes just seem to gloss over those tiny things. They are, as the kids would say, shiteful. I mean, I don't mind if they're changed - really, any change is good - but bigger is better man.

Bigger. Is. Better.

Love,

Dead

PS: The category headings are too dark and are creating too much contrast. I assume you're working on this.[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[Nerdsy]

[color=deeppink]Agreed. Too small, me no likey.[/color]

[Desbreko]

[color=#4B0082]Oh my. Geisha is looking pretty nice now. I'm really liking the black with the indigo on the front page -- more of that, please! The new sidebar background is awesome, now it just needs an updated banner to match. I'm actually liking this enough to start using it instead of OB Standard.

P.S. People who post in size 1 font have no right to complain about anything being too small.[/color]

[2010DigitalBoy]

[QUOTE=Desbreko][color=#4B0082]Oh my. Geisha is looking pretty nice now. I'm really liking the black with the indigo on the front page -- more of that, please! The new sidebar background is awesome, now it just needs an updated banner to match. I'm actually liking this enough to start using it instead of OB Standard.

P.S. People who post in size 1 font have no right to complain about anything being too small.[/color][/QUOTE]

[COLOR=DarkOrange]Same goes for me. I've always been repulsed by it, but looking at it now I'm seriousy considering making it permanent. So much more lively. [/COLOR]

[James]

[color=#808080]Ultimately no matter what I do, someone won't like it. If I try to make OB design a democratic process we'll end up with something terrible because I will be trying to please everyone.

Having said that, I'm updating the skins piece by piece. This is just because I'm on such limited time at the moment. I figured it was better this way than to just never get anything done.

So yeah, there will be further changes/updates to both skins. As a designer, I will be trying to improve the look/feel/consistency of the two skins as much as I can (without being able to completely redevelop things in the way I'd like). I'll be relying on Desbreko a bit for this probably - a few colour values and stuff need to be changed in the templates potentially. So it may take a little while because it'll be a back-and-forth, but yeah...

So the short answer is, I won't be taking any public requests on design (unless something is actually not functioning). Having said that, things aren't finished and are still being updated. Please be patient.[/color]

[Sara]

[color=#b0000b]I feel like I've fallen into a vortex, where nothing is as it seems, and all that I hold familiar might change at any moment![/color]

[TheShinje]

[size=3][color=crimson][font=century gothic] The only thing I like about Geisha skin is the nifty rollover animation for the reply button. OB Standard's reply button roolover is sharper.

But overall, Geisha's purple just never appealed to me.

I guess the real burning question I have right now is... Since Century Gothic has been ditched, what is the new OtakuBoards font?[/size][/font][/color]

[Aberinkula]

[QUOTE=James][color=#808080]
So the short answer is, I won't be taking any public requests on design (unless something is actually not functioning). Having said that, things aren't finished and are still being updated. Please be patient.[/color][/QUOTE]

[COLOR=Navy]Personally I feel that paientce, which I don' have, is what I need for the new skins. i say as long as we get new skins, we shouldnt' cart about tht wait. why? Because, platic surgery doesn't happen in a *poof* does it? Neither deoes graphic design!

So James shouldn't be put into a hurry by anyone! [/COLOR]

[Shy]

[QUOTE=Premonition][COLOR=Navy]Personally I feel that paientce, which I don' have, is what I need for the new skins. i say as long as we get new skins, we shouldnt' cart about tht wait. why? Because, platic surgery doesn't happen in a *poof* does it? Neither deoes graphic design!

So James shouldn't be put into a hurry by anyone! [/COLOR][/QUOTE]
[size=1]I don't think anyone was trying to rush James. You have to remember that before these more recent skin updates it had been [i]years[/i] since any significant graphic changes have been made to the face of OB.

James is entitled to make whatever kinds of skins he wants. But it's not fair to completely dismiss everyone's opinions when we are left with so few options.

-Shy[/size]

[Sara]

[QUOTE=Premonition][COLOR=Navy]Personally I feel that paientce, which I don' have, is what I need for the new skins. i say as long as we get new skins, we shouldnt' cart about tht wait. why? Because, platic surgery doesn't happen in a *poof* does it? Neither deoes graphic design!

So James shouldn't be put into a hurry by anyone! [/COLOR][/QUOTE][color=#b0000b]You know, it's crazy... but I totally knew you were going to say that. It was almost like... a [i]vision[/i].[/color]

[Aberinkula]

[COLOR=Navy]No argument there Shy. I should have posted something a little more different. Good point. Without opinions writers would never write the best books now would they? I should have said, And Des proves a point, how you can some people say bigger is better, when they post small font? A question only the one who posts knows, I guess.

How come Sara can read my mind, when we hardly even know each other? Am I that easy to read?[/COLOR]

[Dagger]

[quote name='Desbreko][color=#4B0082']Oh my. Geisha is looking pretty nice now. I'm really liking the black with the indigo on the front page -- more of that, please![/color][/quote]
Oh yes. Très sexy. As one who used to be faithful to Geisha (until Liquid started getting all the love--and the gradual updates), I'm as pleased as pie about this.

~Dagger~

[James]

[color=#808080]I wouldn't ever outright dismiss someone's opinion when it comes to this stuff, but yeah, I think there's a danger when you try to cater to lots of tastes at once. You ultimately have to just do what you feel works best, otherwise the design becomes really diluted because there are too many cooks in the kitchen. ~_^

But yeah, I know it isn't ideal to have the skins evolve over a period of weeks (I would love to just have them all finished right now), but it's all my time will allow. It's better than going for ages without any updates though! I think it also shows that the V7 layout still holds up relatively well despite its age - it really just needs a few good new coats of paint.

I did open up skin design to staff a while ago but as yet nobody's submitted anything. I'm thinking about opening this process up to the members soon, which might help move things along. On the other hand, any totally new skins may only last a few months depending on how OBE development goes.

The Kuja: I actually forget the name of our new font - so far I suppose you could call it the "official" font. I'm not entirely sure about that though, we'll see how it goes. I'm not at home at the moment so I can't check the name.

The only thing that's certain is that I'm not using Century Gothic for our logo anymore.

Edit: Geisha is the least finished. It actually requires some coding updates too I think (both skins do, but Geisha moreso). You can look forward to further additions/changes coming shortly.[/color]