[Preview/WIP] Catalyst theme

[Bloc]

Here's another concept I have been working on past days called "Catalyst". It tries to blend classic elements of SMF with newer concepts for a new and hopefully unique look.

The "display" template idea is the least developed and might undergo more changes..but boardindex/messageindex have reached their final versions(more or less).

Comments are welcome.

[Antechinus]

Like the first two, but personally am not keen on chasing new icons all over the page, depending on title length.

I thin Display will work better if the divider bars are lighter in colour.

[Deaks]

I think concepts are good, and this one seems quite interesting to see develop, but their is only so much a concept can do, sometimes a live version needs to be done as well.  Quite a few concepts nothing that people can browse through so to speak

[Burke ♞ Knight]

Make sure to leave the full SMF copyright in the footer.
We would not want to have people asking if they will still get support for their forum.

[Bloc]

Like the first two, but personally am not keen on chasing new icons all over the page, depending on title length.

I thin Display will work better if the divider bars are lighter in colour.

Yeah, still WIP this one..but I felt like posting it, to get some feedback. The divider bars should prob. be lighter, yes, they are quite visible. As with UrbanLife, many of the things have been adjusted a little so this will most likely change as well. But I like to have a 99% "done" blueprint to ease the process of coding. Which leads me to...

I think concepts are good, and this one seems quite interesting to see develop, but their is only so much a concept can do, sometimes a live version needs to be done as well.  Quite a few concepts nothing that people can browse through so to speak

..I know. But creating a full theme first takes time(and I in the midst of making the UrbanLife theme, which forms the base for these others ) It WILL be easier to try it in a demo site, but its also valueable to try concepts first, to get that first impression/feedback. An idea needs to grow and be molded into perfection before its coded.(and even then small adjustments will be made). Thats how I work anyway. But demo site will come eventually.

Make sure to leave the full SMF copyright in the footer.
We would not want to have people asking if they will still get support for their forum.

Of course, but this isn't a live screenshot - its a graphic draft and might(will) have shortcuts in the texts. Not to worry, all copyrights etc. will be there.

[Burke ♞ Knight]

I like the looks of this one. Please, keep me posted on it.

[Deaks]

I think concepts are good, and this one seems quite interesting to see develop, but their is only so much a concept can do, sometimes a live version needs to be done as well.  Quite a few concepts nothing that people can browse through so to speak

..I know. But creating a full theme first takes time(and I in the midst of making the UrbanLife theme, which forms the base for these others ) It WILL be easier to try it in a demo site, but its also valueable to try concepts first, to get that first impression/feedback. An idea needs to grow and be molded into perfection before its coded.(and even then small adjustments will be made). Thats how I work anyway. But demo site will come eventually.

But having too many concepts can be daunting, how close are you to having a demo of urban life?

Dont want you to burn out before you got anything to show for it ... just looking out for my mentor

[Antechinus]

Bryan, you have to bear in mind that when developing a "new default interface", which is basically what he's attempting with UL, it pays to try out a range of things to make sure you are selecting the best options for all round flexibility.

[Neekiinh0]

Good work ! fantastic!

[Bloc]

I think concepts are good, and this one seems quite interesting to see develop, but their is only so much a concept can do, sometimes a live version needs to be done as well.  Quite a few concepts nothing that people can browse through so to speak

..I know. But creating a full theme first takes time(and I in the midst of making the UrbanLife theme, which forms the base for these others ) It WILL be easier to try it in a demo site, but its also valueable to try concepts first, to get that first impression/feedback. An idea needs to grow and be molded into perfection before its coded.(and even then small adjustments will be made). Thats how I work anyway. But demo site will come eventually.

But having too many concepts can be daunting, how close are you to having a demo of urban life?

Dont want you to burn out before you got anything to show for it ... just looking out for my mentor

Actually its the other way around lol, or perhaps more in line with what Antech describes - its a way to keep it alive, as I am closer to finishing UrbanLife codewise, I have kept the design process going at the same time. The way i am coding it - by using a very light OOP scheme - its also easier to make these later themes. So its not like I move the focus 100% from UL to this theme, or other concepts..they are all intertwined.

The reasoning for that: for so many years I made themes, often re-used the earlier theme idea but more times just re-thought up a theme...so when I start something I ether had to start totally new codewise, or feel like borrowing something else. Having a base theme allow me more freedom to just add to a base or build something new within it. SMF default can do that I hear you say, well yes, thats what all custom themes do - but the things I want to do end up changing so much of default templates anyway, that its harder to worklike that, than having my own "base". I tried this idea before, but never gone all the way. The work with forks/experiments changed that.