My writing forum

[Miraenda]

Hi,

Although I still have a few changes to make, here is my writing forum that is in an "almost" completed stage now:

http://anythingeverything.org/

I am still trying to figure out how to get the chat added to the UsersOnline area and working out adding the Music Database as well.  IE is showing a blue background on my quill png (every other browser that is compliant is displaying it properly, though), so I have to get that fixed too.  Luckily, all my active current members use other browsers, so I haven't had any complaints about it

If you have suggestions for improvement, I appreciate them. Thanks

[Col]

Hi,

There's a problem with your template. When viewing your forum with screen resolution 1024x768, the quill picture obscures 'forum' in your banner title. Also, it would be better to work up the title in something like photoshop if you can.

Got to say, it's a nice looking forum!

[Peter Duggan]

Also, it would be better to work up the title in something like photoshop if you can.

Since the Simplicity theme is light on graphics by design, I'm not sure I agree. But how about a new line for 'Writing Forum' (and possibly floating the quill right) to keep the masthead tight for lower resolutions?

[Col]

OK,

Since looking at this in Firefox, I understand better what your trying to do visually. I never use png images, but would a gif of the quill image instead resolve this? - Must be worth trying.

I still think replacing the title text with an image would look better. I do agree with peter though that it should be simple. - Just nice text!

[Miraenda]

Thanks for the suggestions.  I did try the gif but the image degradation is awful in it rather than png, a format I far prefer.  I am considering putting the font size for the forum title down a few notches as it goes to a second line on its own at lower resolutions as well as moving the title over just a tad as well.  I like the idea to float the quill right, and I might well consider doing that instead.  I won't be changing the title text to an image, though, as Google doesn't spider images alt text with the same priority as they do header text, and having the title in text format also helps it to be simpler and load faster.

Again, thanks Col and Peter for the suggestions.  I'll post back here once I've made some changes this weekened.

[Miraenda]

It's been a bit later than expected for my update, but I did reduce the size of the text and checked using various screen sizes on how it displays.  I haven't changed the image to be a float right because of the way the title lines are done it isn't going to work (the first line of the title is where I would want it to end but it would then increase the size of that line and be up higher).  I'll play around with it more to see if I can get it to work, but right now it should display better on all resolutions on browsers that accept png correctly.

I haven't fixed the graphic for IE display yet as I cannot get it to have the same depth by conversion to a gif or an 8-bit png (which IE is accepting 1-color transparency for).

On another note, I am going to be opening a writing contest starting April 1, 2005 and am discussing the details on my forum:

http://anythingeverything.org/index.php/topic,44.msg366.html#msg366

I wasn't sure if this is the right area to mention this or not? If I'm wrong to post about a contest on this forum at all, please let me know and feel free to edit out this bit beginning with the contest.

[Col]

Hi Miraenda,

Looks good, but I was just wondering some more about the png image. I know you said you weren't happy with results when you created a gif image, but did you play around with which colours should be made transparent? It can improve a gif image no end at the edges. I'd be happy to try it in photoshop for you don't have the facilities.

[Miraenda]

Col, that would be great if you did and I'd greatly appreciate it. I do have photoshop but my abilities are not so grand with it.

[Col]

Miraenda,

My abilities are limited too, but I had cause to do this with something myself recently. Load up the best image you have of the feather to your site or somewhere, and either leave the address here, or IM it to me, and I'll give it a go.

I assume adding an attachment here is not a permision that we recieve automatically, or am I missing it somewhere?

[Miraenda]

Hi Col,

My best image is the following:

http://anythingeverything.org/images/pen.png

It isn't that much better resolution actually.  The final size should be 250 W x 73 H at the most.

Thanks a lot for offering to do this.

[Col]

Hi Col,

My best image is the following:

http://anythingeverything.org/images/pen.png

It isn't that much better resolution actually.  The final size should be 250 W x 73 H at the most.

Thanks a lot for offering to do this.

That's fine, but is that the original image? It would be best to start with the a copy of that.

I'll have a go with this though to see how it goes.

[Col]

Link to GIF in IM.

[Miraenda]

Thanks, I replied.  I'll get the new one up here shortly you've provided.  I must be doing something really wrong when converting to gifs cause I couldn't convert it to one that looked nearly that good heh

[Miraenda]

I've now replaced the prior png with the gif, and it does look fine except on the black version (I allow users to select other colors from default in the dropdown on the lower right).  I've been considering removing the black background one anyway, so I might just go ahead and get rid of that issue by removing the black choice.

Again, thanks for doing this Col as my photoshopping skills aren't very grand, which could show why I picked a non-graphics intensive theme as well.

[Col]

Give me a few mins, and I'll see if I can get that to work better with black for you. I didn't notice the colour scheme options before.

[Col]

I've had to create one using the same background colour that you use for your black theme. I couldn't make a good transparency. So, you should be able to use this new gif just for black theme.

[alienine]

There's a bit of a problem with the large sized name text on the forum... but looks aside it is a really nice forum.

[Miraenda]

Could you provide specifics on what the problem would be for the text? I thought I'd fixed it to be okay at normal screen resolutions. I really don't want to reduce it much more at this point (the original text size was about 40 and I've reduced to 34), but would if needed.  I'd checked at 800x600 even, and the graphic does go over the word forum, but then 800x600 is only about 1/3 of the internet public (2/3 have higher resolutions).

Thanks for saying it is a nice forum though.

[alienine]

Attached a screenshot. I use Opera 7.52.

[Miraenda]

It's very strange Opera is doing that.  I checked in Opera 7.54 and see that as well, however, Firefox 1.0.1, IE 6.0.2, Netscape 7.2 all show the title properly...

I will have to check into it further to see why that is happening.