DIdn't mean to ruffle feathers, but to be blunt, some members have basically been told just that, If they don't like it too bad, especially if they only go to the OT, and have little to do with the actual prop stuff.
No worries, there are no ruffled feathers.
There is no doubt that there are going to be times when we make decisions that are not popular with some of the more outspoken members of the site and I would imagine for those who do complain every single time we make any change, it might start to look like we aren't listening, but the fact is, with every decision we are trying to make an improvement to the site, sometimes at the protest of members on the site. Do we sometimes make missteps? Absolutely. However, because we have more long-range goals and plans in mind but often can only implement in very small steps, it may make any individual change seem strange or random. And, yes, there ARE going to be times, although I think they are rare when we will tell someone that the way we are doing it is just how it is going to be and they can deal with it or leave (usually this involves the MGL, and not stylistic site changes). This is usually due to someone who just won't let something go after we have spent an inordinate amount of time trying to help them understand why we have done something.
Usually the process for change has gone like this.
- We implement a change.
- The usual subjects come out, proclaiming the end of the world/site.
- Those who actually have a legitimate concern post their concerns.
- We explain why we are doing what we are doing.
- The usual subjects continue to scream that the sky is falling.
- Those with a legitimate concern grumble but accept our explanation OR they point out an alternative solution or a modified solution that might allow for us to make the changes we are trying to make while still appeasing them.
- If what they are saying is workable, we modify the change to make them more accepting of it.
- The usual suspects wail about how we never listen and their cries are not heard.
- Everyone is happy. We got to do what we wanted. The general membership isn't adversely affected. The usual suspects had yet another opportunity to cry and attempt to vilify us.
I am not going to rehash old arguments, but some of you have come off just this way, whether you intent is such or not, to the extent that 2 friends of mine who are Computer Gods (one did all the artwork for the Star Trek RPG a couple of years ago) that they took a look and passed on joining.
For my own part, I will extend an apology if I have come across overly harsh. As I said, there ARE times when there are changes that we are not going to budge on (like the indexing of the site), but it is not our intention to create an oppressive atmosphere. I think it is a shame that your friends chose not to join and it is both their loss and the loss of all the members as I am sure they would have had something positive to contribute. :unsure
I am NOT trying to **** you off, If I was, believe me, you'd know, and I'd have to find another Home Page.
I don't think you are trying to **** me off at all. I just felt the need to respond to your statement because it needed some clarification.
There are 4 themes, I dark (SW) I prefer it as it's easy on the eyes. 2 Light (Default Light/Work Safe) Nice themes, but I feel like I need sunblock when viewing them. 1 Joke, Pink Abomination (well if I was a girly girl I'd like it) very well crafted BTW, In the Olden days before the board moved there were many themes, including a very nice Star Trek Based one, I thought that after a while those themes would return, the Seaquest one was very well done too.
However, it has been years now with the same themes, 1 dark, 2 light, that's it. If I had the skills, to do themes for this board, I'd do so many you'd beg me to stop, but I don't. Given the limited options are you really that surprised when you came in and unilaterally made a change like that? The solution was/is simple. Keep the Old theme as-is. Label it SW Legacy 1.0, take the Modification and label it SW Legacy 2.0, then there is a choice, which if this is our board, we should have been given. I'd love to see a couple more Dark Themes, maybe a gray neutral Totally Work Safe theme, but again, If I did one for you it'd look like I was using MS Paint with a case of Parkinsons.
All good points. We have talked about multiple styles before but I'll go over it again here, just so it has been said. Back in the day, styling the site was a VERY easy process. At one point TDH and the RPF were using the same software (and TDH was actually hosted by the RPF... I love how things have come full circle) and I remember the styles system. It consisted on less than 2 dozen variables, mostly colors and a few images. In less than a day you could create a REALLY awesome style. Back in the day, TDH had over 14 styles... why? Because it was so easy! Same with the RPF.
Then came vBulletin and for all of its good benefits and its advantages, the ability to create good, comprehensive styles in vBulletin is a monumental task in comparison to how it used to be. It is not easy, very confusing and often very frustrating. That is the reason you see where past administrations started a theme and never finished it. I can't blame them... it is HARD to do! And I can tell you, with vB 4, for all they have done to try to make it easier... it is even harder.
So, that is the reason you haven't seen and are very unlikely to see the kind of themed styles you saw in the past.
Looking beyond that, something the RPF has utterly failed to do over the years is create a clear identity/brand for itself (we still have a Star Wars banner for our main style even though the interest in Star Wars has dropped sharply over the past 5 years). That is something we are working to resolve. In the future, especially after we go to vB 4, there are likely to be 3 styles at max; dark, light, and work-friendly... and we are seriously debating whether there will be both dark and light or if we can actually find a compromise that will not be egregious to anyone. However, with limited styles we can more effectively promote a consistent brand for the RPF and begin to build some brand recognition. It also means when we upgrade we aren't having to go back and try to fix dozens of broken styles, only one or two.
You make a good point about creating a separate theme for what we are working on, and that is what we are doing right now. If a mistake was made, it was in underestimating the importance some members place on text-decoration. I don't see it, but enough people (who aren't simply complainers) spoke up that the concern was loud and clear...which is why we put it back in place for the current Star Wars theme.
