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[StealthFox]

I have been told by some users that the default forum theme is "ugly" or "boring" or "grey" or any combination of these things and then some.  I responded last time by saying that all users can choose one of several themes via their profile.  Here is a brief synopsis of that process:

• If using the default grey theme, go into Quick Links and select "Account Settings"
• Click on the option on the left menu called "Look and Layout Preferences"
• The very first thing on this screen says you are using the forum default theme or whatever theme you are using.  Click the option to choose a new theme.
• Profit!

In the past, I actually took things a step farther by doing a quick re-skin of the Solaris theme and installing it onto our new SMF forum.  For those craving white text and black backgrounds, it's a rough-looking but competent skin.  I'll try to finish it at some point, but that's not what this post is about.  Rather, what I came in here to discuss today was a brand new theme for the forums, based off of something 15 years old.  Figured it out yet?  Well here's a hint:



Yes, we now have a retro, 100% complete Star Fox SNES skin!  MORE PICS:





The theme is already installed, so you can go switch to it now and start doing barrel rolls whatever it is you want to do (so long as it's within forum policy--*ahem*) RIGHT NOW!!  How awesome is that?

Also of note: Arwing Landing v6.0 is officially online and under development.  You can check out progress on it (right now it's a demo site, so bear with me) by going to http://arwinglanding.net/al6/ and telling me what you think.  So far the only thing working is the user intergration.  This means that by clicking the forum link on the home page of AL 6.0, you access this forum through the website!  So when you log in to the forums that way, you also log into our new website!!

Why is that cool?  Simple.  This means we can have user blogs, comments on news articles, and everything on the forums tied into just ONE account for you.  Not enough?  The next goal is to update our old gallery system so that it too is synced to your forum account.  Personal gallery links will be displayed underneath the rest of your profile information, so other users can see what you've been uploading with just one click of the mouse.  The galleries will also finally be part of main website, so no more weird, unassociated blue gallery pages and comment systems!  Unity is the key, folks.

These are all just a tip of the iceberg, folks.  The new Arwing Landing will be the last version of the site I will probably ever make, and I want this one to be able to stand the test of time.  So, if you have any ideas on what we absolutely must include, post them here!  The more ideas, the better the website!  (Note: First one to say add Assault's Worlds page gets a ban)

Thanks for sticking with us for almost SEVEN amazing years.  This one's for you, folks.

P.S. Thank Blink for the forum theme, everyone.  It was entirely his idea and 98% of the work was done by him.  THANKS BLINK!

[Chiro]

I'm trying out the new theme you guys made, and I rather like it so far! Awesome work! =D

[Blink]

I appologize in advance for not finding a way to do "retro" and "good looking" at the same time with the forum text. xD

[Hoshi Kitsunuki]

This forum theme makes me stupidly girly happy and all giggly on the inside.  I think the text looks fantastic... the whole thing looks fantastic... I just hope pink isn't all that obnoxious on the background...

Violet... whatever.

Since I am not changing my color.  Don't even ask.  Damnit.

All that work for you guys... GET ON THE FORUMS AND MAKE IT HAPPEN.  We need more happy.

[Piper Fulva]

Thank you, Blink! This is the most super-awesome theme I have seen in ages! :D

[Shadowolf]

Wow, this is awesome. When I first saw it I thought it would hurt my eyes too much from the bright colours or something, but hooray it doesn't. You guys rock.

[Cobalt]

Holy crap.

I have seen the light, and the light is this SNES Star Fox theme.

It's so bright compared to Solaris... Waaaaaow.... o_O

Absolutely fantastic job, Blink. I'll get to nit-picking it right away for ya! *brick* ;D

Edit:
JESUS CHRIST IT'S A LION PERFECT GET IN THE CAR!!

The stickied topics are pointed out perfectly, the feel is retro, the colors don't grate on my nerves despite being bright, and the layout is just GOOD!
I have ONLY ONE SINGLE SUGGESTION, which is definitely a first for me.

The post buttons could use a border of some sort. Maybe.

Edit 2:
[removed due to edit 3]

Edit 3:
I now realize that you thought about every angle of this thing. I was originally concerned that teal might be difficult to see if it were in a quote box or a post window...
Not so. Excellent attention to detail, and now, I am proud to present my seal of approval. XD

[FireHawk]

Oh, wow. This is gorgeous! I love it! It certainly looks very unique and different from the SF boards I used to frequent in the past. Thank you, Blink. 'Tis very awesome!

[Hauken]

Very nice job, Blink.

May I make a small suggestion though?

Links are indistinguishable from other text until you mouseover. That's a problem if people don't know there are links in the post to run their mouse over.

[Cobalt]

Hauken makes a good point... I didn't notice until I was embedded in a few topics, and by then I was too preoccupied to mention it. XD

Thing is, I don't think there should be a difference between unfollowed links and followed links - that was a problem on Solaris where every other topic or board would be bold if you hadn't followed the link to the page... We're smart people here, generally speaking, so we can tell what links we have and haven't followed...

[Weasle]

(Not reading above posts)

BWAHAHAHA That's Brilliant and I'm not going to use it but regardless that's an absalutely fantastic skin.

(read above posts)

But yeah...we need distinguishable links

[StealthFox]

I'll discuss with Blink what we feel would be a good link color, and I'll make sure that visited links look the same as unvisited links.

Thanks for all the positive response, guys!

[Starcoon]

     I've never played the SNES Star Fox and I like it. Excellent job.

[Fox_Techno]

wohh techno says, when visiting the topic. Very nice editor work stealth..   Now why i can make stuff like this for my little empty forum,

I wonder how blue looks like on it..

EDIT, wow i do love the pm red ship line thingy, when still online same time..

[wolfenrules]

Oh baby this is nice! I had no complaints about the previous themes, but this, oh, this is just awesome! Lovin' it.

[Bill Winters]

How did I miss this? Excellent work!

[Dragon Jedi0]

[Emergency! Emergency! Incoming enemy fighters! Prepare for launch!]
*Hums Corneria theme*

Takes me back to the good old days

This is awesome!

[EchoFox]

Yo. I sure did take my sweet time in getting to the News Section - too much to do at this university place.

Anyway, I really like the new aL homepage, and the whole minimalistic thing you're going for, but shouldn't there be some visual reference to Star Fox somewhere? Like the forum logo or something? Admittedly, the words "Welcome to Arwing Landing, a site dedicated to Nintendo's Star Fox series" being in the first paragraph should make it clear to anyone reading what the site is about, and the title Arwing Landing. I just think a visual reference would look cool, really.

It's definitely a lot cleaner, now that you've specified all the content should always appear centred, and now that all the links are spaced out more things aren't as cluttered. Certainly easier to look at and more professional. That, and it's more practical, because it's simply easier to click on the link you're aiming for now. (More than once I've slipped into the hitbox of the above link instead of the one I was going for. Sounds silly, but it can happen.)

huh... for some reason the 'Star Fox Command' page contains sections on all the other games too... trying for a single page rather than one per game?

Content wise, You could also have some more general informative sections, like on the characters that have appeared in the series, the technology and general setting of the Star Fox Universe. *volunteers to write it up*

Finally, are you going to make the Updates notification area that exists on the current homepage into a subsection of the V6 home page, or incorporate it into the News section?

I am, of course, just poking my nose in where it wasn't invited, so feel free to ignore all that; just trying to help make it better.


[EDIT:] Oh yeah I forgot to ask, what happened to aL the other day? It was like the kind of missing domain name page that gets thrown together when a website doesn't exist anymore!

[ResidentBeavis]

I'd prefer a starfox 64 theme but I like it, I like it a lot 

[Arwing Ace]

Just tryed it out for the first time......

QUALITY!!!!!
Well done. Very well done.

[Pizearke]

The only problem is that you can't tell the difference between sticky and non-sticky. Or is it read and unread?

[yyryy6]

Modbreak

lolno