Forum:Site Changes?

Forums: Index > General discussion

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Hello, my name is BessDreamer. I recently logged onto the website to resume progress on my wiki called, "Sega Sonic Wiki". I have noticed a drastic change to how the website including how other people's wiki sites looks. I am wondering if it is temporary or permanent. I'm personally concerned with the layout with the wiki. It is very difficult to see the text and makes my wiki look unprofessional. The window looks too small for me and preferred the default appearance, is there a way to change this?

BessDreamer (talk) 15:43, 26 January 2014 (UTC)

Hi BessDreamer! You're right, we've launched our new and exclusive skin, called Aurora, which was designed by Isarra, our designer. You can read the full announcement on our staff blog. I'm sorry to hear that it isn't your cup of tea.

Could I ask you to share your thoughts on the skin — what do you like in it and what you don't like? This kind of data is important for us so that we are able to serve you better and build even awesomer skins in the future. :-)

I can change the skin of Sega Sonic Wiki for you, but I need to know what skin you'd like it changed to — take a look at Help:Skins to find out more about our skins as well as the names of all of our skins. --Jack Phoenix _(Contact) 22:48, 26 January 2014 (UTC)

Well,I would like the old skin, too, but I understand shoutwiki's position. I'm willing to go into discussing the general problems and give it a chance. There are some important points a skin has to fulfill imho

• compatibility to the standard wiki layout
• this also means at least the article layout must not experience a change; in practice this means the area size shouldn't be too different or forcing adjusting tables, images etc.
• practicality and access to the options links
• Perhaps less important - fanciness and all is good but it shouldn't take too much attention away from the wiki content

I think there are two types of users - editors and visitors - both have different needs on the options. I dunno if it is possible but a skin that can switch the option layout based on users e.g. logged in or not would be great. Otherwise I have these suggestions

• community options usually are less used, hence, have less priority and should be smaller (like on the top of the page).
• We are used to have wiki tools on the left; page tools on top so those small community icons etc. should be on the right or top-top (beside username)

I think halving the right side space is most preferable to restore the article layout. The rest of the wiki layout should be manageable. It is a question of layout compatibility, though, but there doesn't seem to be much difference in space assignment. The main wiki image icon size is the problem. Almael (talk) 00:49, 27 January 2014 (UTC)

After playing around a bit with it I came to realize due to the tight space of the sidebars the background becomes unimportant. Of course making the article area transparent would get back the background's importance. But it makes a mess visually and adjusting the transparency for each Background image isn't good. The importance of design shifts to the sidebars and buttons or display of options. It becomes important for wiki administrators to have full access to customization. Imho this is most important in making Aurora popular and perhaps shoutwiki becoming desired.

I personally want a bit more possibilities on the top bar like more than just one picture logo or well, chaining images. For each sidebar, I think there's a need for several background images to build a smooth design from top to bottom. As to buttons, there is certainly a need for more customization. Almael (talk) 20:40, 7 February 2014 (UTC)