A Dark Skin Option?

[Suupaa Gohan 2]

Apologies if this has come up before.

Personally, I tend to do a lot of my browsing after dark, and sites that only offer a very bright color scheme only can be painful on the eyes after a while...especially when it comes to things like forums, where you're not just in and out, but are actually spending time reading and responding to threads.

I don't know too much about what goes into phpBB management, but most modern forum engines offer the option to add skins/themes. I think it'd be a relief to people like me if there was an option for a darker, or at least more neutral, color scheme for the board. Just a darker alternative to the default scheme is more than well enough, darker colors are just more eye-friendly, IMO, especially after dark.

Like I said, I don't know what work would go into that - if there are presets, surely there'd be a 'default dark version', but if there aren't, it'd mean someone having to write up some CSS and that would be a pain - but I thought it was worth a mention, and to see if anyone else out there agrees with me on that notion.

[Chuquita]

I think there was one (or at least some kind of alternative) at some point, and even though it's still listed there in the settings, don't click it. It'll lock you out of your account and you'll have to get one of the mods to fix it for you on their end.

EDIT: Forget the above, I was thinking of the previous incarnation of the boards back when it was db.schuby.org.

I wouldn't mind a darker version for at night. I'd probably still use the current version during the day though.

[Gaffer Tape]

I hope I don't get lambasted for this, but, in light of all that's been going on lately, I swear I read the title of this thread and thought it was about Popo...

[kingvegito]

I tried using the darker version But it nixed my original account... (This one.)

[Big Momma]

That would be pretty useful. The forum does look rather bright when everything around it is dark.

[desirecampbell]

Is that borked dark option still available?

[Suupaa Gohan 2]

Is that borked dark option still available?

Seems from the above posts that it'll fuck up your account, so I wouldn't try it.

[Suupaa Gohan 2]

Sorry to both bump and double-post, but I think this idea has some potential would someone knowledgeable be willing to throw something together. If not for an official, built-in skin, I had an idea about (for those of us who are into the idea, and to not affect those who are not) a userstyle for the FireFox add-on Stylish. I personally make extensive use of this add-on for these exact reasons - more easy-on-the-eyes color schemes for certain overly bright websites, or things like simple adblock and such. I did a search through some of the phpBB options available, and those that aren't horrendously outdated seem to be tailored to specific forums, and not a one-size-fits-all situation. However, I'd imagine that for someone who knows what they're doing, modifying one phpBB-based theme to fit another wouldn't be a terrible amount of work.

I'm personally envisioning something like this when I speak of a dark skin option for this board. It's not flashy or distracting in any way, it's just darker and more pleasing to eyes that don't enjoy the blinding mix of bright whites, grays, and blues. And I'm not saying 'let's do this via Stylish', either, just suggesting an option; either way, when I imagine a darker DaizEX, this is the kind of look I'm seeing in my head. If it'd be possible for us to get that option in some form, I think there'd be more than a few of us who would be pleased.

[VegettoEX]

I have asked before if anyone was interested in making custom CSS/skins for the forum, and while people want it, no-one seems willing to develop it...

I know *I* sure don't have the time...

[Godo]

I have asked before if anyone was interested in making custom CSS/skins for the forum, and while people want it, no-one seems willing to develop it...

I know *I* sure don't have the time...

I don't see the reason for members to create custom skins, when there are lots of free skins on the net already.
Examples:
http://www.awesomestyles.com/phpbb3-styles
http://www.phpbb.com/community/viewtopi ... 4&t=568723

Why make something more complicated than it is. If the members want dark themed skins, just take one that looks good from the net and voilá, problem solved.

[Big Momma]

I have asked before if anyone was interested in making custom CSS/skins for the forum, and while people want it, no-one seems willing to develop it...

I know *I* sure don't have the time...

I don't see the reason for members to create custom skins, when there are lots of free skins on the net already.
Examples:
http://www.awesomestyles.com/phpbb3-styles
http://www.phpbb.com/community/viewtopi ... 4&t=568723

Why make something more complicated than it is. If the members want dark themed skins, just take one that looks good from the net and voilá, problem solved.

Hmmmm...and how would one go about applying these skins once they're downloaded?

[Suupaa Gohan 2]

I don't know anything about phpBB, but having run forums on other engines, it's usually something the/an administrator has to do - IE, you can't download and apply a skin if your choice on a user basis because you like it. It has to be an option made available by the board. Certainly using a pre-made skin would avoid the issue of having to hand code one, but Mike or someone else with administrative access would still need to 'install' it to the board, I'd imagine.

Looking through a few of those, I think something like this, this or possibly this would look good for dark options. Though they're all a tiny bit...I guess 'fancier' than I'd personally like for this place (I'd be fine with just the same style in darker colors, it's simple and non-distracting), the color schemes are pleasing and seem like they'd work well enough with the board.

[The Tori-bot]

I'm afraid the dark skin option is no longer commercially viable...



I'm so sorry.

[Dr. Casey]

I think there was one (or at least some kind of alternative) at some point, and even though it's still listed there in the settings, don't click it. It'll lock you out of your account and you'll have to get one of the mods to fix it for you on their end.

Yeah... I think someone should probably delete that at some point. Trap skins that lock you out of your account are bad.

[Godo]

Hmmmm...and how would one go about applying these skins once they're downloaded?

I don't know anything about phpBB, but having run forums on other engines, it's usually something the/an administrator has to do - IE, you can't download and apply a skin if your choice on a user basis because you like it. It has to be an option made available by the board. Certainly using a pre-made skin would avoid the issue of having to hand code one, but Mike or someone else with administrative access would still need to 'install' it to the board, I'd imagine.

Simple, you have a discussion with the admin, choose the best skin, and he will add the skin to the forum.
I think that the admin knows how to install a finished skin.
I never insinuated that one should create a skin for himself and install it to work only on one's computer.

If now the idea is to make a custom skin for the board, we can use one that is ready until we have that option.