Nanor started asking so I better start answering... 
As mentioned in [thread=726]a previous thread[/thread], I've been working on some new functionality for THN Games. In particular, I've been focusing on three main things:
I'm pretty happy that I've done a fair bit on the first two. The third needs more work, but that can come with time.
Previously, people may have noticed a style called "THN Rage" in their style's selector. This has gone but has been replaced by two new styles:
Functionally, these styles are identical. For users with higher resolutions or a penchant for using a non-maximised browser window, however, the Scaling variant will fill the full width of the screen where the Fixed variant will hold a fixed reading width.
So, great... can I use these Blue2 styles?
I said in my previous post that these styles should not be relied upon under any circumstances. I'm around two days from rescinding that.
The Blue2 styles are currently in beta testing with the Mods and Admins. If, by Monday, we're happy with them then I will declare a sort of "open beta" for a week.
If you use these styles before I declare open beta and they break on you then tough luck. You have been warned.
Uh, but what about the Amber style?
I'm currently working with Haven to get an Amber2 style fixed up. I'm hoping that this will be ready for Monday as well, but some weird style issues are showing up in some circumstances.
So, what will happen with Blue and Amber (the originals)?
Blue will be removed to be replaced by Blue2 (Scaling). All people using Blue will either need to migrate themselves across or I will, after the open beta (and presuming the styles survive the open beta).
We intend to make the default style Amber2, when it is available. Amber will remain available for those who prefer a single-column format. However, new functionality may not be added to the original Amber style, so you may be missing out. Currently, at least three significant pieces of functionality have not been back-ported into Amber.
We're hoping that Blue2 and Amber2 will offer the look and feel that people want along with useful functionality inline with my objectives stated at the start of this post.
So what happened to Rage?
Rage, as a concept, is a look-and-feel. I'm still gathering together the pieces and techniques I need to make this look-and-feel work. What was Rage is now Blue2 (Fixed). Ultimately, Rage will build on the Blue2 (Fixed) style to add its own colours, images and so on.
Hey, I've got this really cool idea...!
Great! Post in the Hey Admins forum with your idea. At the moment we have no mechanism to allow people to develop their own templates without providing them access to too many core administrative features of this board. We're not willing to do this at this time. I'm considering a way of gathering ideas for colours, layouts or whatever, but that's very much a background task for the moment.
But I don't want to use these new styles! Why can't I use Blue? Why won't you update Amber with the cool widgets?
The Admin team have limited time and resources and an expanding style choice requires more effort from us to maintain. By adding new styles we need to look at simplifying in other areas to keep the overall effort status quo.
The Blue2 and Amber2 styles use inheritance to make their maintenence easier. Amber and Blue sit outside this inheritance model and cannot be (easily) brought into it. Accordingly, we're purging the template that we really don't need (Blue) and letting Amber live on for those people who really don't want to migrate, but in a largely frozen-functionality state. We may find we've got more time in future, so maybe this will change. For the moment, it doesn't seem likely.
As mentioned in [thread=726]a previous thread[/thread], I've been working on some new functionality for THN Games. In particular, I've been focusing on three main things:
- Making THN's gaming events more obvious.
- Bringing important information closer to the top of the page / board.
- Making the board easier for new visitors to use.
I'm pretty happy that I've done a fair bit on the first two. The third needs more work, but that can come with time.
Previously, people may have noticed a style called "THN Rage" in their style's selector. This has gone but has been replaced by two new styles:
- THN Blue2 (Fixed)
- THN Blue2 (Scaling)
Functionally, these styles are identical. For users with higher resolutions or a penchant for using a non-maximised browser window, however, the Scaling variant will fill the full width of the screen where the Fixed variant will hold a fixed reading width.
So, great... can I use these Blue2 styles?
I said in my previous post that these styles should not be relied upon under any circumstances. I'm around two days from rescinding that.
The Blue2 styles are currently in beta testing with the Mods and Admins. If, by Monday, we're happy with them then I will declare a sort of "open beta" for a week.
If you use these styles before I declare open beta and they break on you then tough luck. You have been warned.
Uh, but what about the Amber style?
I'm currently working with Haven to get an Amber2 style fixed up. I'm hoping that this will be ready for Monday as well, but some weird style issues are showing up in some circumstances.
So, what will happen with Blue and Amber (the originals)?
Blue will be removed to be replaced by Blue2 (Scaling). All people using Blue will either need to migrate themselves across or I will, after the open beta (and presuming the styles survive the open beta).
We intend to make the default style Amber2, when it is available. Amber will remain available for those who prefer a single-column format. However, new functionality may not be added to the original Amber style, so you may be missing out. Currently, at least three significant pieces of functionality have not been back-ported into Amber.
We're hoping that Blue2 and Amber2 will offer the look and feel that people want along with useful functionality inline with my objectives stated at the start of this post.
So what happened to Rage?
Rage, as a concept, is a look-and-feel. I'm still gathering together the pieces and techniques I need to make this look-and-feel work. What was Rage is now Blue2 (Fixed). Ultimately, Rage will build on the Blue2 (Fixed) style to add its own colours, images and so on.
Hey, I've got this really cool idea...!
Great! Post in the Hey Admins forum with your idea. At the moment we have no mechanism to allow people to develop their own templates without providing them access to too many core administrative features of this board. We're not willing to do this at this time. I'm considering a way of gathering ideas for colours, layouts or whatever, but that's very much a background task for the moment.
But I don't want to use these new styles! Why can't I use Blue? Why won't you update Amber with the cool widgets?
The Admin team have limited time and resources and an expanding style choice requires more effort from us to maintain. By adding new styles we need to look at simplifying in other areas to keep the overall effort status quo.
The Blue2 and Amber2 styles use inheritance to make their maintenence easier. Amber and Blue sit outside this inheritance model and cannot be (easily) brought into it. Accordingly, we're purging the template that we really don't need (Blue) and letting Amber live on for those people who really don't want to migrate, but in a largely frozen-functionality state. We may find we've got more time in future, so maybe this will change. For the moment, it doesn't seem likely.