Subject: Re: New wiki look.
Author:
Posted on: 2011-03-19 11:19:00 UTC
One odd thing about the new front page is it seems to be a little harder to access by mobile phone. I just checked it out and everything except the welcome banner was hidden. Of course that could just be my phone.
If you've been in the IRC the last couple of nights, you already know this, but I've redesigned the front page of the wiki (here, if you need a link).
So, what do you guys think? Anything missing? Anything not work for you? Let me know! The original stuff is preserved in the Sandbox for the time being, so if you need to remind yourself what it looked like before (sorta; it's a bit squished), you can look there.
I also did the flash patch-pattern backdrop.
I'm hoping to replace the current SO image with the lower-right bit of this, but it depends on whether the artist grants her permission.
~Neshomeh
It looks quite like the one on the exorcism page. We need more of those.
I find that the background, while patterned, is too washed-out to really be distracting/tacky/annoying, so it's pretty good.
Very perky, my friend ;p But very good - clean and easy to navigate, in a logical order that will save us the fuss of Link Giving for every newbie. THANK you.
I didn't even see the patterened background until I zoomed out; I rather like it. It could indeed make text hard to read though, if the white backing box were to vanish. It's not really a problem for me but I wonder - if it's a problem for others, could you adjust it so that instead of being a whitewashed, watered-down version of images on a black(ish) background, it's got all those pictures on a paler background (white, preferably)? That might make it less troublesome. Or moreso; I couldn't say.
But overall, excellent job!
I think I got all the Links in there. Did you notice anything missing?
The background does seem to be a case of Your Mileage May Vary. I think that anything with higher contrast would definitely make it worse, though.
Still, I think I'll try to come up with alternatives. Maybe an image that just sits at the top, like on Muppet Wiki, or something repeating but simple like the dragons on the Lost Tales site.
~Neshomeh
Being kind of in a rush at the time (as I am now), I didn't thoroughly check everything there against my Link List, but here's said list now for you to glance at (copy-pasted from the file in which I've kept it for so long that I think it's literally dusty):
* The Original PPC Series, which we assume you've already read.
* The List of Killed Badfic, which will direct you to a large number of non-Original PPC Missions.
The Board:
* The Board Constitution
* The FAQ: For the Board
The Wiki:
* We have our very own PPC Wiki
* The very-important-to-read-before-requesting-Permission Permission article
* Our Guide To The PPC
* The Mission Writing Guide
* The Slash-Sporking Guide
* The FAQ: For Newbies.
When you are ready to edit the wiki, make sure to read Neshomeh's excellent editing tutorial.
And finally, but very usefully,
* The List of Everything PPC
I think the only thing difficult about that background is that you seem to have a very dark background whitewashed into a very uncertain greyish mesh - it'd be fine if it weren't whitened, but because it has to stay relatively pale, that's why I suggested changing it to white. I'm not sure what other ideas might work, but I look forward to seeing some options, if you feel like it.
...for whom the background only shows up as a teeny-tiny strip on the very very far right?
Is there a link to the background? I wanna see it for real...and I can't do "view background image."
Try 'unzooming' the page; that should let you see the background.
OOH. MUCH COOLNESS.
Thank you!
The background is a strip on the left and right sides, while the parts with writing have a white background, and hence are easy to read. I'm not sure why some people are having the background interfere with the text?
The "background" is more like a backdrop behind the main contents, which sit on top of it in the center of the screen. It doesn't actually back the text--or shouldn't, anyway. I think the point was that it draws the eye from the main area.
~Neshomeh
As well as how large the text is on your internet browser. Ctrl+ and Ctrl- will change the size.
Don't get me wrong, I do like the new design. However, I find myself agreeing with IndeMaat with regards to the background. Not that I don't like it, but it does distract the eye somewhat. That, or I'm naturally easily distracted. Granted, the latter is true.
I like that there are now dates attached to the latest missions reports.
I'm not much a fan of pattern backgrounds. They can distract from the text / make the text harder to read.
I've also heard that it's not bad because of the faded quality, though, so I guess your mileage may vary. However, do you have any ideas about what would be better? I'm absolutely open to doing something else.
~Neshomeh
I'm using a different browser now (and different computer with different OS) and I'm now seeing the patterned background as the background to the main text area, i.e. just the strips left and right others have mentioned.
That works well for me. Text is black on white and the pretty pattern is framing the text area.
That's how it's supposed to look. Out of curiosity, what were you using before? Maybe I can find out why it didn't display right and find a fix.
~Neshomeh
I used Seamonkey on Apple OS X.4. (Seamonkey is a browser by Mozilla. I have the before most current version because I didn't like the look of the buttons of the newest version.)
At the moment I use I.E. 8 on windows 7.
The folks I talked to over at Wikia suspect it was a glitch, since recent browsers such as SeaMonkey should have no trouble with the CSS Wikia uses. They recommend reloading the page with ?action=purge tacked on the URL if it reoccurs.
Here's the thread, if you want to follow along/join in:
http://community.wikia.com/wiki/Forum:Whatbrowsers/OSsaresupportedbythenewWikialook%3F
~Neshomeh
One odd thing about the new front page is it seems to be a little harder to access by mobile phone. I just checked it out and everything except the welcome banner was hidden. Of course that could just be my phone.
I really don't know what could do that... unless your phone can't parse <div> tags, maybe? But the old page had those, too, so... O.o
(Then again, I also don't know why anyone uses a phone with a bitty little screen to browse the internet, but that's just me.)
~Neshomeh
Actually, my screen is quite large. Then again I thought soda was not important
I think that it will be easier for people who have just found out about the PPC to navigate the wiki. I like it.
I think I got everything that's normally given to people in "the Links," which should make things easier. People who've been around for a little longer will know to scroll down, so I'm not too worried about 'em.
That said, I don't want to neglect returning users, so I hope they'll shout if something is missing.
~Neshomeh