I'm not comfortable reading the smaller point fonts being used for the forum at this time. This grey text on the more gray background -as seen inside the reply box - isn't, IMO, user friendly. This white font in the final post looks better - but needs to be a point or two larger. I can't read this whiter font at all while inside the reply box.
I find having to login manually each and every time I visit the forum to be more time consuming than it's worth. I'm also missing the ability to simply click the games logo to be automatically logged in.
There is a firefox plug-in that fixes most of your issues. Opps, accidentally posted the wrong link.
It's fine for me, but then again I'm colorblind. Light text on a dark background is great for me. Dark text on a light background is murder on my eyes. But since my eyes are screwed up anyway, take that as you will.
This also isn't anywhere near the console icon "revamp" either. That made many of the console icons indistinguishable from each other and completely defeated the entire purpose of having icons in the first place. It's still terrible and I hate it, but like azurianstar said, Cryptic doesn't seem to care about it despite the fact that many of us still hate it.
It seems that the same old "it hurts my eyes" arguement has resurfaced. When the icons for weps shields consoles etc were changed ingame there was this exact same debate about them as there is about the forum change. The icon change didn't bother me, and the forum change doesn't bother me.
The debate about the forum will go on for a couple of weeks, just like the icon debate did, and like that debate, this one will fizzle out in a week or so too.
Is it so hard to believe that a change in font/colors could really be affecting someone's vision/brain? While I am not a spring chicken at 40 years old, my eyes are still decent, maybe not as good as when I was 20 but still OK.
If you don't like the white on grey, Use another colour when you post
These are the Voyages on the STO forum, the final frontier. Our continuing mission: to explore Pretentious Posts, to seek out new Overreactions and Misinformation , to boldly experience Cynicism like no man has before.......
The problem is less this specific design (given the variety of monitors and viewing environment, there are those who like the new look or see little difference and others who dislike it) but the lack of multiple designs because a one size fits all approach rarely works and the lack of an effective default design.
This is a bad design because (apart from readability and accessibility concerns) it is not an inviting design. For newer users, it doesn't say, 'Welcome to Star Trek Online! Welcome to the community.' That is part of the objective this forum should have, because without good feedback, it is harder to make good business decisions about this product. And the more wider and more representative the users on the forum, the better.
This previous forum design didn't really achieve that either, but it looked like a game forum. This looks too corporate. The problem with that is that it makes the forums seem like less of a place where you can have fun. Less friendly. And the lack of a cool design prevents people from wanting to take part on the forums to be part of a cool, Star Trek community, because at the end of the day, most people play this game over other options because this is Star Trek.
If the changes were done to fit into Arc's non-colour scheme, then Arc needs to get a suitable colour scheme. Because this non-colour scheme holds all of Perfect World's games back in the sense that it makes it easier for new players to pass by the forums instead of using it because it doesn't look interesting. It doesn't look friendly.
Design is important in helping us form impressions of our expected experience and therefore make decisions about whether we want to take part or not. If you've been on other forums before and had mixed experiences, design will have an influence. If you haven't been on forums before, you want a design that welcomes you and encourages you to give it a go.
While different backgrounds and icons for each forum would be best, at a minimum the colour scheme needs to be better, or at least have better options.
Hey Rinkster, please edit your quote of me to remove that link. I didn't mean to post a youtube video. The wrong thing was in my clipboard, and the person who shared it with me may not want it posted.
Is it so hard to believe that a change in font/colors could really be affecting someone's vision/brain? While I am not a spring chicken at 40 years old, my eyes are still decent, maybe not as good as when I was 20 but still OK.
The problem is less this specific design (given the variety of monitors and viewing environment, there are those who like the new look or see little difference and others who dislike it) but the lack of multiple designs because a one size fits all approach rarely works and the lack of an effective default design.
This is a bad design because (apart from readability and accessibility concerns) it is not an inviting design. For newer users, it doesn't say, 'Welcome to Star Trek Online! Welcome to the community.' That is part of the objective this forum should have, because without good feedback, it is harder to make good business decisions about this product. And the more wider and more representative the users on the forum, the better.
This previous forum design didn't really achieve that either, but it looked like a game forum. This looks too corporate. The problem with that is that it makes the forums seem like less of a place where you can have fun. Less friendly. And the lack of a cool design prevents people from wanting to take part on the forums to be part of a cool, Star Trek community, because at the end of the day, most people play this game over other options because this is Star Trek.
If the changes were done to fit into Arc's non-colour scheme, then Arc needs to get a suitable colour scheme. Because this non-colour scheme holds all of Perfect World's games back in the sense that it makes it easier for new players to pass by the forums instead of using it because it doesn't look interesting. It doesn't look friendly.
Design is important in helping us form impressions of our expected experience and therefore make decisions about whether we want to take part or not. If you've been on other forums before and had mixed experiences, design will have an influence. If you haven't been on forums before, you want a design that welcomes you and encourages you to give it a go.
While different backgrounds and icons for each forum would be best, at a minimum the colour scheme needs to be better, or at least have better options.
I want to read this post but I can't. I don't want to go blind.
And I think (if they'll pardon me) Shpoks and HippieJon are in my boat.
Ahh, they're not so old and decripit, I've just need bifocals since I was in my early 20s. yay Genetics, but in this case, you are pardoned for sure. I am having trouble with the forums currently.
I'm about to go research the solution Eradicator84 came up with that Kirkfat has been pimping around.
It's an amazing day when users of the forum have to go create their own themes in order to avoid physical pain (headaches), if we want to use the forums.
It seems that the same old "it hurts my eyes" arguement has resurfaced. When the icons for weps shields consoles etc were changed ingame there was this exact same debate about them as there is about the forum change. The icon change didn't bother me, and the forum change doesn't bother me.
The debate about the forum will go on for a couple of weeks, just like the icon debate did, and like that debate, this one will fizzle out in a week or so too.
This isn't the "same old argument" , and the people who are legitamately color blind were making a good point back then too. They couldn't tell the difference between the icons.
Here, the new font size and color choice has an effect on people with already poor eyesight and who might just be prone to migraine headaches.
Bully for you that these problems do not effect you, but it is belittling and offensive to take the totally dismissive tone you have.
You could have just , ya know, not said anything.
Man, I freaking love Cryptic. I do a Podcast every week that is one of the most positive, hopeful podcasts going for this game. But when something is done like this change to the forums that causes me physical discomfort, durned right I am gonna complain.
All the blues and greys-on-greys remind me of when I've been swimming and gotten too much chlorine in my eyes and the whole world seems a bit 'fogged over.' Not a fan of it. Might be softer on the eyes, but I prefer a clear contrast.
Ahh, they're not so old and decripit, I've just need bifocals since I was in my early 20s. yay Genetics, but in this case, you are pardoned for sure. I am having trouble with the forums currently.
I'm about to go research the solution Eradicator84 came up with that Kirkfat has been pimping around.
It's an amazing day when users of the forum have to go create their own themes in order to avoid physical pain (headaches), if we want to use the forums.
Bravo, PWE , Bravo, Clap Clap
Did they test this at all? As a Professional Graphic Designer and Web Developer, I am appalled.
You know what, man. I get it. Everywhere you go in these forums you have to leap to the defense of the company. But this isn't the "same old argument" , and the people who are legitamately color blind were making a good point back then too. They couldn't tell the difference between the icons.
Here, the new font size and color choice has an effect on people with already poor eyesight and who might just be prone to migraine headaches.
Bully for you that these problems do not effect you, but it is belittling and offensive to take the totally dismissive tone you have.
You could have just , ya know, not said anything. But no, i forgot, you saw another opportunity to jump up and defend the company. So you just had to.
Man, I freaking love Cryptic. I do a Podcast every week that is one of the most positive, hopeful podcasts going for this game. But when something is done like this change to the forums that causes me physical discomfort, durned right I am gonna complain.
Something about the squeaky wheel getting the oil first?
1. Install the Stylish addon for Firefox or Chrome.
2. Close firefox
3. Install the specific STO related plug-in. (Be careful not to click the advertisement download link at the bottom. Instead, click the one on the right.)
Then simply start using the forums!
Can be enabled/disabled at will via the addon.
As long as the logo and background images remain available via their CDN (no reason it shouldn't), it'll work just fine.
Hope people find this useful.
Good job. Thanks for doing this.
Formerly known as Armsman from June 2008 to June 20, 2012 PWE ARC Drone says: "Your STO forum community as you have known it is ended...Display names are irrelevant...Any further sense of community is irrelevant...Resistance is futile...You will be assimilated..."
Season 8.5 Devblog 43: We have heard that a lot of your beloved customers do have serious problems with our new forum art design.
We feel very bad about that and have come to a solution to this problem.
Our next featured project is called "The future is past".
By completing this project, players are able to reload the former forum design.
The costs are very low. 3000 Zen, 150.000 Dilithium and 1000 Provisions.
Ahahaha funny.
I can but hope this is not the final version.
I can read it just fine but it is bland, undetailed and unimaginative, it looks amateurish, like something anybody could throw together using free software, calling it a design change is one thing, but putting the word "art" anywhere in that description is pure fantasy guys.
Is there some particular combination of libations we should be indulging in to make this look good?
If something is not broken, don't fix it, if it is broken, don't leave it broken.
Sorry Methuselah, but my 47-year-old 20/70 on one side and 20/800 on the other eyes don't like this forum color scheme whether you think they do or not. Now take your Geritol and take your nap. :P
Sorry Methuselah, but my 47-year-old 20/70 on one side and 20/800 on the other eyes don't like this forum color scheme whether you think they do or not. Now take your Geritol and take your nap. :P
I really encourage you to install the official firefox or chrome plug-in, and then install the player-made style for viewing this web site. As someone who has struggled with bad eyesight since birth, this fix was a godsend.
Then simply start using the forums!
Can be enabled/disabled at will via the addon.
As long as the logo and background images remain available via their CDN (no reason it shouldn't), it'll work just fine.
Hope people find this useful.
Thank you for this theme, at least now i can read the forum without feeling like i've got red hot needles in my eyes like i did with the white on gray.
Then simply start using the forums!
Can be enabled/disabled at will via the addon.
As long as the logo and background images remain available via their CDN (no reason it shouldn't), it'll work just fine.
Hope people find this useful.
This is a amazing. TRIBBLE the new Perfect World dystopia.
They may have made some more adjustments to the grey tones to give more contrast, but it's still bad. Tiny fonts are terrible. When I need to use a zoom function to read what I type, there is something wrong. :mad:
Your's is stellar. Why can't a company like Perfect World do this?
It's like they don't want you to visit the ARC website, much less the forums.
I have to say thank google and Eradicator that there are plugins I can use to make these forums bearable, I have to use 2 now to stay sane. I am however expecting them to cry foul and ban these plugins saying that its interfering with their artistic integrity.
Comments
There is a firefox plug-in that fixes most of your issues. Opps, accidentally posted the wrong link.
Edit: correct link: http://sto-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?t=1020721&page=31
This also isn't anywhere near the console icon "revamp" either. That made many of the console icons indistinguishable from each other and completely defeated the entire purpose of having icons in the first place. It's still terrible and I hate it, but like azurianstar said, Cryptic doesn't seem to care about it despite the fact that many of us still hate it.
Mine Trap Supporter
Surely this should set off an alarm bell at Cryptic.
Their forum changes are so popular, less than 24 hours after implmentation people are creating plugins to avoid it.
Shouldn't that ring a tiny bell somewhere that maybe this wasn't awesomely thought through?
Is it so hard to believe that a change in font/colors could really be affecting someone's vision/brain? While I am not a spring chicken at 40 years old, my eyes are still decent, maybe not as good as when I was 20 but still OK.
This is a bad design because (apart from readability and accessibility concerns) it is not an inviting design. For newer users, it doesn't say, 'Welcome to Star Trek Online! Welcome to the community.' That is part of the objective this forum should have, because without good feedback, it is harder to make good business decisions about this product. And the more wider and more representative the users on the forum, the better.
This previous forum design didn't really achieve that either, but it looked like a game forum. This looks too corporate. The problem with that is that it makes the forums seem like less of a place where you can have fun. Less friendly. And the lack of a cool design prevents people from wanting to take part on the forums to be part of a cool, Star Trek community, because at the end of the day, most people play this game over other options because this is Star Trek.
If the changes were done to fit into Arc's non-colour scheme, then Arc needs to get a suitable colour scheme. Because this non-colour scheme holds all of Perfect World's games back in the sense that it makes it easier for new players to pass by the forums instead of using it because it doesn't look interesting. It doesn't look friendly.
Design is important in helping us form impressions of our expected experience and therefore make decisions about whether we want to take part or not. If you've been on other forums before and had mixed experiences, design will have an influence. If you haven't been on forums before, you want a design that welcomes you and encourages you to give it a go.
While different backgrounds and icons for each forum would be best, at a minimum the colour scheme needs to be better, or at least have better options.
My character Tsin'xing
Edit. Thanks.
Easy done, and done.
Now we all want to know: What could we have seen in the video? Was it a bad video?
You're insane. This new forum is nightmarish.
Heh, try them at 50.
Not old reliable anymore.......
Awful isn't it?
Thank you for your fix
I want to read this post but I can't. I don't want to go blind.
Ahh, they're not so old and decripit, I've just need bifocals since I was in my early 20s. yay Genetics, but in this case, you are pardoned for sure. I am having trouble with the forums currently.
I'm about to go research the solution Eradicator84 came up with that Kirkfat has been pimping around.
It's an amazing day when users of the forum have to go create their own themes in order to avoid physical pain (headaches), if we want to use the forums.
Bravo, PWE , Bravo, Clap Clap
This isn't the "same old argument" , and the people who are legitamately color blind were making a good point back then too. They couldn't tell the difference between the icons.
Here, the new font size and color choice has an effect on people with already poor eyesight and who might just be prone to migraine headaches.
Bully for you that these problems do not effect you, but it is belittling and offensive to take the totally dismissive tone you have.
You could have just , ya know, not said anything.
Man, I freaking love Cryptic. I do a Podcast every week that is one of the most positive, hopeful podcasts going for this game. But when something is done like this change to the forums that causes me physical discomfort, durned right I am gonna complain.
Did they test this at all? As a Professional Graphic Designer and Web Developer, I am appalled.
Something about the squeaky wheel getting the oil first?
Season 8.5 Devblog 43: We have heard that a lot of your beloved customers do have serious problems with our new forum art design.
We feel very bad about that and have come to a solution to this problem.
Our next featured project is called "The future is past".
By completing this project, players are able to reload the former forum design.
The costs are very low. 3000 Zen, 150.000 Dilithium and 1000 Provisions.
1. Install the Stylish addon for Firefox or Chrome.
2. Close firefox
3. Install the specific STO related plug-in. (Be careful not to click the advertisement download link at the bottom. Instead, click the one on the right.)
4. Now revisit the sto forums.
Good job. Thanks for doing this.
PWE ARC Drone says: "Your STO forum community as you have known it is ended...Display names are irrelevant...Any further sense of community is irrelevant...Resistance is futile...You will be assimilated..."
I can but hope this is not the final version.
I can read it just fine but it is bland, undetailed and unimaginative, it looks amateurish, like something anybody could throw together using free software, calling it a design change is one thing, but putting the word "art" anywhere in that description is pure fantasy guys.
Is there some particular combination of libations we should be indulging in to make this look good?
Oh, no, you didn't just go there.
Sorry Methuselah, but my 47-year-old 20/70 on one side and 20/800 on the other eyes don't like this forum color scheme whether you think they do or not. Now take your Geritol and take your nap. :P
I really encourage you to install the official firefox or chrome plug-in, and then install the player-made style for viewing this web site. As someone who has struggled with bad eyesight since birth, this fix was a godsend.
Thank you for this theme, at least now i can read the forum without feeling like i've got red hot needles in my eyes like i did with the white on gray.
This is a amazing. TRIBBLE the new Perfect World dystopia.
They may have made some more adjustments to the grey tones to give more contrast, but it's still bad. Tiny fonts are terrible. When I need to use a zoom function to read what I type, there is something wrong. :mad:
Your's is stellar. Why can't a company like Perfect World do this?
It's like they don't want you to visit the ARC website, much less the forums.
1984 is not a model to use for webdesign.