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Posted: 25 Feb 2009 15:47
by Drunken Idaho
So... With this return of Arrakeen, I can't help but notice a rather important matter... The only way in which that site is superior to Jacurutu is in appearance. It's much prettier. Now, I'm not saying I like their visual scheme, in fact I think it's pretty lame. Even DamnedNovels looks better than our lame little "phpbb" sign up in the corner. But the way I see it, we're going to see a boom in the online Dune community as more fans take part due to the movie hype. I think we're already seeing lots of newcomers. The question is, what impression are these newcomers going to have of the popular forums out there? I know looks aren't everything, but this is where refining our image might help with PR. Instead of looking gay like Keen, or cliche like DN, I suggest we become the most badass dune site by putting this beauty to work:

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Or, we can use this slight variation I've come up with based on the genius concept by Dunefish:

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I also think it would be ideal to put our mandate on the front page, below whatever logo we end up using. Something to the effect of "The True Dune Community." Nothing too specific, but enough to convince newcomers that this is the place to be.

What do you guys think? I know the Dune font isn't ready, but this could be a good start. I love the image of blood on the sand, since it reminds me of the Jacurutu legends, and it also represents the "attitude of the knife" of which we all subscribe to when it comes to which books are canon.

Posted: 25 Feb 2009 15:53
by Freakzilla
Can you do what you're suggesting? Or anyone?

I haven't done anything like that yet because I don't have the time to figure out how.

If anyone can make a theme using one of those banners I will upload it.

I would also like to make use of the font DunefishUK has made for titles of forums and such.

Posted: 25 Feb 2009 15:54
by Mandy
That's cool! If you put it on a transparent background it would work for all the skins.

Posted: 25 Feb 2009 16:12
by Drunken Idaho
Freakzilla wrote:Can you do what you're suggesting? Or anyone?

I haven't done anything like that yet because I don't have the time to figure out how.

If anyone can make a theme using one of those banners I will upload it.

I would also like to make use of the font DunefishUK has made for titles of forums and such.
Umm, I don't know how to make themes either. I'm more of a designer than a coder. I am able to make a transparent BG version, but it would have to be a GIF image, and it might lose colour definition. There are other image formats that support transparency, but I'm not sure which ones can be displayed in a browser. And thanks Mandy!

Posted: 25 Feb 2009 16:28
by DuneFishUK
It's only small and there's not much to my version (which uses flatter colours and fewer of them) so it would work well as a gif. I've only really recently started using Gifs - and they're great for small things :D

The idea I posted in t'other thread was pretty much what Mandy says - update the logo pics for all the existing themes. They're just files and it's dead easy to ftp updated versions into the theme directories.

eg for the brown theme that I use:
get's replaced with:
Or something like it. Making it a bit customised allows for the different sized graphics in the different themes (some might be jobs too)

(That's the limit of my theme building knowledge btw :P )

Hopefully the font (version 1.0 at least) should be up tonight, all things permitting. :)

Posted: 25 Feb 2009 16:51
by Freakzilla
I may have to ask my wife to do it, but I won't see her again for like a week until she's done.

:roll:

Posted: 26 Feb 2009 04:09
by SandChigger
Anyone interested in working on themes contact me by PM. :wink:

Posted: 26 Feb 2009 10:41
by Seraphan
To Drunken Idaho: Totally agree with you. I think "The Free Dune Community" is better.

To DuneFishUK: If you could add "member" to that banner it would look great as a sig to use here and other forums.

Posted: 26 Feb 2009 14:50
by Drunken Idaho
Here's a PNG file with both transparency and full colour. I added the drop shadow and bevel so that it would stand out against pale backgrounds...

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I encourage people to look at this page with the different themes we already have available, to see how it looks.

Posted: 26 Feb 2009 16:28
by Freakzilla
Drunken Idaho wrote:Here's a PNG file with both transparency and full colour. I added the drop shadow and bevel so that it would stand out against pale backgrounds...

Image

I encourage people to look at this page with the different themes we already have available, to see how it looks.
8)

Posted: 26 Feb 2009 16:38
by DuneFishUK
Niiice one Drunken :D

I hadn't thought of doing the shadow thing - was cocking about with changing the colours instead. But that killed the sand thing. I like pngs now :P

Quick cock-about:
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Posted: 26 Feb 2009 16:42
by Drunken Idaho
DuneFishUK wrote:Niiice one Drunken :D

I hadn't thought of doing the shadow thing - was cocking about with changing the colours instead. But that killed the sand thing. I like pngs now :P

Quick cock-about:
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That's badass!

Posted: 26 Feb 2009 17:32
by Seraphan
Oh this keeps getting better and better!
DuneFishUK wrote:Niiice one Drunken :D

I hadn't thought of doing the shadow thing - was cocking about with changing the colours instead. But that killed the sand thing. I like pngs now :P

Quick cock-about:
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Except it's "complete" not "compete" :P

Posted: 26 Feb 2009 17:38
by DuneFishUK
Seraphan wrote:Except it's "complete" not "compete" :P
Fuckin' moaners. :P

Fix'd. Refesh it.

Homage to SandRider (aka post 601)

Posted: 26 Feb 2009 17:58
by Tleszer
DuneFishUK wrote:Image
Sweet! Great job!

Posted: 27 Feb 2009 06:04
by inhuien
DuneFishUK wrote:Image
That's nice. Have you considered that the time for each slide is a little short, perhaps a few more seconds would allow for easier reading and lend the gif more gravitas.

Posted: 27 Feb 2009 14:07
by DuneFishUK
inhuien wrote:
DuneFishUK wrote:Image
That's nice. Have you considered that the time for each slide is a little short, perhaps a few more seconds would allow for easier reading and lend the gif more gravitas.
Bladdy hell - can't do anything right :roll:

I think you're right though :wink: Refresh it.

Posted: 28 Feb 2009 05:38
by inhuien
DuneFishUK wrote:
inhuien wrote:
DuneFishUK wrote:Image
That's nice. Have you considered that the time for each slide is a little short, perhaps a few more seconds would allow for easier reading and lend the gif more gravitas.
Bladdy hell - can't do anything right :roll:

I think you're right though :wink: Refresh it.
Man I'm sorry, I really tried to word that comment so as to be constructive and not prickish. My only motivation was to assist you in placing a well deserved cherry on your most superlative cake. :)

Posted: 01 Mar 2009 14:01
by ARCH
it's fine but the letters are tiny.

will it be too much effort to make them a bit larger(the arrakeen part)
btw. why do we need to mention arrakeen in a jacurutu add.

I mean, Jacurutu in the books are such a cool tribe to present and since this forum is called after them there are tons of ways of presenting this community.

I'm afraid that refering to bad blood wont attract the future generations who had no bad interactions with either of staff of former arrakeen
and it will only help Sietch Tabr.
Why isn't anyone using something new to promote this community?
You're gonna turn as all in grudge holders and hate bashers by refering to Arrakeen.
I think the add will hold more meaning if you stick to the books and leave wool gathering to Sandchigger.

Posted: 01 Mar 2009 14:27
by DuneFishUK
Was joking inhuien - C&C is always welcome: Thanks for helping make it better :)

Arrakis teaches the attitude of the knife -- chopping off what's incomplete and saying: "Now, it's complete because it's ended here."
-- "Collected Sayings of Muad'Dib" by the Princess Irulan

Straight out of Dune.

IIRC my Arrakeen post count by the end was 0 - I don't really give a toss about all that stuff. :P

Posted: 01 Mar 2009 14:39
by ARCH
DuneFishUK wrote:Was joking inhuien - C&C is always welcome: Thanks for helping make it better :)

Arrakis teaches the attitude of the knife -- chopping off what's incomplete and saying: "Now, it's complete because it's ended here."
-- "Collected Sayings of Muad'Dib" by the Princess Irulan

Straight out of Dune.

IIRC my Arrakeen post count by the end was 0 - I don't really give a toss about all that stuff. :P
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
then it's an unbelievable good idea
(you've got me with the quote, these arraken bashing posts lately have totally made me insane, a minute more and i would have a blood bath :lol: )

but you stilll need to make the letters a bit larger.
Can you do that?
The sentence would have more impact.