White Masquerade
QuirkyAngel's Red Oni
Tutorial Theme Selection
Hello all. So with this new update, RpNation has undergone a massive shift from the way it was before; stylistically as well as functionally. However, life goes on. Time moves on and things change. The only thing you can do is adapt, start over, refresh, and build something new from there. I am in the process of doing that and feel compelled to make a guide/tutorial on things I find. It may end up just being this one, it may end up more, but without further ado, here are my honest comments and navigation of the site's 3 themes. Hopefully through this, you'll be able to make your browsing here more centered to you and get that sense of comfort back. These here will be my personal opinions, and in no way, shape, or form, thought to be the truth. Interpret them how you want.
- RpN Default
This is the first style I'll review and it's the most like the original RpN before the massive update. The logo I believe is in the same exact place, the notification is in that upper right hand corner, and the color palette is reminiscent of the old days :$ . The grey background, blue header bars, and white space to hold the content is nostalgic. This exemplifies what the old site was; simplistic and easy to navigate. If anything other than the old RPN seriously turns you off, then this is the theme for you.
Maybe Not So Positives
It looks a little empty. Discombobulated. However you want to call it. It looks a little patchy and thrown together. Everything is lined up and neat, but looking at the layout as a whole, you feel there are a few outlines or boxes missing. This theme is 90% there. The original RpN was simplistic AND stylized. This theme is JUST simplistic. That would be the way best to say it, summing RpN Default up.
Final Thoughts
It's a very good at bringing back the original RpN feel. Most things look the same and are placed in the same exact place. Kudos to whomever made it. Though there's still that extra styling it's missing to truly pay homage to the old RpN.
- RpN Dark (AKA Night Lyfe)
The second style to be reviewed and the most ambitious of the three. Loading into it, you can see that this layout has the most quality, being the one most worked on. It makes me believe this layout is the one most users were intended to move onto and use. Unlike the RpN Default, the Night Lyfe is crisp and stylistically complete. You really feel everything there is complete just by looking at it. I can't say enough about it. I like it. It's not the old RpN, but functionally, it's perfect. Forum information is easy to read, it's organized nicely, statutes are beautifully handled, and the navigation buttons are well-made/fantastic.
Maybe Not So Positives
Not many things I can pick out here, though one of them is heavy. I'll start with the notification bar. It's really, really awkward being in the midst of the theme's picture. The positioning is out of place, but it won't kill you unless you're one of those people who need everything in their correct place. Now the second, is a much bigger issue, at least in my opinion. It's the concept of the Night Lyfe style. Functionally it's great, though using it...it doesn't feel like you're on RpN. How you feel about that will either make or break this theme for you. Personally, the reason I chose RpN was because of its cute Blue/White theme and simplistic layout. Night Lyfe is something entirely different. It does not show the site logo at all, but does give a choice between pictures up top to add to that "Dark," "Ethereal," feel. It works, very well. Though it feels like you're signing into a another site. Which is not good or bad. Depends completely on you.
Final Thoughts
It's a good attempt at doing something new. Some people will like it, some people won't. It's a complete makeover of RpN; not one I'm personally keen of. However, if you don't mind not getting that RpN feel, and want a layout that works great, pick this one. Browsing it, it feels like other RP sites I've visited. Whether that's a plus or minus, I don't know. If the RpN Default was stylized like the Night Lyfe theme, with its signature colors and logo, I believe that'd be the PERFECT theme to go to. It would give that nice modern, functional, look, while keeping true to the RpN brand (I'm so sorry for using the word brand :/ ).
- RpN Color Me!
The third and final theme I'll review is the one I'm currently using now. Color Me. Now I like this one for a few reasons. The layout is not so bad and doesn't look as empty as RpN Default. It has a similar style though to RpN Default and isn't as over-done as Night Lyfe. Color me is low-key and simple, while being modern, and very neat. The added bonus here is that it lets you change three levels of colors: Content Background and pattern. For content I have Strawberry. Background is Slate. Pattern blank. It's something nice I can look at and browse through without feeling overwhelmed or thinking I have so much sh*t to click through. It's what I like using best; at least for now,
Maybe Not So Positives
The text and topics in this layout are really small. Maybe they are the same size as in other layouts, but for some reason, you can see it more in this one. It'd be an even better theme if they were made bigger. A workaround for this if it is an issue, is to magnify your browser a few %. A problem with this theme is that it sometimes automatically resets the colors you choose, so don't be surprised if you choose Blackurrant and end up seeing Strawberry later on. It's a glitch. Just reset your colors whenever that happens.
Final Thoughts
The notification bar being on the left instead of right is a change, but nice, since it leaves the search bar in the top right. After a few minutes you get used to it. After an hour, you start to look at it funny. After a day, then week, it starts to make sense. Overall, I love this theme. Changing the colors to match what's easy on the eyes is good and it has the "completeness" of Night Lyfe, while keeping the "Simplicity" of RpN Default. It's a match made in heaven. If I had to pick, I would set this as the default. Branching from the old RpN set-up, this theme looks like the next best step to something more modern. It's still missing the logo, but in this theme, you don't really care; the layout somehow makes this great. It is still missing that special cherry on top, but after much searching, I can't quite figure out what that'd be. If you have an idea, feel free to comment below.
Ending Thoughts
They're all good in their own way, but I like Color-Me by far, if you agree with my opinions & assessments, then I believe that would be the theme for you. This is open for interpretation, comments, expounding, disagreements, and clarification, so post your thoughts in the sections below.
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