Look, structure, theme, etc

[deep state]

so we are good to go.

This was all very rapid & spontaneous. Kudos to C_D for initiative-taking & grabbing this site so we'd have a place to get started.

An opening query for C_D: how attached are you to the site/name if early adopters/elopers have other ideas? I think the more of a collective building process this is, the better, tho not if it holds stuff up, obviously. But if we structure & design the forum, and even start discussing, it's very straightforward to move the site at any time for a nominal fee. So might it be good to keep the option open? "altered minds" is simple & easy to remember, but might it be a bit too "vanilla" for the increasingly frenzied, liminal, disorientating times? Just a thought, and not meaning to start off on a negative.

Regarding sub forums, I wonder if we even need them? At RI everything pretty much happens in general discussion. If we do, I'd suggest keep to minimum, ie, gen discc, lounge, data dump. We already know the sort of people we hope to bring here and what we'll be discussing, mas o menos.

Next question, mods, how many and who. who wants to, what sort of duties, etc.

Composing a set of guidelines and or site intent/mission statement?

Style of forum, as I said I have a color code I can upload, or it's fairly straightforward to get one online, if I can remember how to do it.

smilies: I collected a bunch I can send to you to upload via FTP, then they have to be assigned a key code in ACP.

that's about all i've got for now; only typing this coz I couldn't sleep, almost 1 am over here.

Excited for the space; new beginnings are always fun. We've seen what we want to avoid over at RI, that escalating polarization that causes ideological entrenchment and the rise of the spambots. With any luck, that experience will stand us in good stead for spotting the signs of it in future, and moving in the opposite direction, towards open, honest questioning and exploration, and virtual community building.

ok i have to crash

[C_D]

how attached are you to the site/name if early adopters/elopers have other ideas? I think the more of a collective building process this is, the better, tho not if it holds stuff up, obviously. But if we structure & design the forum, and even start discussing, it's very straightforward to move the site at any time for a nominal fee. So might it be good to keep the option open? "altered minds" is simple & easy to remember, but might it be a bit too "vanilla" for the increasingly frenzied, liminal, disorientating times? Just a thought, and not meaning to start off on a negative.

Not attached at all. If something else sounds right, I'm good with it.

Regarding sub forums, I wonder if we even need them?

They can easily be created if the need arises. Open to being guided either way, as neccessity dictates.

Next question, mods, how many and who. who wants to, what sort of duties, etc.

Like-minded would be good - let's see if anyone else joins. Could yet turn out to be me, you and some rather large tumbleweeds :)

Style of forum, as I said I have a color code I can upload, or it's fairly straightforward to get one online, if I can remember how to do it.

I'll look into it, too.

Sleep tight

[Harvey]

Hi Guys, all sounds good so far.

Also I'm happy to provide design and art work for the site, I'm sure coffin Dodgers graphics would be highly prized as avatars although most would probably want to make their own.

[C_D]

Hey Harv - glad to see you - we are fairly limited as to that which can be changed on phpbb, but a nicely designed header bar (which at the moment just displays 'altered minds' as seen) would be great. I would be honoured if you'd create a design for us all.

The header bar image is currently 52pixels from top to bottom but it could be made much bigger (say, 150px from top to bottom). The width can be, I guess, something like up to 900pixels wide. So, to be absolutely clear, maximum width is 900px and height can be anything that suits - although anything beyond, say, 250px high is possibly going to start swamping the entire page.

I've provided a couple of blank images below which are 150px x 900px and 250px x 900px respectively to give you an idea of what you have to play with, but it can be 'taller' if the design is better suited to it.





Hope this makes sense - and provides you something to work with!

Ooo, I'm excited. :D (no pressure, though )

[C_D]

Harvey is looking at header design. He's going to submit an idea(s) for us all to consider shortly. I suggest the colour-scheming of the board may become more obvious once we have decided on a header, from which we can draw complementary colours for the site itself.

[Number 6]

A button to "go to first Unread post" seems like a must; is that possible (or have I missed it)?

[C_D]

A button to "go to first Unread post" seems like a must; is that possible (or have I missed it)?

Click the 'Quicklinks' under the header and take your pick... :)

[C_D]

Lovin the new smilies - thanks Deep S.

[Harvey]

Hi All,

Sorry I've been so long about all this. Over work and computer problems have been the main culprits. Here's something I like which could be developed as things go forward, I definitely like the colour scheme.

[deep state]

nice, love the orange, the color i had in mind for the forum; was that conscious?

course these two colors are negatives of each other....

[Harvey]

Banner format version. Developed this taking into account your comment DS, bringing out that theme slightly more... Not as clean as the other version but that one doesn't fit the banner size requirements. Will continue to play around with it if needed.

[Harvey]

A version of the central area of the first image.

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[Harvey]

It occurred to me that if the code allows, the banner could switch to this image in rollover... (which reminds me of a golden age science fiction book cover.)

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[C_D]

Dammit Harv, I love all of them. The 'rollover' version is maybe my fave. Thanks so much for making the effort to do this - really appreciated.
I'll start incorporating it into the site tomorrow.

[Harvey]

My pleasure, so glad you you like them.

[BigEyeTenor]

Cool stuff, Harvey.

[deep state]

Roll-over sounds good

How do people feel about changing the forum color to a similar orange to Harvey's logo? Neutral, for, against?

[C_D]

Well, when painting, I use orange extremely cautiously, as I consider it an overpowering colour. That, and the fact that I don't have any orange paint so I have to mix red and yellow together, which is a bit of a drag.
However, I like Harvey's design so much that I would want to see it nestled amongst complementary colours. If the consensus is that an overall orange look and feel is the best surroundings for this fine design, I'm good with that.
Do you know how to turn the site orange, deep? I mean, technically.

[Harvey]

It's the complementary element in the design which works for me, quite subtle oranges and earth colours with flecks of more brilliant colour contrasting with the washed out grey blue. Have a play around and see what's possible with the controls...

[Harvey]

Well, when painting, I use orange extremely cautiously, as I consider it an overpowering colour. That, and the fact that I don't have any orange paint so I have to mix red and yellow together, which is a bit of a drag.

I recommend getting hold of some cadmium colours for reds, yellows and oranges when you need a strong even colour independent of tone (and also cadmium green light.) Colours with cadmium have their own opacity, (not being reliant on added white, either zinc or titanium) so they retain their vibrancy while being extremely opaque. Only genuine cadmium will do, the colours which identify themselves as "Hue" although sometimes useful do not contain the pigment described (such as "cadmium red hue" or "cobalt blue hue" and have different colour values and opacity.

I have to admit, I do like orange, especially the variety of grey tones you find in it in nature. Some life paintings:

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