How come most vB 4 themes are so generic?

I have to agree that the new stylevars system is confusing. I downloaded a skin from vB.org yesterday, and most of the graphics didn't work because there were some version differences between 4 and 4.01. I spent the better part of the evening figuring out how to get an image to appear behind the header, and things still aren't aligned properly.

One thing I learned the hard way is that the logo image is supposed to be entered as the path, but everything else requires url(etc.). Couldn't they add that in the software?

And btw, what happened to that conversion tool we were promised?

 

You noticed that too, eh?

 

Conversion tool?

 

Quotes about what ?

What conversion tool ?


I hate the new system because it just so overly complicated - there are literally 100's of stylevars, and not only that, it seems they are not used some of the time - the css templates are (apparently) riddled with hard coded stuff that should be stylevars. There are also far too many css templates - why ? - if the whole forum is supposed to have the same look, why does every section need its own css template ?

The whole problem (and its still ongoing) seems to be that too many people are working on the style and templates, so every section that a different person works on seems to get done slightly differently - and worse, they end up overwriting each others changes (profile blocks is a classic, they have been broken at least twice by multiple developers making different changes).

 

Have they managed to fix the styling system yet? I was thinking of actually trying to make a style for 4.0. Note the word "try".

 

Not that I can tell.

 

A proper one is with the pallets that contain your log cabin. Please let us know when it is delivered.

 

There have been (and still are) some very talented and capable experts advocating for fixes and improvements in the private Alpha/Beta forum. They care about the product, the end users and their businesses. Whether it will produce positive results at some point is anyone's guess.

As far as skin prices doubling, good luck with that. The market for $20 skins dried up over a year ago and I seriously doubt folks who are struggling worldwide are going to pony up $40-50 for a skin anytime soon, if ever.

I had high hopes that 4.0 would help turn around the death the economy is bringing to the forum skin business but sadly I see it as one more nail in the coffin. I can say this not only about my own business, but also many other top producers whom I'm close friends with

 

As Peggy said, we are bound by an NDA plus it wouldn't be appropriate however, what Paul said here highlights the main issues:

 

The Forum Classic is riddled with CMS stuff :/ These stylevars are the sole reason it's taken me a good few days to port a style over, it should be taking me under one day to do them, but to keep finding and editing the correct stylevar is appauling.

 

First, I'd pay hundreds of dollars for a skin that is looking professional, unique and there is a "we'll update the skin within x days after vbulletin releases a newer version" policy included.

Second, I styled my vbulletin 4.0.1 testforum and it does look unique now. Colors have a great effect on the page. With all the stylevars you can design much easier than before. I agree, the first hours - if not days - it is uncomfortable. But once you know what the stylevars do, the design process is easy.

The current style system is obviously pushed out before it is "really easy usable". I hope the programmers take care to simplify it after they addressed all these bug issues they have to work on now.

 

Oh noes... I was making a vB 4 theme, and it was almost ready. But now that I updated to 4.0.1, I have to update 10 templates... but it doesn't tell me what to add/remove/change. The highlight thing shows nothing... I think I'll have to start over again :poop:

 

I was on the alpha and made a skin (or part of) that looked nothing like the default skin (if you minus the stuff that seems to borrow so heavily from our own designs to begin with ). It was basically an update to one of our other recent designs.

But to answer your question... effort. Most professional teams are not going to spend the time on a product that is broke. The nuts and bolts have to be in good working order before you begin to style an app, but vB4 doesn't even work in IE6 to a minimum accepted standard. Of course we could make it work, but that just makes things difficult for upgrading down the line as you have to re-write too much stuff - then repeat yourself when you upgrade. Besides what's the point of using an off-the-shelf package when you have to fix so much of it yourselves.

It was one of the reasons why we decided to go custom solutions for our sites in the long run.

 

True, but there's a demand for custom styles for vBulletin 4, and that alone should inspire some style designers. You know, don't turn down possible money.

As for the custom thing... not sure what this has to do with this topic, but to be fair, it's not practical for most people. As in, non programmers who don't have a whole lot of money to spend or a professional development team.

 

Most people wouldn't be able to afford our fees tbh. Maybe one day we'll release our own CPP tho

Agree - you have to be real serious about your sites to commit on that level.

 

So what if they can't afford them? People will still buy them, especially people who either think they're great and worth the money, or with more money than sense.

 

Lol, I doubt they'd have the funds!

What's the most expensive forum skin you've seen sold? Few hundred pounds? Few thousand perhaps? That's not anywhere near close our fees! :rofl:

 

I've said it before, I'll say it again. Time is money. I'm not spending 80-100 hours to convert a stock skin that sells for $20 only to have to spend 25+ hours to fix it each time vB updates. It's strictly a business decision...and one I'd say many other style providers are making as well based on the fact you can't find many stock skins for 4.0 over a month since "Gold" was released

 

Absolutely correct.