F-Chat in need of new look

Just looking at a couple of other forums (6 speed an L-Power) and I noticed that f-chat is seriously behind these two in terms of the website design. Dont get me wrong, it works the way it is but I think that a fresh, updated new look would really be good for f-chat. The other forums are very colorful and have graphics/pictures. TBH i think the f-chat forum layout is pretty dull and boring. On 6 speed I noticed that there are porsches which change color if someone is active on the forum. I thought that was really cool. The same grey/blue layout on f-chat is very dull and the other color choices look very bad. Just a thought - anyone agree with me that a fresh look for f-chat would be a good idea?

 

Just so you know - this has been a topic amongst Moderators a few times - and is currently under review again.

[Back to our regularly scheduled programming]

 

Whatever you do, don't pick a black background...it has a headache inducing appearance.

I look at Fchat for the comments/info/commaraderie. Quite frankly I think it looks fine, and its an easy read...

Don't pursue change for the sake of change itself...

 

I mentioned this a year ago or so and it fell on deaf ears. It was suggested that not having all the bells and whistles made it easier to navigate.

 

K.I.S.S

 

What might be cool is a specific technical section for key articles/thread/how to articles...

And make it a permanent resource...

There is an amzing amount of knowledge on here, if someone could just group it together...

 

Just so you know you can change the color scheme of your Fchat page. There was some info on this about a year ago. The grey / blue is just the default colors. Go to the 'user controls' , then 'user options', and at the bottom there is a tab for other options with 'skins'. You can pick from three other color schemes there to change it up a bit.

BT

 

Please leave it alone.

No busy backgrounds.

No dancung avatars.

 

I think you could update some aspects (buttons, color schemes) but stay away from too many graphics. It really only needs a slight face-lift.

This is coming from someone who has a background in design and still can't get his own forum sorted out- believe me when I say it's NOT easy (and the benefits aren't much either). As Bo said, it's an easy read and should stay that way.

 

Here's the thread SrfCity's referring to:
http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=132888

The "Black and Gold" 'interfered' with database and server.

The default "drab" look is meant to look as innocuous as possible, as it helps prevent nosy people at work and school from noticing screen and getting sneaky f-chatters in trouble.

There's one optional, kick-ass oh, so modern redesign I'd really like to get to work on vBulletin without impacting server or database, but, can't say... *wiggles eyebrows*

Again - there's been more threads like this on the Mod forum.

[Back to our regularly scheduled programming]

 

Leave it alone. Leave it alone. Also,......leave it alone. If anybody wants more bling, let them design their own web site.

 

There is nothing wrong with it so leave it alone.

 

I think the colors and graphics are okay as they are.
The real entertainment value of this site are the posts and the personalities of the users.

As long as we're wishing, my wish list of improvements are:
- the ability to upload larger picture files (279k for a jpg is way too small).
- a place to upload and share high-resolution pictures (perhaps a new section).
- a much higher storage limit for PMs (at all levels of subscription).
- the ability to get more than 250 results on a search request (as an option, not all the time).
- the ability to edit a post more than 10 minutes after saving it (this might help the "morning after" for some)

And for FerrariAds:
- larger pictures of the cars.
- make the entry of an asking price mandatory.
- a specific mandatory Car Location field for City and State or City and Country.
- require a manual reactivation of any ad that has been posted longer than 30 days (and require a reactivation every 30 days from then on).

 

+100,0000000

 

great post ! excellent points!

 

The server errors are gone -- it's working. So it's time to muck it up again? I think not.

It ain't broke, don't "fix" it.

 

I like FChat just the way it is.

 

FerrariAds could be a lot better. I don't think you should have to enter a price, but the other ideas I agree with.

 

Leave it alone. The dancing bunnies and repetitive graphic sigs belong on kiddie boards. Clean, subtle, easy to read is the way to go.

I would agree with the larger limits per image, I HATE having to degrade a 800x600 image to get it on here.

 

I totally disagree with the original poster.

Like the body lines of the 330 GTC, the look of this site fits it like a custom tailored suit of clothes. Simple, elegant, easy to look at.

 

+1...FChat is very easy to use, and look at. In contrast to ***********, and other sites, they are just to hard to read - black background, and they seem too messy and cluttered.

 

Good Points Toggie...

Agreed with you in all of them...

 

I was on a forum the other day and everyone had huge picture signatures, I have DSL and it still took forever to load the entire page, so please if you guys do change it make sure nothing but text signatures, and I agree with Toggie about everything else, the JPEG size needs to be bumped up specifically.

 

C'mon Rob, think of the possiblities.

http://www.angelfire.com/super/badwebs/

 

Like the simple layout.. only thing I would ask for would be a simple "new posts" link in the header vs. the two step User Controls - New Posts action..