New theme: Rift

[Esternial]

Given the variable size, the top left "nation flag + nation name" should probably remain where it is.

Nonetheless, I still feel the logo should be elsewhere, which is why I suggest something like this:


(click for full size)

The logo should probably be centred for the best effect. Not only does it give the entire layout a more "official" look, but the green globe also has a better resolution because it retains its original size.

Aside from that, the sidebar here also smoothly connects with the banner.

[Bari]

This graph , my national trend, has very little information concerning time and how far back the graph goes. It would be nice to have some information about that, so I can see what issues did what and how long ago that was.

Bari, I am loving your feedback on all things NS, but can you please use this thread for Rift and put other ideas in other threads. Otherwise it becomes too hard to keep track of things.

Of course. I'm sorry about that. I wasn't really thinking about where they should go.

[[violet]]

Hmm, how about this: Links to onsite stuff (threads, nations, regions, WA pages, etc.) are one colour, offsite links are another? Is that hard to do, [v]? Would that be handy and logical, players?

Offsite links already have a little icon beside them; I think it would be excessive to make them a different color.

[Ever-Wandering Souls]

Preferably one that doesn't violate the colour scheme of this site too much.

I'd suggest sticking with the current green and using This, which is the same colour as the (Image) button.

That's actually a really good idea. Keeping with the existing scheme

Given the variable size, the top left "nation flag + nation name" should probably remain where it is.

Nonetheless, I still feel the logo should be elsewhere, which is why I suggest something like this:

([url=http://oi61.tinypic.com/jhevx4.jpg]Image)[/url]

(click for full size)

The logo should probably be centred for the best effect. Not only does it give the entire layout a more "official" look, but the green globe also has a better resolution because it retains its original size.

Aside from that, the sidebar here also smoothly connects with the banner.

I thought that at first too, but I agreed with [V] on further consideration that gameside, it makes a nice buffer that makes the difference between sidebar width and nation flag width at the top (which from my understanding changes based on nation name size, and thus is impossible to align with it) a little less irksome...I, and quite a few I know, would be quite annoyed by the lines not lining up in the above

[[violet]]

Nonetheless, I still feel the logo should be elsewhere, which is why I suggest something like this:

That does look fine, but the vast majority of our users aren't running full-screen browsers at such high resolutions, so it won't fit.

I could try something like that for wide screens, though.

[Soldati Senza Confini]

Nonetheless, I still feel the logo should be elsewhere, which is why I suggest something like this:

That does look fine, but the vast majority of our users aren't running full-screen browsers at such high resolutions, so it won't fit.

I could try something like that for wide screens, though.

My laptop is wide screen so the layout proposed by Esty would be nice

[[violet]]

Today I got a notice that I received two telegrams from two different people. When I clicked on it, it told me I do not have permission to see the telegram. I checked my telegrams preferences and all telegrams are allowed. What is going on?

This is also a problem I have been having since I began using Rift.

Which telegram? I have heard of the problem before but haven't been able to figure out what's going on yet.

When you experience this issue, do you actually have a telegram that you can figure out the notice was probably referring to? Or does the notice seem completely unrelated to any TG you have?

It could be that the notice is getting triggered correctly but it's displaying the wrong information.

[Soldati Senza Confini]

I'm not sure if anyone has pointed this out yet,

Notices now tell you when you receive telegrams, but there is a slight problem.

Today I got a notice that I received two telegrams from two different people. When I clicked on it, it told me I do not have permission to see the telegram. I checked my telegrams preferences and all telegrams are allowed. What is going on?

This is also a problem I have been having since I began using Rift.

Can you guys produce screenshots during the process and post them here so [violet] can see it?

[[violet]]

I thought that the preference was that region links were kept with a different colour.

I think it's mildly beneficial to have region links a different color, especially in lists like Happenings where there are lots of region names and nation names jumbled together. A distinct color makes that kind of thing easier to scan. It's just tricky to find a color that's distinct but not jarring.

[Ever-Wandering Souls]

I thought that the preference was that region links were kept with a different colour.

I think it's mildly beneficial to have region links a different color, especially in lists like Happenings where there are lots of region names and nation names jumbled together. A distinct color makes that kind of thing easier to scan. It's just tricky to find a color that's distinct but not jarring.

I can see the issue - I just do not like the hard-to-see brown-red that blends in with a lot of the other text Needs more distinctness

What do you think about using that red-violet color from the Quote buttons and such, as mentioned?

[Meepcraftia]

This is also a problem I have been having since I began using Rift.

Which telegram? I have heard of the problem before but haven't been able to figure out what's going on yet.

When you experience this issue, do you actually have a telegram that you can figure out the notice was probably referring to? Or does the notice seem completely unrelated to any TG you have?

It could be that the notice is getting triggered correctly but it's displaying the wrong information.

Whenever the notification pops up, there are no matching telegrams. The notices do not match any past or present telegrams.

I'll see if I can get a picture.

---

EDIT: Picture added. The notifications are on the top half of the picture and the top of my telegrams list is on the bottom half of the picture (I don't get much mail).

[Soldati Senza Confini]

Which telegram? I have heard of the problem before but haven't been able to figure out what's going on yet.

When you experience this issue, do you actually have a telegram that you can figure out the notice was probably referring to? Or does the notice seem completely unrelated to any TG you have?

It could be that the notice is getting triggered correctly but it's displaying the wrong information.

Whenever the notification pops up, there are no matching telegrams. The notices do not match any past or present telegrams.

I'll see if I can get a picture.

Hmm... this sounds like a problem with the telegram notification counter, but a picture would be appreciated.

[Ever-Wandering Souls]

Hey, {V}, less of a specifically Rift thing here....

but has it ever been considered to have theme change with all your puppets, not just with that one nation? Is that possible?

I've got at last count over 60 puppets. It may be a "personal problem" but to go change the settings in *every single one* one at a time would be, in short, a real pain. It might be impossible to easy do, and I'm to asking you to really add anything new ATM. Would it perhaps be something better suggested to NS++? Is it possible for them to even do anything that makes it apply to all? Or am I just out of luck, gotta do each one by hand?

Sorry if it's a little too far off topic.

[Fortschritte]

I much prefer the way the current default theme looks.
Rift looks a bit cluttered.

I concur. While the banners certainly look neat, I can't say that I'm a fan of the layout. But, I do commend whoever came up with the idea, since it's always nice to add some new themes to the game. But, my personal preference is the default dark theme, since I spend most of my time on the forum. Ergo, I would never really notice banners and the like if I re-enabled the rift theme.

[Meepcraftia]

Hey, {V}, less of a specifically Rift thing here....

but has it ever been considered to have theme change with all your puppets, not just with that one nation? Is that possible?

I've got at last count over 60 puppets. It may be a "personal problem" but to go change the settings in *every single one* one at a time would be, in short, a real pain. It might be impossible to easy do, and I'm to asking you to really add anything new ATM. Would it perhaps be something better suggested to NS++? Is it possible for them to even do anything that makes it apply to all? Or am I just out of luck, gotta do each one by hand?

Sorry if it's a little too far off topic.

Rift is still experimental. If I read correctly, Rift will become the default eventually, but for now, you will probably have to change them all by hand

[Ever-Wandering Souls]

Hey, {V}, less of a specifically Rift thing here....

but has it ever been considered to have theme change with all your puppets, not just with that one nation? Is that possible?

I've got at last count over 60 puppets. It may be a "personal problem" but to go change the settings in *every single one* one at a time would be, in short, a real pain. It might be impossible to easy do, and I'm to asking you to really add anything new ATM. Would it perhaps be something better suggested to NS++? Is it possible for them to even do anything that makes it apply to all? Or am I just out of luck, gotta do each one by hand?

Sorry if it's a little too far off topic.

Rift is still experimental. If I read correctly, Rift will become the default eventually, but for now, you will probably have to change them all by hand

I mean this really as to any theme. i.e. if I change to Dark Defualt, and switch pups, the new nation would be dark as well.

I'm guessing it's difficult/impossible, but hoping otherwise

[Esternial]

Nonetheless, I still feel the logo should be elsewhere, which is why I suggest something like this:

That does look fine, but the vast majority of our users aren't running full-screen browsers at such high resolutions, so it won't fit.

I could try something like that for wide screens, though.

I see your point. I could try fixing something up on my laptop to see what that gives.

Alternatively, the Nationstates logo could be placed to the right, next to the logout and switch icons, above the green globe.

I'm only my smaller laptop now, so I'll see what that gives.

I've made some changes, here's the widescreen and here's the regular.

For some reason the widescreem image has been slightly resized, but the overall composition is the most important. I did make the logo stand out a bit more in front of the green globe.

[Frisbeeteria]

Really not a Rift question, but I'll answer it anyway. Anyone who wants to continue the conversation, take it to a new thread.

has it ever been considered to have theme change with all your puppets, not just with that one nation? Is that possible?

The only way that would be possible would be to have a single nation listed as a Master Nation, and all your puppets listed as subsidiaries. We've long thought that was a desirable outcome, but getting there is the problem. The current system treats each nation as an individual player, and changing that to a Parent/Child system would involve rewriting significant portions of the back end.

I'd love to see that, not just for themes and such. You'd be able to do a single sign-on and switch puppets whenever you wanted. It would make modding tons easier, among other things. NS2 did something like that, and despite their other failures it was still a decent idea. It's not a perfect idea - it's possible for a single player to create more than one Master account, kinda defeating the purpose - but for the vast majority of rules-following puppet-using players, it would be a great boon.

Given the amount of rewrite needed, I wouldn't hold your breath.

[Tano]

Really not a Rift question, but I'll answer it anyway. Anyone who wants to continue the conversation, take it to a new thread.

has it ever been considered to have theme change with all your puppets, not just with that one nation? Is that possible?

The only way that would be possible would be to have a single nation listed as a Master Nation, and all your puppets listed as subsidiaries. We've long thought that was a desirable outcome, but getting there is the problem. The current system treats each nation as an individual player, and changing that to a Parent/Child system would involve rewriting significant portions of the back end.

I'd love to see that, not just for themes and such. You'd be able to do a single sign-on and switch puppets whenever you wanted. It would make modding tons easier, among other things. NS2 did something like that, and despite their other failures it was still a decent idea. It's not a perfect idea - it's possible for a single player to create more than one Master account, kinda defeating the purpose - but for the vast majority of rules-following puppet-using players, it would be a great boon.

Given the amount of rewrite needed, I wouldn't hold your breath.

I hope I'm not getting too off-topic by asking this, but even with the massive rewriting would it be worth making a discussion thread in technical to talk about a hypothetical update like that?

[Meepcraftia]

Which telegram? I have heard of the problem before but haven't been able to figure out what's going on yet.

When you experience this issue, do you actually have a telegram that you can figure out the notice was probably referring to? Or does the notice seem completely unrelated to any TG you have?

It could be that the notice is getting triggered correctly but it's displaying the wrong information.

Whenever the notification pops up, there are no matching telegrams. The notices do not match any past or present telegrams.

I'll see if I can get a picture.

---

EDIT: Picture added. The notifications are on the top half of the picture and the top of my telegrams list is on the bottom half of the picture (I don't get much mail).

I was checking a puppet nation and there they received a telegram from one of the nations mentioned in the notices for mine (see above picture).

The telegram is tag:API. Could this be the issue?

[Ever-Wandering Souls]

Is there a reasoning behind the double notification when you get a telegram? It's included in the notices, but you also get a little red number on your box. I guess they would differ if you had unread old mail, but you'd seen the notification so that was cleared. It just seems a little strange to get what's basically two thing telling you you have a new message.

[Alleniana]

Is there a reasoning behind the double notification when you get a telegram? It's included in the notices, but you also get a little red number on your box. I guess they would differ if you had unread old mail, but you'd seen the notification so that was cleared. It just seems a little strange to get what's basically two thing telling you you have a new message.

There's been talk about it happening for issues too. I imagine they're working on it.

[Furry Alairia and Algeria]

If this belongs in the NS++ thread, then redirect me to that thread so I can edit this out.

Apparently, I'm having a bit of trouble of this "transparency" issue.

Though when I post as my national flags, the transparency is filled out with whiteness with the gameplay and the forums.

Gameside:

Bigger image
Forumside:

Bigger Image

And yes, if you're asking if it has transparency, it does.

[Esternial]

If this belongs in the NS++ thread, then redirect me to that thread so I can edit this out.

Apparently, I'm having a bit of trouble of this "transparency" issue.

(Image)

Though when I post as my national flags, the transparency is filled out with whiteness with the gameplay and the forums.

Gameside:

(Image)

Bigger image
Forumside:

(Image)

Bigger Image

And yes, if you're asking if it has transparency, it does.

The original image is apparently too large. I reduced the image size with 50% and it worked.

[Leutria]

This is not to do with NS++ or rift, so really you should have created a new topic...

Anyway, it loses it's transparency because it is resized. To avoid it resizing I quote a part of the flag uploading guidelines:

Automatic Flag Resizing

Your flag will usually be resized to fit within 214x142 pixels. Both height and width must fit, so if, for example, your flag is perfectly square, it will be resized to 142x142. This process also converts animated GIFs into static images.

Exceptions: You can have a bigger flag than usual if its filesize is very small: if it's under 12kB and the image fits within either 428x284 pixels or 107x426 pixels, it won't be resized. Note that 12kB is normally too small for photo-like images (like JPEGs), and only suitable for fairly simple PNGs.