I'm about to spew a giant wall of text, and while I don't expect my suggestions to change anything I am curious to know if other people agree with me or if there are any good counterpoints to the statements I make.

I've been here for long enough to notice a recurring theme when it comes to layouts made with the Vizzed Board Layout Creator - they all suck (well, I've seen one good one, but the user said it took a lot of work to make). Part of this is due to the way the layout creator generates a layout, by dividing it into three different divs (sets of divs, really) and forcing each piece to fit into the layout in a specific way. If it were made to generate two divs, one for a background image and one for a text box, then it would help tremendously. And adding in a few options for selecting the rgba values of the text box as well as the positioning would allow for layouts that would look no different from a layout that is made using the advanced layout editor.

Of course, I'm sure David is too busy to bother changing the layout editor. And while a fix wouldn't be that difficult, it's also not all that important either. It would surely be shelved until several other tasks were finished first. But rather than leave the forums cluttered with the eye sores that this layout creator spits out at an alarming rate, I'd like to see it done away with completely. If our options are a poor layout editor or none at all, I'd much rather see none at all. Of course the advanced layout editor would be there, but it's not available to all users.

And that leads me to a final suggestion. Make the advanced layout editor available to all normal members. I'm all but certain that there is an excellent reason for not doing this, however, so I'd like to offer a compromise and suggest an item for the item shop that allows its owners to create a layout regardless of their member position.

Bad thing is about this david didn't code anything with the layout maker so it might not be able to do this or he might. But you can maybe try getting jigsaw to change it where it can since he did all the coding to it but he might now so it would be best to ask him or something? But I do agree that it should be able to be used by everyone cause I have seen some pretty hard to read layouts from the basic ones that everyone can use if they don't know how to code or can't access the advanced one.

You weren't here when all of the old fun stuff was going on.

I agree that Layout Creator layouts are generally kinda ugly. JigSaw programmed the entire Layout Center, so he is the best person to talk to about implementing a RGBA or opacity setting. I feel it's inevitable, so I might as well summon him now.

JigSaw : Thoughts on adding an opacity or RGBA option for the Layout Creator?


The original Test thread was partially used to make sure the code worked. There were tons of threads that got screwed up because closing tags were missed. That has gotten a lot better lately. Giving normal members that level of access is just asking for trouble. Making an Item in the Item Shop would be the exact same thing as offering it to everyone. People will spam post to get the Viz they need for the item.


legacyme3 :

I know why Normal Members can't make coded layouts. Was there ever a time that they could make them as far as you remember?

BNuge :

Not since I joined the site. I think there was a time in the past where everyone could, but it resulted in a mishap, where porn was on a layout. At that time, they simply decided it wasn't worth it, and changed who layouts were accessible to.

Was there ever a time? I would think so, I'm not sure whether or not the user who made the error was trusted or not.

I think that an other suggestion would be that every new comer should have instructions about everything they should know because some small details are not said on the website (like how to use a layout etc.) Instead of that they ask questions in comments that could have been avoided..

tessier25 :

It only takes one post after making a layout to realize what layouts are for. The issue is with layouts that are illegible. I was the original Layout Moderator and people never seem to care about whether or not their post can be read. All they see is a nice picture that they want to get all over the board. If RGBA or opacity options were added, then that could put translucent boxes over the pictures, but behind the text. That would work. If that can't work, then the Layout Creator is hurting more than helping.

Don't get me wrong. I love the Layout Creator. People just abuse it too much.


Global Mods :

As I typed that, I thought of something. Impose two rules on any member below Trusted.

1. Limit the number of layouts they can make per day. One or two would probably be best.
2. Layouts must be approved by staff before they can be used. "Staff" includes every moderator.

I realize how much of a pain this would be, but it would be another source for staff points for people who need it (incentive for staff to do this) and it would cut back on ugly/illegible layouts.

Could they just verify that the layout is ok instead of limiting to a certain number of layout because its one of the fun of the website  to say our opinion and its not everyone that post bad layout they should not limit every one under trusted for just some people

Interesting idea. I do agree that there are some pretty crappy layouts, but I don't know. If they like it, is it anyone's position to say they can't have it because some (even most) think it is ugly? Of course, if they are just to the point to where they make reading their post difficult or even impossible, it screws with the page, etc, I get that. If an approval system were set up, I think it would have to be completely unbiased as far as looking ugly, and focus on if it simply works.

I've been saying forever for there to be an approval system.

I think that has to go through David AND JigSaw

i just made this layout with the basic editor ive never liked the sepertion(little black lines) it allways ticked me off i hope jigsaw sees this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! this thread diserves to be read!

rcarter2 :

I never removed a layout or asked for it to be removed based on it being ugly. If the top or bottom bar is impossible to read, that's fine. It's ugly, but it doesn't affect the post. All that matters is whether or not the post can be read. If it's ugly as sin, but legible then it's acceptable.

BNuge : That's good. I was just not getting the impression everyone posting in here had the same opinion though. I might be misreading some of them.

rcarter2 :

In case you were wondering about me, I had the same opinion. The layout creator is bad because it produces layouts that make posts unreadable unless you highlight them. It's not because it produces ugly layouts. Although some of my suggested changes would make it easier to make nice looking layouts as well.