Theme Contest Winners!

[TosTos]

Congratulations to everyone. Especially to the winners. All choices were very nice.

[Bulakbol]

Congratulation Padexx, crip and Fussilet!

[Fussilet]

Thanks JhonyB

[Oldiesmann]

Congrats to the winners

As far as a mod contest - that would be interesting, but I'm not sure how well it would work because everyone has their own idea of how useful a mod is.

[Eliana Tamerin]

As far as a mod contest - that would be interesting, but I'm not sure how well it would work because everyone has their own idea of how useful a mod is.

That's why I would be wary about one. Besides, could a mod like Auto Embed Video Clips or SMF Shop be compared to something like Stars and Badges or No Right Click? Perhaps a categorized vote would work, but I'd still be concerned about people voting down a mod simply because it isn't useful to them, instead of judging on the overall usefulness. Then again, the theme contest was also based on personal preference.

[Gary]

But at least the vote wasn't based on usefulness rather look.

[metallica48423]

what about a group-type contest?  Some sort of thing to have a group create a complex modification.

*shrug* it was the first thing that came to mind.  Feel free to flame it

[Bulakbol]

What about taking a good existing old mod (with permission from the author of course) that needs enhancement/improvement/upgrade, then enhance/improve it. The best enhancement/improvement will be the winner.   

[Deaks]

how about we get back on topic

[forsakenlad]

Congrats to the winners, kelo-lt was clearly the best theme in the contest.

[Nathaniel]

Congratulation's to all winners! They were some very nice themes. 

Maybe we could have a SMF 2 Beta theme contest at some stage to encourage people to make more themes for it?

I love the idea of the Mod contest. It sounds great! 

[Gary]

We didnt create a contest for 2.0 because it was in beta. So if we were to make a contest for 2.0, then it would be after it has gone final.

[steighan]

if it just me, or does the top three look either incredibly UGLY (i.e. #3), or bland clones of something else.

[christicehurst]

if it just me, or does the top three look either incredibly UGLY (i.e. #3), or bland clones of something else.

You're not alone. I wear glasses and I can tell the winner was pretty ugly looking.

[TosTos]

Maybe you two are alone
Their appearance, smooth codes and designs are pretty good. If customizers, and smf devs are choosing them to be voted, you should be sure about those themes. If you can make better one, or if you had had a theme better than those, you could show your work, and argue with people here, other than insulting a theme. They are free for the users. The authors in this contest can make really nice themes, most probably better than these. Look at these themes. They are pretty fast loading. The third one is a multicolor one. Do you think that it is easy to write a multicolor theme with errorless, and with valid XHTML? You can buy a lot of themes from very good designers. However, check vb designers, or some other smf designers. Can you say that all of their work are XHTML valid with no error? If you pay their work (at least by saying thanks), they can even write better themes than those you have used, and paid for.

[steighan]

Maybe you two are alone
Their appearance, smooth codes and designs are pretty good. If customizers, and smf devs are choosing them to be voted, you should be sure about those themes. If you can make better one, or if you had had a theme better than those, you could show your work, and argue with people here, other than insulting a theme. They are free for the users. The authors in this contest can make really nice themes, most probably better than these. Look at these themes. They are pretty fast loading. The third one is a multicolor one. Do you think that it is easy to write a multicolor theme with errorless, and with valid XHTML? You can buy a lot of themes from very good designers. However, check vb designers, or some other smf designers. Can you say that all of their work are XHTML valid with no error? If you pay their work (at least by saying thanks), they can even write better themes than those you have used, and paid for.

how can you "insult a theme" does it have feelings to be hurt?

"If you prick us, do we not bleed?"

and why should a 'multi color' theme be more difficult than a single color one, especially if you use a php file instead of a CSS txt file to render the CSS?


"If customizers, and smf devs are choosing them to be voted, you should be sure about those themes."

^ actually, all that means is that they were submitted, and pass basic entry criteria it says nothing about their intrinsic aesthetic quality.

I still stand by my original observation that they ranged from patently ugly, to plain and vapid.

[metallica48423]

you're welcome to your opinion, of course.  But I do feel you should be a bit more constructive.  After all, name calling doesn't help them improve their themes so they're not those things.  Offering ideas and suggestions does though.

[steighan]

quite.

I think however that the impetus lies with SMF.

In a restaurant, you get what you ask for (from the menu) and here I think SMF should ask for:

1.MOBILE DEVICES Themes that render well on mobile devices, maybe develop some starter code that performs a minimal implementation of the WURFL library ? http://wurfl.sourceforge.net/

2. MOBILE DEVICES II. Rendering for devices with advanced CSS/Javascript capabilities but still with small screens, I.E. Iphone, PSP...

3. Dynamic configuration?
By linking to a PHP file instead of a CSS one, all manner of dynamic configuration options could be derived, making the forum more directly user configurable and providing a better user experience.

If SMF holds contests like THAT then THAT is what they are likely to attract.
If they hold contests that call for more of the same, run of the mill , recycled clones, then that is...well...we've seen what that brings

[Deaks]

If they hold contests that call for more of the same, run of the mill , recycled clones, then that is...well...we've seen what that brings

Yet the contest called for unique themes, for me the contest was a success in that it brung a few new designers and I hope they keep designing, alot of common designers such as fussilet and crip entered, there was alot we could have done different and we will on future, however the amount of people who did submit themes is constantly the same people with sometimes a new person here or there, the contest was aimed more for new people, however a lack of new designers submited an entry.  When its common designers that are releasing then we can only get there styles, there was nothing stopping anyone creating a mobile device inspired theme and if there was it prob would have gotten a higher staff vote.  And at that there still is nothing stopping people creating such themes today or tomorrow.

For reference I sue common simply in term of  the usual and mean no insult in the usage of it.

[Bulakbol]

if it just me, or does the top three look either incredibly UGLY (i.e. #3), or bland clones of something else.

As the old saying goes, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder", not beerholder.