Improved banner?
 

My apologies if this has been brought up before, but im not a frequent visitor to the "Suggestions/Help + New additions" forum...

I noticed that the websites official banner/logo at the top of the forum is just a blatant rectangular image.

It almost appears as though you could have found that image on google, saved it, stuck the websites name on it and uploaded it onto the forum.
[not that im suggesting that's what happened.]

It also could be passed off as boring? as there's not much graphic capability gone into it...it seems to mainly consist of the same image repeated with slightly different eye analogy.

Anyway, just two suggestions that come to mind:

1. A banner that's larger in width? that spans all the way across, that looks more sharp and displays better graphic techniques? Or it could just go upto the "Last Active/Logout/U2U" etc text point, and end just before those, if putting the banner behind them would interfere.

You could even have the banner customised so that there's a white shape in the banner, behind those links, so they're easily readable.

It'd just look more professional in my opinion, whilst possibly giving the forum a logo/icon it can be recognised from.

Seems like a good idea to attract members? and at least establish a rememberable image to associate the forum with.

If by some chance the website isn't allowed its own logo due to reasons that interfere with the official Big Brother website/logo, then having definitive text that's styled well would be sufficient enough.

2. If either you prefer the banner not to be that wide, or if this particular forum can only upload banners of a certain width, I think the right side of the new banner should be faded/blended into the white background so it appears as part of the website. Rather than a stuck on image.

Or if you were really adamant on keeping the current forum banner, at least that could be slightly blended/faded on the right hand side?

Im aware things are "fine" as they are, but I think this could have benefits.

Not just on the popularity/recognisable image/logo side of things, but also help uplift the forums mood, and install a sense of "new" and excitement. Whilst also generally making members look at the banner and hopefully think "wow, im proud to be with such an impressive looking forum"

The subtance/community is obviously most important, but appearance plays a major role in a forums success to some extent...im sure you'll agree. Especially if you've seen the millions of amateur forums set up by young teenagers.

P.S As im sure most people reading this have worked out, the source of the graphic could come from members designs submitted in a topic especially for it.

Or you could seek an alternative source if you felt necessary.

If you go into your control panel and change your theme to TIBB Rotating theme there will be 3 different banners at the top.

There was a competition a few months back for members to come up with banners for the site and the winning banners are now part of the TIBB Rotating theme.

I won said competition :wink:

How do you do it? I go into Control panel but I don't get an option to change theme.

Click Control Panel, then Edit Profile. Select "TiBB Theme Rotating" from the drop-down theme box and then scroll down and click "Edit Profile".

I see. Thanks Matt.

Well that's the EXACT opposite of what I was suggesting...

1. They're not the main forum banner.
2. They rotate/change, so there's still no image to recognise the forum by.
3. People have to edit/change their skin to that particular one, whereas all the others either have the default banner, or one even has no banner at all but just the forum makers logo.

If id had made the suggestion "lets have a forum banner competition" then fine, that's already been done.

But that wasn't what I was talking about so...
Im talking about the default banner being improved from what it is now, which surely couldn't do any harm =]

Like I said, I know people will say "it's fine as it is" but that's all it is..."fine"

Plus a logo/unique text to recognise the forum by will help give it a more individual image that people can associate it with. Eg. Like the Mcdonalds logo.

Rather than everyone over abusing the "lots of eye photo's" idea.

Like I said before, it just kind of looks like an image you could have found on google, shoved some text on it and thrown it up there.

I agree with your ideas Retroman. That banner has been there for years, it wouldn't hurt to see a new banner there. I know Matt and somebody else, think it was MarkChap?! made some new graphics but aren't in the main themes. I think your idea to have the banner as the same width as the forum template would be great and would make the forum much better.

I think we should hold a new compitition. The last 1 was limited to a few dull blues, which I honestly think look quite depressing. I think the forum should have a new banner for every series.

To give a quote from Mark (TiBB's Owner and Administrator) when he announced the results of the competition:

Ah well that's a shame...
Seems a little bias to me, as it only "means" something to those who have been here a ridiculously long time.

And it would be better if the sentimentality was for something that looked a little better that's all. Plus the "high demand" seems a little illogical to me, if someone said "we're improving the default banner to something newer, fresher and more exciting" I don't think id fight for the current banner, no matter how long it's been there.

If it honestly and truly keeps the majority of members happy to have it how it is, then I can't possibly argue with that.

But id be interested to know who's so attached to that small rectangle up there that they'd choose it over something newer and more impressive.

Seems like personal feelings are getting in the way of improvement, which is fair enough if you're wanting to keep the old members happy...but to those that aren't so old, are their needs not worth catering for either?

Maybe some people could come up with some banners of their own that they'd like to see used on TiBB, just for purposes of this thread.

Speaking of skins though...
The Windows MX silver skin looks a lot more professional/stylish than the default. Especially whilst looking at posts.

The buttons on it are quite nice =] especialy the lime green.

*Pictures that skin with a lime green forum banner*
That would be reasonably impressive. Then again, maybe that's just my personal taste..who knows.

Plus you get little gold stars instead of the red one's, which look nice too.
http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/381/38010186nm9.png