#athena codes

so here's a progress report of sorts on the begins base skin i set out to finish. again, this is intended as a base and will be offered for free so it's going to be pretty basic in terms of styling, but i'm trying to add a few different options to play with to make it easier to make your own.

one of these is actually seen here with the forums. basically, i have the forums set up where you can have them in rows of 3, 2, or 1 - with one very simple code edit to say where you want them to be 2 or 1 (3 is the default) with and example and instructions built into the stylesheets already. in addition to that, there's also an optional forum image (i'm lazy so i reused the background image in this preview) with the same example and instructions built in as well as two optional forum descriptions (one without subforum links, one with) that again has the example and instructions built in. the default has the forum description and image areas hidden, but the code tells you how to make them show and where to switch out the images, basically.

i'm still messing with colors and style and that sort of thing but i'm trying to focus on function over form so that the form is easier to adjust throughout the skin but i did add in a visual subaccount switcher which you can see in the dropdown menu preview. it also has 19 member groups (and a separate color for staff, members, guests, etc non-sorted groups) built in based on the colors i used to preview my where it begins group color test code, but obviously i'll need to play with those as i chose a few that i knew would not work on both modes to showcase how the code itself worked but the plan is for whoever uses this base to change those anyway so it shouldn't be too much of a problem.

anyway, it's not much but here's where it's at so far. keeping it pulled back and more simple has been difficult, but i really want this to be something that's easy to build up from so i'm doing my best. the plan is for the header image to actually pull the main avatar image from your character accounts, so your character features in the header, i just haven't added in the links to character images yet because i've been too lazy to make them. honestly, shout out to all the amazing graphics artists on tumblr for the icons i used to quickly show the subaccount switcher, full credit to them for those.

so yeah! it's coming along, here's where it's at so far, and let me know if there's anything in particular you're looking to see in a base and i'll see about adding it in. just as a reminder though, stylistically i am keeping this quite simple to allow for it to be edited and made your own after release so stylistic specifications won't really be considered with this one.

i stopped being lazy so here's a quick video with what i meant by the header utilizing the avatar image, as well as a preview of the colors and groups currently built in (including the icon in the header changing if you pay close attention) and how the subaccount switcher looks/works at the moment on the wip where it begins base skin!

you also get to see the different dropdowns for staff, member, and guest accounts in this, already built in to change based on group, and you get to see the forum view and how all the forums will be color coded based on last poster's group, with the base (members/staff) group showing if there aren't any posts.

so, here's the most recent one: templates, edits, additions, and completion of skin components for @birdsrpg! honestly, this was my first time working with an anonymous customer so that was a first for me and a little unnerving at first but i ended up having absolutely nothing to be scared about. the team have been a delight to work with, they came in with ideas, mock ups, easy discussion, ample info and specifications on what they wanted to do what and what they wanted sorted as well as a priority list for what needed to be done before opening vs what could be done after and it was sort of ideal when it comes to working with someone.

i know there's a lot of talk about the whole anonymity situation and tbh i can't really get into any of that because i don't know who the staff team is behind it, but i can say that my interactions with them were incredibly professional, polite, and kind. it was easygoing, we worked out a timeline with very little pressure despite my having been hired less than a week before they opened, and it all went really easily. i am not on the site personally at this time so i can't speak to anything else, but tbh it was a great commission experience and i wish i wasn't so lazy as to have taken screenshots of the different things i did, added, edited, and completed but alas... i am, lol.

i personally love small commissions, like these where it's templates, edits, and additions, and being able to complete it quickly and offer opening coding support worked really with both their needs and my schedule. so yeah, this is a super subtle reminder that i offer commissions like these and an announcement that i will be opening up slots for them.

i had also posted about offering a single sale skin from a wip i had started for a personal project earlier this year and even a skin commission with the caveat of needing mock ups to keep the cost down and i have seen your messages about it, i just haven't had a chance to respond. tbh i'm from florida and my home area and loved ones had some devastating impacts from the storms so i've been a little behind, on top of starting a new semester with a load of 24 credit hours, so please be patient with me.