User talk:Nicjansma

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Sarna.net Design Refresh

August 8, 2013: The new skin is live for the wiki and news sections. Please continue to let me know if you have any feedback. Nicjansma (talk) 20:22, 10 August 2013 (PDT)

Here's what I've done so far:

  • General
    • Changed the global font (from Verdana to Open Sans), including the font size (to be larger than before)
    • Changed the background color
    • Many small visual updates and tweaks
    • Update the Sarna logo
  • Top navigation bar:
    • Larger and easier to navigate with
    • Includes Facebook and Twitter icons
    • Responsive on mobile devices
  • Wiki:
    • Left navigation links have been cleaned up a bit
    • Several parts of the wiki are more responsive on mobile devices
    • Many misc visual style updates and fixes
    • Faction skins work as before

To Do:

  • Update the Downloads section
  • Update the Forums

Sarna.net Design Refresh Comments

(Leave your comments here)

  • I care for content more than for fancy presentation. The change is a slight improvement in my book, nothing substantial in my eyes but there's certainly nothing wrong with it.
    Given that Sarna is mostly perceived as the BT wiki these days, it's a bit odd that wiki isn't the first item in the navigation bar - and the "Sarna.net >>" link goes straigth to the wiki and not to some top level directory. My suggested order of items would therefore be wiki, news, forum, downloads and it goes without saying that the downloads section needs a massive cleanup. You might want to ask Catalyst if they'd allow you to host certain files that used to be free downloads from previous iterations of the official BT page: the House Books, Lawyers, Guns, & Money, also important fan work such as Objective Raids: 3067, etc.
    Finally, I note that the ad sections are back even for registered user accounts. They are a bit annoying once you get used to working on a screen without ad bars... Frabby (talk) 14:51, 5 August 2013 (PDT)
Thanks for your feedback Frabby. There will be a new landing page for the "Sarna.net >> link". While Sarna is currently known for the wiki, the News section is new and I want to promote it. I will be updating the downloads section a bit after the design refresh. And not to worry, the ads will be hidden when the updated look goes live if you're using the NoAds skin. Nicjansma (talk) 15:05, 5 August 2013 (PDT)


  • I've tired using the new layout here and at work, and it looks a bit odd at times. In some pages it's fine, but when I look at the front page and article pages, about a quarter of the screen on the right is white space. That may be a setting that I've missed somewhere in my preferences.
  • When I use the history section of an article to review changes that've been made, I'm getting the same problem, except that the text isn't formatting correctly - it's being truncated on the right hnd side. BrokenMnemonic (talk) 09:08, 6 August 2013 (PDT)
What browser are you using? Any chance you can email me a screen shot? nic at nicj dot net. Nicjansma (talk) 10:11, 6 August 2013 (PDT)
I've sent an email with a couple of screenshots in - I'm using Firefox build 22.0. BrokenMnemonic (talk) 10:48, 6 August 2013 (PDT)
Wonderful, that helped a ton. I believe I've fixed this issue -- let me know if not. Nicjansma (talk) 08:00, 7 August 2013 (PDT)


  • Personally I don't like the new layout much; plus, in Firefox (which is all that I use) the font is messed up and looks constantly bolded and is much too large. Therefore, if you do change it for everyone, I suggest that you leave an old version for us editors to use if we want. That is my two cents. -BobTheZombie (talk) 10:55, 6 August 2013 (PDT)
Can you say what you don't like about it specifically? What OS / browser are you using? The font looks fine for me on the latest Firefox, IE and Chrome on Windows 7... a screenshot showing the problem would be wonderful! Nicjansma (talk) 16:19, 6 August 2013 (PDT)
The screenshot was very helpful. I believe I've fixed this issue as well, let me know if not. Nicjansma (talk) 08:00, 7 August 2013 (PDT)
Note, for those of you seeing the font all-bold, check out this fix for FireFox, which helped BobTheZombie Nicjansma (talk) 06:39, 11 August 2013 (PDT)


  • I tested the new layout and i have no problems what BM talk from, but i don't use it, i use the marik skin with CSS preferences.--Doneve (talk) 12:25, 6 August 2013 (PDT)
The house-skins will change to look like the new layout, but the color overrides will be similar. Nicjansma (talk) 16:19, 6 August 2013 (PDT)
The house skins should be updated with the new look. Nicjansma (talk) 20:22, 10 August 2013 (PDT)


  • Hy Nic i appreciate your sarna refresh, but can you change the font size and the font Open Sans to another for the various house skins, it looks not so good for me and i think you become more messages about this, i don't like it, but this is my opinion, you want feedback you become feedback, and i notice some a broken table, please take a look on the Port Arthur page, the table on the left side is not closed and on other tables the same problem.--Doneve (talk) 18:36, 10 August 2013 (PDT)
Hi Doneve. The new font and font sizes were conscious decisions to make the page easier to read for everyone in general. I'm sure everyone has their own preferences for fonts and font sizes, so I can't provide a custom skin for everyone's preference. I'm not currently seeing a problem with the table on the Port Arthur page. I was in the middle of making several changes while you were online, can you reload to see if the problem goes away? If not, please email me a screenshot showing me what you're seeing. Nicjansma (talk) 20:22, 10 August 2013 (PDT)
Thanks for response, the table problem is gone, and i must life with the new layout, no doubt, iam here :).--Doneve (talk) 20:42, 10 August 2013 (PDT)
Good to hear! One option that you could do, if you want to see a smaller font, is to use the Firefox Greasemonkey addon, which lets you insert your own personal CSS in any domain you visit. Thanks for your feedback! Nicjansma (talk) 20:46, 10 August 2013 (PDT)
Thanks Nic for the addon help, it works :), oh and i like the new design more and more.--Doneve (talk) 09:53, 11 August 2013 (PDT)



  • Is there way for me to be able to login and have change the skin back to the old one? No offense, but i'm using a older computer and its kinda pain on it. -- Wrangler (talk) 05:29, 11 August 2013 (PDT)
Are there specific things that you don't like about the new look? Can you send me a screenshot, and which OS/browser you're using to show the things that don't work? I'd rather fix the issue for everyone than have to maintain the older skin. Nicjansma (talk) 06:39, 11 August 2013 (PDT)
Its mainly I'm XP user, i'm not planning replace it anytime soon. I've found that this type of interface is rather..challenging memorywise to the older ad-free skin. I'm not against swanky looks, its function for me. Wikipedia next-generation skin is similarly do the same thing to me. -- Wrangler (talk) 08:53, 11 August 2013 (PDT)


  • Hi Nic, i noticed something. With way this new adsense type skin works. Any files that i have an option of watching, aren't being being highlighted/shown in bold. -- Wrangler (talk) 05:40, 11 August 2013 (PDT)
I believe I've fixed this. Note, you don't have to use the SarnaAdSense skin, you can use just the plain Sarna skin (which doesn't have ads) or any of the house skins (all of which don't have ads) Nicjansma (talk) 06:39, 11 August 2013 (PDT)
I'll try, try switching to the other Sarna skin. This the original isn't it? -- Wrangler (talk) 08:54, 11 August 2013 (PDT)
I've tried both, I guess its newer interface you switch too. You have to do what you have to do. I'll have try keep going till my browers can't handle it anymore. I've used Chrome too and frankly i don't like it either. I know this is done of Touchscreen interfaces, but it makes it hell on wheels for me. Sorry to trouble you, Nic. -- Wrangler (talk) 08:59, 11 August 2013 (PDT)


  • Hello Nic, overall I like the new scheme, it seems cleaner and a bit more professional. The only issue I have noticed so far is that the BattleMech Portal section isn't framed correctly and the page cuts off the sides causing a horizontal slider bar to be generated. Previously I have visited this page and this was not the case under the old look (I am using a widescreen monitor, so width and aspect ratio of my equipment is not to blame here). Otherwise, I like what you have done. -- MadMechanic
Thanks MadMechanic, I've updated the BattleMech Portal a bit to be more responsive with the new design.
  • Hi just thought I'd chime in too. Personally, I really like the new look of the wiki. Been using Sarna for little over a year I think. The old one was fine too, but as said before, this one looks more professional. For some reason it reminds me of the NGNG and MechSpecs sites. No idea if that's intended or not. Anyway, my only gripes with the new site are that articles don't fill the page width. This seems to be corrected when you make the window smaller (Nice touch btw, if intentional)

My only other dislike is that the global font is quite large. Other than that, really love the new refreshed look. Keep it up! -- Mordynak (talk) 06:11, 13 August 2013 (PDT)

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