Working on a Mobile Theme

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
After a lot of thought and frustration with our theme on mobile devices, I'm working on transitioning to a mobile theme. It won't affect you if you're on a laptop or desktop. Nothing is changing in that regard. However, if you are on a mobile device, it will automatically switch.

If you don't like this view, you can always switch back with a button at the very bottom of the forum index, or by simply clicking this link.

I'm working on simplifying the amount of data it displays so that reading threads and forum indexes is easier on the eyes. Right now there's just too much info on it. But in the end, I think this will be a big improvement.
 

Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
Honestly I don't have a problem with the standard site as it is, but maybe that's because my phone has a bigger screen. Well, that and I don't mind reading tiny text. Right now the mobile version's kind of useless to me because it only displays the menu. No latest posts, which is the feature I most care about when checking the site on my phone.

Simplifying the theme sounds good, but I think it needs to remain comprehensive at first glance.
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
You can access the recent posts section through the menu button in the top right. 2 clicks away. Ideally id like to have a list of all threads in one column sorted by activity instead of the forum index. I think that'd be the best landing page for a mobile device.
 

Rhombaad

Video Game Time Traveler
Aazealh said:
Honestly I don't have a problem with the standard site as it is, but maybe that's because my phone has a bigger screen.

My phone has a small screen, and I have poor vision, so I'm thrilled about this, hehe. Most of the time it isn't an issue, because I access the site on my desktop at home or at work.
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
Thanks, that's encouraging. I take a train to and from work these days, so I'm reading the forum more often than not on mobile. It's definitely changed the way I look at things.
 
Have you ever considered migrating the forum to software that has a built-in mobile layout? It might prove less hassle in the long run.
 

Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
Doc said:
Have you ever considered migrating the forum to software that has a built-in mobile layout? It might prove less hassle in the long run.

SMF has a built-in mobile layout.
 
I often wait to get at work/home to read SK because browsing/posting from my cell, is at best a ok experience, easily frustrating. I've a Samsung Galaxy SII so the screensize isn't a real issue. From my point of view, it's perfect.

Without being a total responsive design, if I can get a better and smooth experience, I'll definitely browse more often SK on my cell. So thank you.
 

Rhombaad

Video Game Time Traveler
Walter said:
Thanks, that's encouraging. I take a train to and from work these days, so I'm reading the forum more often than not on mobile. It's definitely changed the way I look at things.

No problem! I should add that this will really help when I'm reading the series, since I own the Japanese volumes. Now I can read them anywhere, instead of being restricted to my desk.
 
2 weeks ago I switched to an iPhone 5s (from an S4) and it's taken a lot of getting used to as far browsing regular websites go. When I maximize text size, most of the content will not fit and I have to read it in parts. I try flipping the phone horizontally to read things larger versus normally.

Checking the site on my phone now and it's quick, easy to navigate and displays pretty well. Is this the theme you were working on, Walter? On my older phones it would show up as it does on a desktop.
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
IncantatioN said:
2 weeks ago I switched to an iPhone 5s (from an S4) and it's taken a lot of getting used to as far browsing regular websites go. When I maximize text size, most of the content will not fit and I have to read it in parts. I try flipping the phone horizontally to read things larger versus normally.

Checking the site on my phone now and it's quick, easy to navigate and displays pretty well. Is this the theme you were working on, Walter? On my older phones it would show up as it does on a desktop.

If you don't see the mobile theme, click this: http://www.skullknight.net/forum/index.php?theme=17. And if you clicked that by accident, click this to switch back to the default theme: http://www.skullknight.net/forum/index.php?theme=15

I didn't have any time to work on it over the weekend. Podcast prepping instead.

It'd be helpful to me actually if you guys could take some notes on your experience with the mobile theme, to identify problems with it. Don't be concerned with offending me. I didn't design it, or really change anything in it, so far. So please, go to town. Let's make this thing smooth and silky.
 
A useful feature for me would be the ability to see if there has been a new post in a section and what topic it was made in. Right now I have to open each section to see if there is any recent activity.
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
ApostleBob said:
A useful feature for me would be the ability to see if there has been a new post in a section and what topic it was made in. Right now I have to open each section to see if there is any recent activity.

Yep. But there's a way to see which sections/threads have newer posts. There's a little icon on the left that lights up with any activity, just like the rose icon we have on the default theme. On this theme, it looks like a curved piece of paper. Once you navigate to the thread listing, any thread with new posts in it will have a lit-up arrow on the right side, which if you click it, will bring you to the newest post in that thread.

Like I said earlier, I think with the mobile format, I'd like to do away with the nested view of the forum for this theme, and just have a listing of all threads sorted by activity, so you can quickly see what threads are being posted in, instead of being forced to navigate through the entire nested structure.

Alternatively, what I've been doing on my phone is just bookmarking the Recent Posts view, which you can get to by clicking the context menu in the upper right corner (circular icon).
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
I had to take down the mobile theme today, due to it causing several errors. It's an outdated theme. I hope to replace it soon.
 
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