User blog:Zikkun/New skin and comments system

''Before you start pulling your hair, asking yourself "why?!" in reception to why a new theme for the TERA Wiki is being developed, let me quickly answer that. It is not, but it is. The current skin is not changing, it's just monobook getting a little love.''

Let's start with the news, as I can't possibly message everyone on their wall about this personally anymore, we're increasing!

There's a few exciting things been happening lately regarding the TERA Wiki lately. If you're not using AdBlock! Plus, you would have noticed that the TERA Wiki is now featured in the Wikia Spotlight! That means a great deal, as there are around 10-25 wikis featured on it for a variety of time and will show on every article on Wikia! That's really great, Wikia have their full support on us and really want to ensure the TERA Wiki grows to an amazing resource, so we should be grateful for such.

Also in the news, En Masse Entertainment is very pleased to work with us in terms of support, they realize that we're their loyal fans and want nothing more than enjoying of covering what they love creating, TERA. I've been told from the gaming manager of Wikia that En Masse has a special treatment for us coming this week or the following week, stay tune for that. In two weeks, Gaikai also has a nifty surprise for us.

News are finally done, and now with the feature extending.

I've recently been criticized for not caring about Monobook users of Wikia. So I've decided to take up the task and go even further.

With resources of the Dragon Age and Dead Space wiki along with hours CSS mashing and bashing, and great assistance of the awesome Matthew2602, I present to you a new skin!

This skin is only in effect while in Monobook mode. Click here to see the skin.

Here is what you should be excited about from this skin:
 * It covers the great slickness of the Wikipedia skin, Vector.
 * There is no sidebar. Yay, now your content page is 20% wider.
 * Faster loading times.
 * Much, much less advertisements, if any!
 * It's a personal taste you might enjoy. Some people prefer Vector over Oasis.

If you wish to have it always enabled, you may change your skin preferences at Special:Preferences. Please take note it is currently not completed, and you may experience various issues as incorrect display, non-functional javascript and small templates. All of such will be fixed in time. You may report such bugs on my message wall!

And finally, I would like to discuss the comments system. Most of us already know this. There are two ways to talk in articles, talk pages, and comments section. Literally what we'll be doing right now, is the second option.

There has been no logs of communication through talk pages so far, so the feature is clearly facing declination on our wiki. I was wondering, what if we give the comments section a try? Although it greatly brings fear to me, as it will disrupt the ability of editors to discuss what is right and wrong about an article, it will completely remove such option. It will bring irrelevant discussion on improving the page.

But one thing it does bring, that we are lacking; activity. We might be facing more anonymous editors commentating on entities behind articles, which perhaps could increase regular activity and encourage registration and editor contribution.

And I say it with a great perhaps, because I honestly don't know what would happen. Do you think we should give the feature a try, for say, a week or a month and see what turns out? It doesn't hurt to try, surely. Your opinion about the comments system would be greatly appreciated, and I'm referring to everyone, from our admins to any anonymous viewer who's just reading this (And understands how a talk page works).

On a side note, don't forget to leave a poll suggestion! It's been quite a while since our last one, time for a new poll. Just make one up quickly, it doesn't have to be the question of life.