good time for new custom style?

I've been talking to a vB template designer about getting a custom style done for the next big project in my pipeline, a local forum. I asked him if it was a good time to be getting a custom style what with 4.0 on the horizon, and he said he thought the transition would go smoothly with his styles because he builds them on a tableless XHTML and CSS framework. Of course, I expect all the vB designers to be pretty busy after the upgrade, updating everyone's templates! Are you putting your custom template plans on hold until after the transition?

 

On one community, yes I am waiting until after 4.0 before considering a new style. On another, however, we are going to be doing quite a bit of renovation before 4.0 is even completely ready.

 

Hmmm...

I would recommend that you have the layout and design created along with the graphics. You can also have a PSD layout converted to HTML. However if you have it fully templated now, it will not work out of the box with vBulletin 4.X.

There are a number of elements changing in vBulletin 4 that would prevent a style created now from working. These include the stylevars, css, variable names, conditional syntax, menuing structure, javascript controls, imagery and more. There could be new template structures as well. These should all wait until you have a copy of the software.

People have been asking for a new style for years and this is why it was put off as long as it has been. Its a big undertaking on our part and will be a relatively decent undertaking on the site owner's part.

 

One which I must confess I'm looking forward to only hesitantly.

I have over 40 styles to convert to vB4, plus countless custom clients to convert as well.

ugh :doh:

 

That isn't going to be easy Peggy maybe you could find someone to help you convert some of them?

 

I'm not holding off until 4.0...as a matter of fact, I'm having one done (or at least started and on its way to completion) before the end of the month if all goes as planned.

 

I'm thinking of telling him to go ahead and design it, but not to code it until 4.0.

 

I would think it would be smarter until after you have vBulletin 4 to work with hands-on. But I don't know much about it from a designers point of view, so that's just what I'd do.

 

I agree with Savage. While it may be beneficial for him to start on a mock-up at the present time, he won't be able to really "create" anything until the release of vB4.