I find the color combination a little bit aggresive

[Blooze]

I like the layout as that's what I'm used to elsewhere.  The orange is a bit much, though.

[bobster]

I like it all.

[travisty]

The orange on black IS high-contrast.
The white on black (which i appreciate has developed into a BH trademark) has always been a high-contrast eye-burner for me, and now we have orange highlights. Not being forum admin savvy, I'd imagine one could find a softer version of the orange.
And alternating post contrasts could be gray and dark gray?

[chrisby]

another forum at which I occasionally post includes individual user options to selection backgrounds, colors, etc. almost like "skins"

there are probably tools in that box with which the site administrators just need to familiarize themselves and activate.

 

[Grainger49]

another forum at which I occasionally post includes individual user options to selection backgrounds, colors, etc. almost like "skins"

there are probably tools in that box with which the site administrators just need to familiarize themselves and activate.

 

Maybe, I hope it is true that the software has user options like that, I really do!  But I bet that the two administrators are familiar with the software and Doc likes the Halloween color scheme.  It is similar to the old site. 

IIRC when Doc set the color scheme there, there was an initial out cry and then everyone got used to it and no one complained.

[Wardsweb]

Yes, don't blame David - I did it and after I saw the result I asked him to help me get this thing looking right! I knew that the look was kind of harsh, but I don't have the time to learn what I need to know to fix it.  At the same time I felt like we needed to get this new forum operational. So David will be making changes as his time permits.

Have him adjust the gamma or brightness to tone down the catagory background picture (catbg). This is found under the themes folder, then under classic, default, etc...depending on which one you're using. Under the theme you will also found your home, help, search, etc... buttons under the English folder. You can change these to match your theme.

I run several fourms using SMF. It is quick simple and best of all it is free. Then again, I do use vBulletin for my really large forums, as it is a lot more robust, but it does cost.

[dbishopbliss]

Thanks for the tips.  I'm slowly working on the color and layout as I have time.  For the record, I'm a developer not a designer.  Usually, I take pictures that other people have drawn and turn them in to working applications.  So, it may take a while for me to redo all the icons, etc.  I'm trying to keep the Bottlehead brand colors while at the same time tone it down.