Don't like the gigantic header in the new forum theme? Browse on a small monitor and don't like having to scroll to see anything except the header? Don't like getting blinded in single-post view? Well, I've got a solution for you! There's this awesome extension called Stylish which lets you create custom styles for websites. The extension is available for Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. Plus, I've got instructions on how to do the same thing in Opera and Internet Explorer.

CHROME, FIREFOX, OR SAFARI (NOTE: I have not tested this in Safari)
Step 1: Install Stylish (Chrome Install Page OR Firefox Install Page OR Stylish for Safari)
Step 2: Choose one of these two styles: (With Background Image OR Without Background Image)
Step 3: Click "Install With Stylish"
Step 4: Use the Forums.

OPERA
Step 1: Save one of these two files somewhere on your computer: No Background OR With Background. Right click the link and choose Save Linked Content As...
Step 2: Click that Opera button in the upper-left.
Step 3: Settings -> Quick Preferences -> Edit Site Preferences.
Step 4: Under "site" put: sto-forum.perfectworld.com
Step 5: Go to the Display tab. Down at the bottom hit Choose... and navigate to the saved CSS file. Hit OK.
Step 6: Use the Forums.

INTERNET EXPLORER
Step 0: There IS a way to do custom styles in IE9 and (hopefully) above, but I don't advising going that route, since the custom style applies to EVERY website you vist, instead of just the STO forums. I advise installing Chrome or Firefox. But if you really want to stick with IE, here are the instructions...
Step 1: Save one of these two files somewhere on your computer: No Background OR With Background. Right click the link and choose Save Target As... (Yes, these are different than the ones for Opera, see NOTE)
Step 2: Click the Gear in the upper right (or hit ALT+X) then go to Internet Options.
Step 3: Down at the bottom, click Accessibility.
Step 4: Make sure "Format documents using my style sheet" is checked. Then under Style Sheet click Browse and select the css file you downloaded.
Step 5: Click Ok to get out of Accessibility, Click Ok to get out of Internet Options.
Step 6: Use the Forums.
NOTE: IE does not have the code that makes the change that gets rid of the white background when viewing a single post. Why? Because if I implemented it, every website you viewed would have a black background.

Here's what the style changes:
-Background Image: Gone! (unless you choose a version that is indicated as With Background Image)
-Header Image: Removed, and content pulled up so you don't have to scroll anymore
-Section Headers: Underlined so that they are more distinct
-Default Text Color: All that eye-burning white text is now eye-pleasing grey.
-No more white background on single-post view!
-Reading old posts with lists in them? Yeah, I fixed that too.

By request, here are some previews:
Without Background
With Background

Q: How does this work?
A: Website styling is done through what's known as CSS (Cascading Style Sheet). CSS code is sent along as a separate file linked to in the source code of a web page, or the code can be embedded inside a the webpage itself. What Stylish (or the Opera User Styles or IE Accessibility Option) does is allow you to override elements of the pre-existing CSS code with code of your own choosing. This takes place inside your web browser, so it doesn't affect any other computer that views the forums.

Q: What did you use to make this?
A: For me, the most indispensable tool when working on something like this is the Web Developer Toolbar plugin for Firefox. I use that to examine the layout of sites, I then write my CSS in notepad++, and I then test the code in Chrome.

Q: I browse on a widescreen monitor, can you make a version of this that increases the width of the forums?
A: CAN I? Yes. Would it be aesthetically pleasing? No. You see those black vertical bars to the left and right of the forums? That's actually an image repeated as many times as needed to provide a border for the forums. Widening the forums would require a widened version of that image. Could I do that? Yes, but I would have to host the image on my own server. Plus, I don't know what Forum/PWE Policy would say about me modifying their assets to do a thing like this. Now, if I were to get approval to do such a thing, I'd totally take a stab at it. Why? Because I browse on a widescreen monitor too

Got a suggestion, comment, question, or concern? Post it, shoot me a PM, send me a carrier pigeon.
-Concentus

Using Opera - install one of many extensions or use user css

Hmmm...I probably should write up instructions on how to use this with Opera...

OP updated with instructions for Opera and Safari, as well as advice for IE users.

ah crap... I like using IE... oh well...

Fear not, I think I might have figured out how to do custom CSS in IE. Keep an eye on this thread over the next 30 minutes or so.

Also, the custom themes now have grey text instead of eye-blinding white text now, at least when reading a thread. I'll go back to adding more grey text after I test this possible IE solution.

Actual bona-fide IE instructions added. I don't recommend it though, since the custom theme will apply to every website on the internet, possibly breaking some sites.

Thanks! Its nice not having to start reading with the lower half the screen.

You're welcome! :biggrin:

I got out of the web development industry almost two years ago, but the drilled-in habits from back then have been making me go "Who in the world designed this?" Especially with how the header takes up too much space on the screen.

OK.. thanks for the option anyway... I guess I'll have to put up with the glaring white on black stuff.

I'm not going to mess around with it..., to many other sites I like as-is.