hmm
 

i don't like the default layouts at all.. way way too much work to edit them out that's for sure and i've been doing html for years!

not sure if it's worth all the work to make a really nice layout

Considering I took the time to make the default layouts easy to edit, I really can't see the problem here.

If you want to make your own theme, there are only a few variables that you'll need to use:
There are other variables, but I usually do not use them while coding for myself, they do include:
Hope this will help a bit. :3

no i mean making a whole new template or downloading a free one (http://www.freewebtemplates.com/) for example..

umm this may be difficult, and chances are it will get you into lots of troubles in future since it may not be able to upgrade properly into Mys v1.3.x and future releases.

that's what i mean... the idea of having an adoptables site is pretty cool, but it definitely does not have have the right look and feel to it honestly. i mean no disrespect to the creators/designers... just i think it could have all been designed better.

i'd be willing to help design a new version, but i don't know php (always wanted to learn tho, just not much time these days)... i just know html and css and no i don't use software to do the work.

but yeah, but to me personally - there's just no real feel or look for the type of site it is currently.

Ah, I see. :3 I usually have no problems creating layouts (see crystal hollow for that) the problem I have is merging two scripts to make it work.

As soon as I can get that to work, I'll share that information as well. :3

why not just make them cron jobs?

It may work, but I'm not sure. :/ I'll keep playing.

I have seen sites using this script with really good layouts. I think you just need to get to work.

no point.. as he said it may not be able to upgrade and what not.

still I disagree, with just a few changes you can get a decent site up. And if an update is released your just gonna have to adapt your site to it, keep your current site until you finished making the changes. I have to deal with this sort of thing a lot.

it's a big job tho, i know.. i owned thecartelproject.com (an online mafia mmorpg, i finally closed it down) for 7 years.. it was fun while it lasted but a lot of work and time went into it (and i mean a lot), so i don't know if i wanna take on such a big project again (especially alone).

case yer wondering as to why i closed it down is cause i don't know php (tho i could minipulate some on my own game), just paying a php coder was a bit much in the end cause i am an idea kinda guy - so i ALWAYS had stuff i wanted to put into the game.

I agree with Nyxi in regards to the skill level required to edit the layouts. If you're experienced in CSS and HTML editing any of the defaults is a breeze. And as shown needed knowledge of PHP to edit layouts is slim. Also, most of the layouts are not necessarily meant to be used as is. They are in most cases intended to be simple and to be a starting off point for you to create something custom and unique of your own that suits your purposes.

I also agree with Nemesis as far as failure to see the complexity in editing layouts and that it seems to be a simple matter of jumping in and actually editing and making what you want. You seem to expect something free and pre-built, yet suiting your exact needs and if that's the case this probably isn't something for you. The idea of the layouts, code and everything else for the most part in this forum is to be a beginning to your own creation, but you have to be the one to edit and make that idea come to fruition.