[General] Several questions about my forum & MyBB

[Unc3nZureD]

Hi guys!
I've got a quite old forum, which is starting to grow. That forum is an IP.Board, but the only problem is that it's nulled on an offshore host. Yes, yes, I know. I should have never started that, but IPB looked awesome It was a nice experience, however now I'd like to switch to something legal.
My choice was MyBB because it's flexibility & merge system.

I've already installed my copy of MyBB & successfully merged the IPB with it (more or less successfully, since it sometimes fails a lot [double enters everywhere, some code tags aren't converted, and some minor issues with Unicode stuffs)

So, I'd like to ask for some suggestions to make my forum better. I hope you can help me My knowledge of MyBB things is quite small, but as the time goes on, I'd like to gain some more experience
I'd like to use the latest, MyBB 1.8

About the theme:

• I'd like to look for something dark based, for my current topic I wouldn't like to chose a bright one.
  
• It would be great to see something wider. I hate if the theme isn't using the place on my monitor & "compresses" the content on the half of my monitor
  
• I don't really like Blue+Black color scheme
  

So, if you could suggest me an already existing theme that would be awesome (Of course I don't want to ask anyone to do a custom one for me for free, I'm just looking for an already done public & free one)

I'm not sure if you can suggest some Mods for me, but I'd like to add some custom things, which makes my forum look a bit like to other, at least in functionality.
What I'd like to have is currently:

• Shout box (I've seen several, which one do you suggest?)
  
• Recent topic, post etc ON THE SIDE BAR. (I've seen several, but all of them put it under my topics, but that's totally useless)
  
• Anything else which you could suggest me? Mods which can make experience on my forum better
  

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Edit:
Added a screenshot of my old forum. ( Didn't want to link it, I'm not sure if it counts it as advertising )

[Ikerepc]

You can find themes here: http://community.mybb.com/mods.php?actio...ory=themes

If forum is mybb you can post link but it's not necessary

---

There haven't best shooutbox... Try few and find wich one is best for you, same with other plugins

You can find a lot of mods here: http://community.mybb.com/mods.php?actio...ry=plugins

[Unc3nZureD]

My current forum is just a huge test, it's not necessary
What necessary is my old forum. I'd like to make something like that, but I can't really find any theme which could look at least nearly like that

Well, I found a nice one, called carbon however I can't really make a sidebox, which would be important. It's very useful to have a recent thread/posts.

Anyways, could you help me how can I make the theme a bit wider?

Currently that two questions is which I've got, and of course if you have any suggestion about Mods

[Ikerepc]

If you need theme installation guide maybe this can help: http://community.mybb.com/thread-163256-lastpost.html

I use just newpoints plugin on my forum so I can't help with that a lot

I don't understand how you can't make sidebox?
You can't find mod or?

I can't help you with code untill tomorrow, I'm on mobile... But find in css properity weight and edit that

---

At mybb-plugins.com you have some really good plugins by Pirata Nervo, 2nd main developer of MyBB (As I know... lol)

[k1R@]

You could try using the advanced sidebox plugin, i havent checked yet but you would have to change the compatibility from 1.6 to 1.8,in case that didnt happen already. Anyway, you should check out the 1.8 plugin if you find something suitable for you.

Also you could make a test forum, like on 000webhost and test all the stuff before implement in the public forum.