The automatic picking of white or black text works for most of the color spectrum, but a lot of shades of purple, pink, and blue end up with black text when white would be much easier to read. Often the colors are so bad that trying to read black text on it physically affects my head.

My suggestion is to either re-calibrate the automatic switch between white and black text for these colors, or allow users to pick whether they want white or black text when they pay for the color.

This isn't an "official" solution, but I dug up my shoutbox css that might make things nicer for you in the meantime

from here Some free customCSS for the shoutbox (don't post there though, it might be a necro...)

[edit] WHOOPS i accidentally pinged the shoutbox group by quoting myself... sorry if that annoyed anyone !!

Would it be possible to introduce customizable shoutbox text, the same way we have custom shoutbox colors? I don't think the text should be the same price, maybe 10CSC per font color

.> I bet I'm one of the bad colors. I often am. I use Bug's code and it really does help with things! And it solves the link color issue too, which is fun on a lot of darker shades.

I'm gonna do that css thing in a hot second but also that doesn't change the fact that I'd feel bad using the color I'd like most (purple as close to ultraviolet as we can physically see) because most users don't have that CSS going on.

I like this idea though I worry that allowing users to pick colors will lead to nightmare color schemes like blue on bright red (which is basically scientifically nearly impossible to read)

I do have another solution to the dilema and that would be a total redesign to the shoutbox colors. I play at another site that uses shoutbox colors but the do so in a different way. Instead of user dictaing the color of their shoutbox, the site releases a monthly collection of shoutbox colors, with different colors and font colors for each shade released.

For example Black with Gold Font, etc Subeta could do something similar, with release a monthly collection of shoutbox colors and that way only staff can dictate what color of text gets used.

Also, purchasing these colors, would be account bound and saved to the account in some fashion.

yay! thanks for the SB ping, ;) if you didn't, i would never have seen it. not that i need this trick/fix since i use a light shade of olive green (i think that is). Or do i use that code to make sure i can read everyone's messages? im a bit confused at what that code does. o.o -if you're awake, should i bring you some rifted coffee? lol

Coffee this late isn't good for me... But I think I might be awake because I had a bit too much coffee earlier in the evening D:

The code is meant to make everybody's text more readable. It's kinda hard to describe so you should just give it a try! You can just remove the custom CSS again if you decide you don't like it :)

aha! ok, i understand ;) and no coffee for you at the moment. tomorrow then ;)

thank you for the custom css as now I can read what starscream is saying with her dark red sb colour and black text.

I loved this code back when you made it, but for some reason it no longer works for me and hasn't for a while.

my CSS in use

I've been using this one since you posted it here and when i've actually been in the SB its worked very well, so I'm very in favor of it becoming the default!

feels judged

I like the idea but copied/pasted this in my custom CCS and users with a very dark sb color ended up unreadable (ie their text was black on a dark bg).

I think either way it’s a good idea to have (providing it makes all text more readable), though I’d personally vote for it to be an option rather than default. Maybe turn it into something you can toggle on and off in the event you change your mind?

I know my SB is on the harder side to read. I used to have a darker blue that was still black that was impossible.

Increased contrast is easier on my eyes. The dark background and dark font are hard to look at, as is the darker background (ex. green) and light font. What's easier on your eyes is likely easier on mine too! I just posted and it was light font on yellow background, which was fine. I don't mind a default if it's easier to read. Maybe have some pre-made options for people who want variety?

Is there a way to make it so the text goes white on a dark background on earlier hues? It already happens, but there's a range where it doesn't pick up.