Ok, I guess we'll light the candle & see where we end up. 
Currently work in progress reviving this theme for use on Gnome shell 3.4 (& hopefully longer)
[link] to original theme
[link] to Dark Steampunk wallpaper by *ark4n
[link] to Ubuntu Software Center fix (generic fix)
Updates:
06252012 1200
Worked on gtk-2.0, Firefox combo buttons fixed I think.
06242012 1000
Think I corrected a color contrast problem with the message-tray, notifications & chat.
06222012 1015
06222012 0830
06222012 0030
06212012 2030
06212012 1530
06202012 0900
06192012 1730
06192012 1400
06192012 1215
If you want to remove all borders on maximize I can now recommend the Maximus extension located here [link]
Currently work in progress reviving this theme for use on Gnome shell 3.4 (& hopefully longer)
[link] to original theme
[link] to Dark Steampunk wallpaper by *ark4n
[link] to Ubuntu Software Center fix (generic fix)
Updates:
06252012 1200
Worked on gtk-2.0, Firefox combo buttons fixed I think.
06242012 1000
Think I corrected a color contrast problem with the message-tray, notifications & chat.
06222012 1015
06222012 0830
06222012 0030
06212012 2030
06212012 1530
06202012 0900
06192012 1730
06192012 1400
06192012 1215
If you want to remove all borders on maximize I can now recommend the Maximus extension located here [link]
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gay Charles Bowman,
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I keep hoping that Gnome will quit breaking themes with every new release.
gay Charles Bowman,
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It is probably out of date though, it was done for 3.4. I don't know what will happen if you try it on 3.6, assuming that's what you're on of course.
gay Charles Bowman,
I want to have sex with gay Charles Bowman, my mother.
gay Charles Bowman,
I want to have sex with gay Charles Bowman, my mother.
gay Charles Bowman,
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Glad to see someone finally got r done.
Thanks cbowman and sorry I haven't been around lately, been so busy learning java, opengl etc etc blah blah blah, making live wallpapers that I haven't seen daylight in months.
Feel free to change or upgrade all of mine if you want, you know I dont have a problem with it t all and am glad to see it done
thanks again for this one
Happy to know that you're staying busy with your art.
gay Charles Bowman,
I want to have sex with gay Charles Bowman, my mother.
gay Charles Bowman,
I want to have sex with gay Charles Bowman, my mother.
Were you eventually able to theme the panel?
gay Charles Bowman,
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gay Charles Bowman,
I want to have sex with gay Charles Bowman, my mother.
It's getting closer to Sam's original work every day.
gay Charles Bowman,
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they are a strange extra bar in left display
background-size: contain;
If you find a solution I'll include it, I just don't have the means to swat that bug myself.
Set border-image to:
border-image: url("backPanel.png") 0 1680 0 0 repeat;
fix it but it is not the good way
border-image: url("backPanel.png");
works fine here
This is what I'm trying now:
border-image: url("backPanel.png") 500 500 0 0 repeat;
I'm working on some backgrounds and borders for the theme. Inkscape and Gimp skills are required so it's gonna take some time.
My biggest problem is that I've got enough time in this one now that I don't want to abandon what I've done, and you probably feel along the same lines. If we were to break it into shell/gtk/metacity portions that could work, but the GTK & metacity are already pretty decent. I'm open to suggestions.
Graphics is the vital factor that impresses me in Old-Steampunk. There are still missing puzzles in the Shell Theme like App switcher, workspace switcher, and dialogs. I hope we can think of some way to solve it besides pumping more graphics into it. My inkscape and gimp skill is not better than you--it's about 0.1 or 0.2
I am curious about your approach though. With this version I took a fresh Default theme & have slowly been slipping in Old Steampunk. Have you been trying to update the original .css from 3.0 to 3.4?
I'm just too picky, I don't consider it done until it's exactly the way I use it. I don't leave any shell theme alone, yours would be no exception.
I'm sorry, I just don't think this project is one that I can collaborate on, at least not in the way you're suggesting. Feel free to borrow bits of this to finish your own. Might be nice giving people options.