Advertise or Die - FK's website

[Selveem]

Pretty, I like it!

[Lysha]

Pretty, I like it!

Off topic, I know, but the idea of Selveem saying "pretty" makes me giggle. A lot.

[Mask]

Re: flash intro, please see number 7:

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/websites_stop

With a new layout - I have a vague preference for keeping the menu across the top, to allow the forum to have full use of screen real estate? But, forum aside, how should we lay it out? What should be on the homepage itself? What menu items should be easily accessible?

[Athon]

Re: flash intro, please see number 7:

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/websites_stop

With a new layout - I have a vague preference for keeping the menu across the top, to allow the forum to have full use of screen real estate? But, forum aside, how should we lay it out? What should be on the homepage itself? What menu items should be easily accessible?

Haha, that was an excellent little article there, Mask! I think it nailed several points that we should follow!

In regards to the site layout, I also have a preference for a menu layout along the top for the exact reason you mentioned. I think we now have a small debate on our hands as to what we should put on the homepage of the website.

Personally, I would like to see the homepage consist of the menu/icon at the top (as would every page) and then have a news feed located in the center of the page. This news feed would then be used to post announcements for important in-game activities (any faith/guild gatherings, major RPs (like weddings, imm-run events, or other), and more) and any outside-the-game changes, such as new code updates, new areas coming in, etc. We shouldn't over-burden the front page and only keep the most recent updates at any given time. I feel this would keep the homepage simple yet show any newcomers that our game is dynamic and always has something going on!

I'm sure other people might have varied opinions on this - maybe we can make a poll as to what we should contain on the homepage?

[Eltsac]

Hello,

I can adapt the current layout try
- to put the menu on the top with submenus showing on hover (like it is in the current website) so all the menu items are directly accessible
- to make the layout extend to use the full screen width if it's more comfortable for people to read the forum

But then, before I adapt the current layout try, is it good enough for you to go on with or would you prefer to head to a completely different style and I would better start over a new layout ?

About the homepage content, I'm up for a 'latest IC and OOC news feed', but I would also like to see on the homepage a general description of what what fk is (and maybe what a mud is?). Something that is not too long to read ant that is appealing for newcomers.

El.

[Mask]

While I think such a feed is possibly of interest, I don't think it's a fantastic idea - if someone wants to see how awesome the FK community is, they can click 'Forum'? I just have seen 100s of websites with 'Blog' or 'News' or what have you, but no-one has updated it in 173 years - but there is a cool 'RSS' link you can add to your aggregator!

For me, the most urgent thing is the homepage itself, closely followed by the other non-forum content (anything that is linked from the current 'hover' menu), the menu layout and logo...

[Lathander]

For me, the most urgent thing is the homepage itself, closely followed by the other non-forum content

100% agree!

[Eltsac]

I just have seen 100s of websites with 'Blog' or 'News' or what have you, but no-one has updated it in 173 years

Well I was thinking about getting the news content directly from the forum database
So there isn't a lot of work to keep news updated.

Can take the content from the major code update thread and I don't know from what other thread I could take good content too

But it's just an idea. We can drop it for now and add it later if you prefer.

El.

[Tavik]

I've poking around with ideas and have one that I, personally like. Basically, the majority of the home page is a picture of a guy about to stab a dragon in the head with a large note under it saying "THIS COULD BE YOU!". Maybe it's a little corny, but I think it would be effective. Underneath is a paragraph that highlights some aspects of the game that would interest prospective players and includes a link to a page that details more of what we have to offer (I haven't made that page yet). There's also a link at the bottom to a "getting started" page that would include the link to download either zmud or fang as wel as instruction on how to connect. If we wanted to show an active community, the third spot on the bottom could be used to showcase something like a character of the month in which we could show the updated date. I'd love to show everyone, but I've got nowhere to publish it. In any case, it's more the general idea I wanted to present rather than promote my personal works. What do people think?

[Brar]

If you need some hosting space, I have a lot of unused gigs on the web somewhere, I can sure give you some

Brar

[Tavik]

I should have been more specific. Space wasn't really the issue for posting up what I've got. I was having a problem with the free hosting site I was using accepting the format of the file I had, but it's resolved now. The idea site is at http://fktest.webs.com/Forgotten%20Kingdoms/FKTEST.HTML. At the moment, it's the homepage only and none of the links there work. I'll put more work into it if people like it. If not, I'll work on a new design. Don't be afraid to criticize. Thanks!

[Mask]

Hi Tavik!

I like alot of things about that sample page, particularly the picture and the layout idea - but I don't like the frame around the picture or the background used.

What if you tried a white or gray background with a drop shadow on the picture? And maybe put more sample links in to get an idea of how it would look? Do we have the rights to a picture like that? Is there a library of fantasy art which is royalty free?

Hi Brar!

I like the 'page' layout and the silhouette of the adventuring party, but perhaps the banner at the top is too high? It would be good to fix the spelling of FK in the header too - can you make the sample page HTML rather than a jpeg? Also, how would we get more colour in there? It's a bit monochrome like that.

Thanks for the ideas guys, I'm sure we can come up with something that is far superior to the current one, and at some point take the best bits of both designs!

Martin

[Tavik]

Rights on the picture are iffy. It was on a site containing wallpapers that are free to use personally. Commercial use is prohibited. We're somewhere in between. We aren't using the image for a profit or anything like that which is usually where the problems come in, but it's not exactly personal either. I can try to get a hold of the artist directly and ask if you'd like. I'll also try to revamp it and get the new version up soon.

[Eltsac]

I will update my layout considering the different comments and make it an html.

El.

[Tavik]

Did a little more work on my layout. I've got a makeshift drop shadow behind the picture now and the background is solid gray. I don't have additional links up, but will get those when I have more time. The new version looks a little bland to me now, but I'm curious to hear what others think of it.

[Mask]

I think some good design principles are to keep the banner at the top relatively small (our current one is too big!), and have the main information you want to use to draw the user in immediately visible without scrolling, with a clear path of where they need to go for further information.

The front-page is a marketing pitch to potential new players - the rest of the site is information for existing players - in my view?

[Eltsac]

http://www.zippy.be/fk/layout/index.php

I updated the layout, with the menu on the top and the layout expending horizontally with the browser as it was proposed.
Color can be added with pictures in the content.

This is only for layout validation / idea!
The current content is a copy paste from the current website and should not be taken into account.
The layout should be finalized completely first before starting building all pages and going ahead on content.

Content like the idea to have a picture with the advertising sentence like Tavik proposed, as well as all the content propositions made till now could be added afterwards.

On another hand, I think it could be good to have people give their point of view on Tavik layout and mine (again, only layout, not content) to know what type of layout we should go to instead of both working on two different layouts to take only one at the end. We can go toward one of our layouts adapted with ideas from the other one layout, but better work on one layout than duplicate the work.

El.

[Nearraba]

El,
That looks great! I'm loving it so far. It's simple, sweet, and the font is so beautiful!
I also really like the way the layout is, how it's close to our current one, with the drop down
menu's and such. It gives a quick over view of our game without getting too
complicated. And the pictures add just the right touch.

This one has my two thumbs up!

[Lathander]

Cool daddy-o

[Brar]

Live ? :p