23-09-2000 00:53									#1
	New Website Design Support Apolyton, pre-order Civilization IV

I've been working on a few designs recently, I've based this design on the one that I use for the Manual.
http://clash.apolyton.net/chris/design1/

Any comments on this design?

Would you like to use it?

Please not that this is still work in progress so it isn't perfect, but you should get the general idea of where I'm taking this.

Cheers,
Chris
[This message has been edited by Chris Wilkinson (edited September 22, 2000).]
[This message has been edited by Chris Wilkinson (edited September 22, 2000).]

	23-09-2000 02:39									#2
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations

Looks like a good setup overall. I like the design.

One thing, however. Please don't let the font sizes get much smaller. While it is good that the links are close together and easily accessable, it almost seems like you are trying to cram too much stuff into a small space. That can sometimes start to hurt eyes and numb brains.

Could you put up a model page so we can see how the navigation works?

	23-09-2000 05:09									#3
	Tired of ads?

It looks great, Chris!

Like a professional site!

I agree with Richard. Could you make the font size a little bigger and/or separate texts more leaving blank spaces? Otherwise it's kind of overloaded.

	23-09-2000 05:20									#4
	Support Apolyton, pre-order Civilization IV

I've always preferred the sites that are not loaded too much graphically. What the site needs most of all is someone to update it tactically. But your page is nice, no doubt.

I have no problem with small fonts; I am used to them. But please keep the pictures that exist in each model page. I really like those.

We could also use a standard area with polls, to keep in touch with our audience (and to keep track of the people frequenting the site )

	23-09-2000 06:11									#5
	Increase Your PM Length

Yes, working surveys would be very nice.

	23-09-2000 13:45									#6
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

Fonts: I'll have a go at making the fonts in the main section a bit bigger.

Polls/Surveys: Good idea, I'll add then to the site.

It is ok with everyone if I start converting the current site into this design?

	23-09-2000 17:37									#7
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

Go for it.

	23-09-2000 18:11									#8
	Inflate your Upload Space

Beautiful

	28-09-2000 17:16									#9
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization III: Complete

Hi Chris:

I just visited the new website demo again, and came away with the feeling that it's 'compressed' too much. That is it gives me the feeling you are trying to cram too much into a small space. It might be the font size change that was talked about above, or maybe my browser settings. One suggestion would be to leave a little white space between the main text and the bar that has the logo and links.

Also between the logo and the two other 'Clash of Civilizations' headlines it says the same text three times very close to each other, which seems overkill. Or maybe its that the fonts don't match in the three either. Anyways, something about it doesn't seem quite right. Perhaps replacing the text at the upper left with some kind of graphic would be better?

	28-09-2000 22:30									#10
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization: The Boardgame

I agree, I'm trying to sort out these problems. I'll get a new page done in a couple of days for everyone to see.

	29-09-2000 18:54									#11
	Suffering from ads?

A small tip, from Dom&Kull, in the website FAQ:

quote: ) Why is the Clash Logo at the bottom of the page? We moved the Logo to the bottom of the Index page because it looked odd having two "Clash of Civilizations" titles at the top of each page.

	29-09-2000 23:03									#12
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I know, I'm trying to update it whenever it's needed, I don't think I've got anything to update outstanding...

	30-09-2000 15:09									#13
	Support Apolyton, buy GURPS/ Alpha Centauri

...by that, I mean new stuff. I'm currently updating the team lists for each model.

	03-10-2000 22:29									#14
	Suffering from ads?

Mark and I have decided against using that design as it is too crammed, so I've done another design: http://clash.apolyton.net/chris/design2/ you can also goto the multiplayer model and look at that.

	03-10-2000 23:26									#15
	Lose 30 kilos (of popups)

I liked the old one, but I like this one even better

	04-10-2000 02:34									#16
	Increase the size of your Attachments

It looks really good!

You certainly have skills for webpages designing, Chris.


A couple of comments:

1- You have left a considerably wide empty (blue) space at the right side of the page. Why? What for? Isn't it better to enlarge the main frame to the right?

2- I was a little confused at the beginning. The main page has a "Cash of Civs: Latest News" title, but the news aren't right behind it. You put the "intro", "project status" and "help needed" in between the "news" title and the news themselves and I found it strange. Like if "intro", etc are part of the latest news... I think what you have there is a main page that has these elements:
Introduction/Synopsis
Project Status
Help Needed
Latest News

and all these are considered to be under the "latest news" title. I'd suggest that you replace the "Cash of Civs: Latest News" title with a "Clash of Civs: Main (or Home) Page" and then just above the news you put a "Latest News" title.

Consequently, I'd merge the two links you have in red at the top named "Latest News" and "Clash Synopsis" into a single one called "Main (or Home) Page".


Good job, Chris!

	04-10-2000 04:03									#17
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations

That's an *outstanding* design.

Really.

I think that's quite excellent.

I like the 'padding' on the right, to be honest. It gives the page a 'complete screen' feel, like a framed picture's matting.

Have you ever wanted to be a Gui designer? Have we got a job for you . . .

	04-10-2000 17:21									#18
	Increase the size of your Attachments

Glad you like it!

The bar on the right is there because it looks better than not having it, the problem is that the bigger the resolution, the bigger the blue area. This is because I've fixed the 'main' section at 700 pixels, so that people at large resoultions don't have to squint too much to read it, while people at 640x480 don't have to scroll horizontally too much.

Regarding GUI's, sure, but not at the moment, I've got enough work as it is!