New AGS Website

Started by Pumaman, Fri 27/03/2009 22:37:25

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Pumaman

Ok, so after the previous thread was *ahem* accidentally deleted *ahem*, it's time for a new one.

So, here is the current mockup site:
http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/newsite/Home.aspx
http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/newsite/AGS.aspx
http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/newsite/AGS.aspx/Forums
http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/newsite/News.aspx

Current discussion was mainly about the top banner image and proposals for replacement images.

Current status:
* Need replacement "Help and Support" graphic for the right-hand column on hte About page
* Need replacement "On the forums" image for the right-hand column of the main page, to replace the cogs with something more forum-related
* Need to decide what to put in the right hand pane on the News page

Ghost

LO-VE-LY! Really, I totally like that design. Fresh, blue, a stylish logo, funny little heads... And it looks pretty clean, easy to see what is where... When can we have that?

GarageGothic

The main site is in my opinion near perfect now, though it seems we'll be discussing the banner for a while longer. The layout of the "About AGS" page is also very nice and functional. Just a few suggestions:

I think the "Screenshots and Features" section could have a bulleted main features list with the screenshots running down the right hand side of it. It seems a bit pointless to link to a "full feature list" (which requires javascript to be activated) without also having a short list for those who just want an overview and may not be familiar with all the technical terms and file formats.

I don't really like the link to the "Modules and Plugins forum" being hidden under "Older versions and other downloads" - it doesn't seem like a place I would click after having downloaded the most recent version of AGS. Wouldn't it make more sense to put them under "Resources"?

RickJ

Quote
In my opinion, the banner is much too busy and attention grabbing and the colors way too dark and saturated compared to the rest of the page. Conceptually I like it, though like Snarky I find the pixel art connotations too limiting and not representative of AGS' versatility. I think a more traditional font along with fewer but bigger characters - some of them pixellated, some hi-res - would make for a cleaner and more attractive banner. I also find that the shadows don't actually come across as shadows but rather as a dashed line.
I agree with much of this except for the colors; I liked the darker color as it made it easier to read on my monitor.  

What if the text was in a larger font so that there would be enough area for shading etc.  Perhaps the fill color could be pixelated a bit something like one of Darth's backgrounds.   I think a "reflectional off a floor" effect would be cool also.  

I like the new cup but would make it larger and perhaps put it on the right?

I agree that it seems a bit too busy at the moment.   Perhaps this could be cured by a combination of larger fond and fewer character sprites.

All said, I think Progz's new banner is a step in the right direction.  

loominous

Here are some combos with Darth's logo, my larry/cup and Prog's characters:





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Sorry about the size, but I felt it was important to see everything properly in context.
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Obi

Well I thought I'd mess around with the logo a bit because all that glowing was making me a bit sea sick.




Click picturebox to enbiggen

GarageGothic

#6
Am I the only person who thinks pixel art looks a bit crap in hi-res? Don't get me wrong - pixel art in itself can be absolutely beautiful, and I'm astonished with the works of the pixel artists on these forums. It's just that these sprites are so tiny that I have to squint to even make out the colors in most of them - only Larry Vales really pops out, the others might as well be silhouettes when viewed in 1600x1050 resolution. Plus you get that really unflattering aliasing against the white background, the bluecup being a prime offender.

I definitely think pixel art should somehow be represented in the artwork (but not exclusively, I'd like to see some nice characters from hi-res games too), but in my opinion they should appear as they do in-game - using 2x nearest neighbour resizing. What good is a bunch of mascots that a newcomer will have no relationship to, if they don't even give a true impression of the varying visual styles of AGS games?

m0ds

hahaha!!! Lionel is one thing, if Mr T was the other - I'd cum!

Necro

/enters the forums after years to critique the new web layout.

I like the pixel characters on the layout, however I only think it works with the few sprites scattered around to compliment the minimalist look, too many looks like clutter.

/vanishes again.

m0ds

OMFG

SSH has infiltrated the front page

Shoot me now

Necro

Quote from: Mods on Sat 28/03/2009 01:33:45
OMFG

SSH has infiltrated the front page

Shoot me now

lol I saw that too

m0ds

And you ya f****r live about 10 miles from me and we've never had a pint.

That's as bad as SSH's ugly mug on the front page.

:P

Bob

I think the problem with your pixelized version is that you've given it too low a resolution.  I might go for a low resolution header, but only if it wasn't too hard on the eyes (i.e. pixels shouldn't be as big as you made them in the pixelized header).

I'm all for a hi-res banner, though.  If you're familiar with the banner at http://sourceforge.net/ , I think it could be similar (gradientwise) to this and shaded using the same blue that you see in the AGS splash screen.  The little people are a great idea, too, but a bit larger.

Mazoliin

Please, do not use the pixel characters. As GarageGothic said they doesn't fit in the hi-res style of the website and they steal focus from the main window.
Though they are awesome and might spice things up, they mostly hurt the design more then they improve it.

They might work if you make them "one" with the white, like the "pixels" at the bottom of the blue, this would make them stand out less and not take over the design.

Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens

#14
I'm not sure how directing your focus to a logo is a bad thing when the logo is Adventure Game Studio for the website Adventure Game Studio, but I do think my uncut logo would work with a different selection of colors for the rest of the site, namely with a mild blue instead of white.  I don't think that cutting and pasting my sprites around at random looks very good, and especially not on a photoshop-filtered font, so I agree on that point.

Also:
QuoteIn my opinion, the banner is much too busy and attention grabbing and the colors way too dark and saturated compared to the rest of the page.

This is rather funny since 98% of the colors I used were taken verbatim from the current (most popular) draft of the site, so if the colors I used are too dark and saturated then they are too dark and saturated 'compared to' an identical set of dark and saturated colors.  Pretty weird!


Also, by popular Grundislavian request, Ben Jordan now has proper red hair and is less manly!

GarageGothic

#15
ProgZ: In case you didn't see it, I also commented on your logo in the now locked thread where you posted the updated version.

Directing the focus to the logo is not a problem per se, the problem is that my eyes keep drifting to it even when reading the text.  I don't really see how the colors on the rest of the site can be the problem, when you created the logo to substitute one in the already decided upon design - I mean, you even used a white background when posting the logo. Perhaps it could fit if the tonal range was more similar to the SSH and CJ icons in the sidebar, but to be honest I don't think any minor adjustment can resolve the stylistic clash between your detailed artwork and the subtle simplicity of the design.

Edit: Dammit, you edited your post while I was writing :). If the colors are exactly the same, then I guess it's the volume of the logo that makes it appear darker, just like the bold font further down the page seems darker than the normal text. Anyhow, I voiced my opinion on the matter - to me it just seems out of place.

Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens

#16
I initially designed it on white to show that the characters could be more or less 'readable' on it, but it's certainly not my ideal choice and I've been against using white for the backdrop from the beginning (as have several other members).  A softer blue, even something like my most recent version reads better I think and is less stressful on my eyes.  As far as distracting you, I tried pasting the logo onto the completed version and I didn't feel distracted by it.  To me it's just something cute and a bit fun that shows people we're not just some boring community like all those other boring communities, which is why I made the logo in the first place.  I think the current design is just too stale and unimaginative overall for such a creative tool and such a vibrant community of game lovers and game designers.  That said, I'm not condemning Loominous' or Darth's contributions since I think they've been struggling in their own ways to come to some sort of agreement with the members at large and have had to compromise a lot of their own creative ideas in the process, which I think is unfortunate because I really liked Loominous' early design and Darth's 'blockland' type logo. 

I really, honestly think the design should reflect the creativity and imagination of this forum and the product we use rather than generic photoshop filters and glowy halo effects, but if this current design cannot be modified to be more visually fun and interesting then so be it.

GarageGothic

#17
Jesus Christ, I never said it couldn't be creative and fun. In fact I suggested in the other thread that there should be an even greater variety of characters (not more of them, just different styles) and proposed to make them bigger to actually show what AGS game characters look like. I'm sorry if I offended your delicate pixel pushing sensibilities, but criticizing something and making suggestions for change isn't a personal attack on you. Don't use rhetoric to make it sound like I'm advocating photoshop filters or don't think the current design can be improved.

I know you put a lot of work into this, and it's a wonderful piece of art. I simply don't think it works with the established style nor represents the full scope of AGS. No need to get all defensive about it.

Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens

#18
I'm not being defensive, just stating my position and opinion on the overall appearance of the design in clear terms.  If anything, the whole 'jesus christ'/accusatory tone of your reply seems rather defensive and unnecessary.  Nothing I said in the previous post was there to indicate that you personally are uncreative or somehow lacking vision, it was a lament at the rather bland design that's being pushed forward right now. 

I think you should back away from the monitor a few paces and re-read my post without the mindset that it was directed entirely at you, since this is a community effort.

Edit:  And if you still have an issue, the best place to deal with it would be to private message me rather than continue it here.

loominous

#19
A crude anti aliased version of the pre-ProgZ sprites version (lost in the old thread), with sprites simply nicked from screenshots, and Vales from the forum smiley):



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Prog:

I think you should try a new version, as people obviously liked the idea but the execution wasn't perceived as fitting the current layout.

Edit: Or perhaps have a go at a separate side collage, like in the version above, where the characters are interacting, instead of just stiffly standing there.
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