New AGS Website

[GarageGothic]

I'm not necessarily against unique trophies for each category, however I do think it could save time to do a quick mockup and see if all those trophies end up looking messy when displayed together. Keep in mind that some of the award winners often end up taking quite a few of the categories.

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

Really quickly for you, Garage:



I'm not saying to use these in any way.  They were quickly done to illustrate how you could fit them into a nice centered line-up with an eye-catching header of some kind.

[GarageGothic]

Many thanks ProgZ, looks good. The circular design possibly makes them look a bit too much like buttons rather than trophies, but some kind of standardization in shape is definitely the way to go. When I said it might end up looking cluttered, I was imagining more elaborately shaped trophies like Ryan's update of the current AGS Award icon. How about using a common stylized trophy shape embossed with different pictograms similar to ProgZ's?

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

I like the ideas of medals more than trophies but here's a trophy design:

[GarageGothic]

Looks great, ProgZ! The problem with the medals, as I perceived it, was that they didn't really read as medals but more like elevator buttons (adding a ribbon to them might help but would most likely just clutter it up).

[SSH]

A agree, looking good. Not sure if we should also include stars/cups/ratings from other places that tend to review AGS games, perhaps? (It might also take some heat off of the poor ratings ppl to have more reviews for irate developers to get in a strop about)

[Pumaman]

So other than the magnifying lens graphic being changed, you don't know of or need any other graphics?  I may as well attack them all at once if you have other graphics you need.

The only other graphic I know that we need is a "Download Demo" button for commercial games, as you can see here:
http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/Newsite/Games.aspx/Detail/1172/Time_Gentlemen_Please
it's a temporary graphic I knocked up at the moment.

As much as I love the look of the blue/orange cups (with or without coffee) I have to agree that the percentage rating nature of the Player Ratings sort of clash with the 5 cups ... maybe if the avg. percentage was also displayed (perhaps centered under the cups or under the "help' from the blue cup rating above)?

Good work guys, I really like these new graphics. I've put them onto the test site, you can see an example here:
http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/Newsite/Games.aspx/Detail/1243/The_McCarthy_Chronicles_Episode_1
For now I opted to have the number of votes and percentage displayed in the tooltip when you hover over the player rating cups, do you think this works?


I've also done some further development work on the site:
* Lucky Dip won't pick 1-cup games
* Award Winners, Picks Of The Month and Tabular List options now work
* Added Seach By Name option (the result page is not finished yet)

What still needs to be done:
* The search results page
* The main "Search" page (this will be like the main Games page on the current site)
* The Post Comment form, and the game editing form for game authors


Carry on discussing ideas for the Awards display, one problem with having specific images for specific awards is that the categories tend to change slightly each year so these would need to be kept up to date.

[Ryan Timothy B]

This was something I was just playing around with.  It also would work better since CJ just mentioned that the awards like to change every year (since the text is vectorized and can be changed on the fly).  But a graphic inside a cup trophy like Progz had, wouldn't be too hard to create a few years down the road.
I was also thinking of making a solid yellow trophy shaped like Progz's, but with the colors and style of this one, and then the image itself could be changed.  Cause this trophy seems more special to me, cause it's got that golden glow.

The only other graphic I know that we need is a "Download Demo" button for commercial games, as you can see here:

I get right on it.

Oh and I know you're still working on it, the blue cups seem to have shifted to the side under the text "Panel Rating", figured I'd mention it in case your browser doesn't see it that way.  (nevermind.. it was only because the old blue cup was in my cache, I guess, and the page was using that instead--I had to refresh)

Edit:

* Lucky Dip won't pick 1-cup games

Good job with that.  I guess most of the 2 cup games aren't all that bad, so I'm ok with this.  Anyway, noticed the not rated yet games still pop up in the Lucky Dip.  Not sure if you want that happening or not.

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

I think that trophy is needlessly large and the AGS is too prominent vs the actual AWARD to really be useful, Ryan.  it would work fine as some kind of header to announce the award category on the page or as a specific award, but it's just too unwieldy.

[Ryan Timothy B]

Ya, the shape isn't all that great, but I tried to keep the same design as the old trophy with the whole AGS, so I wouldn't be stepping on any toes.

These trophies are 100 pixels high.  When I said 200 pixels earlier, I actually meant it would be best for reasons as RickJ had mentioned.  People wanting the full sized graphic for their own site (I would want it anyway).  But for the games page, having them resized to this size, or perhaps smaller like you suggested would be necessary.

I'll have to admit though, I do miss text beside the trophy.  Maybe just the year underneath the trophy in text is needed.
I also think a game page with only one trophy would look really awkward with this centering idea.

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

I was thinking centering it along the left panel but it doesn't really matter.  I think right now we should decide whether or not to do unique awards for certain, and then from there decide (if yes) how they will be presented.  I think unique looking awards that represent the topic would be great so I say yes.

[ddq]

Just an idea I'm throwing out there, but if you need something to put the trophies on, why not use a digital mantel? A nice brown trophy stand would give the awards a place to stay and would help them stand out more.

[Ryan Timothy B]

Here's me playing around:


Figured I'd try for the 'cup' approach.  You could always have a little logo in the center.
Anyone like this, or not?  Don't be afraid to speak up.



Here's your new download button.  It's a flat png without alpha channels.  The corners has the same color gray as you have in the games page where the button is, so it'll fit in better than the one you already have in there.  Also added a white outline to the button since I kinda liked having that white outline around the Download button.



And with the same text, size, and colors, here's the download demo button.

(I used comic sans.. don't slap me anyone. haha)


Anything else? lol

Edit: Ooo.. after looking through the site, noticed I forgot about the help and support icon without the magnifying lens.
Also I had noticed that the main game page really doesn't explain much about AGS games.  If I were new to the site, seeing the game of the month, showcase and award games, I would almost think those were the only games available to me.
All you have really is the side bar to tell you there are other games, but that doesn't show much.  Tabular List is kinda confusing, I've never heard it used before.  Perhaps just Games List, Games Catalog, or something like that.

So what I was mainly suggesting was.. between Pick of the Month   and   Showcase,  how about something like: Play anyone of the 831 AGS games in our database.
Whatever the exact count is.  Where database would be the link to that 'tabular list' section.   Something like that.  Also even in the games list, there isn't a:  51-100 out of 831 games.
Knowing how many games are in the database is definitely something I would be throwing around quite a bit on the site as much as possible.

Oh and perhaps removing the >> on the More about this game for Pick of the Month.  The arrows to me seem like it's suggesting a drop down list.

Actually another suggestion.  I was in the games list page and totally didn't know that you could sort games by rating and whatnot.  The field name really doesn't suggest that it's a link.  Either it'll need a link color, or you could slap some Up and Down arrows beside the name, making the arrows the links.  I noticed you made it search ascending or descending, so that's why I think the arrows will work.   Also adding the player rating under the blue cup rating would be cool, i suggest that since you seem to be at the horizontal max already.  Or perhaps just a button at the top that turns on or off the viewing of the player rating.  That way when you sort the 'rating' it also includes the player rating, only when it's viewed.

Also, I have no idea how you plan on doing the search page.  But I was thinking about this.  How about when you enter the search page, it looks just like the games list.  Then the search fields could be at the top of list, one for title and author.  That way it's much less boring than just a blank page with a search field.

[Laukku]

* Award Winners, Picks Of The Month and Tabular List options now work

It was quite ironic how those linked to a page containing the text "Coming Soon", and then there was a "coming soon" link in the side bar.  :

The new layout feels somewhat unstructured, especially in the Games area. What about adding some sort of frame around the column?
Here is a very crude mockup:
http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/framemockup.PNG

The links at the top also need attention IMO, they took some time for me to notice. Making them more button-like might work. I'm bad at describing my idea for them in words, but hopefully the image will get the message across.  

[Ryan Timothy B]

I actually like that table around the games section content.  Perhaps a little too dark, but definitely a good idea.  It always felt like it was missing something to me.

I definitely agree with the tabs for the menu, it can be annoying/confusing if you don't know what page you're on.

I like your ideas.

edit: Doing a random Luck Dip through the games, I noticed The Art of Theft doesn't have content advisory icons.
Same with: Don the Dweeb in the Dance Dilemma

[Laukku]

Hmm, what is this?  

http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/Newsite/Games.aspx/Detail/332/Tall_man_from_Trilbys_Notes

Could not find it on the current website.

EDIT: The recent posts in "From the Forums" show threads that are off-limits.

[Ryan Timothy B]

I'm not as happy with this image as I am the rest.  Perhaps later I'll try to remake it to look even closer to the originals by loominous, but for now it works.



I have no idea how to save the alpha channel with a gif, so I guess you'll have to work your magic on it like usual.

[LimpingFish]

For now I opted to have the number of votes and percentage displayed in the tooltip when you hover over the player rating cups, do you think this works?

Yes, keeps things tidy.

Don't know if you mentioned it before, but I just noticed that the AGS panel comments don't appear on the game pages. Or space hasn't been allocated for them yet.

[Ryan Timothy B]

How does this look?


(sorry Ben, for using featherweight, your image actually works. lol)

I was annoyed with all the games that didn't have an image and seeing that table down-size, looks very bad.  Hopefully this is something that can be done.

edit:  You know what would look much neater, would be a question mark instead of the word 'help' beside the blue cups.  (?)

[Dualnames]

How about we replace sorry with "We apologize for the Inconvenience". I find it a little more funny, that's all.