New AGS Website

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

A blue cup without coffee?  OH NO.  The icons look good to me, though I think the player rating icon should be different to reflect the different (and much larger) audience playing the game.  Hell, even a 100-point bar would work since the player rating deals directly in percentages (and a bar could more accurately illustrate the percentage than 5 icons).  Another option would be stars, yeah, or something like the coin I made earlier?

Either way I'm glad to see some progress being made.

[Chicky]

This one is perfection imo, love the outline/colours on the advisory logos.

[m0ds]

The icons look good to me, though I think the player rating icon should be different to reflect the different (and much larger) audience playing the game.

Huh? You know, if you stop making suggestions this bloody page might actually get finished

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

Shouldn't you be off chasing a UFO or something?

[Electroshokker]

I love that one, looks good. ('gold cup' ratings... lolz)

As for the percentage display or making it larger: just add a number representing the amount of players that voted, which makes the rating more meaningful, and call it a day.

1 cup...2 cups...3 cups...4 cups... *gasp* 5 cups! this game must be great! Must play...  Oh wait, only 1 guy voted. Must have been the developer. Not playing this game. 


What else does the new site need? It looks great, and I believe ags would benefit from putting it live. Any change suggestions can be put in place afterwards, one at a time.

"If you want everything at once, you'll get nada. If you get one thing at a time, you'll get everything."

[Darth Mandarb]

Ryan - love it!  Those icons I had used were taken from a 2-second Google images search and sloppily re-sized (because I was at work and didn't have time to pixel them myself) but I think you nailed it!

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)?

Edit - something like this:


I also moved the panel ratings down a bit ... they were really crowding the release date.

[Ryan Timothy B]

I totally agree with that idea Darth.  It's excellent.  Percentage underneath, votes to the side, and keeping the orange/gold cups solid.  I love it.

Those icons I had used were taken from a 2-second Google images search and sloppily re-sized

Ya I knew you only took them from google to show your ideas, which was great cause it pushed my lazy arse into making graphics just like them.

To tell you the truth, these are actually Google images as well, but I mostly just took the outline of the image and rotated, scaled and colored them to my liking.  Even if I showed you the originals, you'd never know they were the source (except for maybe the swords).


I think CJ has been busy lately with that damn thing called life.   So when are these updates going to be taken affect?
Are there any other graphical areas of the new website that need 'updating'?  Since I don't work too often lately, being laid off and all.  I've got nothing but time.

[m0ds]

Hmm, the links page? (http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/aclinks.htm)

Does what it says on the tin, but nothing says "bland" as much as that page. Some icons or graphic design wouldn't go amiss, IMO. Also perhaps some clever thinking on the Members Websites page? I suppose one giant list is fine, but maybe pull down options or something? Or again just some iconage to replace <li> hell*?

Also as we're** "revolutionising" the website, perhaps the old 404 image could randomize, get a few new entries like? Definitely keep 2ma2's in the list, I love it to bits - but like c.leksutin being the gen gen moderator, Linus' affiliation with AGS these days is pretty limited. It'd be funny for people to donate their AGS game related artwork in famous "broken blue clup situations"

* Those pages dont actually use it But "knowledge base" does.
** You are

Those are just suggestions. As always, I think it'd still be fine without any of 'em, because I generally just use the forum Oh no wait, it's because a UFO came and told me Shane!1 :

* Mods goes loopy

[GarageGothic]

I must say I quite like Ryan's icons as well as Darth's edit. I really dig the blue/orange color scheme. One pet peeve though, I know it's difficult to come up with an alternative, but could the sex/nudity icon be a bit less heterosexist? (no biggie if it's stays the same, I realize it's a bit like someone saying "why does the violence icon only show swords when my game is full of gunplay?").

[Ryan Timothy B]

Hmm, the links page? (http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/aclinks.htm)

Actually, unless it hasn't been added to the new site mockup.. I think CJ has completely removed the Links page with what's on the right and bottom of this page: http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/Newsite/AGS.aspx


Actually looking at A Tale of Two Kingdoms, I noticed the awards trophy looks bad.  Perhaps I'll touch that up, unless there is a larger version somewhere that can be resized properly, that someone knows of.  Cause to tell you the truth I have no idea what the shape of that trophy is.  
This thing:

Edit: Forgot to respond to ya GG.

but could the sex/nudity icon be a bit less heterosexist?

I have no idea at all how to make a sex symbol more suitable for all types of sex, heterosexual, gay, animals, etc.
I think it 'may' have to stay like this. 

[ThreeOhFour]

Actually looking at A Tale of Two Kingdoms, I noticed the awards trophy looks bad.  Perhaps I'll touch that up, unless there is a larger version somewhere that can be resized properly, that someone knows of.  Cause to tell you the truth I have no idea what the shape of that trophy is. 
This thing:

It's the letters "AGS" on a golden base.

Nice icons, guys, this is looking great!

[Ubel]

The icons look excellent! Perfect.

[Ryan Timothy B]

Alright.  Took a stab at the AGS awards graphic.  It was pretty tough since the previous version wasn't that great (this one), and I tried to keep the same style.


Here's the largest sized graphic (I actually have the half-vectorized version being about twice as high as this one).


Here's the mini one that displays on the game page.

You can see it here:

(It may be a little crowded vertically--it can always be changed when/if it gets added to the new website)


If this graphic ever does become part of the website or anything, and anyone wants the background to be a different color, I can always give the png with Alpha or whatever.

Hope you's like it, let me know.

[RickJ]

If this graphic ever does become part of the website or anything, and anyone wants the background to be a different color, I can always give the png with Alpha or whatever.

I was thinking about this topic when reading this thread earlier today.  Should there be a resource pak available that contains some of the new cool website icons  in a couple different sizes and varieties?  These would be fore use on members websites to promote their games and/or AGS.  They could also be used as sprites in games themselves, tutorials, etc.         

[LimpingFish]

Liking the new cleaner icons, and especially Darth's new layout edit, a whole bunch.

This latest round of brainstorming has resulted in something I think would look damn smart if it was to be officially adopted.

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

That trophy could use a darkened outline to set it apart from the background better, but otherwise I think it gets the job done.

[Ryan Timothy B]

That trophy could use a darkened outline to set it apart from the background better, but otherwise I think it gets the job done.

You speak of the smallest 40 pixel high trophy, correct?


I haven't tried putting an outline on it, but I've definitely thought about it.  Decided not to since it may make the small icon trophy look more like an icon than a trophy.  But you know me, I'll definitely give it a try.

Ben already mentioned to me that it needs more contrast.  I blame my laptop screen, a tiny shift in elevation of my head, and there will be quite a noticeable difference in lighting.  Some days I slouch while leaning back, other days I sit straight.  Meh.

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

Actually, now that I think of it the yellow backdrop for the awards is tacky tacky and should go.  That way all you'd need is a small drop shadow behind the trophy and you're all set!  Make the text a custom gold colored font if you want to 'enhance' the award aspect .



Edit: WAIT.

I had a great idea.  Instead of a generic ags award, how about we make one for every category and just list those like the other icons in a row (just like our profiles do with skills).  A mouse over could show 'best blah' or you could still have the 'best blah' next to the icon.  You wouldn't need winner or any of that silliness, just some custom trophies: one that looks like a big puzzle piece for puzzles, a big speaker for sound, a music note for music, etc.  Or get more creative.  Why not use some of the talent we have at the site to make the site look as neat as possible?  We could make the trophies the subject of the next sprite jam, in fact .

The ags award you made could be used at a larger size as a header or for the infamous 'Lifetime Achievement Award' that has yet to be listed anywhere other than the wiki.

[Ryan Timothy B]

Actually, now that I think of it the yellow backdrop for the awards is tacky tacky and should go.

Goes to show you how blind I am with color combinations, I thought the yellow (whoever chose it) actually looked great.  It made it stand out from everything else, impacting the honor and importance of the trophies.

Instead of a generic ags award, how about we make one for every category

Personally, I kinda liked having one trophy for all.  But I see where you're going with them shown in a line, but only if the trophies were actually bigger than the ones shown in the games page.  Something like 200 pixels high, then it wouldn't be all that bad having individual trophies.

We could make the trophies the subject of the next sprite jam, in fact

Worst thing about making it part of a 'group' thing, would make each trophy completely distinguishable from another, with style, color, etc.  Unless the sprite jam rules were to match a certain style (perhaps even the base of the trophy supplied before hand), or even to have 'make all' the trophies as part of the rules.  
But yes, it would definitely be great to have a website made from individual efforts of the community, and not just a few people.


Btw, what are all the award categories anyway? (not suggesting that I'll make the individual trophy graphics... but honestly, you never know)

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

I don't remember all the categories, but making all the trophies would be part of the jam to keep continuity, of course .  200 pixels tall is rather huge though, I think.  Wouldn't 64x64 or even 96x96 do?