New AGS Website

[RickJ]

I liked Darth's previous banner better than the last one.  In particular I liked the font and it's larger size.    To improve that one I would suggest that the banner text be centred.   Then I would suggest moving the "celebrating 10 years" thing, which I also liked, to the right hand side and moving the cup logo to the left hand side.   I would also suggest that we use a larger version of Progz's cup logo or derivative  for the cup logo.   The placement of game characters or sprites could be experimented with to see what works best.  

I would also like to note that the proposed website looks great on my desktop but when I was viewing it on my brother's Dell laptop this summer the backgroud was way too light making everything barely readable.  I don't know if anyone else experienced this but if so then perhaps there could be a button or control that enable the background darkness/lightness to be adjusted.


It's looking very good gentlemen

[edit]
I would also like to suggest that the banner may look better if it had a 3D border, one of those v groove thingies perhaps?

[Ali]

Darth, I love Larry Vales' popping out from behind!

I must say, I think incorporating any AGS character into the logo is a mistake.

The banners in the forums are already quite dated, and no longer reflect the quality and variety of games made with AGS. This is something a new site should avoid by choosing only the best visuals from the wealth of games in the database.

I've never played Larry Vales so the character doesn't mean anything to me, and I suspect that the same may be true for others who are less than hardcore oldies. Even if I'm wrong about that, I suspect newcomers will feel the way I do. The images by Ben and Igor images give a sense of the high-quality games AGS is capable of producing. To a newcomer, Larry Vales is just a bit of a crummy character given undue prominence.

I don't mean to be critical of Darth's sterling work, but I think Larry's inclusion should be reconsidered.

The cast of characters is a much better way of indicating the variety of games produced with AGS. Though it does draw attention to a preoccupation with red-haired characters. Long live the gingers!

EDIT: Then I'm with you Darth. Down with Larry! Smug little guy lording his cup over me and grinning.

[Darth Mandarb]

haha I'm an advocate against the characters on/around the "adventure game studio" text.  I think it should just be the text and maybe a blue cup (in some variety).  I removed larry in most of edits, my last post was re-posting on of loom's designs from way back to show the characters on the right side of the screen!

[Ryan Timothy B]

I've never played Larry Vales so the character doesn't mean anything to me, and I suspect that the same may be true for others who are less than hardcore oldies.

I also haven't played Larry Vales, so seeing that guy in the header does nothing for me as well.

I understand why the 'oldies' would want him in there, but to me he looks out of place and doesn't offer any nostalgia or relevance to adventure gaming.

But all the other characters standing up are pretty cool.  Almost a little too identical in pose, but pretty adventureish.

[Takyon]

I think a modern looks works better as AGS needs bringing forward into 2010 a little, layout wise.

I agree that Larry should go, sorry Larry!

[cosmicr]

well since no-one commented on my c+c, I'll have my final say; I dont like it. It has too much of a washed out childrens colouring book feel and definitely doesnt ask the user to take adventure gaming seriously (and I dont mean in a non-fun way). each to their own I guess.

[Ryan Timothy B]

I've also never voted on the color and layout either.  But it took us like half a year to even get where we are now.  So if we start changing colors and everything now, it'll take until 2011 to finally update the old website.
And looking at the old, current layout versus the new layout, the sooner I want to get this one up and running.

[Kweepa]

How about you play the Larry Vales games before saying he's "just a bit of a crummy character" with no "relevance"?
Jeez people.

P.S. You really should play them.

[Layabout]

I'm an oldie and even I think characters in or around the logo are a bad idea. There are plenty of examples already of what the editor is capable of, why not just leave it at that. The banner is there for branding. Whilst Larry Vales is one of the most recognised ags figures, he doesn't belong in the logo. If anything, Roger would, but even then it's a bad idea.

[Darth Mandarb]

I've never played Larry Vales so the character doesn't mean anything to me, and I suspect that the same may be true for others who are less than hardcore oldies. Even if I'm wrong about that, I suspect newcomers will feel the way I do. The images by Ben and Igor images give a sense of the high-quality games AGS is capable of producing. To a newcomer, Larry Vales is just a bit of a crummy character given undue prominence. cup over me and grinning.

How about you play the Larry Vales games before saying he's "just a bit of a crummy character" with no "relevance"?

Aside from my feelings that the "logo" should be just the text and the cup, my problem with including Larry Vales (or other characters) into the logo is that, while he is significant to those of us that have been around awhile, he isn't a face/image that people unfamiliar with AGS will recognize (same with roger, as Lay pointed out).  I think it [the logo] should be something that is appealing to new visitors and Mr. Vales (as memorable and significant as he is to us) doesn't mean anything to the new-comer.

well since no-one commented on my c+c, I'll have my final say; I dont like it. It has too much of a washed out childrens colouring book feel and definitely doesnt ask the user to take adventure gaming seriously (and I dont mean in a non-fun way). each to their own I guess.

Nobody commented because we'd been over [and over, and over, and over] that already many months ago

This was the final design/colors decided on after many many rounds of back'n forth.  I completely disagree that it's washed out, it's a totally soothing color palette that compliments the "image" of AGS to a T.

I also completely disagree that it's not modern looking.  I feel it's very modern and up-to-date while maintaining a little of the throw-back whimsy that is AGS.

There are only three fonts being used (and the third is only in the logo) and I had, a few pages back, commented on that (and corrected it).

So unless CJ throws a lightning bolt from atop Mt. AGS and decrees a[nother] overhaul I think we need to stick with this because, like Ryan Timothy said:

So if we start changing colors and everything now, it'll take until 2011 to finally update the old website

[Haddas]

I think every letter should be followed by 

[Darth Mandarb]

Here were some ideas I was tossin' about in my head:



The last one would require a slight update to the top of the new design (which I think wouldn't look good) but I just wanted to throw it in there.  Also, this is using a [recreated version of] Loom's cup silhouette concept which I just freakin' love but I'm also down with a pixellated cup similar the one progZ made.  I just favor this style so that's why I used it.

[Atelier]

The second one is the best. Not too big, and I like the text overlapping the cup.

[Ali]

How about you play the Larry Vales games before saying he's "just a bit of a crummy character" with no "relevance"?
Jeez people.

P.S. You really should play them.

I didn't mean to cause offence, he's evidently a very loveable character with a place in many people's hard drives. I meant that to a newcomer he looked crummy. Newcomers will make judgements about the logo before having a chance to play the game. In visual terms he's far from the most well designed or iconic character the AGS archives have to offer, but I think including any character would be a mistake.

I also see what Ryan means about relevance. Larry's is obviously relevant to AGS, but that relevance is not apparent to an outsider. We don't mean to tread on a treasured episode in the history of AGS!

As a sign of my good intentions, I will use the Larry Vales emoticon for the first time ever:  

[Sam.]

I like the progress that is being made, but is this really the best way to design a website? If it's all going to so micro-analysed over and over, it won't ever get done! If we just choose one person who volunteers to do it, shows a decent mockup and is willing to do the whole thing?

Otherwise we will be waiting a further 6 months.

[Kweepa]

We don't mean to tread on a treasured episode in the history of AGS!

Relegating him to history doesn't sound like a promise to play the games.

P.S. You really should play them.

[LimpingFish]

I actually agree that having Larry Vales on the logo is a bit too obscure for all but those of us who may actually remember his adventures.

If we're talking ancient history, why not dig up Rob Blanc and drape his leering decrepit corpse across the logo. Or Pirate Fry.

But then, I also happen to think Roger is in desperate need of a cheap burial. Preferably in an unmarked, pauper's grave.

[Ali]

Sorry to go a little off topic, but I joined the forums over a year before you, LimpingFish. There must be something wrong with me for not having played the AGS classics! I haven't even played Night of the Hermit, or Robert Redford Saves the Day. I have played Snail Quest, though!

Also, if you're forming a Roger death-squad, I'm in.

P.S. I promise to play Larry Vales. I just started Fallout 3 and I haven't paid my taxes yet, so it may not be soon, but I'll play it.

[LimpingFish]

Sorry to go a little off topic, but I joined the forums over a year before you, LimpingFish.

Yes, but did you lurk like a dirty bird for over two years before you joined?

I be dirty bird! o/

Larry Vales, Rob Blanc, Robert Redford, Captain Muchly, Pirate Fry, Rode Kill...the AGS equivalent of the apes at the start of 2001: A Space Odyssey. They were our beginning.

...

Still mostly crap, though.

I also be heretic! o/

ON TOPIC: I'm liking the third of Darth's latest logos. I think the overlapping cup is nice, and works better on the right. I'm not a super huge fan of that font, though. I did like to see a version with this font...

[Darth Mandarb]

I, too, prefer the cup on the right side ... for some reason it just fits for me. 

Here is some more ideas with the old/new font: