New TN Site Layout

[coasterdude28]

Well to my surprise I just stumbled across the new layout. It will definately take some getting used to but I think I like it.

Let this thread be for discussion on the new layout.

Good Job guys.

[coasterfreak14]

I definitely like it. I think it's awesome.

[Montu Man]

Go back to how the Front Page was earlier today with the better font but older style layout. The new homepage looks extremely cluttered in my opinion. If it were up to me, I would change it back.

[medieval]

I agree with Montu, it does look cluttered.

[Steven]

For those who like it... thanks for the cool note.

For those that don't like it... short of telling us to go back to the old front page (sorry, that is not an option), tell us what can be done to improve it. I'll be open to suggestion. Keep in mind that everything you see has to be on the page, and News stories, In the loop, and biz of fun have to be in the top tier (where stories and special features were in the old page).

That is the challenge of site design.

[sfft_2108]

I like it. It has a lot of color and shows a lot of things. I was just hoping the forums took on a different change also.... I just like change. Eh.

[Rachel123]

I really like it ......when I first looked at it I thought it looked cluttered but only because it was a change. Second time I looked at it I thought it looked great!! Good work!!

[coasterdude28]

I agree that it looks a little cluttered. The Editorial part seems to take up alot of room. I don't like not being able to see all of the biz of fun at one time.

Other than that, it is good.

[Montu Man]

Maybe make the font a little bigger?

And could we possilbly see new site banners? The current ones seem to have been around forever. Not that I'm complaining, but it would be nice to see new ones. (And I can't make them, I suck at that kind of stuff.)

[Rachel123]

^^ Hey, thats a good idea. I don't know how to make them either. I think it's a good idea though!

[Dan G]

I think it would be a cool idea to hold like a contest to design a new site banner for the site...I'd definitely would take part in that.

[Carowinds 73-03]

A little cluttered but i think it's looks great. The cluttered look dosen't bother me that much.

Great work guys!!!!

[sfft_2108]

I think it would be a cool idea to hold like a contest to design a new site banner for the site...I'd definitely would take part in that.

...and the winners design goes on a t-shirt. Sound kinda fimilar eh? lol

I agree that it looks a little cluttered. The Editorial part seems to take up alot of room. I don't like not being able to see all of the biz of fun at one time.

Other than that, it is good.

I think you can only see 2 business at a time. Just give it like 5 or so seconds and it will switch down to the next time. Its kinda cool looking now.

[Dan G]

Here's a little example of something I threw together in a few minutes. Maybe Steven and the rest of the gang would give some thought into using it for the site.

http://photobucket.com/albums/a312/E...ewtnheader.jpg

Here's an idea what it'd look like on the main page.

http://photobucket.com/albums/a312/E...ent=tnhome.jpg

[Freedom211]

I really think we should have a contest. I mean you dont have to give out exspensive prizes or any prize at all. Knowing its up and for everyone to see should be good enough!

[coasetrphil]

Things are a little cluttered now, though I'm not sure how I would do things and still keep the random photo (which is my favorite part). I never realized how many great pictures we had in the DB.

[Kyle L]

God, I love the random photo. I sit here for countless minutes pressing refresh to get new awesome photos. Keep uploading photos! We'll soon get a wealthload of pictures!

As for the new site design. I like it, theres a lot more activity and going on. Its a tad cluttered, but the features outweigh the cons in my opinion. Spacing it out would be something nice in the future, but for now, hey, browse around and check out what TN has to offer.

EDIT: I would also reccomend somehow changing the look of the two "In The loop Icons". Weekend Review and Daily News. They look too similar so it looks like a duplicate article. Just a suggestion.

[Chris L]

God, I love the random photo. I sit here for countless minutes pressing refresh to get new awesome photos.

/\ lol.

I think the front page, too, is a little cluttered, but on the flipside, it's refreshing to have a new layout and design patronize.

[rjholla2003]

The new homepage to me feels like you want to tell us about the world in 10 seconds. it's just too much and it's overwhelming on the eyes IMO. One good example is the stock ticker. W'hen it was all static, it felt clean and well presented. Now it looks like someone forgot about the stocks, and came up with the scrolling as a quick fix that looks cool. The presentation of the main page isn't too far off of the ideal, it's just that everything needs a bit of breathing room.

[YoungStud]

Remove the in the loop part. That way it will be alot less cluttered, theres a section for it in the forums, i feel that is good enough.

[Drewbie]

Suggestions (some are repeats of other peoples):

Different icons for the editions of "In the Loop".

Different header colors for "In the Loop" and the "News" sections.

The stocks quotes were my favorite part. They were easy to quickly look at and see what was going on. Shrinking that and making it a scroller is not to my liking. With the current rate of news stories, I'd rather you show fewer historical ones and expand the stock prices, at least until story output increases.

I realize that you format the site for smaller resolutions, but can you find a happy medium? On my screen rez (1280X1024) I've got as much gray space on the sides as I have content through the middle, while having a very cluttered page.

I like the use of shading behind some of the topics, and I think that could be utilized better. Maybe a couple different lvls of shading to provide more contrast between areas.

I agree about adding some new headers. With as much as is on the new main page, I like the suggested one that got posted earlier. Clean headers that aren't cluttered at all. Logo, blue sky, inline twist. Can't beat that.

Also, maybe have a light backround color or watermark logo to make the page pop.

If I think of more, you'll see them.

[Steven]

Remove the in the loop part. That way it will be alot less cluttered, theres a section for it in the forums, i feel that is good enough.

As I said earlier... not an option. If you think this site is all about the forums... like I've been telling everyone else, you need to think again. You better get it out of your head that this site is centered on its forums, because it is not and hasn't been for about 2 years now.

The stocks quotes were my favorite part. They were easy to quickly look at and see what was going on. Shrinking that and making it a scroller is not to my liking. With the current rate of news stories, I'd rather you show fewer historical ones and expand the stock prices, at least until story output increases.

I was actually under pressure to get rid of it or size it down. However, like you, I didn't want to see it go easily. I tried a few alternate options (including having them spread across the page 3 quotes across). I'm very open to suggestion here because I really don't care for it myself.

I realize that you format the site for smaller resolutions, but can you find a happy medium? On my screen rez (1280X1024) I've got as much gray space on the sides as I have content through the middle, while having a very cluttered page.

I am aware that some people use higher resolutions. But the fact of the matter is... a very good majority of people still use 800x600 or 1024x768 and most websites continue to design them for that crowd (All the ABC-owned stations went to this a while back)... the highest I've really seen in width is 780 pixels. Others I've seen do it at 750 or 768 pixels (we are at 750 pixels). Even if we were to redesign the highest comfortable width would be 780 pixels (a gain of only 30 pixels).

While it is impossible to change it now (because of the site standards), I have been doing some research into it and maybe in 2006, when we are exploring a possible redesign, we can look at expanding the width.

Add some new header graphics

I'm not opposed to it at all. However, we can't make a contest out of it right now (a lot of money just got spent on a new server so for the interim we can't do new contests), so if you want, you can do it on your own will. However, I ask that you DO NOT add the logo or slogan... I have to add those myself (we do have image standards for this site).

As far as everyone else, I would like to hear your solutions to how to make it less cluttered, with the exceptions I mentioned above.

[pipesdrums]

For the people who might want to volunteer to make a new header, would you be able to post a transparent .gif image or a .psd file with the logo and slogan in it so that they can be encorporated better instead of just slapping them on?

[Steven]

We'll be the ones that add the header/footer (I said that above), so all we need is the scene put together.

Also, you may not use any copyrighted images unless the owner gives us written permission.

[Dan G]

So are we allowed to use any images found on TNs database, since they gave you permission to use them on the site already.

BTW, by a scene do you only mean the background? I understand about you adding the slogan and log, so all you want us to do is create the background for those.

Can you tell use the actual size of the headers, I think that would help. I look forward to designing a few things the site could possibly use.

[Steven]

Image size: 750 x 100
Images from DB: If there is a copyright on the image, you must ask the copyright holder... they gave us permission to host them, but it is in everyone's best interests to get permission first. The permission must be verifiable.

By the background, I mean the scenery and the action. The logo/slogan are considered the foreground.

[Carowinds 73-03]

I really like that banner. Nice work.

[coasterdude28]

A thought on the Biz of Fun. Could you possibly have it be a drop down feature where if you would like to view it you just click a drop down arrow and it comes down? That would save space and get the purpose done at the same time.

[Alex Westerman]

A thought on the Biz of Fun. Could you possibly have it be a drop down feature where if you would like to view it you just click a drop down arrow and it comes down? That would save space and get the purpose done at the same time.

Do you mean like the arrows on the forums that collapse each section?

[coasterdude28]

That is exactly what I mean. I actuall never saw that feature before but that is what I was thinking.

Another option is if you want to keep it showing two like it is now, have it show two and scroll but also have a drop down arrow for quick and easy viewing of all of them.