Finished Forum Design

[Andrea]

top-pb-sites.proboards.com/index.cgi

Okay, so how about the overall look of the forum? I especially want comments on the boards, because I don't totally like how they look, but I'm not 100% sure what to do with them.

[Lugubrious]

I really like what you've done! Those clouds look amazing, and I don't see many design sites that look like that, if any at all!

Some things to improve -
1: Some images are blurry (skyscraper) while others are jagged and pixelated (chair, balloon). The jagged ones look like mistakes somewhat.
2: The fractals (if thats what they're called) look cut off on the buildings. Maybe you should try to make it look like it is wrapping around the building or something.

But besides those two things, it really is beautiful! I love how it looks and the menu is very nicely done.

[Toshiru]

It looks great but it's from a tut so umm nice tutorial following skills.

[Andrea]

Thank you, Lugubrious! I will look into changing those little things today.

Jun 23, 2010 5:39:05 GMT -8 Toshiru said:

It looks great but it's from a tut so umm nice tutorial following skills.

Actually, I didn't follow the whole tutorial. I used the resources, and that was about the extent of how much of it I followed (I'm not familiar with Illustrator, so I did reference to those). But thanks.

[Tumbleweed]

Wow, Andrea, that main menu banner is amazing. I believe that is just about as unique as they come, but I've not see the tut you may have gotten ideas from, so this is just coming from my gut.

I'm not sure what a directors chair has to do with it all or the microphone(?- silver thing) and that brown (? -piece of wood) so I'm leaning toward just too much stuff going on. I'd even consider losing the ribbon things with the menu and let the banner stand alone. It would be breathtaking even with out all that extra stuff. The clouds are amazing, I love the perspective of the buildings.

Now scrolling down, I'm thinking....too much scrolling and over-kill of a good thing. Hmmm, how can I say this....I think you went over-board continuing the "big theme" of clouds, ribbons and "building blocks?" for the PM part and then the home/advertising/etc. part. And then you get to the boards themselves and it is just plain ole blah. You'd think you have somehow went to another site.

My thought is, after the wonderful banner you need to downsize and minimize things but keep the theme going. I'd lose the clouds with ribbons (after the banner, at least) with the building things attached. I'd simply re-size those "building blocks" with Home, Advertise, PM's, into a simple menu bar and then maybe a fluffy cloud on the right as a header for the message boards, maybe a cloud or two off to the sides of the board and then one on the left at the bottom of the forum. Just something to carry out the theme in a minimalistic way. Bottom line, you need to carry that soft fluffy cloud "look" (doesn't have to be clouds) to the end of the message board. I hope that makes sense to you.

Again....love your creativeness. Awesome.

[Andrea]

Thank you so much for those great suggestions, tumbleweed! I'm actually going to take some of those suggestions...

I think I am going to remove those props from the banner image, because if you don't get them from the get-go, then it's not worth it.

I'm probably going to keep the menu bar how it is, with the building blocks and the ribbons attached. However, I am definitely going to change the category titles. I'll be removing the PM part (but probably keep the welcome and move it to the right or something), and I'll probably just use building blocks for the category titles.

As for the clouds continuing through the forum, that's a great idea and I will definitely be making a background to match that. Thanks for the ideas! ;D I'll let you know when the forum's been changed.

[Andrea]

-hates double posting-

So, I made some final changes. As far as I know, there's only one more coding thing that needs to be done. Otherwise, I think the design is finished. Any last comments?

[Toshiru]

The edges around the hot air balloon isn't smooth. Honestly it's great but I would like to see you do some creative clouds in the board area.

[Andrea]

Jun 26, 2010 8:55:44 GMT -8 Toshiru said:

The edges around the hot air balloon isn't smooth. Honestly it's great but I would like to see you do some creative clouds in the board area.

The edges around the hot air balloon are not necessarily supposed to be "smooth", just like the tree isn't smooth either. I doubt I'll edit the banner again, as it took forever to fix the background to match it, and do the image maps all over.

As for the clouds around the boards, if I can figure out a way to do that, then I will (because the board sizes changes, etc.).

[Kami]

to be honest? it's... OK. =x the technique is sound, and well executed. that said, i don't find it aesthetically pleasing, and i think it's a lot busier than it needs to be. don't forget when you're designing to keep functionality and ease of use in mind.

it *is* well done, don't get me wrong. but, i think it focuses more on just looking cool, rather than taking into account people have to use the site too.

[Toshiru]

Jun 26, 2010 9:25:29 GMT -8 Andrea said:

Jun 26, 2010 8:55:44 GMT -8 Toshiru said:

The edges around the hot air balloon isn't smooth. Honestly it's great but I would like to see you do some creative clouds in the board area.

The edges around the hot air balloon are not necessarily supposed to be "smooth", just like the tree isn't smooth either. I doubt I'll edit the banner again, as it took forever to fix the background to match it, and do the image maps all over.

As for the clouds around the boards, if I can figure out a way to do that, then I will (because the board sizes changes, etc.).

You should smoothen out then because they look ridiculously 2-D.

[Andrea]

If I have the time to edit the banner again, then I'll take the hot air balloon into consideration.

Jun 26, 2010 9:36:46 GMT -8 Kami said:

to be honest? it's... OK. =x the technique is sound, and well executed. that said, i don't find it aesthetically pleasing, and i think it's a lot busier than it needs to be. don't forget when you're designing to keep functionality and ease of use in mind.

it *is* well done, don't get me wrong. but, i think it focuses more on just looking cool, rather than taking into account people have to use the site too.

How would you suggest making it more "user friendly"?

[Tumbleweed]

Andrea,
I must say, it looks a better with some of those things removed from the banner.

I did want to bring up that in IE you have issues with the Home, Advertising & Community. They jump around when hovering over them and don't work smoothly like they do in IE: Here is a screen shot.

i45.tinypic.com/24ovfqu.jpg

Also, in IE & FF when I click home it makes all of those menu options (home, advertise, community)disappears and also, for some strange reason, makes it so I can't click back on my browser in IE. My back button is ghosted. In FF I have the back option but clicking back turns up an error and I can't get back to the original page. So that leave me the options of clicking one of your banner menu buttons or just closing the window. You don't want that!

Another screen shot:

i47.tinypic.com/9vdytl.jpg


And I know you said you don't want to touch your banner again but I have to say this.....I want so bad to push the members and search up a bit. It really bothers me they are hanging down more on that side making the banner unbalanced and lop-sided. I'm sorry.....don't hit me. lol You know I love your creativeness and I meant to mention that in my first post but I forgot.

But I made this additional post just to be sure you are aware of the problematic home,etc. buttons.

[Kami]

Jun 26, 2010 10:16:15 GMT -8 Andrea said:

If I have the time to edit the banner again, then I'll take the hot air balloon into consideration.

Jun 26, 2010 9:36:46 GMT -8 Kami said:

to be honest? it's... OK. =x the technique is sound, and well executed. that said, i don't find it aesthetically pleasing, and i think it's a lot busier than it needs to be. don't forget when you're designing to keep functionality and ease of use in mind.

it *is* well done, don't get me wrong. but, i think it focuses more on just looking cool, rather than taking into account people have to use the site too.

How would you suggest making it more "user friendly"?

not all that sure, to be honest. one thing that rather gets to me is that the clouds seem broken up. yeah, there's the clouds in the banner, which is fine, but to have it again, seemingly random, rather breaks the illusion that it appears you're going for.

as far as functionality, there's just a lot going on. you've got a bunch of different hanging blocks, and other styles of blocks, etc - it's overused, imo, and could be a bit sleeker, less bulky. this will help have everything easily accessible and therefore a bit more user-friendly.

it's a little confusing, as well, what you're supposed to do. at first glance, there's nothing to do on your forum - it's a little confusing what those buttons actually mean.

[Andrea]

Okay. Do you guys suggest getting rid of that code altogether, and just having the board in the standard formation? The code appears to be causing some problems.