dm7.net is down! Some ideas needed! Reward included!

General Forums Blender and CG Discussions
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dm7.net is down to have some reconstructing done; however, you can still view my main page… http://www.dm7.net

It will give you a link to gallery page and explain what it is… (yes a new gallery!)

And also it has the link to blog…

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I need some ideas! What do you prefer? What do you really like in website? Should it be professional? Should it be simple? Should it be very simple like black text with plain white background? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

The reward is a small banner on my main page advertizing for your website… I don’t have a big reward except that one… but if you have anything to donate, I will appreciate it a lot. Thank you in advance.

To get the most chance to win that small reward, post your ideas in many details-- post your graphics, etc… etc… etc… (it doesn’t have to be very good, just an idea).

Website name: dm7 OR Addicted 2 Blender (A2B)

DEADLINE: July 18, 2002 3:00 PM EST (you will have to change it into GMT zone because I don’t know GMT very well!) Please if possible, post A.S.A.P. so I can play around with this idea… this deadline is only for to assure everyone is finished.

Thank you again, I am aware ton’s event, but I need your help… there will be a surprise mentioned on my main page. :slight_smile:

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well hmm…i have some suggestions… alot of people seem to dislike flash alot, but i suggest some flash graphics would be great, such as banners, or menu… flash can be incredibly compressed and so extremely pleasing to dilaup users… a flash menu frame would be awesome… id prefer like a high tech metal menu interface or a nature interface…theres something cool to play around with, maybe make the graphics for the menu in blender? =)
hmmm, i think which would be very people pleasing, is a whole natrue interface for the entire site?? lots of vine graphics and a foggy blurred dark bg
i always loved theme sites like that…theyre alot more interesting and alot funner to browse…
as for simpleness… hmm, dont keep it too simple, but stay far away from chaotic and make sure everything is clear

i hope i could help…ill post more suggestions if i think of any

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A web site design that doesn’t assume we are all connected on a 20000000000000000000 giga/bit cryogenic laser optic internet connection.

I like to see other people’s best work. Nice Madison avenue ad agency flash web sites are cool for the first hundred thousand times; then after that, they become very old, very boring, very frustrating, very quickly. I don’t even mind if it’s black text on a white background. Substance is more important than style.

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Hi,

Well, personally, I like a very professional site, but not too professional.
What I mean is that I think the site should look really awsome, but still have a very “community” feel to it. Like the old Blender Community site was very good looking, but the second you “stepped” into the site, it felt like it was just one big family. Something like that I guess.

I think that a good links sections is important. And a good, fast gallery.
What I think a good gallery is, is one that has nice, small, fast thumbnails and when you click on them, you see a bigger, high quality version.
But also, it can’t be too high quality, because then it takes forever to load for us 56k’ers. :wink:

Also, a bunch of really nice tutorials! Gotta have those.

And, as for flash, I like the ones where the whole site isn’t flash, but it has flash buttons, or a flash menu or something.

One more thing, No Pop Ups! I despise those. I loathe those. I absolutely HATE those. Yeah, well you get it… :wink:

If you need any help with anything, I am at your disposal. I have Director, Photoshop, I know both, (director some…), and I know HTML quite well.

Take a look at www.aawebhosts.com for some really great hosting.

Sincerely,
Derek Mounce
[email protected]

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
www.tekobyte.net

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Dear imgranpboy,

Thank you for your suggestion… flash would be cool, but I have to admit that I don’t have enough knowledge of flash to make it “flashy” and “professional”. I do like your idea of a high tech/nature menu interface, but I’m afraid that it will requires a lot of graphics and distracts people from main section that I want them to look at first. I simply want my website to have enough space for text, but still allows people to have easy’n-click links. I will of course play around with it and see if it works with part graphics and text links.

Sincerely,
DreamMaster7

Dear cree,

Thank you for your suggestion. I am soooooo aware of that everyone doesn’t have 2000000000000 giga/bit cryogenic laser optic internet connection; however, I’d like that kind of connection ;). I agree about flash, I get bored with flash very fast. I am willing to go with a web design that will assure that it will last at least six months without getting too boring… something similar to Elysiun’s web design which shouldn’t take too long for ‘28Kers’ and ‘56Kers’.

Sincerely,
DreamMaster7

Dear Tekobyte,

Exactly! I’m thinking about trying to use some blender’s web design and elysiun design and put together to make a new web design. It should be still simple enough and still feel home in this community. Tutorials? Finally someone said anything about them! 8) I know, I hate pop-ups, that’s why I paid my own web hosting! No pop-ups forever! About having SOME of flash on my website is a good idea, but will it last more than 6 months without getting too bored?

Sincerely,
DreamMaster7

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SURPRISE!!!

USERS GALLERY IS UP!!! http://www.dm7.net/gallery2/gallery/

You can add yours there for free! :slight_smile: Without any pop-ups or anything! :wink:

Tell me what you think please.

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Dear DreamMaster:

I have just a couple of suggestions (I’d do anything for a banner! :wink: ):

1- NO FLASH AT ALL. Sorry. I like sites that I can surf using only a text based browser. For buttons yu can use animated gifs or a little JavaScript.

2- Use graphics for the design but always remember using names or alt text for the “active” ones.

3- DO NOT USE IE “exclusive” features. Not everybody is a windows addict. (I also hate when somebody sends me a Word Email!!!)

4- Double check your site using more than ONE browser. Try it with Mozilla, IE, Opera, Konqueror … whatever you can !

5- Avoid “welcome” pages if they’re useless. If you need one, keep it short and without graphics.

Well that’s all I have to say. I’m sure most people here will disagree, but being a “dial up linux web surfer” makes me a little “boring” :wink:

Cheers and good luck with your site !

malefico.

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About using Flash, there is nothing wrong with complementary Flash elements. As long as the site is not dependant on them. Flash is small, relatively fast even on slower connections. What you don’t want to do is force a user to have to use the flash. Animated GIFs are easy to bloat and eat much more bandwidth than a proper flash design. Also, many forget, that when flash is consistent from browser to browser, javascript is differnt. Even for some basic scripting techniques, results can differ from browser to browser. Through a proper combination of techniques, it is possible to do browser and plugin detection, so that whatever style of user you get, there shouldn’t be problems.

I think the best advice is, is do not limit yourself initially by anything. In the brainstorming/design process, allow any and all ideas to come forward and be considered. Then when preparing final decision, consider each of the chosen elements, and their pros and cons. For instance, don’t give up total asthetic elements just for perfect function, and don’t give up function for asthetic reasons. There must be a balance.

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Just a reminder… the deadline is today… at 3:00 PM EST which is only around 5 hours left at the time I’m writing this note.

Good luck! :slight_smile:

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oh god i hope this makes the deadline…

[best advice ever]make a really cool site that people will like![/best advice ever]