15 replies to this topic

[TwentyOne]

Well guys, I've finished the main layout for 21Designs, and I've also coded a demo layout so that I can show it to you guys and hopefully recieve some comments and critisism, and ways that I may improve it. None of the links work just to let you know, basically this is the first site that I actually tried to use more css than images, although I still used images it's better than my last coulple of layouts which have been basically all image based.

The Site currently is password protected as a friend of mine is letting me use that domain for testing purposes, and he has a password set for it.
Username: Guest
Password: 12345
21Designs Demo Layout

The layout is finished and coded ready for me to start working on, so now I'm planning on working on my own CMS for the site, and I'll be integrating IPB with the website to achive the "myaccount" section on the site. Also planning on having a couple of nifty features for the members on the main site (currently coming up with ideas )

Also, I'd like to know if any of you guys know of a way that I can allow my members to choose from different skins on the site, I've figured out how to switch style sheets thanks to a lil' tutorial I found on P2L, but I don't know how to make it that images switch aswell (since the images are coded into the .php page and not the style sheet.) So any help on this would be gladly appreciated.

Thanks guys, and I'm looking forward to what you all have to say about 21Designs.

Edited by TwentyOne, 19 July 2006 - 10:53 AM.

[Matheus]

very good
but it scrolls VERY slowly becouse you are using a fixed background
take that off and will be perfect

[Danny]

when you scroll down the page, the drop down shows above the background, other than that quite spiffy, bit plain and the menu is quite small but its ok.

[Illinifan91]

i like it except that the text is a little tough to diferenciate from the background

[TwentyOne]

Quote

very good
but it scrolls VERY slowly becouse you are using a fixed background
take that off and will be perfect

Thanks, and yes I'll be changing the fixed background ASAP.

Quote

when you scroll down the page, the drop down shows above the background, other than that quite spiffy, bit plain and the menu is quite small but its ok.

Thanks, the fixed background will be changed, thanks for the comments

Quote

i like it except that the text is a little tough to diferenciate from the background

Thanks, and I personally think that the text looks good this way, but if I do get any more comments about the text I'll be changing it to a more stand out colour.

Thanks for all the comments guys, any more would be greatly appreciated.

[Vandalised]

WOW I love it!! Apart from when i scroll down the page the center (content section moves) I don't like that, it kinda of goes over the header if you get me. But apart from that its pretty good, I like the dashed css borders. One more point aswel maybe when a user keeps coming to your site they might get abit tired of the dark green colour scheme? Personaly I think its pretty cool but might be a tad to dark, some things to think about!

EDIT: If you wanted you could make your site have 3 or 4 different colour schemes So the user could choose there preferd one.

Edited by Rich69, 17 July 2006 - 09:45 AM.

[Matthew.]

hmm, ok, dont think im being harsh please.

A couple of years ago, maybe even months if you presented that layout everyone would have said it was really good...but now styles have changed tbh. Its monontone, too compact, and just doesnt have a really inviting feel to it.

Just my oppinion

Matt.

[Vandalised]

Errrm am I the only one who isn't finding the scrolling slow lol? It's not slow atall for me I'm using IE. I'll try it in firefox and Opera.

But some of what Matt said i agree, but i'd stick to what your doing now, see how that goes, then you can always make a 'BETA' version based on the stuff people have said.

Edited by Rich69, 17 July 2006 - 11:00 AM.

[TwentyOne]

Rich69, on Jul 18 2006, 12:13 AM, said:

WOW I love it!! Apart from when i scroll down the page the center (content section moves) I don't like that, it kinda of goes over the header if you get me. But apart from that its pretty good, I like the dashed css borders. One more point aswel maybe when a user keeps coming to your site they might get abit tired of the dark green colour scheme? Personaly I think its pretty cool but might be a tad to dark, some things to think about!

EDIT: If you wanted you could make your site have 3 or 4 different colour schemes So the user could choose there preferd one.

Thank you , oh and about the scrolling issue (with the whole background going over the top thingy when you scroll) I'm changing that, and I'll upload the fixed product ASAP. Also I don't know if you read my entire first initial post, but if you did you would have seen that I posted something about having multiple skins , and I'm currently working on a style selector type thing, simillar to the one they have over at spoono. Thanks.

Speed, on Jul 18 2006, 12:52 AM, said:

I spent 20 seconds mesmerized just by the scrolling of your website. up and down, up and down, woo its slow. May I recommend scrolling your site upwards. Then you can see some of the bg you put on the columns of your site stick out once above the dark greener gradient background.

Thanks for the comment. I'm going to be fixing the whole scrolling issue ASAP.

.Matt, on Jul 18 2006, 01:24 AM, said:

hmm, ok, dont think im being harsh please.

A couple of years ago, maybe even months if you presented that layout everyone would have said it was really good...but now styles have changed tbh. Its monontone, too compact, and just doesnt have a really inviting feel to it.

Just my oppinion

Matt.

Thanks for the honest opinion, I appreciate it . But could you please provide me with more information as to what you mean? I sort of get it, but I sort of don't. Don't get me wrong I appreciate your comment and all (that's the reason I posted this layout, to get feedback and see what you guys have to say about it) but if you could please tell me some ideas of what might make it more inviting, and more unique.

Rich69, on Jul 18 2006, 01:29 AM, said:

Errrm am I the only one who isn't finding the scrolling slow lol? It's not slow atall for me I'm using IE. I'll try it in firefox and Opera.

But some of what Matt said i agree, but i'd stick to what your doing now, see how that goes, then you can always make a 'BETA' version based on the stuff people have said.

I'm with ya on that one , I'm using firefox and I really haven't noticed any slow type issues at all. Thanks for the comments.

Oh and one more thing, can I ask what screen resolution you guys are using and what browser please, as I'm currently working on trying to sort out the whole scrolling issue, but if I don't notice it I might not be able to fix it, so please provide me with more detail about the scrolling issue.

Once again thanks for the comments guys, it's truly appreciated

[Matthew.]

TwentyOne, on Jul 18 2006, 01:37 PM, said:

Thanks for the honest opinion, I appreciate it . But could you please provide me with more information as to what you mean? I sort of get it, but I sort of don't. Don't get me wrong I appreciate your comment and all (that's the reason I posted this layout, to get feedback and see what you guys have to say about it) but if you could please tell me some ideas of what might make it more inviting, and more unique.

Hmm, well just a couple of things that i pick up straight away, is its completly monotone, - doesnt get the eye excited at all

+ There is far to much use of pixel fonts and the main font is the same style. The nav up top is way to small also.

But mostly it really is the monontony of the layout, very bland

[MK_LAGI]

same commment... just fix the background, and your done

[TwentyOne]

.Matt, on Jul 19 2006, 12:11 AM, said:

Hmm, well just a couple of things that i pick up straight away, is its completly monotone, - doesnt get the eye excited at all

+ There is far to much use of pixel fonts and the main font is the same style. The nav up top is way to small also.

But mostly it really is the monontony of the layout, very bland

Thank you for your comments .Matt, you've been a great help thanks, .

Now what I'll do is fix this layout, get everything working and all that, and while I'm at it I'll try my best to make another layout, I'll try to make it more unique and eye-catching, and then I'll post both versions and see which one the public likes more, then I'll continue work on the more pleasing version .

MK_LAGI, on Jul 19 2006, 02:24 AM, said:

same commment... just fix the background, and your done

Thanks , I've fixed it, just need to re-upload the files .

[TwentyOne]

Well guys, I've edited the site a bit and re-uploaded it.
I've added a skin selector type thing as I said I would (thanks to Dynamic Drive).
I've also changed the navigation, now it's not based on images anymore, this allows me to change the size and style of it, if it's still not that good according to you guys . Also I've fixed up the background, which IMO now is much much better. Some of the small GFX are still only in the green theme so, don't worry they are just temporary .

Thanks for all the input and comments guys, you've improved my design drastically in just 2 days .
So yeah, tell me what you guys think of the site now.

21Designs Demo Layout
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Password: 12345

Edited by TwentyOne, 19 July 2006 - 10:53 AM.

[Matheus]

now your website is awsome man
nice color changer between
I like it

[TwentyOne]

Thanks for the comment man , yeah I also like the style changer, turned out pretty cool IMO .