Feedback required please!!

They have: 52 posts

Joined: Nov 1998

Howdy guys and gals

OK, I know i've not been here much recently, but it's been manic around here. I promise to improve my attendance record in the new year when I start my new job... Smiling

Anyway, right now i'm looking for feedback and comments on a site i'm working on for a friend of mine who owns a race team here in the UK.

Old Site = http://www.cliosport.com/
New Site = http://www.ten-tenths.com/othersites/cliosport/html/

As you will see, it is a site built with the intention of getting news to the fans as promptly as possible, to build and increase the fanbase, and to do the usual sucking up to sponsors, etc...

The question is, do you think that it's design is suitable for this purpose ? Is it too blue ? (Smiling) Is it too 'texty' ? Are the sponsors plugged enough (OK, OK, I know the answer to this... but what to do ? Should I add banners ? Tacky...) The main question though, I guess, is the navigation around the site usable ?

I've been looking at this for too long today, and can't judge objectively for myself Smiling

Thanks in advance, peeps!

They have: 677 posts

Joined: Mar 1999

Hmm, Yeah it is kinda text-y'.
The colors are fine, but the graphic at the top takes to long to load. Maybe try to add more graphics to it, I find there is a little too much white though.

I think just adding some kind of graphics will improve it immensly, as its has a fine html design now.

Ken Prescott

They have: 268 posts

Joined: May 1999

I kept wanting to click on the headlines for the full story instead of that little arrow clicky thingy.

Site looks good otherwise, except for the powder puff blue in the background. I'd try a darker shade of blue or maybe a medium gray.

My goal in life is found in Phillipians 4:8-9
shoutingrock.org/troop214

Josh Simpson's picture

They have: 147 posts

Joined: Dec 1999

Nice Smiling

But I feal the page needs a title or a logo at the top of some kind.

Other than that looking good.

They have: 52 posts

Joined: Nov 1998

Thanks for the tips guys. I've made a few changes - changed the bgcolor for a pale grey which, now i'm used to it, look a lot better I think Smiling I've changed the > alongside the text links to a yellow bullet and created some 'more...' icons for the main story links.

I will work on the header image next I think - it's a little large on the file size, as has been pointed out, and I really would like to get a team logo added too Smiling Anyone care to tell me how the hell I would create the effect like on the logo at the top of this page (the little lines across the image Smiling)

I'm also gonna convert it to using CSS I think - and this will allow me to turn the article headlines into links too...

More feedback please... we'll get there in the end Smiling:) hehe!

Megan's picture

She has: 11,421 posts

Joined: Jun 1999

Yes, you definitely need to put a big logo on there. Just slap your site name overtop of that picture you've got at the top. That would work.

I also feel like the site is too texty - particularly too much very small text. The navgiation menu needs to be bigger so it stands out more and is easier to read. It's giving me a headache just trying to read this stuff. Some a:hovers onn the menu would be nice too - with the text being so small and close together there, it would be nice to have some sort of indication that your mouse is correctly positioned over the link you want to click.

I still think that the "more..." icons are a problem - they don't stand out enough. Make the "more" text red and maybe a little bigger and/or bolded. I think the easiest thing to do would be to make the header a link to the story.

TO make those scan line things:

1. make a new image that is 1 pixel wide by 2 pixels high with a transparent background.
2. make one of the pixels in that two pixel image white (or black - you'll see how this works out once you try it a few times).
3. Select all and set as a pattern
4. Switch back to your main image and select the area you want to have lines on it
5. fill it with the pattern
6. play with opacity settings to get the effect you want.

They have: 268 posts

Joined: May 1999

Just checking another site and saw the same post. I knew I had responded and couldn't find my response. Started to get the hebe jebes. Then I came back to my home and everything was OK again.

Anyway, I use a laptop to view stuff. It has less screen contrast than a monitor. On it your gray background looks white.

Is the name of your group really the "ActiveShop Elf Clio Renaultsport UK Cup Team"?

My goal in life is found in Phillipians 4:8-9
shoutingrock.org/troop214

They have: 52 posts

Joined: Nov 1998

hehe! Sorry 'bout that, Jim - as you saw, I did post in another forum I used to use too! Smiling Quite useful actually as they pointed out a few things which were totally different to what's been brought up here.

Yes, i'm afraid the team name is indeed that! The sponsor we have is ActiveShop and the series is called the 'Elf Clio Renaultsport UK Cup' - a bit of a mouthful, and a bugger whn you've done the whole design thinking that it was the 'Elf Renaultsport UK Clio Cup' - oops! Laughing out loud

Megan Jack, many thanks for the tips on how to achieve the effect I was looking for. I found a tutorial elsewhere from a link in the graphics help forum here, and I was really struggling with it - couldn't achieve the desired effect at all Sad Anyway, had the image done in like 3 minutes flat when I followed yours - good work!

I have changed the 'more...' images again to check it out and it certainly does help things. I'm gonna need to redo them again as they look a little tacky as they are, but that can wait til after i've finished arguing with the team's press officer about who exactly is in charge of what - grrr...! Clients, eh ? They think they know it all... Sticking out tongue hehe!

I really can't do too much more with the text links in the navbar on the left - the sixe of the content cell cannot shrink as it is designed to take 600 pixel wide photographs without stretching anything. The a:hover idea is nice - like that - will see what I can do. Failing that, I may resort to some small images there ?

I also need to do something with regard to a logo, but I think i'll worry about the rest pf the design first - there's plenty more to worry about yet! Laughing out loud

Thanks again, peeps.

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