Please Review My Site.

Okay, first of all those graphics need some work. They just don't look quite right - jagged edges, the text on the left looks particularly bad. There is also a lot of graphic there that doesn't seem to have a purpose.

I really don't understand your use of frames here. It doesn't seem necessary. You also don't have your top navigation (the more useful of the two menus - some of the pages don't have this menu at all) in the frame so what's the point?

Oh, okay those gray things on the side slide out. I didn't click on them - maybe if those poped out on mouseover it would be better. The text graphics in those slideouts don't look so hot either.

Oh boy, clicked on "fitness" and got a new window (annoying!)

Once again, a site that doesn't have a good colour scheme. Pick a few colours that match, and use them throughout the site. There are at least eight different colours here.

I get the impression that whoever did the graphics here does not understand the concept of anti-aliasing. Learn it. Use it. Love it. Also learn how to make transparent gif's properly if you really need to use them.

I agree about the colours, the centre picture looks OK,the rest seems a bit busy and darn hard to read.

Hmmm- the site sucks in my opinion (sorry, but that's what came to mind).

1) Anti-aliasing (like Megan said) is something that should be used 100% of the time.

2) The graphics are horrible- they are jagged (see above) and they just look like graphics from the '80's. They look old.

3) Your menu needs to be totally re-done. Unless you want your users to turn their head sideways, I think you should change it. I see now, you click on them and a sub menu appears. Still don't like it at all.

4) The colors are terrible. Grey, black, and yellow/orange just don't go. You need to re-think your color scheme.

You've got a great domain name, but you're not using it well at all. Re-think what you want to do with the site, and than come up with a good design. I see potential...

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The fireburn.com Network:

although maybe thats me not having the right setting.

Thank you for the reviews. The colors will be changed in the left menu, but a little later, cause right now I just don't have time for the design. I am trying to upload as much info as i can. I will consider your opinions on the design though. However, what suprised me is that none of you said anything about the content of the site. In my opinion, what should be the most important on the web is the information. Since the web is not only one big gallery. Once again, thank you for your time to review the site. Some of the opinions will be considered.

[This message has been edited by MusicEffect (edited 02 March 2000).]

Why post for a review if you don't have time to design it?

Everything scrolls at 800X600 in Netscape. I won't comment on the content because I have to work too hard to get to it. Content is vital, yes, but you HAVE TO BE ABLE TO SEE IT.

Design at a lower resolution or at least test at the lower resolutions. The web isn't a big gallery, no, but most people aren't surfing with at 17"+ monitor set to 1024 or higher, either.

Suzanne

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Zero Cattle
Suzanne
Tables DeMystified

Hey again. I am not going to argue about it, since I didn't post the massege for that purpose. I will just consider your opinions as internet browsers. However, I will tell you that "WORK TOO HARD" is nothing but just clicking on the button BANDS and be taken where you need. Thanks again.
P.S. Trying to adjust the site for 800x600

MusicEffects,

Seems to me you could organize your space a bit better. The frames aren't really neccessary and the internal scroll for the left menu will kill any kind of look you are trying to achieve.

You are using several different colors and fonts on many of the pages. Try choosing one font and colors that compliment eachother a bit better. An example of a bad color scheme is the credits page. You have purple, orange and green....YIKES!

As far as the content......tell me why I am here? What information am I going to find? An example is the Rock page.....there is nothing there but some links and an ad banner. How do I know I am on the rock page what is this page all about, where will the links take me?

The key to keeping your audience is to offer them something of interest. You may have some interesting content but with no descriptive text you can't assume that people will just surf thru your site and randomly find what they are looking for.

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Rayna
Triple Orbit

good point about the bands info.
i guess the button BANDS on the left is not enough....thanks

I hate it.

Frames are terrible don't use them. When you first learn how to use them you say "this is cool why don't I use these all the time?" Then you grow to hate them.

What's up with the Navigation? Change the navigation that could help. I don't like how you have to turn your head sideways to read it. Then when you click on it the thing pops out. Just bring them to a new page or something.

All around the top logo and that I see white jagedy edges. The text on your navigation is jagedy too.

The logo? Eh ah. Doesn't fit the site. Colors and everything else.

Why do you have like 2 navigation systems? One on the top and bottom of the middle right page thing and then you have one in the left frame.

Overall I think you should go for a complete redesign.

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~Parker Trasborg~
Formerly- ParkerT and sixflags111

By working too hard I mean this:

1. The navigation isn't clearly visible (scroll in the left frame, links covered by scroll on the front page).

2. The navigation graphics (left frame) look like part of the graphic, not links because they are low contrast, hard to read on the side, scroll unnecessarily and are embossed.

3. There is no clear indication between the links and the text in the body of the site and little consistency between pages -- I have to click back all the time or go to the first page of each section to get anywhere.

***

It's good that you are going to adjust the site for lower browsers.

FYI -- I wasn't arguing, I was asking a serious question. If you don't have time for designing, asking for a critique is a little odd. Really, no arguing!

About the content -- left align the text and maybe use a light grey instead of the white in the drugs articles (the only ones I looked at) to reduce glare. The swirling skulls look more like an ad for drug use than a cry against it. I'm not sure what your point is with this section. Again, I haven't looked at the others, but it seems unfocussed.

hth,

Suzanne

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Zero Cattle
Suzanne
Tables DeMystified

[This message has been edited by Suzanne (edited 02 March 2000).]

I did say that i don't have too much time for the design, since all my time is taken up by uploading as much info as i can. However, I was thinking since the begging, about making the first page very simple and just leave there choices for 2 resolutions and frames and non frames version. I did changed my site a bit already, considering some of your opinions. I do take it seriously. Thank you.

I think, if most of you dont do it already, look at the site before you read the other opinions.
--
I kind of like the site, yes the graphics arent the best, frames are bad, but making layers, and having the side nav bar move, thats pretty sweet, I would hate to take the time to program that by hand. I did notice that there is quite alot of content though. I think this site can be popular in the future.
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Ken Prescott http://www.21studios.com

Hey,

I think your start is good. I believe it just needs to be "developed". The mouseover colors could be a little better suited to the site (maybe a darker color?)

If you don't mind the extra work, I agree that you don't need the frames.

Graphics could use a little touching up.

Overall I think it is a good start. However I don't envy having to put all that content on using static html pages.

Good Luck
Ravi

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Lyricsh.com
Finding The Lyrics to Your Favorite Songs.

Ravi...
I am not sure what you mean by me putting stuff on static html pages... why is it bad??
Thanks

no not bad, but before my site was databased all the lyrics were on static HTML pages. Personally I found it very hard to keep up, updating, changing so many pages just to add a few lyrics. It was really discouraging.

Ravi

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Lyricsh.com
Finding The Lyrics to Your Favorite Songs.

I see...
I am planing on building a data base somewhen in the summer, since i will probably have someone helping me with it. Cause the site is getting very big and i want to add search in it, plus running scripits is easier than doing it all by hand.
Thanks for the response.