Originally posted by: dfi
Originally posted by: Mo0o
Originally posted by: CasioTech
Originally posted by: Nik
You need to be designing flash videogames for the web, not the websites themselves. :thumbsup:
I hear that. I rape flash like none other. Now...a video game of what subject?
This is someone that truely rapes flash and has a good comprehension of web / graphic design.
Link
That site certainly looks nice. So does the website of his old employer, 2advanced. Both sites demonstrate good artistic abilities. However, I'm not sure they are good designs. Here are a few gripes I have about those type of sites, and maybe there are some general suggestions that Casiotech can infer from below:
1) A website should never ask me to "enter'. I've already spent the time of typing/clicking the url - I'm obviously interested in seeing the content. Don't slow me down.
2) Load time is a nuisance at best the first time, and it only gets more annoying everytime I revisit the site. Any type of intro/animation effects are only cool the first few times, after which it only contributes to me waiting around. Once again, don't slow me down.
3) Music can be very effective, or really annoying. If you're going to play music, make sure it's extremely obvious how I can turn it off.
4) To use the phrase of another web designer - please, no "mystery meat" navigation. Every icon/link should be clearly labeled so I know exactly where to click to go where I want to go. Otherwise (and especially in graphic heavy designs), I waste time moving my mouse cursor over graphics, hoping that it'll take me where I need to go.
5) Content should, spatially, be one of the, if not the most, important element of the site. If I go to your page to see your case study, and all I get is a picture and 2 lines of text that takes up less than a quarter of your spatial real estate, it is mildly disappointing to say the least.
6) Text should always be at a comfortable size. Not everyone has an eagle eye.
Some pet peeves:
1) Sites that hide the url. I just navigated your website to find that special information and now I'd like to share it with a friend. Ok, I look at the url and .... it's the same url as the homepage... hrm...
2) Text that can not be highlighted/copied. I think you have something really interesting to say, and I'd like to share it. Hrm... how am I suppose to quote it/send it to a friend, if I can't highlight the text. This is compounded by pet peeve #1.
Personally, I think that these general guidelines should be followed:
1) Don't slow down the user.
2) What's the purpose?
3) Content is king.
4) Your site should be so obvious that a monkey could figure it out.