Dungeon Master Forum

Not sure about side bar -- whether to use it for anything, or just keep it as a blank bar to offset the design. I originally intended it to be the 'examples' panel for each section, so that it would display various websites in the website section, various cd-roms in the cd-rom section, etc... It may look cluttered though. I'm trying to go for something cleaner.

Not sure about the round icons, bit at odds with the current 'boxy' look.

Much as like the overall simple look, I can't help but think it needs... something. Does it look too dull?

Personally I vote for number 12

Very swish

i think the centre part is fine persoanlly, its just the sidebar that is making it seem to open and empty

As filler i don't think it works - too big and too grey - but it is a perfect backgroudn for somehting
at worst, have your details there in some neutral colour? like white, etc i agree, nothign too heavy and graphical in the side - i think anythign simple there over the grey would be enough to regain a feel of interestign without being overwhelming

I prefer 6 .

Last two:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/matt_hill/sample14.gif
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/matt_hill/sample15.gif

I quite like these ones, probably 15 is better. And yes, I've tried it with the colours to other way round and it looks daft.

I agree partially with Lunever. Try the sidebar from 6 but the rest from 12.

I think that would look pretty damn cool

Can you do a 14 and 15 with the logo from 12

As you point out, the only "logo" is the one on design 12. All the other's just use text that follows the path of the design.

I don't think that the logo in 12 works with any of these designs. The problem is that it's a logo I've had for a while, and it's on the simple business cards I've been using. I wanted a new website to be consistent with the business cards, but since starting this redesign the other day, it's got out of hand and now the logo is contrived.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/matt_hill/b_card.gif

I like design 15, but I think I need to ditch the curved text and come up with a brand new logo entriely.

Thoughts anyone? Especialy keen to hear your views Cows.

since I've not really said anything yet.. I'd like to point out some details..

1. many of these seem a bit grainy.. I'm not sure if this is your intention but it looks like it's *not* intentional even though it probably is. i would put in a gradient type of grain in there where it gradually get's more grainy or something that splits it.. something really that shows it's intentional.

2. I really enjoy your old logo.. i think it's a great design in itself I much preffer it to your new tests with other fonts.

3. I think if you use the old logo that you need your curves to compliment the curve in your log. in your other examples the curve fights against it.

4. the contrast gained from the white text on the orange/gold is more powerfull than on grey. It makes you notice what is being said much more and I think that's what you want.

5. this is just a niggle.. it seems like you are showing a bunch of people in the stree shadowed out and that works as part of a bussiness logo however you have a few that you have turned on their side.. it seems a little odd to me.. could be just a personal thing but I think it would be nicer with a more pure approach by keeping them all upright..

moo

cowsmanaut wrote: 1. many of these seem a bit grainy.. I'm not sure if this is your intention but it looks like it's *not* intentional even though it probably is. i would put in a gradient type of grain in there where it gradually get's more grainy or something that splits it.. something really that shows it's intentional.

The grain *is* intentional, but it looks a bit weird because I've only done low quality diffusion dither for these samples. This will be cleaned up in the final site.

cowsmanaut wrote: 2. I really enjoy your old logo.. i think it's a great design in itself I much preffer it to your new tests with other fonts.

Me too, as stated above. I think we might have crossed posts and you didn't see my previous comments.

cowsmanaut wrote: 3. I think if you use the old logo that you need your curves to compliment the curve in your log. in your other examples the curve fights against it.

Again, I totally agree. I am goinf to give this a break for abit and then review it and try some designs with the old logo. I don't wanna ditch it!

cowsmanaut wrote: 4. the contrast gained from the white text on the orange/gold is more powerfull than on grey. It makes you notice what is being said much more and I think that's what you want.

I keep switching from one to the other -- I like both, but I think you are probably right.

cowsmanaut wrote: 5. this is just a niggle.. it seems like you are showing a bunch of people in the stree shadowed out and that works as part of a bussiness logo however you have a few that you have turned on their side.. it seems a little odd to me.. could be just a personal thing but I think it would be nicer with a more pure approach by keeping them all upright..

It's a from a picture I took over Christmas, while visiting Tate Modern. It's part of Olafur Eliasson's Weather Project:
http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/exhibitions/eliasson/

And here's my photo (only done on a cheapy point-and-click digital).

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/matt_hill/IMG_2078.jpg

The thing I like about it is the fact that it *has* people lying down looking up at themselves in the mirror ceiling, or standing and waving, or just sitting and chilling... The picture is of the reflection... Might tweak it a bit though based on your comments.

ahh.. modern art...

I thought a few of them looked like cut outs.. i guess they were. It's interesting.. but not to my tastes. So just a personal thing. I'm sure others will love it.. and you can't please everyone.

moo

No, no, no -- the people aren't cut outs! They are real -- the art is the sun and the mirror ceiling, and everyone is looking up at themelves reflected....

Anyway, here's a possible final design with a revised banner that matches the curve of the old logo -- getting there yet?

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/matt_hill/sample16.gif

Now that one is seriously cool

yep that one is pretty nice.. works together well

see, i liek the way that the logo in 12 aparently goes against the undercurve, because iot still matches overall, and is interesting
so i would say 12 actually - the sidebar fills seem like they would be fine with the grey people under, i like the gold swirl at the bottom of the page, the smaller less in your face logo, etc
oh, excepot i like the small gold 'you are here...showcase' on the top of 16 ...i'd add that to 12 : )

but 16 is also good, so go with your preferences! : )

Here's a variation for fuzzface with the gold curved bottom bar. I don't think it works as it's too much with the top gold aswell -- although, due to the amount of info on each page, there's a good chance you won't see them both at the same time and will have to scroll...

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/matt_hill/sample17.gif

I prefer the rounded rectangles in this example. Think I'll probably go with this one, but change the bottom bar to either straight grey (sample16) or curved grey (sample 15).

Thanks to everyone for your input -- has been most useful.

the base - it isn't too much, but doesn't match with the rectangle hapes just above the central page, so go with the plain grey base : )
i agree about the rounded rectangles for buttons

and you linked sample16 again, not sample17 btw!

Here's a probable final design, with a longer simulated front page so you can see how the scrolling affects top and bottom bars:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/matt_hill/final.gif

OK, this is the one I am going to use. I ditched the picture completely -- it was too much really. Now it's just the 'explosion' effect and a few other minor changes. Thanks to all for their comments and help, it was most useful:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/matt_hill/finalnopic.gif

<whine mode> but i liked the people...</whine>

nice, hope everyone is suitably impressed!

I preferred 1 over all the others (even if it's too late now) because the impression I have is that of speed when I look at the lines in the top picture and at the same time it has a professional, solid appearance.

The colours are too light for my personal taste now, but never mind that.

Regards, PitD

I still ike 1 too, but it is just too dark for what I wanted. I'll probably use it for one of my future clients -- at least none of this stuff will be wasted -- I hope!

No I don't think so either. At least by now you have a whole lot of opinions on the variations and can use them for different purposes according to the feedback and your own experience.

Regards, PitD

Ok people, here's a final sample converted into a webpage. Nothing works yet except the Links link, but I'd be grateful of any final comments. I'm really happy with this now, and am looking forward to getting all the content in there.

http://www.resonantedge.com/sample/

Nice site. I like it.

nothing to add, i agree with andy : )

Yes, it gives a good first impression and looks great. About the only thing I did not like was the small picture for "stuff" at the very bottom - but that's just my taste. Good stuff!

Regards, PitD

Um. One thing: When I click on the "read more" of the DM Codex I get the same page again - no visible changes. Anything I'm doing wrong?

Regards, PitD

Everything's self targetting in the site for the moment, as far as i can see : )

Well it's just the design I should have thought about that. All right Gambit, I think the answer is evident now ;o)

Regards, PitD