New website header

[Zarel]

Still thinking about the design.

ideas.png

(Drawing with mouse, so my handwriting's worse than usual.)

No poll, since I want you guys to actually write something if you're going to leave feedback.

[Zarel]

Cybersphinx's idea:

hdr.png

[XboxJosh]

Definitely liking Idea 3, keep up the good work!

[Olrox]

I think that the strongest idea behind cybersphinx' design is that all the buttons are together, I'm not sure if it's fine to separate them. Actually, there would be no problem if we have a good hub design that integrates both parts, so they would look more like a single menu rather than two separate things (I don't know if that's the original idea, I know it's just a quick sketch).

Idea 1 makes it somewhat pointless to have hexagonal buttons, which is a nice link between the website and the game, so I think that as it is now, it doesn't look like we are promoting any effects with the distinct shape of the buttons, and if we change the buttons themselves, it'll loose the nice relation to the in-game panel, so idea 1 isn't the best choice IMO.

Idea 2 just centralizes what we have right now, I don't see any nice composition that would make it worthy changing the layout for, in addition to not having the icons, which are very good because they allow people to find things much more easily in future visits (they can have their own color, and will have their own illustration, that's 2 more elements for people to remember "where was that page" - looks lame since it's just 6 buttons and it takes 5 seconds to find & read them, but it makes the interface much more friendly. For example, if your eyes detect a floppy disk, what you'll remember? Most downloadd buttons are green, so I think we can use that. Then you just take a quick look at the first 1 or 2 letters in the text label, and see "Do...", and you're already absolutely sure that it's a download button ) this makes idea 2, and our current layout, not the best choice, thinking logically.

Idea 3 makes good use of the hexagonal shape of buttons, promoting a fit between them that is uncommon and interesting - reminds me of a futuristic design because it tries to end with paradigms (no pun intended). Its labels are nicely positioned as you'll be already loking laft/right at the buttons, you just have to look "a bit more to the left/right" to read it. Its most visible flaw is that the buttons are separated - but I do believe that this can be fixed with the promotion of a connection between them, namely a hub which also contains the logo, but doesn't fill the whole height of the header - it should be something that looks apart from the background, something that serves the purpose to provide a connection between buttons and the logo.

~Olrox

[Berg]

Make the menu look like the game hub!

[Terminator]

I think there is not much difference between current design, Cybersphinx's & 2)point.

I like third one. And if it would be on javaFX or something, with good animation - it wil be super-puper =)
(nice to add a lobbyserver button, because 70% of my visits its only for this feature)

[stiv]

It would be nice if the header did not take up a huge chunk of the page space.

[cybersphinx]

I think there is not much difference between current design, Cybersphinx's & 2)point.

My main idea was to keep the height low, to have room for the actual content, not so much the exact layout. You could center the logo and put 3 tabs on either side, center the tabs+icon vertically, whatever. Just don't stack stuff on top of each other when there's room sideways.

[Saberuneko]

I like idea #3, I think it saves height too...

[Zarel]

It would be nice if the header did not take up a huge chunk of the page space.

Rest assured, it won't take up any more space than it currently does.

[Emdek]

Idea #3 is most original and interesting (but I'm not sure if it should use JavaFX or something like that ).

[Sraer]

Idea 1 appears as though the buttons just float there for no reason, and the hexagonal shape of the buttons doesn't seem to fit in with the rest of the header. Idea 2 is meh, very boring and such. Idea 2 is very user friendly, however, as you can quickly see what tab goes where. Idea 3 creates a nice link between the game and the website.

Cybersphinx's idea adds the link between the game and website while keeping the user friendly design of idea 2.

Personally, I like idea 3 the best. It drew my attention immediately.

I hope my jumbled input is useful.

~Sraer

[Crymson]

Don't most websites have their logo be the home tab?
I don't see a point for the home tab.
I like #3

[Emdek]

Don't most websites have their logo be the home tab?
I don't see a point for the home tab.

+1
But with tool tip.

[Zarel]

Don't most websites have their logo be the home tab?
I don't see a point for the home tab.

Nearly every website has the logo link to home, and also a separate "Home" button. This is because some users don't realize that the logo works as a home button.

Case in point: Facebook.com, the second most popular website on the Internet, as the logo and a separate "Home" button. Google (the first) also kind of does that - it's clearer in some of their other apps, such as Gmail, in which both the logo and the "Inbox" button link to Inbox. Wikipedia has the logo and a "Main Page" link. Yahoo has a "Home" tab for each of their subpages, as well as the logo link.