New website header

[Sekmeton]

Idea #3 of course... but what about making it look like this:

[Olrox]

Idea #3 of course... but what about making it look like this:

I've already propposed that some time ago, in a topic about the whole site itself - I'm not sure if it would be best disposed like that, right now. The logo should be on the middle, IMO, but the buttons should also be centered or stacked together in a menu, on either side. Since we are going for hexagonal buttons, why not place them around the logo, all in the middle? I'm still with alternative 3
It looks aestethically well-composed as well as intuitively correct, even providing a nice meaning just as making the in-game panel a menu for the website, but it doesn't give up on either aspect, on the contrary of the other options (which are good in some aspects but not good in others).

A good word to define what I really think about alternative 3 is Balance

~Olrox

[Zarel]

Idea #3 of course... but what about making it look like this:

Erm, that has no Warzone logo. And the words "Home", "Download", "FAQ", etc aren't visible, and it's difficult to tell which is which.

I mean, I've seriously considered making it resemble the Warzone reticule, but clearly I didn't end up doing that, because I couldn't figure out a way to do it without making it hella ugly. You're welcome to try yourself, but that is not a try.

[Olrox]

Idea #3 of course... but what about making it look like this:

You're welcome to try yourself, but that is not a try.

Ouch

~Olrox

[KenAlcock]

While I do like the idea of using the WZ reticule (or option 3), unfortunately the design is quite limited, as it can only facilitate 6 main site areas. If other main areas are added later, the motif breaks down because there is no place to put a link to another main area.


Q: Where in this new site design will be the tab or button that takes users to the new area Zarel is working on for downloading maps, mods, et cetera?

I forget what this area is actually called, or it's address and right now I can't even find the thread that links to it. But, IMO, it deserves a prominent tab or button in the site motif.

[Olrox]

Q: Where in this new site design will be the tab or button that takes users to the new area Zarel is working on for downloading maps, mods, et cetera?

I forget what this area is actually called, or it's address and right now I can't even find the thread that links to it. But, IMO, it deserves a prominent tab or button in the site motif.

That's the "Addons Page", it's nice that you've reminded that. Perhaps it could be merged into the "downloads" page?

~Olrox

[Zarel]

Hrm. It's gonna be a separate tab. I'm thinking of just doing the boring layout 2, precisely so I can have more than six tabs.

Home | About | Addons | FAQ | Help | Forums | Development

"Download" won't be a tab. Maybe it'll be a button off to the right.

Maybe "FAQ" shouldn't be a tab? It could instead be a prominent link on the Guide and homepage...

(btw: Welcome back, Ken!)

[Olrox]

Hrm. It's gonna be a separate tab. I'm thinking of just doing the boring layout 2, precisely so I can have more than six tabs.
(...)
Maybe "FAQ" shouldn't be a tab? It could instead be a prominent link on the Guide and homepage...

Hmm, well, if you want to make it with the second layout, I guess the choice's yours - it certainly won't be worse than the current layout. I think it's a pity to give up on layout 3, since it looks so great.

The FAQ and the Guide are both linked in the "Help" tab, therefore, I think there isn't a good reason for the FAQ to be a separate tab (a FAQ is only useful if you're looking for help, isn't it?).

After all, I'm wondering if we couldn't have a fixed menu with the 6 buttons for the major areas of the site, and have the other minor areas in separate buttons.

Anyway, if we are still sticking to the "tabs" layout, I think we should have Icons in the sides of the buttons, so that the logo can be placed over the tabs without too much loss of vertical space. Icons would be great, since they would add an extra "reminder" for the users and provide some nice looks. If they are made in the hexagonal shape, in the same style than the in-game reticule buttons, we can still mantain a bit of the relation between the site and game.
But hell, I don't know for sure why I speak such things. Who do I think I am?

~Olrox

[Zarel]

Hrm.

- Home
- About
- - About the game
- - Screenshots
- - About Us
- - Contact
- Help
- - Guide
- - FAQ
- - Reference
- - Walkthrough
- - Advanced
- Forums
- Development

I think sub-tabs would look better if we had tabs... ugh. We'd obviously have icons, although I'm not sure if we should have hexagons anywhere. I don't think "over the tab" looks that nice, but next to the tab, or subsuming the tab might be better... Meh. I'd probably give up trying to include the interface at this point. The hexagons in design 3 are nice, but could be confusing for a new user. As cool as they are, I think we need to err in favor of usability.

[Emdek]

Hexagons shouldn't be a problem for users, tool tip with description is enough.
Subpages could be shown as hexagons (maybe smaller?) around hovered icon.

[Saberuneko]

Hexagons shouldn't be a problem for users, tool tip with description is enough.
Subpages could be shown as hexagons (maybe smaller?) around hovered icon.

Yeh! Something like while opening a directory tree, but following hexagonal directions. ^^

[Zarel]

Hexagons shouldn't be a problem for users, tool tip with description is enough.

There's a reason no other website uses hexagons. It's because tooltips with descriptions aren't enough.

[Emdek]

Hexagons shouldn't be a problem for users, tool tip with description is enough.

There's a reason no other website uses hexagons. It's because tooltips with descriptions aren't enough.

I can't agree but maybe we can have kind of settlement.
What about hexagons and texts next to them (mostly like in mockup, with no changes)?
It also looks good (at least for me) and should be not a problem for users.

[Zarel]

It's better (and was what I was originally planning), but it still seems like it could confuse a new user.

Anyway, I have my reasons for sticking with tabs. Subpages shouldn't be shown as hexagons around the hovered icon; there's not that much space, and I want subpages of the currently active tab to be visible at all times. And having icons as hexagons and subpages as tabs screws with mental models too much. Plus, tabs means more of the header's background is going to be visible (and I'm planning on using screenshots for the header background). Plus, tabs are easier to scan through, and easier for a new user to figure out.

[Olrox]

I've got an idea. Wth mouse over, the other buttons gray-out and the current button is still colored, perhaps slightly lit. Then, a sideways menu with the sub-sections opens horizontally, and the label is shown at the end of the menu - using... Should I continue?

P.S: I agree that simple tool-tips are not good, as they cause seek-and-find need, which is annoying all the way around

~Olrox