Topic: Testing a new layout

[avalanch]

I remember people saying some of the pages were slow and it needs a new layout to help ease the loading times.  Also I remember a statement from Jon I think, along the lines of it's important that people get to what they want as fast as possible.

I'm testing out xnview and it's create webpage mode, I also have a different layout in mind for system & game navigation.  Anyways how does xnviews thumbnail to full picture look to you guys?  Does it help you find what you're looking for faster?
http://www.video-game-chat.com/vgmaps/Atlas/DS/

[avalanch]

May not be the prettiest but this would help for system navigation.
http://www.video-game-chat.com/vgmaps/Atlas/index.htm

[Maxim]

While thumbnails and generally splitting stuff up is the right way to go, frames and 90s software isn't the way to be heading. What this site needs is a Web developer and some server side code.

[avalanch]

Thanks, I suppose the style of xnview generated pages make it feel like 90's software but it's actually updated frequently.

Not sure what you mean with server side code unless you're talking about coding a custom software to do it..  Frames... Yeah they don't necessarily need frames but I was testing out xnview to try to get some feedback on it lol.  I have found several good photo galleries from joomla but my issue with those is like with the vbulletin gallery, it doesn't let you see the image in full resolution unless you open the image in a new tab.

I've also been playing around with the now free Microsoft Expression Web.  It's a great wysiwyg tool and pretty unique in that you can move elements around as you please, like moving around pictures to somewhere else & easily linking them.

[Peardian]

I'm going to advise against using purely graphical navigation menus like the system page. Besides hindering the visually impaired, who may rely on screen readers or large text, it also hinders anyone who can't identify the console by image alone. For example, despite me being a huge game nerd, the 3rd and 4th rows to me are all "old computer thing". Not to mention many young kids growing up now probably don't even know what a N64 looked like unless their dad had one laying around, and that certain consoles varied in design by region.

[JonLeung]

I know the site design is antiquated.  It's not going to be a quick fix.  I know I've been saying myself I want to change it, for years now even, but ultimately I want to make it into something that makes it easier/quicker on my end to do the regular submission updates, as time gets more and more scarce.  I'm not going to spend the time and effort to make this look better only to also make updating more complicated and take longer.

What I was thinking though as the directory page gets longer is, if it's not going to change beyond basic HTML, to at least make it more easier to scroll through.  I seem to know where everything is...probably from updating that page each and every time a new game gets added...but I'm sure no one else is as speedy if they weren't using the links at the top.  I should at least somehow make it more than one column.  Or group things based on generation/chronology or something.  Not sure yet.  But that is certainly doable, once I figure out what looks best.