Can you guys give me input on new site?

[Jon K]

http://www.blowneuroz.com/

The camera deal is because I am pushing a new direction for the site. A sort of "we cover events" type ****.

Like, I am going to be photo manipulating a sticky note onto the camera back that says "blowneuroz - your eyes at all of the hottest euro events" handwritten in pen.

What do you guys think otherwise?

[Blitzkrieg Bob]

Stick to cars, cause that's the common thread

[Omega]

Jon

I don't like it. It's not intuitive, not very clear or obvious as to what you are looking at or expected to do.

The menu buttons are almost hidden and opening with just the camera shot (i.e. no image in the view finder as a clue) just made me think why is there a picture of a camera on this site. Then I saw the "under construction" sign and left on the first visit.

The previous site was much, much better for me although I hate framed (or iframed) sites it was more "obvious" to the casual observer.

[Jon K]

I am trying to push for something atypical run of the mill top middle bottom frame. This is JUST started, as of this afternoon. I am intended to add some photo manipulation implying the direction for the site, but I am looking for general quality not so much concept right now, as I know its a little foreign if you take it at face value.

[BFEINZIMER]

its clever, but too complacated for the old man using his computer...trust me my dads 66 and its hard enough lol

liek i sid tho clever but too small in relation to the entirre camers size adn just a little too complex

i hope i dident make a type oim typin blind lol

[Omega]

I am trying to push for something atypical run of the mill top middle bottom frame. This is JUST started, as of this afternoon. I am intended to add some photo manipulation implying the direction for the site, but I am looking for general quality not so much concept right now, as I know its a little foreign if you take it at face value.

Well, that's OK then. Jon you take a real nice picture of a camera. Well done.

But as a web site it stinks. Don't patronise me I write sites for a living and ones that are "foreign" and "concept" don't tend to last long or generate income.

[Jon K]

Well, that's OK then. Jon you take a real nice picture of a camera. Well done.

But as a web site it stinks. Don't patronise me I write sites for a living and ones that are "foreign" and "concept" don't tend to last long or generate income.

I redo our website about every 4 - 6 months on average. Right now, we're looking for something other than the typical "oh, thats a car club website."

You'll see :)


Added post it note - ignore my poor writing, I am going to have my sister or girlfriend re write it later.

[Macv]

The concept is nice. I wish you had more member pics/videos though.

I constantly check out your page/forum for updates and such, so anything is cool.

[Jon K]

The concept is nice. I wish you had more member pics/videos though.

I constantly check out your page/forum for updates and such, so anything is cool.

No worries I plan on building another PHP gallery similar to my personal gallery that will allow members to upload images of what they're working on. I haven't updated my page for a long time.

[Omega]

Jon, how about this then?

I like the image overlay on the LCD screen when you hover the menu buttons, so to make it more obvious why not display the images (forum, members etc..) in the viewfinder screen on a loop with a 3 second delay? Then make the image a link so clicking the image takes you to the page. You could then make the button on the left change colour at the same time, showing the link between the navigation button and the image.

I personally don't like the navigation as you have it (google "mystery meat navigation" for more) but the image is growing on me.......

[LunatiC]

I'm not sure how kindly you will take criticism Jon, either good or bad, so I'm just going to say what I think, and it's up to you whether you do something to improve the site, or continue in your own direction.

Having said that, I too am in the business of designing and developing websites and the like, and have been for at least all of this decade. Omega is right in his opinion about your site, very mystery meat navigation indeed. Your ideas about the design is different from typical car clubs which is good, but the execution of it is nothing new. I did sites like these when I was still in high school about 10 years ago, and that was the first thing I thought of when my browser loaded your site.

You probably aren't really interested in usability and accessibility aspects of a website (since I am a developer, I get excited about these concepts) so I'm not going to preach to you on those fronts. However if you want to attract more people to your site, you will need to look into some basic Search Engine Optimisation (SEO -- google it) to improve your rankings in the search engines. I know that it's still early days yet, but it wouldn't hurt to keep this in mind.

Having not seen your previous site, nor any other aspects of the redesign, there doesn't seem to be much connection with anything really. No distinguishing logo (kinda like brand awareness) and the switching images you have on the 'LCD screen' are a little tacky. Readability for the 'Video' image is poor, and in your code, the whole site is a bunch of table tags with no real content (bad for SEO). If and when your site goes live and Google picks it up, since there is no textual information at all on your "front page" (assuming this mock up will be your first page of your site), Google won't really be able to reliably connect your site against sites similar to yours. This means someone searching for "euro turbo pics" has a less chance of coming across your page.

All in all, this design would be OK for an arty-farty uni student concept portfolio site (you know the ones, that don't make any sense and break any and every unspoken rule about decent web design), but your plans for your site from what I can see do not suit the design you have made. Nothing really revolutionary about a forum, a bunch of pics and links.

My 2c.

[genphreak]

It is often said; Innovate or stagnate...

Jon, keep it up. U r right on with changing things regularly, tho its not always planned :p it keeps things vital. The rest of us seldom really get what anyone else is trying to achieve with a concept site, unless it is all in context- and even then... anyway- it's what's in your head that counts.

It's good to see members doing their **** online, the stuff you get up to and share with everyone is absolutely fantastic.

One thing I know is that if everyone thinks its OK, no one will like it, and if noone hates it, not many will think its good...

Personally I like the fact that you try to make your stuff relatively original, and succeed most of the time. Keep it up!

[attack eagle]

I have to agree with the above.

It's a fun idea, but it will very quickly become a PITA.

I have to say, I hate the olive drab website.

[whiskychaser]

I have to say, I hate the olive drab website.
Didnt like the background colour either but the forum page was bright and attractive. I liked the way the different pics appeared in the view finder when you scrolled up and down the menu. When I first clicked on it, it didnt open full page so I coudnt see the view finder :( . It didnt smack me in the face and say, "hey look, this is what Jon does and its cool". I was really pleased about that

[Jon K]

It is often said; Innovate or stagnate...

Jon, keep it up. U r right on with changing things regularly, tho its not always planned :p it keeps things vital. The rest of us seldom really get what anyone else is trying to achieve with a concept site, unless it is all in context- and even then... anyway- it's what's in your head that counts.

It's good to see members doing their **** online, the stuff you get up to and share with everyone is absolutely fantastic.

One thing I know is that if everyone thinks its OK, no one will like it, and if noone hates it, not many will think its good...

Personally I like the fact that you try to make your stuff relatively original, and succeed most of the time. Keep it up!

thanks a lot!

I keep things rotating and that often gets me in trouble (broken links from old write-ups, etc) but I have a complex where **** can't stay stagnant for long. I formatted my PC to Vista on friday, decided saturday i couldn't make the switch over yet and went back to xp, formating my stuff frequently helps me stay fresh.

the site is done now (with the exception I might have my girlfriend write the note so its a little easier to read haha). I figured out how to code the buttons to depress (roll over) and the image to change in the LCD (disjointed roll over) and swap to the "LCD OFF" screen between - pretty sick.

Anyway, I am very content with it - it's fresh to me.

[BMWDriver]

I kind of like the concept. Another camera might do better though - with a bigger LCD. But, it's a modded cars site... put one in the background out of focus? Well, that wouldn't work the way it is.

Your handwriting is not bad. It gives a personnal touch.

It's bold. That's good in my books.

[Booster]

I think its a great start/change. Maybe the "post-it note" could read...."Living vicariously for your eyes"??:p
Or a quick flash player of your turbo car doing a slow mo burnout drift to some cool music to match ?
But what do I know......I can't even get ANY of my video sound to come through anymore ?!!:(
Vinny


http://www.blowneuroz.com/

The camera deal is because I am pushing a new direction for the site. A sort of "we cover events" type ****.

Like, I am going to be photo manipulating a sticky note onto the camera back that says "blowneuroz - your eyes at all of the hottest euro events" handwritten in pen.

What do you guys think otherwise?

[Macv]

Why not mod a camera with alcantara and a turbo, and use it....

j/k ignore me.

[Tiger]

Font sizes are too small... for those of us with aging eyes. Make it dynamic sizing or something that can be user controled via IE font option size.

I think the size of your frames are on the smaller side due to the news frame... which does not need to be on every single page.

[Jon K]

Font sizes are too small... for those of us with aging eyes. Make it dynamic sizing or something that can be user controled via IE font option size.

I think the size of your frames are on the smaller side due to the news frame... which does not need to be on every single page.

you're looking at the old website.


anything with a green page is old. the main page and forum are new.