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Post by Julie on Jul 16, 2009 19:49:44 GMT -6
I said this might happen over the summer... I'm thinking of making a new layout for the site, but I want your input on what kind of layout it should be. The last six layouts or so I've done have used iframes, which is the box, or frame, in the middle of the page where the content loads. I like the way these look, but I don't think it's the most user-friendly type of layout because you're stuck reading out of a fairly small box, and there's a lot of scrolling required. Before that, I used just regular, old-school frames, which are what the 00Carter and Code Blue layouts still use. I can't do as cool layouts with just regular frames, but they are a lot simpler and (I think) more user-friendly. I'm considering going back to a more simple layout for the next one, but I want some input from my site visitors. Which kind of layout do you like best? These are your options again, with examples... 1. iframes www.dreamers-sanctuary.com/main.htmldreamers-sanctuary.com/undead/index2.html2. regular frames www.dreamers-sanctuary.com/00carter/00main.htmlwww.dreamers-sanctuary.com/codeblue/cbframes.htmlWhich do you prefer? Thanks for your input!! |
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Post by A-RokzStalker on Jul 16, 2009 20:35:55 GMT -6
I like the undead one.... there's a lot of blank space, but it feels like the frame is bigger. *shrugs* The 00Carter and CB ones don't have enough room outside the frame.
Is there any way for you to change the size of the frames? *doubtful*
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Post by Julie on Jul 17, 2009 19:11:08 GMT -6
With the iframes (like the current DS and Undead), I try to make the frame as big as I can without requiring too much scrolling. The 00Carter and CB ones, it's just that the page is split into two frames... I try to make the side with the links as small as possible while still looking okay on different screen resolutions, and that leaves as much space as possible on the other side for you to read in. That actually looks like a LOT more room for text than on the iframes, at least on my screen... I guess it probably depends on screen resolution.
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Post by A-RokzStalker on Jul 17, 2009 23:06:39 GMT -6
Actually, I was thinking that it would be better to have the side that scrolls be a bit smaller (00Carter/CB) and the side panel (with the links) larger... is it possible to have a horizontal line instead of vertical? That would help the illusion.
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Post by jellicle on Jul 18, 2009 6:17:31 GMT -6
I actually love Undead's site because it looks a lot like 00Carter and CB and not as limited as the main domain, frame wise. Undead's frame type is quite user friendly as well. Is there a way you can use the same size of frame for DS in the middle?
As Amy said, maybe if you have the links on a horizontal line, it'll give you more space to actually put the layout you want and frames?
I totally suck when it comes to knowing those stuff, so ignore me if I sound stupid, LOL. =)
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Post by Julie on Jul 18, 2009 12:37:16 GMT -6
Actually, I was thinking that it would be better to have the side that scrolls be a bit smaller (00Carter/CB) and the side panel (with the links) larger... is it possible to have a horizontal line instead of vertical? That would help the illusion. So you would prefer less space to view the actual content/read stories in? I'm glad I started this thread, cause I never would have guessed that - I'm the exact opposite LOL. Yes, you can do a horizontal line instead of vertical. That's another option, and I've considered doing that with a new layout also. |
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Post by Julie on Jul 18, 2009 12:41:45 GMT -6
I actually love Undead's site because it looks a lot like 00Carter and CB and not as limited as the main domain, frame wise. Undead's frame type is quite user friendly as well. Is there a way you can use the same size of frame for DS in the middle? As Amy said, maybe if you have the links on a horizontal line, it'll give you more space to actually put the layout you want and frames? I totally suck when it comes to knowing those stuff, so ignore me if I sound stupid, LOL. =) You don't sound stupid; that totally makes sense! Yes, I could make the frame on a new layout as big as it is on the Undead one. I think I made the DS one smaller just so that you'd see most of the layout on your screen at the same time. I would prefer the frame be bigger too, though. The tough thing about the iframe style layout is making it so it looks okay on everybody's screen, based on their screen resolution. I would prefer it take up the whole page, according to what my screen looks like, but if it takes up the whole page on a 1024 x 768 pixel resolution, it will take up MORE than the whole page on an 800 x 600 resolution and make those people have to scroll. So the way it is right now, I think if you're on 800 x 600, it fills the entire screen, and if you're on a bigger resolution, it only takes up part of the screen, and you see more of the background. I think the next layout I do, whether it's iframes or regular frames (looking like iframes still, based on what you guys have said), I'm going to try to keep it simple. I'm thinking of an all black and white layout, cause I've never done one of those before, but I'm kinda waiting around for more new photoshoot pictures before I make anything. |
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Post by A-RokzStalker on Jul 18, 2009 13:27:11 GMT -6
Actually, I was thinking that it would be better to have the side that scrolls be a bit smaller (00Carter/CB) and the side panel (with the links) larger... is it possible to have a horizontal line instead of vertical? That would help the illusion. So you would prefer less space to view the actual content/read stories in? I'm glad I started this thread, cause I never would have guessed that - I'm the exact opposite LOL. Yes, you can do a horizontal line instead of vertical. That's another option, and I've considered doing that with a new layout also. LOL Well, not neccessarily less space to view the content, but with 00Carter/CB it feels like there's not enough room for the links. If it was a horizontal line with the links at the top, I think that might make it look more roomy. With the vertical line, it makes it feel like just like smaller individual sites rather than a main site. If that makes sense... I like the Undead one more than any of the others, to be honest. It feels like the frame is actually part of the site with it blending in. |
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Post by Julie on Jul 19, 2009 2:34:12 GMT -6
Thanks! I like that about the Undead site too. I had a little more freedom with that one, designing it that way from scratch and knowing that I'll probably never revamp it. With DS, there are just SO many pages that I'm kind of stuck with white font on a black background for the actual content... back when the site was smaller, I used to actually go through every page (which includes every chapter of every story...) and change the background and font to fit the new theme, but that got to be too big of a chore, very impractical, so I just made it black and white - figured most any color scheme can work with that. So the chances of it blending in won't work unless my layout is all black too (which might actually work if I do go with a black and white layout this time). But I do like the look of the Undead one, how it's almost seamless.
What kind of got me thinking about this, though, is that I realized, of the four of them, I think my favorite site is the 00Carter one. And it's the simplest layout there is. Code Blue is now the same way, but only cause I lost my little flash navigation thing thanks to Geocities, so I'm back to just text links there. But I love how the 00Carter site looks and how easy I think it is to click through and read on, and it made me wonder if I should go back to the basics with DS too. I'm thinking maybe not though now...
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Post by Julie on Jun 27, 2010 15:58:44 GMT -6
I'm just gonna put this here instead of start a new thread. This thread is from last summer, so it's old. I got the revamping bug again, so I made a new layout for DS. I know it's only been 6-7 months since I changed the layout to the current one, and I still like the current one, but I had a new idea, so I spent several hours last night and today playing around, and this is what I came up with: www.dreamers-sanctuary.com/movielayouttest.htmlThis is online, but not "live" on the site yet; it's just a test version. If you go to dreamers-sanctuary.com, you won't see it up yet. I just want opinions before I decide whether to put it up in place of the old layout. Do you like it? Do you like it better than what's up currently? Does it work okay, and can you read stories on it? (The links will all work if you wanna click around.) Let me know what you think!  |
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Post by Rose on Jun 27, 2010 18:02:01 GMT -6
Personally Julie, I like the movie one better. It looks awesome.
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Post by Julie on Jun 27, 2010 18:19:01 GMT -6
Thanks!
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Post by steffilu on Jun 27, 2010 20:11:38 GMT -6
I like it, looks really good.
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Post by A-RokzStalker on Jun 27, 2010 22:42:25 GMT -6
ba dap ba ba ba I'm lovin' it. (sorry dunno why I felt the urge LOL) Anyway, yeah, I love it!! I dunno how it looks to you on your internet, but on mine it looks kinda small. Just thought I'd point that out. But I do love it. It looks really awesome. |
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Post by Julie on Jun 28, 2010 0:09:41 GMT -6
Thanks guys!
What's your screen resolution, Amy? That's probably why it looks too small or too big. The highest mine will go is 1024 x 768, so I can't see what it looks like on any higher resolution. I always try to make the layout so it will fill the screen on 800 x 600 without making people scroll too much. On 1024 x 768, it takes up most of the screen, but leaves some room on the edges. On anything higher than that, it will look smaller. This layout is wider than the last one but not as long.
I'm thinking of making a simpler, alternate layout with the same theme but just using plain old frames, like the 00Carter site uses, for people with other screen resolutions that don't work as well with the iframe layout, but I haven't gotten around to figuring that out yet.
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