Please critique my first -Flash 5- page!

[kmar86]

Here's the URL
http://wmc.topcities.com/index.swf

Note* - The page is not fully hyperlinked!
The flash version of my site is incomplete.

flash file size = 67.6 KB
orginal HTML file size = < 30.0 KB

::---------------------------------::>
I also have another question...
Do you think that flash is useful for a multimedia site like mine?

[Jeremy W.]

Link didn't work... Just went to the topcities website...

[Jeremy W.]

Actually, I got it working, had to go to the wmc site first, then add the index.swf.

To be honest I think your site is better as HTML simply because of the amount of data being presented. Flash does not lend itself very well to text, specifically large amounts of SPECIFIC text. Thus, I'd have to say that while your attempt is rather good it's nearly impossible (I add the nearly only so someone won't argue with the point) to pull off this kind of site in flash.

[Justin S]

Well, I'll give you this much: it loads fast! Besides that, it's not all that great. A simple, pretty much outdated spin to open the presentation, then just lots and lots of text (the font doesn't help at all). I think you'd be much better keeping it to HTML, mainly because Flash doesn't really make your presentation any better.

[kmar86]

To be honest I think your site is better as HTML simply because of the amount of data being presented. Flash does not lend itself very well to text, specifically large amounts of SPECIFIC text. Thus, I'd have to say that while your attempt is rather good it's nearly impossible (I add the nearly only so someone won't argue with the point) to pull off this kind of site in flash.

I was thinking the same thing, but I haven't realized it. But I also have another thing in mind: are logos, quotes, et cetera okay for Flash based on what you said?

EXTRA: If you keep track of your site statistics, please answer this: What pecentage of your site's first-time visitors return (my site's percentage is 8%)?

(I asking this to determine if I should even need a review or not)

Thanks!

[Christian]

I think your page has too much content to show it all in a flash movie, at least at this size.

But still, the flash movie load very fast.

It is also possible to realize the page in a flash version.
You just have to keep in mind a few things:

Flash is fully scalable. That means a movie which has the size 300x400 still looks the same when it is shown bigger (also the fonts)!

Also you shouls also create something like a navigation bar. And then you can load single flash movies into the rest of the space. You have to set the loadlevel always one higher than the level of the current shown movie.
This way you can create a really big content, but it doesn't have to be loaded at the start!

The big advantage of Flash is that you can also present streaming sound much better.
Again you can make an own movie for each song and let it load when needed.
Just set as type "streaming audio" and then save it as Flash 4, because Flash 5 streaming audio is a bit buggy and takes way longer until the sound starts!

[delemtri]

Yeah, I think something like a navigation bar of some sort would make it look better. Maybe add a mouseover action to the email me box, if you can - I'm not that experienced with flash. And I don't like the font, but that's an issue of taste, not design really. Good work overall.

[Christian]

Of course you can do mouseover effects!
You can even give them sound!

Some time ago I made a page completly in Flash for my girlfriend.
You can look at it here:
http://parnlovesdeedlit.da.ru

But please don't review it!

[anthony_irl]

Hi,

I viewed your site in IE5.5, Windows 98 SE, 1024x768 res.
I agree with the rest of the guys that your site is presented better in HTML. I run a multimedia site (which will be up for review soon) and find that a combination of both Flash and HTML is best. I use a Flash navigation bar with drop downs and then present the pages with textual information in HTML.

The Flash movie loaded really quick and looks nice but your site has loads of information which, I think, is better presented with HTML. Adding mouseovers to show where users are over a link is also a good idea if you go with the Flash design. Good luck with your site anyway and I'll be in touch as regards a link to your site in the future.

[weirdbeardmt]

I'm assuming you've taken it off cos manually inputting the link didn't work.

Have you gone with the plain html site then!?

[kmar86]

I'm assuming you've taken it off cos manually inputting the link didn't work.

Have you gone with the plain html site then!?

I don't know why it's not there! I didn't delete it!?!
Maybe TopCities doesn't allow flash anymore!?!
I have noticed, however, that down-time on the TopCities server is high.

But anyway, I decided to stick with the HTML.