Most links are still non-functional, but I need to get opinions on layout, colors, load time, and feasibility, that sort of thing.
The one area that is mostly functional is the “Our League” area. Granted mostly means 50% but this area will give you an idea of how I will handle the other areas.
So take a look and don’t hold back, just try to make it constructive.
Thanks
Michael
------------------
World National Fantasy Basketball Association
www.wnfba.com
Nice site - took about 75 sec to load (48000bps) so a little slow.
I like the general appearance of the site though have the follwing suggestions:
1) The blue behond each of the isyndicate headers would fit better is it was the same blue as what you have on the header and the left hand column - otherwise its like whoa! where did that blue come from.
2) Left hanb column I'd reduce the two graphics by about 30% and reduce column width etc respectivly - I don't really care what is on the cover of the magazine - all I need to know is what magazine it is. people could always click on the image to receive a larger one.
3)The header bar (est 92 etc) need not be as tall as it is as your menu bar already overruns it - I'd reduce it by about 30% in height
4) I really like the menu bar - clear and easy to read - self explanatory, though I'd change "WNFBA Site" to "Home" as when I read it I innitially thought it was a link to a different site (I'm not at all familiar with B'ball so the acronyms mean nothing to me - sorry :-))
5) When I folled the link to "Our League" there were too many different font sizes and colours - narrow it down. for instance why is
"All WNFBA news is managed by" in green?
6)Also on that page the navigation bar was about 3 pixels wider than the blue bar you have behind it.
7)Back on the home page, I think if you rounded the corners on the blue left hand box it would sit better with the pics inside it as they also have rounded corners.
Hope you see some of the above as at least a little constructive!
Site took 60 seconds to load (56k modem). Graphic weight is probably to large...isyndicate content seemed to come in at a reasonable time but top and side graphics loaded slowly. I am using a 17" monitor and had to side scroll about a half inch so you might consider drawing the site in a little. Good navigation!
No problem with loading here. 6 seconds (have T1). Looks like a rather professional fan site to me.
You're asking about colors well maybe you should try to harmonize all the blue and purple hues on the starting page for a "cleaner" look. (I'm a scandinavian minimalist ;-))
Of course putting up a new site is a time-comsuming job but i definitely feel that the "contacts" page has high priority (if i wanted to send you comments had I been an ordinary surfer) so if I was you I would put that up immediatelly.
My opinions only, realizing they differ from some of already posted.
1) I understand that the site is under major construction and that you're using Javascript navigation (most likely), but all the empty pages and 404s were frustrating. Though I started in the areas you suggested, all the links soon led out to empty areas. I wouldn't "launch it" with ANY empty pages -- I'd pull the links out instead....
2) The cascading menus are "slick" but personally I'd like a bit more contrast between the colors used for backgrounds.
3) Not sure what the pattern or watermark is in the banner, but when I saw it on other pages, it looked like screen artifacts or "dirty graphics."
4) You certainly use a lot of real estate with the items for sale on the left. I'd reduce their size.
I wanted to thank all of you who have posted your opinions.
I really appreciate your insights. I do agree the adds on the left are a bit big, I will decrease them a bit. I also agree the navigation is a slick little tool created by Brattlis. It is one of the nicest I have seen and again thank him for this work. I think I am going to modify the colors in it just a little to give it more contrast. I made the mast below the menu the size I did so the navigation menus would not run over text of the page, but the mast is a large and slows the loading of the page.
Sorry for all the 404s on the site, but I wanted some opinion on the overall layout before I wrapped up the rest of the content.
So again thanks to all whom have posted. You have been kind and constructive.
Take care.
Michael
------------------
World National Fantasy Basketball Association
www.wnfba.com
I agree with some of the earlier comments...it'd be best to not use slightly different shades of the same color (blue). The purple swirly background is a bit odd, but doesn't look too bad.
I like the DHTML menu there, although I would recommend using some "cooler" colors...black, red, white, something like that...purple and blue look sort of goofy to me.
Great loading time...solid site.
------------------ Chris Bowyer MyCoding.com: Under Construction!
"I'm not an insomniac, I'm a web designer."
Bookmarks