graforlock.com

[beneath:the:sky]

This is a website for my friends band that was designed by one of the band members, I just did the Flash/programming. I'm just about finished with it but wanted to hear any suggestions anyone may have to add to the site. They are a thrash/grind band, hence the offensive content. Any and all comments are appreciated.

Warning: Offensive content/loud music

http://www.graforlock.com

[Ryall]

whoa... their playin at Saddle Back college in Mission Viejo... I grew up like a block from that school....

The site is OK, but then again its not a style I really like. Two things that would really help improve it:
1) ditch the pop-up, ditch the pop-up, ditch the pop-up ;)
2) It would really benifit from some transitions between sections.
3) Preloaders for individual sections would be nice... Im getting a blank area for a bit then the content just pops in.
4) Why do you have to make the nav menu go away in each section... it would be nice if you left it flating there or put it elsewhere in the subsections.

Peace

[beneath:the:sky]

Thanks for the suggestions, Ryall.

1) ditch the pop-up, ditch the pop-up, ditch the pop-up ;)
I know a lot of people hate pop-ups but that's the way they wanted it. I may test it in a normal browser window and see how it looks.


3) Preloaders for individual sections would be nice... Im getting a blank area for a bit then the content just pops in.
The reason I can't make preloaders is because they wanted the effect of having the freezer open and close between sections. I was trying to figure out a way to do that plus have transitions but couldn't come up with anything. The reason the content just pops in is because they are text files loaded externally... is there anywhere to preload those?

Keep the suggestions coming :thumb:

[Ryall]

the fridge open/close thing is easily accomplished using external swf's and some simple AS.... are you using external swfs for each section in this version?

And yeah you can do it for the text... you need to run a check if loaded script on the MC your loading it into.

Peace

[Ryall]

another ? are you using URLencoded text or XML or something else?

[beneath:the:sky]

No I'm just using one swf in this version. I know how to use external swfs but thought it would be more effective with one because when the freezer is open it covers the text area. I'm just trying to think of a way to have external swf's without having freezer disappearing between sections.

For the text I'm using external .txt files with HTML formatting. What do you mean by URLencoded? If I could use XML, I would prefer that but I haven't really got much into it yet. I'm going to look for a tutorial on kirupa for XML external text.

Thanks for helping me out :)

[Ryall]

No prob.... as far as keeping the freezer door there... easy.. you put that into your main or controler swf and have your content swfs load over it, also have your transition animation of the freezer in the main as well.

I wouldn't use XML for this if your not already... thats opening up a huge can o worms and you have to be pretty good with AS... plus there really isnt enough content to warrant the extra work... Id stick with the method youre using (which uses urlencoded text ;) ).

[beneath:the:sky]

Okay cool, I know what you're saying. Just to make sure I understand...say you're in the links area with the 'finger' and you click on a section say 'shows'... I would have that button load the shows.swf and also tell it to go to the frame that shows the freezer closed? I think I got it down but let me know if that's what you're thinking.

Thanks again, you rule.

[Ryall]

Actually I would do it a bit different cuz you dont want the preloader to show before the door is shut....

Make the MC of the door. Then on (release) on the menu buttons have that animation play. Here's the trick: also have it set a var, something like loadWhich to (this is just an example, you'll have to do it to match your files) "news.swf"

Then at the end of the closing door animation put a loadMovie(loadWhich, "target");

That way the door closes, then it loads the swf for the section that was clicked on.

Feel free to ask questions, hope thats clear to you.

Peace

[beneath:the:sky]

Awesome, that somewhat makes sense. I'll give it a shot and probably have to ask questions as I go along. Will you be around the forums later tonight?

[Ryall]

I should be around.

[beneath:the:sky]

the fridge open/close thing is easily accomplished using external swf's and some simple AS.... are you using external swfs for each section in this version?

And yeah you can do it for the text... you need to run a check if loaded script on the MC your loading it into.

Peace

Hey Ryall... I'm going to be working on the changes a bunch this weekend and was curious was this the "check" you were talking about in the text script? The code below is what I'm using.



loadText = new loadVars();
loadText.load("your_txt.txt");
loadText.onLoad = function(success) {
if (success) {
// trace(success);
textBox.html = true;
textBox.htmlText = this.myNews;
}
};


on the...

if (success) {
textBox.html = true;
textBox.htmlText = this.myNews;
}

is there a way to put an else statement in there that will say something like "loading content" until the text loads in? Don't know if I'm going about it the right way. Thanks again for your help, man.

[Ryall]

Yeah thats what i was talkin' 'bout...

Here's how to add an else:
if () {
yada;
} else if () {
yada;
}

;)

Peace

[lunatic]

although you don't need the if() after the else unless you want to throw in another condition ;)

one condition

if(condition){
//do something
}
else {
//do something else
}


two conditions

if(condition){
//do something
}
else if(another condition){
//do something else
}
else{
//do the third thing
}


You can have as many else if's as you like although if you are going to have more than 2 conditions you might as well write a switch/case statement which is way cleaner and faster to execute (relatively).

:hr:

[Ryall]

yes that is true... you dont need another 'if'... it just allows for more control, as a simple else statement will be executed no matter what if the first if returns false.

Peace

[beneath:the:sky]

Thanks for the response guys. Would something like this work?


loadText = new loadVars();
loadText.load("your_txt.txt");
loadText.onLoad = function(success) {
if (success) {
textBox.html = true;
textBox.htmlText = this.myNews;
}
else if (another condition) {
textBox.text = "Loading text...";
}
else {
textBox.text = "Text failed to load";
}
};


???

Sorry I'm a total AS newbie so it takes me a little bit to get this stuff. Thanks :)

[beneath:the:sky]

Eh?