How can I improve my website?

[Al6200]

I'm pretty sure my website is bad...

http://www.al6200.blindstream.net/Main%20Page.htm

I'm just not sure why... I want to make it flashy (it might help if I used more Flash) but I don't want it to be overwhelming.

Note that I am not a professional designer (which should already be pretty clear). I'm more of the programmer type. My favorite language is ActionScript.

Anyway, how can I improve my design?

[nrirureta]

as you admitted yourself your site is pretty bad... :)

to improve your design if you ask me you should probably learn photoshop....
do a lot of web site layout tutorials in photoshop...

you can start here:

http://www.good-tutorials.com/tutorials/photoshop/web-layouts

[Al6200]

Hmmm... photoshop.

I know you can use it to take off people's hair, but I didn't know it really had a big web-design use...

[Theros]

I'd say
1) Learn design
2) Learn CSS/XHTML, that site is not suppossed to be in flash
3) Learn Photoshop like the above, or illustrator, or whatever
4) keep working on it.

[haam]

Hmmm... photoshop.

I know you can use it to take off people's hair, but I didn't know it really had a big web-design use...
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[mikken]

if you can't figure out where to start improving this yourself, i think you might just want to stick with the programming...

Some pointers:
Try to figure out WHY you want a webpage. This is unclear at the moment. When you find out, focus on your primary goals.

You should have some sort of layout, this is completely absent, apart from the fact that you have the header and navigation on top of the page. See how people do it.

Stay away from these colors #ff0000(red), #00ff00 (blue), and #0000ff (green). They never fit. Never.

Your buttons should be a part of something, not standalone graphic elements. If you cant make them fit in a context, just text links may be just as well for your page.

I can see you're using Dreamweaver, so maybe you could look up on some tut's for it, but
if you're a programming dude you should learn html and css instead of fumbling with Dreamweaver. Yes, i hate Dreamweaver and all other wysiwyg crap.

That said, your page could be a cool page if you have the right focus: The annoying rotating orb in your header made me think of the vintage Amiga(?) game Another World. That's a style you could go for; some nerdish programming page. And i mean nerdish in a positive sense.

Edit: Holy crap, i didn't notice at first: Are all the buttons separate flash movies?
A flash movie for just a simple mouseover?

This is where you want to start:
http://www.w3schools.com/html/html_intro.asp
I realize i'm pointing you in the opposite direction of where you want to go, but you GOTTA learn the basics.

[Al6200]

I could do one Flash movie for all the Flash buttons. But for this project, I've been doing it almost 100% dreamweaver. And in dreamweaver, when you create a flash button, it makes it its own SWF.

I could make this whole this one Flash giant SWF, which is a decent option. I certainly know the ActionScript, although I don't have very good aesthetic senses with Flash.

As for a nerdy programming page, I had an idea of adding models onto it, and they periodically switch from wireframe to texture shaded. However I have a feeling I could mess it up.

Actually, making it 100% flash makes a good bit of sense, because that is where the bulk of my programming experience exists. I'll experiment with that a little.

One advantage of the Flash site is I could have like Tetris and all these little games playable on the side while the user is navigating the site (I could of course load the flash into html though).

Is 100% flash a good idea?



The purpose of this site is to make my flash games and movies link somewhere, somewhere that will have ads in the future...

[Al6200]

I own Fireworks, is that as good as photoshop? Almost as good?

[Anogar]

No, Fireworks cannot replace Photoshop. To make your page better, you need to find two buttons.

Button 1: Delete
Button 2: New Document

:wt:

[haam]

No, Fireworks cannot replace Photoshop. To make your page better, you need to find two buttons.

Button 1: Delete
Button 2: New Document

:wt:


LMAO!

..and you got to use that smiley again!

[chrisclick]

That page... Has not got any use... :wt: is it doing in flash?!

[Al6200]

Stop using that smiley. It's not at all relevant.

:wt:: "I'm not relevent".

:puzzled:: "I'm far more relevant".

[Anogar]

See that's the charming thing about smilies, they're open to interpretation. ;)

[ramie]

Fireworks is fine man, the last studio I worked in 'real designers' used it for web layouts and they managed ok with it, lol, it's just a tool or means to an end...

google search for some tutorials like "fireworks web layouts" and keep at it.

http://www.adobe.com/devnet/fireworks/articles/layout_editing.html

[Anogar]

Ramie has a good point, if you get good results of out Fireworks, go for it. It's the end result that matters.

[Al6200]

Hmmm... I don't know if I am acheiving success with fireworks...

I made this:

http://denvish.net/ulf/1156200501_homer.swf

and this:

http://denvish.net/ulf/1156200598_kirk.png

[Templarian]

Fireworks is really better for layout design... really wouldn't recommend it for your photo stuff. Just start going though the kool sites forum here and viewing the web.

Stay far far away from flash till you got the ideas of a site in your head and a nice design drawn up. Then think to yourself (or post it and let us decide), should this be in flash or html/css.

[Al6200]

I'm a pretty bad designer, but I think just drawing up a layout makes a lot of sense before actually building it.

The reason I'd use Flash instead of html/css is that I know Flash. I know very, very little html/css.

[waseem]

i see your trying alot to make it look good with all those effects and filters on the header, what you need to know is that simple looks better, search the net on minimalistic web layouts

[claire25]

As a start, find a site that you like the look of and works well from a useability point of view, and see where they placed everything (menu etc). I'm NOT saying copy the site design or layout - just suggesting you look at lots of different sites to see how good sites do it.

Everybody is right, keep it simple, and stay away from flash with this one! Basic HTML is easy (in my opinion) compared to Flash. You'll pick it up in no time!

Also - get photoshop! You can download 30 day free trials from Adobe. You can't do much in fireworks...

[Pasquale]

oh dear- lets save this one before its too late *oh dear* * http://www.al6200.blindstream.net/3d.htm *

google "css gallery" look at EVERYTHING you can find
and then do ;)

[Al6200]

What exactly can photoshop do in this scenario?

Can it just make pretty patterns for the background or what?

I've read its really good for working with Rasters, but I've never used it. I've seen it do great things in messing with photos.

Oh, can I make beveled orbs in photoshop? Can I make awesome backgrounds? If I could that would be pwnage!

[claire25]

In my humble opinion you should always use photoshop for website design! You can make nice gradients (go the gradients), great backgrounds, alter photos in any way you wish. And yes, you can do bevelled orbs (but i really wouldn't recommend it :worried: ). I'm sorry - I hate bevelling!!

I've seen some good photoshop tutorials on deviant art...

[Al6200]

I don't have the money for photoshop, but I may in the future...

Are you talking bad about beveled orbs?!?:h:

Not cool :td:. If I could make them, every button on every site I make would be a beveled orb/square.

[nrirureta]

sell something and buy photoshop...

[Al6200]

Sadly I don't have anything not essential on my hands worth $600. Although I have $300 and I'm working on a project that should bring in $300+

However I was looking forward to hoarding that money :(

[nrirureta]

oh dear- lets save this one before its too late *oh dear* * http://www.al6200.blindstream.net/3d.htm *

google "css gallery" look at EVERYTHING you can find
and then do ;)

WTF was that ???

:crazy::D