Critique me!

[DanontheMoon]

Hello, All.
I've got a few new things that I've done posted on the LaRC.NASA.gov site, I just want to know what you guys think. There's nothing terribly new or innovative, but I always like to hear input from my peers.

Version 1.0 of a Banner I did:
http://www-calipso.larc.nasa.gov/images/header/lidarbannercurrent.swf

Version 2.0:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/calipso/main/

Little mouse-over diagram of the innards of a Lidar scan:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/calipso/news/First_Light.html

Photo Slideshow:
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/langley/news/researchernews/rn_calipsoslideshow5.30.06.html

Please let me know what you think!
Happy Flashing,
-Dan

[Anogar]

I think they're all pretty bad. :-/ The typography is dull at best, and looks pretty unprofessional. You might try a different font. The rollover one is jumpy and not very user friendly. They need a whole lot of polish. Sorry. :(

[DanontheMoon]

That part isn't my fault - NASA regulations say that I've got to use either Helvetica Neue or Adobe Garamond Pro. If it's for a kids' site, they'll occasionally let me use Kidprint, which is a chore to read, or Comic Sans.
If it were up to me, I'd use Andale Mono, OCR A or Agency FB.. but alas, it won't pass Committee on Media Regulations standards. : (

[DanontheMoon]

What can I do to make my rollovers smoother? I tried using the ease in/ease out, but it still looked janky. Even kicking my frame rate up to 20 or 30 FPS didn't help. I've got a thick skin, but if you could include a suggestion on how I can improve my design, that'd be sweet.

[Anogar]

Helvetica Neue is a great font! Use the condensed versions of the fonts, those are a little more in vogue at the moment. :thumb:

[Anogar]

In regards to the rollovers, right now, they have this weird behavior where they pop right up at the top of rollover, appearing to suddenly pop into place and then suddenly disappear. Its quite distracting, and makes it feel a bit less than clean. I thin it'd be nice if you just made that work a little close to how it should, functioning properly all the time. I would use the method described in this tutorial:

http://www.kirupa.com/developer/mx2004/button_effect.htm

You could also make it all done with Actionscript, but I personally am a fan of the method linked - though many people will tell you that it isn't good. The reason I like it is that it allows for some incredibly complex rollover/out effects that just aren't possible with AS unless you want to use hundreds of lines for your stupid buttons. edit: I just reread that. I didn't mean that your buttons are stupid, I was saying buttons in general, and how easy it is to end up with massive amounts of AS on something as silly as buttons. Hope I didn't offend.

I think it might also be nice to have like a little 'hotspot' circle that signifies to users where these popups are - it's a little hard to use right now, because they just randomly come flinging up out of nowhere.

It's a fine start, they are just in a very awkward stage of development - very much needing polish. :thumb:

[=guinness=]

this is going to sound really rude and or abrasive but you just have to believe that it is done with the most innocent intention:

how did you come to work on NASA's website? are you a coder turned flasher or what?

the flash really needs some work but anogars advice was right on.

[DanontheMoon]

Ow! Damn, I lit my cigarette off that one! I do have a degree in computer art and graphic design. I applied, they liked my portfolio, and I've always wanted to work at NASA. So, here I am. Actually, I'm a video/final cut pro/premiere/combustion/motion/shake/after effects/photoshop/illustrator/quark/Fine arts type guy turned flasher. When I applied, I did tell them that Flash wasn't necessarily my strong suit. But it can be. This is older stuff, from a couple of months ago. As much as I like to work with Flash, my efforts get divided across various platforms. For instance, right now I'm working on an 84" x 136" display in photoshop/illustrator that's going to be displayed at a conference.

This is why I posted this stuff - I do want advice, I want to be the best Flash designer that I can.

[DanontheMoon]

Besides, the one actual Class that I took on Flash was severly lacking in scope and scale - they try to cram a semester's worth of learning Flash into the last eight weeks of the class.

[chrisclick]

^ I was thinking that too... NASA? no this is a joke but then I looked at the site and I was like NASA? wow!

I like the colours that is the most I can say

A little double posting going on there... But who gives.

[matthewjumps]

how about trying to tie ur flash in with the already existent look and feel of the NASA site. while the NASA site's design isnt mind-blowing, it looks clean and professional. Then u have your flash slotted in, completely amateurish (sorry it really is terrible. your not really a web designer and it shows :( )

try and use visual cues from the sites design. youve just wacked the images in flash with cheap nasty rollovers. try and make buttons/text/colors tie in with the nav/content in the HTML area. ie the font in the nav, with the grey and blue block bacgrounds, with the little "+" or "-" symbols. carry that thru in your flash.

and get rid of those stupid green 'clipart' buttons on the gallery. it should be obvious they dont fit into the rest of the site at all.

sorry - just being honest. design-wise theres nothing praiseworthy here at all. i must commend u for how youve picked up the coding side of things well. now just learn to design well and ull be right ;)

[Jolly_Fat_Man]

:thumb: :pleased:
Only about the very last post!

Shinny is in for me so try something to do with gradients and shine burst! :devious:

[DanontheMoon]

Thanks, Jolly. That was actually the first flash thing that I did here. Matthew, your phraseology demonstrates a lack of class, but I do appreciate the suggestions. My paycheck is all the praise I need.

[Anogar]

My paycheck is all the praise I need.
Amen. :thumb:

[matthewjumps]

Matthew, your phraseology demonstrates a lack of class, but I do appreciate the suggestions. My paycheck is all the praise I need. :lol::lol::lol::lol:
phrases i used included "amateurish", "terrible", "your not really a web designer and it shows", and "stupid green 'clipart' buttons". And i stand by them all. class or not - theyre all 100% true.

And that comment about ur paycheck demonstrates the wrong attitude.

I want to be the best Flash designer that I can. the first step for a beginner to getting really good at something is realising we are an amatueur when we start off. fact of life. just remember, just because ur getting paid, doesnt mean ur good. a lot of people getting paid are producing utter garbage.

learn to recognise the garbage - dont fool urself - and u can only get better :thumb:

btw - i would consider a lot of work i have done in the past amatueurish, terrible etc. i am not too proud to admit that. but because i recognise that, i am able to constantly improve myself. and seriously, if someone else tells u your work is amatuerish, then gives u some advice on how to remedy it, just thank em.

[Pasquale]

Its not really the font in this case- its how you use it :)