First Flash Site...Thank you Kirupa.com!

[beyondlearning]

hi everyone,

thanks in advance for taking a look at my first flash site. like some of you, my web, flash and graphic design skills are all self-taught. i would have never been able to pull this off without the tutorials and posts on this site.

i'd really appreciate some constructive criticism. my site is supposed to convey my passion for the exotic. i'm prepared to get an ear-load from all you minimalists out there! :)

here goes *deep breath* ... www.samdaimultimedia.com (http://www.samdaimultimedia.com)

[shane-c]

I can tell a lot of time and detail went into this site, and the theme is well-present throughout. You've really done a good job of creating an "environment" in your site. Good work overall, it's a lot better than my first flash site :beer:

- You really should embed the Flash file using swfObject (http://code.google.com/p/swfobject/). It's pretty much the standard, and best method.

- The splash page isn't necessary, especially if you use swfObject. It's just one more hurdle for the user before they see your content. And you really shouldn't specify a browser and resolution, that could turn people away. Try and make your site look good for anyone (I'm on Mac/FF3/1920x1200 and everything works fine).

- Sound. Many people prefer the sound to be off by default, with the option to turn it on. I don't really care either way, as long as the sound isn't too crazy, but it's just something to keep in mind.

- I think your menu could be implemented better. It's placement and appearance aren't very impressive. If you keep its location consistent from page to page, it'll work better, usability-wise. Also, it's in Flash, so the rollovers could be a lot better (nothing out of control, but some subtle animation could go a long way)

- In the about section, as soon as I drag the text scrollbar, it jumps off to the right about 20 pixels for some reason. This also happens in the testimonials section.

- Also in the about section, the icons under "services" are kind of weird. They give me the pointer icon as if they're links, but clicking on them just re-pops-out the little text box. Also, rolling from icon to icon causes that box to pop in and out.

- Your portfolio is a little difficult to scroll effectively. It might be worth looking into a smoother scrolling method. (I know it's totally lame to drop the URL of a site I made, but I can't think of another example of what I'm talking about... So look at westridgecreative.com to see what I mean by smoother scrolling). I do like the way the larger images of the portfolio come up, though.

- In the 'contact' section, it would be nice to also offer your email address, so people don't have to fill out the form if they'd prefer to just email you their own way.

Great start :beer:

[beyondlearning]

I can't thank you enough for your critique, shane-c! I will definitely address all the issues you listed. Took a look at the website you referred me to and I'd love to implement a similar scrolling feature for my thumbnails. Will search for a tutorial on that.

Thanks again :)

[shane-c]

Well, let me know if you can't find a tutorial you like, and I can get you the source file for that scrolling nav.

[Lyraka]

I think your site is great. I respect that you've learned this all by yourself. Excellent work on the bird, snake, tiki setting etc. Two thumbs up! Don't listen to the minimalists. They will only bring you down. Personally, I've about had it with plain, simple and boring sites! Bring on the exotic

[beyondlearning]

Lyraka: thanks for the encouragement! :)

I've since made some adjustments as per shane-c's suggestions. Please take some time to check it out and provide some constructive criticism!

Thanks!