Post by Lich Yoshi von Kippo on Jan 25, 2007 5:40:28 GMT -5
I'm strongly considering a redesign for my website (click the banner at the bottom), as I believe it's due for such, and it's starting to look quite tired regardless. However, I'm unsure how I should do it exactly. I've been thinking of incorporating more Flash into the site, namely, integrating all of the "menu" pages into one Flash interface - if so, I'd then decide if I'd make it all contiguous (i.e. accessible all at once, but loading all at once) or sectioned (i.e. each "section" loads individually). However, I've been told that CSS would be a good idea too, so now I don't know what I would do. I do have Dreamweaver and I will be teaching myself how to use it, so I guess anything is possible
So, I'm letting you guys decide, since my visitors tend to be people in the Yoshi Community. I apologise for the cross-posting between here, the Aurorium and my dA journal, but I'm trying to gather as much opinion as possible. I ask you to please take a look at my site and, keeping an idea of the overall site content, that you choose the option in the poll that reflects which one you think you'd like to see, would be best suited to the site's overall content, or for whatever reason. Each option in the poll is as follows:
#1: I leave the site as it is: HTML with Flash decoration. Basically the "no change" option, it would mean the least amount of work for me as I just continue maintaining the site in its current form. However, I do intend to embed my music into either a Flash-based player or something like Realplayer, and/or employ Javascript to stop caching, so regardless of which redesign option I take, this is a definite.
#2: Greater Flash incorporation: convert all "menu" pages to Flash. This is how I originally envisaged the revamp, where all of the menu pages get converted into a Flash interface; either contiguous or sectioned, as previously discussed, though I'd probably do it more as sections. The problem is, I don't know if sectioning is possible with Flash 6, which is what version I have access to, and the whole sectioning thing is something I've only seen lately. However, all of the actual content would launch in a seperate window, though I endeavour to make that window the same as the one the gateway page. Another problem is that I'd have to learn a lot of coding, but I'm prepared to do that.
#3: Complete Flash incorporation: all menu and content pages are integrated. The whole kit and kaboodle, Flash from here to Timbuktu. It's the option that would create the most work, especially in regards to the Pandoran Dictionary. However, it would allow greater interaction with each area of the site, but for it to work, all areas of the site would need to be sectioned off and as I said previously, I don't know if Flash 6 has that capability, and I'd have to learn the coding. Also, every time I updated, I would probably have to update the entire Flash file, unless sectioning it creates multiple files.
#4: Incorporate CSS with Flash decoration. CSS is a whole new ballgame to me and thus I would have to learn how to use it. However, a lot of the sites out there use it and look quite smart and effective, and it seems a lot easier to encode than Flashifying more of the site - plus, it would stop me having to reload the entire Flash file every time I updated (depending on how the sectioning works). Another problem is that I don't have a vision of the site in CSS at the moment, but I'd be looking at a cleaner-looking design than the one I have currently with bits of Flash here and there and menu panels that don't look quite right.
#5: Total CSS incorporation. This would get rid of the Flash aspects of the site (except for the music section, and I'd create another Flash intro). The main problem with this is my lack of vision at the moment, plus I would have to learn how to do it all. However, it would stop me having to fiddle around with Flash, which is tempramental at the best of times, and I might be able to learn some things which I currently use Flash to take care of for me (such as changing font colour or displaying a sub-menu).
#6: Hey, there's no #6. That's right. You create your own #6 if you have an idea that I haven't thought of.
I value your opinions and comments very highly. Thank you for your time. ^_^
So, I'm letting you guys decide, since my visitors tend to be people in the Yoshi Community. I apologise for the cross-posting between here, the Aurorium and my dA journal, but I'm trying to gather as much opinion as possible. I ask you to please take a look at my site and, keeping an idea of the overall site content, that you choose the option in the poll that reflects which one you think you'd like to see, would be best suited to the site's overall content, or for whatever reason. Each option in the poll is as follows:
#1: I leave the site as it is: HTML with Flash decoration. Basically the "no change" option, it would mean the least amount of work for me as I just continue maintaining the site in its current form. However, I do intend to embed my music into either a Flash-based player or something like Realplayer, and/or employ Javascript to stop caching, so regardless of which redesign option I take, this is a definite.
#2: Greater Flash incorporation: convert all "menu" pages to Flash. This is how I originally envisaged the revamp, where all of the menu pages get converted into a Flash interface; either contiguous or sectioned, as previously discussed, though I'd probably do it more as sections. The problem is, I don't know if sectioning is possible with Flash 6, which is what version I have access to, and the whole sectioning thing is something I've only seen lately. However, all of the actual content would launch in a seperate window, though I endeavour to make that window the same as the one the gateway page. Another problem is that I'd have to learn a lot of coding, but I'm prepared to do that.
#3: Complete Flash incorporation: all menu and content pages are integrated. The whole kit and kaboodle, Flash from here to Timbuktu. It's the option that would create the most work, especially in regards to the Pandoran Dictionary. However, it would allow greater interaction with each area of the site, but for it to work, all areas of the site would need to be sectioned off and as I said previously, I don't know if Flash 6 has that capability, and I'd have to learn the coding. Also, every time I updated, I would probably have to update the entire Flash file, unless sectioning it creates multiple files.
#4: Incorporate CSS with Flash decoration. CSS is a whole new ballgame to me and thus I would have to learn how to use it. However, a lot of the sites out there use it and look quite smart and effective, and it seems a lot easier to encode than Flashifying more of the site - plus, it would stop me having to reload the entire Flash file every time I updated (depending on how the sectioning works). Another problem is that I don't have a vision of the site in CSS at the moment, but I'd be looking at a cleaner-looking design than the one I have currently with bits of Flash here and there and menu panels that don't look quite right.
#5: Total CSS incorporation. This would get rid of the Flash aspects of the site (except for the music section, and I'd create another Flash intro). The main problem with this is my lack of vision at the moment, plus I would have to learn how to do it all. However, it would stop me having to fiddle around with Flash, which is tempramental at the best of times, and I might be able to learn some things which I currently use Flash to take care of for me (such as changing font colour or displaying a sub-menu).
#6: Hey, there's no #6. That's right. You create your own #6 if you have an idea that I haven't thought of.
I value your opinions and comments very highly. Thank you for your time. ^_^
