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kestu -> New Site (1/25/2007 11:13:55)

Hey guys - with a lot of help from the guys here, my site is relatively close to be ready to go. I'm preparing to launch around the middle of February.

Right now there is a problem with the front page requesting username/password, but if you click cancel you can navigate around fine. I need to get some help with that, but have been unable to figure it out via these boards, the hosting company, etc., etc.

So, once you get around that problem let me know what you think about the site in general.

Thanks in advance.

www.thebaseballjunkie.com



darkstar_tfd -> RE: New Site (1/25/2007 13:34:14)

The site looks nice in general, but

- I think you can create a better logo;
- your background image is not so great.
- add a flat background for the menu in the footer

Else the site looks promising. Good luck with it.

Regards,
Dks.



lektrikpuke -> RE: New Site (1/26/2007 19:21:26)

I think it looks pretty good. Of course, I like baseball. I would change the baseball image to a gif and make everything that is not the baseball transparent (would make it a little nicer). I like the background image (the grass). I would do the same for the image in the center of the page, too. It kind of looks like cellophane or something somewhat translucent. You might change the click here! color. It's hard to read. Other than that, nice site!



Minix -> RE: New Site (1/28/2007 1:59:40)

kestu,

I'm not a fan of the design as it is.

The background, color scheme, readibilty and overall texture really turned me off. My eyes started to bleed trying to read those long white texted paragraphs on that green background. I certainly wouldn't give any of my money to a site that looked like that.

I'd probably tone it down a bit and go with a more conventional, old-style baseball theme and make it as easy to read as possible. You will be doing the baseball stat freaks a big service if you did,

Maybe build on something like this as your banner/logo and go from there?

PLAY BALL

Good luck with your site.




kestu -> RE: New Site (2/15/2007 10:30:16)

Hello everyone - I made some changes based on the feedback I received - let me know what you think? I have a new logo, and the background is now white, so it's hopefully a bit easier on the eyes.

www.thebaseballjunkie.com



Minix -> RE: New Site (2/15/2007 14:21:19)

It's getting there.

In Firefox you have some cell padding and alignment problems with some of the text and the logo is a bit pixalated.

It looks like you created a large logo and then downsized it without re-sampling the image, giving it that fuzzy around the edges look.



d a v e -> RE: New Site (2/15/2007 16:14:33)

new logo is better but it needs resizing and works better as a gif (attached)

don't use italic text for everything!

white background is better

blue link colour is boring - how about the red from the stitching in the baseball or the green from the footer?/logo

[image]local://upfiles/5827/C8B1FFDFBBB748888F5B45254DC62BBD.gif[/image]



kestu -> RE: New Site (2/15/2007 21:15:05)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Minix

It's getting there.

In Firefox you have some cell padding and alignment problems with some of the text and the logo is a bit pixalated.

It looks like you created a large logo and then downsized it without re-sampling the image, giving it that fuzzy around the edges look.


You are good - that's exactly what I did.



kestu -> RE: New Site (2/15/2007 21:21:07)


quote:

ORIGINAL: d a v e

new logo is better but it needs resizing and works better as a gif (attached)

don't use italic text for everything!

white background is better

blue link colour is boring - how about the red from the stitching in the baseball or the green from the footer?/logo

[image]local://upfiles/5827/C8B1FFDFBBB748888F5B45254DC62BBD.gif[/image]


Thanks for the tips Dave - I changed the logo and the link color and the italic fonts - let me know what you think...

I have received some feedback that the site is TOO white - what do you think?



Minix -> RE: New Site (2/16/2007 12:27:24)

It is too white.

Maybe try moving your topper banner/cell to make it flush with the lower white one.

It looks off centered and top heavy as it is.

I think you need some more baseball type images/graphics sprinkled into the body/text.

If not the small photos like in my example above, maybe some silohuette figures in different baseball poses?



Minix -> RE: New Site (2/17/2007 14:05:25)

I see a hockey puck when I look at the logo. Imagine when your successful and you get to sell logo'd gear and paraphenalia for your enterprise. That's kind of bland on a hat or t-shirt or mug.

Anyway, I played around a little more and came up with this version. Kind of breaks up the white, which you seem to like.

FOUL BALL

Your banner is wasting a lot of space - space that could be used to brand your identity and sell your product and service. It's the most valuable real estate on your site. Maximize it!

My version still has a bit too much white for me - I'd recolor my banner background too a matching scheme. If I had more time



OK, enough playing with your site. Good luck in the upcoming season. What do you expect from A-Rod?



slohrenz -> RE: New Site (2/17/2007 17:48:24)

You need some padding between the Mr. Beer add and the center column. (Match the buttons and flathead.com sticker) I get a nice center mass with a protruding lump of beer commercial.



Minix -> RE: New Site (2/17/2007 20:18:40)

ketsu,

Your new banner is 167K. You need to start understanding load times and top fold imagery on your pages if you want to sell your product/service.

I showed this site to people at a sports bar today - people that do fantasy sports. They said "no way" would I pay money to that site.

Seriously, if you expect people to buy your thing, get into the game.



d a v e -> RE: New Site (2/18/2007 2:44:14)

and it's resized but not proportionally too!

i thought the version minix did looked pretty spot on, if still a little white ;)



kestu -> RE: New Site (2/18/2007 21:34:30)

You guys caught the banner when I was playing around with a few things. Thanks for the time you spent reviewing. It's still a work in progress...

I appreciate the feedback - I realize I need to get more images on the site. That's my next step. Speaking of which - which sports bar to you go to with an internet connection?? I thought that was just for coffee houses!? :)

As for ARod - I think everyone will be happy with what he does this year....except Yankee fans....



Minix -> RE: New Site (2/18/2007 23:45:28)

quote:

ORIGINAL: kestu

You guys caught the banner when I was playing around with a few things. Thanks for the time you spent reviewing. It's still a work in progress...

I appreciate the feedback - I realize I need to get more images on the site. That's my next step. Speaking of which - which sports bar to you go to with an internet connection?? I thought that was just for coffee houses!? :)

As for ARod - I think everyone will be happy with what he does this year....except Yankee fans....


kestu,

I design and maintain web sites for 5 different sports bars, including one at the Arizona Diamondbacks ball park. One of the places has wi-fi connectivity and it is very popular, especially during NFL games because people follow their fantasy players while watching all the games. People always bring their laptops in.

I've also designed some football fantasy sites, golf course sites and a high school basketball team site.

Since this is a quasi-hobby for me, I pick and choose the type of sites that I do and tend to focus on sports themed sites.



kestu -> RE: New Site (2/19/2007 8:57:43)

Interesting - I have 2 kids under 3 years old, so I'm out of touch with the most recent sports bar developments!



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