Tucson TFF WebSite, needs input

The direct link I can't add, Cat would have to request that, as far as I know.

Some of the links R fixed (no clue how that got messed up).

E-mail does work, but I can only get a few megs (attachments) via e-mail from that account... it' redirects to my personal e-mail. It also seems to re-direct very slow. I'll put my personal e-mail in the page cause it's more stable.

I will re-work the whole page (it was never intended to stay up as long as it has, it was just a place holder and got out of hand) but I need input as to what it should look like.

Looking at the other FF pages it's all nice but too busy for my taste. Too hard for a charity or a kid to find info fast.
One thing I learned doing professional pages and webmastering is keep it as simple as possible. Not always the nicest look but baisc and effective, that can change.

But I can do whatever is required.

 

OK, my bad. That E-mail link was going to tucson-fanforce AT cox DOT net not to me, I had a seperate "webmaster" e-mail.
I think this was done way early (I seem to remember Cat and I talking about it), as I said that page was meant to be a place holder, and never the finished product. I've made a few changes and it's easier to get in contact with us now via e-mail.

 

[image=http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d130/hal9k1/TffBeta.jpg] (click for larger image)

Beta for the "new" website... needs input.

Colors, fonts, layout, less graphics, more graphics, move graphics, change graphics, add pages, rename pages, etc.

The left sidebar will remain constant on ALL pages

 

Looks real nice and professional. Under "members", will it have our "character/costume" pictures, (i.e.; for you, red guard, jawa, for me, wookiee, Qui-Gon (better get him finished!))?

 

Sure, if that's what U want. In that case I would like to have the JCC profile linked (like it now is), pictures of our members with and without buckets (for those of us that armor up). That gives much more of an approachable and personable touch to anyone looking at the page.

 

Looks pretty good layoutwise, but even though a black starry background is so cliche, it would go a lot better with the graphics. Maybe we could get a picture of our backdrop(s) and use that as the background.
Another thing is we might want to have "Next Meeting" and "Next Event" stuff on the opening page, just cuz it would be a waste of space to make an entire page devoted to that stuff, and its really useful just to be able to glance and find it.
I realize that some pf us have dialup, but the site is really boring for us DSL/Cable-ers. Maybe we could have some opening page that could take you to a Dialup-friendly page, and also an awesome tricked out graphic-y version.
Just a thought. It might be a little too much work. But it just isn't really Star Wars-y enough.

I also thing Jack's idea would be cool. Have a "Bio" section or something...

 

K, good ideas

Dustin, do U have a picture of the backdrop?

I'll move the meeting and event info to the "home" page

I did think of a dual band site, but it's too much to upkeep. I'll try to add more 'flash" to the pages. C if that work 4 ya.

 

I respectfully disagree. I think the background looks fine. As you point out, Mike, the black starry background is "so cliche".
I would suggest moving the image of the two suns to the left, thereby making our banner look more centered.

 

[image=http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d130/hal9k1/TffBeta2.jpg]

Any Better? Worse?

 

At the very least it is just as good, maybe even better.

 

http://www.danzelmo.com/TucsonTwoSunsFanForce/

Still needs work but the body is up... not in place of the site but it's up for review before making it final

Opinions?

 

1) Honestly, the random quotes are kinda cheesy. I mean, Star Wars is cool and all, but those lines are just a little out of place. I dunno. Myabe you could change them with little nerd jokes like, "Two Suns Fan Force: You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy"

2) The pictures up at the top: Something needs to be done with them. What we need is some kind of a title bar header image thingie like on the old site, that is on ALL the pages as well as the side bar.

3) The other thing we should probably do is make it more "two-suns"-y. I know that dialup will prevent us from having some HD graphic for the background or have Flash or animations. But still, I'm sure we can think of something. I mean, this page is a representation of our organization. If we handed out business cards to the public, and some rich mom of a spoiled kid is willing to buy us a toy store for showing up to the kid's party, only to see our site and be like, "Ewww, boring website!" and then go 501'st or something. A little extreme, I know, but you get the point.

 

The Imperial and Jedi text on the front page?
That can be removed, it does say stuff, just thought it was cute.

OK, I can put up a banner that SHOULD span the site.

Be more spacific on the "more two-suns"-y". Adding moving graphics, page transitions, rollover effects, sound, more sun pictures, personalized, etc? Everybody will have a different oppinion on what "two-suns-y" is.

I will only add so much "Fancy stuff". If you really look at the BEST pages they are all simple, direct, and informative. Too much moving stuff or information scattered all over makes the site look unprofessional and hard to navagate fast. It draws the eye all over the screen instead of where the information you want to project is.

It's all about first impressions.

 

http://www.tucsonfanforce.com MUCH Better!!!!!

NOTE: it NOW says TucsonFanForce.com NOT http://www.danzelmo.com/tucsonfanforce or http://www.danzelmo.com/TucsonTwoSunsFanForce.htm or whatever it said

 

This last version looks fine. No need to muck it up with a bunch of bells and whistles.

 

Looks good. What I meant by "two suns"-y is like the pics that are on the Move Along page.

Also, there are a few bug you might want to fix. One that I notices was on the bottom of the 4 sale page there is a link back to the main page, but it links to the /tucsonfanforce.htm one, which doesn't have the header or the sidebar. There might be more, I didn't get a chance to go all over it.

 

A, IC... OK... I think we had the same idea 'cause that's why I collected the Tatoo I and II pictures. I'll find places to deploy them. Thanks.

the "4 sale" page is part of my personl pages (which is seperate) so I was not really looking at that. I'll fix that link though.

BTW... in looking for suns pictures I found this site http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~kuppem/index.html intresting stuff if U look around

 

Speaking of... I slaped together the "memories" page for a bit of personal touches from each of us if anyone cares to send me something to put on that page.

 

I think the two suns banner should be at the top and not the random pictures..........also the banner is half cut off on my screen........

 

Chris, you might want to fix your signature, as that link is to the wrong page now...

 

which banner should be at the top? http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a322/TucsonFanForce/Banner/

Your screen resolution is way lower then mine if it's cutting off the banner. I sized it for 1024X768-1080X1024. I checked it in a few popular browsers and it works well in all of them. Each one is a bit different but it works in each.

BTW... I submitted some key words to web search engines. Tell me if I should put more or alter what I put. I kinda did this is haste.

Search terms:
star wars
empire
tucson
jedi
TwoSuns
arizona
FanForce
lucas
fan force
stormtrooper
501st
vader
darth
charity

 

I only just went to the new websight and its awesome!

For key words, could you add

Outpost
Garrison
Dune Sea
Stormtrooper

 

Ill get you some pics of the backdrop by itself.

I agree that we need something on the front of the site that says what out next event is, and how to join, and then an email link. Then something that says "request an appearance" much like the 501st site

www.501st.com

The great thing aboutt he previous webpage, eventhough it was simple, was that it was easy to find the links and announcements, right when yo open the site you see them right away. I think the most important thing new visitors need to see are that we want new members, have meetings (like a "join us" after Mugens mission statement. And if new visitors want to request us they need to know how and will want to see pictures. The link text ont he left needs to be bolder I think as well.

Also, despite being cliched, the starry background was much more interesting than the adobe or stucco now. I dont like it at all.

Damian I have all the graphics stored from the previous banner and logos I made, do you need me tomake a banner that would span the width of the site?

Any other custom graphics requests? Like maybe picture links (pics that have words on them saying stuff)?

 

Here's some other examples, and the positive and negatives of them:

Nice layout, too many links for the newcomer:
http://www.jediokc.com/phpbb2/portal.php

I like this one because it immediatly shows them as fans and real people
http://www.dfwfanforce.net/

This one is nice and readable,
http://www.rmff.net/cgi-bin/index.cgi

I love the music and opening of this one
http://www.saltcityjedi.cjb.net/


Our "Contact Us" should be on the front page so people know we are accessible and available for events.

Oh, a Junkyard would be cool where we can sell or trade our junk!

thats my 2 cents (as if I had any cents at all)

 

finalbanner2 at the top!