New Interface Preview
And I see that there's breadcrubs.
Hooray!
It looks gorgeous. Cannot wait. ;)
I'd also like to use » and « instead of arrows. I think it looks a little snazzier.
Where do you think we should put the menu items and login? Next to the title? The right side of the top bar?
I think that the menu would look fantastic stacked up on the opposite end from the title. Like the Last.fm title bar. (not those circles in the middle... The menu at the end) And the breadcrumb menu is perfect where it is - that way no matter what you are doing, you can see where you are.
However, the root shouldn't be titled "subVariance" because that's redundant and incorrect. The entire site is subVariance - not just the index. It should say "Home" or something similar.
Well, from the new screenshot that Scoria posted, I think that - cosmetically - the menu should go around 4-5 px below the title, but 1-2px above the seperating bar.
Scoria - Snazzy! Although, that gradient is throwing me. The flat look was a little more simplistic and attractive (in my eyes), but it looks great.
http://www.subvariance.com/mocks/sv_2_1.jpg
Sorry...I'm drooling.
:D
>:D
:)
:D
Light version:
http://www.subvariance.com/mocks/sv_2_2.jpg />
VERY early front page thoughts:
http://www.subvariance.com/mocks/sv_2_3.jpg />
The light one needs a lot more work, I feel, but I wanted to get opinions on brightness and stuff. Critique please.
Light version:
Gorgeous. Perhaps the grey color can be a little lighter? Oh, and the font should be a little darker. It currently creates a bit of eye strain.
And I *love* that mockup for the front page. Especially the whole rollover thing you have going on.
/>
my version, based on Scoria's.
I think it's too much eye-candy.
http://www.v-advancement.com/gareth_subV_02.jpg />
and yes, i enjoy the simplistic look, but having very subtle gradients only add to the website [in my perspective]. i believe these gradients are just a nice addition, rather than a major distraction from the real art hosted here.
i donno though, any comments/suggestions are always welcome.. regardless of my stupid replies.
MORE GRAPHICS!!!!!111one!
TEH EVIL!
*makes sign of cross*
It's just that adding more and more graphics are unecessary. There are many beautiful things that you can do with simple CSS and plain-text. There is no need to raise the loading times of the web-pages for the sake of 'page frosting'. It's the content that really matters - not the container.
My absolute favorites are the last ones Brian did. The point of a site is to provide quick and easy access to the content of the page without getting in the user's way or creating a slower access time. Usability and Accessibility.
That's why breadcrumb navigation is such a beautiful thing. ;)
like a 1x10 image that is stretched to fit the size of the page...
this type of gradient is harrrddly adding to any bit of loading.
if the user can handle loading all of the art at this website, why not load an extremely tiny gradient to add to the look that much more...
againagainagain, im not trying to turn down what youre saying, just throwing in my uh.. ideas[?]
thank you for the reply
-gareth
It looks great. I guess I'm just not a gradient fan? Heh.
Good work though.
Next page
Scoria on September 15th, 2005 at 11:03:32 PM
There is another image located at http://www.politiq.org/images/sv_structure_m3.jpg (no trailing period). You can find out more about it in my gallery (http://www.subvariance.com/?f=3&id=908).WildBill on September 15th, 2005 at 11:37:06 PM
I love the look of that. Can't wait.drpfenderson on September 15th, 2005 at 11:44:50 PM
Woah! Fantastic!And I see that there's breadcrubs.
Hooray!
It looks gorgeous. Cannot wait. ;)
Brian on September 15th, 2005 at 11:57:47 PM
The only thing I don't really care for so far is the title font. I think everything but the V needs to be either lowercase, or scaled down a little. Also, I'm not sure how it looks on other screens, but on the two I've viewed it on, it appears a little too dark... almost to the point of the entire thing looking black.I'd also like to use » and « instead of arrows. I think it looks a little snazzier.
Where do you think we should put the menu items and login? Next to the title? The right side of the top bar?
Brian on September 16th, 2005 at 12:00:12 AM
Oh, and I want to be able to let users customize the colors of things if they want to do so. Maybe we'll allow that after test the new UI a little.drpfenderson on September 16th, 2005 at 12:04:59 AM
I agree with replacing the arrows with » and « . Plus, adding more graohics would slow everything down.I think that the menu would look fantastic stacked up on the opposite end from the title. Like the Last.fm title bar. (not those circles in the middle... The menu at the end) And the breadcrumb menu is perfect where it is - that way no matter what you are doing, you can see where you are.
However, the root shouldn't be titled "subVariance" because that's redundant and incorrect. The entire site is subVariance - not just the index. It should say "Home" or something similar.
Brian on September 16th, 2005 at 12:10:08 AM
I agree that the 'root' should be called home. In addition to your reasons, it's shorter and more to the point. However, I don't really like the idea of the stacked menu because I like to keep things very scalable, and to scale a stacked menu like that, when it exists in a header will cause it to either disappear from view partially, or the text will become so large that it pushes everything else down. You can see this in action on last.fm by enlarging the text and watching the menu react. I've made every attempt in the current version of the layout to be friendly to multiple text sizes, so I'd like to continue that.Scoria on September 16th, 2005 at 12:46:17 AM
I've updated the interface. There is a new rendition at http://www.politiq.org/images/sv_structure_m5.jpg (no trailing period). :-)drpfenderson on September 16th, 2005 at 12:57:08 AM
Brian - I didn't think of that - but that's why you're the boss. ;)Well, from the new screenshot that Scoria posted, I think that - cosmetically - the menu should go around 4-5 px below the title, but 1-2px above the seperating bar.
Scoria - Snazzy! Although, that gradient is throwing me. The flat look was a little more simplistic and attractive (in my eyes), but it looks great.
Scoria on September 16th, 2005 at 1:02:25 AM
As of m6 (http://www.politiq.org/images/sv_structure_m6.jpg), the more elegant subVariance typeface has returned. ;-)drpfenderson on September 16th, 2005 at 1:25:36 AM
Is it just me, or is it a tad bit dark? I can barely read what's on the page and my monitor has the contrast and brightness up pretty high.Scoria on September 16th, 2005 at 1:41:06 AM
It's very dark. The colors aren't finished. ;-)Brian on September 16th, 2005 at 1:49:15 AM
Now I think the title might be a little too big and the slight shading it has looks a little odd. Edwardian is an annoying font to work with because of how the V tends to dip and also go really high.Brian on September 16th, 2005 at 2:11:35 AM
I threw together a mock up similar to yours:http://www.subvariance.com/mocks/sv_2_1.jpg
Kostika on September 16th, 2005 at 2:57:07 AM
Oh Brian I like that ALOT!drpfenderson on September 16th, 2005 at 3:20:57 AM
Brian - That is gorgeous. What would be awesome us to have a negative version just like that. I.E. - Switch the colors...White background, grey/black fonts.Sorry...I'm drooling.
Miguel on September 16th, 2005 at 4:39:17 AM
"Watch Brian.":D
>:D
:)
Brian on September 16th, 2005 at 7:49:02 AM
Yes, we are planning to do a white version as well which users can select in preferences... among other themes ;)drpfenderson on September 16th, 2005 at 8:17:25 AM
Cannot wait.:D
Brian on September 16th, 2005 at 8:44:16 AM
A few more mock-ups I just did a little work on...Light version:
http://www.subvariance.com/mocks/sv_2_2.jpg
VERY early front page thoughts:
http://www.subvariance.com/mocks/sv_2_3.jpg
The light one needs a lot more work, I feel, but I wanted to get opinions on brightness and stuff. Critique please.
drpfenderson on September 16th, 2005 at 10:24:42 AM
Ok - here are my opinions:Light version:
Gorgeous. Perhaps the grey color can be a little lighter? Oh, and the font should be a little darker. It currently creates a bit of eye strain.
And I *love* that mockup for the front page. Especially the whole rollover thing you have going on.
Lost on September 16th, 2005 at 11:10:03 AM
Wow, that screenshot gets sexier every time.Kostika on September 16th, 2005 at 1:10:35 PM
I'd say the light version needs a bit of contrast. It all seems to run together. So maybe the seperaters black or dark grey.GarethLWalt on September 19th, 2005 at 9:42:08 AM
http://www.v-advancement.com/gareth_subV_01.jpgmy version, based on Scoria's.
drpfenderson on September 19th, 2005 at 9:56:31 AM
Awesome job, but again - the gradient kind of kills the whole 'simple' feel that attracted me to the site in the first place.I think it's too much eye-candy.
GarethLWalt on September 19th, 2005 at 10:17:58 AM
again, very much like the last version, only with a few graphical additions:http://www.v-advancement.com/gareth_subV_02.jpg
and yes, i enjoy the simplistic look, but having very subtle gradients only add to the website [in my perspective]. i believe these gradients are just a nice addition, rather than a major distraction from the real art hosted here.
i donno though, any comments/suggestions are always welcome.. regardless of my stupid replies.
drpfenderson on September 19th, 2005 at 11:45:52 PM
ARGG!!!MORE GRAPHICS!!!!!111one!
TEH EVIL!
*makes sign of cross*
It's just that adding more and more graphics are unecessary. There are many beautiful things that you can do with simple CSS and plain-text. There is no need to raise the loading times of the web-pages for the sake of 'page frosting'. It's the content that really matters - not the container.
My absolute favorites are the last ones Brian did. The point of a site is to provide quick and easy access to the content of the page without getting in the user's way or creating a slower access time. Usability and Accessibility.
That's why breadcrumb navigation is such a beautiful thing. ;)
GarethLWalt on September 20th, 2005 at 8:33:25 AM
simple gradients used in my image can be just streched tiny images...like a 1x10 image that is stretched to fit the size of the page...
this type of gradient is harrrddly adding to any bit of loading.
if the user can handle loading all of the art at this website, why not load an extremely tiny gradient to add to the look that much more...
againagainagain, im not trying to turn down what youre saying, just throwing in my uh.. ideas[?]
thank you for the reply
-gareth
drpfenderson on September 20th, 2005 at 9:22:41 AM
Gareth - Like I said:It looks great. I guess I'm just not a gradient fan? Heh.
Good work though.
Scoria on December 31st, 1969 at 5:00:00 PM
I've posted a small preview of our new interface at http://www.subvariance.com/?f=3&id=904.This should give you a general idea of where subVariance might be headed.