[Showcase] Some feedback on my main site redesign?

[cheat-master30]

Yeah, it now uses Drupal and I'm trying to modify one of the freely downloadable styles for it to my liking:

DS Ultimate at The Best Nintendo DS Site around!

I've also added some modules, some content types, an editor and a few other things. However, I need some advice:

1. What images should I change the stock images too? Probably gaming ones, but I need to ask someone for some images for that.

2. I'm trying to add add Shelley's bbsmiley icons to replace things like rating stars on this and my topsite, but would it be easy to mod the editor icons to the set available on vBulletin.org? Yes, they're meant for vBulletin, but oh well, they're good graphics.

3. Ideas for a better wysiwyg editor? Currently using Tinymce or something, but it's still kinda awkward. Anything like the vBulletin editor available? Or like the Microsoft Word interface?

4. How to change the green heading areas? Yeah, I need them to be blue, somehow.

5. Ideas for content or modules to add? Preferrably anything that's from Drupal.org and works for a gaming site would be an idea.

Oh, and I also added a topsite, so if anyone has a gaming site and maybe wants to submit it, go ahead.

[MjrNuT]

Hey Cheat-Master,

As I kind of hoped based on your skills you would knock that thing out like a bandit. To me it looks great! I can tell the effort involved. I'm not even seeing how you've done some of the stuff.

1. Little gathering of people icons for the Forums block, vert bars for the Polls Block, Fireworks for the Fan Block....maybe

2. I don't see why not. Just need to find where to edit in the core files I imagine.

3. As I mentioned to you before the FCKeditor is another choice. I think you have seen by the TinyMCE setup, you have WYSIWYG as the Module, and then you have your EDITORS choice of TinyMCE, FCKeditor, and slew of other ones. I can't seem to find the link that talks about all of them and their states.

4. I think you need to look at file, style.css and here is a link to find more information on this aspect and more of that Theme.

5. Hmm, not sure, but are there any big ladders, competitions, tournaments worth tracking? Ranking and that sort of thing. Might be an active area of content for you. Example, some sort of dueling game where player make a video of the match and put it up for viewing, rating, records, etc.

Good stuff man!

[cheat-master30]

Originally Posted by MjrNuT

Hey Cheat-Master,

As I kind of hoped based on your skills you would knock that thing out like a bandit. To me it looks great! I can tell the effort involved. I'm not even seeing how you've done some of the stuff.

Thanks. I've asked someone to design images for the menus.

One problem. They use CSS sprites, which means I need to hope they're the same size as the original icons, and then make them transparent again. The other problem is that most editors have about ten times the options of the vB editor, so there's not exactly enough images.

Anyone know where that editor list that was on that page when I last saw it went? That would be useful right now.

4. I think you need to look at file, style.css and here is a link to find more information on this aspect and more of that Theme.
[/QUOTE]

I know. But I can't find anything in the files or css files. No mention of where the background and colour scheme is being applied.

I'm also trying to figure out how to centre the logo, so if anyone else knows Drupal, could I have an answer? I tried setting it to float centre, then float right, but nothing happens.

5. Hmm, not sure, but are there any big ladders, competitions, tournaments worth tracking? Ranking and that sort of thing. Might be an active area of content for you. Example, some sort of dueling game where player make a video of the match and put it up for viewing, rating, records, etc.

Good stuff man!

Sadly no. That's where I need ideas, since most gaming sites are all the same.

[MjrNuT]

So you saw the link for downloading the video on how to change the color of the theme and it still was not helpful? I watched the video and apparently the method is applicable to customizing any Drupal Theme. (scratches head)


Not all gaming sites are the same.

Some concentrate mostly on articles and reviews of games, which can span so many genres. Some sites only geared towards FPS, some MMO, some RPG, some combination thereof. Some are directly spawn from magazines and publishing. Big money, big advertising, big presence, etc.

Some gaming sites are only of the game publisher itself and their products.

Then there are gaming sites that are hobby sites, like my own, that only cares about particular games, running actual server, and having a community.

Some gaming sites only focus on competition and anything related to setting up matches, rules, videos, live feeds.

Some gaming sites are geared only for cheats, and actual sell 3rd party programs for such purposes.

Some gaming sites sell accounts that have been hacked and compromised from legitimate owners.

It is completely false to say that all gaming sites are the same.

[cheat-master30]

Originally Posted by MjrNuT

So you saw the link for downloading the video on how to change the color of the theme and it still was not helpful? I watched the video and apparently the method is applicable to customizing any Drupal Theme. (scratches head)

Saw the video, but most was pretty much the self explanatory stuff. I think I've figured out how to modify some of the rest and why the navbar is so odd though (it uses another div or something for the background image at the left side of each tab for some reason), so I'll be able to change it as soon as I can find someone to make a gradient image for these elements.

Oh, and whoever thought blip.tv is a good video site, please quit now... I've already seen another video there earlier when watching videos of the Nostalgia Critic, and it's probably the most annoying, awkward to use video player interface ever invented.

Not all gaming sites are the same.

Some concentrate mostly on articles and reviews of games, which can span so many genres. Some sites only geared towards FPS, some MMO, some RPG, some combination thereof. Some are directly spawn from magazines and publishing. Big money, big advertising, big presence, etc.

Some gaming sites are only of the game publisher itself and their products.

Then there are gaming sites that are hobby sites, like my own, that only cares about particular games, running actual server, and having a community.

Some gaming sites only focus on competition and anything related to setting up matches, rules, videos, live feeds.

Some gaming sites are geared only for cheats, and actual sell 3rd party programs for such purposes.

Some gaming sites sell accounts that have been hacked and compromised from legitimate owners.

It is completely false to say that all gaming sites are the same.

True, but many in a single genre are the same. Look up for example 'Legend of Zelda' or 'Mario' or 'Pokemon' or even 'Halo' fan sites or community sites, most have pretty much the exact same stuff. Maybe saying most Nintendo sites are pretty similar in terms of content would be better. I know there's enough similarity some Legend of Zelda sites and some Pokemon sites wrote cliche lists for fan sites based on what people do too often with the design and content. But that's more like saying most sites in any type you listed seem to have the same content as other sites in the same niche.

[MjrNuT]

Originally Posted by cheat-master30

Saw the video, but most was pretty much the self explanatory stuff. I think I've figured out how to modify some of the rest and why the navbar is so odd though (it uses another div or something for the background image at the left side of each tab for some reason), so I'll be able to change it as soon as I can find someone to make a gradient image for these elements.

Nice. I just wanted to be sure is all. Did you follow what they said or did you come up w/ your own way? I don't have Photoshop and do want to know how to do this for my own site. lol Maybe a step by step from you.

Originally Posted by cheat-master30

True, but many in a single genre are the same.

Yes, this is where I'd agree w/ such a general statement.

All of my examples, and then some, are "Gaming Related Sites/Niche", however their focus or content is widely varying.

We understand eachother.



Sorry I can't be of much help to you, but I'll do my best b/c we share the same Theme and you've reinvigorated me to try and learn how to do it.

[fattony69]

Originally Posted by cheat-master30

Yeah, it now uses Drupal and I'm trying to modify one of the freely downloadable styles for it to my liking:

DS Ultimate at The Best Nintendo DS Site around!

I've also added some modules, some content types, an editor and a few other things. However, I need some advice:

1. What images should I change the stock images too? Probably gaming ones, but I need to ask someone for some images for that.

From what I saw, I see a lot of potential! You have a great site with some awesome content, but you don't have a solid theme to show off these articles. Its is very plain. It doesn't say anything really about gaming besides the header. Maybe more things to show off the gaming. Look at TeamXbox and IGN, they are full of images and such to show off the games and all. Yours is just so dull and not very invigorating. Also, the skin looks a bit out of date, kinda like very old school internet.

Also, the header is very weak. While it shows off the gaming, it isn't clean. Look at any header including here, while this site maybe web 2.0, it is just awesome. Any photoshopper can do a great job. You can get a great skin there.

Originally Posted by cheat-master30

2. I'm trying to add add Shelley's bbsmiley icons to replace things like rating stars on this and my topsite, but would it be easy to mod the editor icons to the set available on vBulletin.org? Yes, they're meant for vBulletin, but oh well, they're good graphics.

Anything to do to customize would be awesome. The more you do, the more unique you are. I don't know any mods.

Originally Posted by cheat-master30

3. Ideas for a better wysiwyg editor? Currently using Tinymce or something, but it's still kinda awkward. Anything like the vBulletin editor available? Or like the Microsoft Word interface?

I like the original, but since you are a Nintendo site, bright colors is always good.

Originally Posted by cheat-master30

4. How to change the green heading areas? Yeah, I need them to be blue, somehow.

Not sure how to do so.

Originally Posted by cheat-master30

5. Ideas for content or modules to add? Preferrably anything that's from Drupal.org and works for a gaming site would be an idea.

Anything to better incorporate the forums perhaps?

Originally Posted by cheat-master30

Oh, and I also added a topsite, so if anyone has a gaming site and maybe wants to submit it, go ahead.

Added mine Its part gaming, but it is still gaming

Sorry to be blunt, but I am just trying to help!

[cheat-master30]

Originally Posted by MjrNuT

Nice. I just wanted to be sure is all. Did you follow what they said or did you come up w/ your own way? I don't have Photoshop and do want to know how to do this for my own site. lol Maybe a step by step from you.

I watched the video, but figured much out on my own. The regions part on the page for the theme was most useless, the blocks part of the control panel gives you all that information in a more clear way on it's own using your actual site's content.

Yes, this is where I'd agree w/ such a general statement.

All of my examples, and then some, are "Gaming Related Sites/Niche", however their focus or content is widely varying.

We understand eachother.



Sorry I can't be of much help to you, but I'll do my best b/c we share the same Theme and you've reinvigorated me to try and learn how to do it.

Yes. There's variety in different types of sites, sure... but there's not much variety in say... all the sites about cheat codes, or all the sites about downloadable mods between each other. Or maybe the same people visit half the sites, which has much the same effect.