Wankey
07-09-2009, 04:47 PM
After a month+ usage, I think I've found a few problems (other problems I've tried to get used to) for the site that stand out the most.
The biggest problem affecting Starcraft Legacy is its overall design (not graphics wise, they are amazing). Remove the graphics and branding and you get a very archaic directory listing and file system listing.
While this may have been attractive to people in the 90's and early 00's, it is now 2009 and web technologies have vastly surpassed this kind of archaic information delivery system.
For instance, I've clicked "NEWS" more than 5 times now thinking I am going to the front page (where there is streaming news) only to find out I hit some random news archive.
I've clicked a few times on the community link thinking I am going to forums (then realizing there is a redundant forums link on the right). Considering the importance of the forums, it should be on the left.
I feel that editorials is pretty much the only link up there that fits its purpose (clicking it gives me an desired reward, a list of editorials).
Also, why is the videos section on a sidebar when it seems like the most important part of the site?
Furthermore, this site isn't very Starcraft focused. While it's got starcraft written all over, it's very self focused, linking to its own articles etc rather than fully pushing StarCraft pictures, video, lore etc.
Being a web designer myself, I am assuming that people are not interested in seeing a directory listing. Going to the features page, I hit yet another directory listing. I assumed that the features page would list out, graphically more so, the real features of this site. Or not even graphically, use some sort of layout (we are in the 20th century here) like a newspaper to give me summaries of features. Also don't see the point of a page for "features" per say. I mean, why is there a features page when the features should be part of the website (or do you mean editorials or SCL written articles?)
The gallery for media is also quite archaic to look at. It's literally a horizontal implementation of a vertical file system. Another huge aspect to be improved. There are javascript galleries which will do the job quite handily. And it won't take very long to get it up and running (a few hours in fact)
In general, SCL is trying hard to become a website similar to Starcraft2.com while missing a lot of its great design philosophies. While SCL has huge amount of new articles being written, it isn't focused. It feels like I am browsing a library website with pretty graphics than a modern gaming website.
My suggestions:
Remove the entirety of the right sidebar (useless IMO) change it with something else or just remove it entirely.
Remove the directory listing kind of hierarchy for the site and push for more of a newspaper like layout.
Optimize links on top, ie, News should go to front page... if not then it should be called Archive. Community and Forums should become one.
Media should be an entire link by itself, with a following media page full of fleshed out graphics and good design.
Some JQuery usage to make the site more dynamic or better flash usage (can contribute much here)
Widen the left sidebar and add it with more information.
A lot more useful graphics, while I agree with the use of graphics, it's just being wasted on very useless spaces.
Anyways, I've already enlisted to help here and will contact people tonight. Just want to get some feedback from everyone about the overall feeling of the website. There are some really talented people on the team, I just feel that they are misguided.
I find it frustrating that these sites cannot be best in every department. StarcraftWire has great layout, but shitty design. SC2pod has amazing backend not branding and design. SCLegacy has great design but horrible layout and branding. Starcraft.org is a weird splash page. Starcraft Forums.org looks like someone slapped together a template. SC2Armory had a graphics designer on steroids before they decided to go a boring aqua look.
SCL has great graphics work done, just need to fix up the backend and boost the features. I'm very inclined to have a unified community on one website (12+ SC websites just serve to split the community to pieces) and SCL has the most potential.
Anyhoo, I look forward to improving the site.
The biggest problem affecting Starcraft Legacy is its overall design (not graphics wise, they are amazing). Remove the graphics and branding and you get a very archaic directory listing and file system listing.
While this may have been attractive to people in the 90's and early 00's, it is now 2009 and web technologies have vastly surpassed this kind of archaic information delivery system.
For instance, I've clicked "NEWS" more than 5 times now thinking I am going to the front page (where there is streaming news) only to find out I hit some random news archive.
I've clicked a few times on the community link thinking I am going to forums (then realizing there is a redundant forums link on the right). Considering the importance of the forums, it should be on the left.
I feel that editorials is pretty much the only link up there that fits its purpose (clicking it gives me an desired reward, a list of editorials).
Also, why is the videos section on a sidebar when it seems like the most important part of the site?
Furthermore, this site isn't very Starcraft focused. While it's got starcraft written all over, it's very self focused, linking to its own articles etc rather than fully pushing StarCraft pictures, video, lore etc.
Being a web designer myself, I am assuming that people are not interested in seeing a directory listing. Going to the features page, I hit yet another directory listing. I assumed that the features page would list out, graphically more so, the real features of this site. Or not even graphically, use some sort of layout (we are in the 20th century here) like a newspaper to give me summaries of features. Also don't see the point of a page for "features" per say. I mean, why is there a features page when the features should be part of the website (or do you mean editorials or SCL written articles?)
The gallery for media is also quite archaic to look at. It's literally a horizontal implementation of a vertical file system. Another huge aspect to be improved. There are javascript galleries which will do the job quite handily. And it won't take very long to get it up and running (a few hours in fact)
In general, SCL is trying hard to become a website similar to Starcraft2.com while missing a lot of its great design philosophies. While SCL has huge amount of new articles being written, it isn't focused. It feels like I am browsing a library website with pretty graphics than a modern gaming website.
My suggestions:
Remove the entirety of the right sidebar (useless IMO) change it with something else or just remove it entirely.
Remove the directory listing kind of hierarchy for the site and push for more of a newspaper like layout.
Optimize links on top, ie, News should go to front page... if not then it should be called Archive. Community and Forums should become one.
Media should be an entire link by itself, with a following media page full of fleshed out graphics and good design.
Some JQuery usage to make the site more dynamic or better flash usage (can contribute much here)
Widen the left sidebar and add it with more information.
A lot more useful graphics, while I agree with the use of graphics, it's just being wasted on very useless spaces.
Anyways, I've already enlisted to help here and will contact people tonight. Just want to get some feedback from everyone about the overall feeling of the website. There are some really talented people on the team, I just feel that they are misguided.
I find it frustrating that these sites cannot be best in every department. StarcraftWire has great layout, but shitty design. SC2pod has amazing backend not branding and design. SCLegacy has great design but horrible layout and branding. Starcraft.org is a weird splash page. Starcraft Forums.org looks like someone slapped together a template. SC2Armory had a graphics designer on steroids before they decided to go a boring aqua look.
SCL has great graphics work done, just need to fix up the backend and boost the features. I'm very inclined to have a unified community on one website (12+ SC websites just serve to split the community to pieces) and SCL has the most potential.
Anyhoo, I look forward to improving the site.