A Few Site Updates

[Tbone]

If you haven't noticed yet, do a hard refresh and you should see it. I basically freshened up all of the forum icons. The old ones were still very matrix-y and very light, and even worse were some of the new ones that I made not too long ago that were just sloppy and I hadn't bothered to clean up. These new ones look more consistent with the rest of the site and also pop a bit more.

I'm also experimenting with the logo again. Manic had a really good design, but I just want it to pop a bit more. Not sure I'm quite there yet, but I like it looking "stronger" like this.

Before you ask, yes, I still have all the old files in case I butcher things to death! =P

[Anamodiel]

Anamodiel likes this post.

[Ash]

Before you go making all those changes permanent.  I think you should know that most of the fonts / coloring / shadowing I did on the splash page and main.html page were done to mimic the work Manic had done.  I did this for continuity so be careful.

[Manic Velocity]

I know I'm going to sound like a major douche bag prick here, but... I don't appreciate my work being messed with.  Constructive criticism is one thing, but altering something I put effort into without consulting me is another.

It's a simple matter of principle and respect that I feel should be upheld.

[Tbone]

The buttons I replaced were the box-y ones with Matrix font that hadn't fit in with the theme of the site for a long time and I believe were made by someone who isn't in the faction anymore.

The other replacements I did were just sharpening images I had done a while back.

The only other thing I did was shade part of the banner a bit darker to increase the contrast. Sorry Manic, but I assumed you put the PSD file in dropbox so that it could be tweaked and messed with as needed. In the future I'll try to be more careful with things that you've worked on, though I consider most all projects to be a collaborative work in progress.

For example, the angel logo was created a long time ago by someone no longer in the faction. It was tweaked and improved upon by many other people. The circle around it, I think was inspired by the FA Stamp design that Lithium did (he used it the most, anyway). The current iteration was I believe a suggestion from Subb to make things look a bit more tribal or organic looking with Manic and a few others submitting a few designs (Manic's was the final one chosen). In the spirit of this collaborative nature, I thought it would be ok to experiment with the design of my own website. I apologize. My intention was not to step on toes.

I put a lot on all the devs' plates and I'm just trying to help out where I can. I made sure all the changes I made were easily reversible and changeable. I'd still like some feedback.

[Ash]

I like that the Star Wars font stands out more and it may be just me but I think the bent lines that shoot off from the StarWars font is darker also (if that's a new change then I like that as well.)  The rest should be returned to normal.  I don't like the dark outline on the Angel or 'Furious Angels' font.

[Tbone]

Ok, I've lightened up the color of the text and angels, and I'm pretty satisfied with the results.

[Manic Velocity]

The outline around the text and angel symbols still looks too dark against all the white.  The drop shadow also looks out of place, as it has the elements floating above the banner itself.  It just doesn't flow with the overall design.

I'll echo Yotogi's suggestions.  Leave the Star Wars font and angled lines as they are, and return everything to how it was.

[Anamodiel]

While Manic brings up a good point about the drop shadow, I disagree that it is too dark. So much of our website is subdued that the banner "pops" a bit more now that it has a little more definition. I'm viewing this on my beautiful Macbook screen at full brightness, and I feel like it would look washed out if it were any lighter or didn't have the current outline. I just think it, because we are so used to a very plain website, any sort of definition in our banner makes it seem very foreign to us.

Is there a way that we could have rotating banners?

[Saint]

You guys seem afraid of change, I like the new color changes,  the site needs some color imho.  
Although Im not sure I'm a fan of the angled menu list.

[Tbone]

I'm still working on the menu list. Don't look at it yet! =P

The reason I started messing with the banner was because it didn't pop. I can't get rid of the drop shadow without losing the effect I'm going for. I've created another version, though. This one is even lighter and the dark border is gone. I'll post all the version here for comparison.

Original:



1st Attempt (dark grey, hint of blue glow):



2nd Attempt (lightened a bit, no more blue):



3rd Attempt (light grey):



Current Attempt (white, lighter even):



Alternate Attempt (white with bold):

[Ash]

My vote is still for the ORIGINAL banner that Manic designed.  From a professional standpoint his is the only one that looks like it could have been machined out of metal, unlike the rest (and no offense T) that look like obvious drawn graphics.  

Manic's looks like your looking at a picture of the FA banner, the others look like your seeing a drawing of our banner.

Manic's is just better. (Only one Man's opinion)

[LAZARUS]

I like the current attempt the most. It stands out more than Manic's, which I had a problem with before. It just didn't really "pop". Where as for some reason I think the current attempt does a better job of it. I also dislike the use of a lot of greys, and in Manic's it seems to be the entire thing is very grey. I like the definition of the white on the current.

[Manic Velocity]

I'm biased of course. My issue is simply that Tbone's direction for the banner and my direction for the banner don't appear in sync. Both have merit, but combining them does not work aesthetically.

Yotogi hit the nail on the head. "Machined". I intended for the banner to appear as a single solid object, with our name and logo lazer-cut or etched into it. I think straying from this concept doesn't work for the banner in its current form.

Can I ask why it is necessary for the banner to "pop"?  I see that as counter-intuitive to how we carry ourselves in-game, but that is probably a soapbox rant for another time.

[Da6onet]

I prefer the subtlety of Manic's original banner.

The pop design would work if it three-dimensionality of it were animated like a hologram/similar theme (think floating/phasing symbols and letters)