FAC visual layout - Discussion?

Stratadrake · Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 9:01 pm Post subject: FAC visual layout - Discussion?

Because, well, FAC's layout has changed virtually zero in the past two years.

yes, it's partly because of a slow development pace, but what if it's partly because we don't know [i]how[/i] to improve it? I know [i]my[/i] personal ideas-tank is pretty low.

So here's a place for any thoughts, suggestions, discussion on ways to improve FAC's visual organization. Got any?

I have one to start out -- you know how, when viewing pictures, the submission Details (such as advisories, media, etc.) are displayed in a table below the Description? What if we moved it over, into a column aside from the Description?

Yes, this is potentially one of those "just like dA" type suggestions, but give it some thought. It would save a lot of visual space for those minor little details, it would also (from a coding perspective) simplify that aspect of the page layout, too.

Here's a mockup of what it could look like:
- [url]http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h316/Stratelier/temp_desc.jpg[/url]

Better? About the same?

Obviously this is a minor aspect, we can discuss more significant improvements as well. (For example, the tabs saying "Pictures", "Stories", etc., I want to see those on user profile pages too, to provide a slightly more consistent organization between user profile/gallery pages.)
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London · Moderator Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 6474

I like it the way it is now better, but don't really care enough that it would bother me if you changed it.

I think the layout would look loads better if those rounded corners were square. Also, I think it's too dark.

If I change the custom rejection messages, does that change for everyone or just me?

Also, I understand why the site needs ads, but those pop up ones and the ones that make noise cause me great distress.
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Battou · Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 9:34 pm Post subject:

I'd like to see some more variation skins based on the old layout personally.
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[u][url=http://www.photo-lucidity.com/user-Battou.php]Photo-Lucidity[/url][/u] - [u][url=http://www.fanart-central.net/user-battou.php]FaAC[/url][/u] - [u][url=http://www.funart-central.net/user-Battou.php]FuAC[/url][/u] - [u][url=http://forums.fanart-central.net/index.php]Joke of the day[/url][/u]

Stratadrake · Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 10:12 pm Post subject:

[quote="London"]I think the layout would look loads better if those rounded corners were square.[/quote]
Personally I kinda like the rounded borders . . . layout currently includes a 10px radius on box borders. Would something like 5px do better? More squarish, but still with a subtle round to it....

Open up yourself a test HTML document and play with the Mozilla CSS property [b]-moz-border-radius[/b].

[quote="Battou"]I'd like to see some more variation skins based on the old layout personally.[/quote]
You mean like color-scheme choices? We never got around to implementing that, but (from a coding perspective) it is certainly possible.
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Edward_Elric_1308 · Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 10:17 pm Post subject:

Would it be possible to bring back the old layout as an option?

Some of the [older] people may want the old blue and white layout back but going to a site like Funart who has zero activity is really dull.

Another suggestion would be to add Drug Content to the list of advisories, and along with yaoi/yuri, possibly add Incest because some people may not like viewing that and it could warn them what the picture/story contains.

Also, adding keywords should be like FurAffinity's site, where you can put "tags" on pictures, making them way easier to find them.

Another could be the option to randomize your favorites like dA has.

I have a lot of ideas, but you don't have to listen to everyone of them.

Battou · Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 10:21 pm Post subject:

[quote="Stratadrake"][quote="Battou"]I'd like to see some more variation skins based on the old layout personally.[/quote]
You mean like color-scheme choices? We never got around to implementing that, but (from a coding perspective) it is certainly possible.[/quote]

It'd be a good start yeah, Having a few to choose from would definately be nice.
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[u][url=http://www.photo-lucidity.com/user-Battou.php]Photo-Lucidity[/url][/u] - [u][url=http://www.fanart-central.net/user-battou.php]FaAC[/url][/u] - [u][url=http://www.funart-central.net/user-Battou.php]FuAC[/url][/u] - [u][url=http://forums.fanart-central.net/index.php]Joke of the day[/url][/u]

Edward_Elric_1308 · Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 10:23 pm Post subject:

[quote="Battou"][quote="Stratadrake"][quote="Battou"]I'd like to see some more variation skins based on the old layout personally.[/quote]
You mean like color-scheme choices? We never got around to implementing that, but (from a coding perspective) it is certainly possible.[/quote]

It'd be a good start yeah, Having a few to choose from would definately be nice.[/quote]

I'd say a similar reproduction of the old blue and white layout would be nice.

Stratadrake · Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 10:24 pm Post subject:

Elric, I'd like to keep this thread focused on visual organization, not feature requests. (Blogs were always intended as a "Journal" feature, not for stories; Scraps and gallery sections/folders are currently being worked on).

One caveat about color schemes: Since our thumbnails include those nice drop-shadows, pretty much [i]any[/i] change to that particular background color requires generating a new set of thumbs.
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Battou · Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 10:24 pm Post subject:

[quote="Edward_Elric_1308"]Another suggestion would be to add Drug Content to the list of advisories, and along with yaoi/yuri, possibly add Incest because some people may not like viewing that and it could warn them what the picture/story contains.[/quote]

I made that very same suggestion a couple years ago, the content filters are a PITA to work and rework, but I do agree with that.
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[u][url=http://www.photo-lucidity.com/user-Battou.php]Photo-Lucidity[/url][/u] - [u][url=http://www.fanart-central.net/user-battou.php]FaAC[/url][/u] - [u][url=http://www.funart-central.net/user-Battou.php]FuAC[/url][/u] - [u][url=http://forums.fanart-central.net/index.php]Joke of the day[/url][/u]

London · Moderator Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 6474

[quote]If I change the custom rejection messages, does that change for everyone or just me? [/quote]

I despise rounded edges. They look.. goofy and childish, I guess. Just plain square corners looks so much cleaner. The round would look okay if it was a solid color instead of this uhhh pseudo 3-D thing that's going on now.

I'm pretty sure there's already an advisory for yaoi/yuri.
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London · Moderator Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 6474

Also someone look in the SH featured pictures thread and feature something.
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Battou · Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 10:28 pm Post subject:

I would like to see the forum button a little more prominate as well
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[b]RPG[/b]-[i]n[/i]. A computer programing language designed for business reporting that generates specific programs from the users specifications.([b]R[/b]eport [b]P[/b]rogram [b]G[/b]enerator)[i]The American Heritage Dictionary[/i]

[u][url=http://www.photo-lucidity.com/user-Battou.php]Photo-Lucidity[/url][/u] - [u][url=http://www.fanart-central.net/user-battou.php]FaAC[/url][/u] - [u][url=http://www.funart-central.net/user-Battou.php]FuAC[/url][/u] - [u][url=http://forums.fanart-central.net/index.php]Joke of the day[/url][/u]

Edward_Elric_1308 · Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 10:28 pm Post subject:

[quote="London"]I'm pretty sure there's already an advisory for yaoi/yuri.[/quote]

I wasn't suggesting those. I already knew they were there a long time ago.

I only suggested ones for Drug Content and Incest.

Battou · Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 10:34 pm Post subject:

[quote="London"]Also someone look in the SH featured pictures thread and feature something.[/quote]

All the last ones you posted are from brandnew usesr who I have not seen repete submissions from.....
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[u][url=http://www.photo-lucidity.com/user-Battou.php]Photo-Lucidity[/url][/u] - [u][url=http://www.fanart-central.net/user-battou.php]FaAC[/url][/u] - [u][url=http://www.funart-central.net/user-Battou.php]FuAC[/url][/u] - [u][url=http://forums.fanart-central.net/index.php]Joke of the day[/url][/u]

London · Moderator Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 6474

Boooo.

Also, seriously:

[quote="London"]If I change the custom rejection messages, does that change for everyone or just me? [/quote]
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Edward_Elric_1308 · Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 10:38 pm Post subject:

Would it be possible to let users choose their profile/gallery colors from a selected palette? Like, black and white, pink and purple, etc? Like a profile theme or something with different colored fonts to match. I think SheezyArt has this feature.

I think it might or won't cause the servers to be slow. IDK. But it would be nice.

This is probably the dumbest thing I have ever suggested on here.

London · Moderator Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 6474

Something like uhh yahoo/google homepages? I would prefer to have it so that you can choose a color scheme for the entire site, not just one page. I like the idea of different colors to pick from, but if you let people pick colors just for their profile page, the site would look very.. not-uniform.
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Edward_Elric_1308 · Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 10:46 pm Post subject:

That why I said it sounded a bit stupid.

For instance, take my AOL E-Mail. You can set different color schemes to it. Like purple/pink, black/white, green/white, orange/white, navy blue/white, etc. I feel that the site should be set that way. I got the idea from SheezyArt and my AOL E-Mail.

London · Moderator Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 6474

[quote="Stratadrake"]One caveat about color schemes: Since our thumbnails include those nice drop-shadows, pretty much [i]any[/i] change to that particular background color requires generating a new set of thumbs.[/quote]

Make the drop shadows transparent grey pngs.
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cstdenis · Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 11:47 pm Post subject:

[quote="London"][quote="Stratadrake"]One caveat about color schemes: Since our thumbnails include those nice drop-shadows, pretty much [i]any[/i] change to that particular background color requires generating a new set of thumbs.[/quote]

Make the drop shadows transparent grey pngs.[/quote]

Easier said than done.
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