Clan Website critique required please

Hey Monkeyboy,

This is a template website, correct? If its not, let me tell u that it sure looks like it. The website is rather dull. I think the main problem is the colors. Dark would definitely work, since it is a clan website, but i think it still requires more stuff added on to make it look "busy" and more lively. But it does look like a clan website, none the less. good luck!

Cheers Ape.

This is not a template website although I did use one for inspiration. I took the 3 small box over one big one idea from a template I saw and combined that with my usual style of website (fixed width, center aligned, header - sidebar/content - footer layout). I've completely coded this myself from scratch however using css (all the templates I had originally looked at were table layouts). I guess that's why it might look like one.

I'm not really sure what more I can add. I don't want to chuck in a load of naff flashing animations and general pointless clutter but I guess it could do with a bit more spice. I'll look at improving the navigation column with some bullets or link backgrounds to make that bit more interesting.

I tried to keep it simple so that it was as accessable as possible. For example for the headers on the small summary boxes I could have used an image with a more exciting font style but instead I assigned the image to the background and used header tags and a standard font.

I also chose to use plain colours for the backgrounds as applying an image (e.g. for a texture) just means more data to load.

Thanks for the feed back though, i'll definitely look into it. More contrasting shades of grey might help too, or a dull blue or brown or something just to break up the mass of greys.

I'm on the case

I would consider putting the left had menu up top.. Put the Stats on the left hand side.

Might attract more players.. My focus atleast went right to the top and not left hand side at first.

Would it be possible to have a Screen shot section or maybe make some small in game movie action that might liven things up a little?

Apart from these little things I think you have got the basics done, you just need to work on the content more?

Good luck with it

Shagrat

HI bud, i'm in middle of building clan site to replace phpnuke which is currently being used.

same as me need more graphics make it look used and exciting.

add in your game server details or team-speak details (which ever you use)

show off your clans tag's abit more so they get known, they are part of you now.
You could also add info about the games you play and add some general screenshots of you guys playing.

One thing i have found about clan sites is they need content and image and more content and images, can never have enough.

Add user system online so people can interact without having to post on forums its one thing I'm board with, this will also get other clan members visiting your site.

good luck bud

Mullet
of the --13-- Outlaws

well your design and colors are good. but change the links and text to differentiate between them.
first i think that member names are links and i can see the profile of the member by clicking those links. but when I clicked them they were not the links.
and also solvet his problem
http://rarefaction.serverspeople.net/forum/

Question,

Is there a forum? If so the link isn't working properly. People visiting your site who know what it's about can better suggest things like graphics and such. I went to look at the layout (I'm learning) and to check out the ease of moving around your site. Is it possible to do something to the links, like highlight them or something so people would know they are clicking them? I guess Im kinda of spoiled. I did have to look down at my status bar to see that they were clickable links. I think its called mouseover? Even a darker or lighter grey, something contrast. I like how you click a link and it doesnt appear that a different window opens. Like when you click the "more" under members, the information appears below. Its very smooth and clean, and loads very quickly. May I ask how you did that? Or what its called? I like that very much.

Design-wise:

I think the color scheme is not exciting. I'm not a clan member or follower but this site does not attract me. I think either some colors that stand out (in addition to what you have) or some exciting images as part of the layout (in addition to or over what you have) that are a bit more colorful and vibrant would really catch the eye. It does look like every clan site I have ever seen, but I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. It adds a bit of a universal feel to the websites, and your main visitors are going to be clan members from your own or others, so they will get it and probably appreciate the uniform feel. A few minor details that bother me: your links don't look like links at all. The navigation doesn't bother me as much as the links within the text. I actually have to hover the mouse over every word to find out which words are links and which aren't. Then, once I started to figure out how the links were set up on pages like the 'Links' page, I went to the 'Contact' page, saw the same layout and expected each line to have a link, and they don't. It's a bit confusing to me. Also, I think you could do with an actual contact form to ease the process instead of having to remember the email address (since it's in that forum-ish layout and not clickable (which is probably worse). The navigation side bar doesn't line up horizontally with the three boxes above the content sections. It throws my eye. Lastly, the icon (which I can't remember the official name of) that shows up in the favorites center is bland. I think it should have the R|F symbol or something in there to identify it with your site. Right now it's just a dark gray to white gradient.

Accessibility-wise:

It is very easy to navigate the website, which is nice. The text on each page is easy to read, as it should be since it's black-on-white. The links issue I mentioned above is the only real accessibility issue I can notice.

The grammar is a bit off in places, but it's nothing appalling. For example:

"Spread across the south between Exeter & Brighton the team are a group of friends with a common interest in online gaming."

should be

"Spread across the South between Exeter and Brighton, the team is a group of friends with a common interest in online gaming."

OR

"Spread across the South between Exeter and Brighton, the team are friends with a common interest in online gaming."

I think a better site design would be much nicer. There are alot of good templates out there. Not alot of content being a clan site. Overall it's not a bad site though.