New BM Website

[DoZeNt]

Originally posted by InsanitySorrow
Not a bad banner, though I think the background is far too strong for that text, maybe darkening or fading the background with make the text stand out more.

As for the site, it would not be hard to recreate that site in our language, well that's if SoK and Dox cannot cobble together an english one for us. I was also working on one a while back but did not finish, I could easily finish that one up if it was wanted.

Do not forget that the site must be russian.. for my team...

I just did that site because it has an easy controlled forum...

If you need a website, I think we can make an english site with that design, with a link to my site, and to the silgrad forums...

[InsanitySorrow]

Dox.......yes that was errr a 2am mess up :lmao:

If you can make an english version then go ahead, but if not then if I can get a copy of the images ect you used then I can easily put together an english version that has a link to the russian site, forums ect

[Ibsen's Ghost]

Yeah, don't bust a gut with the website, bud. It's only for looks, after all...not that I don't appreciate it, of course. :yes:

[DoZeNt]

We have added a Google translator to the website... It can be found below the Site Menu. On the forum you can find it at the bottom of the page... This one doesn't work perfectly as it translates 80% of the text, and it often fails to translate anything at all... The idea of making two main pages for different languages is still nice for me, what do you think about that?

[Xae]

Originally posted by Ibsen's Ghost
In the meantime, I have attached some shots of the banner being used here and, although I think the format reduces the quality for some reason, I suggest we use one of them as a replacement banner so as to make the forums consistent with the website. I would normally set up a poll but I wanted to leave this message here. Just let me know which one you like. Personally, it's either #2 or #3 for me. 2 stands out more but 3 is a wee bit more flash.

Not to be Johnny rain cloud here or any with intent to offend anyone but in my opinion, I'd say none of them. They all have that quick-PS-text-effect look and the banner on the Russian site has a dodgy white stroke on it. The cutout filter effect on the background picture is nice but it also looks as if it was quickly thrown together, which is particularly noticeable around the water line to the right.

Originally posted by DoZeNt
We have added a Google translator to the website... It can be found below the Site Menu. On the forum you can find it at the bottom of the page... This one doesn't work perfectly as it translates 80% of the text, and it often fails to translate anything at all... The idea of making two main pages for different languages is still nice for me, what do you think about that?

An entire site in English is a necessity. The BM site can't be in another language and it can't rely on Google translator (not just because the result is awful). Both are an instant turn away for almost every visitor.

The website (The Russian one) as it stands is a good start, but there are quite a few things that I think'd need improving.

1) The banner should either fade out to the sides or have borders. I'd redo the banner itself entirely.
2) The parchment has clipping issues all over.
3) The leaf effect to the left has an edge that is too even and the green is much too saturated with no texture.
4) The background image should either cover the full page and be set to fixed or shouldn't be there at all. As it is right now looks like it serves mostly to justify the footer, which has a quite unbecoming obvious background repeat (the recurring shadows).
5) The content column isn't correctly centered.
6) The colour scheme is off. Too many primary colours and there's bright green on blue.

[InsanitySorrow]

Indeed an english site would be better, we could easily link to the russian site or even have a splash page first that asks the user which language they want to use. I have brought that idea up before and I think it maybe a good way to go.

The banner looks ok to me, well the text is odd with the stroke but other than that think it would do.

I gotta ask, has there been any progress towards an english BM site?, also the translator is a bad idea

[Ibsen's Ghost]

Well, I'm pleased that I can click the button and get things in English, personally. It's much to DoZeNt's (and the rest of the Russian team's) credit that this site exists at all and I have to say that I'm really pleased with it.

It's difficult for me to comment because, for me, as long as the fact that we exist is there and that there is a source for updating things and a perceived 'home' then I'm happy. I also quite like the design although my own point of view is biased because I place far more emphasis on the mod than it's promotion. Therefore, I'm being realistic about it as opposed to imagining how it could be.

So very well done to DoZeNt and his team but, yes, I guess we could really benefit from a complete English-driven website. It's just not a priority to me. Linking between this one and a potential future one though, would be easy to do.

[DoZeNt]

Ok, one English BM website coming up

[black ghost]

make one with ning it only takes ten minutes.

[Lady Nerevar]

so i gather the site is currently a blog? it works, but imo the integrated forum aspect (log on, people online, etc.) gets in the way of the main purpose, which is to present information and make people interested in the project.

in terms of design, i'm not sure about the swirly at the top of the page parchment. it doest seem argonian or sinister, and strikes me as more elven. it also makes reading the text a bit difficult at times. The images on the gallery should be given descriptive titles (eg. "Stormhold Alchemist") instead of default Fraps ones. It could also help to divide the gallery into sections for different regions, etc.

[edit]ning is horribly confusing, though i suppose its a decent base. it however overlaps with the purposes of this forum.