Tuesday, May 25, 2010

More on the layout

For those that can't see the new layout, click here :)

New idea:
What if I stopped trying to fit all the games on one page, and instead just had the newest games, future games, and big category buttons leading to other pages?
Then, say on the animal page, there would be Doll Divine games clearly on top, and other games below. Same with the fantasy page etc.

(the reason I'm re-working the site is cuz multiple people told me they were so confused that they never even opened a game!)

Also, I know the categories are confusing... anyone have any better way to categorize them?

Just for clarification, there's three statuses now because I've got 3 games in the works. I don't usually. Avatar was going so slow that I decided to squeeze the Korean Queen first. Also, I've roped my sister into coding for me so she's working on Anthro (and doing an AMAZING job!). Between her help and the lay off, next month things should really get going fast. :D
Posted by at 10:02 PM

14 comments:

  1. I like the new layout, having the multiple status bars is great and I like how the bars are a bit smaller so you get more of a feel for where things are at.
    The categories are fine by me but I agree with what others said, I think the Doll Divine games should be seperate from the others.
    Personally I would prefer it if they were all on the one page not having buttons linking off.
    So thats my 2cents worth.
    Aris
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  2. I like the idea of buttons, that'd help! Yay for making other people help you!
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  3. i like the new layout because it's much easier to see the status bars etc. i'm agreeing with everyone else that the Doll Divine games should be seperate because (no offense to any other games on the site) i would rather play your games!

    ~ Erra
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  4. Ouch, yeah, that's a big mess. You'd probably be better off linking to each category rather than smushing it all onto the main page. I suggest only having the statuses on the front page, and the newest dolls on the front page, and then links to everything else. It would be much cleaner.

    I also suggest separating fan games (like the Hogwarts and the sailor senshi games) into their own category, just for organization's sake.

    And, as others have mentioned, the DD games should stand out more against the others, maybe making more space between the DD games and the "guest" games? I got a little confused when I first looked at it, and I've been going to this site for months now.
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  5. The seperate pages are a good idea, I think. And I love seeing all the status bars. (The upcoming games look great!)
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  6. here's an idea. on the new layout, how about just separating the games so that dolldivine games are at the top and the other games are at the bottom. i think that would look great!
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  7. The new layout is a bit confusing, but I still like it better then the old one because of the multiple status bars and all the newest games being on the top of the page.

    I'm not sure about the links to the different categories, it seems like it would make the front page less inviting to just have a bunch of links to other pages and not the preview pictures. But maybe if you still had preview pictures for different categories, like next to the link to the animal maker category a preview picture of the Kitten maker or something.

    As for the categories, having some games in multiple categories might work if you had the links to different pages. That said, I think you should take the Warrior and Pirate makers out of Fashion games, and maybe even the Adventurer and Hogwarts ones too. I don't think they really fit with that category. I know that the Adventurer maker is only in Fashion, and maybe it doesn't really belong in Fantasy either, so maybe move it to Folk and Historical? I think it would fit there. Also, I think you should take Clockwork Couture and the Anime maker out of fantasy. They don't really seem like fantasy games to me.

    Hope that made enough sense to help a little!
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  8. While I didn't find the other layout was difficult, I like the new status bar. The main-page-link idea sounds cool, though that's what a lot of other websites do. Maybe you could have a changing headline-one for your games and one for the other peoples. cartoondollemporium.com (or CDE) does it, and I kind of like it. I defenantly would (((Make Sure))) that your games are ceperated from the others.

    As for the catagories, Women, Men, Animals, (Those three are self-explanitory) Fashion (Which is dressing up people on the runway stuff), Fantasy (like mythical creatures and Elementals), Historical, National, Media (as in Disney and Anime). I would Not put Fan Art because that seems like someone drew the stuff again-like the fan picture Facebook.
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  9. Haha, I had forgotten how much you guys prefer my games to the others, so thank you for the compliments :)

    Tonight I'll try to do a mock-up of what a page with links might look like. I'm now leaning towards this option since it would make more sense as the site gets bigger.

    Kali, I would definitely have image links, perhaps showing a few dolls from each category :)

    Kali, I like your ideas about categories. So I guess people really see "Fashion" as only modern, eh?
    It's tough because fantasy can be defined as anything "other than 100% reality" to "only creatures that aren't human" etc.

    Maybe a separate anime category?
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  10. Myleah, those are good ideas too.

    I get confused though because the Warrior is not technically magical, but doesn't have clothes directly from history. I'm torn between historical, fantasy and fashion.
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  11. I think the buttons is a good idea. Just have the newest games and the games in progress on the front page?
    I'd put Warrior into Fantasy if it was me :)


    ~Ali
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  12. I like the status bars on the side and I think you should go back to the old sorting. :) I definitely love your games and the others are great too, I just thought that they should be separated. :)
    Keep up the WONDERFUL WORK!!!
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  13. I like the new layout the way it is, and I LOOOOVE the new progress bar. I think the Elven Fashion and Dragon Makers will be AMAZING when they come out! But you have to finish your other games right now, and I'm cool with that. All of your games are great! Keep up the INCREDIBLE work!
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  14. Well, OLa, I think she is magical. She's got the whole fire-in-hand thing. And her eyes. I would put her in the Fantasy
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