|
|
Post by FRODOFAN on Apr 18, 2005 16:15:22 GMT -5
I've considered doing reviews at my site for fellow LotR sites but I'm not sure if I would be qualified. I do, however, really enjoy helping others with their sites and thought a thread where I could do just that might be a good idea. If you want some tips or suggestions just post the url to your site below and I'll give you a list of ideas, tips, etc... I'm only going to do LotR sites and preferably not blogs. I will help out with proboards boards though.  I will try not to be too blunt but I will let you know what I think. You don't have to link to me or anything. Just post your link.  |
|
|
|
Post by Elgato Gamgins on Apr 26, 2005 0:20:36 GMT -5
|
|
Eruadan
Dwarf
An age... forgotten, its past... a memory
Posts: 60
|
Post by Eruadan on Apr 26, 2005 9:19:14 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by FRODOFAN on Apr 26, 2005 13:50:23 GMT -5
 What can I say? Elgato, when I tried to load your site all I got was a white page with a bunch of ads. When I refreshed it I got a plain white page. I'd suggest finding a new host. Erudan, your link brought me to a 404 page. Could you check the url to see if it's right?
|
|
|
|
Post by Pippin on Apr 26, 2005 15:05:35 GMT -5
[glow=green,2,300]Check out my page as well, if you can't get through the first time, press reload, it should work. To go to it, click on my Pippin's Hobbit Hole banner below. [/glow] |
|
|
|
Post by Elanor on Apr 26, 2005 15:27:51 GMT -5
I think I'll move this to the site help section as that's what you're offering  Oh and this is my site: www.fantasy-worlds.co.uk Just look at the LotR section if you want thanks |
|
|
|
Post by FRODOFAN on Apr 26, 2005 15:41:22 GMT -5
Not bad for a beginner. The AOL hometown ad at the top takes away from the site immensly. Could I recomend freewebs? Here's a list of of a few major things you should consider doing. #1 Look into getting a "real" layout. Right now it looks kind of cluttered with animations and icons that don't quite match. Check out these sites- www.nevrast.net/www.geocities.com/pirate_elf_witch/www.elven-star.net/See how they are organized. You should try something like these. Also, a layout is the same on every page. All your pages have different color schemes at the moment. Try making them all match for a more professional look. ;D #2 Give credit. You have a "no stealing" button at the bottom but you have tons of icons and animations that I've seen before. You should link back to where you found them. It's polite and people will respect your site more. Right now you are stealing. #3 Bravenet is cool and has a lot of things. I used it for the longest time. But, don't use the standard bravenet colors. Log into your account and make your bravent poll match your site. #4 Clean up the bottom of your main page. You've got a lot of misc. stuff down there, that could be neatened up a little. #5 AH! I can't see! The colors on your board are almost blinding! Please fix! Also, the banner at the bottom of the page was made for Frodo Baggins. I'd suggest using something else, unless you have permission. There are a few others things I could mention so if you'd like some more tips just pm me. But overall here are the main things you need to do. • Get a layout and apply it to all pages. • Greatly minimize your use of animations and give credit. • Use smaller text and unclashing colors. • Use more of your own graphics and avoid using other peoples. I hope this helps you fix up your site. You have some good potential there and looks like it could be fun. |
|
|
|
Post by FRODOFAN on Apr 26, 2005 16:16:20 GMT -5
Oh sorry Elanor. Thanks for moving it. OOOH! I love the layout and the colors!!! tips #1 Your text is a bit spaced out and slightly hard to read because of it. The text in your saybox is much cleaner and, in my oppinion, more attractive. Why don't you try that for the whole site? #2 YAY! You spelt Middle-earth right in your navigation! But, uh oh, you've got it mispelt on the "Middle-earth" page. I love your graphics skills! Sooooo pretty! #3 After requesting a banner from the Middle-earth section I was directed to a "we have moved" page? There's probably some link you need to change in your form. I like how you give the option to change skins. That's really neat. #4 I don't know much about phpBB forums but yours looks nice. I don't know about the blue and green border though. There's not much green in the rest of the forum. Maybe blue and the light purple would work? #5 There is a broken image on your "guess the character" page. Other then that I really can't give you any tips. You've done a great job! |
|
|
|
Post by Elgato Gamgins on Apr 26, 2005 16:26:15 GMT -5
Awww...that sucks. It's been timing out with me today. I've had to refresh it a lot of times to get it to work. It's been working fine until today.
I'm not sure how it will work on IE. I created it on Mozilla. IE doesn't work on my computer, so I don't know how it looks.
|
|
|
|
Post by FRODOFAN on Apr 26, 2005 16:30:18 GMT -5
I tell yah what. I will save the url, then check it later to see if it is working. |
|
|
|
Post by --*Kyly*-- on Apr 26, 2005 16:31:47 GMT -5
Hi....I posted a message on this board a few days ago and never got any replies. The message was about where to find forum scripts so I can have nice headers like the one here and at other forums. My site is www.halethlorindol.eternalfantasies.net and just click on 'Sites', 'Forum' to see .....duh.....my forum! lol Thanks a lot! ps-- a few pointers on the main site would be nice too! |
|
|
|
Post by FRODOFAN on Apr 26, 2005 20:38:54 GMT -5
Alright Kyly. #1 The first thing I noticed was the heading image. You can't read the text on the image and it looks "bitty." The next time you make an image (do you use photoshop?) make sure "aliased" is on. #2 Use a different font. Try Verdana, size 1. Your current font is very bitty as well. Verdana is smoother and neater. #3 There's a huge space between your first and second update. Try to keep all your updates together (like Arwen the Webmaster). This way it's easier for your visitors to see what the latest additions are. #4 What does the text "Want to help?" do? It isn't a link.... It looks like maybe it is supposed to be linked so be sure to fix that. #5 Here's one graphic problem that should be changed. You've got a white dotted line going down through your text. Not good. And your heading image sticks out past the far right dotted line. Make the line line up with your image and, if possible, get rid of the line going through the text. Other then this I think your layout is pretty nice. I really like the way the navigation works. #6 Uh oh. All your pages open up in new windows. This can make someones browser very messy. Keep everything in the same window. After all, it all has the same layout and opening new windows just uses up computer memory. So, keep pop up windows to a minimum. Okay, a few more things. Have a "listed at" page. Don't just directly link to arwenevenstar.com and Yavanna Awards. If you do this some people, who don't know, will think these sites are a part of your site. It's kinda dumb, I know. But it's happened to me before. Well, you can check out what I've done at www.politickles.com/middleearth, go to "linkage" and then "listed at." This is the best way to go and it neatens up your site. Have a links page as well. You can check that out in my linkage section too. You don't want to have all this in your navigation. Okay, here are the major things you need to fix up. • Add some content! Right now, I know you're under construction, but all you have is links to other's sites. • Fix your heading image to be more readable and fix up the few glitches in the layout. • Make your forum match your site. ~~~~~~ About your forum. You'll want to go to the proboards.com support forum and then make your way to the FAQS. If you look around you will be able to find loads of codes there, after all that is where most of them originate. It may save you some time if you look at my board (the link is my sig) and if I am using any of the codes you're looking for I can just grab them out of my headers and footers and send'em to yah. It'll save the time of sorting through proboards.com I hope this helps! |
|
|
|
Post by --*Kyly*-- on Apr 26, 2005 21:46:06 GMT -5
Hey thanks for the tips! Ok, first of all, Yavanna is my site so thats why I linked to it. Secondly, I don't know how to get my pages to open in the same window!  I've been playing with it and trying to get it to work but nothing is so far. Any ideas? Thanks bunches! Um...on my computer there isn't a line going through the text so I can't fix it. On mine it looks fine. hmmm Thanks again for the pointers! |
|
|
|
Post by Melian on Apr 26, 2005 21:48:30 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by Elanor on Apr 27, 2005 13:33:49 GMT -5
Oh sorry Elanor. Thanks for moving it. OOOH! I love the layout and the colors!!! tips #1 Your text is a bit spaced out and slightly hard to read because of it. The text in your saybox is much cleaner and, in my oppinion, more attractive. Why don't you try that for the whole site? #2 YAY! You spelt Middle-earth right in your navigation! But, uh oh, you've got it mispelt on the "Middle-earth" page. I love your graphics skills! Sooooo pretty! #3 After requesting a banner from the Middle-earth section I was directed to a "we have moved" page? There's probably some link you need to change in your form. I like how you give the option to change skins. That's really neat. #4 I don't know much about phpBB forums but yours looks nice. I don't know about the blue and green border though. There's not much green in the rest of the forum. Maybe blue and the light purple would work? #5 There is a broken image on your "guess the character" page. Other then that I really can't give you any tips. You've done a great job! Thanks very much for that FrodoFan that was really helpfull ;D - I'll go and fix things |
|
What can I say? Elgato, when I tried to load your site all I got was a white page with a bunch of ads. When I refreshed it I got a plain white page. I'd suggest finding a new host. 
I've been playing with it and trying to get it to work but nothing is so far. Any ideas? Thanks bunches!
