New site design

DuB

DuB

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No idea how long it's been active but it just changed for me.
The new design looks like it could be nice and I like the dynamic menu - just that it needs a little something to make it more obvious... just that banner... I hope to god it's just a place holder because it's crap. I reckon even I could do a better job of it. It's like so early 90's.
 
It's ugly. It looks like 4 years old. Especially the main banner. My god, amateur. Just a bunch of pictures from games plopped on a grid. Wtf?

Note: I'm not saying I could do better, this just looks much worse than what we had. This is not only cluttered looking, it's noobishly done.
 
I like the flash buttons, but everything else looks too clean and white. Gonna get hard forgetting four years of seeing the bluish colors. :eek:
 
Not flash... java script.

Thank god it's not flash.
 
It's time for change, we no longer support just Half-life 2, we cover all Valve's games which is the approach of the banner. We needed something much cleaner and simpler than we had, especially because we want to add a couple more features to the site, including a 'files' section. We'll also see a couple of other things going up on the front page in the next couple of hours. I know change is hard but if you stand still you go nowhere and get left behind.

Also, the inspiration behind this is today is Half-life2.net's 5th Birthday, so cheers to all!
 
Site looks fresh, it's nice. I'd definitely redo the banner though, it's hideous.
 
Hectic Glenn said:
It's time for change, we no longer support just Half-life 2, we cover all Valve's games which is the approach of the banner. We needed something much cleaner and simpler than we had, especially because we want to add a couple more features to the site, including a 'files' section. We'll also see a couple of other things going up on the front page in the next couple of hours. I know change is hard but if you stand still you go nowhere and get left behind.

Also, the inspiration behind this is today is Half-life2.net's 5th Birthday, so cheers to all!
Click to expand...
My complaints have nothing to do with the fact that it's changed. I didn't complain last time we changed. That's because it actually looked good.

This banner is atrocious. The amount of people who are in agreement already should be enough evidence. It's like textbook noob's work. "Oh let's see, this site represents a lot of games, so lets find a picture to represent each one and just place them right on there. Then let's find an overused concept art picture of gordon, slap that in there. Hmm what does it need... OH YEAH! OF COURSE!! A GRID!! AHHHH SO ORIGINAL!

Cheers to hl2.net anyway.
 
I don't mind it so much. Looks nice and clean. Could do without the banner though.
 
Happy birthday, I rather like the layout
 
Vegeta897 said:
It's like textbook noob's work. "Oh let's see, this site represents a lot of games, so lets find a picture to represent each one and just place them right on there. Then let's find an overused concept art picture of gordon, slap that in there. Hmm what does it need... OH YEAH! OF COURSE!! A GRID!! AHHHH SO ORIGINAL!

.
Click to expand...

It could also use some uniformity. Symbols for CS & Portal then models for TF2 & L4D? And DoD seems to be missing altogether. The rest of the front page looks fine, though.
 
Man, I didn't see this a week ago in planning stages :p

I thought it was OK, and Happy Bday HL2.net, but it's just not my cup of tea.
 
Seems a bit simple and it's all in tables!!!!! For something like this you could easily just wrap some <div> tags around them and give them borders - instant boxes.

The menu doesn't work without javascript - bad web design.

You can find a load of CSS menus that don't use javascript here - http://www.cssplay.co.uk/menus. I think this site has a similar CSS menu without javascript, but I haven't checked it out - http://weinsteinproperties.com

Sites can be clean without being basic boxes like this. Check out CSSMania for inspiration.
 
It's not the best website design in the world but it functions well enough and uses the space well. I was fed up with having 3 navigation menus with the same content in them. I was going to do a lot more with it today but I'm so tired I've got to go to bed. Tonight you should see some new content and tweaks.

P.S. I love tables.
 
I don't mind the rest. The banner! Please Munro! Have a contest or something!
 
Happy birthday halflife2.net! I still love you like a brother, or hot, hot sister.
 
Good thing I just bypass the front page these days.

Also, fifth birthday? Damn. You old, site. You old.
 
I like the new site a lot, however, the backdrop colour to the main table is horrendous.

If it was a little darker or whiter, it would be perfect. It just doesn't blend for me. I'll get used to it, but I'd prefer it a tiny bit darker or lighter. That is also why I changed the colour layout of the forum back to it's original bluish-gray.
 
Banner reminds me a bit of this (image is borked, from a saved page):

envelopesl8.jpg




I think it's ok, but not fond of the font.

Javascript only could certainly be a problem for a lot of people.

And hl2dotnet is 5! :smoking: It'll be going off to kindergaten soon! :bounce:
 
Vegeta897 said:
I don't mind the rest. The banner! Please Munro! Have a contest or something!
Click to expand...

Agreed. We have enough artists that might make original work (ie. not using screenshots or official concept art as the main element).
 
Horpy BorthDoy Holflofe2.not! now begins the depressing life of elemtary school!yay!

and happy st. Patricks day!
 
I think the navigation layout is great, it just needs some font/color tweaking.

And a new banner.
 
Great, seems everyone is pretty much of the same opinion.

New site = good. (though still needs some tweaking)
Banner = turd.

Someone mentioned a contest for the banner... might be a nice idea :)
 
If you think you can create a better banner... then feel free.
 
There is your competition agreement from Munro, fit it roughly with the colour scheme and also include the a variety of games which HL2.net represents (in the same dimensions as the current banner). It will be interesting to see what other people visualise. I for one like the new banner, I'm a huge fan of minimalist.
 
Vegeta897 said:
It's ugly. It looks like 4 years old. Especially the main banner. My god, amateur. Just a bunch of pictures from games plopped on a grid. Wtf?

Note: I'm not saying I could do better, this just looks much worse than what we had. This is not only cluttered looking, it's noobishly done.
Click to expand...

Totally agree.
 
StardogChampion said:
Attention Hectic Glenn. Remove lips from buttholez. It doesn't look minimalist. :p
Click to expand...
It does, and if you are implying that the banner is Munro's work and I'm paying him lip service then you'd be incorrect because the banner is done by someone in the community who we asked for help. They did it as a favour for us and I'm extremely appreciative of their work. So woop woop!
 
It's a lot more user friendly. Great for finding what you want, since it's clean, to the point and simple. Good work. :)

But the banner is ugly. :(
 
Banner looks good in general, just pretty damn cluttered. For example, Gordon looks pretty sechs in that banner, but then suddenly there's these little TF2 guys he's looking down upon, which just makes a bit silly tbh :p
 
I understand that you want to represent all valve games in the banner, but the humungus HALFLIFE2.NET kind of ruins that vision ;)
 
I'd be for something along the lines: large HL 2 Lambda logo with the .net under it's "arm".

And below: (and associated games).

Of course we can all settle for a nude pic from toaster-chan as a banner.
 
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