Flash Site Design - Site review

Author

Site review

alanwallace4

2005-09-24, 6:18 pm

Hello there,
i've finished a site for a friend and would like some comments on it please.
Ive been trying to build full flash sites for about 3 months now.
http://www.regalcatering.co.uk
Cheers
Alan

Dragonusthei

2005-09-24, 6:18 pm

I dont like this site

design wise its ugly

Theres to much going on just cause u found tutorials on stuff does not mean
you have to use it the thing following the mouse is ugly......

"This Web-Site Requires Macromedia Flash Player 8 to view." no it
doesnt.......

to be totaly honest the site would look much better done in dreamweaver then
using flash elements because the site just doesnt look good.. and dreamweaver
would give your site what it needs

posted.by\(Vern\);

2005-09-24, 6:18 pm

There is nothing there, but some text telling me I need FlashPlayer to view
the site. All on a nice 009999 background.

--
--
Regards,
--Vern
===========================
onClipEvent(doSomethingStupid){
setProperty("Face", color, #FF0000);
_root.audio = "uh oh!";
}

Kimmou

2005-09-25, 6:21 pm

Hi

I can't see it either. Maybe you are working on it--I'd be happy to look when it gets back up.

alanwallace4

2005-09-27, 7:02 pm

Hi,
I normally thank people for their comments.
Maybe next time i'll put "constructive" in the title.
Dragonusthei, your opinoin would have been recieved better if you had put your
comments in a constructive manner.
Rather than saying ugly, bad,etc.
As far as tutorials go.... Yes, i do use tutorials. Id like to meet the person
who could build a site in flash without having one tutorial! everyone applies
them to their sites! And my friend liked it so there you go.

Your comment "This Web-Site Requires Macromedia Flash Player 8 to view."
no it doesnt.......
Why say this?
My fault i suppose. The site is "best viewed with flash player 8" as it was
made with flash 8. So , if you are viewing the site with an earlier version the
graphics will be affected as earlier versions do not support them.
I am by no means an expert and have only been making sites since december and
only the last 3 months with flash. I have no previous background in this work
either. So im pretty much a noob as far as flash and sites are concerned.
However, i am getting better the more i do.
The site is for a small sandwich shop, not for a major company, my friend is
very pleased with it.

The reason most people post on this forum is for help and advice.
As i mention above, if you had said something like "your fonts on the home
page are difficult to read why not try this instead because......" that would
have been great. Please read your message again and consider this in future
posts.

Kimmou and News,
Probably the reason you cant see anything is the flash detection that i used
(just the one in the publish settings). So if you havent got flash player 8 you
wont see it. (im new to this so im not 100%, i might take it off though)
Cheers for looking tho!
Thanks
Alan

Dragonusthei

2005-09-27, 7:02 pm

Ok heres a constructive comment start over!

if you want people to lie about it then say that in your title other wise ill
tell you the truth its dam ugly. With no reason for the site to be done in
Flash since you use no flash features you might as well used dreamweaver and
got a half decent SEO done.

alanwallace4

2005-09-27, 7:02 pm

No, There's nothing constructive in your comments.
No, I do not want anyone to lie about it.
No, you do not seem to have read my message.
No, you do not seem to have very good people skills.
No, my site is not as "Dam Ugly" as the personality that you display.
No, further correspondance.

bubfather

2005-09-27, 7:02 pm

So, a constructive opinion now:)

first I should get rid of the mousetrailer. It is done to many times and
almost every viewer of a website with such a mousetrailer is annoyed by it.
What does this mousetrailer really add?

If I was you, ishould not publish the Flash movie for Flash player 8. I don't
see any effect on your site which need Flash player 8 (like blur effects).
Publish for Flash player 6 should do the job and much more people can watch
your website (most people do not have flash player 8 installed yet).

I can see that you are new with Flash, but I read on your personal website
that you are learning several 'webdesign' software prgrams in your spare time
since late 2004. For a 'rooky' you are doing quite allright in Flash. When
using Flash, photoshop, illustrator or dreamwaever a lot, like a many reply
posters above, you get better in recognizing the do's and don'ts of webdesign
in Flash.

One of these codes are:
- make your text readable. So try to increase the contrast between the
background and the fontcolour. Now it is difficult to read.
- Make a clear distingtion between links and plain text.
- Use sound (clicks) when it is not annoying. in your website the 'plings' are
on the edge of it.
- Never stredge images in Flash
- Try to find out what colours you want to use for your site. Try to choose
the colours consistant.
- If the site can be done html, do it in html (this is because you do not use
any Flash features in your website). than you have also a better change to be
admitted in Google database.

I hope you this advice will support you. Keep up the good work
Benjamin van Rossum http://www.bewired.nl

alanwallace4

2005-09-27, 7:02 pm

Thank You!
I really apreciate your input. I'll definatley look at the colours and remove
the trails.
The "various packages" i state on my site is basically studio mx.
At the moment i'm trying out full flash sites as i love working with the
program.
I'm trying to concentrate on the structuring of a site and trying to get my
head around that before i attempt major animation projects.

any comments you may have on my personal site would be good too. You may have
noticed the guestbook isnt connected yet.
cheers
Alan

alanwallace4

2005-09-27, 7:02 pm

Hello again,
I've just been messing around with the file and when i changed the publish
settings to flash 7 there was a message appear that siad the version does not
supportcertain features (enhanced stroke) so i removed them without any changes.
However, when i preview the site there are some major changes to the site.
For example my buttons are gone and apear as simple buttons. And the large
Regal Catering ate the top is in plain black.
Also the photo of the tyne bridge at the top is yellow!
This is not how the site looks normally (in version 8).
And possibly why Dragon was slated it so much.

meager

2005-09-27, 7:02 pm

I would like to view your site, but I'm just not willing to install flash
player 8 yet. I'm a little "old school" and always try and have older version
of things until someone can prove I need the new version. This is not a
negative comment, but it is a bold statement to write a site in 8 being that it
was just officially released last week.

I'll keep an eye on this post in hopes to maybe see a version 7 of the site if
that is in your plans.

alanwallace4

2005-09-27, 10:17 pm

Thanks for your comments.
Maybe i have been a bit quick off the mark.
My site is nothing special (but an improvment for me). I am well aware of the
fact
that im still a very much a novice. But I'm up for it and will not be
knocked down.
I love Flash and will not stop till im very good.
An eagerness fueled by http://www.tokyoplastic.com
Thanks
Alan