Make it better

[moooV]

2Ripper:

I'm not trying to offend or hurt you, but I'll say it anyway (take it as recommendations - I'm a professional web developer btw):

The only part of your site that I use is forum (http://rippersanime.com/Forum/index.php), because this site design is incredibly weird and lame. In fact, it even pisses me off.

What about other things:
1) IFRAMES!!! Get RID of them! Because they're:

• Incredibly inconvenient
• Completely outdated - this is a technology not even of yesterday, it's a technology of the previous century
• They slow down browser a lot
• You can't link them freely
• Lots of other shit

A link to forum in the header has to lead to the FORUM, not as an iframe target.

If you want through-site navigation, you can attach it statically or through php/perl includes. However, it's better not to have it in it's current state at all.

There should be no your site header in the forum pages - leave them clean (/Forum/index.php), because the header takes screen space from the forum part.

2) Throw away that ridiculous image in the header (Thumb/Logo.png) - it's incredibly lame.
3) Throw away the player - I think, nobody uses it, but it looks like shit and causes an exception in Firefox also.
4) DO NOT USE JAVASCRIPT TO HANDLE WINDOW RESIZE!!! That slows the browser like shit.
Use css for that, there are min/max-width/height properties for that.
5) Intro! It looks good the first time, but it starts to sicken every time the cookie expires. Set the cookie expiration time a lot longer.
6) Remove borders - they're retarded.


This is at least how you can improve your pages (don't take in the account my window opacity ):




PS. I'd want to help you make it better, or even remake it all from scratch, but I'm very busy till november... However, take in account that I can offer you this someday when I'll be free (maybe, after new year).

[^Ripper]

No offense taken

1) I could not agree more on this.
I actally have a beta on my hd that uses ajax to load parts of the site on the same page.
The main reason for iframes (be glad its not a total FRAMES website ) is the mediaplayer and crosssite parts like the musicboard and imageboards.
Load a new page, the player stops and restarts. unacceptable.

2) Meh i had to have something, i don't dislike it I don't give a damn about the whole web2.0 look...every friggin site looks the same centered piece of shit css template crap. I'm oldskool
3) From the stats the player is being used ALOT, even the playlists feature is used by people. Some use it at home or work to play music instead of downloading it.
what exceptions? i use firefox and i never have problems, even with noscript extentions etc.
The player is easily skinnable....i just never came to skind the damn thing...
4) I actually am trying to make the code web 2.0, it is already XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN some time ago.
But those bugs in browsers etc fuck things up so i have to pull dirty stuff to make it viewable on most browsers.
Trust me, if i could dump all the javascript i WOULD...its just i can't.
5) Noted. the intro will be removed whole. It was a whim and a laugh to make that shit fully in javascript.
6) Yes/no they serve no actual purpose and its mainly just my "design".

I've been tinkering on my site for quite a bit.
This site exists because i wanted to code a website and well it needed a topic.
Coding things is fun when you have the time.
Years ago when the player wasn't there and i didn't have musicboard/imageboards this site was xhtml/css with just a header php, php includes of the pages and fancy urls.
I have taken a step back from that i'm afraid.

Lemme see if i can get that ajax beta thing working (only to have those ps3 browser users scream in agony it won't work)
I may do a redesign of the colors/style later if i find something i like.


hmmm looking at the code now i remember why i stopped working on it.
Its either a whole ajax enabled site or not.
That means every link has to be javascript and there isn't a back button to use anymore.
Maybe i should go nuts and make my site entirely in flash (shudder)

[moooV]

1) Then you can make a standalone player page, which users can open as a separate tab in a browser and ditch away the iframes.

Also, when I worked at one company at one project, we had a player in the header and used iframes only because of the problem you're describing. We've had to drop the player, because we've had to keep a double set of styles - for a header and for everthing else, but then we've discovered that tab opening became uncontrollable - when you opened a new tab, it was without a header and navigation. Then you reflexively closed the previous tab and made the player stop.
After that, we've discovered bigger troubles - we've had to rewrite all inclusion paths on the server twice - for a header and for everything else. Then we've moved the player to the separate page and made a good version with server-side includes.

However, this project is closed now, the investor got bankrupt, but it's an unrelated story.

So, my advice is to move the player and get rid of the iframes, although you're in a simpler situation - you don't have includes yet.

What cross-site have you found about imageboards and musicboards?
They host at your server, just using another subdomain. You can just move them to a web directory of the main domain (if they aren't there already and the domain isn't a proxy pass). I don't see any trouble with that.

2) Do not load everything with ajax, it's silly and generates a huge amount of requests to your server. Use server-side includes to assemble a page, and use ajax only on update events.

3) XHTML isn't an attribute of web 2.0, also don't use css hacks to make it viewable by most browsers. There is always a way to make it look equally without hacks.
What about me - I'm making web 2.0 stuff using HTML 4.01 Transitional. I've just dumped IE6 and don't give a crap about it's users (less than 0,2% of all anyway).

4) You can drop resizing script if you'll dump iframes. They ruin everything.
Nowadays there is even a rule for web developers - not to use iframes, css expression scripts (yes, it allows to use javascript inside it), eval (in any language), and some other minor stuff, because those things will cause a giant pain in the ass later with a 99% probability.

5) PS3 browser users??? o_0 OFMG, don't even bother about them.

Keep the colors, they're relatively ok.


PS.
As for me, coding things isn't fun. Sleeping is fun, because it is the only time when you're not coding.

[^Ripper]

1) Making the player play at all time during browsing is a must. Nothing more irritating then reloading players to to page reloads.
A seperate player page could be done, although i find the "integrated in the main site" approach better.

2) Cross-site as in different servers hosted elsewhere in the world.
Also see above post i just added.
ServerSide includes yes, but then the player would shit itself, done that before.
I took a few steps back.

3) IE6 is a bitch yes, dumping support, oh yes please, but IE7 has it fits also.

4) Untill CSS can do the stuff i want i will drop it.
Its so friggin hard to make it work in ALL browsers, one WILL bite you in the ass at all times.
Still this hack is somewhat old and i need to update some css code.
Not even sure if i made it to fix IE6

Just tested it, hahah it WAS for IE6, Firefox, opera and IE8 went fine.
Removed the crap.

[moooV]

Yesterday I've came here and saw that you've updated the forum style.

It is relatively ok, but there is one thing that really pisses me off - the image at the top. It would be better if you edit the style and remove it, it makes the useful height of the page even smaller. Take a look:


I can't minimize the renderer, sorry. But the idea is clear.

Here's the plain forum (rippersanime.com/Forum/index.php), browser fullscreen mode, as I use to:



You can see, it's only about a half of the page with the forum content.

Let's go further and go to the forum from the link on your main page, as most of people do:



The browser is still in the FULLSCREEN MODE, but the useful height is only a half!


Now imagine that the browser is in the standard mode, as MOST of users have - add another header height. WHAT'S LEFT???


I really don't understand how others use this forum without scrolling miles of screen. You have to think about it, it's incredibly annoying.
In fact, if it wasn't a community I like and the forum I like, I'd leave this horrible thing the day I saw it.

[^Ripper]

Aw crap..... should've tested that update more...

The thing is i updated the forum twice in one week.
Then i figured out the divineblack wasn't updated regularly, so i went and update it from scratch to make it match 99% to the subsilver code.

Well to make a drama short, i forgot to add my modifications to the new cleaned style...>_>
I'll fix it right away.

[TargaryenX]

I really don't like the header image. I'm embarrassed to visit this site in public places because of it.

[moooV]

I really don't like the header image. I'm embarrassed to visit this site in public places because of it.

That's why I use the direct typed-in link: rippersanime.com/Forum/index.php!

[Squirrelsquid]

I could easily make you a snazy new smaller header image - possibly a third the size.

[^Ripper]

No banner is needed atm.
I'm currently somewhat busy remodeling the site.
Its slow as i don't have that much time, but still its "getting there".
For a preview look at image underneath.
The colors are off so please ignore that.
Its the layout i'm fiddling with first.
1024x768 resolution full screen is the bare minimum.

[crazyankan]

^Ripper, some of the GLO chapters has deleted links(from ch 88) and the last chapter is Phase 95 (we have released 99 so far )

[moooV]

My eyes are bleeding!

If you still want a player, you can do something like this design I've found on the dviantart (I'm not asking you to copy someone else's design, just take a look at it as a reference):



However, I'd like you to ditch the player - make a separate page for it, opening in another tab. No one will be sad about it - that's how it's done on the big media sites.

[fargred]

2crazyankan

Here we've got a nice site, but i have two "but" against it`s design:
The first "but" is a mistake i made, seen a faucet on site`s header – it was mini-Secks. You should kinda paint him or something..?
The second is ...ta-da!.. frames. I am a web-developer, too, and i want to say, why it's no good, to use them.

First of all, it breaks page indexing by spiders of the search engines. By the way, they're indexing each frame separately. That's not good, because if users came to your site from google (yahoo, etc.), they seeing your content, but do not see, who created it, because "Sorry, Mario, but your header is in another frame!" PHP with template-parser will do the same thing, but without frames` problems.

Frames really stealing space on users` displays. I feel angry, when i see browser with the hundreds of panel on a half screen, but people are people,)

Do you see it now?!


Please, do something with frames, because your anime portal is slowly becoming to a shelter for russian web-developers)))))

[moooV]

>>>Do you see it now?!

I see a lot of crap panels in your browser. A real web developer would be smart enough not to install them. Also, there is no need for any plugin but the firebug.

[crazyankan]

fargred: this site is called ^Rippers's anime for a reason.
If it was my site, it would be named crazyankan's anime

[^Ripper]

I'm still busy with it, still its getting there...
I fixed all the underlying logic with the music player.
FUCK it was hard to make that player working in a popup.
Sure it "works", but when the parent window gets refreshed/reloaded/whatever all references to the child were gone...
You load a song, go to another music page....and the player does nothing...
After a lot of searching i found the cure in the form of a small javascript specifically made for WimpyPlayer.
Anyway the player issue is now fixed since that was my biggest complaint.
Then all the code to make a playlist was broken after switching to a popup >_>
Also that got fixed.
After looking at the popup for 4 days, my dislike of it kind of fades away.

Then came the whole css code crap i had to fix to make it work on IE7 and IE6.
So...now its almost frameless.
Basicly index.php?page=whatever
Header part, included Content part and Sidepanel part.
The forum can't be included and the only "solution" was to make an iframe (wait? i don't want them!)
Thus forum template changing is the only option and using a direct link to it.
Still thats ok, since the player won't die or loose functionality.

The imageboards/musicboard are the only ones still in an iframe.
Since they don't exist on the same server/hosting there is a pain getting javascript commands accross due to security settings.
Sure the javascript [document.domain = "rippersanime.com";] part helps since they are on a subdomain of the same domain, but still...its sometimes buggy.

Anyway take a live peek here:
http://www.rippersanime.com/Tst/index2.php

Again! (and i cannot stress that enough)

DON'T look at the odd colors.
DON'T look at the margins.
DON'T look at the borders.
DON'T look at the blue background!!!

They are all going to change in some way.
Even the widths (like the sidebar) will change tho i like the sidebar part.

Its time for site dress up and i need to experiment with things like coloring/layout.
I like the dark / yellow color scheme, so its going to be something like that....or not
Maybe model it after the forum template...i dunno

[moooV]

DON'T look at the odd colors.
DON'T look at the margins.
DON'T look at the borders.
DON'T look at the blue background!!!

Make me unsee this!

[fargred]

fargred: this site is called ^Rippers's anime for a reason.
If it was my site, it would be named crazyankan's anime

Oh, it's my fault. Sorry me. *gone away, alone and sad*
*has came back!*

>>>Do you see it now?!
I see a lot of crap panels in your browser. A real web developer would be smart enough not to install them. Also, there is no need for any plugin but the firebug.

Please, don't read the posts on the diagonal, right? Good. The only purpose of this screenshot was to visually show "an usual stupid-retard-user-screen" And i'm using only firebug with webdev-panel, cause something can be made faster through the panel, than the often masturbation of <F12>

2^Ripper
Heh, index2 is much better! And now player with playlist are taking an appropriate place to their significance on this site and to spent industry,)

[Abaddon]

The new layout it's awesome!

[somedude1776]

I'm a long time lurker (since early 2009) and have been thinking of registering at several points in time but never got around to it for various reasons. Never thought I'd register because of something like this though.

First off; big thanks to CA and the team, and everyone else who's made the Gunnm releases possible. You're doing an incredibly good job.

Now to cut straight to my point: The new design, it's horrible. I absolutely hate it.

Everything about it. I can't properly describe how downright ugly and wrong I think it is. And I strongly disagree with the OP of this thread. The old design was just quirky, nothing more. Not broken, and certainly not bad enough to warrant replacing it with THIS. Yes, the old design IS a bit (just a bit) weird, at least from a webdesigners point of view; I see where you're coming from there. And indeed, frames ARE old.

But the old layout (the page with everything and the forums included) LOOKS and FEELS much better!

This is not me being someone who simply dislikes change, or something like that... I have no problem with change, if its for the better. People need to remember that Change itself isn't synonymous with Improvement. If some guy goes to the doctor with a crippled toe and the doctor saws both his legs off, stabs him in the chest, shoots him in his left elbow and throws hydrofluoric acid in his face; that is definitely a Change in his condition. A change for the worse.

I'm pretty sure at least some people on here agree with me, preferring the old design... and there's likely a pretty large group of silent lurkers who does too.

Hey, it's your site, so of course you do whatever you wish with it. I'm just voicing my opinion.

Here's my suggestion (which would be very cool if you could implement, and I think many people would appreciate):

If this new layout is here to stay, then you may as well create an option for us to choose the old one.

That way people who like the new one can have it, and people who prefer the classic one can use that.

[Hramm]

Must disagree.
Never used the old layout with the forum inside the front page anyway. ^^
And the new forum is way faster than the old one (with Opera) and we still have the Divine Black board style.

[Cailon]

@somedude1776: So now that you've registered, welcome!
Also, go to User Control Panel, Board Pref's and chose Divine Black as style, that way you'll at least have the old forum style again.

I'm a bit of a creature of habit so I'll stick with the old one for a while but will eventually cope with the new one I think. I have absolutely no clue about programming so in the end I'll take everything you serve Only one thing: avatars on the right side? No... but I bet you can change that individually.

[crazyankan]

Thanks god for Divine Black setting.

I am so used to the old forum, so it would take me a looong time before I can acclimatize for new one.

But I like that you can see the hot topics at the home page, should maybe attract some new forum members.

[^Ripper]

Well a little fuckup in the database, tho it's corrected.
I've changed the new septon style and switched the Postbody and Postprofile around to the old ways.
Anyway i'l mod the devine black style to have the menu in it, also i need to "blend" the menu in the current style.
Overall my opinion the site has a new look, while most of the styling remained the same.
I like this one better then the old, still i am open to suggestions.
And yes change is hard, but the initial dislike i had was gone after a few days.

[Sergio Nova]

Thanks a lot, cailon. I was happy with Divine Black. I simply didn't know that.