A predicament.

Sean P Kelly · 01-30-2010, 12:38 AM

I want to overhall/modernize SMBHQ, but I don't think I have the time or resources to do it.

**Valigarmander** · 01-30-2010, 12:40 AM

What exactly did you have in mind?

Sean P Kelly · 01-30-2010, 12:41 AM

Anything other than the Frankensite the page has become.

Metal Man · 01-30-2010, 03:29 AM

Ok, after having to redo this post THREE TIMES due to my browser, here's what I'm trying to post:

You can just cut down radically on the number of sections on the front page. Then you make SMBHQ appear alive again, as only alive sections will be visible directly there.

With that, these sections could be de-linked and probably kept out of view so as to help keep SMBHQ looking active:

Links, Cartoons (If it's dead), Movies, Comics, Dethrone the King, Fan Fiction, Fan Art, Rants, Ideas, Ongoing Story, Sprites, Downloads, Productions, RPC, Contests

These ones are still good, but should be put in an 'Archive' section so people don't mistake their deadness for being SMBHQ as a whole's status:

Mysteries, Products, About Mario, Mario 101, Plot, Trivia, Purity Test, Memories

Then that leaves far fewer links on the front page. We combine Auctions and shop and then we make sure all the sections people see are alive, removing the appearance of SMBHQ being a monster made up of dead sections glued together.

In any case, it would also allow for a less cluttered layout.

There'd be only 17 links instead of 41, and we could use a layout more like the old one with the name graphics and the more screen-filling thing with descriptions of sections.

Then we'd also focus on reporting the activity of each section.

We also let this forum be used for discussion of Mario. Make me mod of it and I'll compete with Metal Mario to the death.

Sean P Kelly · 01-30-2010, 08:37 AM

Actually, I what I was thinking about was more a web 2.0 design.

However, I don't know if I could properly incorporate it into SMBHQ

Metal Man · 01-30-2010, 04:28 PM

My idea goes hand in hand with that 'web 2.0 development' guide you made, and I happen to run a site or two which comply with Web 2.0 guidelines. I also know AJAX and javascript.

All you need to do is cut down on the 'dead' links, then rearrange the front page into one or two columns using the remaining information. Then using some site-wide stylesheets, all the sections which aren't subsections could be made to look the same style-wise, and cleaned up where necessary. (SSS and NC both have very 'iconic' looks, which, since they are subsites, would explain why they don't need to be 100% linked to SMBHQ's style.)

The issue is you might be looking at doing it all at once. That just isn't feasible without full time workers. But if you want to progressively clean up the layout, then all it takes is a little elbow grease every couple days.

Metal Man · 01-30-2010, 11:16 PM

New layout looks a bit better, just wondering where NC and SSS will be linked, and if I could help anywhere.

Sean P Kelly · 01-30-2010, 11:20 PM

Anything not linked in the main navigation is now on the Extras page (don't know why I named it that though).

Metal Man · 01-30-2010, 11:22 PM

I see. Well then, good work. Might eventually work on making the separation between the top area and the others a bit more prominent, but, it seems to work fine.

Also, NC should probably be on the main navbar--considering its close ties to SMBHQ and that, unlike SSS, it is integrated into the bar format.

Sean P Kelly · 01-30-2010, 11:35 PM

Technically every page on the site that has the ad code will have the nav bar (saves me the trouble of manually adding it to pages).

There are alternate codes to remove the bar (i.e. pointing to either ads2.htm or hostads.htm)

***Saria Dragon of the Rain Wilds*** · 01-30-2010, 11:36 PM

Is it meant to be a plain white page at this point in time, or is it just not loading properly on my computer/in Opera?

Regardless, good start on the redesign. Nothing like tidying up the place, eh?

Metal Man · 01-30-2010, 11:45 PM

It loads in Opera 10.10.

And I meant a button like 'NC' next to Store and Extras.

Mostly because it is still updated and, I'm sure Jay would want it there. SSS's place is more debatable, as before it could be put there, I'd need to integrate SMBHQ's bar into it so it doesn't mess up the navigation.

**Valigarmander** · 01-30-2010, 11:53 PM

Looks cleaner now, though I'd keep working at it.

I'd help if I knew anything about coding webpages.

Metal Man · 01-31-2010, 12:58 AM

Better integrated NC into it. I'd have kept the Google thing, except it refused to sit in its side of the table properly.

In any case, seems my greater effect on SMBHQ has helped kick it out of a tailspin.

View History

Call me what you want, but I was letting it lie as it was until shortly before the obvious upward trend in the site's views began.

01-30-2010, 12:38 AM	#1
Sean P Kelly Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Toronto, ON, Canada Gender: Posts: 3,789 Thanks: 19 Thanked 58 Times in 46 Posts	A predicament. I want to overhall/modernize SMBHQ, but I don't think I have the time or resources to do it.

01-30-2010, 12:40 AM	#2
Valigarmander The Bee's Knees Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: The land of rain and trees (Oregon) Gender: Posts: 29,222 Thanks: 1,611 Thanked 5,553 Times in 2,499 Posts Blog Entries: 18	What exactly did you have in mind? __________________

01-30-2010, 03:29 AM	#4
Metal Man Fairy-Slaying Maniac Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: 1592 Miles Away From Here Gender: Posts: 18,062 Thanks: 148 Thanked 683 Times in 482 Posts	Ok, after having to redo this post THREE TIMES due to my browser, here's what I'm trying to post: You can just cut down radically on the number of sections on the front page. Then you make SMBHQ appear alive again, as only alive sections will be visible directly there. With that, these sections could be de-linked and probably kept out of view so as to help keep SMBHQ looking active: Links, Cartoons (If it's dead), Movies, Comics, Dethrone the King, Fan Fiction, Fan Art, Rants, Ideas, Ongoing Story, Sprites, Downloads, Productions, RPC, Contests These ones are still good, but should be put in an 'Archive' section so people don't mistake their deadness for being SMBHQ as a whole's status: Mysteries, Products, About Mario, Mario 101, Plot, Trivia, Purity Test, Memories Then that leaves far fewer links on the front page. We combine Auctions and shop and then we make sure all the sections people see are alive, removing the appearance of SMBHQ being a monster made up of dead sections glued together. In any case, it would also allow for a less cluttered layout. There'd be only 17 links instead of 41, and we could use a layout more like the old one with the name graphics and the more screen-filling thing with descriptions of sections. Then we'd also focus on reporting the activity of each section. We also let this forum be used for discussion of Mario. Make me mod of it and I'll compete with Metal Mario to the death. Last edited by Metal Man; 01-30-2010 at 03:42 AM.

01-30-2010, 11:53 PM	#13
Valigarmander The Bee's Knees Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: The land of rain and trees (Oregon) Gender: Posts: 29,222 Thanks: 1,611 Thanked 5,553 Times in 2,499 Posts Blog Entries: 18	Looks cleaner now, though I'd keep working at it. I'd help if I knew anything about coding webpages. __________________

01-31-2010, 12:58 AM	#14
Metal Man Fairy-Slaying Maniac Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: 1592 Miles Away From Here Gender: Posts: 18,062 Thanks: 148 Thanked 683 Times in 482 Posts	Better integrated NC into it. I'd have kept the Google thing, except it refused to sit in its side of the table properly. In any case, seems my greater effect on SMBHQ has helped kick it out of a tailspin. View History Call me what you want, but I was letting it lie as it was until shortly before the obvious upward trend in the site's views began. Last edited by Metal Man; 01-31-2010 at 01:19 AM.

01-30-2010, 12:41 AM	#3
Sean P Kelly Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Toronto, ON, Canada Gender: Posts: 3,789 Thanks: 19 Thanked 58 Times in 46 Posts	Anything other than the Frankensite the page has become.

01-30-2010, 08:37 AM	#5
Sean P Kelly Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Toronto, ON, Canada Gender: Posts: 3,789 Thanks: 19 Thanked 58 Times in 46 Posts	Actually, I what I was thinking about was more a web 2.0 design. However, I don't know if I could properly incorporate it into SMBHQ

01-30-2010, 04:28 PM	#6
Metal Man Fairy-Slaying Maniac Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: 1592 Miles Away From Here Gender: Posts: 18,062 Thanks: 148 Thanked 683 Times in 482 Posts	My idea goes hand in hand with that 'web 2.0 development' guide you made, and I happen to run a site or two which comply with Web 2.0 guidelines. I also know AJAX and javascript. All you need to do is cut down on the 'dead' links, then rearrange the front page into one or two columns using the remaining information. Then using some site-wide stylesheets, all the sections which aren't subsections could be made to look the same style-wise, and cleaned up where necessary. (SSS and NC both have very 'iconic' looks, which, since they are subsites, would explain why they don't need to be 100% linked to SMBHQ's style.) The issue is you might be looking at doing it all at once. That just isn't feasible without full time workers. But if you want to progressively clean up the layout, then all it takes is a little elbow grease every couple days.

01-30-2010, 11:16 PM	#7
Metal Man Fairy-Slaying Maniac Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: 1592 Miles Away From Here Gender: Posts: 18,062 Thanks: 148 Thanked 683 Times in 482 Posts	New layout looks a bit better, just wondering where NC and SSS will be linked, and if I could help anywhere.

01-30-2010, 11:20 PM	#8
Sean P Kelly Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Toronto, ON, Canada Gender: Posts: 3,789 Thanks: 19 Thanked 58 Times in 46 Posts	Anything not linked in the main navigation is now on the Extras page (don't know why I named it that though).

01-30-2010, 11:22 PM	#9
Metal Man Fairy-Slaying Maniac Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: 1592 Miles Away From Here Gender: Posts: 18,062 Thanks: 148 Thanked 683 Times in 482 Posts	I see. Well then, good work. Might eventually work on making the separation between the top area and the others a bit more prominent, but, it seems to work fine. Also, NC should probably be on the main navbar--considering its close ties to SMBHQ and that, unlike SSS, it is integrated into the bar format.

01-30-2010, 11:35 PM	#10
Sean P Kelly Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Toronto, ON, Canada Gender: Posts: 3,789 Thanks: 19 Thanked 58 Times in 46 Posts	Technically every page on the site that has the ad code will have the nav bar (saves me the trouble of manually adding it to pages). There are alternate codes to remove the bar (i.e. pointing to either ads2.htm or hostads.htm)

01-30-2010, 11:36 PM	#11
*Saria Dragon of the Rain Wilds* Admin "mine.. not yours. NO. MINE." Epic Ladynerd Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Forteresse de Valois Gender: Posts: 28,199 Thanks: 1,510 Thanked 1,719 Times in 993 Posts	Is it meant to be a plain white page at this point in time, or is it just not loading properly on my computer/in Opera? Regardless, good start on the redesign. Nothing like tidying up the place, eh?

01-30-2010, 11:45 PM	#12
Metal Man Fairy-Slaying Maniac Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: 1592 Miles Away From Here Gender: Posts: 18,062 Thanks: 148 Thanked 683 Times in 482 Posts	It loads in Opera 10.10. And I meant a button like 'NC' next to Store and Extras. Mostly because it is still updated and, I'm sure Jay would want it there. SSS's place is more debatable, as before it could be put there, I'd need to integrate SMBHQ's bar into it so it doesn't mess up the navigation.