FPS review board

[Tidy]

I have some books but the point is that they are generalizations. And I still fail to see how I am going against the grain. Websites are nothing but cut and paste publications and the web adds a possible dynamic elements.

I grew up around professional art depts and I saw how it was done in print, the web has merely simplified the same old principles. Graphic design has been around long before the web. xhtml, php, css,, flash and all of it are merely elements. The core of it goes to basics of publishing. Visual appeal - performance- ease of use- etc. Getting a book is just following anothers lead and I still say your critiques go back to personal style issues. I could use different themes to give users options so that those wanting a clean look could have one but I choose instead to prioritize repeatability and use it towards brand imaging. These are all things I learned being around professional atmosphere's so I just find it funny to be told to read a book when my influences came from actual publishing entities.

It's like cars, Skills. Their are plenty of documented procedures to follow when working on a car. I usually don't reference a repair manual tho unless it's for specs because I already have an understanding of design and engineering. So if I can fix the car without the book, the book no longer matters since I have my own procedure to net the same results.

[Skillz]

Originally Posted by Tidy

I have some books but the point is that they are generalizations. And I still fail to see how I am going against the grain. Websites are nothing but cut and paste publications and the web adds a possible dynamic elements.

I grew up around professional art depts and I saw how it was done in print, the web has merely simplified the same old principles. Graphic design has been around long before the web. xhtml, php, css,, flash and all of it are merely elements. The core of it goes to basics of publishing. Visual appeal - performance- ease of use- etc. Getting a book is just following anothers lead and I still say your critiques go back to personal style issues. I could use different themes to give users options so that those wanting a clean look could have one but I choose instead to prioritize repeatability and use it towards brand imaging. These are all things I learned being around professional atmosphere's so I just find it funny to be told to read a book when my influences came from actual publishing entities.

It's like cars, Skills. Their are plenty of documented procedures to follow when working on a car. I usually don't reference a repair manual tho unless it's for specs because I already have an understanding of design and engineering. So if I can fix the car without the book, the book no longer matters since I have my own procedure to net the same results.

Dude, you missed the point completely. You told me my statements were merely that of an "opinion" and I told you, they are not. I can careless how much knowledge you have of web building. Just take a look at all the major web sites of today and tell me just how many of them follow your "layout"... but that's not even the point either. Again, I don't really care anymore, as Andy said

Originally Posted by andyofne

Like I said (more or less), it's pointless to offer advice to someone who has already made up his mind.

Fact is, I; being an end user went to your site. The one you built, without any book reading, that you did all from publishing entities and realized first hand after browsing through the site that I couldn't get back to some parts of the site without 1. Starting over. 2. Hitting the "back" button on my browser repeatedly. 3. Editing the URL to go back to the page. So much for "ease of use"; eh?

Personally, I think the theme of the site looks good. Wasn't saying anything about the "theme" you laid out, which by the way, would be my opinion.

You wasn't asking for a review of the site, as you said yourself. You just want people to pat you on the back and tell you good job.

Good job.

Just like you, I only refer to a book/manual on actual specs that are needed, mostly just torque specs for the bolts. I also do the same when designing a site, I reference books (usually Google) to learn the bit of code that I need to learn. I have also read a couple books that taught me NOTHING about the programming side of web design, but the principles of web layout.

Sadly, you might know a thing or two about engineering but design is NOT one of your strong points. That's for sure.

[whiz]

Kinda reminds me of the old UTGMC forums again... Tidy Drag Racing rocks (Can't wait for this season btw) The site is cool looking. Yes a few mistakes nothing that can't be fixed. (most of which have been pointed out) So i don't think i could add anymore. I do have a question tho. those individual racetrack sites are you building those yourself? or are they alread made? Also once you get a few more people on those forums say from like local racers your sites would be booming after that. Never know you might run into another web designer to help you out along the way. Anything is possible and this is a big project or so it seems.

[{2399}Straycat]

Originally Posted by Skillz

Go by some "How to build web sites" type books and read them. You'll see my "opinion" wasn't based on opinion, but basic web design principles.

No offence bro, but Ive seen your sites and they really wern't nothin special. It's ok to have an opinion but dont put yourself off as a pro.... His site is well thought out and it's what he wants.

[Skillz]

Originally Posted by {2399}Straycat

No offence bro, but Ive seen your sites and they really wern't nothin special. It's ok to have an opinion but dont put yourself off as a pro.... His site is well thought out and it's what he wants.

I've never claimed to be a professional web designer. In fact, for the most part, I hate the design side of web design.

I was also an amateur while building those sites from back in the day,

The only three sites that I really care the most for are;

www.ut-files.com (the most "full" web site I have)
www.redlined.org (just forums w/ front page)
www.crucesstreets.com (just forums w/ front page)

The rest I'm not worried about, but they are:
www.planetmonsterhunt.com (just forums)
www.planetbunnytrack.com (just forums)
www.skillzservers.com (just forums)

Between all those sites, the only theme "designed" by myself is the ut-files one; but I even used a draft that I based it off of to save time, the rest are all the free download able templates that I just changed the logo.

[{2399}Straycat]

I know your very smart when it comes to web stuff, leroy and I have been to most of your sites. Im in no way saying they were crap because they wern't. Lighten up on the guy a bit bro. Nobody's purrrrfect but I still say I like what he has, so what if has some mistakes... Still looks good to me.

[Skillz]

Originally Posted by {2399}Straycat

I know your very smart when it comes to web stuff, leroy and I have been to most of your sites. Im in no way saying they were crap because they wern't. Lighten up on the guy a bit bro. Nobody's purrrrfect but I still say I like what he has, so what if has some mistakes... Still looks good to me.

I'm not saying the site doesn't look good. Personally, as I've said before. I like the over all theme of the site. I just think the design/layout of the site could be a bit better for the end user. Specifically the navigation.

[Tidy]

I know the navigation is a work in progress. The forum navigation is just that and works for the end user willing to become a member, but I know that the majority of visitors are more casual then that. I have to mold The front end as both a promotions tool for the league and also in a photo journalistic way for a fanbase. The content is the issue there. I am still haggling out how to implement the concept considering BMS will only allow so much leeway. Remember too, I am doing this with virtually no $$$. My deal with BMS is cross promotion.

My goal is not to beat Nascar on a big level, but to compete with them in their strongest market. We are going to take back Bristol from the charlotte boys. I have a handful of unique characters with good racing action and I need to package it all so the average joe around here might find our group more interesting than Nascar's handful of characters. If I can do that and compete in my own local market. Because of what market I am in, if I can accomplish this then I will gets the funds I need to grow this. As a biz, there isn't many options to tap the market here, either pay big money 2x a year or sponsoring car shows...there is a big gap in between and I am hoping to tap into that. The web is just a small portion of the whole project but a crucial one. The biggest thing hurting the site is lack of video. People are lazy and video goes a long way to help overcome that and keep attention. So the immediate goal is trying to fund at least 1 hd dv cam @ 5k and to start soliciting my budget. I the end skills, people don't want to navigate at all, they want it right in front of them and I am working towards that. The Nav will be fine tuned as I go but the one man ship has 64 paddles in the water...lol

[whiz]

you know tidy... speaking of big events, You should put up some big money event's. I go to a few each year 3 day events big payouts attract alot of good racers. Not just from the area but for all over. Having a few of these would def help your cause and get people to go to the track. One thing for sure tho, the track crew better be prepared for a big show and make sure not to let anyone down. I think one of the people were Ultimate 64 they put on a show at Edgewater Sports park in Ohio. I know also that some tracks put up big money events or even with Mopar weekend or Ford or just Chevy races. You def have a lot to work with tho. Do you guys have like season points and stuff? we have what they call bracket finals up here. I'm not so sure how big these tracks are tho. Just some thoughts tho

[Tidy]

Whiz, Bms preps the hell out of it for NHRA but for the local nights we don't get much. We use that as just another added variable racers have to overcome. Like it was in the early days before tires of glue and tracks prep compounds...lol

All the tracks run Bracket series for points but there's no heads up racing so we have gathered the fastest guys up cuz it's the smallest and hardest class to actually fill. The racers use a modded gaming ladder to just call each other out and then match race the best of 3 on race day. Then like clan matches the wins are recorded and the elo system rates the guys. They have have 1v1 and we also have some of them broke down to teams (instead of clans) If we grow to support small events then we can use match races regularly and tourney ladders for event days. We have a guy racing this weekend at the Night the Lights went out in Georgia event which is 20k to win. I have no doubt this can grow to that point. Putting something like that on successfully isn't as hard as all the politics to get to the chance to open the gate. I never want the drag specific league to get big like ADRL or Orsca, but would like to see it spread to lots of local divisions one day.