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CloseMost will immediately notice the disappearance of random images. I figured showing a feed of game updates would be far handier and a better use of space.
The Latest Games section was also changed to be more of a "these are the latest games you can play RIGHT NOW". It is created from the latest downloads on the site.
I am still not entirely happy with this yet. Please leave your thoughts and feedback on it!
The Latest Games section was also changed to be more of a "these are the latest games you can play RIGHT NOW". It is created from the latest downloads on the site.
I am still not entirely happy with this yet. Please leave your thoughts and feedback on it!
I really like the game feed idea aand I never really liked the ugly images on the front page. I support this, but I'd suggest a nicer alignment though.
I am very... ambivalent. This is all stuff I agree is nice to have listed on the front page, but it feels like now the front page is just a series of cold, mechanical lists. It lacks...humanity I guess? I definitely think it needs to be formatted differently. I don't know, I am insane.
Kaempfer
1932
I don't like the removal of screenshots. I pretty much click on 2/4 every time I visit RMN (thousands of times a day). Sure, I end up getting the same ones over and over, but who cares? I still click on them. If you're worried about space, maybe only show two screenshots?
I'm much less likely to click on words than I am on pictures, and I think most people have the same tendency. I do like the increase to four game profiles, though.
edit: Like Solitayre said, it really seems more and more like "Here is a list and another list, please enjoy these lists." Too many lists! We are treading into the territory of information overload.
I'm much less likely to click on words than I am on pictures, and I think most people have the same tendency. I do like the increase to four game profiles, though.
edit: Like Solitayre said, it really seems more and more like "Here is a list and another list, please enjoy these lists." Too many lists! We are treading into the territory of information overload.
I...uh...have to say ditto on the previous two posts! I agree, I agree with the spirit of the change, but in practice, it just looks like a bunch of lists, and not really appealing in that regard.
I love the use of space now- it looks much cleaner, much less crowded. Yet I too liked the random screenshots- they were one of the main ways I'd find obscure (or terrible) games to comment on.
That said, my appreciation for the attractive, useful repurposing of space we see right now slightly outweighs my sadness over the loss of random screenshots. If you can find a way to sneak them back on, I'd say no more than 2 screenshots and somewhere that they'll be noticeable, but won't pull a TON of focus. Game updates are more important and more progressive in terms of the community and its projects.
That said, my appreciation for the attractive, useful repurposing of space we see right now slightly outweighs my sadness over the loss of random screenshots. If you can find a way to sneak them back on, I'd say no more than 2 screenshots and somewhere that they'll be noticeable, but won't pull a TON of focus. Game updates are more important and more progressive in terms of the community and its projects.
Darken
3952
Combine game reviews with game updates and put random images in where Game Reviews used to be? Idk that's all I can think of to solve the "OMG LISTS" problem.
Here's the problem with the RMN frontpage: there is simply an overabundance of data types to display. They are:
Games
Featured Game
News
Blogs
Updates
Downloads
Articles/Tutorials
Reviews
And that isn't counting comments, forum topics, forum posts, events, podcasts, etc. I have to prioritize what is most important. Only two of those datatypes actually have good image data to use (games and images). It's tough to make things less listy when you have nothing else to work with but lists.
However, that doesn't mean the frontpage is going to stay this way. I am not even close to happy with it and it might end up having some collateral damage done to other pages.
As for random screenshots, I am not sure I will bring it back or not.
Games
Featured Game
News
Blogs
Updates
Downloads
Articles/Tutorials
Reviews
And that isn't counting comments, forum topics, forum posts, events, podcasts, etc. I have to prioritize what is most important. Only two of those datatypes actually have good image data to use (games and images). It's tough to make things less listy when you have nothing else to work with but lists.
However, that doesn't mean the frontpage is going to stay this way. I am not even close to happy with it and it might end up having some collateral damage done to other pages.
As for random screenshots, I am not sure I will bring it back or not.
Anaryu
8848
Whenever I went to the front page (which is how I always loaded the site) the random screenshots were the first place my eyes went.
Now they just kinda unfocus and I forget why I went there and just close it. Although I've loaded the front page 4 times, I could not tell you what even one of the updates was anymore, I just... didn't notice or care. Just another list, and a boring looking one at that.
Now I'll load the page, and if my "Notices" aren't blinking, probably just close it. :P (Instead of checking out a screenshot or two.)
Now they just kinda unfocus and I forget why I went there and just close it. Although I've loaded the front page 4 times, I could not tell you what even one of the updates was anymore, I just... didn't notice or care. Just another list, and a boring looking one at that.
Now I'll load the page, and if my "Notices" aren't blinking, probably just close it. :P (Instead of checking out a screenshot or two.)
Yeaster
6164
The idea sounds good in theory, but I don't really know how I feel about the changes yet...guess I'll just have to wait and see.
RIP screenshots :'(
RIP screenshots :'(
Shmeckie
422
Gotta say I'm not terribly thrilled with this. The random screenshots were what drew me to, and got me to play, many, many games I would have otherwise never even known about, let alone given a second look. This game updates list, well, I can't see it being nearly as interesting, or likely to draw someone's attention to a new project worth checking out. Am I gonna give a game a look because someone just uploaded a new blog entry about it, or is one more likely to check it out if they see a visual preview of the game?
Lennon
88
I'm sort of half and half about this, much like everyone else here. I would like the screenshots to come back, as they did add some more draw to the frontpage, but I like what you've done here too. I just wish it.... Looked better, to be honest. Right now it's just text on a background of two colors, and it's kind of ugly. I understand that it's brand new however, so that will likely change.
However, I have to ask you about the latest games thing. Since it's essentially created from the latest downloads, how do games that are brand new, and still in production get feedback? I know theres a game list, but somehow I feel that won't to the job. I have no clue how you could fix this and keep the latest games the way it is now (cause it really is a good way to do it).
However, I have to ask you about the latest games thing. Since it's essentially created from the latest downloads, how do games that are brand new, and still in production get feedback? I know theres a game list, but somehow I feel that won't to the job. I have no clue how you could fix this and keep the latest games the way it is now (cause it really is a good way to do it).
I liked screenshots, because I got to check games I would never have checked otherwise.
I'm not sure I like it, it's kinda biased, since it induces people to donwload games that have already been downloading. It's going to make recently posted games disappear too quickly from the first page as well.
I like the game updates, but maybe it doesn't need that many items in the list.
Completely agree.
I'd just keep the old layout and add this Game Updates thing, which is really cool.
post=127922
The Latest Games section was also changed to be more of a "these are the latest games you can play RIGHT NOW". It is created from the latest downloads on the site.
I'm not sure I like it, it's kinda biased, since it induces people to donwload games that have already been downloading. It's going to make recently posted games disappear too quickly from the first page as well.
I like the game updates, but maybe it doesn't need that many items in the list.
post=127927
but it feels like now the front page is just a series of cold, mechanical lists. It lacks...humanity I guess?
Completely agree.
I'd just keep the old layout and add this Game Updates thing, which is really cool.
I think that the random screenshots were great, but when the screenshot repository comes around it'll be a moot issue.
Is it just me or is the frontpage really ugly? I think I have to clear my browser cache or something.
And the Random Screenshots were easily my favorite part of the homepage. I would click refresh over and over just to get a random sampling.
And give me a minute and I will post a mockup of what I think the frontpage should look like. Solitayre and I were talking about it yesterday on IRC coincidentally enough. (Why don't you ever share this stuff in Staff forums first before going ahead with it? It hurts my feelings)
And the Random Screenshots were easily my favorite part of the homepage. I would click refresh over and over just to get a random sampling.
And give me a minute and I will post a mockup of what I think the frontpage should look like. Solitayre and I were talking about it yesterday on IRC coincidentally enough. (Why don't you ever share this stuff in Staff forums first before going ahead with it? It hurts my feelings)
