PokeJungle Network: Version 2

[pokejungle]

This is the second version of the site. I decided to make this layout the official successor to the site that I started around 4 years ago. (Yeah, it's really been that long. My FreeWebs site was started on January 29th, 2003...) Why? Because I spent so much time on it. I've gone through a lot of milestones in my site's history, and this is one of them. Like when I switched over to HTML. Then switched over to dynamic pages. Then switched over to PHP, got 10,000 visitors in one day, etc. They've all been very important.

But this is a layout I made completely in DIV/CSS, and I think it looks nice. It not only helped my site, but I also learned a lot through this, and am a better webmaster because of it. Plus I made sure it was both XHTML and CSS valid.

So please check it out and give me criticisms and comments on it. Thanks~

http://pokejungle.net

PS- Anyone who checks it in Opera or Safari has my eternal gratitude <3

 

[Lord Kokkei]

http://tinyurl.com/2fymjb
Safari, mac version. Search is a bit screwed up, but other than that, I've no idea what's wrong

It's pretty cool. Tat's all I can say

 

[pokejungle]

Thanks you guys.

And Safari sucks ;< I dunno why that'd happen. Thanks LK!

 

[Lubricus]

Great I always loved the site but I don't like how much space you don't use you sometimes have to scroll over to read because of how close in the sidebar is.

 

[Lord Kokkei]

hey Paul, if you're good at CSS, why not make the search bar like this to make it fit better with the site?

 

[BluePhoenix]

Nice layout! It looks simple but so powerful! =D

As for the google problem in Safari, try moving the search box a bit to the left, that should make it better, or use the one LK made!

Safari just shows the codes EXACTLY as they are, so they need their positions to be fixed. (I use Safari for Windows at times XD)

 

[Cherrim]

It looks fine in Opera. :x

Anyway, I'm not sure what I feel about the layout. From a web design point of view, it looks amazing. You went for the minimalistic look, and you pulled it off very well. The colours are attractive, but they don't take away from the content and it all fits nicely together. One thing I don't like is the header of each page--it should be bigger, I think, to attract attention right away so people know exactly what page they're on. Otherwise it doesn't look like part of the page, even if it's bolded. But aside from that, I think it looks and functions really well.

The only real complaint I have is...it doesn't feel Pokémon enough to me. I know you're going the minimal CSS route, but it feels like something is missing. Maybe I'm just used to seeing more images, but when I glance at the site, I don't think Pokémon first and foremost, which is something I've always thought important in a fansite. But, if it's not the look you're going for, I suppose it's irrelevant. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

Also, you might wanna change that paid hosting page though. Elixant's no more now, right? :p

Lol, getting out of WD now, I know, I know. XDD;

 

[bgt]

It's super simple. No offense, has like 5 thumbnails. Not saying you can't go simple, just never worked out great for me. ;x. Imo, I like it better than the older version, but you know users.

 

[WaterPKMNMaster]

It's a little too simple for my liking - I think it might look better if you made the top bar the same width as the width of the side-bar and the content.

 

[pokejungle]

hey Paul, if you're good at CSS, why not make the search bar like this to make it fit better with the site?

I love that...how can I do it? Do I just use an image for the submit button? Buut, it gets a little complicated with using Google's API and such.

Anyways, thanks for the comments guys. And yes, I was purposefully going with a simple design. Look at any other fansite out there right now. Big Pokemon banners, lots of images, etc etc. That is not what I wanted. Now look at Dig, Wordpress,com, Technorati, etc. That is where I drew inspiration from. Pokemon fans know they're at a Pokemon site. I don't need to slam them in the face with crafted Pokemon banners to do my job. I think that there's enough of that out there already, and they just need a change.

Second of all, I wanted this to be a snap to load...for anyone. I personally have crappy dial up right now. Is PjN a breeze to visit? Yes. Very much so. It's clean, simple, and loads in about 5 seconds. And with cache I can browse through in about 2 secs/page. It was very definitely purposeful.

So besides it being sparse, I have had overwhelmingly positive feedback from users. I think they would want it a bit less simple...but...it's my playground in a way. I wanted to try out DIVs and CSS, and I did. I really did aim for a current look for my website.

If I feel that it needs it, I may make the header bigger, or I may add more images. But right now I'm pretty partial to it. And I really love the hover effects that I did for the news/comments <3

And I recoded my menu entirely the day before it released. I realized that manually adding all those links in was just not good enough. So, I took Butterfree's advice that she gave me two months ago with the layout, and made them all into unordered links. From there I realized that I could do very nice hover things for the whole DIV area. So I got to solve multiple problems with that and learned how to really use the <ul> tag.

So it was an excellent learning opportunity for me. And WPM, you're still horrible about answering PMs.

 

[Lord Kokkei]

I saw a turorial on the internet somewhere that shows how to change Google search boxes. Basically it's using css to set an image or whatever to be used instead of the button. I forgot where it was, but I'll look for it.

And...the search box might need a background change too...so it's got the line under. But I think it can be done by changing the banner?

 

[pokejungle]

What do you mean the line under? And, did you make that image example?

 

[Lord Kokkei]

yes I made the image example. It's a random mock-up I just had to make to stop my hands from itching. There's like a light line under the box thing so it works with the button.

 

[pokejungle]

Would you let me use the button? <3

I suck at graphics. Maybe that's why when I design my own layouts, I go minimalistic.

 

[Lord Kokkei]

why did I make it in the first place then? Go ahead, use it. Do whatever you want with it. It's yours. I lost the Psd though, so if you wanted that, sorry...

 

[pokejungle]

I dun't need it, thanks so much! I'll find out how to edit that, because your button looks really sharp.

 

[WaterPKMNMaster]

AIM is better for talking to me. :p

 

[Gecko]

I really like it. It's very clean and stylish, and works well.
Hint: Your W3C Validation link doesn't work ;P hehe

If it were my I would probably give the background a slight hint of another color, just so that it isn't completely white. I got a very old design tip from the design teacher I had, who is pretty old and out of touch, but gave a valid point none the less. She said: If the background is white, it gives the impression that the website is incomplete. I don't know why, that just made so much sense to me. So thats a suggestion from me. But I wouldn't hold against you if you didn't, the layout looks great as it is :)

Great work ;)

 

[aRedMoon]

I think it looks absolutely amazing and is the best PjN layout I've seen to date. :)

I like the minimalistic bit. It looks better than those with huge banners and little Pokemon icons for each navhead. :x

 

[pokejungle]

Thanks Greg, it means a lot. Those kind of layouts are definitely all over, and I just got kind of sick of them ;x