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ShadowFire Review
Name: ShadowFire
Website: http://shadowfire.twirp.net
Owner: ShadowFire
Review started on: September 3,2009
Review finished on: September 7,2009
I know most site layouts are 800x600 compatible, but who in the world uses that resolution these days?
So unless there are ancient people who uses that resolution and sees your site, it wouldn't be a problem.
But other than that, I see a large amount of content. That tells me you have a lot to offer throughout your website. You have the quantity, but do you have the quality?
"This format is a big change from my previous layouts, it's like my other two site's. I did this so it wouldn't be too big for 800X600 resolutions, and not too small for 1280X1024 and bigger resolutions. And this way.... I'm allowed to rant! Ohohohohoho."You want to make the layout fullscreen, since you're not using a fixed width for your content. However, you're jeopardizing the outcome of your header. Your welcome box, the way you put it there, makes it look like a stop. Like there's nothing else going to happen on the right side. A box rather than a subtle fade sort of thing.
I want to draw some quick attention to The Forgotten Lair's past layouts. Version 12 especially. It's very clean and easy to move around, whereas your links and affiliates are displayed everywhere leaving not a space. The top right blank space doesn't work well with the left side at all. Think about distribution, and how to make a layout flow more freely than cluttered.
I've noticed throughout your layout/past layouts that your site name is always seemed to be dwarfed by the version's title. If anything, I would think the name of your site was Washed Out opposed to ShadowFire. They both have a similiar style of font and the about the same size. There is no dominance in either titles that draws the viewer to knowing what the site's name is. Naturally, the site name should be more of the focal point than the version's title. Website name is much more important than a version name.
Link Exchanges
I really don't think you need to make a seperate column for link exchanges. Since they will grow in size (20-30), you don't honestly think you can fit all twenty in there. Plus, they shouldn't be that special to be right next to affiliates as they require requirements to actually be up there, opposed to exchanges that are requirement-free.
You also don't have a form for link exchange applications.
Links
- Link Me should be in the Site section.
- FAQ should technically be in the Site section. But your call. :S
- You don't need a Splash link at all. I know you like them, but you have to throw that obsession down the drain and take it out. The link/page is both pointless and a waste of space.
- the section Graphics doesn't apply to buttons, PNGS, printables, and stamps. Instead, the belong to a section called Resources.
- Submitted Layouts goes in the Layouts section.
- Blogs should also go in the Layouts section.
- submit should go in the Graphics section, since it is a page where you submit graphics.
You've mentioned you had to edit every page everytime you made a new layout. Since all your pages are already in .php form, it confused me whether or not you use PHP Includes. :P So I'm curious.
Link Me
Most of them are elligible, and the only work you seem to put into them were the templates. Your codes for them shows the img tag images/links/button2.gif, which is incorrect if people are using the codes provided. That means they would have to make the folder images > links and upload the code into their server for it to work. I suggest you save your banwidth and let the visitor save it to their own server, rather than using your provided codes.
Tutorials
More than enough people know how to do easy as crazy tutorials like yours. Give yourself a challenge and do harder photoshop tutorials, give people something to really read. :D
You have a lot of them. :| My goodness. You should think of recycling a lot of the old ones, however.
The Old Layouts though, you really don't need. Save yourself some space and delete them.
The good news, is that the newer ones are really nice. :D
Graphics
Avatars: Templates are so last year material. The only ones I actually like are #161, #151, #148, etc. They all don't use templates. The use of templates sacrifice the simplicity outlook and the overall Photoshop pizzazz that people are looking for.
-Example, is #170. The texture is nice, I like it. But the template is what really throws it off. The complicated lines and dots doesn't give off a simplistic, clean feel. Afterall, simplicity is mostly always better. So try to avoid templates, since they are probably not made by you and it doesn't show the design's full potential.
Buttons: Same template deal.
Signs: I like how you provided the five signs on each page for each type. I'm also having a problem everytime I open up a page though. My anti virus acts up saying there's a trojan everytime I open one. :|
PNGs: They're really good. Good quality, good sizes. Keep at it. :D
Wallpapers: Could use a bit more work. I like #16 because it's simplistic. But the other ones are excuses to fill up every corner of the canvas. Quality of the scans aren't that great, and you seem to just mush textures in and blend it. When you're given a 1280x1024 canvas people usually tries to cover all of it with crazy amount of textures and scans. People usually assumes that the way they do avatars is the same with wallpapers. No. it never works. There is no dominant focal point and the scans in the background tries to fight with the main scan for attention.
My suggestion is looking at other wallpapers. Look at how they present an effective/uneffective wallpaper and compare the two. Why is it better? Why is this method not working? What is the change? And so worth. And try to accomplish what they do, instead of mindless texture/scan canvas bashing.
Blogs: Are so old school. Consider dumping the page, as no one uses them anymore and half of them aren't as attractive.
Consider recycling your designs/graphics. You are able to produce quality works at a large amount in quantity. Don't let unusable layouts and graphics take over 50% of your overall count.
Perhaps then you could finally understand how to display things (scans, focal points) that will unlock its full potential.
Would I want to come back again to visit? Of course I will. :)