Ys Utopia.net: The Return

[NightWolve]

Well, this'll be my new home when it's ready. What's the hold up? My limited time, I had a lot of code patching to do in order to get the forum and CMS software to work together, and the fact that I need web design help to come up with an Ys oriented theme. If you can simply do graphical mockups, think of color schemes, come up with an "Ys Utopia.net" logo, etc. lemme know if you're willing to help.

I'm currently running SMF forums which is enhanced by the latest MKPortal CMS. If you're familiar with SMF themes, that'd be even better. But if not, simply doing a mockup of your idea(s) in Paint/Photoshop and/or basic HTML would be fine. I'd take care of implementation afterwards if I like your design, etc.

Anyhow, don't bother to mention this site's existence to anyone just yet if you are here - It won't be ready for months and I'll handle that when the time comes. When it is ready, the announcement and redirects from the http://nick.serveblog.net and http://nightwolve.web.officelive.com/standby.aspx sites will be activated.

[IinoSama]

I've got some time on my hands coming up. Do you still need some artwork done? I can pretty much design or throw together anything you might want.

On that note, let me know if you need anything else done for any of your other projects or site modifications.

Rather than beat around the bush, I'll just throw up a quickie resume of my skills, and I'll leave it to you to put them to work.

Artwork Skills:
- 1 year experience 3D design in Maya
- 6 years experience web and game design in Adobe Photoshop
(All of my experience orients around developing websites and 2D/3D game artwork)

I've only recently started working in Maya, so if you need any really amazing special effects or artwork done via those tools, it'll take me a little longer to perfect the final product. However, I always deliver on the projects I take up, so feel free to nag me, it only serves to make me work harder and deal out a better finished product.

One other thing, I develop "quality" work, if you want something done, give me all the details you want done and feel free to be as "picky" as you want about "everything". I can deal with it and it'll only serve to make the final product better.

As for designing...

This is an Ys Site, I've been an Ys fan for as long as I can remember, I'm sure I can pull something together for you if you don't have a design idea thought up yourself.

Other than that, I can't think of anything else to say. If you have any other questions, email me.

I hope I can be of some use to you.

[NightWolve]

I forgot to reply to this last time.

If you're really up for it, as I've been asking in general, I'd love to get input for the Falcom Weekly Special feature.

https://www.ysutopia.net/falcomspecial/

If you come up with any ideas on how to redesign the form for inputting the data, the color scheme, anything that could be an improvement, I'd like to see it. If you have ideas on the forum's color scheme as well, by all means, share.

[IinoSama]

Comments on the Weekly Special Page:

As for colour scheme, I can't see anything that would need to be changed (any colour change would likely clash with the rest of the forum colour's). Though some graphic work in Photoshop could definitely give the page a more professional look.

As for simplifying the order form, I'm not sure how much simpler one could make it. It has what is needed, and hardly anything else. Other than the fact that you noted that it doesn't quite work and we should use a said guide instead of the app, it seems fine.

Note: I haven't used the order page service myself as I can read and speak enough Japanese to place my orders by phone. I might comment that for a modern computer user who lets say wasn't computer literate, the form may be fairly daunting as it doesn't "appear" easy to use or friendly.

Are you looking for ways to spruce up the page? If so, there are alot of things I could think of that would turn that page into more of it's own little website with updates and information from Falcom. It has alot of potential that isn't quite being grasped yet.

What I mean is that it could be organized better, have links to other pages, help in automating the buying process, etc.

Comments about the Forum:

As for the overall forum, I had the idea for a colour theme of steel and blue flames (similar to what we see in the logo for Ys VI Ark of Napishtim). I personally like the current dark theme of the forum and the forum is plenty user friendly for someone like myself, but I can't help but see what some graphic work and skinning could do to make the forum appear incredibly professional and stunning. When I run into a webpage the first things I notice are usability and then the style and individuality of the page. If the page stands out, and it runs clean, I'll likely come back. Right now we have plenty of usability and the style isn't too bad, but I can see lots of improvement to be made to the style and look of the forum.

I could brainstorm all day, even get into nit-picky details. I've tried to just give some general comment to what I think so far of the site, please don't take any offense. If anything, my last comment is that I like this forum, it's easy to use, and serves it's purpose well. Keep up the good work.

[NightWolve]

Comments on the Weekly Special Page:

Are you looking for ways to spruce up the page? If so, there are alot of things I could think of that would turn that page into more of it's own little website with updates and information from Falcom.

What I mean is that it could be organized better, have links to other pages, help in automating the buying process, etc.

Yeah, exactly. We should touch base through IM sometime.

It has alot of potential that isn't quite being grasped yet.

Meh, story of my life... I've done lots of nifty things that never had their full potential realized. Never can find anyone as dedicated as I am when it comes to this type of fan work.

but I can see lots of improvement to be made to the style and look of the forum.

I could brainstorm all day, even get into nit-picky details. I've tried to just give some general comment to what I think so far of the site, please don't take any offense. If anything, my last comment is that I like this forum, it's easy to use, and serves it's purpose well. Keep up the good work.

When you find the time and seriously wanna work on this with me, by all means.