Unoffical redesign of TW.org's website

[MSB]

Basically, I aim to (unofficially) redo the Org's front page. It is seriously out of date and needs extreme work doing to it. The plan is for members to submit text and graphics (that I need for the design to work) so that I can design the page on publisher and forward it to website Admin.
Please note that any website that is designed by members is not guaranteed to actually reach the site. Anything that is submitted may get used, but only at Admin discretion and on Admin's terms and conditions.

The site that I submit will* be structured as follows (*it may be different depending on suggestions of other members):
News -
Current News (homepage)
News Archives
Shogun -
About
Factions (and faction guides) -
Units and Buildings
Screen-shots
Artworks
FAQ
Buy
Medieval -
About
Factions (and faction guides)
Units and Buildings
Modding
Screen shots
Artworks
FAQ
Buy
Rome -
About
Factions (and faction guides)
Units and Buildings
Modding
Screen shots
Artworks
FAQ
Buy
Medieval 2 -
About
Factions (and faction guides)
Units and Buildings
Modding
Screen shots
Artworks
FAQ
Buy
Downloads -
Wallpapers
Demos
Updates (patches)
Trailers and video's.
Community -
Forums
Forum Rules
Staff

To do all this I will need the help of:
STW/MI players
MTW/VI players
RTW/BI Players
M2TW players
Graphic designers (make images such as logos, make the borders of images transparent etc.)
Historians (of the periods of all the TW games)
Members who can re-write descriptions of vanilla buildings
and TosaInu to provide a sub-forum (I will ask for one when I have the people who I need)

Members of this team so far
Avlvs Libvrnivs Britannicvs Maximvs - project manager and whip
UltraWar - Graphic designer, MTW player, RTW player, Shogun player and Historian
ŞaoŞin - Graphic designer

If you want to join post what you can do below. If you are a graphic designer please provide an example of your work.
Thank-you
Avlvs Britannicvs

P.S: You must have good English skills to join

[MSB]

If there is no support I will have to disband. Come on Orghs, JOIN IN!

[UltraWar]

Where is RTW on this list?
I'll sign up as a MTW/RTW player and as a Graphic Designer (I don't play STW anymore )

[Vuk]

I can't help, but I support!

[MSB]

Where is RTW on this list?

Sorry forgot.
Thanks UltraWar!

When I have a full team you will all hear more and then we can start designing pages and graphics.

I have just drawn up a basic template for the front pages for each of the games. I did it in a note pad. I am still deciding on colour schemes. In my opinion, the best options would be:
Beiges and Greys (similar to those of "The Guild Skin")
Blues (similar style to that of the Sword Dojo forums)
Golds and Silvers
or shades of Blood Red

If you have an opinion post which one you think would be best below. If you have a different suggestion then post it below.
Thankyou
Avlvs Brittanicvs

[MSB]

No support = no do. I just need a Shogun Player, a M2TW player and a historian. All the playing jobs involve are taking screenshots and providing information about the tech tree. A historians' job involves writing about the factions of the TW games' histories.

I will start designing tonight. Any new members are still welcome to join - if they have the correct skills and the correct games that is.

[naut]

You just need to advertise this thread more.

[MSB]

You just need to advertise this thread more.

And get accused of spamming?

[naut]

I have some spare time, I can help if you like. I'm a bit of a novice at web design though.

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

I don't think we need a total re-design. The only things that really needs work are the sidebars, the rest is fine.

[MSB]

I have some spare time, I can help if you like. I'm a bit of a novice at web design though.

You don't have to be an expert web design. I will do most of the moderately hard stuff and admin can do the extremely complex HTML stuff.

What TW games do you play and how good are you at designing graphics?

[Gregoshi]

I'd make sure I have the endorsement of barocca (site admin) and Tosa (forum admin) before going too far with this project or you may be wasting your time. While I appreciate and understand your motivation behind this effort, ultimately, you don't have the final say and you can't force anything upon them that they don't want.

[Dhepee]

Yeah, ummm, people don't get to just redesign other people's websites, no matter how good their intentions.

[MSB]

Thanks for the advise.
I'll PM him and ask.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

Yeah, ummm, people don't get to just redesign other people's websites, no matter how good their intentions.

I don't see why you have a problem with it. I'm currently working on a redesign of Avlvs signature, it's quite ugly and needs work.

[MSB]

I don't see why you have a problem with it. I'm currently working on a redesign of Avlvs signature, it's quite ugly and needs work.

Yes it does.

That any better?

[UltraWar]

No support = no do. I just need a Shogun Player, a M2TW player and a historian. All the playing jobs involve are taking screenshots and providing information about the tech tree. A historians' job involves writing about the factions of the TW games' histories.

I will start designing tonight. Any new members are still welcome to join - if they have the correct skills and the correct games that is.

I could stand in for Shogun as well if nobody is intrested in STW mostly as I have the time to play it plus do any necessary information. I could also take the historian role for the Medieval and Roman era and also the add-on games to these.

Avlvs Libvrnivs Britannicvs Maximvs, if you want my email address (MSN) I can PM you if you want it. I will be going on stand by for some time so I hope some more people lift up the banner to help in this redesign of the .org website.

[MSB]

I could stand in for Shogun as well if nobody is intrested in STW mostly as I have the time to play it plus do any necessary information. I could also take the historian role for the Medieval and Roman era and also the add-on games to these.

Avlvs Libvrnivs Britannicvs Maximvs, if you want my email address (MSN) I can PM you if you want it. I will be going on stand by for some time so I hope some more people lift up the banner to help in this redesign of the .org website.

Good . Yes, please do PM me your e-mail. Mine is:
matthewcrowther@hotmail.co.uk. I now predict that I am about to receive a load of hate mail off very angry moderators .

After I have your e-mail we can discuss the organization of the re-designed site. This will be the pre-planning stage before we actually start putting it together. Before we do start the main designing we need confirmation and approval off barocca that he will take the new site into consideration.

[TosaInu]

We will likely stick with the 'template' we have now (I'm not a fan of MySQL/PHP portals).

The featured site is something we have for years, and it serves to boost new/small/interesting/beautiful sites. That will stay.

The banners is something the host wants us to include, so that stays too.

Updating images, tidying up and adding content is no problem (if it looks ok).

[MSB]

We will likely stick with the 'template' we have now (I'm not a fan of MySQL/PHP portals).

The featured site is something we have for years, and it serves to boost new/small/interesting/beautiful sites. That will stay.

The banners is something the host wants us to include, so that stays too.

Updating images, tidying up and adding content is no problem (if it looks ok).

So you don't mind a "featured screen shot" section on the front page then? When you say "banners" do you mean the advertisements? Also would you mind a bit of a change as in: several sections added for each game rather than just one for each?

My plan was to base some of the pages on the styles of the EB's site, only have a navigation bar down the side (like the one of this site) and to add a detailed and accurate tech tree for each culture. I was planning on making the top header a combination of four images: one from M2TW another from RTW and a final two from MTW and STW. My plan was also to give it a MTW/M2TW skin. A separation bar down the right side would be reserved for adverts should they be necessary. Also a change of logo (to come up with the age of M2) could be organised should other members think it necessary.

All of this is subject to change should UltraWar or any other Org member/staff think that this needs changing.

[TosaInu]

So you don't mind a "featured screen shot" section on the front page then? When you say "banners" do you mean the advertisements? Also would you mind a bit of a change as in: several sections added for each game rather than just one for each?

It's a bit hidden, but we have links to art, so featured screenshots should be ok. Yes, means advertisements.

Clicking the link STW brings a page with several STW links. This avoids cluttering of the mainpage and at the same time allows to add more info the the links (unlike a dropdown).

[Mikeus Caesar]

I don't see why you have a problem with it. I'm currently working on a redesign of Avlvs signature, it's quite ugly and needs work.

Zing!

[RZST]

hmm, i am interested. i mainly do the actual "graphics". no coding since i dont have time to learn it =P
the links below are most signatures then some wallpapers then some random stuff.
https://img237.imageshack.us/img237/...ragon1djx5.jpg
https://img90.imageshack.us/img90/96...rtfoliosn3.jpg
https://img153.imageshack.us/my.php?...ttbluecmm5.png
https://img101.imageshack.us/img101/...oldiereff3.png
https://img59.imageshack.us/img59/61...ttgirlcws0.png
https://img140.imageshack.us/my.php?...bullet21tt.png
https://img116.imageshack.us/img116/63/dkcamper6uc.jpg
https://img125.imageshack.us/img125/...20112808wv.jpg
https://img103.imageshack.us/img103/413/fgwalla0hm.jpg
https://img86.imageshack.us/my.php?i...ergreen2ls.png
https://img53.imageshack.us/img53/79...kett04b0pn.png
https://img80.imageshack.us/img80/48...tbf208d5to.jpg
https://img93.imageshack.us/my.php?i...aine01a3tw.png
https://img451.imageshack.us/img451/...3layout9to.jpg

i had a few more RTW wallpapers but i cant find em (i used to post here as Ky Kiske, i just changed my name =P)

[MSB]

Please PM me your e-mail. Then it all can begin. Tonight I will send you both an e-mail. We first need to plan logo, heading, menu bars and separators.

UltraWar: do you still want to be graphic designer. ŞaoŞin has offered so you don't have to do too many jobs. It will be hard to do everything.

[UltraWar]

Please PM me your e-mail. Then it all can begin. Tonight I will send you both an e-mail. We first need to plan logo, heading, menu bars and separators.

UltraWar: do you still want to be graphic designer. ŞaoŞin has offered so you don't have to do too many jobs. It will be hard to do everything.

The more help the better

[MSB]

The more help the better

Good!

[barocca]

all ideas will be welcome,
i am looking forward to seeing your designs
cheers,
B

[UltraWar]

Sorry for the 4 month thread revival but as MSB is no longer here at the .org, I will take over the project.

Recruitment will be soon