Topic: GMServer

[The Little Guy]

I have been working on this site for some time now, and was hoping that you could give me some feedback on it thanks! (I know grammar/spelling needs to be fixed, I have already been told)

http://gmserver.net

[Tazerenix]

Its not a bad website, i especially like the header. Perhaps with the blocks you could add a gradient to the header to make it look a bit more stylish.

Also, [i think] the backgrounds are a bit unnecessary. I think it would be better to have a straight colour or a simple texture. Partly because these images take so long to load on slower connections.

Overall nice job

[jd307]

I agree that the backgrounds do take some time to load... and my connection isn't that slow.  As it seems it is a "dark" theme you are aiming for, why not create a background that is either a dark grey all over, or maybe a gradient that is a semi-dark grey that is behind your main content that fades to the dark grey (so there is a slight glow around your main content).  Though I would keep the background images that are found on your logo section at the top... I quite like that.

This would be fixed, of course, if you decide to get rid of the images in the background... but as some of the pages do not fit fully onto my screen (height wise) the background lines up with the image on your header, but as I scroll the background image stays still and the header moves up... this is especially amusing on the first image of the solider.. you can sheer his face off lol . 

Also, the width of the background images is too small for my screen.  I see the image then there are two white strips each side of my screen which are particually annoying as they divert my attention.

[The Little Guy]

OK, I made it not load an image if you have a slow(er) connection, but if you have a quick connection it will load the image.

The background image and the header image are the same image (fyi).

@jd307 What is your screen Resolution?

I could make a script that resizes the bg image when it is called so it doesn't show the stripes. Would that be a good idea?

[The Little Guy]

OK, I added gradients to the headers, and now images should be as wide as any screen.

[jd307]

My resolution is 1440 x 900.

Images do now span my entire screen.  What are the file sizes of the images that you use as a background?  I just did a speed test on my connection and am getting 3.49Mbit but takes on average of 4-6 seconds to load each background image. 

Also, as I mentioned before... having the background image on the header and the background, when you scroll (because the background is static) you get a sort of sheering effect which is most gruesome on the image of the soldier.  I don't know what others think of this, but personally I don't like it.  I would say though either try allowing the background image to scroll (so the sheering effect doesn't happen) or try setting the header DIV to transparent, so you see the background image through the DIV itself... experiment with a few ideas and see what works best... imo

[The Little Guy]

My background works as follows:

Javascript gets your screen width, it then check to see if the image of your screen width exists, for you it would be 1440_bg1.jpg, 1440_bg2.jpg, etc. If the image doesn't exist, it then uses imagemagick to make one that does exist, then it loads that image. So, for you, the images that you saw, were around the neighborhood of 700k - 800k.

I think it took as long as it did because of all the processing you had to do. But, the next time you or someone else gets that bg, it probably wont take as long since it is now an actual jpg on the server.

You say that the image of the soldier looks worst, which one are you talking about? The call of duty guy (the image that says "Infinity Ward"? The StarCraft guy? Or the Bloodrayne guy With the vampire biting him?

Why don't you like the effect that is produced when you scroll?

[jd307]

AH yes I see... when I load a page with the same background it does load quicker.

For what I mean about the background image.. it only really appears to be the one with the soldier that looks a bit wrong.  I think it is because of the positioning of the face.  I have made a JPG that shows the image in question and what I mean. 

GMServer Background Image

As the image shows, when you scroll down, you rip the soldiers face off.  But like I say, this is just my opinion.

[The Little Guy]

OK, I added cool feature. I made it so the background image fades to different images. I know it works in Chrome. Tell me what you think!

[xcandiottix]

It looks okay..... i view with 1600 x 1200 so the site looks awfully small to me...... nothing on your site works tho and the message about what it does is not clear. From a design standpoint it seems you are on the right track.

[The Little Guy]

nothing on your site works tho

The nav bar links don't work, I just added them, they are there for visuals at the moment. Register and login do work, and home/help at the bottom work. Once you login to your account, most/all links work.

I fixed the header, it now works differently.

anyone think I should make the main info larger... 80% wide?

[The Little Guy]

Anyone have any other input they would like to add? All input is appreciated!