Website Update Discussion

[Solomoriah]

I'd like some opinions on updating the home page. On G+ Tod Casasent said this:

My design esthetics tend to be plain and targeted. A lot of people may disagree with my suggestions. But here they are.

On the title, give it a tag line. This helps reinforce old-school play with the name.

Basic Fantasy Role Playing Game
Modern Sensibilities, Classic Play

I pointed out the three slogans I've used for the game (from the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd edition releases):

Regarding the tagline, each edition has had its own slogan; 1st was "make mine BASIC," 2nd was "Adventure Lurks Within..." and 3rd is "The Old School is Now in Session!" Likely, if I amend the top titles, I'll use the 3E slogan as a tagline.

Tod continued:

Clear out everything between the menu style links and the "What Is Basic Fantasy RPG?". The podcast notes, quotation, and Save or Die are just distractions to new people. Use this as the first paragraph.

Moving the "What Is Basic Fantasy RPG?" section to the top is something I've actually been thinking about for the last few days. However, in addition to making it first, Tod suggested the following revised text:

The Basic Fantasy Role-Playing Game is a rules-light game system modeled on the classic RPG rules of the early 1980s. Written from scratch, but published under the OGL, Basic Fantasy RPG replicates the look, feel, and mechanics of early RPG game systems. The mechanics and system style put Basic Fantasy firmly in the OSR camp, but provides modern upgrades such as ascending armor class, and separate races and classes. Basic Fantasy provides a strong Basic foundation: rules where needed, GM leeway everywhere else. The basic rule book provides sensible lists of spells, monsters, and treasures, while fan contributed supplements provide all the optional detail one could want.

I stole some ideas and text for above from this post viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1079&start=10#p24783

This is overall a pretty good description. I'll probably edit it just a bit... we've used enough SRD text that saying "Written from scratch" might be a bit strong.

Tod then suggests further layout changes:

Clear out the left and right hand text. Have three smallish DIV/text boxes that you can scroll within labeled: News (for the podcast type entries), Blog Posts (for those), and Latest Releases (for the updates). Put those on the left or right hand side maybe. That way you show that this is active without overwhelming or distracting me. Above those or in the text for your download button, give the latest release version and DATE for the base rules (so people know active development continues).

I asked if he minded me posting this here, and he said it was okay. Hopefully he'll join us here to discuss it further.

So what does everyone think?

[SmootRK]

regarding: "This is overall a pretty good description. I'll probably edit it just a bit... we've used enough SRD text that saying "Written from scratch" might be a bit strong."

Perhaps something that conveys this in a similar fashion but more vague... "built from the ground up while trying to remain true to the spirit of the originals" ??

I do agree with the sentiment to simplify and clean up the main landing page.

[Tod13]

This is Tod--I joined to add feedback if helpful.

I thought it would help to have a relative "outsider" who actually skipped Basic Fantasy the first time to give feedback.

[Solomoriah]

I've gone ahead and made some minor changes to the homepage, so please review it fresh if you're involved in this discussion. Just so we're, ahem, "on the same page."

[SmootRK]

quibble with new logo:

I feel like it is off-balance. I think the tag-line text should be balanced under the other text, rather than the way you have it centered under the whole logo (including image). While moving over that text, the image portion ought to be increased in size accordingly.

[Dimirag]

Same suggestion as above, plus, now there is some space under the dragon pic, can that pic be increased to cover that space?

[Tod13]

quibble with new logo:

I feel like it is off-balance. I think the tag-line text should be balanced under the other text, rather than the way you have it centered under the whole logo (including image). While moving over that text, the image portion ought to be increased in size accordingly.

Maybe move the tagline into the logo image itself, so you can make the alignment more esthetic?

And how about dropping "The" from the tagline?

[Tod13]

I've gone ahead and made some minor changes to the homepage, so please review it fresh if you're involved in this discussion. Just so we're, ahem, "on the same page."

The more I look at the front page, the more I want to remove the News column, the quote block, and the Blog summary. That would help the version text near the buttons stand out. As it is, the wall of text just overwhelms.

I think simplifying the page would help the Core Rules date and version stand out. Maybe make that text in a colored square? Maybe use cyan (light blue) as a mix between blue and green?

[Solomoriah]

The tagline isn't part of the logo, it's a separate text item. Making it part of the logo might be a good idea though... will investigate.

Less interested in emphasizing the core rules version, at least until the rest of the redesign gels.

I'm not convinced about removing the News section. However, I am strongly considering dropping most of the right-hand column and moving the News over there.

[Tod13]

I'm not convinced about removing the News section. However, I am strongly considering dropping most of the right-hand column and moving the News over there.

That would help. Maybe see how the news looks with a very light gray background to set it off?