Feedback Request - Website & Demo

[eppskevin]

Hey Guys,

I've redone my website with updated info on our development and would like your thoughts on the site, and also changes to our demo of our first game. Screenshots of the demo are on the site.

http://www.unitedmindsgames.com


Your help will be appreciated.

P.S. I know some of you before said that there was a Space Rangers out already, but I really haven't come up with another name for it yet, I thought that if that fact that it was called Space Rangers 2: Ultimatum, that would help some, but I don't know. What do you think?

--EDIT
Thanks for your feedback. I'll be making some changes. Have a great one!

[ZuluBoy]

The site looks Ok, but I think you should change the current solid white background color, and use a gradient like you did on the Main Menu and Newsflash sections.
Also, when viewing the screenshots, the image around the cursor is magnified by default. Could you turn that feature off ?

[lennard]

I agree that the site looks OK and that the screenshots thing should be turned off - it doesn't help and it's pretty annoying.

Space Rangers and Space Rangers 2 are Cinemaware titles. IMHO, OK to rip-off game play styles, not so great to actually take names.

[Savant]

I would suggest doing something about your sites organization. Don't make me dig to find screen shots. Seriously. And take screen shots that don't have debug read outs on them.

[eppskevin]

I would suggest doing something about your sites organization. Don't make me dig to find screen shots. Seriously. And take screen shots that don't have debug read outs on them.

Savant, it's ok. Someone's already told me about that and I plan to change that. I actually must've put the wrong pics in the gallery. I don't even know why those are still showing. I'll handle it, though. As far as the zoom, I forgot to publish the changes to take that out. Yeah, that's annoying to me, too! It's gone now though.

As far as 'digging' for shots, I'll figure out a way to have include a link or something to the gallery of each game. Still trying to figure that out.

I should've stated this stuff in my previous post, I know, but I was in a rush at the time.

As far as the name issue, I guess it can't be helped. I guess I have to change the name. I hate to have to do that, because I really liked that name since 02.

[DadTimesTwo]

You tell people to click "Gallery" but it's actually "Photo Gallery". My eyes kept scanning the beginning of each item on the main menu for the "G" at the beginning of "Gallery."

Your website is far too cluttered. There's nothing for visitors to focus on:

Put all that stuff after "Welcome to United Minds Games" at the top of the "About Us" page instead and place your Space Rangers games front and center along with a large demo download button and thumbnails. You shouldn't put news announcements on the front page (especially the bottom of the page) telling visitors to click stuff in the menu. Delete the news items and just put the information about your games there.

Give all the different things at the bottom of your Main Menu (the register and login fields) a little more breathing room. Everything is too jammed together.

And do you really need both "Latest News" and "Popular"? They contain almost the same information. Just use "Latest News". It will help clean up the front page. (The fact that you have "Latest News" and then "News Flash" on a different part of the page creates even more clutter. You don't need both.)

Your title bar image is dull. Spruce it up with artwork more related to your games.

I'm not sure what kind of tone you're shooting for -- but this reads a little fanboyish:

"Hey Guys!! The version 0.5 demo for Space Rangers 2 is available for download! I would LOVE to hear what you guys think! Just comment on the comment form below. Here's the link:"

This might be a little more professional:

"Greetings! The version 0.5 demo for Space Rangers 2 is available for download. Try it and then let us know your thoughts. You can have a hand in shaping the final game!"

I also don't see the comment form to which you refer anywhere on the main page.

Finally (whew!) you need some grammatical tinkering:

"What do think of this site layout?" should be "What do think of this site's layout?" Lots of exclamation points and words like "Awesome!!" and "Sucks!!" make me think fanboy rather than professional indie developer.

[eppskevin]

You tell people to click "Gallery" but it's actually "Photo Gallery". My eyes kept scanning the beginning of each item on the main menu for the "G" at the beginning of "Gallery."

Your website is far too cluttered. There's nothing for visitors to focus on:

Put all that stuff after "Welcome to United Minds Games" at the top of the "About Us" page instead and place your Space Rangers games front and center along with a large demo download button and thumbnails. You shouldn't put news announcements on the front page (especially the bottom of the page) telling visitors to click stuff in the menu. Delete the news items and just put the information about your games there.

Give all the different things at the bottom of your Main Menu (the register and login fields) a little more breathing room. Everything is too jammed together.

And do you really need both "Latest News" and "Popular"? They contain almost the same information. Just use "Latest News". It will help clean up the front page. (The fact that you have "Latest News" and then "News Flash" on a different part of the page creates even more clutter. You don't need both.)

Your title bar image is dull. Spruce it up with artwork more related to your games.

I'm not sure what kind of tone you're shooting for -- but this reads a little fanboyish:

"Hey Guys!! The version 0.5 demo for Space Rangers 2 is available for download! I would LOVE to hear what you guys think! Just comment on the comment form below. Here's the link:"

This might be a little more professional:

"Greetings! The version 0.5 demo for Space Rangers 2 is available for download. Try it and then let us know your thoughts. You can have a hand in shaping the final game!"

I also don't see the comment form to which you refer anywhere on the main page.

Finally (whew!) you need some grammatical tinkering:

"What do think of this site layout?" should be "What do think of this site's layout?" Lots of exclamation points and words like "Awesome!!" and "Sucks!!" make me think fanboy rather than professional indie developer.

Hey Dad,

Thanks for all of your comments and I'll work on the homepage and the clutterness of the pages. As far as the top image, I plan on changing that when I have more finished images that are related to my games.

Thing that I would probably disagree with is defining what "professional" is. I believe that the word "professional" is used a little too much, but the type of site that I'm going for is a friendly, nice site where the user reallys feels welcome to the point that they feel like family. I DO NOT want to focus so much on what "terms" I use just to sound that I'm "legitimate". I personally will not deal with someone if that's their main focus, instead of just making sure that I'm happy and satisfied. A person using certain words doesn't impress me at all. It's what he DOES and the fact that he actually WANTS to do it. And that's the type of feeling that I want to give. That this company is here for anyone that needs us. There so many people that would like to see 2D games made again, but may not know how or they would do it themselves. This site should be a "We feel your pain, and we're here to try to make this possible. Let's do it together" site.

I'll fix things around the site to make it so that it isn't so jumbled, though. And also fix that comment form issue.

I do appreciate everyone's help with this though! All of you really helped.

[Artinum]

Finally (whew!) you need some grammatical tinkering:

"What do think of this site layout?" should be "What do think of this site's layout?"

Or even "What do you think of this site's layout?"

[Popcorn Boy]

I agree that the site looks OK and that the screenshots thing should be turned off - it doesn't help and it's pretty annoying.

Space Rangers and Space Rangers 2 are Cinemaware titles. IMHO, OK to rip-off game play styles, not so great to actually take names.

I would agree with that sentiment.

www.spacerangers2.com

[eppskevin]

I would agree with that sentiment.

www.spacerangers2.com

Point taken. Already in the works.

[Popcorn Boy]

No worries. Thanks!