ID:2012654
 

Poll: Do you think the landing/welcome page needs an update?

No - Keep it the way it is. 4% (2)
Sorta.. 4% (2)
Yes - It needs an update 78% (36)
Other (comment) 13% (6)

Login to vote.

I'm talking about this page right here : http://www.byond.com/

It's ancient and does not pitch the software well.

Don't you all think it's time for a change?
I just made a post about the welcome page violating copyright. No duh it needs an update.

http://www.byond.com/forum/?post=2012636
Voted other. I'm of the persuasion that the engine is where our one developer's time should go.

It's not fine the way it is, but given what resources we have access to, it seems that the time it would take would be better spent elsewhere.

I'm always intrigued by how we spend more time talking about what the website is doing wrong than we do discussing upcoming features and using the new stuff we're given.
Also voted other, it'd be cool to see a development team on BYOND again. Maybe like a web manager to help out Lummox? idk
In response to Ishuri
Ishuri wrote:
Also voted other, it'd be cool to see a development team on BYOND again. Maybe like a web manager to help out Lummox? idk

Why would you vote other? BYOND needs a welcome page update even if it isn't under Lummox's level of expertise.

I agree that Lummox has only proven himself somewhat semi-useful when it comes to work going toward Dream Seeker, and he's completely inadequate when it comes to other developments, but it doesn't disregard the fact that the need exists.

There could have been an annual contest for the front page's design if the website was managed better. There could have been a community-created web client and Dream Seeker extensions that run better. Nobody wants to because of how poor this website's management is.

I know it'd never happen, but that's irrelevant to the poll's question.
I'm wide open to an update but it has to be simple. The simpler the better, really. I know we discussed a slideshow at one point, which I'd be cool with if we had a good set of images to choose from. (A slideshow at least shouldn't be too taxing to implement.) The issue we ran across when we both looked into this before was that things tend to complexify pretty quickly.

Part of what I mean in terms of simplicity is that the whole content area should basically drop right into our existing page structure without a lot of changes. That means it has 960px of width to work with when margins are considered, and it should use that width.
our one developer's time should go.

:(

I get it. One guy, all these things.

But it doesn't have to be that way - especially on something that is basically guaranteed to be open source.
Take a look at this : http://www.byond.com/forum/?post=1784423&page=4
This community has the capability to put something together with HTML/CSS.

If Lummox can't tackle it - The community can.(and should)

So anyone who reads this can come up with something, Lummox already says he's willing to accept a change
I'm wide open to an update

And he has already stated the basic criteria
it has to be simple.

it has 960px of width to work with when margins are considered, and it should use that width.

the whole content area should basically drop right into our existing page structure without a lot of changes.

So then..
Please, for the love of all that is good and gravy - change the welcome page!


Also a side note :

I personally would be satisfied if all you did was replace the images with new ones, changed the font and made the bullet points pretty.

In response to IchiroKeisuke
If Lummox can't tackle it - The community can.(and should)

Should-- why? There's not much here that promotes community involvement and plenty against it. There is no incentive to help.

Also it's not just the style that is bad. There's plenty of qc issues and server bugs.
Everytime you see us we get richer & Rich, Everytime we see you, you get broker & broker. Brokanese, damn you speak Brokanese.

You speakin' brokanese like can I have a dollar please?


I know we discussed a slideshow at one point, which I'd be cool with if we had a good set of images to choose from

I took a few minutes and modified the welcome page to have a very simple CSS slideshow instead of those two giant image links.

Looks like this (right click>view image)



My HTML skills aren't that great tho.

@Lummox
The time consuming part would be procuring new images to go in the slideshow. However, If you asked some devs for screenshots (and the right to use them) I doubt you would come out empty handed.

I've also been influenced by the open source community in how I think. so it may be a long shot to expect people around here to help out much..idk.

It's your website - I can't force you to do anything..I just think it's ridiculous that it's 2016 and that page still hasn't been changed at all

I just hope you decide to change it at some point so my eyes will quit bleeding all over my keyboard..

Cheers
In response to IchiroKeisuke
It doesn't look consistent with the rest of the website. I was thinking more of a custom illustration rather than stock images.
It's not that bad. But it's showing off nothing BYOND has to offer that's the only problem. Probably because there isn't much to show off.

You don't see lummox OR tom glorifying any of these kids games anyway.
Color scheme should change to blue/white for the whole page.
In response to Ishuri
Don't know why the hell such an ugly orange color is dominant for the website. It's hideous.
BYOND needs to take a page from the competition. Check out http://www.playmycode.com/. They are doing everything that BYOND should be doing. The presentation is a million times better. They even have a code editor that runs directly in the browser. It almost feels like BYOND's missing half.

Also, it's developed by Studio Fortress, and apparently they are available for hire. BYOND should consider working with them. We have a lot to learn from them and vice versa.

I should add that it's the work of two brothers! It's like they are Dantom from an alternate reality.
Speak of a slide show, I'd really love to have a features games reel again. I know it wouldn't exactly be updated all that much, but still, I think it's an important achievement for developers to strive for. At least inject just the tiniest bit of quality into their games to make it on the featured page...

... Or people will just complain as to why their fan-games aren't being featured because they're game dev gods and deserve all of your hard earned money and time.
In response to Multiverse7
They are doing everything that BYOND should be doing.

Far less than what they should be doing, hence why both are failing to appeal.

The presentation is a million times better.

Not even as much as two times better. It looks atrocious.

BYOND should consider working with them.

Lummox should consider educating himself instead. They're clearly amateurs that don't bring anything special to the table.



The quality control here is terrible.

They even have a code editor that runs directly in the browser.

Ohwow. Their game engine being based in HTML5 has nothing to do with that at all.

We have a lot to learn from them and vice versa.

Maybe you do. I don't. Learning from amateurs can actually do you more harm than good.

Leave it to the community to have horrid taste.
I was gonna put in my 2 cents on what it should look like but idc anymore, not gonna use the site anyway for my hubs
Professional web programmer and design here.. Waiting to help rid BYOND of these awful colours... And finally make the site mobile responsive..
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