Autumn Winds

02 August 2009 @ 12:02 pm

I like the idea of buying indie comics, and I would if it were easy to find good indie comics.

Unfortunately, the only place I know of (IndyPlanet) has one of the absolute worst systems for finding or even browsing comics: their "genres" aren't even remotely sorted (there are fairy tales in the sci-fi section for gods sakes, and that's the LEAST of the sorting errors...basically, trying to sort-by-genre is pointless), half (literally HALF) of their thumbnails are broken or simply missing (with no backup text links for anything, so you don't even know WHAT'S missing), they don't sort by series but by individual issues with no decent option to browse by series, there's a wishlist option with no easy way back to it once you've added something, and series don't have pages where you can read about them (again, only individual issues).

It is literally one of the worst sites for usability I've ever come across, and clearly doesn't understand the needs or habits of its audience. Hell, the webmaster has clearly never even looked at another comics sales site.

Tags: bitching, comics, web design

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04 May 2008 @ 06:33 am

On a Wild Hunt

I've been aware for some time that the Wild Hunt Studios website isn't exactly a stunning piece of visual design (though the coding was a pain in the ass), and since your website is basically an advertisement for your company and products, it needs a facelift.

The current design was originally thrown together as a placeholder until I could come up with something a little more catchy and visually intriguing (never underestimate the ability of a design to draw visitors, who may come just to look...but note, they did indeed come).

The aggravating part is that I used to be a world-class web designer and worked in the field for years, but for whatever reason once I left the business my design skills left me. Design work has been frustration and failure over the last few years. For examples, note the differences in design between Electric Ghosts and ORX, or my websites from the 90's and my current set of sites.

Seriously, I used to receive actual fan-mail about my sites that read along the lines of, "I have to confess, I browse to your site daily just to look at it. It's beautiful!" This wasn't fan mail about the content, just the presentation.

Thus, obviously I can do it...but where did it go? The stuff I have now is tame, constrained, uninspired. So I'm soliciting feedback, suggestions, and pity (hah! This is LJ, afterall). Seriously, though. Other sites to look at, specific designs to take inspiration from, critiques of the current layout/graphics/design would all be appreciated.