We need banners...

Maz · Post by **Maz** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 11:19

No ideas, but if you'll have one, please make sure you submit them in the bug tracker

And I believe that even though we do not have top notch design atm, we can still add a few small banners at the bottom of our site, and others can add some banners pointing at us to their sites. I would not really worry so much about the outlook of those banners, at least google bots do not care bout the outlook

(And that's my main goal atm. Of course luring other people in via banners is good idea too, but if we place our banners in correct sites (IE on other freeware games related sites), then I assume we can expect to have our name known better. (Even though our banners would not really reflect the outlook of our site).

Post by **Chroelle** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 11:27

True. I do support the idea. I am sorry I didn't make that clear, I just lost my train of thoughts.
But yes, please do continue with that if you can do something... Everything that helps us become a household name is immensly helpful.

Maz · Post by **Maz** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 12:31

First contacts created, Caiman now links to us, and we to it

I just need to add their banner to other styles too.

http://www.caiman.us/scripts/fw/freeware.html

I will post the email I received from Rudy, if she gives me permission to publish it. (It contained some suggestions regarding the outlook

Maz · Post by **Maz** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 13:04

Hi Maz,

I added your banner and link at:
http://www.caiman.us/scripts/fw/freeware.html

If you want my opinion (for what it is worth):
Put a new banner on your site. The first time I saw your site I left immediately because the ugly banner (I mean your cwfbanner.gif)
Orange & white is good, but the letters are terrible. It looks like they contain orange blood.
An example:

Keep up the good work,
Cheers,

Rudy Caiman

Caiman Free Games
http://www.caiman.us

Maz The Northener wrote:
> Hi!
>
> I Do like your site (Caiman)
> and noticed you wrote that banner exchange can be suggested by
> mail .
> I have been creating a freeware site (as a hobby, unfortunately my
> time has been limited though) with a group of volunteers for almost two
> years now. I just thought that perhaps you would like to check it out.
>
> Site is concentrated around gaming, with some extras as interviews of
> game developers, few reviews, and (hopefully) soon also a freeware
> news section.
> Theres also some other plans like 'developer help project' which aims
> to form a 'bridge' between people interested in participating freeware
> game creation and freeware developers. However everything else but
> offering game downloads is still more or less at startup phase.
>
> what makes the site special is that everyone can suggest a game, but
> each suggested game must
> pass a validation procedure (where dedicated people play the game and
> rate it) before it will be hosted. This is because we want to only
> offer quality games, but still be open for all suggestions
>
> we aim to be a community driven site, and the heart of the site are
> the forums. The number of regulars is quite limited, but the
> athmosphere is warm and nice, and I am positive that the community
> will grow
>
> So do you think you could consider banner exchange with us?
>
> CWF - Quality Freeware Game Site.
> http://www.curlysworldoffreeware.com
>
> Best Regards:
>
> CWF developement team leader
> Matti "Maz" Vaittinen
>
> --
> BrakesAreForCowards!!!
> When you feel blue, no one sees your tears... When your down, no one
> understands your struggle...
> When you feel happy, no one notices your smile...
> But fart just once...
> Being yourself - The only way to be more

She also made us a banner for frontpage (the text) and promised that we can ask for help from her (what comes to images), but that her time is too limited to help us othervice

Here's the text she sent us attached. Do you think we should use it instead of our current text?

Pater Alf · Post by **Pater Alf** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 13:34

To be honest I never liked the orange/white style too much. In my oppinion we should switch back to the subsilver style as standard style. I like it much better and still use it.

But in subsilver style a top banner is missing. Maybe we can use her banner there as well (I can't imagine what it would look like)?

BTW: What happened to the banner contest. I remember that there was at least one nice banner submitted?

Scythe · Post by **Scythe** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 13:56

Yeah, there's a reason I use subsilver. It's the least in-your-face style.

Maz · Post by **Maz** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 15:01

One likes the daughter while the other loves the mother...

Why I do not like the idea of using subsilver as default style, is that it smells, feels, screams and yells: "I am the default style of phpbb board, like you see, the guys on this site have not bothered of creating anything original".

Besides I happen to like my own style ^_^;

Post by **Chroelle** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 15:04

I use Spaneks orange style, and mostly because it is unique to our site. SubSilver is used in so many other sites. I am hoping to be able to create a style of my own some day..

But lets be honest...That might be forever (if ever).
But I think we should change the text with the one Rudy sent. And I am pretty sure Rudy is a man.

Rudy is a mans name in Holland.

Maz · Post by **Maz** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 15:23

Done.

Maz · Post by **Maz** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 15:28

And because I do love the banner GuyBrush did for Maz's Style, I did play with it for 30 seconds and now I'll ad it to the list...

Post by **Chroelle** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 16:40

Could we maybe work with that on Spaneks style too? Not in its current form, but work with it a bit and put that in. I think the fireglow would go well with the orange...

Scythe · Post by **Scythe** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 17:44

See, I would rather have default phpbb, because, frankly, the rest of the styles makes my head hurt just looking at them (they use much too dark colors - Spanek's is tolerable, but...). But you know opinions.

So it's mainly a matter of "we don't currently have anything better than standard subsilver" IMHO.

Tank · Post by **Tank** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 18:16

I use the Orange style and I like the new banner.

Maz · Post by **Maz** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 19:58

I guess this thread proves my point about people having different preferences. So we'll keep all 3 styles (and be ready for more). And because I wish to give visitors something more unique than default phpbb style, and because MazStyle is lousy in everyone else's eyes, I'll keep Spanek's as default. For now at least.

eMTe · Post by **eMTe** » Sun Mar 23, 2008 2:22

Chroelle wrote:I think our problem is that we really need a good design before we can settle on banners...
So what are the steps to be made in that direction...Any ideas?

Start looking for freeware designers that love to work for fun. Where we can find them?

http://forum.deviantart.com/community/websites/

For example. Good place to promote the site. And ask for help.

eMTe · Post by **eMTe** » Sun Mar 23, 2008 12:35

Bump. I was kinda bored...

Post by **Chroelle** » Sun Mar 23, 2008 13:30

I was considering if anyone knew what font Rudy used for the banner, since I have been thinking that we might want it to say Curlys World of Freeware instead fo CWF in the main banner, and the side banners leadin to the forum and the mainsite should be CWF as they are so people can see what CWF is an abreviation of.

Post by **Chroelle** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 22:09

I have been playing a round a bit with some designing. I think I got something going here. I am also working on the cedric and victor one I mentioned ealier in this thread. I am however awaiting permission from Origamihero (Bernie) to use his characters for banners.

Post by **Chroelle** » Wed Apr 02, 2008 0:19

So...I ge tno feedback at all. Are they that bad? The first one isn't done you know...

Pater Alf · Post by **Pater Alf** » Wed Apr 02, 2008 0:38

The first one looks strange, because the characters and the background is heave pixelled. But the idea isn't bad. And the second one is quite ok I think.