portfolio site - check me please

[bolt1872x2]

hey everyone, here's my new portfolio site. I'm about 90% done with my current plans. Very open to suggestion and criticism.

http://www.vmaxstudios.com

Let me know what you think!

Thanks!

[eblack4012]

pretty nice. One suggestion - you might want to nix the gun concept. It may offend certain potential clients. - Some people are just uptight, and it's a big issue with a lot of people -

Also, the 3D model of the 44 is cool but next to a bitmap of a real one it kind of loses some of its luster. I liked your choice of music and the color scheme was pleasing to look at. Overall a little too simple for my tastes but probably just right for the masses.

[Kac]

Not a big fan. Pay more attention to detail. Your logo was too vectory. I really didn't want to stay at your site. Your intro was too static.

ugh.

-Kac

[M.Mahgoub]

so nice, i like it, keep it up

[mmjl]

i would like it more if there was no load time at all. i don't like them, also i don't know any customers who like them either.

well, also i share my oppinion with eblack4012 about the gun. for a commercial site it is not appropriate.

your 3d-models are not impressive at all. they look like an amateurs work. do they really represent your 3d skills?

the layout is great. well done!

check the spacing between the input fields of the contact form. fix the alignment and don't let the submit button touch the input field above.

keep up the good work

[bolt1872x2]

thanks for all your comments everyone!

ok, about the gun...I had reservations about that too, even though I am in the good ole' us of a where we're all about showing off how big our guns are (sorry i dont want to get off on a political rant in this forum, hehe) but I agree. As soon as I can think of something to replace it with i will.

As far as the 3d models are concerned, i spent a total of about 6 minutes on both of them combined. Basically I just wanted a little spinny thing for the look that wouldn't hurt load times too badly, so no, their not supposed to be realistic.

Kac, I'm not sure exactly what you mean by saying that my logo is "too vectory". Could u explain? I do know what you mean by the static comment, and i see what you mean.

mmjl, no load time in a completely flash-based site? that's rare. I will, however, check that alignment you wrote about, I didn't notice that before.

Thanks again, everyone!

[hemant111]

Web site looks nice.However, when viewing on a 800x600 , the movie doesn't fit properly, you want wanna use 100% on the width and height or adjust it so it fits properly on a 800x600
the text is little too big for buttons, maybe you wanna decrease that too rest is awesome

[admedia]

i think modelling is mispelled on services. (modeling)

perhaps some more color or graphics.

the gun idea is not good. (either is the 3d model)

work on the 3-d stuff. maybe make your interface more 3-d.

[ammaar]

nice but nothing too eye catching. too simple. need more detail.

my 2c

Ammaar

[mmjl]

...no load time in a completely flash-based site? that's rare.

of course it is!!! but it's not impossible and if you can make it, you've got an impressive site. (you don't want just yet another flash-based website.)

[bolt1872x2]

thanks for the comments...
____________________________________

v. mod·eled, also mod·elled mod·el·ing, mod·el·ling mod·els, mod·els

1. To make or construct a model of.
2. To plan, construct, or fashion according to a model.
3. To make conform to a chosen standard: He modeled his manners on his father's.
4. To make by shaping a plastic substance: model clay.
5. To display by wearing or posing.
6. In painting, drawing, and photography, to give a three-dimensional appearance to, as by shading or highlighting.

^from dictionary.com

about the simplicity, that was kinda the idea behind the project, but i understand the position.

as for load times, sound off people, let me know how long it took. it takes a mere 3 seconds on my realtively quick cable connection, and i dont imagine it takes that long even on 56k. im sure its certainly not the longest any of you've waited for a site.

[admedia]

"mod·el·ling" i stand corrected. we are both right. i wasn't sure so i typed it into word and it was corrected for me.

[Kac]

AH! I just figured out why I hate your site.

TOO MUCH negative space!!! It is all white and grey! A HA!

Your images don't fit well with your site, your portfolio layout really isn't very good. You just have images on the left, and rollover/off effects...

On all of your loadings, it just has a LOADING that flashes... which I thought was COMPLETELY inappropriate for all of your portfolio, I didn't even see a style in your portfolio where a loading that flashes looked good.

You are very newbish in your designs, it is hard to say, "Here's your problem." When it feels like everything just doesn't fit together, u don't know what is out of place.

Static means things don't move. Your framerate is too slow, so that everything is framey. You only have 1 object moving at a time, but when u consider Eric Jordan's take on things( from 2A ) you usually have 3 things moving at once, as to not draw the eye to one thing. Because if u have that many things going on at once, u don't notice the low quality of it. I suggest u check out 2A's portfolio and notice this theory tha the uses.

Sorry to be harsh, but I don't feel that you could impress people with that flash animation. You have to start somewhere, but I suggest learning small simple things before u start getting clients.

-Kac

[mentaleruptions]

My computer doesnt like ur site. It loads and then says enter. I hit enter and then nothing happens. Also the status bar at the bottom off explorer only goes half way accross so its not all loaded so theres a prob. Also on 1024 x 768 why is there a scrollbar on the right there is no reason for that being there. Just some advice on what ive read from people. Ur 3D models u said u made them in about 5 mins to just out something there and keep file size down. Heres a tip ENTERNALY LOAD THEM. My pc is 2 weeks old btw so i no its not my computer. And also all the other flash sites ive looked at today have loaded without any probs at all.

Mental

[bolt1872x2]

KAC, well, as far as "negative space" is concerned, while a simple white background may not appeal to you, it is simply a duifferent style than 2a. Simplicity of design is something that I think is very important, and while I think 2a is a wonderful site, most likelt the best of it's kind, it was, by no means my intention to build a site in that style.

As far as your comments about my preloaders is concerned, the reason for even having a preloader is to have something that loads quickly while THE IMPORTANT content is becoming available. It might be stylish to create a complex animated preloader but who the hell wants a preloader that needs to be preloaded! It's for utilitarian reasons that I use a basic preloading strategy.

about framerate, what would you suggest I use? This site is done in 22fps, what would you recommend?

as for your comments about my skill, yes I am a beginner, but every designer out there isn't 2-friggin-advanced, or fi, or whoever, in terms of skill or style. Lots of people working in this business create things much rougher than my work (i've seen much worse, and i know you have too) and many do great work in different styles, using different aesthetic principles than pixel fonts, shape tweens, and techy flashes.

so please, just keep an open mind and stay contructive!

Thanks for your comment

[bolt1872x2]

mentaleruptions, could u provide ur info (platform, os, browser, connection speed). 7 other people have reviewed the site in this thread and no one else has reported these problems. Just because your computer is new doesn't mean its working properly.

thanks

[mentaleruptions]

Comp specs:

P4 2.8ghz
1 GB DDR RAM
80 GB HD
XP Home with SP1
Internet Explorer 6
cable modem on this one.

It cant be my comp as i said i have viewed a ton off other flash sites today. I even cleard my temp files and refreshed ur site and got the same issues. I also use flash and anything i publish to the net works fine. Maybe this is a one off but i really dont see it being my comp do u ??

Mental

[bolt1872x2]

hmm...that's really strange. i thought maybe you were on dialup and that was the problem. I'm stumped but, like i said, i have a hard time thinking its something with the site when 7 others haven't had the same problem.

[Kac]

I'm not saying take the route as 2a, please, heavens no! I'm saying, they have design elements/theories that are a great practice. I am in no way suggesting u rip them in any sort or way or anything, please please no.

This one theory always stuck with me, and I think that it very valuable.

As far as the white background, yes it is hard to take a white background and make it into a site, but it is doable(word?). I've seen many sites with whiteness, but you have to design to get around the fact that it is white. I am currently doing a hurried project with a friend for a fbla contest with a black background at http://www.chasebrammer.com/fbla2/index2.htm

We use a black background, we aren't done yet, and I will finish it by tonite, but great design concepts are used. We go to high school, and we don't have much time, so we threw this together in less than 20 hours combined.

I do keep an open mind, but some things just bug me about design. It irritates me to have to do a site check on things that are obvious. I'm reading the definitive guide for actionscript mx right now, which is a MUST BUY for any person serious in the field of flash. I've been using flash as a hobby for more than 2 years, and after reading 100 pages I have learned so much! It is incredible. But as far as design concepts, I don't know where to learn those, I mainly just suggest critiqueing why "cool sites" are as cool as they are.

my thoughts.
-Kac

[mmjl]

this site - as i said before - is just average at this stage. but that is no reason to talk crap like kac does. this behaviour is very unprofessional. it is quite obvious who's the amateur.

as for the preload issue: do not load the whole site at once. first load the intro, then the layout, and in the end the graphics and animations. that way even a 56k-er won't notice any preload-delay.

even a fancy preloader is as small as a few lines of code and some simple shapes.

you really gotta change it or i will feel offended, because i spent my time giving you good advice. i expect a better preload solution in less than a week, ok!