First Flash Site

[Slamdunkdesign]

Hello peeps,

I was hoping that you would be able to have a look at my first Flash site. It is inspired by a template that I could not afford from templatemonster, so you may well have seen it before, but I thought it would be a good way to test out my flash skills.

East Herts Ramblers

Some of the site doesn't work yet, and I am still trying to make a way to fade the music in and out with one button rather than two, as I think the loop could get repetitive

Let me know any thoughts you have.

Thanks in advance
Steve

[Eraxer]

Heres my advice, use a framerate of atleast 30, make the preloader alot smaller, get better fonts, and dont make them above 13px, learn to make cooler button transitions and finally dont go on templatemonster if you want creativity in your site!

[creativeinsomnia]

Templatemonster isnt really a great place to go for inspiration. Try out the cool sites forum here at FlashKit, www.internettinyawards.com , or http://www.linkdup.com/

What you'll most likely find in templates, is old styles and played out animation. You want to look at what your peers are doing and whats hot right now, so give those sites a try. Good luck.

[LittleNicky78]

Don't use a framerate of at least 30. Always use a framerate of 21.
PC's and Mac's display framerate values differently. The difference between the two can be huge. But if you use a framerate of 21 then if memory serves one will display it at 20 and the other at 21. It's the closest you can get the two to function in the same way. Otherwise your site will end up being fast one one machine and slow on another.
Besides, you don't need more than 15 or above to fool the eye so 30 or more is just overkill.

[sk8Krog]

standard framerate for video is ~30 fps, though some prefer to make it 31 because it reduces the difference between mac and pc. Though framerate should be dependent on the content. For cartoons and the like 12-15 would be perfect because you don't have to be accurate to a small fraction of a second, but if you are looking to make it quicker in both animation and scripting upping the framerate will help. There's no right or wrong here, its up to you, but explore the posibilities.

As for the site, it looks like you're still grasping the whole flash concept. Moving things is exciting and you really aren't applying any design principles to it. Start off making a site as if it were static, THEN think about how to bring that into flash. Right now you're using flash to design for you, which you shouldn't do. Flash is merely a tool.

Glad to see some newcomers diving right in though! Don't be afraid

[LittleNicky78]

A 30fps video is completely unnescesary when publishing video for flash. Alot of people do this because the NTSC system is 29.97 frames per second and therefor people render all their video out in 30fps. But the american NTSC doesn't even show all the 29.97 frames per second, which is why it's often referred to as dropframe video. As a matter of fact NTSC shows even fewer frames per second than PAL which shows 25 frames per second. So tell me, why on earth would you make video for internet (where people hate waiting for things) in a higher framerate than what you see on TV? Sorry but that's just dumb.
21 frames per second is more than enough for everything you have to do in flash, video and website alike.

[bubfather]

I don't see any video on this website and even the animations and motion tweens are simple. So why the discussion about framerates and who knows what's the best?

The real question is what our thoughts are about this website and NOT which framerate he has to use, because this won't improve the graphics. I should design for yourself and your own taste, instead of copying templates from the outdated templatemonster. Experiment first with making your onw templates in Illustrator or Photoshop. Find links of cool websites (check http://www.favouritewebsiteawards.com) for current standards. Copy paste examples you like and try to merge bits and pieces of these examples into one design which suites the best for your website.

This is only the beginning, and than come with your template for a sitecheck at Flashkit.
__________________________________________________ ___________________
benjamin www.bewired.nl

[threehundred]

I like the site. I'm a newbie to flash also, and that's about the skill level I'm at. I hope to be at the level of some of the greats on here sometime in the near future. This site is perfect for a small company's information site or someone's personal bio site. Good Job.

Experiment first with making your onw templates in Illustrator or Photoshop.......Copy paste examples you like and try to merge bits and pieces of these examples into one design which suites the best for your website.

Good ideas I think. I'm going to try that out on my next design. Sk8krog had good points about not using Flash to decide what's right but use it as a tool. I'll have to try and keep that in mind when designing.

[LittleNicky78]

nothing wrong with dropping a few tips in along with critisizm.

[bubfather]

You are right, but just because you have a cool website,

[LittleNicky78]

lol, thanks :P

[Slamdunkdesign]

Thanks guys,

Not sure that I will worry about the framerate just yet - will have a look at the transitions and buttons first. I admit that it is simple site, but I guess we all have to start somewhere : )

Seems like there are a few things to grasp still...

Ah well, better get thinking.

Oh yeah, and as for the preloader - I was just amazed it even worked!

Steve

[steven_h_2000]

look better than my first flash site, for sure! there is some good tweaking you could do on it but i think your on the right track

try increasing fps and number of frames used on animation, this will allow smoother animation

try to avoid obscene scaling during an object's animation (i.e. dont flip it over etc, its too old school and looks tacky:P)

hope that helps

[Vidabiad]

If you wanted a template look then you've got it.

[JohnyT9760]

Don't get discurgaed when some one tells you your site looks like a template espically if your fist site. I think you did a great job the only note of advice I would provide is the music is quite loud (and the volume level on my pc is at a normal level.)

Very nice work on your fist try out of the gate

JT

[Dragonusthei]

Hi

good first site

Its got good clear navigation and good clear content witch are the 2 big webdesign rules!

One thing i would suggest tho is know your target audience i think your sites to company looking its the kind of site i would except for a computer company or something. Club sites should really say Hey we are a friendly bunch of people and ud really like to be apart of our club not we are a company we want your money.

but its a nice site

[Slamdunkdesign]

Hey, just wanted to say thanks to everyone who commented. The site is getting some major tweaking and reworking because of all the comments here, and hopefully I will be able to get it redone and you can all see if I have managed to improve at all!

Thanks again
Steve