Ausmash news: BACK FROM THE GRAVE

[luke_atyeo]

at least you didnt get some ****ed up girl come up to you and start asking you all these naruto related questions and talking to you about chakra and **** and going on about god knows what (I'm a pretty big naruto fan and I had no idea what the **** was going on)

 

[MTGod]

I was actually pleasantly surprised at the lack of (*ahem* recognisable) Naruto characters at Supanova ^^ Quite a bit of diversity it seemed, but this could also be due to my lack of anime knowledge outside of CroHigh...

 

[tibs7]

Lol Luke, those chicks were soooo strange.
Pretty sure they called yourself and Ted 'underlings' of the akatsuki bahha, biggest freaks they were.

 

[Vlade]

As I said on the day, Supanova made me feel like a horrid person, just couldn't keep my eyes off some of the girls there :/

There were indeed lots of nice female cosplayers ^_^

 

[Sieg]

There were indeed lots of nice female cosplayers ^_^

Jibun Wo.

How did it go? Did you do it?

 

[Vlade]

Jibun Wo.

How did it go? Did you do it?

Nah wasn't allowed to attend Sunday

 

[MTGod]

Trav would've taken your place if you'd asked him...

 

[Hobobloke]

He suggested it but I forgot to memorise the lyrics amongst all the Munchkin, Brawl, and Doctor Who.

 

[Sieg]

Awww, wanted to see Vlade singing. Lol.

 

[Zero]

HOW CAN YOU FORGET JIBUN WO

JIBUN WO~ jibun wo

 

[MTGod]

Munchkin wasn't nearly as epic as I remember it... I think it's because we were all too drained to be massive pricks to each other

Anyway, Sieg wants to see you singing, Vlade. Now you have no excuse to avoid Robocop. *clutching at straws* I reckon your dad is doing this to you because he knows you're trying to play MK... Go back to Falco and see what he does :D

 

[S.D]

Anyone have any smash news we can focus on? Also it would be nice if someone could write up the latest BOOST. Antho, would you be able to write up TEMPEST?

 

[Toby.]

Liam and I are writing up Boost.

We also have some breaking metaknight news. Sort of.

 

[Zero]

We're on top of google's results for "Ausmash". We need to get on top of "Australia Super Smash Bros." and all variants, to maximise hits.

 

[S.D]

We're on top of google's results for "Ausmash". We need to get on top of "Australia Super Smash Bros." and all variants, to maximise hits.

How to do this? I know it is possible but I have no clue how it is done.

 

[Zero]

Step 1 - http://www.google.com/addurl/?continue=/addurl

Step 2 - Have many websites link back to your websites.

Step 3 - Use descriptive anchor text. (This means have links like this : Super Smash Bros. Australia Super Smash Bros. Melee Australia Super Smash Bros. Brawl Australia Smash Australia - this is how George W. Bush' biography became the #1 hit for "Miserable failure")

I'm sure there are a few other ways of maximising your exposure to google. Your bro might know a few more.

 

[Ledge_g2]

I'm not sure what you have done already but to add to what kaleidoRuby was saying. Use descriptive names for pictures as well, or just everything really. repeat a lot of words, and take advantage of the text that you don't normally see like picture names.

 

[tedeth]

You should do an Interview with Jezmo's family.

Do it.

Do it.

 

[Vyse]

I'll write something soon Sam.

Results are in the first post of the tempest thread for you to see now too.

 

[toki]

You should do an Interview with Jezmo's family.

Do it.

Do it.

 

[Attila_]

i reckon we should update the site with details of upcoming monthlies. its easier to direct new people to ausmash.com than the australian part of smashboards...

 

[S.D]

i reckon we should update the site with details of upcoming monthlies. its easier to direct new people to ausmash.com than the australian part of smashboards...

In the calendar section I am listing all the upcoming tournaments, but I may have missed some.

 

[luke_atyeo]

needs the next jon update imo

 

[Toby.]

Liam lets get that boost write up done on friday when I'm back in Sydney.

 

[S.D]

Yes plox. Also we need some news - all those brawl backroomers is anything new in brawl? character wise or metagame wise or anything wise? It would be good to keep people updated on game progression.

 

[Attila_]

pretty sure shaya is the only one in the brawl br lol

 

[Zero]

Vyse is too afaik

 

[Mic_128]

Yes plox. Also we need some news - all those brawl backroomers is anything new in brawl? character wise or metagame wise or anything wise? It would be good to keep people updated on game progression.

Nothing major. Started weekly character discussions like was done a while back that'll slowly be moved into the character rooms and some more discussion on some stages, trying to get rid of counter/banned and designate wether they're counter or banned.

 

[...Ellipsis...]

Liam lets get that boost write up done on friday when I'm back in Sydney.

Yeah whatever scrub, I'll either be leaving to go to work at about 4 or going home.

 

[Toby.]

4?!

Welllll that could make things difficult.

 

[Hobobloke]

Mind listing Perth's upcoming tournament We're Starfox 6 - Area 6, it'll be on the 18th of July

 

[Alzi]

No offence S.D but the site can be improved much greatly if you want it to become more popular.

In terms of Colour, Text, Layout.

When someone first goes on the site. Their eyes don't know what to be looking at. It's like looking at a menu at a some food place and thinking what the hell is going on everything is all over the place.

The really amazing thing of the site is the Ausmash logo. If you made it then yes it's clearly awesome. But that couch warriors banner at the top it's so ugly and i don't know if the site is aus smash or couch warriors.

If the "I Write for my friends" is going to be used as a slogan i would add it in with the banner as a whole logo instead of extra text. It doesn't mix in well.

I know it's an Australian smash site but it could be better if the layout was split into a way that we can clearly see each of the states so when someone clicks on it it directs you to a page of news of what's happening in that state and other things.

So far you've done a great job S.D, don't take any thing above as something like:

"that site is so dam ****" etc

It can be greatly improved. I don't know but you do seem as if you have a life and might not have time on it but others may be willing to help.

Btw that white background is still not doing it for me .

Ausmash should have a sign in system and maybe even a forum.

If you want I can link you to some inspirations of other sites where you might get some ideas from and use concepts from each of them to help improve yours. But that Ausmash logo is seriously great. The capital S splits up the word AUS and SMASH very great usually this is done with colour like:

Hobobloke

Where even if it's one word the way you look at it it tricks you into reading it differently, Thats how colour works. But the way with the Capital Letter works perfectly fine.

 

[EverAlert]

I know this wasn't directed at me, but I'm giving my input since Andrew asked me to.

When someone first goes on the site. Their eyes don't know what to be looking at. It's like looking at a menu at a some food place and thinking what the hell is going on everything is all over the place.

Yes. Everything looks like everything else, it's kind of hard to intuitively know where to look unless you already have an idea of what to look for. Give sidebars/lists a slightly different style or at least a bit more definition to the separating bars.

The really amazing thing of the site is the Ausmash logo. If you made it then yes it's clearly awesome. But that couch warriors banner at the top it's so ugly and i don't know if the site is aus smash or couch warriors.

Yes. It's none of my business, so I won't question its presence. But IMO for the CW banner, drop the background (so that it's white like the rest of the page), change the text color to black, fade the whole thing slightly (like 75-90% opacity, whatever you like best), and lower it so it's in line with "I write for my friends." Should give a bit more prominence to "auSmash" while allowing the CW thing to stay visible without sticking out like a sore thumb.

If the "I Write for my friends" is going to be used as a slogan i would add it in with the banner as a whole logo instead of extra text. It doesn't mix in well.

No, it's fine as it is now. But drop the full stop.

I know it's an Australian smash site but it could be better if the layout was split into a way that we can clearly see each of the states so when someone clicks on it it directs you to a page of news of what's happening in that state and other things.

I don't necessarily think a redesign on this level is necessary, but IMO it's an interesting idea.


Anything else he said I either disagree with or have no opinion on.

Edit: Almost forgot, while I'm here, I may as well mention I really don't think the favicon suits the rest of the design, perhaps have an "A" like in the ausmash logo or invert it so it's black text on white.

 

[Sieg]

Yes I love following Year 10 Design aswell.

Alzi can you teach me opposite contrasting colours?

 

[xXArrowXx]

needs more adds about evony and how to get ripped.

 

[tibs7]

Sd I don't think there'll be a Reloaded write up.....

 

[Alzi]

It just needs small updates from time to time.

I was thinking have an icon of each state with a smash ball in it that's plain and simple with text saying Western Australia or Whatever state it is underneath it so people living in that state know where to click and know what's happening in there state.

Everyone wants to know about Jon and how he punched the sun so you could have some Highlights of some major things happening that will attract other players to other states. Like Robocop which you have already done but it should have a small heading saying Melbourne so they know that if they want to read up on it it will be in the Melbourne section.

The text underneath Ausmash is definatley not fine. If it's meant to be part of the logo then it should be with the whole logo. Plus it is weirdly placed the way it is atm.

I still don't understand why street fighter is being advertised by the couch warriors banner if it's meant to be a brawl / melee site...

That site is layed out better as well. It just needs some touch up and the logo for it is very bad.

With ausmash i go on it and i see a headline, Featured, Browse Categories, then some news at the bottom with these two boxes in the bottom right corner saying pages and sites. All i think of is where on earth am i meant to click first?

Ofcourse my opinion cannot always work as i am only one guy and have certain taste. But if you get others contributing you will get an idea of what the site should be looking like that everyone would love to go on.

 

[S.D]

As English speakers read left to right, the placement of the ausmash logo dictates that people read it first, and it is clearly the dominant subject. Thinking of maybe switching the couchwarriors banner to smashboards, but either way it is only there as an affiliated site/organisation.

Part of the point of the site it to broadcast AUSTRALIAN smash, as opposed to Victorian smash or NSW smash; having all the state updates together promotes interstate interest as well as being simple enough to navigate in terms of finding information about your own state. I have toyed with the idea of individual state pages, but then I feel it would become segregated in the same way smashboards is currently, that is not the point here.

Regular updates are certainly desirable, but content is the major issue on this front. Essentially all I am able to update is results unless I have people contributing their state news and people keeping their ear to the ground for other news.

Something I would very much like to do is have actual game development updates - metagame news, character news etc - so I urge people to write something up if they come across a new AT or game development elsewhere on swf or on their own.

I haven't had a lot of time for the site lately unfortunately, but I would like more frequent updates, more content and news before I worry too much about layout. Once we are more established as an organisation capable of producing regular news and updates we can worry about that.

Again I urge people to put their hand up to write smash news, I'm struggling a little for ideas lately so if you have one then please don't be afraid to pitch it and write about it.

Edit: Is there a thread for that perth tournament?

 

[Attila_]

i feel that alzi should build his own website to stand in direct contrast to SD's, then they can fight to the death for our love.

 

[EverAlert]

As English speakers read left to right, the placement of the ausmash logo dictates that people read it first, and it is clearly the dominant subject.

I disagree. The dominant "subject" will always be the thing that sticks out the most. You can't just expect people to read layouts like words; layouts aren't necessarily text (neither are logos, for that matter).

It's the same reason ad banners are commonly animated, and why peoples' eyes will be drawn to a TV even if the sound is muted and they're talking to someone else. Things that stick out grab your attention first, and in this example animation is what makes it stick out. There's also rules of contrast coming into play, though hopefully I don't need to explain that.

The CW banner might not be animated, but a dark/blue mass of pixels is attention-grabbing enough when the rest of the layout is light and mainly greyscale.

/design101
/lolwhocares