Petopia Usability Improvements

[Mania]

I uploaded some small usability improvements to Petopia today. Well, I hope they are improvements, but I'd like to get your opinions.

(I also reworked most of the back-end database and generation code so I can make changes more easily, but hopefully you won't notice any of that. If you do, it probably means that I screwed something up. )

[Saturo]

I like new Petopia. It looks neat, and easily accessible as well. I also accidentally hit the ad-movie-thing tough, might want to think about moving that. :P

[Makoes]

that was really weired at first...I am a lit---lot drunk atm and went to petopia for some mindfocus and bam! is so different...had to click link a few times before it clued in that the site had a make-over...after I got that figures out I thought "Hey, this is really cool, neat and wow I can get pet info right away!"

I really like this change, great job mania

sorry if post is off...drunk...hic!

[Kalanzyne]

Went to go have a look at the pets to pick something for my little hunter to tame first. I like the new layout. It makes it so much easier to find what your looking for.

[Lohuran]

Looks great to me! Simple and straight to the point.

[Karathyriel]

Mania, I'm so proud of you!

No, really, I like it.

[Teigan]

.

[SpiritBinder]

I was just there and was like, this is new??? what the? O_O Wow check it out! Sexiness!
/scuttle over to forums to see whats going on...
Nice work Mania

[Golden]

Ohh, I really like what you've done there. <3

[Mania]

Hmm ... I am suspicious. Normally people hate any changes I make. (Almost as if my taste in web design is horrendous. *grin*) Are you sure you're looking at Petopia?

[Teigan]

.

[Aleu]

I very much like it! Although the picture of Gondria is of a blue spectral Tiger instead of purple. Unless that was the only model you could find at the moment.

[Golden]

Hmm ... I am suspicious. Normally people hate any changes I make. (Almost as if my taste in web design is horrendous. *grin*) Are you sure you're looking at Petopia?

Hehe, I'm sure. Only thing I don't quite like is the image for Gondria and Azuregos - both look really weird with an unicolor background. I've always liked Petopia to begin with, but now that you've taken all the pet families to the front page, it's even more practical. It's either this or the gallery of pet looks I always go for, so it makes going through pets so much easier.

[Mania]

I very much like it! Although the picture of Gondria is of a blue spectral Tiger instead of purple. Unless that was the only model you could find at the moment.

Err ... that was intentional. Really! (I have a hard time telling those colors apart. I'll get it fixed.)

Only thing I don't quite like is the image for Gondria and Azuregos - both look really weird with an unicolor background.

Do you mean the faked partially transparent images that are so bright they'll blind you? Yeah ... I need to see if I can do a better job with those.

I've always liked Petopia to begin with, but now that you've taken all the pet families to the front page, it's even more practical. It's either this or the gallery of pet looks I always go for, so it makes going through pets so much easier.

Actually a big part of what I did was spend time with Google Analytics trying to figure out where people enter the site and where they go from there. Once I did that ... I was pretty embarrassed about how hard it was to get around. But yeah, mostly I just tried to make the existing traffic patterns easier.

[Ana]

So nice facelift.. Well done mania

[tramani]

love it

[Saturo]

Hmm ... I am suspicious. Normally people hate any changes I make. (Almost as if my taste in web design is horrendous. *grin*) Are you sure you're looking at Petopia?

Well, the green might not be my favourite, but it wouldn't be Petopia without all the green!

[Karathyriel]

Oh, we were talking about the look?
Well, then it is still as horrible as it ever was.

I thought we were talking about the usability... Sorry.

[Mania]

Hah! Well I never claimed it was pretty. And the green is traditional ...

But seriously, I just wanted to make it a little easier to use and I'm glad that -- so far at least -- it sounds like I didn't muck that up too much.

Work continues on the back-end, and I hope to have the structure to get masses of Cataclysm info up soon. But if anyone has suggestions for more usability improvements, please let me know!

[Karathyriel]

I just saw this typo:

Note: Both mastiff dogs and fixes are currently included in the wolf family.

I'm pretty sure you meant foxes...
It is right here

I'm not against green but it could look a little bit fancier, you know?
Maybe, when I have some time, I'll try something if that is OK with you.