Comments on: Welcome to the New Treasure Tables http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/10/welcome-to-the-new-treasure-tables Game mastering advice, ideas & resources • Dedicated to helping GMs Thu, 10 Nov 2011 17:04:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Martin http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/10/welcome-to-the-new-treasure-tables/comment-page-1#comment-13390 Martin Thu, 04 Oct 2007 16:21:12 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/10/welcome-to-the-new-treasure-tables#comment-13390 I've being doing more cleanup, but it's subtle stuff at this point. There's still an unresolved layout bug in FF and IE (on posts with closed comments, the footer background doesn't extend to fill the width of the screen), the weird right sidebar thing in IE (which I have no idea how to fix) and some clutter in older posts. I'm going through old posts one by one, which is taking quite a bit of time. I also can't figure out how to extend the sidebar backgrounds to the bottom of the page, which is one thing I still want to experiment with layout-wise. The method I know still isn't cutting the mustard. Jonathan: Your new design looks great -- simple, clean and easy on the eyes. Nice work. :) There does seem to be something in the air right now, and it's not even Spring. Weird. I’ve being doing more cleanup, but it’s subtle stuff at this point. There’s still an unresolved layout bug in FF and IE (on posts with closed comments, the footer background doesn’t extend to fill the width of the screen), the weird right sidebar thing in IE (which I have no idea how to fix) and some clutter in older posts. I’m going through old posts one by one, which is taking quite a bit of time.

I also can’t figure out how to extend the sidebar backgrounds to the bottom of the page, which is one thing I still want to experiment with layout-wise. The method I know still isn’t cutting the mustard.

Jonathan: Your new design looks great — simple, clean and easy on the eyes. Nice work. :) There does seem to be something in the air right now, and it’s not even Spring. Weird.

]]> By: Jonathan Drain's D20 Source http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/10/welcome-to-the-new-treasure-tables/comment-page-1#comment-13383 Jonathan Drain's D20 Source Wed, 03 Oct 2007 19:54:55 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/10/welcome-to-the-new-treasure-tables#comment-13383 Also, in my case only 1% of users are still on 800*600. In fact, only 25% of users are still on 1024*768, and a negligible number on 640*480. I was quite surprised. Also, in my case only 1% of users are still on 800*600. In fact, only 25% of users are still on 1024*768, and a negligible number on 640*480. I was quite surprised.

]]> By: Jonathan Drain's D20 Source http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/10/welcome-to-the-new-treasure-tables/comment-page-1#comment-13382 Jonathan Drain's D20 Source Wed, 03 Oct 2007 19:52:38 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/10/welcome-to-the-new-treasure-tables#comment-13382 Shiny! I like. It seems to be the weather for new blog layouts. Advertising is well-placed and navigation is clean. Sidebars could use a little padding, I think. Shiny! I like. It seems to be the weather for new blog layouts. Advertising is well-placed and navigation is clean.

Sidebars could use a little padding, I think.

]]> By: Martin http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/10/welcome-to-the-new-treasure-tables/comment-page-1#comment-13367 Martin Tue, 02 Oct 2007 21:19:49 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/10/welcome-to-the-new-treasure-tables#comment-13367 Thank you to everyone for the continued feedback -- the new design is already a lot better than it was when I first rolled it out. :) Abulia: I've got some experimenting to do with the width of the columns (narrower sidebars and wider center), as well as with the background color. I know how to do the first one, but I haven't had time to fiddle with it yet. The method I know for doing the second one (repeat-y) hasn't worked so far, and I'm still scratching my head over it. What bothers you about the logo? I know you find it bland, but why -- and what would you prefer to see? Thanks for the feedback! Frank: I'm not a fan of fluid widths as a site owner, and generally not a fan of them as a site reader, either -- particularly for blogs. I think widening the central column slightly will have many of the same benefits for folks (like yourself) who find it too narrow, with none of the downsides. John: Thanks! Sarlax: Yep, I miss the post and comment counts too -- I just haven't had a chance to figure out how to implement them in this version of WordPress yet. If I can get them back, I will. Alysia's barely seen me since Saturday, and I have plans tonight -- not much may change until Wednesday. ;) Thank you to everyone for the continued feedback — the new design is already a lot better than it was when I first rolled it out. :)

Abulia: I’ve got some experimenting to do with the width of the columns (narrower sidebars and wider center), as well as with the background color.

I know how to do the first one, but I haven’t had time to fiddle with it yet. The method I know for doing the second one (repeat-y) hasn’t worked so far, and I’m still scratching my head over it.

What bothers you about the logo? I know you find it bland, but why — and what would you prefer to see?

Thanks for the feedback!

Frank: I’m not a fan of fluid widths as a site owner, and generally not a fan of them as a site reader, either — particularly for blogs. I think widening the central column slightly will have many of the same benefits for folks (like yourself) who find it too narrow, with none of the downsides.

John: Thanks!

Sarlax: Yep, I miss the post and comment counts too — I just haven’t had a chance to figure out how to implement them in this version of WordPress yet. If I can get them back, I will.

Alysia’s barely seen me since Saturday, and I have plans tonight — not much may change until Wednesday. ;)

]]> By: Sarlax http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/10/welcome-to-the-new-treasure-tables/comment-page-1#comment-13366 Sarlax Tue, 02 Oct 2007 19:39:16 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/10/welcome-to-the-new-treasure-tables#comment-13366 I miss having the post count available here on the blog. It was something I used to track which comments I'd read and how the discussion was flowing. I miss having the post count available here on the blog. It was something I used to track which comments I’d read and how the discussion was flowing.

]]> By: John Arcadian http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/10/welcome-to-the-new-treasure-tables/comment-page-1#comment-13361 John Arcadian Tue, 02 Oct 2007 16:30:40 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/10/welcome-to-the-new-treasure-tables#comment-13361 The top plays out much better now. I might consider a bit of color tweaking with the pure white background, but that doesn't really bug me much. So Kudos, and I am definitely happier with the arrangement. The top plays out much better now. I might consider a bit of color tweaking with the pure white background, but that doesn’t really bug me much. So Kudos, and I am definitely happier with the arrangement.

]]> By: Frank Filz http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/10/welcome-to-the-new-treasure-tables/comment-page-1#comment-13360 Frank Filz Tue, 02 Oct 2007 15:35:45 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/10/welcome-to-the-new-treasure-tables#comment-13360 I understand that very wide text is hard to read, however, I think the content column could be as much as twice as wide and still be fairly readable. Even 50% wider would make it significantly faster to absorb content. Can you do something to allow some proportional widths? Or does everyone maximize their browser these days? It used to be you would re-size your browser to get a comfortable column width for the text content of web sites. Frank I understand that very wide text is hard to read, however, I think the content column could be as much as twice as wide and still be fairly readable. Even 50% wider would make it significantly faster to absorb content.

Can you do something to allow some proportional widths? Or does everyone maximize their browser these days? It used to be you would re-size your browser to get a comfortable column width for the text content of web sites.

Frank

]]> By: Abulia http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/10/welcome-to-the-new-treasure-tables/comment-page-1#comment-13359 Abulia Tue, 02 Oct 2007 15:21:25 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/10/welcome-to-the-new-treasure-tables#comment-13359 Oh, and the top is much better, IMO. Now just work on that logo/banner a bit! Oh, and the top is much better, IMO. Now just work on that logo/banner a bit!

]]> By: Abulia http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/10/welcome-to-the-new-treasure-tables/comment-page-1#comment-13358 Abulia Tue, 02 Oct 2007 15:15:41 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/10/welcome-to-the-new-treasure-tables#comment-13358 Sorry, it still feels as if I'm reading TT through a straw. Now it's centered, squished text in a field of white nothingness. (stab, stab, stab) Out of curosity, is the template being used called "Snowblind?" ;) Sorry, it still feels as if I’m reading TT through a straw. Now it’s centered, squished text in a field of white nothingness. (stab, stab, stab)

Out of curosity, is the template being used called “Snowblind?”

;)

]]> By: Yax http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/10/welcome-to-the-new-treasure-tables/comment-page-1#comment-13353 Yax Tue, 02 Oct 2007 06:12:15 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/10/welcome-to-the-new-treasure-tables#comment-13353 I like it! I like it!

]]> By: Martin http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/10/welcome-to-the-new-treasure-tables/comment-page-1#comment-13348 Martin Mon, 01 Oct 2007 23:32:57 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/10/welcome-to-the-new-treasure-tables#comment-13348 Okay, the side/content/side layout is in full effect. What do you think? Does it solve the whitespace issues? Does it bore you to tears? I tried both versions (menu left, ads right and vice versa), and this one -- menu left, ads right -- seems to be the most efficient. The other way also looks weird with the TT logo in line with the ads. Okay, the side/content/side layout is in full effect. What do you think? Does it solve the whitespace issues? Does it bore you to tears?

I tried both versions (menu left, ads right and vice versa), and this one — menu left, ads right — seems to be the most efficient. The other way also looks weird with the TT logo in line with the ads.

]]> By: Martin http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/10/welcome-to-the-new-treasure-tables/comment-page-1#comment-13347 Martin Mon, 01 Oct 2007 22:38:13 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/10/welcome-to-the-new-treasure-tables#comment-13347 Dave: Yeah, the process of joining 9rules seems to have slowed way down. I think that may have been a conscious decision on their part, as their last few open calls for new sites have been crazy-big. Thank you for the feedback -- I'm still mulling over what you said about posts fighting for attention. Out of curiosity, do you feel that way about the posts that have images in them, or only the image-less ones? Wollo: Oy -- sorry about that! Unfortunately, I have no idea why it looks weird to you. I've never used Opera, and I'm not familiar with its quirks. Any other Opera users having issues? John: I see what you're getting at, but I don't think splitting up the menu like that is user friendly -- at least, I know it bugs me when other sites do it. Telas: Welcome back! I'm glad you like the new look. I've been playing with two options to see how they look: 1. Making the two sidebars as narrow as possible without feeling cramped buys an extra 60px to slide over to the left of the main column. That helps pad out the left side with a long post or comments thread, but makes the top of the site feel odd. I'm not sure I can gain enough pixels this way without sacrificing the airy, open feel that I like about the design. 2. Moving one sidebar over to the left of the content column, creating the more traditional sidebar > content > sidebar layout, and more whitespace to the left of the posts/comments. That one actually feels okay, albeit somewhat bland -- part of the appeal of content/side/side for me is that it's distinctive. Distinctiveness doesn't trump usability, though, and there are already a lot of you requesting a less left-weighted layout. I headed over to Yax's site, <a href="http://www.dungeonmastering.com" rel="nofollow">Dungeon Mastering</a>, to see how his content/side/side layout felt after all of this discussion...only to find that he's switched to side/content/side! ;) Dave: Yeah, the process of joining 9rules seems to have slowed way down. I think that may have been a conscious decision on their part, as their last few open calls for new sites have been crazy-big.

Thank you for the feedback — I’m still mulling over what you said about posts fighting for attention. Out of curiosity, do you feel that way about the posts that have images in them, or only the image-less ones?

Wollo: Oy — sorry about that! Unfortunately, I have no idea why it looks weird to you. I’ve never used Opera, and I’m not familiar with its quirks. Any other Opera users having issues?

John: I see what you’re getting at, but I don’t think splitting up the menu like that is user friendly — at least, I know it bugs me when other sites do it.

Telas: Welcome back! I’m glad you like the new look.

I’ve been playing with two options to see how they look:

1. Making the two sidebars as narrow as possible without feeling cramped buys an extra 60px to slide over to the left of the main column. That helps pad out the left side with a long post or comments thread, but makes the top of the site feel odd. I’m not sure I can gain enough pixels this way without sacrificing the airy, open feel that I like about the design.

2. Moving one sidebar over to the left of the content column, creating the more traditional

sidebar > content > sidebar

layout, and more whitespace to the left of the posts/comments. That one actually feels okay, albeit somewhat bland — part of the appeal of content/side/side for me is that it’s distinctive. Distinctiveness doesn’t trump usability, though, and there are already a lot of you requesting a less left-weighted layout.

I headed over to Yax’s site, Dungeon Mastering, to see how his content/side/side layout felt after all of this discussion…only to find that he’s switched to side/content/side! ;)

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