Author Topic: Simutrans site - www.simutrans.com (old topic) (Read 61602 times)

IgorEliezer · « **on:** January 25, 2009, 12:15:28 AM »

This topic is for discussions about www.simutrans.com

Simutrans.com site

Feel free to:

- make suggestions;
- report errors;
- and so on that I can't remember now...

EDIT:

This topic is locked; go here: http://forum.simutrans.com/index.php?topic=3434.0

jamespetts · « **Reply #1 on:** January 25, 2009, 12:22:16 AM »

Excellent :-)

Might I request that PakBritain be added to the paksets section? I can supply screenshots if required.

IgorEliezer · « **Reply #2 on:** January 25, 2009, 12:26:13 AM »

Sure!

Well, you saw how the material must look there. If you want to provide a thumbnail pic, a short description (2- lines) and links, go ahead.

freegamer · « **Reply #3 on:** January 25, 2009, 01:13:47 AM »

(Comments on the Welcome page, I didn't look at anything else)

1. The 'Welcome to Simutans' takes up way too much vertical space (reduce the margins at least) - forcing you to scroll downwards for the real content. The area that is immediately visible on a web page (i.e. the bit that doesn't have to be scrolled to) is prime web real estate. Don't waste it with a few words surrounded by buckets of wasted empty space.
2. The download banner is far too low down on the page. Most people visiting the site already know (roughly) what Simutrans is. It should be immediately visible. I know there is a link in the menu, but 'download' should be the _first_ thing that catches the eye.
3. No logo. What's the Simutrans logo? Where is it? If there is no logo, why not? The game needs an identity!
4. The greyish watermark serves no purpose other than to make the text harder to read. Get rid of it.
5. Screenshots? Where is the screenshots link? Why isn't there an immediately linked screenshot on the page? Those cropped thumbnails are not good enough.
6. No news? People love news. There should be at least an RSS of the download forum or something similar.

The FreeCol website is an example of a great front page. Everything is obvious, easy to parse at a glance.

mobo · « **Reply #4 on:** January 25, 2009, 12:03:20 PM »

Nice!

I really like the clear design. Looks good (on IE here).

Some things I've seen at first glance:

Welcome Page: There is an r missing in intrepreneur, maybe it's hard to understand anyway i don't know how common this word is in english.

The Tron set was more or less a joke anyway, but the one i made - the one with houses - is derived from the comic set therefore it's tile size 32

edit: Yes, dirk is right. entrepreneur it is . i actually know that - so i feel even more stupid now

How about the "undertaker"

(little german-english-joke)

DirrrtyDirk · « **Reply #5 on:** January 25, 2009, 12:37:23 PM »

Quote from: mobo on January 25, 2009, 12:03:20 PM

There is an r missing in intrepreneur,

Yes, an "r" is missing, but it should stay starting with an "e"

: entrepreneur. (wikipedia)

IgorEliezer · « **Reply #6 on:** January 25, 2009, 04:41:01 PM »

Quote from: DirrrtyDirk on January 25, 2009, 12:37:23 PM

Yes, an "r" is missing, but it should stay starting with an "e" : entrepreneur. (wikipedia)

Fixed in off-net version.

About things pointed out by freegamer:

FreeCol website is an awesome site

. A good example.

I'll try to remove a bit of wasted space. Also, I don't like that banner-image in header. That header was an improvised way to provide a header to a page that didn't have any header besides a horizontal menu (old version: http://simutrans.sourceforge.net/).

This site is a sample of a good header: http://www.mobility-online.de/en/informations/generalinformation.html. I'd like an artist could create an image for header.

I need decent material and ideas to better improve my version, including banners and images; I need them because I can't expend too much time working on site as well as I don't have many good ideas... I'm not a webdesing.

prissi · « **Reply #7 on:** January 25, 2009, 08:10:39 PM »

Alexander Brose in the German community can certainly make such a header. See http://www.brosedesign.de/

IgorEliezer · « **Reply #8 on:** January 26, 2009, 04:21:23 PM »

I got an idea of creating a vertical menu (on right side) like in Blender's site:

http://www.blender.org/

IgorEliezer · « **Reply #9 on:** January 29, 2009, 09:38:59 PM »

Important changes were made in index page:

http://pt.simutrans.com/newsite

...and others too.

jamespetts · « **Reply #10 on:** January 29, 2009, 09:40:40 PM »

Looking very nice! Will you be adding the PakBritain images and information that I sent to you soon?

IgorEliezer · « **Reply #11 on:** January 29, 2009, 09:49:07 PM »

Quote from: jamespetts on January 29, 2009, 09:40:40 PM

Will you be adding the PakBritain images and information that I sent to you soon?

I will soon.

jamespetts · « **Reply #12 on:** January 29, 2009, 09:52:18 PM »

Excellent!

VS · « **Reply #13 on:** January 29, 2009, 10:01:17 PM »

Great! I had to refresh the page (only a second or so saved me from commenting on bad layout), but it was worth that

prissi · « **Reply #14 on:** January 29, 2009, 10:06:55 PM »

The entry page looks much nicer. COuld there be a line below the top menu entries?

And the banner is just a gif, and looking very pixeling. Maybe make this jpg or PNG too?

Some of the graphics in pak sets open new windows, other appear in the same window. Maybe a consistent behaviour would be better.

VS · « **Reply #15 on:** January 29, 2009, 10:26:46 PM »

PakHD is obsolete. Same is true for pak32, more or less...

TPIBAW · « **Reply #16 on:** January 29, 2009, 10:48:18 PM »

In the SimuTron and PakMars sections you first give the feeling it is playable (Go where no man has gone before; Well, we have a little remedy for you.), but then you say its not. I dont know if this is too important, but I found it a bit nagging....

VS · « **Reply #17 on:** January 29, 2009, 10:51:42 PM »

Yes, I agree with that, too.

EDIT: In fact it seems to me a bit inapropriate to advertise paksets that never existed.

IgorEliezer · « **Reply #18 on:** January 29, 2009, 11:25:21 PM »

Then, I'll remove them.

What more could be removed? Please, list them.

If some text is wrong or bad, please, post me a better version.

Sorry for asking so. My free time is short. Lately, I have been busy for 14 hours a day (well, a bit better if considering 2008 I was 16-22 hours busy per day).

IgorEliezer · « **Reply #19 on:** January 30, 2009, 03:39:27 AM »

(As it's a work in progress)

Let's try again:

http://pt.simutrans.com/newsite

Refresh please, before cursing me... (VS?)

jamespetts · « **Reply #20 on:** January 30, 2009, 08:53:23 AM »

Thank you for including PakBritain! However, there is a small error: when clicking on the leftmost of the images, there is a 404 error. I think that the link should be to PakBritain1.jpg rather than PakBritain.jpg.

Dwachs · « **Reply #21 on:** January 30, 2009, 09:06:52 AM »

very nice site!

maybe you could add links to svn-repositories for the pak-sets (if available)?

IgorEliezer · « **Reply #22 on:** January 30, 2009, 11:32:15 AM »

Quote from: Dwachs on January 30, 2009, 09:06:52 AM

maybe you could add links to svn-repositories for the pak-sets (if available)?

Have you checked Development page?

http://pt.simutrans.com/newsite/development.htm

After Get involved! -> Programming. Well... I don't know if that is what you're talking about.

Quote from: jamespetts on January 30, 2009, 08:53:23 AM

I think that the link should be to PakBritain1.jpg rather than PakBritain.jpg.

Fixed.

I think pak128.Britain should have an "official" topic in forum with links and screens to receive feedbacks. So, I could point a link from new site to there. Samples:
http://forum.simutrans.com/index.php?topic=233.0
http://forum.simutrans.com/index.php?topic=101.0

vilvoh · « **Reply #23 on:** January 30, 2009, 12:12:15 PM »

Would be better to move Simutrans History from Development section to About Section? imho, it fits better there.

The Hood · « **Reply #24 on:** January 30, 2009, 12:45:52 PM »

Quote from: IgorTekton on January 30, 2009, 11:32:15 AM

I think pak128.Britain should have an "official" topic in forum with links and screens to receive feedbacks. So, I could point a link from new site to there.

I agree, that would be good. I was hoping to get one set up in the very near future as I need to make a number of posts about releases, to-do lists, feedback etc. Can anyone set a board up?

IgorEliezer · « **Reply #25 on:** January 30, 2009, 12:57:22 PM »

Quote from: The Hood on January 30, 2009, 12:45:52 PM

Can anyone set a board up?

It's better to post an official topic fistly. If we get more audience for this pak (more material, movement, posts and topics), we will set up a board.

The Hood · « **Reply #26 on:** January 30, 2009, 01:18:26 PM »

OK, I'll start one when I put everything up on SVN (i.e. once I've sorted out the annoying freezy thing during map creation with my industries).

Dwachs · « **Reply #27 on:** January 30, 2009, 07:50:16 PM »

Quote from: IgorTekton on January 30, 2009, 11:32:15 AM

Have you checked Development page?

http://pt.simutrans.com/newsite/development.htm

After Get involved! -> Programming. Well... I don't know if that is what you're talking about.

I meant, adding the link directly to the page Paksets -> Pak 64 (after homepage / tile size add an item 'sources') .

sojo · « **Reply #28 on:** January 30, 2009, 08:02:57 PM »

I think a white background could be nice.

IgorEliezer · « **Reply #29 on:** January 31, 2009, 08:37:03 PM »

http://pt.simutrans.com/newsite

New update:

- pakContrast was added;
- Original watermarks was added;
- Original AWESOME pics was added (see footer of some pages

);
- Thumbnails and screenshots were fixed;
- More info for Simutrans IRC, in Community page;
- New links in Links page;
- New file structure;
- Other minor changes;

I need:

- new description for pakTTD;
- to know which are the playable paksets and not-playable ones**;
- someone(s) review pakset page;
- an idea for index page: watermark is making the text harder to read;
- 3 full screenshots and 3 thumbnails (250x200px) for pak96.comic*;
- 3 full screenshots and 3 thumbnails (250x200px) for pak128.japan*;
- 3 full screenshots and 3 thumbnails (250x200px) for pakHajo Evolution*;

*- follow name file format:
- full screenshot: pak<name_of_pak><number>.jpg (e.g. pakGerman2.jpg)
- thumbnails: pak<name_of_pak><number>_sm.jpg (e.g. pakGerman2_sm.jpg)

** - not-playable paksets will go to under "Other experiences" title. PakTTD will go up, but I need a new/better description first.

sojo · « **Reply #30 on:** January 31, 2009, 08:53:47 PM »

Nice site. But this download is missed: http://downloads.sourceforge.net/simutrans/pak96.comic_0-4-5_0-101-0.zip

The screenshots come soon.

vilvoh · « **Reply #31 on:** January 31, 2009, 10:13:41 PM »

One little thing, at Reviews and external/fan sites section you put several links to the different language articles from wikipedia butwould be easier to put just one link? simply to any language version of wikipedia. ATM, the simutrans article is translated into 11 languages, so that means 11 links more... :-\

prissi · « **Reply #32 on:** January 31, 2009, 10:19:28 PM »

The pak set should reflect their importance and uptodate state. I.e. First of course pak64 and pak128. Then pak96 and pakHajo.Evolution (or maybe this directly behind pak64) before featureing any sets for specific locations.

Following that I would suggest pak128.japan (complete) pak.german (at least playable). All the other are probably missing something or will not even start in 101. There should be a clear divider or a clear statement, which is the last version they run with.

The order of the old page was histroric, i.e. new developments were just pasted to the end. And there are already a pak128.german and a two pak129 in development.

So maybe there are more than one page needed or some clver submenues a la tabs ...

jamespetts · « **Reply #33 on:** January 31, 2009, 10:31:00 PM »

PakBritain is playable in 101, although relies on files from Pak128 to run.

IgorEliezer · « **Reply #34 on:** February 01, 2009, 12:44:31 AM »

I'm realizing that download page (http://pt.simutrans.com/newsite/download.htm) is nonfunctional. Why? Every time that a pakset is released (and we do know not all paksets are released at once), the download needs to be edited by hand.

So I created a new and simpler version of download page:

http://pt.simutrans.com/newsite/download.htm