New Jazz2Online Layout

Posted:
27 Jul 2010 at 07:02

You may or may not remember the launch of “J2Ov2” in 2004, in which this site got its current layout among a lot of other new features. Designed by Ovi Demetrian, also known as GraphixJJF, it’s served us well over the years and established the iconic purple-yellow look of J2O.

But now, it’s 6 years later and displays have gotten bigger and this site has grown quite a bit too in several aspects. So, the plan is to give Jazz2Online a fresh new layout that:

  • Utilizes available screen space better
  • Allows for future new features
  • Has a consistent look across the site sections
  • Looks good!

Problem is, we don’t actually have someone in the staff with time or skills to do such a redesign at this point. So that’s why we’re turning to you, dear readers. Do you feel you’re up for this task, that you can help us make the site look better? Awesome! Let me (Stijn) know via a PM, if possible with some examples of other work you’ve done, and we can talk things through.

EDIT: The comments thread here is getting rather big; please go to the JCF thread for further discussion.

- Stijn


Comments

Obi1mcd on 27 Jul 2010 at 07:15

So, will this be J2Ov3 then?

Stijn on 27 Jul 2010 at 07:25

I don’t think you can really put a version number on J2O anymore – there’s still bits and pieces from 2004 around that were made when J2Ov2 was released, but a large part has been redone behind the scenes and there’s a lot of new features around too. But yeah, it’d be the third distinct site look, as far as I know.

Besides, J2Ov3 is already around… ;)

Toni_ on 27 Jul 2010 at 09:53

I am good in Photo Shop, and in Paint Shop Pro, so I will make new layout for this ;)

Micky on 27 Jul 2010 at 10:26

J2Ov3 is beta? or not?

StarLORD on 27 Jul 2010 at 10:27

lol me too..is he beta?

cooba on 27 Jul 2010 at 10:34

Right now J2O is probably around v3.2 actually. All the features like user lists and tagging and what not…

Loon on 27 Jul 2010 at 10:36

there is no such thing like J2Ov3, there are always some fixes.., well, I can’t do anything.., busy.

EvilMike on 27 Jul 2010 at 17:05

Yes, J2Ov3 exists. It’s very retro though.

StarLORD on 27 Jul 2010 at 19:21

well,the layout will be better whatever

Loon on 27 Jul 2010 at 20:54

How do you know, it even can be worse then what it is now :p, we don’t know it yet. We hope for a better layout ;D

luodian_2 on 28 Jul 2010 at 13:52

maybe I can help? XD

Stijn on 28 Jul 2010 at 14:01

Maybe! If you think you can, please send me a PM as described in the newspost.

Toni_ on 28 Jul 2010 at 18:37

well I am making something, I took screen of home page, and I’m editing it. I will send you PM with link for screen when I finish it ;)

Nerd on 29 Jul 2010 at 09:05

I think making a new layout is mostly CSS and JavaScript, but you could always come up with some new ideas and make textures :P

Cobra NF on 29 Jul 2010 at 16:38

tropiCCo can you send me the link to it too when u get done?

Thankx

Toni_ on 29 Jul 2010 at 17:43

well I can send but when I finish, can’t tonight.. tomorrow I am able the whole day ;). And Nerd, I know that layout is mostly CSS and JS (does this site has JS?) but I really have something in my head what I am trying to make for real ;).

Toni_ on 29 Jul 2010 at 17:45

Sorry for double post, I tried to edit my comment up, but I got Error: “You are not allowed to edit this message. You don’t have the appropiate rank. “ wth ? But all what I wanted to say is that my new layout is blue color biased ;).

KiMO on 30 Jul 2010 at 06:21

Blue sux.

Toni_ on 30 Jul 2010 at 08:05

=( Stijn, only 2 things I can’t make.. I can but I am not experienced with it a lot, and that is Logo and Background Image. I recommend for BG to use Screen from DW not JJnet Edit, it will fit with my theme I think. Or some other level with blue theme :). Maybe Blur’s level with crates :D (Idk name, but played in JDC events)

Stijn on 30 Jul 2010 at 10:22

Just let me see what you have once you’re finished, we can discuss it more thoroughly then. It’s hard for me to say anything when I haven’t seen your work yet.

Seren on 30 Jul 2010 at 12:01

Will the custom style feature be enabled after the whole thing? I believe a lot of people would like to keep it yellow-purple, the other ones would want Toni’s blue and some would choose Lori Central theme or something even more sick.

Foly on 30 Jul 2010 at 12:12

I agree with sir elementaler, im in love with the yellow-purple layout :-(

Stijn on 30 Jul 2010 at 13:35

That depends. If there is a new layout and if it’s possible to customize it without too much work (if it depends on images, for example, changing the colours is difficult) the feature will probably return.

Toni_ on 30 Jul 2010 at 15:38

here are my screenshoots:

1. A normal one: http://upload.digiex.net/files/n8rq9d31mry3hdfy0okr.png
2. With sucky DW background: http://upload.digiex.net/files/zh5tjl35azu5sfqwt609.png

Tell me do you like them? :)

Violet CLM on 30 Jul 2010 at 17:06

That looks pretty similar to the existing site, right down to the width, which still appears fixed. It also has the same problem with a double topbar (or triple if you count the user control links). The background is definitely a no, it’s a huge non-tiling image that still won’t be big enough for most screens.

cooba on 30 Jul 2010 at 17:45

tropiCCo: That doesn’t look bad but it’s not exactly a new layout, but a reskin of our current one.

Toni_ on 30 Jul 2010 at 20:49

heh violet, I said up there I am not experienced with making backgrounds and logos a lot. Also I told if someone can make a new BG and Logo, it will be good (maybe you if you can :) ? ). I made a skin of this site, because I like this style of site, but I can make a new layout (probably with this skin) for sure tomorrow if I have a time.

Stijn on 30 Jul 2010 at 22:14

Please check your PMs, I wrote down some thoughts about your work. I agree with Violet and cooba though; we’re not just looking for a reskin, but a completely new design. A (very) crude mockup that might be of use as in inspiration, in case anyone’s interested: http://www.jazz2online.com/v4/

Obi1mcd on 31 Jul 2010 at 10:34

Perhaps this whole discussion should be shifted to a JCF thread.

Toni_ on 31 Jul 2010 at 12:18

Ni, this is J2O :)

Ivo on 1 Aug 2010 at 09:29

I’m going to be honest and say Toni’s design proposal sucks. It’s hideous.

I love the current scheme and think it should not be changed in terms of colours but rather be altered in a way that allows more of the screen to be filled with something. Right now, most of my window shows the Jazz Jackrabbit 2 background.

KiMO on 1 Aug 2010 at 10:01

Yeah I don’t like tropiCCo’s design neither.

Ron97 on 1 Aug 2010 at 11:06

green and black

KiMO on 1 Aug 2010 at 11:07

But anyway he’s the only one who worked on it so GJ Toni. :P

Toni_ on 1 Aug 2010 at 11:32

thanks KiMO.

@ Ron, I tried but it sucks :(.

Atm I have scheme, and started something.

http://upload.digiex.net/files/s74e94k8hsupwfe83l36.png Still I need to fix sidepanels and maybe some other font, size, colors, etc. ;)

Ivo on 1 Aug 2010 at 11:46

I don’t get it, why do you insist on using dark colours? The game, to me at least, brings bright and colourful associations.

Seren on 1 Aug 2010 at 12:51

The topbar seems pretty overloaded for me, and I believe most of people don’t use the first 5 buttons. It’s just my opinion, but I think they should be merged.

FQuist on 1 Aug 2010 at 14:24

Colour scheme, or the design itself, seem to have little in common with jazz jackrabbit 2.

Stijn on 1 Aug 2010 at 17:22

Toni’s design indeed isn’t really what we’re looking for, for reasons stated before; however, as Kimo said, major props to him for the effort!

Dodges. on 1 Aug 2010 at 17:50

Just some stupid idea:
http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/1442/j2onl.jpg

cooba on 1 Aug 2010 at 18:25

“Utilizes available screen space better”

That’s still a fixed width layout.

“Allows for future new features”

Adding any new features with that would be a nightmare, a dozen times worse than our current (stupid) image button bar.

Again, it looks alright, but it’s still only a reskin of our current, flawed layout.

Seren on 1 Aug 2010 at 18:36

If nothing interesting will happen for long enough, I’m probably going to give it a try. I hope I won’t need to though.

Stijn on 1 Aug 2010 at 18:52

Dodges’ layout is certainly creative, but yeah, it doesn’t really address any of the problems our current site design has. Fixed width isn’t necessarily bad, but it is if it leads to less available screen space than the current layout.

For further discussion, I suggest we use the JCF thread

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