Hopefully you noticed a bit of change to the Major Spoilers website when you logged in this morning. We’ve officially changed over to the new layout as we move into our fourth year of the Major Spoilers Experience.
A couple of things you’ll notice right away
- The Featured Content slider takes center stage at the top of the page. Here you’ll be able to access our most original content, ranging from review, podcasts, interviews, and more.
- Streamlined look. Yes, it is nothing more than a CSS thing, but it finally took getting the Featured Content plug-in working to get me refining the site look.
- Gravatar integration. If you have a Gravatar account, you’re mug will now show up next to your comments in the comment section.
- UPDATE: In response to reader’s comment below, we’ve also added a Favorites feature. If you like a story, and want to return to it quickly in the future, simply click on the Favorite link at the bottom of ever article. Then check out the Your Favorite menu item at the top of the page. You will need to be logged in or have cookies enabled to take full advantage of this feature.
There are still a few tweaks and adjustments (and a new feature or two) that I need to implement, but the site update is FINALLY here. Thanks for your patience over the last couple of weeks as the site went wonky at different times as I attempted to shove features into the old layout.
Let us know what you think!
23 Comments
I love the new look. Great job!
I had an issue until I disabled the AdBlock Plus on your site. Nothing personal about your ads, just didn’t know I could chose which sites to display.
I like the extension because it cuts down on the pop up crap from sites like yahoo, msnbc, comingsoon.net,..etc.
It looks great now. Good job!
I like the new look. It is very sleek.
I haven’t found the Featured Content section at the top to be useful. I would have to sit and wait while it cycles through when I could scroll down almost as easily. So, for me, it just consumes some screen real estate.
However, it looks cool. No complaints.
If I had a complaint, perhaps it would be difficulty in finding a section I want to revisit. Take Victoria’s Cosplay thread, for example.
As time move on and new threads are started, this thread is moved off of the front page. So, to see if there are new posts, I have to go find it again.
Previously, I knew what page it was on based on where I saw it last so, at the bottom of the page, I would click on that page number. Now, I have to keep moving to the Older Entries link, scroll down, and repeat until I get to the desired page.
If I were to suggest anything, it would be:
… a way to return to the front page from the bottom of any given page, and,
… a way to either target articles to which you wish to return (which would be hard to individualize using code, I suspect) (and besides using the e-mail on followup feature) or maybe the Reviews frame on the right could have a scrollable list so I could drop down through article names to return to older ones.
But the site looks great and all your hard work shows. I am pleased and proud to be a new regular to this corner of the internet universe. Good job!
Love the new look
Site looks great! Good job, man!
Navarre: A couple of things to consider
1) The Featured Content gallery at the top of the page, does have navigation in the form of forward and back arrows (hover over to see it in action). You said, it would be easier to scroll down to find the content. The Featured Content area is to ensure that new articles are in the viewers eye instead of being buried on page 4. For example, the most recent Major Spoilers Podcast is already on page 4, yet you can access it super easy via the Featured Content section.
2) At the bottom of every article, you will see a Category section that lists what categories have been tagged to a particular article. In the case of Victoria’s Cosplay stuff, you can simply click on the word Cosplay, and you’ll get a listing of every Cosplay article on the Major Spoilers website. You can also scroll to the bottom of the page and see all the hot topic categories in one place. At this time Cosplay doesn’t have enough articles to make it into the Hot Topic Cloud, but give it time.
3) At the top of the page, you will see links to all of our big topics in the menu. So if you want to see all of the reviews, all you need to do is click on the Reviews button. The same is true for the Hero Histories, and so on.
4) Don’t forget your bookmark feature that 100% of all browsers have.
5) Finally, Search is your friend.
Where you see problems, I see a lot of ways to find content on the Major Spoilers site, which makes finding the stuff you want much easier than most other sites.
Also, keep in mind, we are constantly tweaking and updating. The page navigator at the bottom of the page is off-line for now, but will return soon.
Thanks for your comments though
:D
T’is all good, Stephen. I am sure you have thought through your design many times. I will try to modify the way I am using the page to get the maximum benefit from it, based on your suggestions.
I train clients on a software program our company sells. Sometimes I hear of issues the client has that stems not so much from the program but from their lack of knowledge on the features.
So, thanks for pointing out ways I can improve my use of the page. I will try all of the above.
Thanks for all the continuing hard work. Fun times!
The redesign and enhancements are great, Stephen. The site looks great. Next you need to creat a mobile version of the site for when I’m dropping the kids off at the pool with my iPod touch.
Lookin good!! Let’s keep it going!!
Shawn:
iPhone app on the way.DAMN! I”ve revealed too much! Quick Rodrigo, with the Redactor!Navarre: To show you how far we will go to make our readers happy, look at the bottom of the post at the BRAND NEW FAVORITES BUTTON! Then, look at the top of the page, and check out the Your Favorites Menu item!
Very cool looking, especially when I see it compared vers. 1. You guys have clearly come a long way. This is what happens when substance meets attraction. Keep up the awesome work guys!
Sleek but also very practical. Good to see your kept your senses but also decided to fancy the site up a bit :D
Stephen! That is most awesome!!
I appreciate the extra features but not nearly as much as I appreciate your care for the site and openness to suggestion.
My birthday is tomorrow. I just got my first present. Thanks, man! :-D
NICE~! Now _this_, mes amis, is a website that makes me feel cooler just by visiting. B-)
I like it – it looks very smooth and ultra-modern.
nice new look guys
lately i have had attempted to post comments which have failed to show up… is this me, or the site eating things?
All of the comments I have posted have had no issues. Maybe it’s just you? heh
~wyntermute~:
I’m noticing that my comments are showing up immediately either — is there a delay?
oops — I meant my comments are NOT showing up right away…
Wynter: not that I know of, however is you are posting from a new IP address, you could have your comments sitting in an approval folder. Or perhaps the Major Spoilers Robot Overlord doesn’t like you anymore. It happens… I’ll have to give him a new can of the motor oil and hope he lightens up.
Hmmm… The ip address might be something, since i’m pretty sure my isp is all Dynamic IP-style. Or is my fundamental lack of webunderstanding showing when i make that kind of statement? :) Like, I seriously only know “how to use the internets good”. I am woefully ignorant of the “behind the html” stuff. And, like, all the stuff that’s supposed to be showing up on the right side is loading at the bottom of the page underneath the ‘articles’, on my screen. I’m guessing it’s a resolution vs page size thing, which would make it “my problem”, but since we’re troubleshooting.. well… BANG? (I can take a screenshot if somebody wants me to.)