Web links for 2007

[Snoozer]

You have to make these links open up in a new window. As it is now, you click on the link and if you look at anything on the site, you have to hit the back button 10-20 100 times. You can exit everything and re enter WCCA and then click the 2007 list, and then find where you were again, but having the links simply open into their own window would save a ton of time.

[Drathan]

Holy Cow, I -thought- I knew some comics, but I had no idea. From all the nominees for overall and newcomer, the only ones I had -ever- heard of was Templar Arizona and The Broken Mirror. (Girlgenius sounds familiar and so does Perry Bible Fellowship).

Anyway, I agree the links need a <base target=_blank> on top, but in the mean while try clicking the links with the middle mouse button on firefox, or while holding Shift in either IE or Firefox, and it should open to a new window/tab.

I also have another proposal... hmm.. I'll just make a new thread..

[Legendary]

Read Gunnerkrigg Court now. And Out There, Aldus Maycombe, What Birds Know, and Breakdown.

They're good stuff.

[Davidcsimon]

You have to make these links open up in a new window. As it is now, you click on the link and if you look at anything on the site, you have to hit the back button 10-20 100 times. You can exit everything and re enter WCCA and then click the 2007 list, and then find where you were again, but having the links simply open into their own window would save a ton of time.

I may be missing something, but what's so hard about right-clicking the links and choosing to open them in a new window or tab?

Holy Cow, I -thought- I knew some comics, but I had no idea.

Aye, there's a lot on that list that I've never heard of before (only only discovered this past week or so). All good work too

[Palantir]

You have to make these links open up in a new window. As it is now, you click on the link and if you look at anything on the site, you have to hit the back button 10-20 100 times. You can exit everything and re enter WCCA and then click the 2007 list, and then find where you were again, but having the links simply open into their own window would save a ton of time.

I may be missing something, but what's so hard about right-clicking the links and choosing to open them in a new window or tab?

I do more right clicking to open links in new tabs than regular clicking online, but the point is that good web design should work with the user, not against. I think in this case, setting a target=_blank makes sense considering the number of people who will want to check out multiple links.

[Dotty]

Matt writes more than just those 3.

[Netpoet]

Guys, you have *NO* idea how absolutely stoked I am right now that I got tapped for Best Writer.

I would like to humbly request, though, that you add Knights of Vesteria, found at http://kovcomic.com to my name, because that is one of my comics as well.

You all rock, seriously. I can't stop grinning like an idiot.

>Net

[Jesstech]

I'm sorry, but I've really got to complain about your nominations for Outstanding Website Design, guys. You dropped the ball this year. This has no reflection on the quality of the comics themselves, of course.

[Dotty]

You can't really blame ccawards.com for that, since the nominees are picked based on mass amount of votes.

[Kirb]

I blame you, tdot!




but yeah, jeez. Keff is the only one on the list that deserves being there.
The other sites are functional, but nothing special in terms of actual design. I'm disappointed in you, unwashed masses.

[Dotty]

You should be getting a PM about the writer category from Net, if you haven't already, Zortic. :p

And Kirb, I decided to check those sites, just cause I was curious. I've read a bit of starslip crisis, and I liked it, but I don't much care for the site design. :S

Not sure why PvP got on there. The site isn't ugly, or even remotely ugly, but nothing jumps at me in terms of good design. The Alpha Shade site looks really nice though. I'm unsure if anything unique is there, but it looks really nice and is very functional.

Since I voted for Aldus, no complaints there.

[Keffria]

The thing about Aldus is that half my site isn't even up and running, largely because I don't have much content to post in the bonus sections until an arc is done. I'm always happy to be, you know, nominated for things, but there are sites far better than mine. >_>

[Sorcery101]

You should be getting a PM about the writer category from Net, if you haven't already, Zortic. :p

And Kirb, I decided to check those sites, just cause I was curious. I've read a bit of starslip crisis, and I liked it, but I don't much care for the site design. :S

Not sure why PvP got on there. The site isn't ugly, or even remotely ugly, but nothing jumps at me in terms of good design. The Alpha Shade site looks really nice though. I'm unsure if anything unique is there, but it looks really nice and is very functional.

Since I voted for Aldus, no complaints there.

I'm currently taking a web design class that is specifically geared toward webcomics (because when ever I get a crit of Sorcery 101 the website always ends up in the bad catagory). But based on some of the stuff we've gone over most of these are pretty good designs for a webcomic site. And PVP and Starslipe not seeming like anything special is because they did subtler design choices to make it a have bit more efficacy than the average webcomic site (like that nav buttons are smaller than most sites so it put more focus on the comic.) Actually, I think Alpha is the only one that shouldn't be up there. The rest all have a clear hierarchy of whats important. To someone who is new to those sites it is extremely clear what the creators wants you to look at first. They all are like this is the comic and that is the focus. Now Alpha Shade is jumbled and while clear is what it brings you to, it's unclear what the creators what you to focus on. So for the most part I say those are good choices because good design doesn't mean fancy, means focus, clear, and direct.

[Kirb]

So for the most part I say those are good choices because good design doesn't mean fancy, means focus, clear, and direct.

You are correct in all your points, but the fact of the matter is... most webcomic sites ARE focused, clear, and direct. I mean, I could grab one of Ping's premade templates and that would be the most focused and clear webcomic out there.

PvP and Starslip do this well. But that's all they do. They have small buttons. You can see the comic clearly.
There are TABS.
Woo.

The comic isn't the only part of the site. If you look at the rest of the PvP site, it's all clutter. Not ugly, but not pleasing to the eye at all.

Believe it or not, aesthetics are immensely important in webpage design.
I would call the PvP and Starslip sites a good design in functionality, but that's it. They go nothing beyond, and thus, nothing special.

[LibertyCabbage]

I suggested getting rid of the website design category in the category discussion thread, so I'm rather indifferent towards it =P

[Sorcery101]

You are correct in all your points, but the fact of the matter is... most webcomic sites ARE focused, clear, and direct. I mean, I could grab one of Ping's premade templates and that would be the most focused and clear webcomic out there.
PvP and Starslip do this well. But that's all they do. They have small buttons. You can see the comic clearly.
There are TABS.
Woo.
The comic isn't the only part of the site. If you look at the rest of the PvP site, it's all clutter. Not ugly, but not pleasing to the eye at all.
Believe it or not, aesthetics are immensely important in webpage design.
I would call the PvP and Starslip sites a good design in functionality, but that's it. They go nothing beyond, and thus, nothing special.

They aren't all as focused as you would think. Pvp and Starslip deal with a problem that a lot webcomics don't even realize is a problem. When you go to there site you get the who comic within the webpage and it's the place all our attention is called. As soon as the page has loading you see the comic. Both has also utilized all the page making sure there isn't any distracting empty space. You claim it looks cluttered but it is actually making sure they are using up the whole webpage while still getting across what's important by varying the size and space. As I was staying before, all their decisions are subtle choices most people don't even realize have made the design better.

Edit: (though looking at Starslip a bit closer, his site might be better off without that thick line of monthly sponsor selection.) And I need to thank you for back and forth but at first I wasn't sure who I was gonna vote for but after going back a few times now to get a closer look I know who I'm voting for beyond any doubt.

[Dotty]

The thick line of sponsor ads is my primary problem with the site. It's fugly. I'm not entirely sure how to improve it, but I'm sure Kris can find a way!

As for the comic being the first thing you see all in one page, some comics can't exactly accomplish that. Some of them scroll down.

Your points are quite valid though, and I appreciate the different perspective.

[Sorcery101]

As for the comic being the first thing you see all in one page, some comics can't exactly accomplish that. Some of them scroll down.

According to my professor, he was saying the comics with a veritcal layout like yours suffer from the fact they he are layout on the pages like they are for print, not for the web. So they are the ones most likely to have wasted space. His suggestion to us was put the logo, navigation, and such to one side of the page (like how Keff has the nice little grafic holding them up next to the comic. I just kinda wish it was a little thinner). So that as soon as the page loads at least 2/3 of the page are filled with the comic.

....But yeah I've been thinking about this a lot because my homework is to come up with 15 thumbnails of possible new designs for Sorcery 101's page.

[Warofwinds]

According to my professor, he was saying the comics with a veritcal layout like yours suffer from the fact they he are layout on the pages like they are for print, not for the web. So they are the ones most likely to have wasted space. His suggestion to us was put the logo, navigation, and such to one side of the page (like how Keff has the nice little grafic holding them up next to the comic. I just kinda wish it was a little thinner). So that as soon as the page loads at least 2/3 of the page are filled with the comic.

I may be a mere freelance webdesigner who hasn't had no edjumication in the area, but your professor is defeating the purpose OF the web. The point of a comic being a WEBcomic is that it can take advantage of all the web has to offer, including infinite canvas and the concepts that go along with it (and considering bandwidth/connection speed, of course). To me, a website is nothing more than an interactive mat and a frame that any artist would use on a finished work. It is meant to adequately, gracefully and elegantly display the work. The work was not meant to display the frame.

Furthermore, just because a comic is vertical doesn't mean that it's made for print. That argument is flawed. A horizontal comic placed on its side is vertical, and can also just as easily be made for print. I personally have switched to a vertical format because it allows for easier flow of action, considering that, by nature, humans are well...vertical.

*proceeds to shove deeper in mouth* grrah.