Most of you guys know that I put together a slightly new look main Toys index page by altering MannyF’s original design slightly. The main focus on this was to incorporate the new layout ideas for the Toys and Cartoon sections of the site.
I also changed the main links at the top of the page as well, so the most prominent and exciting pages of the Toy section are easily viewable for visitors.
I believe that the most important and exciting pages in our Toys section are the toy guide, Prototypes, Variations and Adverts which is the reasoning behind putting them across the top bar. These pages are or soon to be online. The only exception is Mini Figures, but as this is also a main guide I believe it needs to be at the top as well.
Please vote for which you think works best. Initially I did drop this new design after MannyC said he wasn’t too keen on it. However I really want to push for it as I think it works better.
Neil, I think the idea is great especially the bold font above each section and perhaps not that big. But i do have to say that the links is perhaps the one thing that i wasnt too keen about. The reason for that is that the old design the links are ones for main sections within the toy section while the redesign skips sections like AFA museum,custom figures and it also skips the price guide which IMO is a section that people should find easily, it is after all a unique area not seen anywhere on the web. Also on the features section where it states Ssslithe appears on the Paul O’Grady show! that should perhaps be a section of toy clips. Hope fully my explanation helps. Perhaps the only modification i would see that needs fixing is a heading above each section in bold like you have done in the redesign
I’m going to stick my neck out and say that I prefer your redesign, Neil, although to be fair I think MannyC raises some fair points (and points out some things I hadn’t thought of).
I would probably change the headers at the top differently again, to just the three main areas - so, “About the Line”, “Toy Collectors Guides” and “Features” (which I would be tempted to call “Special Features”). Clicking on one of those would take you to a menu for that particular section, perhaps (and this is of the top of my head) with some introductory text about that section - so, for example, for Special Features, something along the lines of “In here you will find some special features relating to the toyline - check out S-S-Slithe’s recent UK TV cameo, look at some officially graded carded ThunderCats figures in our AFA museum, view the creative custom figures from the imaginations of ThunderFans worldwide, or find out how much your ThunderCats collection could be worth by viewing our unique TCL price guide”. You get the idea! Kyle is planning something vaguely similar to this for the Cartoon Section, which he & I hope will be easier to navigate than that section is currently - I believe he was going to put the finishing touches to it over the next few days and then make it available for the whole team to view!
The reason why I voted for your design, Neil, is because I like the bold headers (albeit I agree with MannyC that they could do with being one size down), and also because I like the subsections in the Toy Collectors’ Guides being displayed more prominantly. As far as the headers go, at the very least I would substitute perhaps the LJN Toy Adverts for the Price Guide (for the reason MannyC states), but overall I would plump for your design.
…we can fit 6 links across the top. I’m sure we all agree that LJN Toy Guide and Minis Toy Guide should definately be there. That leaves 4 spaces.
So how about we choose 2 links each to put up there? I’ll choose LJN Prototypes and LJN Toy Adverts.
As for the headings, if they get any smaller then they will be the same size as the standard text! :? Did you guys click the link before commenting? or are you referring to the version of the page I showed at the meeting?
Re: Paul O’grady clip, you can’t put one lone clip into a section of it’s own! What else are we gonna put there? This will be a mini feature when I make a page for it. If folks don’t want it on the site, I’m fine with that. It’s ridiculous though, when the Features section was purposely made for this kind of stuff in mind.
I’m actually thinking of stepping aside from the Toy section and asking Manny if I can have charge of the Merchandise section as I like the idea of having my own section. It’s much easier than making compromises all the time.
Im sorry Neil that you feel that way about making compromises all the time. I cant remember one time when there was a compromise to be made because we both had ultimate say on what goes in the toy section so that being said I am puzzled by what you have just said. And seriously I dont think it would be good to have just one person in charge of the toy section, we are co-managers of it and we have done a damn good job at it. Lets keep it that way, please? Now on to what i think could be the best solution to a redesign. The following are the links which i think should be up on the top…
About the line Collectors Guide Prototypes Guide Variations guide Minis guide Price Guide
That would leave out AFA Museum which i think is an awesome feature but i would much rather have the price guide up there rather than the Museum, Toy Adverts is a very small subsection IMO and doesnt warrant a link on top since it is one section that probably wont have much extra content added to it or much updating. As far as the Paul O’ Grady feature i think it should be put under some sort of clip section but in the meantime i think it could remain there until a page can be made. If we add the bold heading on top of each section then that would work excellent.
I have to confess to initially referring to the version shown at the meeting - I think the text in the new version looks much improved, but I can’t help feeling its still a touch overpowering. It could just be my imagination - out of curiosity, could you try a version with the text that size but with the bold taken off? I’m not suggesting it would look better, I’d just be interested to see what difference it would make…
:? Personally, I for one want everything on the site! On this particular point I think I agree with MannyC that it would be better for that clip to go into a “clips” subsection within the “Features” section rather than stand on its own, but that’s without seeing the proposed page…
If it helps, I used to somewhere have a clip from an episode of Emmerdale Farm from Christmas 1987 where the ThunderCats toyline is fleetingly referenced - I would hate to guess at where that clip is, though, it was on a tape of my Mum’s in LP mode!
:? I may be observing a reaction bourne of conversations apart from this one, but if I can say without causing offence I’m rather puzzled at your reaction here Neil - if something I’ve said here has offended you I apologise unreservedly. Seriously, all I’m attempting to do is be constructive - I think overall your redesign is best but that some of MannyC’s concerns are valid ones. Obviously the Toys is not my section - but, I think you guys have both done wonders with that section and shaped it into the central area of the site, so even though it’s not my area I’d be sad to see you move away from that section.
We have come to a compromise on most of the stuff and the new updated version will posted up to the site in about 10-20 minutes as I’m working on it now.
Chris, we are fine. Non of the stuff I said was based on any of your comments my friend
Me and Manny have chatted on Skype and worked out all the issues concerning the index page.
I’ve added a 4th sub-section called Odd Stuff for the Paul O’Grady clip. We can also stick the Bootleg figures here as well which I’d totally forgotten about til now! I think those would fit perfect in this sub-section. Especially since I prefer to keep them away from the officially released stuff.[/B]
Kyle is planning something vaguely similar to this for the Cartoon Section, which he & I hope will be easier to navigate than that section is currently - I believe he was going to put the finishing touches to it over the next few days and then make it available for the whole team to view! 
Seriously, all I’m attempting to do is be constructive - I think overall your redesign is best but that some of MannyC’s concerns are valid ones. Obviously the Toys is not my section - but, I think you guys have