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MEGATHREAD: Feedback on the new Website

ZettrexZettrex Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
edited March 2021 in General Discussion
MOD NOTE: I have a feeling lots of people will want to leave feedback on the new website so we're merging them all together to make it easier for Intrepid to see. Please use this thread to give your feedback rather than creating new ones. Thanks

Hey Intrepid, want to say before i go off on a little rant I like what your doing for the most part and i got faith in you creating a amazing game if you keep to your vision for the game.

So on the new website I like the new look you go for its nice.
My main grape with the current website is the layout and lack of additional Information about the game that have disappeared.
why is the first thing I'm getting when I open the Webpage, "6kfXIXq.jpg
Special Offer" this should be "This months cosmetics" at least? In your own words "We are not going to be like every other Game Developer", "Our game is fully funded, and you should not buy it before your sold on the game". For me and likely other this looks cheep when we take this into consideration.
My recommendation on this would be Put it below "Key Features".
Give people the Information about the Product before you try to sell them it.

For me this could look like your just like all the other Cash gabby game studio out there.


regarding the "key features" this section is lacking a lot of content there was from the old page.
BMuvyoT.png
not saying that this is a perfect idea either as this was done quick and dirty. but sell your vision for what Ashes of creation aims to be. and give more information about what the game will have of features in the texts.



some other stuff I saw.
ah3chwF.jpeg
on the sub pages, the "Hero" looks out of place something to fix this could be to add the arrow from the main page "hero's"
7hdgcwT.png

I think the background is to harsh in the splatters and maybe should be smoothed a tiny bit.

other then that I would say the website is a lot better, Store ofc needs to be implemented a lot better then it currently is, but I know & understand that your working on this but wanted to go live with the stuff you currently had.

will provide some ideas of what I could see the website's home page looking like

aoc_improved.jpg

or

Screenshot_2021-02-27_Ashes_of_Creation4.png

the first one lacks the additional information I would recommend adding it was created to give feedback during livestream but didn't get seen.



Zettrex.

Comments

  • It looks so much more sleek! It is very appealing to the eyes, over all I was hoping for a change and I like it a lot, I do wish the shop wasn't a entirely different website and was integrated into the main website but I'd understand if is like that for a reason, at the very least make the shop have the same design with the background instead of the plain white? That's just a personal gripe though, over all I really like the change!
  • pyrealpyreal Member, Warrior of Old, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    edited February 2021
    My initial thought on seeing the site was 'too spartan'.

    What I appreciated:
    • The alpha disclaimer (good idea and well executed)
    • Support/account access (good placing and easy to see)
    • Navigation bar (nice and clean)
    • Background (gives a nice sense of the scope)
    • Latest News & Videos, and Key Features are on home page

    The Missing:

    Forgive my presumptuousness... I have rearranged the site elements:

    Ashes.jpg
  • xDracxDrac Member, Alpha Two
    It's been a good while I last made any kind of website, but I had some time tonight and felt like the current AoC website could use some improvements so I mocked something up with how I thought you could improve the current website a little bit, make it look a bit cleaner.

    Ashes-of-Creation.jpg
  • JahlonJahlon Member, Intrepid Pack, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    The only thing missing is the "Support the Game" add (currently the 'special offers') section, which I think should be on the page, but not the first thing on the page.

    Well done.
    hpsmlCJ.jpg
    Make sure to check out Ashes 101
  • maouwmaouw Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    I like the new website!!

    I agree with @Zettrex that "Special Offer" has mobile-game quality connotations - but no biggie.
    However, I disagree about putting "Key Features" at the top: This is not an "About" page - it's the Home page so it's important you show the actionables (buy/register/download/latest updates) before you info dump on people. Then only first-timers will have to scroll down to explore the site - and only first timers need to subscribe to newletters.


    I wish I were deep and tragic
  • palabanapalabana Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    pyreal wrote: »
    Ashes.jpg

    While your layout design may look a little bit dated (think of the common CMS layouts from 2006-2008), it would work even better than the current official website. It tells us where our main focus is and secondary actions would be right where we would expect it to be. It doesn't look modern but that's a small matter.
  • palabanapalabana Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    Your Key Features section definitely look more attractive. It would be the section where user retention would be held at most.
  • maouwmaouw Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    It looks cleaner without the bright orange borders, I like it when the borders are more subtle
    I wish I were deep and tragic
  • HellfarHellfar Member, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    Love this, well done indeed. The sleek borderless approach does it's job well and makes it look modern and clean. I agree the "Special Offer" should exist on the page still, just not in the in-your-face position it currently is in on the actual site.
  • Thanks for the feedback folks! I love that our community is so invested in even the website changes. :smiley:

    I wanted to make some notes so y'all can understand the decisions that were made:
    - As someone stated in this thread already, you usually want your CTA (call to action) items at the top of your Home page (Registration and Special Offer in our case currently) as folks rarely scroll down. [For example, if someone comes to the site, they see that they can register and the disclaimer, but don't know how to be a part of the test, and immediately can see that they can click the special offer to partake in the above disclaimed message.]
    - When it comes to content, we're going to have a TON of other pages with information on the game, but we want to keep the Home page to a minimum for viewer retention - so that is why we have slimmed it down to 2 key features on this page. (Lots of data analysis went into these decisions. <3 )
    - Most of the game info will actually be in the "Game" section of the website before the "News" tab on the top bar once we launch that area of our website. :smile:
    - In regards to the style choices we've made, this is to fit our brand style guide, but we'll work out some adjustments to meet the suggestions of the community in future phases.
    - As far as animation/video movement on the webpage, that is something we'll be adding as well, but we want to make sure the performance of our website is smooth first. (We're currently in performance updating mode at the moment.)

    This is just Phase 1, so we'll have many more adjustments and changes coming down the line, and we'll take into account your feedback as we move forward. We hope this gives a little more understanding as to why we made the decisions we made thus far. :smiley:
    marketing.gif
  • CadacCadac Member, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    Cool beans.
  • EloElo Member, Alpha Two
    edited March 2021
    Considering that it was announced weeks before-hand, I expected that something would be added at this time. It is really no different than before, just a coat of paint. I guess it really wasn't ready yet. The announcement weeks ago left me with the impression that there would be a significant revamp of the website in February. I would call this a trivial revamp. Still, it's better and moving in the right direction.

    Edit: I guess wallpapers and screenshots were added.
  • palabanapalabana Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    edited March 2021
    - As someone stated in this thread already, you usually want your CTA (call to action) items at the top of your Home page (Registration and Special Offer in our case currently) as folks rarely scroll down. [For example, if someone comes to the site, they see that they can register and the disclaimer, but don't know how to be a part of the test, and immediately can see that they can click the special offer to partake in the above disclaimed message.]

    While I agree with it, my only concern about that panel is only because it's titled "Special Offer". It doesn't reflect your words, especially Steven's, the Creative Director. I would be fine with it if it was titled differently, like so:

    Screenshot%202021-03-02%20090132.jpg

    The idea behind this is that it would reflect on your company's vision more accurately. Your Creative Director himself have repeatedly said "no P2W", which implies monetization and making money will be the last thing that Intrepid Studios is worried about. Even more so at this stage of development. He has also said previously, as a call to action, "don't tell people to buy the game but tell them to get involved". In that sense:

    "Special Offer" = telling people to buy the game
    A different title (eg. "Help bring Ashes of Creation to life") = telling people to get involved with the development of the game

    There can be many ways to get people involved, such as participating in the forums or the Discord server. Those can be included in that panel as well. People should be presented with the choices they have to get involved with the game other than only pre-ordering the packs.

    I don't want to talk like I know more about marketing than you do. I am not a marketing professional. I am only speaking as a customer. As a customer, we see what we want to see based on our expectations of your company. Looking at your website is fine to me as someone who has followed the game for more than 3 years. But for someone new who only heard about the company's stance regarding monetization yet the first thing they see is "Special Offer with exclusive cosmetics", it would leave a bad taste in their mouth.

    To be clear, I like the updated design. It looks modern. Its theme fits Ashes of Creation and Verra. Everything else is great. Once you're done with the content of the website, it would be the one-stop shop for everything Ashes of Creation.
  • NoktNokt Member, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    My biggest qualm is how little information there is displayed about the game itself. Where's a list of its races, classes, professions, node types, etc? If I didn't know anything about this game and visited the website, I'd still know very little about this game. Certainly not enough to give it money.
  • edited March 2021
    I feel like the main page lacks the "Wiki" https://ashesofcreation.wiki/ link alongside the News/Forums/Media/Shop up there.
    6wtxguK.jpg
    Aren't we all sinners?
  • KhronusKhronus Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    I like the new updates. Seems to be missing a link that takes me to where I input my credit card information to pay you "insert any amount here" that would in turn give me Alpha 1 access.
  • VhaeyneVhaeyne Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    I did not have the problem a lot of people seemed to have with the old website. It looked fine.

    That being said. The new website looks better. 10/10, top marks, ect...

    My favorite part is that the first key feature on the front page is "Risk Vs Reward". Which will be ignored by all of the "Care Bears" this game has attracted.

    Maybe if they write it in blood people will get the message.
    TVMenSP.png
    If I had more time, I would write a shorter post.
  • palabana wrote: »
    While I agree with it, my only concern about that panel is only because it's titled "Special Offer".
    We already have plans to reword this. Thank you for your feedback.

    Nokt wrote: »
    My biggest qualm is how little information there is displayed about the game itself. Where's a list of its races, classes, professions, node types, etc? If I didn't know anything about this game and visited the website, I'd still know very little about this game. Certainly not enough to give it money.
    We mentioned this in the live stream. In future phases, we'll be adding more details - I gave an example of the races page and how that will improve with each phase. =)
    I feel like the main page lacks the "Wiki" https://ashesofcreation.wiki/ link alongside the News/Forums/Media/Shop up there.
    This is a fan-made site, we do not own it. =)
    marketing.gif
  • This is a fan-made site, we do not own it. =)

    Oh, my bad, i really didn't knew. i expected it to be owned by intrepid or atleast associated.

    6wtxguK.jpg
    Aren't we all sinners?
  • HynuHynu Member
    :o I think some of you people have far too much spare time ;)
    He who farts, stinks!
  • NaylorNaylor Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    My two cents and this is some drama we enthusiasts are facing who want to make guides and content:

    Its too soon.

    The site loads fast
    The site does have some content within it and I do feel like the registration AND the cosmetics should be up the top because the game is trying to get interested users to register and perhaps support the company.

    But where we start to fall down is we do have a lack of content, why? Because the game is in Pre-Alpha and content is extremely limited.

    What would I recommend for the future?
    Classes page - Example of the abilities of each class, a little GIF/Video of said class.
    Lore (Optional)- Dedicated lore section once the game is out
    Game Guide - (What the game is, FAQ, Races, Crafting, Housing etc all there) - I separated classes because when you're into an MMO I want to see what classes are available immediately.

    I don't know how everyone feels but quite a few of us are kind of putting all of our poker chips as a last bet for this MMO and wishing it all the best to succeed as a final MMO to "retire on" and stick to. I believe the website should not be given too much focus over the core game itself however I do see its relevance and appreciate it greatly as it is.

    I'll leave my comments about the shop elsewhere, it needs TLC but i'll see what improvements they do before giving feedback on it.


  • palabanapalabana Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    palabana wrote: »
    While I agree with it, my only concern about that panel is only because it's titled "Special Offer".
    We already have plans to reword this. Thank you for your feedback.

    As always, listening to your community can be a double-edged sword but I fully believe you have made the right choice for this issue. Special Offer can make a comeback once the game is fully released. :smiley:

    Screenshot%202021-03-03%20132656.jpg
  • LinikerLiniker Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    it's 100 times better now only by removing 2 words
    img]
    Recrutamento aberto - Nosso Site: Clique aqui
  • MargaretKrohnMargaretKrohn Moderator, Staff
    edited March 2021
    Naylor wrote: »
    What would I recommend for the future?
    Classes page - Example of the abilities of each class, a little GIF/Video of said class.
    Lore (Optional)- Dedicated lore section once the game is out
    Game Guide - (What the game is, FAQ, Races, Crafting, Housing etc all there) - I separated classes because when you're into an MMO I want to see what classes are available immediately.

    We mentioned all of these things in the live stream. ;) (They are coming in future phases! <3 )
    palabana wrote: »
    As always, listening to your community can be a double-edged sword but I fully believe you have made the right choice for this issue. Special Offer can make a comeback once the game is fully released. :smiley:

    We do our best to listen and taken in all of the feedback, but of course, we will always make the decision we think is best in the end. That being said, we're always willing to explain why we are making said decisions. <3

    We appreciate that y'all are so invested and that you also are willing to hear us out.
    marketing.gif
  • NaylorNaylor Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    @MargaretKrohn - Yep you sure did mention it at the live streams, it just reinforces my too soon comment. The game is still too early in its stage to provide content so you're with a situation where

    You want to show content on a site
    None of the content is ready yet or still being made/private

    I have a huge amount of faith with the team and that's why I just want people to remember its going to be coming out - this is a website for early stage development, more will be coming just hang tight and enjoy the journey.
  • ZettrexZettrex Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
    edited March 2021
    Thanks for the feedback folks! I love that our community is so invested in even the website changes. :smiley:

    I wanted to make some notes so y'all can understand the decisions that were made:
    - As someone stated in this thread already, you usually want your CTA (call to action) items at the top of your Home page (Registration and Special Offer in our case currently) as folks rarely scroll down. [For example, if someone comes to the site, they see that they can register and the disclaimer, but don't know how to be a part of the test, and immediately can see that they can click the special offer to partake in the above disclaimed message.]
    - When it comes to content, we're going to have a TON of other pages with information on the game, but we want to keep the Home page to a minimum for viewer retention - so that is why we have slimmed it down to 2 key features on this page. (Lots of data analysis went into these decisions. <3 )
    - Most of the game info will actually be in the "Game" section of the website before the "News" tab on the top bar once we launch that area of our website. :smile:
    - In regards to the style choices we've made, this is to fit our brand style guide, but we'll work out some adjustments to meet the suggestions of the community in future phases.
    - As far as animation/video movement on the webpage, that is something we'll be adding as well, but we want to make sure the performance of our website is smooth first. (We're currently in performance updating mode at the moment.)

    This is just Phase 1, so we'll have many more adjustments and changes coming down the line, and we'll take into account your feedback as we move forward. We hope this gives a little more understanding as to why we made the decisions we made thus far. :smiley:

    Thank you for your clarification, the new phrasing helped a lot on the website alone, i would still liked the store not to be as the first element, and instead maybe have easy buy a pack action when registering & have it on the bottom as right now your call to actions are both at the top & you got no follow-up when on the bottom, having those on opposite ends will in my mind create more "wanted actions" but if you have done user testing before releasing i cant say anything. but the change you did is acceptable, good to know that you are taking feedback.
    The "about game" tab will solve the "information" section of my post.
    The sketch @xdrac made is more a design i think looks appealing as a homepage, just missing the call to action for "buy" / "support" on the bottom. but thats changing your style, but doing something more with the sites with bigger sections that break the boxes & the flow, a little less stale. would be a nice welcome.

    looking forward to the next phases :)
  • xDracxDrac Member, Alpha Two
    edited March 2021
    Zettrex wrote: »
    The sketch @xdrac made is more a design i think looks appealing as a homepage, just missing the call to action for "buy" / "support" on the bottom. but thats changing your style, but doing something more with the sites with bigger sections that break the boxes & the flow, a little less stale. would be a nice welcome.

    I worked some more on a design sketch the last few days and included how a new design/layout for the site and shop could look like.

    XQt4UmW.jpg

    Link to original image/bigger resolution version: https://i.imgur.com/XQt4UmW.jpg
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