Frontpage Suggestions

[Roisin]

This is a thread for suggestions for improvements to the frontpage of the Earth: 2025 website, following from the recent post at http://blog.swirve.com/
Please discuss the front site only, not in-game UI.

[Mickster]

We need pictures of Bacon. Lots of Bacon. And Tanks. Bacon and Tanks. And Boats.

Bacon, Tanks, and Boats.


Make them move, too. Moving Bacon, Tanks, and Boats.


And Bacon.

[Robby]

i feel that there is a need for some sort of trolley car or some other mass transit. you know, for those troops who use oil.

[Patience]

Mick is obsessed with makin' bacon. :-P

Honestly, I never really looked at the front page until just now... but I don't mind it. I like the blurb, it's not offensive, the graphic reflects the game (maybe a bit generic, but not awful) - maybe a little more emphasis on the community, since that seems to be what keeps people hanging around for so long.

[Locutus]

The frontpage is functional, but I don't think it can be considered attractive to new players.

I would say the frontpage serves two purposes, being a portal to the game (i.e. login, account creation, forums), and secondly it's Earth2025 selling card to potential new players.

For the portal aspect I miss direct links to earthstats, earthgraphs websites, perhaps wazmos earth calculator and other much used sites. It would be cool if I could use the earth frontpage not only to login to my country, but also my alliance's website.
Secondly many wars take place each reset in various of the earth games, it would be cool if updated links towards earthgraphs where available regarding each war, so it's easy to click and get that information.

For the earth frontpage being a selling card to attract new players, well currently it is kinda dull and plain. The best part about the frontpage now is the tank basically :P
I would say it would be a good move to add a wiki section about earth, where concepts of the game can be explained, alliances listed and such. It would be a good addition for players new to the game looking for more information, instead of posting on the forums and being flamed (which ussually happens). And the best thing is, if you make it a wiki you can get the community to fill it all out, free work done for you is always good. Just have to make sure no bad stuff ends up there, but that shouldnt be an issue.

Furthermore I would, like patience said, focus more on the community aspect, for many this game is also a lot of fun due to the player interaction, the various small communities within the big community, irc chats, etc. Perhaps, corny as it sounds, add a few player testimonials which highlight how great the game and community is. Especially if players tell in their own words what they perceive as fun in Earth, it can help pull other players in, imo.

[martian]

I'm not the world's greatest artist so I'm not gonna even try to draw anything here.

However, might I suggest having an opened art competition (with guidlines) for a new earth page/art work? Maybe for pictures of some of the unites or a new logo for the game?

I also agree with focusing on the community aspect of it since that is what seems to keep most players interested.

[Spawn]

the game and earthstats/ghq/... are separate things, so logging in to your alliance site could mislead in believeing that its owned by the same company, not to mention the confusion if applying and logging in to an alliance are on completely different sites...

[Locutus]

Partner sites are not that uncommon

[Dark Morbid]

I think that a frontpage with a war stat feed would be cool. Same with some sort of news feed? Perhaps doing additional links to the tools would be nice.

[snawdog]

The front Page has all the tools needed..IT NEEDS ART

[martian]

maybe a news feed like a stock ticker running across the front of the screen.
That would be kind of neat. However I'm not sure how practical that would be.

[Locutus]

Somehow incorporate lolcats into earth for comic relief purposes.

[Zeratul]

Somehow incorporate lolcats into earth for comic relief purposes.

http://icanhascheezburger.files.word...s-computer.jpg

[Locutus]

[NukEvil]

Ya see dat dere tank on da front?


Yeah, make it look like it come from da yea 2025, instead of some pile of scrap I found in muh ma's backyard, yo!