Curse

Alex Weekes · Feb 02, 2006, 04:16 PM // 16:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by TB_

A game FAQs should include:

#1 Entry should be system requirements. Processors speeds, gfx and sound info, bandwidth, minimum OS version, and a note saying that in the future futher chapters may require more horse power. A suggestion about drivers and such helps.

#2 Sign up and purchase issues. This means issues with PlayNC.com despite they will have their own help, possible issues with passwords, email and so forth. And of course, infomation about choosing a server to use, how to pick the best one (as GW often comes using the wrong choice by default) and when to pick it.

#3 Basic technical issues and errors. Graphics problems, Net 7, crashing, and info on the support forms to use.

#4 In Game, basic asked questions. Such as, how do I assign keys, how do I take a screenshot (without the UI), and other simple mechanics issues.

#5 Handy tips, such as leaving pre-searing early can cause problems, you get n slots for chars, differences between PvP and PvE etc.

Now some of that can be moved round but all that info is important.

All of the above are already covered in more relevant places ... such as the far more detailed (and searchable) support.guildwars.com knowledge base, the game manual, etc. The FAQs are not meant to be the answer to everything, they're a quick-stop shop for common questions.

Now, perhaps the FAQs could include links forwarding players to the more detailed places where they can find information...

Lord Scoopula · Feb 02, 2006, 04:28 PM // 16:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsumners

Absolutely horrible! It is now a nuisance to read the game updates; the content is just difficult to find.

Did they even try this design in something other than Internet Explorer? It is wretched in both Safari and Firefox. It is absolutely unusable in Opera. Here is a hint to the "web design" team at Arena.net: FLASH IS HORRIBLE! You guys need to read http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/ and http://www.w3.org/TR/CSS2/.

I enjoy playing the game, but I doubt I will be visiting the web site much any more. I can't describe how bad it is.

Update your browsers, works fine in Firefox 1.5.0.1, it also works fine in Opera Version 8.51.

Plus if you have some problem solving skills you can find everything that you need to know on the site easy.

Eugaet · Feb 02, 2006, 04:29 PM // 16:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsumners

Did they even try this design in something other than Internet Explorer? It is wretched in...Firefox. It is absolutely unusable in Opera.

Looks absolutely perfect to me in Firefox (except for the Adblock tags everywhere)...I'm using v1.5 (just got the notification I was auto-updated to 1.5.0.1...w00t!). Looks great in Opera 8.5, too. You might have some plugin/extension/configuration issues there.

EDIT: Drat, I take too long to reply. Lord Scoopula FTW!

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsumners

It is now a nuisance to read the game updates.

Get thee a feed reader!

TB_ · Feb 02, 2006, 04:38 PM // 16:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex Weekes

Now, perhaps the FAQs could include links forwarding players to the more detailed places where they can find information...

Alex is always on the ball

.

jsumners · Feb 02, 2006, 04:41 PM // 16:41

In response to Lord Scoopula:

Browser is updated just fine. I didn't say it doesn't "look" like it is supposed to look. I said it performs horribly. The background image for the menu comes forward when scrolling and all of the flash slows down scrolling. The design team evidently knew Flash would be a problem for people they just didn't finish the site before making it live. From the guildwars.com source, ""

You must also have a special version of Opera. I have Opera 8.51 build 2182. The background Flash for the navigation menu completely covers the navigation menu making it impossible to navigate the web site. That means the website is unusable in Opera.

Also, problem solving skills shouldn't be involved in navigating a web site. A professional web site should provide easy, well defined, access to the content. The user shouldn't have to guess to figure out where the content is that he is looking for.

In response to Eugat:

I have one. It is called Safari. I have no desire to subscribe to the guildwars.com feed though. I only visit the site occasionally. I use feeds for sites that I want to get content from constantly. I check the game updates page about once per week to see what is changing while I am unable to play (can't play much during the semester).

----

The previous site design may not have been impressive, but it worked. It was easy to find the content desired and it worked well in every browser. This new design is just bad. Hell, they even specified a DOCTYPE and then ignored it -- http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=ht...ildwars.com%2F

Lord Scoopula · Feb 02, 2006, 04:45 PM // 16:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsumners

In response to Lord Scoopula:

Browser is updated just fine. I didn't say it doesn't "look" like it is supposed to look. I said it performs horribly. The background image for the menu comes forward when scrolling and all of the flash slows down scrolling. The design team evidently knew Flash would be a problem for people they just didn't finish the site before making it live. From the guildwars.com source, ""

You must also have a special version of Opera. I have Opera 8.51 build 2182. The background Flash for the navigation menu completely covers the navigation menu making it impossible to navigate the web site. That means the website is unusable in Opera.

Operates and looks fine in both browsers I use, your screen resolution also plays a part in how it looks...there's only minimal slowdown when the main page first loads, but wait a second before scrolling and it scrolls smooth as ice.

Red Locust · Feb 02, 2006, 05:22 PM // 17:22

To add on what jsumners said, it's not working too well for me either (just downloaded the latest firefox update yesterday). The site is a bit slow, and the flash icons at the top of the homepage do not work; I'm pointing at one thing and something 2 boxes away shows as being selected. Sometimes, nothing will select at all.

Other than that, the site looks very nice.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zobi

It is probably just me, but could anybody tell me where the Guild Ladder is now, please?

The pic in the lower right corner of the homepage with the 2 warrior chicks going at it, click the bottom half titled "Guild Wars Ladder."

Kakumei · Feb 02, 2006, 05:45 PM // 17:45

I'm not an enormous fan of flash designs on the whole, but this one is at least relatively well done.

And I'm not getting any errors or problems or anything whatsoever. Firefox 1.0.7 here.

mqstout · Feb 02, 2006, 06:17 PM // 18:17

The new site is terrible. It violates all terms of usability -- it
doesn't scale to different window/screen sizes, one cannot utilize "open in new
tab" and "open in new window" features due to Flash-based navigation. The old
menu methods -- where any sub-page could easily be accessible from any other
page on the site -- is gone, and many more page loads are spent getting to
whatever information is designed. As countless studies have shown, the more
clicks deep information is, and the longer it takes (the Flash takes longer to
load and render), the less likely a visitor is to stay interested and continue
to use the site.

All in all -- the old layout, while not as pretty and "one big marketing
advertisement", was better, simply because it was so much more user-friendly.

Retribution X · Feb 02, 2006, 06:24 PM // 18:24

HOLY BLISHT! I LIKE IT! IT PWNS!!!

/Endrant

Andy_M · Feb 02, 2006, 06:26 PM // 18:26

It scales to different screen sizes just fine for me. Yes, you can't use open in new window/tab but er, so what ? And for people who say it's using up bandwidth......well just WHAT are you people using the rest for ? hehe.

thirtypercent · Feb 02, 2006, 07:33 PM // 19:33

why not haf a forums section there?

My Sweet Revenga · Feb 02, 2006, 07:48 PM // 19:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by LifeInfusion

The real irony is I liked the old site better for its speed. Since the new one is all flashy and stuff is all over, it is harder to navigate.

Another irony is it is all female characters on the front page.

Well it's not ALL female characters... note if you scroll down you'll see in the lower right corner the pvp ladder image with a guy... but he is about to get shanked hard by a female character so...... I guess there's something for every guy on this page if you're into that kinda thing

kvndoom · Feb 02, 2006, 08:52 PM // 20:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by sledgeunderhill

I sincerely hope they keep a version of the site flash-free.

I agree 500%. Macromedia Flush is the scourge of the internet. I won't even install the plug-in.

Eugaet · Feb 02, 2006, 09:08 PM // 21:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by My Sweet Revenga

...note if you scroll down you'll see in the lower right corner the pvp ladder image with a guy...

That's a guy? I always thought that was a woman...looked like a catfight to me.

Fred Kiwi · Feb 02, 2006, 10:09 PM // 22:09

Ha! And they included the whale in the little pentagon thing, on the menu bar

Ultimate_Gaara · Feb 03, 2006, 12:45 AM // 00:45

Rad new layout, too bad I have to try and find out where everything is again, oh well.

EternalTempest · Feb 03, 2006, 12:58 AM // 00:58

I think the reason why pvp ladder and support are not updated yet is due to those pages being dynamic loaded from a database where everything else was "static". They have to alter the theme while keeping all the php elements pulling live data from the database.

EternalTempest · Feb 03, 2006, 01:00 AM // 01:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eugaet

That's a guy? I always thought that was a woman...looked like a catfight to me.

The warrior with the sword is female, the messer (by the looks) I think is a guy .. I think.

Fyre Brand · Feb 03, 2006, 01:38 AM // 01:38

I just checked it works fine on my opera browsers 8.51 build 7712 and it's always worked on my Firefox. If it's not working in your browser make sure your plug-ins are up to date. I'm always impressed how my opera links to the firefox plug-in folder. I haven't checked it in IE because I only use that for Windows update and going to certain government sites that only support IE.

I'm on dialup that is consitant around 40k bps. I think the site loads faster from an uncached state than the older site by about 30% or possibly more.

The site is beautiful. I showed someone at school today. They were impressed by the artwork and the flow through the page. Nice job Web Dev team!!!

@The markup snobs: All I have to say is standards are nice and I think the site has definitely followed that spirit more than most commercial sites. I checked several and you might be surprised who does and doesn't conform. For one thing the Safari site and the Mac site period doesn't validate to HTML 4.01 trans.... So my point is that the GW Web team did a great job please don't be so critical of them. It would be a shame to let something as spaghetti'd together as web standards get in the way of a beautiful site. (PS: Just try and find something you really want to know on the w3.org site - ack that place is a nightmare and it's ugly.)