[Habbox] Web Design Discussion!

[Tom]

http://www.habbox.com/staffupload/../assets/images//2015/08/26/be684437280b586638a44b400a310053.png

In order to prevent Habbox.com's eighth version from being an unsightly mess with no functionality, we at Habbox are coming to you - our users - to figure out what your ideal site looks like, and what needs to be done in the next version in order to create it.

As it stands we're able to add features and functions at the backend of the site quite easily since the update, it's just the skin itself that needs some TLC. This thread, therefore, will be a point of discussion over the coming weeks for the Habbox community to present their visions (via anything from written requests to rough sketches to fully coded designs ;) ) of what they think V8 should look like and what features it should contain.

Remember: you don't need to be a coder or a designer to participate in this discussion. Just let us know what you want to see and do based on other sites you visit and we'll try to incorporate them! If you are able to code, however, and would be interested in coding the final revision, do PM me and let me know -- anything as basic as HTML and CSS is acceptable but CMS is an advantage.

Also, to add a nice little extra for you all, every post with a good idea, suggestion or anything of note will be entered into a raffle. After this thread is closed, a post will be selected (at random) and a prize will be given! The prize will be 200 credits and 1 year HabboxForum VIP! Pretty good, right?

So, what are you waiting for? Get involved! All feedback and suggestions are welcome :)

Tom

[David]

What it needs:


Color. Less black/dark and more color.
To be released with a logo.
Radio controls, stats and requests in the same place - not scattered across the site.
More width, and fluidity. currently it's a line of articles and a line of widgets. Add another line on the left side.
A better table to show events and forum posts. The current one is just ugly as hell and who wants to look at it, honestly? have icons and stuff for it like the other fansites.
Compact Articles. List them with a small preview and the relevant information, because 5 articles per page isn't very good imo.
A Featured article at the top.
A custom background, not an old habbo home image.
A better designed twitter box, not a wall of text.
Better forum and wiki advertisement.
A well placed navigation, the v7 one looks like it was tossed in last minute.


What it doesn't need:


Separate account from the forum
4 years of development
Volter. At all. Get rid of it.
Stay away from Ubuntu as well, use something more user friendly.
A black outline on everything
There's too many sub nav's, surely you can drop most of them. Keep it simple.


What you could probably do:


A fixed navbar and radio (follows when you scroll away)
If you keep accounts separate from forum, how about working profile pages?



I'll probably think of more later.

[j0rd]

Where did the feedback threads go from v7 release? I'm sure myself and a few others posted some ideas and other things in it. Be helpful if we can get that moved back into view to refer to!

But yeah, pretty much what Dave said. 100% needs some sort of forum integration onto the main site.

[zebbadi]

apparantly i want a new events widget cuz its ugly!!I dunno it's what I'm told!

[Tom]

apparantly i want a new events widget cuz its ugly!!I dunno it's what I'm told!

What are your thoughts on the current Events widget? Would you prefer any changes?

[dbgtz]

It could use a logo

[zebbadi]

What are your thoughts on the current Events widget? Would you prefer any changes?

well its a very grey boring table as David pointed it out. I'm not one to normally compare other fansites but something like these would look a lot better : http://i.icap.me/391440627534e54c.png http://i.icap.me/391440627539ef3f.png

[Tom]

well its a very grey boring table as David pointed it out. I'm not one to normally compare other fansites but something like these would look a lot better : http://i.icap.me/391440627534e54c.png http://i.icap.me/391440627539ef3f.png

So, you're thinking like bigger, wider widgets - or something different completely?

[Kyle]

I don't think colour is the issue, I think images are. A grey site is fine if images are used IMO and I personally HATE colourful sites (non habbo dark ftw).

[David]

So, you're thinking like bigger, wider widgets - or something different completely?

i'd like to see something like hffm's, the green one sam posted

[Tom]

I don't think colour is the issue, I think images are. A grey site is fine if images are used IMO and I personally HATE colourful sites (non habbo dark ftw).

It's gonna be a tough one in terms of colour scheme. A lot of people like bright, a lot of people like dark. Me personally, I'd like dark - but we need to compromise!


i'd like to see something like hffm's, the green one sam posted

So, more spaced out with icons? Seems good...

[David]

It's gonna be a tough one in terms of colour scheme. A lot of people like bright, a lot of people like dark. Me personally, I'd like dark - but we need to compromise!

color chooser like the v7 background changer

black/dark and colorful

[Alkaz]

VIP+ users used to be able to colour customise their profile pages on the forum, could you not do something similar for the site? Or give people colour themed skins, or the ability to change the colour of the nav bar, widgets etc. That way you could keep the bulk of the site rather sleek and modern whilst giving users the ability to adapt it to their own style i.e. colourful or dark/black.

[dbgtz]

A dynamically coloured site depending on the time of day with the sun and moon rotating around in the banner.

[Mark]

A dynamically coloured site depending on the time of day with the sun and moon rotating around in the banner.

Oooooh I like that idea, is it even possible? Especially with different time zones?

[dbgtz]

Oooooh I like that idea, is it even possible? Especially with different time zones?

I'm sure you can fetch local time, else default it to GMT and allow people to change it when logged in. I suspect it is possible though, just can't imagine it would be particularly easy.

[David]

comment time stamps and comment editing

[Nick]

dave for site designer.

Personally I don't like dark sites I would rather colourful ones like the colours in that events thingy thing. I agree on the integrated accounts with forum but I don't really have much to say because I don't really use the site as much as I used to :P

[Mrs.McCall]

I think users should be able to customise the widgets they see. So if someone is interested in News and Events, they can select those widgets to appear when they view the home page. That way, they're seeing the content they want to see. So for a Habbox user that might not necessarily use Habbo as much, they may choose just to see Newest Articles, Latest Forum posts etc.

It just means Users are viewing the content they want to see, as chosen by them. It's up to individual departments to be strong enough to warrant interest in their particular department.

Also, on Article postings, I'd love a 'similar articles' or 'other articles by this writer' functionality. So, for example, if you've read a really great game review you can click through a bunch of similar posts or if you like a writer's style, you can click through their articles without having to navigate around.

[Kyle]

there's a lot of talk of features atm I would be interested to see what others feel about the current layout of the site like what is displayed on the front page (personally I think the fewer things displayed the better)

[Tom]

Yeah, as Kyle rightly mentioned this is mainly to do with the front-end layout! Primarily the design, not the functions.

While I'm taking your functions into consideration, the design needs to be priority first. With a new design comes greater functionality!

[Rachel]

What needs to be fixed is the DJ request line to be in the same spot as the radio stats.
Add maybe a Like the DJ option which would either be resetted monthly.(Nothing important here)


I don't have much ideas but might come in mind =)

[David]

i don't think there needs to be a dj says for the radio, now with there being a dj stalk button. all it ever says is the event name or the help desk owner. the dj could - and most of them do - say it all themselves and push people to use the stalk button. more room for other stuff.

i also think the radio should be on a widget instead of in the header, that way it can be put in with the request line and there's no hassle about telling people where to find it. That's as long as you don't put things above it and move it halfway down the page.........

[Tom]

i don't think there needs to be a dj says for the radio, now with there being a dj stalk button. all it ever says is the event name or the help desk owner. the dj could - and most of them do - say it all themselves and push people to use the stalk button. more room for other stuff.

i also think the radio should be on a widget instead of in the header, that way it can be put in with the request line and there's no hassle about telling people where to find it. That's as long as you don't put things above it and move it halfway down the page.........

This is quite a good shout.

Does anyone actually use the DJ says feature on the website? Could be good to know. Also, since we're on this subject what else do you think about the radio player? Where would you like to to be and how would you like it to look?

For example, would you like it to stay at the top where it is now or perhaps down the site near where the request line is?

[lawrawrrr]

I very, very rarely use the DJ says. Especially now it automatically shows the event and things, it's not like 1000% necessary.

I think whatever the new design looked like I would like it near the top as a default - most sites have a widget for the radio in the top section - mainly because it's the most used bit, whether that's actually listening to the radio or just trying to mute it


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Badges]

This is a design i was working on which is coded cause i can't do photoshop for life. This won't be a release but however may shape a future version, i would like some feedback on this :)

The future version depends on you the community!
http://i.imgur.com/B5KBZku.png

[Kyle]

This is a design i was working on which is coded cause i can't do photoshop for life. This won't be a release but however may shape a future version, i would like some feedback on this :)

The future version depends on you the community!
http://i.imgur.com/B5KBZku.png
it's a bit crowded but it's excellent, great colour scheme too.

[David]

This is a design i was working on which is coded cause i can't do photoshop for life. This won't be a release but however may shape a future version, i would like some feedback on this :)

The future version depends on you the community!


it seems dated to me, with the volter and the backgrounds you've used (on the nav and the widget headers etc), it's like, we've seen it so many times on so many fansites and I think habbox should stay away from that and move forward.
the colors are maybe a little too faded, could be stronger than that.
the radio seems lacking, maybe you just haven't finished it yet. and the request line is 5.4 miles away from it. is the profile info absolutely necessary? that could be your radio and request line.
with the banner where you have the balcony, I think it's way too big to begin with and there's no sign of where you plan on putting a logo?, but I also think - and I'm probably alone on it - that there's no need for a header like that in v8 at all.
also not a fan of the outline and inner shadows on everything.

other than that, I like the habbox jobs, I like the scanned furni. I do like the articles but still think they should be listed with 2 or 3 lines of preview. maybe you're habboxtoday is too big? the group badge part looks cool as well.

what would your drop down menus look like?

what else.
have i taken this too seriously.

[Chippiewill]

Yeah, as Kyle rightly mentioned this is mainly to do with the front-end layout! Primarily the design, not the functions.

While I'm taking your functions into consideration, the design needs to be priority first. With a new design comes greater functionality!
Skybus has clearly never done a requirements specification before. You can't have a design without first knowing the technical requirements of it.

[Tom]

Skybus has clearly never done a requirements specification before. You can't have a design without first knowing the technical requirements of it.

I'm not looking to change the functionality at all, I'm just changing the skin basically.

[Joe]

I'd really like one of the two things:


A pop out radio player - I used to have habboxlive.com opened all the time so I could still view the site without the entire thing cutting out
Or a Chrome app;)

[Thomas-TJ]

I'd really like one of the two things:


A pop out radio player - I used to have habboxlive.com opened all the time so I could still view the site without the entire thing cutting out
Or a Chrome app;)


this

[lawrawrrr]

I'd love a radio that doesn't reload every time you go on a new page!!! We do have the chrome plugin I think Chippiewill; made but I tend to listen on TuneIn to do that!

[Kyle]

no wonder v7 took ages people want features instead of aesthetics

[GoldenMerc]

no wonder v7 took ages people want features instead of aesthetics

http://community.thingspeak.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/thingspeak_iot_ux_design.jpeg

[xxMATTGxx]

no wonder v7 took ages people want features instead of aesthetics

Maybe that's a hint that many people don't have a problem with the design, it's the way it functions and it's features.

[David]

Maybe that's a hint that many people don't have a problem with the design, it's the way it functions and it's features.

i can smell a poll

[David]

bump what else you got

[Bails]

bump what else you got

I personally would just like to see some more colour on the main site and definitely either some forum integration or just not have two separate profiles completely.

Basically, the first response of yours to this thread was pretty much perfect.

I've listed the points I agree with most! David;


What it needs:



Color. Less black/dark and more color.
To be released with a logo.
Radio controls, stats and requests in the same place - not scattered across the site.
A better table to show events and forum posts. The current one is just ugly as hell and who wants to look at it, honestly? have icons and stuff for it like the other fansites.
Compact Articles. List them with a small preview and the relevant information, because 5 articles per page isn't very good imo.
A Featured article at the top.
A custom background, not an old habbo home image.
A better designed twitter box, not a wall of text.
Better forum and wiki advertisement.
A well placed navigation, the v7 one looks like it was tossed in last minute.



What it doesn't need:



Separate account from the forum
4 years of development
A black outline on everything
There's too many sub nav's, surely you can drop most of them. Keep it simple.

[Alkaz]

If a site looks good, you're going to stick around and see what functions it has. If it looks ugly you're just going to go to the next site, regardless of how fabulous its features may be. The design is definitely something that needs addressing, at the moment it kind of does look modern but it lacks something. Other sites look sleek and tight, it doesn't need much to really pull it together. Once you've done that, then work on the main features.

[rnix]

To be fair I've hated every layout habbox has had lately!
I only visit the site to edit pages for content and to log into the staff panel.
plus the radio only works 1 out of 20 tries.

[Drew]

I agree with some of the suggestions already put forward, particularly the ones about including a Habbox logo, moving the radio closer to the requests & shoutouts box, and changing the font. It would be great to see different font sizes used as well, either to bring attention to certain types of content or simply to introduce a sense of hierarchy to the site.

As for the colour scheme, you can't really choose one that pleases everybody because everyone has different preferences, but I would suggest killing the background image entirely or replacing it with a lighter, neutral-coloured one (white, cream, light grey, beige etc.) like what the other fansites have done. Let the content and imagery bring the site to life. I don't think you should waste time on allowing people to choose their own site skin because at the end of the day, no one is going to be bothered to do it. It only makes sense for the forum because people spend a lot of time on it!

I would consider increasing the width of the content as well. At the moment it's constrained at 940px which is a shame because another 50px or so can be added (just make sure it's under 1024px). 50px may not seem like much, but it makes a world of difference and you can do a lot with it.

I think the most important question however is to ask what the "new" site is trying to achieve. Is the objective just to serve the existing Habbox community (honestly though, how many of you actually use the site?) or is the objective to attract new Habbo users and encourage them to join Habbox instead of other fansites? The answer to that question will determine what you ultimately include on your front page. To be honest, there is nothing majorly wrong with the current design of the site. The bigger problem is the user experience. For example, the navigation is a bit convoluted, which makes it difficult for new users to find what they want. The latest badges widget isn't bringing a whole lot of value to users either as they don't currently link to badge guides. Replacing it with the latest forum posts widget (for example) may be a better idea because the forum is probably the best thing and most active part of Habbox.

I also had a look at the other fansites, and the only one that stood out of the pack was HabboShire. I have no idea how well they are doing, but they do have the best UI in my opinion - the rest of the fansites just look all too similar. We need to think about differentiating Habbox from the rest - we have an awesome community on the forum and a great wiki, but these two things are currently not prominent or advertised enough on the site. (What about rare values?) These should be the things that users first see when they visit the website, and these should be the things that will encourage them to stick around. The last thing we want is to produce yet another cookie-cutter Habbo fansite!

[Bails]

but I would suggest killing the background image entirely or replacing it with a lighter, neutral-coloured one (white, cream, light grey, beige etc.) like what the other fansites have done. Let the content and imagery bring the site to life. I don't think you should waste time on allowing people to choose their own site skin because at the end of the day, no one is going to be bothered to do it. It only makes sense for the forum because people spend a lot of time on it!



I would consider increasing the width of the content as well. At the moment it's constrained at 940px which is a shame because another 50px or so can be added (just make sure it's under 1024px). 50px may not seem like much, but it makes a world of difference and you can do a lot with it.



We have an awesome community on the forum and a great wiki, but these two things are currently not prominent or advertised enough on the site. (What about rare values?) These should be the things that users first see when they visit the website, and these should be the things that will encourage them to stick around. The last thing we want is to produce yet another cookie-cutter Habbo fansite!


I wish I could agree with this even more. +rep though.

Completely agree with these things. :)

[David]

what's your opinion on habbox today images


do you think they're needed if yes big or small images. the v7 ones apparently haven't been updated since launch

[lawrawrrr]

I like the HxTodays because they're useful for advertising things. I do add new ones all the time to advertise events or things - and managers can ask them but I (obviously) remove them once the event or promotion is over.

The ones that are there have been updated a few times since launch but mostly they're stock adverts which don't need changing?

[Alkaz]

Even if they are stock images they can do with being updated every X months to catch people's attention to Hx Today even more.

[Kasabian]

HxTodays will be smaller. No one uses them.

[Drew]

I personally quite like the larger HxTodays (they are actually my favourite "upgrade" from V6) so it's a shame that you've decided to make them smaller. It seems a bit silly to assume that no one uses them? They may seem really useless at this point, but they just need to be updated frequently. Again, this is back to what I said about advertising the unique offerings of Habbox more prominently on the site - I feel that the HxTodays is a good way to achieve that.

[Tom]

I like the HxTodays because they're useful for advertising things. I do add new ones all the time to advertise events or things - and managers can ask them but I (obviously) remove them once the event or promotion is over.

The ones that are there have been updated a few times since launch but mostly they're stock adverts which don't need changing?


Even if they are stock images they can do with being updated every X months to catch people's attention to Hx Today even more.


I personally quite like the larger HxTodays (they are actually my favourite "upgrade" from V6) so it's a shame that you've decided to make them smaller. It seems a bit silly to assume that no one uses them? They may seem really useless at this point, but they just need to be updated frequently. Again, this is back to what I said about advertising the unique offerings of Habbox more prominently on the site - I feel that the HxTodays is a good way to achieve that.

The only problem with the Habbox Today's is that when we migrated from V6 to V7, they ceased to be used. The image would be updated in accordance to General Management/Management changes (as an act of power and having their Habbos visible, presumably - good marketing for themselves, though) but that's it. I mean, that first image hasn't changed since we started V7 development nearly 1,000 years ago.

It's good to have stock images with quick links and things and as Khloe mentioned, it'll still be nice to keep them - even if they're going to stay there for X amounts of months. So we'll implement a smaller Habbox Today box. This should still be enough to catch people's eye and should also be rotating, so will show different updates.

If they are used again, in a future revision of V8 a larger one could be designed and placed in but until then that's how it'll stay I think! If anyone has any further suggestions based on them, feel free to reply. :)

[DJ-Tripjay]

Now As A DJ and Events Host I hear alot of the listeners complaing on how our fourm and and pages look old and out dated prehaps a new skin to give us fresh look , might atract more listeners, as far as technical improvements prehaps a live chat room, for those whom dont play habbo?

The arcade one of my favorite part ,if you could earn tokens playing in the arcade , that might also be a cool idea that might attract attention

[GoldenMerc]

Now As A DJ and Events Host I hear alot of the listeners complaing on how our fourm and and pages look old and out dated prehaps a new skin to give us fresh look , might atract more listeners, as far as technical improvements prehaps a live chat room, for those whom dont play habbo?

The arcade one of my favorite part ,if you could earn tokens playing in the arcade , that might also be a cool idea that might attract attention

You just bumped a 2 year old thread :P

Habbox will always be outdated in terms of content, design, coding, in comparison to every other fansite its been this way forever.

[David]

fuck was that 2 years ago

[skatershano]

As many of you probably know, I'm new here, treat this opinion *yes, it's an opinion and only an opinion* accordingly. I'd like to see a built-in, on-site chat system. Not suggesting doing away with Skype, although if you can get enough functionality out of something... At minimum, something like Facebook's Messenger, with some minimal sounds for those of us that multi-task or have multiple tabs/browser windows open.

[scottish]

As many of you probably know, I'm new here, treat this opinion *yes, it's an opinion and only an opinion* accordingly. I'd like to see a built-in, on-site chat system. Not suggesting doing away with Skype, although if you can get enough functionality out of something... At minimum, something like Facebook's Messenger, with some minimal sounds for those of us that multi-task or have multiple tabs/browser windows open.

Defeats the purpose of the forum, instead of making threads people will just throw a quick message in the 'chat room' and result in lower activity on the forum. Using Skype as the example I can guarantee Skype groups resulted in much lower activity on staff forums.

A chat room was trialled on forum many years ago and was subsequently removed.

[skatershano]

I see, good to know some thought was put into this!