Design for free games site ArcadePlay.com $225!!

[moxsum]

(Admin code added by Palmer - 757123T)

I have been dying to find an excuse to post a contest here, as I am constantly amazed by the incredible quality of work that you guys create. Finally I have found an excuse! :tup:

I recently bought the domain name ArcadePlay.com, it was once a free games site much like www.freearcade.com, etc.


Your Mission should you choose to accept it:
* Design a fun looking template, but that doesnt look childish you know?
* Must have text navigation, and be SE "friendly"
* Not too graphic intensive, because I want the pages to load fast.

The sites is going to be structed like most of the sites below, with a front page, a game selection pages, and the game pages.

Some examples of free game sites:
http://www.abcarcade.com
http://www.gameplayonline.com
http://www.reallyfunarcade.com <- I like this one.
http://www.miniclip.com
http://www.shockwave.com

The categories for the games are going to be:
Classic Games
Shooting Games
Action Games
Puzzle Games
Sports Games

I hope this project is fun for all of you & Good luck! :D
Deadline: 2 weeks

[marengo]

Hi,

don't know why http://www.gameplayonline.com doesn't work with me.
And second question: when is deadline?

Thanks, :)
Nat

[moxsum]

yea, unfortunately it seems that gameplayonline is down for some reason, hopefully it should be back up soon. As for a dead line, I didnt really think of that, do I have to have one? I am sure I will be more then happy quite soon :)

[Palmer]

You don't have to have a deadline but it just might mean the designers put your project on the back burner while they work on another project. 2 weeks is usually adequate time for a template contest and you may extend the deadline if needed.

[moxsum]

Ok, the dead line is 2 weeks! All though if I we need more time, more time will be alloted. B)

[marengo]

Thanks for reply :) May be you can show us another site you like (http://www.gameplayonline.com is down) ? Thanks.

[moxsum]

http://gamesquared.com/

Theres another one. I like that design, but I dont like the orange, and, it looks to much like a humor site (it was made by a guy who does humor stuff).

Colors I dont like:
Yellow
Orange
Green

try and avoid those colors and you should be fine.

I would also like the game category links to be horizontal, like abcarcade.com, reallyfunarcade.com, etc.

Once someone posts a design idea, then I can make suggestions etc, so eventually it will turn out fine.

[JUNEAU]

I'm going to be entering the contest moxsum I'm working on the template now and will post it tomorrow.

:)



BTW: Are you looking for a light or dark color scheme?
:nerd:

[moxsum]

Great, I am looking forward to it. lol for a second I was getting kind of worried because no one had said anything. :tup:

[JUNEAU]

Yeah usually it takes a few days for template contests to get rolling. Every designer has a different process for doing templates.

not to worry B)

:tup:

[moxsum]

As for the light or dark question, thats really up to you. All though I checked out your portfolio and it seems alot of you work is dark. IMO to much either way would be bad, but really its up to you, and the color scheme can be changed later :D

[moxsum]

When am I gonna see some designs!? :blink:



:D

[JUNEAU]

Here is a concept for your site please let me know if this is kind of what your looking for.

I'd like to get a good concept for your design first before the other pages are made.

Since there was no logo provided I just used the text Arcade Play as the logo using the Lady Starlight font.

If you have a logo it can be replaced.

apologies for the late reply as been having trouble with the internet. thanks
:rip:

<img src='http://home.earthlink.net/~bob_marley/designoutpost/images/ArcadePlay.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

:geek:

[marengo]

Hi, moxsum,
i have one question (may be too direct :P ) Do you like sites like
http://www.gamespot.com/index.html (plastic style) ? B)
Thanks.
P.S. i'll enter in 2-3 days.

[moxsum]

JUNEAU: Hey, nice design, I like it alot, but before I ask you to go ahead with it, I would like to see more designs :tup: .


marengo: Hmm plastic style, well I like gamespots plasticy logo, etc.



Remember guys, I would prefer if the navigation was text, rather then graphics. The design most also allow space for a 120 x 600 sky scraper ad, and a 468 x 60, or a 720 x 90 ad, like www.reallyfunarcade.com. I dont have a logo for the design, so if you could make one, or just use text like JUNEAU, well see. Thanks for getting this thing started JUNEAU, and I look forward to seeing other designs.



I am going to add some more money to this contest! B)

[JUNEAU]

I'll make some modifications to that design and repost. :D This was a very early stage for the template.

I have alot of other ideas for your site so if you see any other things on some website let us know.

Thanks for the additional info about the ad space. B) I'll get back on it.

[moxsum]

I just added $50 more dollars to the prize! Now get postin' B)

[ant1832]

Alright I'm going to start working on something for this one

[Palmer]

Me too :tup:

[moxsum]

Great, looking forward to your entries! ;)

[ant1832]

Here's my first go at it. I tried to give it a fun look. Let me know if you would like to see any changes.

This represents the classic games section.

***Click image for full size pic
<img src='https://www.quickbase.com/up/8yqz5cte/g/r7/ep/va/arcadeplay_thumb.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' /> (https://www.quickbase.com/up/8yqz5cte/g/r7/en/va/arcadeplay.jpg)

[Palmer]

Here is my entry. I hope you like it :)

Click<span style='font-size:13pt;line-height:100%'> Here </span> (http://www.yourwebbuddy.com/templates/arcade/)

[moxsum]

Wow, nice templates guys, I like em alot. Here are my thoughts:

ant1832: Hey, I like your template alot, however, I dont like the font you used throught it, the sort of playful text you know. Also, I think the nav pics good be a little better (sorry for vague details), and one major thing is, I see no place for ads?

Palmer: Sweet template, thanks for leaving ad space ;). Some things, I would prefer if you didnt use green, maby boring blues, lighter colors like light blues, light oranges, light reds, lght grays I dunno?, I like the body section alot the more games box etc. And I like the top with the 6 games thing. So if you could make those changes that would be great, and well see where it goes from there. Oh and also, can you take the monkey out of the logo, and change the logo some, I dont really like the logo text...


JUNEAU: Could you make it so the navigation is text based, and put some ads in there?


Very pleased so far, great job guys! :tup:

[ant1832]

Thanks for the feedback...I agree about the nav pics. I just kinda threw them up there to see if you liked the template. I left them out for now. If I make some new ones I'll add a new image later. For now I changed the font you didn't like and also opened up 3 spaces for ads. Let me know if you like this font better.

Version 2 (https://www.quickbase.com/up/8yqz5cte/g/r8/en/va/arcadeplay2.jpg)

**Edit-forgot to ask if there are specific size spaces you need for ads. I made the 3 w/ 3 different sizes. Let me know if you need others.

[moxsum]

Ya I like that font alot more. Improving :).


Read my original post for the ad sizes... :blink: :lol:

[Palmer]

<!--QuoteBegin-moxsum+Sep 20 2003, 03:13 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (moxsum @ Sep 20 2003, 03:13 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Ya I like that font alot more. Improving :).


Read my original post for the ad sizes... :blink: :lol: [/b][/quote]
I do not see anything about ad sizes on the first message. :unsure:

[marengo]

Remember guys, I would prefer if the navigation was text, rather then graphics. The design most also allow space for a 120 x 600 sky scraper ad, and a 468 x 60, or a 720 x 90 ad, like www.reallyfunarcade.com.

not 1st post, but 1st page :P

[Palmer]

Thanks! :tup:

[LalitB]

Here's my entry

[moxsum]

Thanks for your submission prelude785

Ok guys I would like to refocus here a little bit. I like all of your templates, but I think they seem a little bit childish (not in a bad way lol, I mean like you know!).

I like the designs of www.reallyfunarcade.com, www.gamesquared.com alot. All designs must have space for a 120 x 600 Sky Scraper, and a 468 x 60, or 728 x 90 banner ad. Thanks for taking your time to design these templates :D.

I dont like green, yellow, or orange!

[moxsum]

Also it would help if you could show a sub page...

[marengo]

sorry for delay, moxsum! I'll post my entry today later :tup:

[marengo]

No green, no orange! My entry here. (http://marengo.neopages.net/arcadeplay/3.htm) :) Any modifications are possible.
Thanks!
Nat

[LalitB]

Updated with subpage - http://www.eyeseedesigns.com/arcadeplay/entry2.jpg
http://www.eyeseedesigns.com/arcadeplay/sub.jpg

[moxsum]

Maby you guys could try using a joy stick in the logo? But a good looking one, like a clipart one you know...

prelude785- those are improvements :)

marengo- hmm, to me that template looks to much like a template for a gaming site (not a games site like mine, like one about video games)..

Sorry guys for not jumping on any one of your templates, but nothings really caught my eye yet.. sorry :(

[marengo]

<!--QuoteBegin-moxsum+Sep 21 2003, 09:01 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (moxsum @ Sep 21 2003, 09:01 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> marengo- hmm, to me that template looks to much like a template for a gaming site (not a games site like mine, like one about video games)..
[/b][/quote]
nevermind.

[moxsum]

UPDATE:
http://www.GamePlayOnline.com is online again!

And, I have an idea for the way it could be designed.. Maby it could be like http://www.SomethingAwful.com where the title is like on the top border and then there could be a joy stick next to it? Just a possibility, but then maby it would be to similar I dunno.

[marengo]

<!--QuoteBegin-moxsum+Sep 21 2003, 09:19 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (moxsum @ Sep 21 2003, 09:19 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> UPDATE:
http://www.GamePlayOnline.com is online again!

[/b][/quote]
Sorry, there is no gfx in this site. There are : tables, css + content . It depends on owner only.

Btw, this CSS code works with many bugs in Mozilla/Opera + horizontal scrolling @800*600.

[LalitB]

How's this - http://www.eyeseedesigns.com/arcadeplay/template2.jpg

[Palmer]

drone.solutions read your private messages. Do not post any more messages in the contest threads.

[AutomatikStudios]

awe mo...thanks for saying my arcade site is one you like alot :D ....anywho....im really gonna attempt to put something on this contest before it's over...honestly...i really am... :rolleyes:

[Severner]

Im working on something on something ill probally have it up some time tommrow (tuesday) :)

[Severner]

Design so far, what do you think...

Here it is (http://www.elusionstudios.com/clients/ap/)

[moxsum]

I like that Severner, although I dont see to much space for ads. Could you show me a sub page for that?

[Palmer]

I just wanted to post a note in regards to the fact that a lot of the designers (myself included) are using various text and other elements like the pictures of the games (Duck Hunt for example) from some of the sites you linked us to. Those items are simply an easy way for us to put in placeholder images and some real text instead of Lorem ipsum etc. Obviously you would need to change these minor things when you go live with your site to avoid copyright infringement claims.

The main elements of the designs are completely original and do not need replaced. Just wanted to get that out in the open so you would know some of us took shortcuts. :)

[moxsum]

Right :).

[Severner]

Sub page + possible places to add adverts.

here it is! (http://elusionstudios.com/clients/ap/sub.html)

[JUNEAU]

Hey moxsum here's a template with new layout and a skyscraper ad including room for a banner across the top. :)

<img src='http://home.earthlink.net/~bob_marley/designoutpost/images/arcadeplay.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

:nerd:

[moxsum]

Hey JUNEAU I like that template alot, good job! Does it expand with the page, like do you use %'s or is it fixed, I would like to look at both? and, could you put a 468 x 60 banner up top somewhere? maby alongside the logo? Overall I really like it, I think it could use some small changes, but overall A+, you may be the winner :D.

[moxsum]

Can you make the middle section a little bigger, so that the skyscraper takes up the same amount of space as the nav on the left, you know. Make them all even.

[JUNEAU]

It's a fixed width but can be expanded to whatever size you want. Right now it's 700 width.
Sure I'll make the changes you requested when I get out of class tonight.

[Severner]

Nice Juneau certainly the best one here so far :)

[JUNEAU]

Modified version
Feedback please

B)

<img src='http://home.earthlink.net/~bob_marley/designoutpost/images/aRCADEpLAY4.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />


:wee:

[moxsum]

Perfect.

* Drum Roll *
And the winner is:

JUNEAU

Great job JUNEAU you really got what I wanted. Everything is perfect, however I may ask you to do some fiddling with the logo. Also, who splices it up? you? or what?

I would like to thank everyone who spent time creating a template for this contest.

[moxsum]

Oh and, I would like to see it with %'s and with a fixed width of like 730-740. Thanks.

[JUNEAU]

:clap: Thanks moxsum!

Sure contact me via private message and we'll take care of the details.

:tup:

[marengo]

Congratz, JUNEAU! :tup: Really nicely done! :)

[Palmer]

It's interesting how we all kind of "share the wealth" in the template contests. There isn't any particular designer that has a majority of the wins. I like that :)