New Graal Website

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by LoneAngelIbesu

*sigh* You guys are insufferable, first of all, all of you that derail every thread with CJ-bashing.

Anyways. Designing a good game website is not that hard. "Apply careful market research"? Don't complicate things with that jargon.

If Graal is a medieval-style fantasy game, get some blood-crusted axes, wood textures, some metal, and put it all together. If it's a Zelda clone, use some bright colors (light blues, greens, yellows) and simple textures - nothing too detailed - sans-serif font, preferably Trebuchet MS. If it's a gang-style game, get some vector Uzis, use lots of grey and black, pictures of mob bosses, etc.

Now you just have to decide which route to take. The trouble here is that Graal is not the game. Era, Zodiac, UN, Valikorlia, etc. are the game, and none of them have a single unifying characteristic. Since those servers are so different, you can't include everybody, so you're going to have to go with a single part of Graal. I would personally prefer the Zelda-clone style.

I'm suggesting careful steps are taken to ensure the future growth of Graal Online as a business and an Online Community. If you're not prepared for that commitment then you must really enjoy Graal in the current state.




I'm honestly surprised that a member, unsatisfied with the existing knee-jerk style of management, would honestly dismiss careful consideration when discussing future paths for Graal Online. It's almost an anti-suggestion.

[LoneAngelIbesu]

Originally Posted by Stephen

I'm suggesting careful steps are taken to ensure the future growth of Graal Online as a business and an Online Community. If you're not prepared for that commitment then you must really enjoy Graal in the current state.

I'm honestly surprised that a member, unsatisfied with the existing knee-jerk style of management, would honestly dismiss careful consideration when discussing future paths for Graal Online. It's almost an anti-suggestion.

It's a website design, not a business plan. All the "market research" needed was just provided in my last post. It's really not as complicated as you want to make it sound.

Thanks for the neg rep, though. *passive aggressive +1*

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by LoneAngelIbesu

It's a website design, not a business plan. All the "market research" needed was just provided in my last post. It's really not as complicated as you want to make it sound.

The website represents the marketing plan (or "business plan") which they're approaching. Sort self explanatory that one should follow the other.

Originally Posted by LoneAngelIbesu

Thanks for the neg rep, though. *passive aggressive +1*

My pleasure.

[LoneAngelIbesu]

Originally Posted by Stephen

The website represents the marketing plan (or "business plan") which they're approaching. Sort self explanatory that one should follow the other.

No, no. Not really. Do you really think a typical website design firm employs "careful market research" when designing websites for clients? I suppose they do, if you consider (a) knowing current design trends and (b) knowing website archetypes "careful market research". Using jargon like that just overcomplicates things.

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by LoneAngelIbesu

No, no. Not really. Do you really think a typical website design firm employs "careful market research" when designing websites for clients?

While I read that my jaw dropped.



The answer is - YES - of course they do!

Originally Posted by LoneAngelIbesu

Using jargon like that just overcomplicates things.

FYI

[LoneAngelIbesu]

Originally Posted by Stephen

The answer is - YES - of course they do!

I have yet to run in to a typical design firm that spends weeks of doing market research, typing of pages and pages of webdesign analysis, so on and so forth. That is what "careful market research" implies -- something tediously professional, requiring some kind college degree to do it correctly. Obviously not something any of us can do. (But who knows, maybe things have changed since the last time I spoke to a webdesigner.)

All we need to know is that WoW is a medieval fantasy game, and thus has an interface using many textures. Zelda is a light-hearted, simply designed game, and thus the website has plenty of light colors and simple patterns. From there, your own creativity and knowledge of design trends are what you use.

Originally Posted by Stephen

FYI

Congratulations.

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by LoneAngelIbesu

I have yet to run in to a typical design firm that spends weeks of doing market research, typing of pages and pages of webdesign analysis, so on and so forth. That is what "careful market research" implies -- something tediously professional, requiring some kind college degree to do it correctly. Obviously not something any of us can do. (But who knows, maybe things have changed since the last time I spoke to a webdesigner.)

The company does their market research and the design company will propose designs based on the research results.

Some design companies do research their selves and sell market strategies to a business as a complete package (becoming much more popular). I'm not sure why we're discussing this, especially when the very first sentence of your initial post was to scold people for going off topic.




Essentially what I'm suggesting is a minimum of research and consideration should be done before a course of action is decided upon. I've done some research with Google Ads and tracking gameplay, but I don't think it's enough to suggest any serious direction.

[Rufus]

Originally Posted by LoneAngelIbesu

I have yet to run in to a typical design firm that spends weeks of doing market research, typing of pages and pages of webdesign analysis, so on and so forth. That is what "careful market research" implies -- something tediously professional, requiring some kind college degree to do it correctly. Obviously not something any of us can do. (But who knows, maybe things have changed since the last time I spoke to a webdesigner.)

He is kind of on the right track, but I think because of the way he's wording things and because he isn't really going into depth of what he is suggesting it's coming across as unnecessary. Websites are a major tool in marketing, so things like debating on what kind of market it should target does really need to be researched, you can't just assume. Perhaps Stephen should elaborate on what he means by "careful market research" rather than you two bouncing off each other.

[WhiteDragon]

Originally Posted by LoneAngelIbesu

I have yet to run in to a typical design firm that spends weeks of doing market research, typing of pages and pages of webdesign analysis, so on and so forth. That is what "careful market research" implies -- something tediously professional, requiring some kind college degree to do it correctly. Obviously not something any of us can do. (But who knows, maybe things have changed since the last time I spoke to a webdesigner.)

I know some of the people that work at these places, and people who have been clients. They say that research is easily the biggest part of the process.
Clear Left
Happy Cog
37signals

And naturally, there are also the "careful market research"-esque, professional, and college degree holding Nielsen Norman Group, who are dedicated to UX and Web Development.


I believe any successful website is entirely dependent on research. Whether that research is "careful market research", professional, and college-degree-requiring, or is just spending time thinking about who you're targeting and how they will use the website, or if there is even a difference... you'll have to figure that out.


In my opinion, the direction on the website will inevitably have to go with how CJ plans on marketing Graal -- as one game, separate games, for players, or for developers -- if at all.