Cafe Otaku - comment and criticize please

[Emeralda]

The forum has been up for a week now, and I tried to rush the design as much as I could. The main site still isn't up, but yeah, c&c on the forum please~

Link: http://cafeotaku.net/forum

Also, I think some things aren't visible for guests, and I won't be asking people to register just to comment on the forum, so here are some screenies:

http://img827.imageshack.us/img827/4...0799e73ae2.png <- Forumhome top
http://img607.imageshack.us/img607/6...a85b5ed6fb.png <- Forumhome bot
http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/5...0f5b484f7e.png <- Threadbit
http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/880...03fb857c4c.png <- postbit
http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/8...311a777b8d.png <- default no avatar
http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/7...3abbc946a8.png <- custom made music player using DewPlayer


I just tried to keep it simple and clean, while giving it an Otaku-like feel.

[setishock]

Anaconda was with the original animechain wasn't he? Lord I haven't been over there in a while...
Anyway about this one. I would suggest getting a lot more creative with those themes. Need some bling bling. For me it's just too plain. Anime sites are a dime a dozen and you'll need to find a nitch/gimmick to push to make yours unique. As for themes for sites like ours, there are none. Like I said you'll have to get creative with one. Except for the black and gray theme, and of course the default VB theme, I made all the rest.
I'm not sure if forum classic has the albums but if it does and you plan to use them, move them out in the file system. Otherwise the images will bloat the database so badly that doing a backup will take forever. Or use an external gallery system. I do. Best move I ever made.
At any rate, good luck with it.

[Emeralda]

I'm not into "bling bling" and flashiness, I prefer to keep it simple and elegant.

Anyway, updated the link after a move and some images.

[setishock]

Your embedded link on the icon fails to function. It just shows the icon. It doesn't go to the forum. I had to find you on Google.
I don't see any changes other than the name and the logo image.

[Max Taxable]

It looks nice to the eyes - although more than one register prompt is annoying. Keep the corner one and dump the black box one.

The animated favicon is cool and creative! The digital clock in the right hand side of the header rocks, and even had my correct time automatically!

Here's how it looks to devices:

http://www.webpagetest.org/result/120322_Q3_3PD83/

In the waterfall view, there's a 404 error on a javascript file called for:

http://www.webpagetest.org/result/12...D83/1/details/

For smart mobile browsers, the verdict is: Not good. Load time too slow and way too many kb for people's data plans.

Average Load Time 8.76s
Average Pagesize 996.14kb

http://www.blaze.io/mobile/result/?t...CP_245&src=wpt

You need a mobile browser detector that also assigns a "light" but full-featured skin to mobile devices.

Overall though, nice visual effect and interesting content material. Clean always sells.

[Emeralda]

Originally Posted by setishock

Your embedded link on the icon fails to function. It just shows the icon. It doesn't go to the forum. I had to find you on Google.
I don't see any changes other than the name and the logo image.

I've updated the images as well, rawr, I don't want to inconvenience people who wouldn't want to check the link >.<

Originally Posted by Max Taxable

It looks nice to the eyes - although more than one register prompt is annoying. Keep the corner one and dump the black box one.

The animated favicon is cool and creative! The digital clock in the right hand side of the header rocks, and even had my correct time automatically!

Here's how it looks to devices:

http://www.webpagetest.org/result/120322_Q3_3PD83/

In the waterfall view, there's a 404 error on a javascript file called for:

http://www.webpagetest.org/result/12...D83/1/details/

For smart mobile browsers, the verdict is: Not good. Load time too slow and way too many kb for people's data plans.

Average Load Time 8.76s
Average Pagesize 996.14kb

http://www.blaze.io/mobile/result/?t...CP_245&src=wpt

You need a mobile browser detector that also assigns a "light" but full-featured skin to mobile devices.

Overall though, nice visual effect and interesting content material. Clean always sells.

*takes notes on the register prompt*

I actually forgot where it was stored before >.<

Tapatalk removed, no idea what it was. What else to remove, hmm...

Where could I get a mobile browser detector? Or should I just use the vB's native options?

[Max Taxable]

Originally Posted by Emeralda

I've updated the images as well, rawr, I don't want to inconvenience people who wouldn't want to check the link >.<



*takes notes on the register prompt*

I actually forgot where it was stored before >.<

Tapatalk removed, no idea what it was. What else to remove, hmm...

Where could I get a mobile browser detector? Or should I just use the vB's native options?

If it is native to vB4 I would use it. For 3, it's a add-on.

Then you want to get yourself a slim skin, mine for mobile is only 150kb total but has all the AJAX and js features, and assign that style to the mobile detect.

But I think you've done a nice job on your board, looks-wise. The creativity and good taste shines through.

[Emeralda]

You think the default Mobile style that came with 4.1.11 would do? I mean, some colours here and there, doing some custom images, it might pass I think?

[Max Taxable]

Originally Posted by Emeralda

You think the default Mobile style that came with 4.1.11 would do? I mean, some colours here and there, doing some custom images, it might pass I think?

Might could, can't hurt to try it, then you can re-run the same mobile test I linked earlier.

[wtricks]

I can still 'feel' it's a VB4, but you've done some great customization to it. And the menu, which is horrible most of the time, was so nicely integrated in your header. Really good job