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I've been working on a front page update. Here's a link to the update I'm working on before I finalize it and make it the official front page:
TMVL UNITED / Front Page (olmec.org)
My process starts with things like: I want the ability to show/update recruiting results/comments (picking a random "lot") like in MSWL United...
...and then that leads to me making some updates and adding some tabs. So here's what I've updated.
Logos
I revamped this a little. I made them smaller to get back some real estate on the front page (and other pages when I implement it fully). But I also added the conference to differentiate that a bit.
YOUR Team Logo and Dashboard
I put those on the same level as the logos to line that up a little better.
Match Listing (prior or upcoming session)
This part picks a random match from the just completed session (if within like 24 -48 hours I think) or the upcoming session).
I revamped this a bit to add logos and clarify if a team is AT another team or VS another team. VS means neutral...at means there's a home court. I like seeing the logos as the abbreviations don't help me a lot but I can find the logos (unless you are one of the 17 of 32 teams that have a green logo). 
LEFT COLUMN
Not a lot of change here...kept the forum...kept the stats (but cleaned up some css) and dropped the Recruiting listing, not sure it was meaningful.
MIDDLE COLUMN
Added 3 tabs: Bracket, Blog, Team News
Of the above, there's a random number to determine which tab shows. You can click another tab to show something else.
Added the Recruiting Comments section below that (I guess it could have been a 4th tab too). That's, again, something I wanted to add for a while.
RIGHT COLUMN - RANKINGS
I put all the rankings in this section. We have 4:
- Coaches Poll
- NET
- ELO
- Recruiting
I tried to move the comments to the bottom and may work on aligning those better so there's a coach photo on the left and the right has the comment, coach name, date on the right.
Same as middle column. One of the rankings gets randomly selected and shown. You can pick all the others and show them.
WHAT WAS REMOVED
The recruiting/how many teams recruiting on the bottom left was removed. Make your case that you want it back and I will review.
But also the COMMENTS WALL was removed. I can revamp a little to perhaps add that back. I know some of you like using it. And I may be able to adjust column widths to fit it in, but please make your case so I have a feel for your interest.
FUTURE STUFF
When one of you volunteers (and I will consult with you) to create the team of the week, that will appear in one of the columns. And again, we can work back in the Comments Wall as needed. What other front page ideas do you have? I'd like to know.
SUMMARY
There's a tendency to not like any changes, but put that aside and evaluate and let me know. I'm asking for feedback before I finalize this and it becomes the front page.
Thank you!
Readers Comments
I also like it Al. Has a very clean feel to it. I'd like to keep the Comments Wall - if nothing else it's useful to know John's current state of mind. Perhaps add it as a fourth tab in the middle column?
I love the use of logos in the match listing. Much easier to see who's who.
Thanks for the feedback so far. I look around at "real" sports websites and I liked seeing the logos so stole that idea. Glad you liked it Jason. I do too. And its hard to remember all the abbreviations. :-)
I'll see what I can do Roger just based on your "you never know what John will write next" comment. It is true! :-)
Please keep the comments coming.
And I do really need someone to take the lead on the Team of the Week feature (from another thread). Even if you don't like numbers, I will collaborate with you and help. Please volunteer if you can.
Can I make a case for including the team nickname in the hovertext over the team logo? It really looks nice in the new format. Like Roger said, it's a very clean feel, and the organization is more natural. A place for everything and everything in its place, and all that. I use the comment wall less than others, so I'm indifferent to that issue.
Thoughts, take them or leave them:
1. I love the new logo layouts and the scores screen. I might suggest switching up the scores boxes to go
div Logo 1 Logo 2 /div
div QRM @ SVB /div
div Preview /div
div 14 Notes /div
so the logos and the team names are on the same line, and center aligning the top two divs - might look nicer.
2. I don't actually like the new tabbed format. The site is already a bit difficult on mobile with my fat fingers and it's much easier to just scroll down to get everything you need than to click tabs. The problem isn't the tabs themselves, it's that the divs that use the tabs are going to be too small to tab between on mobile.
My goal when designing my game is to minimise clicks, and the problem with the new site is that you now have to click to find not-irrelevant-but-not-that-important information, such as the blog posts, meaning that it won't be clicked or viewed as much. I'm less fussed with the rankings tabs to be honest, and I might put the team news on the first tab instead of the bracket, as it's more likely team news will be updated/viewed. I think you might be able to merge the team news and the blog long term as well.
3. I like the recruiting tab but I think you should also add the # of teams recruiting and a link to the recruiting page underneath it. I don't really look at who's up for grabs this week on the main page, but I like seeing the # of teams and using it as a navigation tool. Maybe pick one player who's being recruited and show who has bid on them so far and slap that underneath the last week's recruiting?
4. I'm pro comment wall, it's easy recruiting points.
I like the logos in the fixtures box
I don't like the extra click to view blogs/team news and this could mean a drop in the use of one/both because I am lazy and I can't instantly see them without a click.
I also like the new Conference lay out at the top.
Nice :)
Al - have emailed you some thoughts about team of the week.
I love the grouping of like things (Bracket / Blog / Team News) (Rankings). I approve of removing the Recruiting from the main page. And I really like the Conference breakdown at the top.
It looks really good, although all over to the left. I cannot work out if this is just me an my browser though.
As a suggestion instead of the comments wall - could you have a log of recent comments and maybe a link to that comment? For example
"James commented on CWH vs COL"
"John commented on Recruiting"
No idea how easy this is or indeed whether anyone thinks it has value.
Can I make a case for including the team nickname in the hovertext over the team logo?
This will be added in the next update for all the teams by conference at the very top.
I also like it Al. Has a very clean feel to it. I'd like to keep the Comments Wall - if nothing else it's useful to know John's current state of mind. Perhaps add it as a fourth tab in the middle column?
Keeping this just for John (and his state of mind). This is already in the latest "test" version.
I will see what I can do with John's feedback to see if I can integrate anything else (besides re-adding the comments wall).
I was reading the italicized text above about team names and hovertext, and I was thinknig to myself "wow, that's a great idea. That is super useful." Took me ten seconds to realize Al was quoting my earlier comment, lol.
Front page now updated with some changes:
- Added tabs for some organization. I may adjust that further or remove some over time. The choice within a tab is randomly selected each time you come in.
- Added Team of the Week (and ability to comment; and ability to get 5 RP to comment)
- Added in Recruiting Results
- Kept upcoming recruiting
- Added in a "random match of the day" so you can see or add some comments (I still have a little more to do in that area)
- Adjusted a couple of areas to use the coaches "hat" image...