ExplosiveGFX

Forum URL: ExplosiveGFX - The definitive source for graphics enthusiasts!

Forum Name: ExplosiveGFX

Launch Date: 06-11-2009

Posts/Threads/Members: Members: 446, Threads: 677, Posts: 1,977,

Forum Software: vBulletin

Description: ExplosiveGFX is aiming to become one of the biggest resources for graphics enthusiasts, we have many tutorials, brushes and such for a variety of platforms (not just ps) and are getting many more. We're in daily contact with DeviantART authors who allow us to post their tuts on our site, as well as some of them even joinign up and posting them themselves. The site is ever growing, and when you register, ad's disappear.

Other Info/Points of Interest: We are making use of the Article Forums mod for our tutorials section, and the layout is fantastic. I also use this site to develop my plugins and products for vBulletin, so this site gets unique mods first.

Want a review on content, style and what I can improve. General All round review.

 

I dont like all of the information at the top before hitting the forums, not all of it I would say is needed. I am not keen on the over use of the diagonal stripe pattern either. Maybe keep it minimal for more effect? Im not sure why but I get more of a gaming forum feel when I see it, not so much a graphics forum.

 

What makes you see gaming forum? and information as you are at the top? The guest notices and such, or...?

 

I wonder the same thing...

 

I think it looks good, but I agree it doesn't really look like a GFX forum to me, more of a tech or wrestling one.

When I think of GFX forums I think of light/bright colors... blues, purples, greens, yellows etc, rather than greyish colors. (mainly talking about font colors, and table headers etc)

And I think Michael means the notices and welcomes at the top. At the moment you've got pretty much three guest messages.

Just my opinion

 

Yeah, I just logged out and noticed >.> As you can probably guess I don't log out much

Edit: Aaaand fixed

 

Looks much better

 

When I read explosive, I expected to see colors, lots of colors!

 

Kinda hard to make a skin with alot of colours, but looks good. I'm in talks with a designer to see what we can do.

 

How about something a bit more detailed, then? The color is boring.

 

First Impression: And this is supposed to be a Graphic site? Not impressed.

Forum Content​

Quantity of forums: I think it’s too much, besides, it’s a graphics forum yet the order of the forum fails to state so? Video games and off-topic before the actual purpose of the site? I think you should define the focus of the site, if it’s about graphics put the graphic section above anything else.

Content: There are more threads on feed than in the actual discussions? The graphic discussion only contains four threads yet the off-topic contains actually the most posts on your forum, disregarding the intro. Again, I don’t see actual graphic discussions. I see many ads, which is not something I would expect on a design site.

Forum Design​

Favicon: I see none, it would have been nice.

On, off, lock icon: Default with the theme, doesn’t seem original same with the post icons.

Design: How can you make a site, call yourself a designer, yet not be creative enough to make YOUR own site be you? The site has a pre-made skin, you’re using a pre-made skin, you used the PSD from the skin to make yourself a logo of the star and it really doesn’t look good. Actually, while I visited your site I got bored and yes, I looked at a couple of threads, but the design bored me to death, not a graphics site. A couple of CSS changes and some graphics here and there don’t make it, unless of course you make a really good logo, it’s not attractive to say the least. The site has ads all over it, even on the first post, that doesn’t help the design, makes it look busy and ugly, plus why would you need so much ads unless the only reason you have a GFX site is to get money?

Here’s what I think, you should get something UNIQUE, it’s your site, make it. I don’t understand how people who call himself a graphic designer can’t design his own site yet he releases designs, really hard to believe.
Some of the icons have dither, your site is not validated both CSS and HTML.

Overall Impression: Not impressed at all, I would expect a graphics site to be more live and more personalized by the person who makes it, you have way too many ads, and not much focus on what the site is supposed to be, Graphic Designing. Try to focus more on graphic designing and not on off-topic and introductions. Sorry if I sound harsh, but saying ‘it looks awesome there are no errors’ won’t make you a better designer.

Opinion as a designer: If I were to buy a pre-made skin for a MyBB forum knowing I can make my own MyBB skin just because I am not creative enough to make my own, I shouldn’t be designing. When a designer makes their own site, they are supposed to make a little bit of you convey, it’s a design site, let the world see WHY you think you’re suitable to start one, at this moment, I see that you’re not.

 

Could have something graphically related. Even having custom images for your status icons would go a long way. As it is, I don't see anything on the site at first glance that shouts graphics or enthusiasm. It looks like a corporate support site.

 

There is one. What browser are you using, cos I see a favicon (.). As for your designer comments, I've never claimed to be a designer (on this site).

The Advertisement comments, yes there were too many, and I've removed some.

Rest of the comments, related to skin, I'm working on, thing is, I see these graphics sites, and they're all dark. I don't want a dark themed site, I want a lighter themed one, but light makes people think corporate.

So, I'm working on it.

 

You say make vBulletin skins claim it your own, last time I knew designers were the ones who made skins. You have a design site and you don't call a designer then wtf?, last time I knew, designers make graphic/web design sites.

Also, I am using opera, safari and FF and I see no favicon. Oh and dark designs can work if a designer makes it work, light design makes it work if the designer makes it work.

 

Not dark and not corporate:

Web Designer Wall - Design Trends and Tutorials
ilovecolors
Purple, Rock, Scissors | Orlando Web Design Company | New York Web Design
kulturbanause blog
Ecoki | The Eco-Lifestyle Community
IconDock - The Art of Stock Icons
Air Canada's enRoute Film Festival 2009 (little dark but changes each year)

Maybe a little inspiration for you.

 

Actually he has a Graphics site. Graphics are used in video, print and marketing media outside of websites. He can know Graphic Design and not be a Web Designer. In fact most Graphic Designers probably know little to nothing about Web Design.

 

That's why I mentioned Graphic/web design, Wayne. His site is about Graphic design but has vB skins made by him which also could say that the site is about Web Design as well, since they discuss webmaster related designs.

http://explosivegfx.com/forum/webmasters-designers-lounge-f27.html

 

There isn't any web design in those styles. They are the default vBulletin templates with different colors, backgrounds, and icons. All can be done in a stock vBulletin system without know anything about web design.

 

I figured. You're right then, I still think that if he has design knowledge he's include graphics that do make it look unique.

I will re-make my question: How can you make a graphic design site yet include no kind of graphics what so ever?

Thought maybe his skills are still limited to what he has now.

 

Harsh, but a review I'd want. All the points Fullmetalbabe made are valid. Your site is dull, Mikey. I see nothing that screams "I'm a graphic design site!" Further more, had I not known your site is a graphic design one, I'd be lost. Well, because like Fullmetalbabe mentioned, all of your posts are in forums that are not relevant to your genre.

You can also chop down on the amount of forums you have. You have a Market Zone with no content - why have it? Forums with no posts turn off potential members. Then you have the Resource Library. It's empty - or partially empty. Why do you have a redirect link the middle of your forum index? Signature of the Week, Picture of the Week, Render of the Week, Design of the Month and Signature battles are not needed especially when you barely have participants. Use Signature of the Week for now. That leads us to the Feeds forum - why is there one? Why not create a Graphic News forum inside of the Off-topic forum? Honestly, I can list so many flaws - so many, I really cannot find the time to tell you.

Here is an ideal layout:

ExplosiveGFX Lobby
-News and Updates
--Feedback Zone
---Introductions

Graphics Zone
-Graphic Discussion - (sub forum - Resource Library ((use tags here for different resources; renders, tutorials, brushes, etc)) - subforum - Graphic News)
--Showroom (use the tags modification so that you don't have to use so many sub forums.)
---Graphic Requests (use tags to distinguish completed and not completed - paid and free)
----Signature of the Week (subforum - Archive)

Market Zone
-Buy or Sell (like AdminAddict's marketplace/connect, you tags like they are - Request, Selling, Trade, Freebie, etc)

Done... You don't have to use my suggestions, but do something of the sort to eliminate unnecessary forums. At the footer, add the redirect link, or at the end of the index add the link. Can you possibly add Signature of the Week in the header, in the right hand corner? You should also remove the newscast elsewhere, maybe the bottom? Replace the Newscast where Signature of the week is? Really, personalize your site. I'm nearly sick of seeing every site with the same layout. Do something on your site that describes your personality.

I am using Firefox and I see the favicon.