New (old style) front page layout coming

CheapyD

CheapyD

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We are going back to a traditional blog format, as it will be easier for us to get new content on the front page. The goal is to have a few new items a day, whether its game deals, game shopping news (or other news that affects CAGs), a great forum post, a CAG run contest, your editorials/features, etc...

We will be adding a category feature so that it will be easy for users to find past materials.

I will also be allowing Moderators (and perhaps select non-moderator CAGs) the ability to add items to the front page.
 
So far, I am not enjoying this new style in the least bit. Perhaps in a day or two of getting used to it, but at the moment I think it look awful and just clutters the front page more.

Edit: Nothing against defender, Cheapy, the mods, or anyone that helps with this great site (as I should by now ;)) I find the new front page very very messy and ugly.
 
I don't like having the Featured part in the middle. It would be better under the news and latest posts, going across instead of up/down. It seems very cluttered and out of place the way it is now.
 
Ad-bar smack dab in the middle of the page seems poorly placed. Try it on the right side of the screen, or somewhere else.

It's kind of tough to design, because you're incorporating blog entries with forum posts (and then with ads). Joystiq kind of has the whole blog/ad combo down, and its displayed in a way that's easy on the eyes.

CAG used to have the whole blog/forum thing down, but the ads were pretty much out of sight (which I'm guessing is bad for business).

But yeah, something needs to happen with that ad bar.
 
I thought the ad bar in the center column would be an improvement as you wouldn't have to scroll as much to get to all the latest message board posts.

I do need to have an ad unit above the fold, though.
Of course I will take all suggestions into account.

The important part is that the front page will be updated much more frequently, especially when we give moderators (and perhaps others) ability to post articles.
 
That whole center has got to go. I'm about 5 minutes from blocking it in my browser. Its very cluttered.

I just looked at the page with IE, I don't normally see the Google ads. I'm glad I adblocked those... Wow.

Looking at the front page, theres some unused real estate in the top right corner. Couldn't something go there, maybe the "featured" or "archive" parts? Maybe the "latest posts" could go back to being not sorted by section, just the latest 10 posts from wherever. That would free up some room in the bottom right corner. If you had the blog area on the left, and the new posts on the right, with nothing in between, there would be a nice big chunk in that bottom right corner, above the fold.

I know ads need to be featured prominently on the page, but the more intrusive they are, the more it turns people off to the site.
 
dafoomie is right; that middle column (featured/coupon/ads) is just too much of an eyesore. It really makes the frontpage look cluttered. I actually never even used the coupon links or anything, so I never saw a purpose for them myself. *shrugs*
 
[quote name='dafoomie']That whole center has got to go. I'm about 5 minutes from blocking it in my browser. Its very cluttered.

I just looked at the page with IE, I don't normally see the Google ads. I'm glad I adblocked those... Wow.

Looking at the front page, theres some unused real estate in the top right corner. Couldn't something go there, maybe the "featured" or "archive" parts? Maybe the "latest posts" could go back to being not sorted by section, just the latest 10 posts from wherever. That would free up some room in the bottom right corner. If you had the blog area on the left, and the new posts on the right, with nothing in between, there would be a nice big chunk in that bottom right corner, above the fold.

I know ads need to be featured prominently on the page, but the more intrusive they are, the more it turns people off to the site.[/quote]

I whole heartedly agree. They have just gotta go. I dunno, maybe I'll (or someone with more time on their hands) will create a GreaseMonkey script that removes it or something, or maybe I'll finally have a use to test out Aardvark and remove it. No offense against you cheapy as you run an impeccable site, but that frontpage definitely needs to be worked on and pronto.
 
Ok, I hear ya....
The immediate goal was to get off the "box format" so I could start getting more new content on the page at a faster pace.
I will see what I can do.

[quote name='evilmax17'] Joystiq kind of has the whole blog/ad combo down, and its displayed in a way that's easy on the eyes.[/quote]
Really? If you guys would let me get away with that, I would do cartwheels down the street. They got ads up the wazoo!
 
I think Joystiq's layout is fine. The ads look like they are part of the layout design. I hated those DLP ads they ran on the site for a while, but apart from that I can't really complain. The content is grouped together and easy to read. I prefer Kotaku's use of ads (or lack thereof), but I understand ads are there for a rea$on.

You should check all your links on the front page to make sure they are up to date. There's no greater buzzkill than a broken link.
 
The center is a little distracting, but it's not THAT bad. I consider it "necessary" so that Cheapy can earn a little revenue to keep this site going.
 
To be honest I just stopped going to the front page, and began hopping right into the forums. I've been visiting the front a bit more now though with the change. Good idea!
 
[quote name='CheapyD']
Really? If you guys would let me get away with that, I would do cartwheels down the street. They got ads up the wazoo![/QUOTE]
I like their format. And if you would really be making more money that way I say do it.
 
Radical idea, but what about moving the adbar to the far right? That way it would group the content together and keep the advertising in sight but out of the way.
 
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