View Full Version : The New Look of HCRealms
Over a year has passed since HCRealms bursted onto the HeroClix scene. Since then , we have quickly become the leading resource for everything 'HeroClix'. With Indy'clix just months away from launch, we figured it was time for a change. This change is more than just cosmetic. With it comes a variety of new functionality that we have been working on for the past few months. We will also be adding to/modifying HCRealms in the [very] near future.
We hope you will join us in this next step. And please let us know if you run into any problems with the new HCRealms.com. Thanks!
Psylockeslover
03/21/2003, 00:59
despite the surprise, its a pretty cool look.....kinda dark for a game based on comics though....
Keep up the good work fellas!
Batman1983
03/21/2003, 01:02
much like the CCG realms. I like it just leave the DC poster up on the main page for awhile. I've saved it to my harddrive but it still looks cool when the main page loads.
Manchine
03/21/2003, 01:03
Yep have to say lighten up the background just a little. Other then that I jsut have to find where you hid all the buttons now.
It looks godd keep up the good work.
Psylockeslover
03/21/2003, 01:09
took me a while to find the 'edit' button.....but I'm good now...
PantherPriest
03/21/2003, 01:14
The panther approves
shin-goji
03/21/2003, 01:20
Jesus Tapdancing Christ. This website makes mine look like freshly squeezed lemon sours! The design is fantastic. Great job guys!!!!!!
So when do I get my donation bar, eh?
Sh'gubgub
03/21/2003, 01:26
Weird...and strangely arousing. Give me time to adjust, because I had grown so fond of the old design, like a favorite pair of sneakers that just seem to wrap around you. But hey, new smilies!:grin:
shin-goji
03/21/2003, 01:27
This is a new pair of sneakers with flashy glowie lights!!!
Psylockeslover
03/21/2003, 01:28
Originally posted by Sh'gubgub
But hey, new smilies!:grin:
I think that about says it all....
Sh'gubgub
03/21/2003, 01:30
Don't you kind of feel like this is a site for work now. It's all...professional, and stuff. And why can't I smily? :confused:
Manchine
03/21/2003, 01:30
Well one thing I noticed thats mess up is the time on the Hero Klix new release. Just to let ya know.
Sh'gubgub
03/21/2003, 01:33
Hey, the White Queen is saying "C'mere" and Superman is running to her, and Wolverine is saying "Hey, She's mine 'cuz she's a Marvel character!" and the Hulk is just mad enough to rip his shirt off...Hey, are there three Marvel characters because of the three sets and one DC character because only one DC set is in release? Will this change with CJ? Hmnh...
Batman1983
03/21/2003, 01:34
:) :( :o :grin: ;) :p :cool: :rolleyes: :mad: :eek: :confused: :knockedou :cheeky: :cross-eye :ermm: :noid: :sleep: :squareeye :classic: :devious: :surprised :angry: :cry: :disappoin :laugh: :nervous: :speechles :tired:
Sh'gubgub
03/21/2003, 01:34
What's a UserID?
Batman1983
03/21/2003, 01:35
ok that back fired
Sh'gubgub
03/21/2003, 01:37
Smilies don't work! That makes me :mad:
Psylockeslover
03/21/2003, 01:37
no smileys allowed on the "News Releases" threads....:angry:
Alonso99
03/21/2003, 01:41
The new design is cool, gosu!
Batman1983
03/21/2003, 02:05
Originally posted by Sh'gubgub
What's a UserID?
the order we joined?
I love it. Looks great, even love the amount of "darkness".:cool:
I like it, it is so much more organized looking then before. It is pretty cool.:squareeye
Veggiehater
03/21/2003, 03:50
Well gotta agree that the new look is cleaner and feels more professionally done. However I still find it weird, as others have pointed out, that we still have the dark backgrounds...
I really thought that when this site was revamped that it would have a similar colour scheme with the wizkidgames heroclix sites.
Other than that, I like it very much.
VH
Sorry but I think the new look looks worse. The banner is worse, the buttons are worse, the layout is worse. I especially miss the Spiderman banner. That was really slick and cool and was the signature look of HCRealms for me.
Andrew
MisterId
03/21/2003, 04:41
Yeah Ok The Spider-Man Logo Was Alright But This Is More Then Just Marvel... Its DC's And Indy's Space To And I Think that They Should Be Equaly Represented And Hope That They Update It Often. Also With The New Format It Helps Organize Everything Just A Little Bit Easier. And Thats All That Realmworks Is Trying To Do Is Make It Easy For The People To Use.
-E
I can say nothing but OUT OF THEME.
good for shadowrun, crimsonskies, and many others, but, unless you plan to focus on VERTIGO or ULTIMATES or similar, the mood is too dark, what will happen with indyclix? Crossgen and Top cow are colorful based comics, they could appear quite of place in a ash-blue and flat-grey site.
Really good work on the top, after one has found all the previous bits
MisterId
03/21/2003, 04:52
Actually I Nice Idea Would Maybe In The User CP Allow The Individual To Moderate There Own Color Theme. But With That Comes More Memory But Maybe In The Future That Is Something That They Are Thinking Of...
-E
metzgarob
03/21/2003, 04:56
i like it alot
rabidroadkill
03/21/2003, 11:48
And I was worried all morning that I couldn't get on. :grin:
Nice surprise. Keep up all the good work guys.
raphael76
03/21/2003, 11:51
Noticed a problem in the My Realms area. If you try and increase the qty value on a figure, the arrow doesn't work to increase. If you type in the number, it takes it, just the up and down arrros don't work for changing values.
Otherwise the design looks nice. Always good to switch it up.
Really neat. As said before, kinda dark for the comics. I love the new interface. Really great job. Especially the White Queen on the main page. She looks even more about to bust out! Really cool. Great job.
Yup.
That's right.
We rule.
:grin:
shin-goji
03/21/2003, 12:08
Yeah, this is definitely a massage parlor for the eye bones!
the_doughboy
03/21/2003, 12:16
Why doesn't it say Heros instead of Units?
shin-goji
03/21/2003, 12:17
Is it just my screen of does the Hulk graphic look choppy and seperated?
GoldenAge
03/21/2003, 12:17
The new functionality seems an improvement. However, I must agree with some of the previous comments about the site's cosmetics - too dark.
I've loved coming to HCRealms after plodding through other "cooler than cool" sites. It was a pleasure to get away from web pages that spent way too much time trying to look progressive and "neto". HCRealms had a clean, functional site that was easy to read and easily navigable.
Don't change too much just to look cool. It tends to be a distraction (for me).
:nervous:
Pleeezeee... make it go away!
I said it before, but this seems to be the "official" thread for this now. Heroclix is a "community" game. You have to sit down and play other real people! The previous version of the site felt more personal and community oriented. This look just feels cold and sterile.
Lots of people have said it... it's way to dark and "grim" of a look for a comics based game. Think of hero colors and you always think "bright". Sure, there are the punishers & batmans but that's not the first thing that springs to mind.
I also agree with warden about the buttons/links and layout being worse. What is the "User ID" for? What are the goofy looking symbols in the corners for? What happened to the location line? It's not as "easy" and shouldn't that be the point of change? To make things easier as well as better?
I'm not saying the old site didn't need some improvement/upgrades, but this definitely isn't it.
Personally, I don't like it at all.
webhead817
03/21/2003, 12:25
If any of you have checked out any of the newer Realms, you'll see they all have the same "footprint", which is nice, once you become familiar with where everything is, it will be in the same place on every other Realm you visit.
Personally, I like the ability to expand and collapse the forums, in the forum view. Oh, and to answer someone's question, the UserID is simply the member number, starting with 1 and 2 (Draddog and Typhon), and going all the way through 11 million or however many members we have these days. Oh, and the new smilies are a plus for sure! :noid:
Am I the only one getting a 'strobe' effect on the main page every time the second on the coundown clock switches?:confused:
I like the new look but I have afew comments.
The banner is a little *too* dark.
My other comment is this: Why chose the ugliest figure from the DC set? Sure, Superman is highly recognizable but so is Batman. Batman's Unique is beautiful, so why not him?
Those are my only constructive crticisms about the new look. Good job.
GamingRookie
03/21/2003, 12:31
Excellent.
Like the more condensed front page.
And having the Post Reply box on the page is a nice feature . . .
On second thought, this sucks big! It is too much to load and is way too graphic heavy. Us little peons with dial-up take almost 1-2 minutes for anything to load.
Basil Elks
03/21/2003, 12:43
The new look is dark, drab, & droll. I like it! :grin: :laugh:
where's the "search" button?
Originally posted by bigbird
where's the "search" button?
Good quetsion. There is a search bar at the top, but how do you search a particular forum? Like I said earlier about being "user friendly".... :(
Funky Jett
03/21/2003, 12:50
Originally posted by bigbird
where's the "search" button?
Top right of every page. Says, "Search for..." ;)
does look a little.......grey. and is it just me or is the system responding slower now? BUT! that bieng said, I am alway's up to try something new for a bit!
lukebuchanan
03/21/2003, 13:22
Kinda dark ain't it? Otherwise well done, nice to see some quality work.
LUKE SMASH
DS-00-0, FSD
03/21/2003, 13:33
Ghaaa.
I hate it. Too dark and colorless. It looks like an attempt to be like another site. The old look much better suited the Heroclix game.
raphael76
03/21/2003, 13:49
Still having some trouble in the My Realms section. If you try and do a search, based on cost, it doesn't return any values. I change to Less Than or Equal To, and then enter 44 points, and I get nothing back. I didn't set any other connectors or qualifiers. Might want to give the My Realms area another look.
CyberVenom
03/21/2003, 14:13
I like the new site for the most part. My only qualm? Change the blasted Xplosion symbol to the Xplosion symbol in the Units Section! This pineapple thing is getting irritating. :)
PsychoDBoy
03/21/2003, 14:15
Count me down as not bein a fan of the new style totally...well the only problem I have with it really is when I do a search at the top for my name, it doesn't return all the threads I've posted in, an have the newest replied ones at the top like it used to. Makes it a bit harder to track threads we mighta been payin attention to.
how do i search for member posts?
CyberVenom
03/21/2003, 14:40
What do I press so that I don't get email's when someone replies to a post? I know in the old HCRealm's, there was an actual button that you could turn off, but I can't seem to find it here.
The site was dead slow for me for a few days, but for an upgrade that's expected. Now maybe everyone can chip in a few donation bucks?
What's the best nation in the world? No, not Canada....
DO-NATION!
bullseye100
03/21/2003, 15:55
thank you for creating a site i can truly enjoy. over the past year i have come to know everyone on this web site as my computer brothers. I feel i can talk to them about anything...except love, money, freinds...mainly anything personal--maybe brothers was too strong of a word. How about distant cousins that i hardly see?
Hooray for HCRealms.
I like the new layout but the backround colors are more way too dark. Not thematiclly but functionally. The black text on the grey gradients is almost unreadable in places. PLease please please lighten up the backrounds some.
Tarnish
I don't like it. Specifically:
That little note icon at the top left of most posts to note the lack of subject is unnecessary. Very very few replies have subjects.
The misterious computer icon at the bottom right of all posts that is an administrators tool. Maybe there's a way to hide it for all execpt Moderators.
"Edit | Quote | Report" made more logical intuitive sense to be below each post rather than each member. You're not editing, quoting, or reporting on the member so much as you are on what they said.
"profile pm buddy" would make more sense below the member info. I'd switch the placement "Edit | Quote | Report" with "profile pm buddy" which I would uppercase.
Hide "UserID". No one cares what someone's number is. If they really need to know, they can click on profile. Unneccesary info clutters the screen and makes for a less enjoyable experience.
In general, in fact, I like the previous format. But, the following changes I partially like:
Quick Search bar: nice to have it there. Please add a quick way to pick a forum to search.
Changing "Warriors" to "Units" was a move in the right direction, but you should go all the way. "Units" is still more vague than "Figures". Always try to use the lingo that is most common to the user, and in HeroClix, "Figure" seems to be the term of choice. No one says "Unit Gallery". Everyone says "Figure Gallery".
Adding "post-reply" was nice. All the button options previously available should still be, like "Automatically parse URLs" (although does anyone use that?) "Email Notification" (very popular) "Disable Smilies in This Post" and "Show Signature" And you might as well change the name the "post reply" button to "advanced post reply".
When showing smilies available, might as well show all 28 rather than 25 of 28.
The new smilies look better. However, I'm sure I'm not alone in my sorrow to see the toothed broad smile :D replaced by that gaping maw.
I only give these comments because I love this site so much. Still faboo!
ShadowRaven
03/21/2003, 16:26
the raven likes!
CAW! CAW!
The junk on the left senselessly expands short posts. See?
The annoying metalic buttons in ALL CAPS (which is annoying in itself) below each post for PROFILE PM ME! (!?) and ADD BUDDY need to go back.
And, are you getting paid to post the AIM icon? I know AOL/Time Warner will pay developers to use their icons as it helps their market research.
The Sandman
03/21/2003, 16:46
Overall it's cool, just too dark.
Deathlok23
03/21/2003, 16:52
Overall, I think it looks a lot better than before. The best part? The HCRealms Banner is a crack up. Emma, you vixen you:laugh:
Basil Elks
03/21/2003, 17:00
Please change it back to the it was, it was more helpful. :( :cry: :disappoin :speechles
raphael76
03/21/2003, 17:03
Yet more trouble in the My Realms area. Now if you try to add a Non-affiliated unit to a created team, it doesn't give you the full list. It stops at Doc Samson and then quits, and none of the DC guys are showing up. Just trying to post this to help you out while you tweak the design, not compaining at all.
Thanks!:classic:
Typhon why can't vewe the units I did yererday!
I like it :laugh:
Please keep the pages light colored. Defintely don't go with the color scheme Wizkids uses on it's Forum Pages. It is difficult to read & find scroll arrows on dark backgrounds. Sorry my eye sight is going. Ramifications of getting old.
Being Dyslexic, the change has really "thrown" me. I had learnt (through more or less constant use) where everything was and what everything did.
I'm sure most stuff still works the same, I just have to type without looking directly at the screen (again...) It's obviously a good and proffesional job, but, rather like coca-cola, I prefered the original.
I know this is tied into the other cganges, eg CCGRealms etc, and, as I use MWRealms and will use CCGRealms, I can hardly complain, but this, HCRealms, is what I consider my "home" site, and someone just repainted the hallway and changed all the wallpaper while I was out...
That's how it feels anyway...
(Please be tolarent of my posts for the next few days, as there will consequently be more errors than usual...)
All the Best
Noman
Honestly, I liked the old one much better. But I hate change in general, I might get used to it in a week or two. :ermm:
Thanosied
03/21/2003, 19:50
I have to say I like it. I am going to spend a few minutes to check the differences. I like the way the borders are done it looks great. A little dark but I like dark, GREAT JOB ALL.
Thanosied
03/21/2003, 19:52
Is the EDIT option gone?
Ramplate
03/21/2003, 20:51
Colors are too bland for comic topic. Myrealms hard to see in places - add//subtract buttons don't work.
If your nostolgic for the old "look and feel", I found it under the "chat" menu! You can even get to the old search page from there!
Woo hoo! Of course it won't last for very long.... :(
We'll take everything under condiseration and make changes as needed. The structure is going to have to stay the same.. because it's easier for us to update the sites if they all are similar. The faster we can update sites... the better update this and every other RealmWorx site.
Originally posted by Typhon
We'll take everything under condiseration and make changes as needed.
I always hate comments like that. They always sound like "we will let 'em gripe for awhile until they quit complaining and learn to live with it". No offense Typhoon, but that's how it reads.
The structure is going to have to stay the same.. because it's easier for us to update the sites if they all are similar. The faster we can update sites... the better update this and every other RealmWorx site.
ACK!! Although I understand keeping things similar because it's easier to manage (going through a multi-million dollar project like that at work right now) that doesn't mean that similar to whatever is out there already is the best way of doing things. Maybe the other sites need to be changed to be more like this one? Which has the largest user base? Those are the people that should be catered to (please say it's us! ;) ).
I fully realize that nothing I say is going to change anything about this site. You guys like it this way or you wouldn't have done it. Therefore, I'm quite certain we will just have to live with it. But if you only do one thing.... pleeeezzzzeee change the colors!!! It's difficult to read the black-on-gray or grey-on-black styling you've got going on here.
skeevo666
03/21/2003, 23:34
just posting to see my user id, yeah sites a little dark but i'll get used to it . . .
skeevo666
03/21/2003, 23:36
sick :knockedou
p.s. #### 60 second rule
Still can't cope with the change - switched to my red "helps with the dyslexia" glasses, (red glass, x2.0 mag) but it still doesn't help much...
Colour is generaly too dark, text is too small, layout a bit confusing - I can't find stuff as fast...
but it does look very proffessional...
wish i'd saved a web page of the old layout...
All the Best
Noman
paladin72
03/22/2003, 12:36
It is a little dark, but overall it looks really good.
Is it just me or is this site having more trouble after the changes. Seriously, I couldn't get on yesterday afternoon nor this morning.
The only thing I don't like about the changes is the search command. I prefer to be able to search on the forums while lurking. :p
"Over a year has passed since HCRealms bursted onto the HeroClix scene."
I don't know if someone's already pointed this out, but bursted is not a word. I think you meant to say "burst onto the HeroClix scene." Spellcheck, GOOD!!
Also, while the smilies are cool, check out the forums at http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/
They have smilies, most of the X-Men and a dancing banana!! Dancing fruit is a must for all the hip forums!!!
:laugh:
The only thing I don't like about the changes is the search command. I prefer to be able to search on the forums while lurking. :p
"Over a year has passed since HCRealms bursted onto the HeroClix scene."
I don't know if someone's already pointed this out, but bursted is not a word. I think you meant to say "burst onto the HeroClix scene." Spellcheck, GOOD!!
Also, while the smilies are cool, check out the forums at http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/
They have smilies, most of the X-Men and a dancing banana!! Dancing fruit is a must for all the hip forums!!!
:laugh:
Originally posted by JoFo
Is it just me or is this site having more trouble after the changes. Seriously, I couldn't get on yesterday afternoon nor this morning.
Nope, it's not just you. It's been "out of commission" a few times since the change. When it is up and running, it's much slower than it was before. :disappoin
BruceWayne
03/22/2003, 22:12
Say, can anyone tell me why I get a bunch of "?" instead of images on the main page????
Even on the fast machines I use when "out of the house" the site was down for a lot of yesterday/today.
I still have trouble navigating around - and why can't I edit my new posts ?
AtB
Noman
I love it. The site needed a fresh new look and the way you guys did it, it is perfect. Keep up the hard work fellas.
I love it. The site needed a fresh new look and the way you guys did it, it is perfect. Keep up the hard work fellas.:laugh:
I love it. The site needed a fresh new look and the way you guys did it, its awesome. Keep up the hard work fellas.:laugh:
didn't mean to post twice. sorry!:ermm:
GraveyardGreg
03/23/2003, 07:18
I like it...except for the bad grammer in regards to 'bursted'. No such word.
*ducks the hail of imitation Clix-game wannabes*
Hey, I said I liked it at least! :p
Melkoloran
03/24/2003, 08:22
It's not too bad... looks a lot like other sites now, more so than before, but ah well.
I can take it or leave it really. The layout isn't too bad, but I'm gonna have to agree with all the people about the color being too dark. It just makes the site look dull.
Thanosied
03/25/2003, 02:14
Starting to like it more and more each day. I still need the edit option so the grammer bigwigs wont get on my case so much. But thanks alot looks great.
Melkoloran
03/25/2003, 08:04
... The edit option is a few lines right under your name.
Thanosied
03/25/2003, 13:54
####, never even saw that. Boooo for me. :(
Basil Elks
03/25/2003, 16:18
IT BIT ME!!, the new look bit me!
It is the coolest looking website ever... and one of the slowest loading. Us poor people with 56k modems take about a minute to load each and every page as compared to the 20 seconds tops in the past. Take out the Post Reply section. If we want to reply, we'll click on it. It makes the load time too long.
webhead817
03/25/2003, 16:55
Hey all, check out the new distribution of the forums, it's pretty slick. No more split between Marvel and Dc (and Indy) in the General Discussion and Rules segments, but separate forums for team building.
Originally posted by Badges2
... and one of the slowest loading. Us poor people with 56k modems take about a minute to load each and every page as compared to the 20 seconds tops in the past.
It's gotten pretty darn slow for those of us with broadband connections too. I'm getting to the point where I hate to jump around in the site. I come here to check one thing now and then I'm done 'cause it takes to long to get from one forum/topic to the next. I used to be all over this site and it never took me any amount of time before.
Typhoon or anyone else..... are you guys looking into this? I haven't seen squat from the "higher ups" about it and I know it's been mentioned several times.
Originally posted by webhead817
Hey all, check out the new distribution of the forums, it's pretty slick. No more split between Marvel and Dc (and Indy) in the General Discussion and Rules segments, but separate forums for team building.
Hooray! And no, I'm not being sarcastic. I always thought that there were plenty of topics that went across Marvel/DC lines, but there wasn't a proper place for them. And it's one set of rules, especially as the powers start popping up across sets. :grin: :grin:
I really, really, don't like the new site, YOU have to bring back the SEPERATE forums!:disappoin, Having one bid discussion just stinks:ermm: It takes way to long to load and it never updates it self!:angry:
greenhornet
03/26/2003, 20:43
Dear Sir;
For some reason I can no longer read the past threads on the various post (the history of these post, so to speak). What's going on! I hope I haven't been banned or some thing!
Before I would just click on and everything would come up...now when I do it, I'm to told that I'm not allowed to veiw it for "several reasons". Please respond!
greenhornet
03/26/2003, 20:44
Dear Sir;
For some reason I can no longer read the past threads on the various post (the history of these post, so to speak). What's going on! I hope I haven't been banned or some thing!
Before I would just click on and everything would come up...now when I do it, I'm to told that I'm not allowed to veiw it for "several reasons". Please respond!
greenhornet
03/26/2003, 20:44
Dear Sir;
For some reason I can no longer read the past threads on the various post (the history of these post, so to speak). What's going on! I hope I haven't been banned or some thing!
Before I would just click on and everything would come up...now when I do it, I'm to told that I'm not allowed to veiw it for "several reasons". Please respond!
Adspirit
03/26/2003, 22:09
Well it looks good and thats about where the new look stops for me, I'm on Broadband and it takes ages to load each page, In my realms I seem to own every Xplosion figure on there and I prefer to use netscape to view but it keeps hanging after about 5-6 pages, so I am forced to use explorer (spit spit). So I reckon the new look is B-O-R-K-E-N.
Thanks for the comments guys, they've definetly been noted and are being looked into.
Melkoloran
03/26/2003, 23:03
Originally posted by kraven
I really, really, don't like the new site, YOU have to bring back the SEPERATE forums!:disappoin, Having one bid discussion just stinks:ermm: It takes way to long to load and it never updates it self!:angry:
I definitely agree. Seperate forums was much preferable. One of the reasons that was given for moving the Play by Post threads to their own forum was to keep them from taking up space in the General Discussion forum.
If you only care about Marvel or you only care about DC, there's much more clutter now that they have been combined.
As for the slow load time, that's most likely due to the database accesses for each page. After a cursory glance at the source on any given page, the tables are drawn poorly, so you don't see anything until all of the data is loaded.
aggfanatic
03/30/2003, 15:33
The MyRealms collection editor no longer works... what gives?
Originally posted by Typhon
since HCRealms bursted
Uh, "bursted" isn't a word. Try "burst." Sorry to be such a jerk.....:p Anyway, yes, I love HCRealms and love the new look! Keep up the great work guys!
eh... it'll do. I've seen worse.
shin-goji
04/02/2003, 13:05
The only problem I've had with HCRealms is that IE doesn't reload the pages properly. When I log on the most recent posts are the same no matter how many times I reload the page. Netscape has no trouble with it, however. Not bad for my Mac, bad for my PC.
Darth Sabre
04/02/2003, 13:11
Originally posted by aggfanatic
The MyRealms collection editor no longer works... what gives?
No only does the collector editor not work, but when trying to put a team together with the team builder (a favorite tool of mine BTW), the Sentinel isn't on there anymore!
Also, my netscape browser at work, is incompatiable with alot of the features now. this wasn't the case before the change.
Finally, ditto on what shin-goji said!
shin-goji
04/02/2003, 13:13
Yeah, IE just seems to refuse to load some of the images. I had to download Nets####e just to be able to surf the Realm. But I know you guys are busy, so don't take this as a complaint.
I use IE at work and at home and have never had a issue with any of the Realms.
ravenzero673
05/30/2004, 00:02
you do great work man
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