Hi there! In case you didn't know, I created newgrounds. No, it wasn't made by some giant company - just some dumb kid who now has help. I also co-founded the Behemoth; we made Alien Hominid and Castle Crashers. Icon by Pegosho, banner by OmenaKettu.
Age 46, Male
NG Webmaster
Drexel
Glenside, PA
Joined on 12/15/99
Well, it's easy to see how information overload can lead to disinterest. Seeing the vast volume of things that can be clicked on makes casual visitors less inclined to check out any of them.
Plus, this place is LOADED with community content. Forum posts, customizable fields, all the icons are user submitted from user submitted flashes with user submitted reviews affirmed by community input. It's clear that the community's role is front and center focus here.
From what I remember, the new NG Re-Design... ROCKS. Can't wait.
The friend system seems interesting, but what I don't like about it on any site with it is how there's always users that send you request for absolutely no reason other than to have a large friend count to make it appear that they're a popular user.
damm those are a lot of comments
Can't wait, seems nice.
Anyway, the current design has some elements burned into my screen, while I've never left it on too long.
I truly think that what sets NG apart from other similar sites lies in its design.
Those little articles that tout "social media" knowhow are 99% nothing but fucking fluff. That one you quoted is blinded by what it thinks is a rule for social media... and while it's true that keeping the content on centre stage is important, really GOOD designers know how to make the visuals complement (and not detract from) the content. I believe NG does this TREMENDOUSLY, especially since this is a site bloody build on CREATIVITY. You guys have never sacrificed content for visual flare... the flare effortlessly supports the content, from the smooth transitions of opening this comment box to the audio visualizer in the Audio Portal, from the sexy level icons to the trophy icons.
I think that article's author probably lazily reverse engineered Facebook and YouTube's interface and came up with a terrible and ultimately counterproductive analogy. I'd rather my party to be filled with wicked decor and black lights and shit, wouldn't you? The author seems to be totally confusing the words museum and party...
I say don't sweat it. I for one really appreciate the sexiness of NG even though my favourite parts of it are content based. Hope this helps :)
I've started to use Newgrounds more and more recently, and even started to create my own content, which has been fun to do.
I certainly have enjoyed contributing to the site, as well as watching the latest videos from the best animators out there. However, I feel I would definitely like to echo some of the comments already made about mobile devices, such as the iphone, ipad etc.
I don't always feel like switching the computer on just to check out the latest vids, so a mobile device is something I often use late at night, which is why say Youtube gets a lot of action from me. Also, there are times I wish I could show people some videos when out and about, but can't really show anything from here, without finding a PC to show them it on.
But again, the website is great, and I look forward to seeing the redesign :)
This article sounds like instructions from the teacher's manual of "Hooked On Phonics": dry, bland and boring. It is also very opinionated; it bans people from being creative and encourages cookie-cutter designs. In my opinion,
what is a party for the social network lemmings is usually boring to the independent designers and free-thinking people.
I have been a fan and a member of Newgrounds for many years, silently watching the site grow and improve with each redesign. I am sure the upcoming redesign will be very impressive! The layout is graphically intense; it is to be expected coming from a flash or any graphic website. I think the dark background is more inviting; sites that have a bright background with graphics seem sterile to me.
The content of Newgrounds speaks for itself; no other flash website can compare to Newgrounds. Perhaps this is why some people find this website intimidating; they are not used to seeing graphics as they are meant to be presented or content that ranges from 2 second crap to 20 minute epic mini-movies to games that give commercial game designers a run for their money.
However, Newgrounds should not drastically change the website to appease a few people. I have deep respect for Newgrounds because the crew has not detached themselves from the website or the members as other websites have.
The only insecurites you should have is the launch date of the redesign and making the site mobile device friendly. Do not worry about proving those social network designers wrong; Newgrounds does that every day.
No way!! DON'T LISTEN TO THEM. While I personally no longer feel as if NG is an episode of Cheers as I have in the past everything that always made NG great, and set apart from everything else is still here. The flashy layouts are one of the big reasons I've always enjoyed NG so much, everything else is bland and stale. NG has always navigated better than most too, it's very easy to get around this site and I'm sure the redesign will only make getting around and finding things easier. DON'T EVER CHANGE THE NEWGROUNDS FORMULA. EVER.
As far as mobile goes you guys should adopt something like this :
Just have the style sheets swap out depending on the OS/Browser or something.
<a href="http://newgroundsmobile.com/">http://newgroundsmobile.com/</a>
lol
that guide is for social networking gay business not ng stuff ok tom
I like the current layout of NG, and am skeptical of the new layout. I dont like change, that's why I voted for Reagan.
I think you think too much about what other people think about your site.
Sure you should try to appeal to the masses, but you shouldn't stray from what you want.
OR YOU COULD IGNORE ME AND SELL OUT AND DESIGN NG TO WHAT 'THE MAN' WANTS.
I think the design of Newgrounds draws in the kind of people who belong here. It's not all trendy and minimalistic. I'm taking a graphic design course in college right now and all the web design that comes out of there is something you can throw together in an hour. Newgrounds has a unique look to it, and a lot of character.
We literally have a test that is to make a website in 8 minutes or less.
From an artistic point of view, i think Newgrounds looks great, and has a great cohesiveness to it. The level icons and things like that definitely have a lot more character than some of the crap on facebook or that stupid twitter bird.
All in all it LOOKS like a lot of work went into this site. I don't have a twitter account, and i certainly check the updates on newgrounds before, and way more often than the updates on facebook.
seriously the pixel porn i've been seeing on here is more interesting than any status update.
I'm looking forward for the new layout, screw those social networking stats.
Newgrounds dark grey theme looks cool and the loaded front page is nice for us but it appeals to, well.. the audience you currently have, not the ones you are trying to gain (by making the site simple and clean)
The people they are talking about are old people like my grandmother who currently started using facebook. The age of internet browsers is widening, younger and older audiences will be attracted to simple. The setup you have now will most likely turn them off...but then again do you really want MORE 50+ year olds and kiddos younger than 8 on Newgrounds?
I guess the one audience that would be attracted to simple that would be nice to have on Newgrounds would be women.
whats your name
What are you on about?!?!? You guys are awesome! I've been coming to this site since i was 14...even if i did register late =P
I LOVE Newgrounds but honestly some things are getting dated quickly.
-First, layered commenting is not possible. There is no way I can reply to a particular comment on the blog. Or when an artist comments a person cannot reply back directly.
-Sharing content from NG isn't as pretty as it should be like on other websites. When I add a link on Facebook the viewer cannot play the movie or even see an image of the movie from the link post.
-What exactly are medals for? Is it just a cool achievement? Is there a way receiving a medal updates a person's twitter and/or Facebook like present game consoles?
-I know this has nothing to do with Social media but please bring back NG Mag and NG Alphas!
-Improved search please?
Thats all I have for now, I'm pretty sure you guys have a lot of cool upcoming features yourselves.
I am dying to improve on the blogs but it's hard to say WHEN that will happen... They will likely work the same as they do now in the redesign, for expediency.
Sharing GAMES and MOVIES on Facebook should look fine now - have you done that in the past month or two? Try it out. Sharing music probably doesn't work out as pretty. Art should be fine though.
Medals do need more incentives and those will slowly come! More on that as it progresses.
I like to think the Lit Portal will replace a lot of what made NG Mag cool, and Alphas WILL BE returning!!!
I dunno about search improving any time soon, but we'll have tag search at least.
LewToons
isn't the bottom line that newgrounds ISNT a social network though?
it's a site for artists (be it animators, programmers, voice actors, musicians ect..)
so it should look more flashy....least i think. can wait for the re launch