Help Wanted. Web/Graphics Designers Apply Here!

[NightWolve]

Position: Graphics/Web Designer

I'm looking for someone to help redesign this site to something more impressive using the current black theme as a starting point preferably. It's also preferable if you know HTML/CSS, but if you can only work as a graphics creator/designer and create images and mockups for me of your design, that's fine too. I'll just have to do the coding grunt work of implementing your design myself. If you've ever created your own theme for a Simple Machines Forum, that's even better.

But first, I have an existing style I did for my new Ys I project page. I would like to see any better redesigns if you're creative enough. The page is here if you haven't already seen it:

https://www.ysutopia.net/translations/ys1c/

Check this thread for more details. That'll be your first assignment before dealing with the whole theme.

Your reward for a serious effort will include early access to a Felghana patch. By serious effort, that means a tangible impressive design that shows you actually put some time into making it look good and it's something I can use. So if you're an Ys fan and know web design, apply for the job here. I'm not looking for any quicki, "Hey NightWolve, check this image out? Is that cool?" type results. I need results with something good, so don't apply if you're not serious about this and have limited time. I'm gonna be relying on you to help design my site as an equal partner and as such I will expect some dedication to see the task to the end. So if you want a Felghana patch, you will have to actually earn it.

[TDOMMX]

I have good news for you, NightWolve.

I have mentioned to you in the past that I work for a small web design firm called Mile-End Media.  Since you posted an official "Help Wanted" ad, I decided to run it by Marina, our graphic artist.

I probably haven't said this enough in the past, but I really appreciate the effort you put into your translation projects.  I promised myself that, once the Felghana patch was released, I would donate $10-$15 for every title you translated that I enjoyed.  So far, that's only two (Ys I & Ys II -- I haven't played the others), but that's likely to be five by the end of the year (Dawn, Felghana, and Napishtim).

Instead of making one huge donation, I've instead decided to hire Marina to redesign the site, and I'll help out with the programming if need be.  While Marina thinks the site needs to be streamlined quite a bit (her first impression was the same as mine: this site is too cluttered), she is willing to provide a new concept (industry term for fresh redesign) for a large discount as a favor to me.  Bear in mind that a fresh concept normally costs $300-$500, and you're getting professional help .

Marina says she will start working on the site this upcoming weekend, so you might want to contact her before then to discuss what will and will not be included in the redesign (I'll PM her email address to you in a moment).

Let me know what you think about this idea and I'll relay your thoughts to Marina (and tell her to go ahead / forget it, as appropriate).

[JoeQuaker]

I kinda like it the way it is... let's not get too fancy with it 

[NightWolve]

Hm, that's a very interesting offer. My only fear with using a paid professional is, your offering it as a gift and that's cool, but what if she can't produce anything that I like??

Btw, the left and right columns are not an issue for me. They take an equal amount of width, so it's only a matter of vertical stacking of blocks after that, and I pretty much have all the blocks that I like having. You can most live without the right column, and there's that white square with the arrow on it to completely hide it, so that takes care of that per individual's taste. It's not necessary to hide all that permanently for everybody.

Anyway, my issue is with coloring, maybe new graphics for the links, menus, buttons, etc. a logo, and a template for the project pages and index, the overall theme perhaps. Can she give me a few samples working off what I have now before going forward, to give some idea of what she can do? I dunno, I just don't want you to pay for nothing and me being picky wind up not going ahead and using whatever she might produce... That's why I was preferring to look for an Ys fan motivated to impress to gain access to a Felghana patch.

But then again, in all the years I ran RIGG, I never found anyone to help with that forum's theme, so maybe a professional is the only way to go.

Alright, I'll wait up for you before emailing her or let you handle it. If you think she can do something with a geeky fansite, I'll be willing to trust your judgment. I would guess though she's mostly done professional business sites and this isn't her area, so to speak.

Oh, I should add this:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v321/MP83/potft_mock1.jpg

MP83 helped with that. I'm kinda interested in a "Plight of the Fan Translator" logo like that, that could maybe be improved upon, but yeah, I think that has some potential.

Does she have MSN or AIM btw? I don't know what that chatting system is that you mentioned in the pm.

[Agent_K64]

I find this black theme horrible.....but oh well. XD

[Slayne]

While a different subject, if you ever need help with hosting, my server is still available.  Still have the OP hosted for you, so lemme know if it ever becomes an issue.

[Big Buck]

Hey Nightwolve!  Love to help man.  If you're still looking for a new theme.  I'll work something up and post it here.  I have some html experience, some.  Pretty good with Photoshop and a huge Ys..Falcom fan.  Started with TG-16.  Eh well, see what I can do.  Great work!

[NightWolve]

Hey, you still around Big Buck? I didn't notice this. Must've been while I was busy and occasionally screwed up my new posts browsing. Sure, I would like to see what you can do.

[brandan]

Hm, that's a very interesting offer. My only fear with using a paid professional is, your offering it as a gift and that's cool, but...

but you're not getting just a redesign (which i think you could live with and even grow to like were you not to like it initially), you're also getting web compliance standards adherence and solutions for lowering bandwidth.  or at least i would hope that's the aim of a professional web developer.

not trying to sway you in any way, just thinking of different ways to address the situation.

[NightWolve]

Well, it's a little late now. That offer didn't go anywhere.

[brandan]

yeah sorry, i have a habit of not reading threads all the way through before replying.

[TDOMMX]

Of course, this is to be expected when one relies on a relatively new graphic designer as opposed to a tried-and-true veteran.  I'll admit I made a mistake by referring her to you.

With a few notable exceptions, Marina's designs are very "corporate" - very businesslike.  I'll admit that I wasn't as familiar with her work as I am now when I proposed the offer, and I haven't heard from her since I left the company not too long ago.  (Curiously, she misspelled my name on the "About Us" page of our site... and it still hasn't been corrected.)

Before Marina, our graphic designer went by the name of Veronique (Vero for short).  Her designs were quite simply amazing (see www.furmir.com and www.crestrealties.com for a couple of her brainchildren, programmed by yours truly).  Vero is very flexible in terms of design (her professional sites don't look anything like the personal sites she has done -- too bad I can't find any of them that are still up...).  I honestly wish I could have referred her to you instead, but she left the company about a year before I did, and I haven't been able to get in touch with her since.

[NightWolve]

Where are you working now BTW and why did you leave?

[TDOMMX]

I currently work at Pratt & Whitney.  I left Mile-End Media because I wanted to broaden my career horizons.  There are many careers in the Computer Science discipline, but I only have first-hand experience with professional website development.  As much as I enjoy it, I want to know what other options I have before I devote my life to a single career path.

Fortunately, I enjoy my new job.  My supervisor is constantly surprised by my tendency to inadvertently one-up his coding style.  Next year, I plan to return to university.  Once that's over and done with, I'll have made my decision as to which company I want to return to.  If I return to Pratt, I'll have to move because the 2-hour-each-way commute is a real vampire on my energy and free time.