I've gotten a few of your opinions on the flash menu I created, but I figured I would go ahead and get the opinions of the masses.

http://www.cybergrunge.com/flashindex.html

I like it.

Good job so far. I don't know exactly what you are going for but the top of the page looks a little empty. You might want to consider throwing a header in there.

Been racking my brain as to what would look good up there, but yeah, I thought the same thing.

IMO It's sonicly empty as well. It needs some background ambiance of the audio veriety. Let me know if you want me to whip something up for you.

i agree with Arkady..i was a little startled and disgruntled at the sudden noises of the menu options so a bit of ambiance would help with that.

That's really disconcerting. You really should consider abandoning flash, and just using HTML for your navigation. It's more compatible, it's MUCH faster to load, and it doesn't make strange clicking noises or have text jumping around and blinking borders.

I know, I'm a curmudgeon, but I really hate flash menus.

hmm, it's good work, though i agree with what 'vader said... to a point. it's a good job, don't get me wrong. props for that, i know how difficult it can be putting something like that together... but, as you've asked, i'm offering some (hopefully) constructive criticism. some is based off of experience, but most of it is opinion. take it or leave it, but i sincerely hope it helps out.

flash is fan-fucking-tastic for those things that DHTML cannot do. and if you're writing a web-based application that you want to be sweet on the eyes, there's little better out there.

but remember the two golden rules: less is more, and the old k.i.s.s. rule. (for those uninitiated reading, "keep it simple, stupid")

less is more:

if you must use flash to make the viewer's experience something they won't easily forget, remember that it can load HTML just like a frame. and the more HTML pages versus pure flash you use within a flash-driven page, the faster it loads - after all, HTML is just text, while flash code itself is compiled.

K.I.S.S.:

it's possible to create a DHTML/javascript driven page that makes sounds or animates text or whatnot when you mouse over something. but look at how many, or should i say how few, professional pages actually do this. i do understand how easy it is to fall into the mindset of "whoa, i can do all kinds of shit!" with flash, but sometimes it's best to take a step back, and ask yourself if the viewer will really get something out of the effect. sometimes it's best to be subtle; more often than not, you'll wow the fuck out of someone with a random voice or subliminal effect, as they won't be expecting it.

and while this shouldn't bear mentioning, there's a third golden rule out there, albeit an underappreciated one, and one quite specific to flash: preloaders. they are your friends, and moreover, they are your viewer's friends. if i can't see the progress of a flash app loading, i'm apt to close the tab. i'm willing to bet that i'm not the only person out there that does this, as well.

also, arkady is right: some thematic aural ambience will go a long way, as long as you follow the second two rules. i'm not saying to pick your favorite song at the time and blast it at whomever loads the page, but rather, some kind of beat/jingle that's fit for background music. (i.e., something you could see yourself having a conversation with it in the background, without having to wear earplugs or shout to be heard. this should be obvious, but i've seen it happen before....)

finally, and i can see you or whoever came up with the theme is already following this advice... have fun. contrary to 'vader's beliefs, flash isn't one of the ultimate evils - it's just very powerful. you have options available that no javascript will ever provide; use them wisely. while creating your own dreamchild in flash can be an artisticly inclined programmer's wet dream, let's not shoot our load in our viewers' eyeballs.

they'll thank you for it.

Oh, I wasn't saying that you didn't put some work into it, and it's prettier than some I've seen.

But one of my favorite Firefox extensions is Flashblock, and I'd say I'm not the only one.

Oh, and I'm going to go against Arkady, too. If a web page starts playing music at me without me having to tell it I want music, I'm going to close it, immediately. If I really have to look at the page for some reason, I'm going to hit the mute button. And that will piss me off. So, please, no music, no ambient sound, and mouseovers shouldn't make noises.

DarkVader wrote:That's really disconcerting. You really should consider abandoning flash, and just using HTML for your navigation. It's more compatible, it's MUCH faster to load, and it doesn't make strange clicking noises or have text jumping around and blinking borders.

I know, I'm a curmudgeon, but I really hate flash menus.

That's just because Flash continues to look like but on a Mac. The other 95% of us can experiance flash just fine.

DarkVader wrote:That's really disconcerting. You really should consider abandoning flash, and just using HTML for your navigation. It's more compatible, it's MUCH faster to load, and it doesn't make strange clicking noises or have text jumping around and blinking borders.

I know, I'm a curmudgeon, but I really hate flash menus.

Exactly why I offer the users a choice.

I've been thinking of replacing the gun-cocking with something to the effect of a low bass sound, haven't found anything suitable yet.

also, arkady is right: some thematic aural ambience will go a long way, as long as you follow the second two rules. i'm not saying to pick your favorite song at the time and blast it at whomever loads the page, but rather, some kind of beat/jingle that's fit for background music. (i.e., something you could see yourself having a conversation with it in the background, without having to wear earplugs or shout to be heard. this should be obvious, but i've seen it happen before....)

Oooo-hohoho..... I just had a wicked idea... keep the gun cocking... and just play elevator music.... until they hit the play button, then play the featured music.

DarkVader wrote:But one of my favorite Firefox extensions is Flashblock, and I'd say I'm not the only one.

oooh, that bloody rocks.

(just because i'm a flash fiend, doesn't mean i like the stupid ads every site these days seems to use)

Ok, progress indicator added, for preloading and for the music.

Now, if I can figure out a substitute for the gun cocking or find some semi-decent (yet small) background music to load.

Arkady wrote:

DarkVader wrote:That's really disconcerting. You really should consider abandoning flash, and just using HTML for your navigation. It's more compatible, it's MUCH faster to load, and it doesn't make strange clicking noises or have text jumping around and blinking borders.

I know, I'm a curmudgeon, but I really hate flash menus.

That's just because Flash continues to look like but on a Mac. The other 95% of us can experiance flash just fine.

Flash looks no different on a Mac or Linux than it does on windoze. And fewer than 95% of people these days still live with that inferior operating system.

DarkVader wrote:Flash looks no different on a Mac or Linux than it does on windoze.

assuming the video card you're using is supported in linux... correct.

thankfully nvidia's support for my card rocks hard in linux.