Flash Website Design

[thehouseofshawn]

I understand how much of an impact a nice site layout is. I have tried. My computer knowledge is about to the pretty well at html...I use javascripts but I cannot write them, and I'm really into the look of them. I have Studio MX (from school) that I am messing around with, and hopefully can have availible a flash site at some point in time since it seems that's what people are demanding instead of the normal html. What I have right now is pretty streamline and laid out nice, but it was adapted (and as far as phpBB goes, they say that it's fine) from a forum layout. It will get the job done for the meantime. But I was wondering if there were any other musicians out there working on flash or having flash...and that might be able to help me out with some tips or tutorials. I am working with the tutorials on the CD, but that's all that I go so far.
Should I make the Flash version have the same them as the html version? Or should I go completely different?

|Thanks|

[Outlaws]

www.flashkit.com

[The Seifer]

I'd strongly advise against making a site completely around flash. It's not impressive, and I can guarantee you your site will take forever to load and won't even work in most browsers. Your site needs CONTENT, end of story. Here is a good example of a site with so much unnecessary use of flash that it makes me have to fart:

www.garagerecording.com

All of the same information on his front page could have been relayed using a little html and some nice small streamlined graphics.

I just remembered you won't listen to me so

[Robertt8]

Hey Houseofshawn!

I'm actually a graphic designer and a musician. I've actually got a site NOT in Flash for our band (feel free to check it out http://www.roberttait.com ), even though I know flash "fairly well". I know enough to be able to pull it off, but I don't think, right now, our site NEEDS flash (of course I could be wrong, and it's all in the eye of the beholder), There are many drawbacks to flash like loading time and a steep learning curve to do just about anything that really looks good.

I don't know your design, or flash skill level, but I notice that most novices that try to use flash end up resorting to cheap animation tricks that, more often then not detract from the experience. Let's face it. a spinning logo is stupid, and might take 10 seconds to load when a stationary one would load in 1 second. Anyway, you get the point. Take a moment to figure out what your really trying to do with your site, and if you really need flash. If you think you do, fine! go nuts! If not, I think you can make a site that can be viewed, enjoyed and get your point across much easier and quicker without flash. Flash is a very cool advanced program, but keep in mind, most of the REALLY cool stuff you see out there takes a VERY high level of flash programming and (almost) mastery. As I said, I looked into, and realized that it would take 10 to 20 times longer for me to develop a site just like mine now, only in flash. And to be honest it isn't worth the extra time for a little extra interaction...not yet anyway.

I don't mean to scare you off, I'm just giving my 2 cents.

Enjoy!
Tait

[thehouseofshawn]

Originally Posted by Robertt8

Hey Houseofshawn!

I'm actually a graphic designer and a musician. I've actually got a site NOT in Flash for our band (feel free to check it out http://www.roberttait.com ), even though I know flash "fairly well". I know enough to be able to pull it off, but I don't think, right now, our site NEEDS flash (of course I could be wrong, and it's all in the eye of the beholder), There are many drawbacks to flash like loading time and a steep learning curve to do just about anything that really looks good.

I don't know your design, or flash skill level, but I notice that most novices that try to use flash end up resorting to cheap animation tricks that, more often then not detract from the experience. Let's face it. a spinning logo is stupid, and might take 10 seconds to load when a stationary one would load in 1 second. Anyway, you get the point. Take a moment to figure out what your really trying to do with your site, and if you really need flash. If you think you do, fine! go nuts! If not, I think you can make a site that can be viewed, enjoyed and get your point across much easier and quicker without flash. Flash is a very cool advanced program, but keep in mind, most of the REALLY cool stuff you see out there takes a VERY high level of flash programming and (almost) mastery. As I said, I looked into, and realized that it would take 10 to 20 times longer for me to develop a site just like mine now, only in flash. And to be honest it isn't worth the extra time for a little extra interaction...not yet anyway.

I don't mean to scare you off, I'm just giving my 2 cents.

Enjoy!
Tait

Thanks. Yeah, it can be overwhelming. Something I might get into during summer and christmas break or something...for a little bit anyways. I think the stuff you could use is worth assesing what you don't need.
But thanks though...
for now I'll keep the shawnstrickland.net clean-look html.

[David Hooper]

Skip the Flash stuff. When it comes to web design, less is more.

Almost all of my sites (and I have dozens) are butt-ugly, one-page, very boring HTML. Big on content, little on graphics.

Examples.

www.indiebiz.com
www.krtipsheet.com
www.indiemusician.com
www.2nmc.com
www.indie411.com

The purpose of your web site should be only one thing and that is getting your visitors to take action. Get them to sign up for your mailing list, get them to buy your CD, get them to come to your show, or whatever else you want, but don't worry about impressing them.

And Flash doesn't work on every browser. You want what you do to be accessible to as many people as possible.

[Outlaws]

Flash is like anything else, you have to know how to use it.

[Robertt8]

yeah, but that doesn't stop people from USING it.

[Xipe]

Originally Posted by The Seifer

I'd strongly advise against making a site completely around flash. It's not impressive, and I can guarantee you your site will take forever to load and won't even work in most browsers. Your site needs CONTENT, end of story.

Hear, hear!

Originally Posted by thehouseofshawn

I understand how much of an impact a nice site layout is. I have tried.

Go for: Simple nice HTML design. Moderate use of pictures. Fast loading. Lots of content.

Hint: What you can do in Flash that you can't do in HTML you won't need to make a great site. So if you can't make a great site in HTML you certainly won't find salvation in Flash, rather the opposite.

What exactly is it you think you need to use Flash for?

[MonkeyShock]

I agree with what everybody seems to be saying here. I do some flash and they can be annoying at times. But having another creative output is always a good thing. There's an inexpensive ($50) and pretty userfriendly program you might try for starters. You can download a demo but you wont be able to save movies. It's great for cool banners or short animations.
www.3dfa.com.
If you have any questions...feel free, or visit the help site at the above mentioned Flashkit 3dfa forum.

[Giganova]

Originally Posted by David Hooper

Skip the Flash stuff. When it comes to web design, less is more.

Almost all of my sites (and I have dozens) are butt-ugly, one-page, very boring HTML. Big on content, little on graphics.

Examples.

www.indiebiz.com
www.krtipsheet.com
www.indiemusician.com
www.2nmc.com
www.indie411.com

The purpose of your web site should be only one thing and that is getting your visitors to take action. Get them to sign up for your mailing list, get them to buy your CD, get them to come to your show, or whatever else you want, but don't worry about impressing them.

And Flash doesn't work on every browser. You want what you do to be accessible to as many people as possible.

No offence, but you are right: these web sites are butt ugly! You are missing the most important thing here: your web sites have to catch the visitor's attention! If I see these sites, I wanna leave immediately.

I think there's nothing wrong with Flash. An artist's web site can and should be artistic. Its not only about the info that's posted. And BTW: Flash does work with every broswer if you have the plugins.