SITE REVIEW: Alien Brain

Please review my site;
http://www.alienbrain.org
It is my personal portfolio site,
if I changed the whole site to look
like the first two pages what would you think?

Thanks!
From Jack

nice splash screen, gets right to the point and tells who you are and what you do.

I like the flash index, but it is not entirely clear that the links on the bottom are links. Maybe put them on the top, or use some kind of image indicating a link.

Like the portfolio design.That is a really cool student gallery example. I love the Help topic popups.Lots of good work in flash on here. It inspires me.

Why are the portfolio and examples the same thing?

I know you are using Zen Builder for the shopping cart thing, don't know much about shopping carts, but it doesn't compliment the rest of the site very well. Maybe there is one that is more customizable, and less ad ridden.

Nicely done! good work

Ok definatley make the first page background either black or something other than white. Maybe match the colors, also might want to center it using a table or something.

I don't know if there is supposed to be a banner with the large blue space on the top but it is not shoing up on my Internet Explorer Browser.

I like the simplicity of the second page, main page, but
"use the Scroll Bar" and "sponsors" are really big, almost to big. Might want to make those a little smaller. (I don't know if you did that on purpose

I agree that the links don't look like links.
have a mouse over or something, I know that the content flashes, but I thought that the content that flashed was the link.

I like the layout of the examples site. I think that might have been your old site look, and I sort of like the old main page of the site better. lol
I think putting a graphic at the top or something would make the first page of your redesign better. good luck
-Ted

**EDIT**
Also, I am guessing you really like "Graffiti?" Its kind of hard to read.

hi there. My first impression of your site was that it was very "loud" as far as the color scheme goes. And the "enter here" link was kinda hidden.

I don't know much about flash, so I can't give you any advise about that, but I think maybe you should have pictures of your work on the first and 2nd pages, that way you can give potential customers a taste of what you have to offer. Usually, people don't like to have to "search" a site to see what they are looking for, ya know?

HOWEVER... I really like the examples you have in your portfolio! I like the movie intro the best, but that's my personal opinion. I also like the color scheme alot more of your portfolio menu than of the original pages. (The original pages seem to be a step down from what you are truly capable of.)

I think that you should only have one link for the portfolio/examples page. Some people might feel cheated if they go to another link only to be directed to a page they've already seen.

More than anything, I would consider revising you opening pages. Those are what make the first impression with a client, and with all the web designers out there, you want to make the best first impression you can.[/code]

Didnt read everyone's comment so sorry if I am repeating something.
Your css didnt work properly on my computer. The font are huge and since they are white, some of was push down past the blue box and it blended into the white background.

Hmmm... big, ugly, hard-to-use navigation...

Just from the domain name, I was expecting something much more detailed & elaborate.

As a "personal site", it's ok. A personal site is supposed to reflect you. As a portfolio, if I were a potential client, I wouldn't stick around more than a couple of clicks. An online portfolio is your sales pitch - it shows off the best of your abilities.

See, now this page is nice.

http://www.alienbrain.org/port.html

I would go with that look & feel from the word go. Straight from the main index.html, although I would probably make the white font in the grey boxes a bit smaller. The text there is bigger than the "Examples" heading. The content should not out-shine the heading. Headings make it easy to quickly distinguish the various parts of a page.

Also, with the white text on the grey boxes, I'd probably put a small thumbnail next to each one. Nothing huge, like 80x60 or 120x90 or something, just to liven it up a bit. I didn't actually realise they were links until I put my mouse over them, I thought it was just content.

okay im going to be honest .. i dont like it .. i like some of the flash you have posted , , personally it looks too much like some retro arcade game for me and i prefer when sites are centered ..your off centred site doesnt abode well with me

anyways thats my review .. sorry it cant be more positive

thanks everyone for your comments,
I have updated the site a bit now.
Taking into consideration your comments,
the reason, portfolio and example linked
to the same page was because it wass under
construction. That page is now made.
The first two pages have been redesigned,
lost the white background someone spoke
about, reduced the font size and changed font
used on 'use scroll bar' etc. Added my name where
someone said a banner should be.

About the text overflowing, navigation text too large
someone said, if you have your text size set bigger
than normal, then this will happen, go view, text size
to check. Should not overflow anyway now as I have
redesigned it so that it is a table that expands to the
size of the text.

I was thinking about redesigning the portfolio page
to look like the first two, suprised you liked that more.

The shop, being redesigned, will fit seemlessly into site,
don't have anything to sell yet, got to make some templates.


THANKS!
If you want to review/re-review then that is cool.

your site has a fresh feeling to it, but i do have a few problems with it. the navigation is very confusing and the navigatable part of the page is very small. I think this site could be pretty good when youre finished.