<![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku - Kotaku Comments]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku - Kotaku Comments]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> It needs more gray.

Crunchman2600

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> "That's hot." Seriously do love the new layout.

I actually ignore the latest comments. New layout allows me to scan articles much more quickly.

paydirt76

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> The new layout works much faster on my DS browser!

bluemansteele

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> It is sort of annoying that we can't just see the story (or the main teaser block) on the main page and decide from there whether we want to read it or not. Alot of times you sum up everything nicely in the main chunk with extra content "After the jump" is all kinds of gravy.

Now I pretty much have to enter the story and use the "<" and "Next" buttons story by story to know what I'm looking at. Not having visible summary text on the main page means the often loved kotaku "funny tag lines" and playfully worded titles can't be as wildly inventive as we kind of need to know what the story is actually about since we have no summary there. As an example there was a recent example there was a day/night note titled "I'm a Girl" and that was pretty much all we got on the front page. It was that, and the "To"-"From" lines and the "more" link. Nothing about ABBA or the context. Traditionally (for me) the Notes have been something pleasant to skim through for a quick look into the lives behind the blog. It's not the end of the world, and I know I'll eventually (mostly) get used to that if this is how things are going to be, but unlike some of the other revisions, this one feels like a step in a markedly wrong direction. Will probably get you more page views from people clicking around just to figure out what the story is, exactly. Also I liked the bigger story pictures from before.

Parsifal

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> THANK you!

thanius

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I highlight text while I'm reading for a number of reasons. Many many sites now have some code in place to keep you from doing so and it's frustrating. By far, it is most incredibly annoying when I try to highlight a little bit of text and the entire screen gets highlighted. I also don't like the login bar at the top or the smaller Kotaku logo, I got very used to clicking on the logo to get back to the main page from an article.

MisterGrok

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> @Bunn: Just noticed the re-redesign. I guess the script was only useful for about 18 hours.

But oh, those 18 hours!

RDaneel

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> @RDaneel: Man, this is great, thanks! But, seems like they corrected it themselves. Thanks anyway!

Bunn

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> why did every site go this way within the gawker media network?

it totally blows. thanks for not listening to your readers on the terrible design!!!

I don't get heart attacks, I give 'em

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> The design is absolutely completely broken for me. Not sure if it's Firefox or my font-size preferences or what, but this site has been completely 100% broken for like 2 days now. Even more broken than usual when you guys redesign it. I mean, like, basically unreadable. The fact that I found this post and found the comment box was a miracle by itself.

Seriously, I've rarely seen a website so broken.

dowingba

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I don't like all this clicking i'm doing! Why Kotaku why?!?!

Jamaicanbwoydre

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Gotta say I preferred the Gawker sites when they all had their own individual styles, but I'll get used to it. Headlines could be bigger though - a couple of times I've read across two stories and wondered to myself how you managed to change subject without me noticing...

notquiteallhere

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> The big nothing on the right you get with a widescreen is pretty annoying.

Gatchan

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> There is one thing I wish you guys would stop doing.

Could you PLEASE stop making links in your articles lead to stupid retarded tags and putting the real link "after the jump"? It's fucking annoying.

JOrgobanni

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> 1. wish the titles on the mainpage were always in the same places. that's sloppy.

2. wish the commenter's name was in the old places. again. looks sloppy (as in, stuck in a right-hand tablecell for no apparent reason).

rainofwalrus

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Expand out the pics and the main article section so that right third of the screen is used. Unlike others, I feel the comments is actually an improvement. I will give it some time before I pass final judgement on whether or not its an improvement.

evilfremen

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Was the redesign done by someone who has never designed anything? It looks like all the design that the site had, was just removed.
Graphic design students get failed and yelled at if they show up with something like this. Don't see any improvement in this "redesign".

VandenDuvel

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Oh...still green...

0ldb0y

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I like it other than on the main page - I think it needs some sort of seperator (e.g. a thin horizontal line) between each post. It'll make it easier to see what the meta data on the right applies to. Otherwise, great work :)

ixalon

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> @Bunn:

Check Userscripts.org

RDaneel

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> This is an absolutely terrible design, seriously. It breaks in every browser besides old versions of IE and I can't even log in at home anymore...

bluemeep

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> God, the comments became retarded. now It's a pain to follow the poster names in the conversations. I hope someone fixes that with a greasemonkey script, since from the article, the site designers are going to play deaf.

In protest, I'm turning on my adblock on Kotaku

Bunn

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Don't like it. Somebody else mentioned elsewhere and I agree that the front page article synopses look broken. I get the feeling that they are too short, and/or automatically truncated, so I can't get a clear indication of the story without clicking through to the full page. The comments also suck, with the author and timestamp so far away from the actual comments, it's difficult to follow a conversation. Plus the occasional text extending outside of it's allocated space (author/timestamp). Yeah. I really don't like it.

mrmachine

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> @v00deux: You're right, you do know nothing about design.

Site design is still terrible. This is not just my opinion, this is an actual fact, you have made Kotaku harder to read and less inviting, THAT IS BAD DESIGN PRACTICE.

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, GET RID OF THIS MONSTROSITY AND CHANGE IT BACK!

98abaile

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Love it!

midnightz

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Excellent job guys, really. I love how a lot more stories can now be fit on one page, with the unnecessary information at the bottom of each post moved to the right. But, as mentioned before, don't forget about the pictures. They are one of my favorite parts of Kotaku, so be sure to give them glory when needed!

Hugs and kisses.

quiddy

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I first saw this style on Gizmodo and I hated it there cos it felt clumsly done. And again my feelings are the same here. There is too much information packed into the one space. I'm certainly not keen.

Whether it'll impact my reading of Kotaku I don't know yet.

cocomo

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> looks sharp! ban the haters.

ps everyone needs to get avatars now, its time consuming trying to look over to the lower-right corner to figure out who's talking.
pps please dont ban me.

TheIrishNinja

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I would like the new design... if it was made to be a bit smarter. Here is a screenshot of what I see on my monitor as I browse Kotaku.

[img.waffleimages.com]

As you can see, you're missing about 50% of my screen. Mind fixing that? It's weird staring at 50% eggnog yellow.

DaveKap

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Maybe make it possible to switch between the two layouts. If you have a account registered you can save the option there to what layout would be the one you prefer.

Cause what I can see most of the pictures are just downscaled. Just a thought.. Still don't like the new design.. :P

ztilleto

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> On first sight I'm not sure I like it. It seems less organised to me, which was something the old one was good at. Y'know, it sort of feels like it's gone from Google to Yahoo. But maybe I will get used to it. Just have to wait and see I guess.

Rhys

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> The overall layout is great. I don't get what you've done with the pictures though. On the individual article pages they're hosted on kotaku.com, but on the main news page, they're hosted on cache.gawker.com. Not a problem for most, I'm sure, but my stupid workplace has blocked gawker.com so I don't see any pics. That makes me a sad panda.

milkyjoe

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I like it alot. Easy to read and see more stories at once, which is absolutely great for a site like this. Viva interface restructuring!

killuminati023

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Nice, but "NEXT" still takes me back to previous comments, and... oh, I can't reach the next posts with the now missing "BACK" button anymore.

=/

Malmer

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I kinda missed the tags on the front page. Can we put those back underneath each post or to the right maybe?

wage

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I don't mind the layout, but everything is just too small.

As gamers with constantly dwindling attention spans, we need those big images and large headlines to catch our eye. I wouldn't be surprised if I miss out on some interesting news because I'll scan right over it.

Kid_Kitten

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> This new layout makes me uneasy, really. I miss the old one.
But lets talk again in a week or so.

Kawaii-e

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> It's awful on a 1900x1200 screen

Morgoth

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> This is awful....... Please... go back....

cmoody17

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I Heart Zombies...

Has nothing to do with the topic at hand but just wanted to throw that one out for you.

AlcoholicZombie

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I like it, ehm, in a I-also-liked-2001's-webdesign kindah way, only thing I'd change would be to valign the comment-info top with the article instead of valign bottom as it is now.

The redesign on subpages is not so good tho. Making the dash go all the way out to the edge and not the content, makes the page feel like it loaded wrong.

.. Not that you guys care what I think.

Mr.Madsen

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I am going to have to say I DO NOT like the changes. The smaller text and larger comments thing, plus smaller pics. Just ewww.

I would so go back. But I know it isnt up to me.

Justcrim

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Well, i guess i'll have to learn to like it, but just like for Gizmodo i don't like it at all at the moment, rather have big pictures and more pages to view than more information on one page....

dreamc

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Sucks major balls mainly because its hard to see who is posting untill after we read the post itself.

Change it back :(

Tisteldun

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I really liked how before, every news piece were separated by a picture. Most of the time it looked well placed, it was big and nice to read. Now it looks more like an RSS feed page.

What I'm saying.. I don't like it.

ztilleto

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Please put the names next to the avatars again. My eys have to jump across a message to see someone's name now. Also: make the news title font bigger. Right now the only thing making it pop out is that it's pink. One last thing, why are the pics s tiny? Some are really funny when attatched to the news, now I have to squint when reading. WHY!?

Car2oon

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> It's alright. I MISS OLDIE.

lolToasty: Hates his username

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> At least the new site remembers that I am view page 3 of the comments.

kNZA

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I am pissed because it renders correctly until the moment it finishes loading and then the post moves down about a full page-and-a-half and I get a face full of blank space.

Firefox 2.0.0.4 (1280x1024)

For example, right now at the top I have the Kotaku logo, the "Comments" heading, and blank pale green for two pgdn presses. At that point the actual post begins.

Otherwise, I don't mind the style.

The layout is problematic and I'm pretty sure you didn't want it like this.

kNZA

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Any way I can get the old look back, I prefer the old layout.

alb1221

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I hate it so much, it may have seemed 'unkept' before, but the old one was way more roomier.

Daran

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> This is pretty bad. ;D And by bad, I mean... bad. It sucks ;(

xerus`

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> @RDaneel: Updated...


Greasemonkey script for moving comment information and turning autolinks green at userscripts.org

RDaneel

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> It's hard to digest - I dislike the new "layout". It's a bit cluttered, and non-user-friendly. IMHO, this is more like a rearrangement than a redesign of the website.

Giovanni

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I saw Gizmodo do this. and i hated it. i was hoping Kotaku wouldn't. I know you said you wouldent change it back. But i really don't like this design. its terrible. It almost makes me not want go to the site anymore.

Dylan

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I don't like it. It doesn't flow well, seems very disorganized. Like the HTML broke somewhere.

iwanttobeasleep

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Oh man, where am I? Who are you? What did you do with Kotaku?!

Ahh, just kidding. Love the new "slim" look.

Zips

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> @McWhertor:
Well, until you can fix your mess...

I made a fix for Kotaku comment blocks for firefox users. Get the Stylish add-on and the style at UserStyles.org (I made the style, not the add-on)

It will put names above posts and all that.

RDaneel

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> @McWhertor: Can we have lessererer space between lines in articles and biggerererererer headlines? That would probably make everyone happier(erer).

NameYourCharacter

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> @Schroeder: I agree. I don't like it, but because of a fanatical devotion to Kotaku, I won't be jumping ship either.

By the way, Crecente claims the fonts are still the same size. I believe it, but somehow they've made it look smaller.

Cathaoir

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I like it.

The comments area is a lot cleaner as well. It's more streamlined now.

Strider_Seven

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> The front page posts look like mini-posts. This makes me more apt to just skip past them for some reason. And I'd really like to see the names and timestamps above the posts. If only one of those things were changed, I'd rather it be moving the commenter names back.

Cathaoir

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I like it. And it's much easier to read on the wii web browser now.us

APieceOfWork

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> i like it. the empty space on the right is a nice clean way to balance the heaviness of the left side, and the colors are nice (as always) people don't know crap about design... if its not crowded, they think they're missing out on something.

i agree with the "slickererer" look and i think its more sophisticated and cleaner looking. good job.

v00deux

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I kind of expected this to happen after Gizmodo went under the knife. I guess it's okay, by tomorrow we'll all forget what the old Kotaku looked like.

Narsil

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I don't like it no sir I do not like it one bit not at all nope not digging it unh unh nooooooo!
Every thing is so cramped and sreaming for room to breathe.

jive238

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> It hurts my eyeballs. Hard to tell where to focus.

Try again, please.

sandwiches

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I like it so far, kinda missing the info on the comments and whatnot though. =/ I don't care if it clutters up the page, I like generic, sometimes useless information.

Buzzy Beetle

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> What is the name of the person responsible for this abortion?

Spilt_Milk

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> @qsceszwsxasd:
...making everything [feel]* too crammed...

You guys should make an edit post feature along with comments page selection =/ Also, hopefully the side information heading isn't permanent, but if you guys insist, ATLEAST put it on the left.

qsceszwsxasd

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> This is something I'll have to get used to. The comment section is bothering me because the names are on the right side. Also I liked seeing the huge pictures that went with the posts. :(

sweetie55

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Its a great look except the names being at the side...

Scazza

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I personally hate the new redesign as theres a huge empty space on the right, thus, making everything filled crammed into the left :(

qsceszwsxasd

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Don't like it much... I can't find the keywords anywhere anymore, and the tiny pics make everything look... annoying or something. I mostly miss my keywords.

N-Bomb

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Interesting new design, and I definitely like the more grid-based approach. One thing that strikes me though is the lack of contrast between the content of the story and the metadata about it - the text is the same colour, the background is the same colour, and it feels pretty homogeneous.

The all caps thing does look good, but I'd recommend trying out some variations of colour - maybe make the text a bit lighter?

clandestine

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> HEY GUISE
I f**kin love it.
Good work.

zodiacattack

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Looks awthome guys. I like the "comments" feature, its totally interactive like thingy. You can like get like feedback and stuff from your peoples off the same site you post like stuff. Awthome!

SchoolBusDriver

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> @doubtful: I agree with that. The only thing I am not liking is the comment listing with the name and time on the right side. That's very hard to follow.

Kdawg

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> RUMOR: Slickerererer comments coming?

Michael McWhertor

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Been loving the other gawker media upgrades, bout time since Kotaku got it!

VERY happy camper here :)

huginn

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Increasing the font size a couple times really pooches the site. Yeah I'm that blind.

BIGmog

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Ah yes tight, likes it.

McKack

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> The name of the user should still appear above the comment. Having to look at a totally different place to see who wrote it is really a pain in the arse.

ELUNO

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> The new design is very well done.

Hey wait a second wasn't there an older design before this one? What did that one look like, I forget.

clogger

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> oy vey this is bugging me very much, but i guess its ok

appledumplingsfromhell

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> So, did you increase the line-height just to make the articles appear longer?

RDaneel

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> It doesnt pack in more information as you said. News posts still only take up about 1/4 of the screen. Mean while theres a whole other 1/2 that is completely blank (well beige, but you know what I mean.

Looks ok though.

Altima NEO

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> This new redesign is certainly alot more messier. It's harder to tell the posts apart. Reading the topics is seriously confusing when it "goes over the text" to the right. The big pictures were way, way more fun.

Already saw the difference on gizmodo, and was actually really glad it didn't affect Kotaku... untill now.

TofuHead

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> ok... after snooping around a bit...
i DO like how the comments are now smaller and easier to look through (though i still think putting the commenter's name on the right side of the post is just confusing... maybe the left or just still flushed left on top of the post would still be nice).
i think i could get used to the front page, but it does make it harder to go back and look for older posts (if you don't know a keyword for that story, that is).

Jesterhead369

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Looks sharp. :)
Though, I can't log in using the top login strip.
It's a big improvement.

Crunchman

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I only come in via my RSS reader so i never notice the frontpage, but this comments section is a little bit freaky, but I'm sure I'll get used to it. But why waste a hole column of space just for names?

joncoffee

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Nerds on the internets is cranky.

Fnor

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I miss the big pics, I miss the big headlines, heck, I even miss the big logo. I always thought Kotaku was pretty forward-thinking with all of those things, as if they were one of the few sites on the net that realized most people were no longer stuck at 640x480 resolution on their PC's. This feels like going a bit backwards. I can only imagine what this is going to look like on my 1920x1200 monitor at work.

Also, while I realize I may or may not be in the minority on this one, I dislike the comment pagination. I can guarantee you that I will get to comment #100 every time and then quit reading before I reply... as I have here.

badasscat

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> @98abaile:

You probably already know, but if you hold down CTRL and use your scroll wheel you can control the size of the font displayed. Not sure if that works in IE but I know in FF it does.

Nintendo Gal

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I am not particularly happy with it, due to apparent blindness, but as a religious reader and sometimes commenter, I am not going to jump ship over a redesign.

I'll just have to hit up Firefox's font size display controls.

"Yes, you will learn to love it."
Somehow I doubt that.

Schroeder

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I like the login bar, but overall I kinda don't like it. Seeing as all Gawker sites are going in this direction, I guess I have to live with it...

Optimistic Prime

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> OK, I loaded the cached Google version of Kotaku so I could compare the two side-by-side, and yeah, the redesign is worse in almost every respect. The only part I like is the bar at the top of the screen for editing one's profile.

Sorry, guys. Here's hoping the next redesign fixes things whenever it comes.

kylenalepa

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I DOUBT ANYONE WILL READ THIS AFTER 208 COMMENTS, BUT I'LL SAY IT ANYWAY.

I don't like it.
The reason why I liked Kotaku was because there were pictures, big pictures and big font sizes. It WAS easyier on the eyes, I could glance at an article and I'd be greeted with a large title and a large picture that would sum up the post and I could instantly decide weather I wanted to read it. Now I look at the front page and I just see a lot of text splatered with some tiny thumbnails. It looks horrid.

Kataku is (or rather was) great because its easy to read, it had a simple design that was easy on the eyes and most importantly INVITING. The new look design is not suited to Kotaku's style.

The other major design c*ck up (I'm sorry but it is a terribly bad design flaw) is on the comments.
We speak English, we read left to right. Names should be next to avatars so that we know who is speaking/writing/whatever.
Unlike with articles where its OK to put the credit underneath (lets be honest, most people don't know or care who writes the article, Its just some bloke who has presented us with some information which we can then talk about to our hearts content. But the comments are where the discussion happens, this is where most people want to know who is saying what and with who they are discussing/arguing with. Not everyone uses an avatar on this site, and to be honest those who do are not very recognisable, names have far more important and should be kept on the left where people will read them before the comment.

98abaile

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I didn't even realise there was a redesign til I got to this post, seeing I've already gotten used to Gizmodo looking like this...

aelfin

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I just want to echo a few constructive comments and add a couple of my own. First, the headlines for the articles on the front page look akward. Half of them are positioned to the right of the pictures causing long headlines to bleed into the margins. I think the headline should come before the entire article and be left justified, almost as if it were a bullet point. The small pictures are still welcome just not coupled with the headline. Second, I'd rather see each commenter's name on the left with their avatar like it was before. Aside from that, the new comments layout is much easier on the eyes. Finally, and this isn't so much a comment as an observation, when viewing a user's comments page with IE 6.0.2900.whatever, the BY and AT information overlaps the user's comments. I'm not sure if this occurs with other browsers, though. All in all, I think the new layout is wicked pissah.

GarciaConcern

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I thought the browser was acting up again for a minute there.

Geh, I'll get used to it.

Sabre_Justice: Okay, no more long name.

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I hate the redesign. It looks ugly.

The font on the article titles are too small....they need a larger size.

AZRoboto

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> mmm...I don't like it, compared to the old layout. Our names should really be by our avatars. It's kind of confusing without them there in a way. Everything now feels like it got shoved off to the right, so I have to look around the page more than I'd like to.
...granted, we're talking, like, half-seconds here, but any good web designer'll tell you that such a short amount of time is more than enough to create a discouraging user experience.

Monsieur Fap★Fap!

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Yeah so....

This sucks. Bad. It looks like one of those really old websites where all anyone got was a page and some black text on a white background.

Codexx

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]>
New page, new post to plug my petition:

[www.petitiononline.com]

In general I like a lot of the new layout, but it DOES have issues, especially on hi-res monitors. If you don't like some of the changes, check the link!

stranger

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I think it's rather nice. I'd prefer the titles to be bigger than they are now, the site is in danger of being a wall of text, but otherwise cool.

I'm glad I've seen the last of the internal links >D.

Majorasblaze

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> It's... functional. I'll give you that. But, and this is just a mere pittance of a complaint, but I think its TOO clean.

William "Killer" Shatner

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Needs more cowbell.

Fnor

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> From a designer's point of view, the new design seems like someone was really into converting the old HTML-based layout into CSS/div tags... and perhaps ran out of time to create more columns, so things like usernames in posts got pushed to the right.

Needs a bit more work, I think... but headed in the right direction for sure. Might want to check out [bestwebgallery.com] for some good CSS inspiration.

Danro

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> yeah i'll say what so many others have said. there's too much free real-estate on the right hand of my screen. but i guess that's the case with most websites i visit, so i'm used to it ://

allabouttrust

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> April Fools!

Right?

...

...

...

Right?

NameYourCharacter

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I like how almost everybody is terrible at being critic, ie. "I like / hate this redesign" or "Nice! / Horrible!" without really stating anything of note.

No, I don't like it, I was being sarcastic.


Here's my two cents: Separating the avatar from the name is like separating the peanut from the butter; they're meant to be together. It makes grouping that information easier. The purpose of an avatar is to accentuate your online persona by complementing your name, and separating them does not help that purpose.

Preferably, I think the name should preface the comment along with the avatar, in sort of "title" fashion. If not that, then at least afterward as an appendix. The way we have it now, the avatar groups itself with the comments while the name and post time and "reply" group together outside of the comment. I'm sure you're aware, but name and post date group better with the avatar than they do with the "reply" option.

This new redesign also does nothing to group replies together.

And yes, that big white space on the right side is a tad bit weird, but I suppose I can get used to it.


I do like the profile strip, though. =)

Nickname

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Actually, same goes for the main page. I like knowing who posted each story, and whereas I used to be able to read straight down the page, now I have to sort of "zig zag" to read the post, then who wrote it, then back to read the next post.

I'll reserve final judgment for a few days, though. And, besides, so long as I still get that sweet, sweet Kotaku goodness, then you could have a page that makes the average MySpace page look like it was commissioned by a web design firm and I'd still read it.

kylenalepa

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> WHO MADE THE HEADLINES A MIDGET?

Just noticed...that looks horrible...a post title is supposed to be big so you can easily scan your eyes across them...that's disturbingly small now! Almost seems like the regular font is bigger, only not bold.

Candlejack

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I prefer the older look myself. But as long as the content is the same I'm not fussed either way. I'm sure I'll get used to it though. :P

Random J

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> It's definitely different. Haven't used it enough yet to know if I like it or not, but my main complaint so far is the names of the commenters being to the right of their post. It's kind of disorientating to read somebody's reply to a story, then have to look away from their reply to see who wrote it.

kylenalepa

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Sucks!

UltraMagnus

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I think it's a step in the right direction.

I dabble with a bit of web design so I'm going to have a rant. Don't read on if you are easily bored or angered by peoples opinions.

A fixed width left aligned layout is only going to work (from an aesthetic standpoint) for people who have a screen res slightly bigger than the div width. I'd hate to think what this would be like on a widescreen hi res monitor. An option to switch style sheets for a liquid or centered layout and bigger fonts sizes would help.

The front page excerpt text div width should be the same as the heading. It looks odd when there's all this empty space between the comments summary on the right and the heading. Unless you have some future plans for something to go there it's wasted and also 'odd' looking space. Oh and the blockquote styling is hideous.

The new layout IS easier to scan and seems much more structured it's just missing those final tweaks.

/rant.

I guess at teh end of teh day it's about what's on the site, not how it looks. I love it. I always will. Keep it up!

tr0n

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Maybe I'm crazy or just a really big loser but SOME of the changes here are definitely not for the better, and it seems like people tend to agree with me on some issues. If you want Crecente & Co. to listen, and hopefully do something to address your concerns, please sign the following petition:

[www.petitiononline.com]

Hopefully together we can keep Kotaku great!

stranger

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Hmmm.. running @ 1600x1200, there's now all this empty space to the right...
and not finding the posters name above his/her post'll take some time to get used to...

Archangel

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I like it, I just wish there was more of a border line at some points to separate things, such as who the comment is by/at portion.

Does make it easier to view on my Mobile though.

Kenofthedead

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> The front page is great, but I don't see the sense in putting a posters name and image on opposite sides of the post. Put them back together, and you've got it made.

bernbaum

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Change is good.

Deckart

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Front page is cool, although the comment pages can get a little confusing. Also, I miss the humorous tags. :(

SomeRandomGuy

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> this is awesome, finally, i can actually change my password, and more advanced features. if this would have just shown up a few weeks earlier, i wouldn't have had to start a new account.

thank you so much guys. [[:

jerrt

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Username/date/reply on the right == not too good. Under the avatar would be much better. Other than that - it's ok.

MaxS

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I like it, but i do feel the by/time/reply thingy for comments should be on the left and avatars on the right (or both on the left)

NecronomiconUK

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> it hurts my eyeees.
it burns. it burns.

franklinjfresh

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I for one welcome our new redesign overlords and hope they enjoy their stay. Seriously though, I dig the new look. I don't understand why so many people are complaining. (I guess it is because people in general fear change)

SirGecko

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> If there's one quip I have with Kotaku, it's the design/layout. I always thought it could be improved. Sometimes the HTML formatting is all screwy.

The layout is now slightly different, the but design is pretty much still the same. Adding comments seems a little different, and at first I thought it was hidden, but then I realized there's two ways to add a comment. I like the way the comments appear.

Starcade

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Cant stand the snorg ads though.

mandarin

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> And this is exactly why Gizmodo has been removed from my bookmarks... Sorry, Hate it. Much harder to scan through, hate the smaller images. Not a fan. I'll give it a go because I love the site and the writing but I think this is a step backwards for you guys (and I'm a Graphic/Web Designer!)

Muskyinoz

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Personally I think with the fixed width it doesn't look as good as it could in higher resolutions. On the right there's just blank space which is an annoyance to me personally, but to each his own.

Nintendo Gal

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> on my widescreen monitor, i could fit two feeds of this site. it's a wide-open spread of cream to the right, my friends!

not that i'm saying clutter it up, but is anyone viewing this on 15" monitors anymore? we're gamers, thusly we have hi-technical gear and such, right?

wiiiiiiider.

but i'll live with it. it's just words.

jgross

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> @NeoNess:
LOVE IT TOO!

CONFUSEDgam3r

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Oh, and finally... what the heck happened to article tags? They're now relegated to a single line at the top of a post once you view it.

Kotaku's tags were sometimes a great little source of author humour and now it's not even a second-rate citizen... it's a fourth rate citizen. Talk about killing the site's personality...

humilitybecomeshim

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> @Zim: Yeah, I'm not 100% sure, but the linebreak size does seem to have shrunk. :(

SmilingPolitely

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> It looks the same with a smaller sidebar. Am I missing something here? Are the comments different? I've been at Giz the last week and if this is different I can't tell since they've been like this.

Darkest Daze

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Another vote against the comment layout. Splitting up the comments and the commenter's names seems counter-intuitive, particularly for comments where one person is replying to another.

"@name" can easily be mistaken for the commenter's name.

And as other commenters have already mentioned, the ALL CAPS names are pretty terrible, particularly since the @names still retain proper capitalization.

/sadPanda

SmilingPolitely

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> News sites should be laid out more like newspapers in columns, that way people with Widescreen monitors can make use of the space.

Buxyman

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I thinks all of it is cool. Except for the small pictures. I'm a visually oriented person :p

Kashak

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I don't think this exta info to the side of stories/comments works very well, it makes the site squeezed and closed in.

I suggest moving the extra info to under the headline or to the bottom of the story and giving that extra room to space the site out and extend the story block out a bit more.

Also, bring back the bigger logo. It just doesn't "pop" like it use to =(

I liked how it overlaped the side colomn. Sort of symbolic of how the site's not kept in line or clean cut by the rules and regulations of most news sites. Symbolic of that untamed, "we're no ones bitch", style that we all love.

Quest

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> As a long timer - I agree that having the commentors name over on the right there screws with the flow...

Oh well, I'll get used to it. Everything else is fine - I like how you reclaimed some unused space on the left there...

But I haven't looked on my widescreen laptop yet - and I have a feeling it's going to be all white (yellow) space over on the right there... I'd put a request in for dynamic resizing based on the open browser size...

Hundo

JohnnyHundo

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Different, but change is good right? :p

conzer16

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I'm not sure how much of this you have control over, since people have noted it's a Gawker-wide style change, but here's my suggestions:

Main Page
- Bump the font size on headlines another 2 points or so.
- Do something with the empty space above the "recent comment" blocks. Not sure what to put here, maybe just even just a dark green color to signify that that's the sidebar and not part of the "main" posts which runs down the center. Think about the old Fark layout

Comments page
- Re-join the portraits and the usernames, either side of the screen
- The font spacing is weird. A full carriage return seems to not give enough whitespace to really allow things to be broken into paragraphs

To quote Fark.com's moderator Jeff on their recent redesign, "You'll get over it".

baberg

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> sorry guys i really dont like it, ill get used to it though

deaftly

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I just want my big article titles back. They're the only thing that makes me keep coming to Kotaku instead of those QJ blogs.

Ashurahori

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Have to agree with a lot of people about the placement of the commentator name. Im reading all the commnets but not even bothering looking to the right, then when I get to a comment which says @someone I have no idea who it is addressing. Something about it just seems extremely wrong. Maybe it's that the comments don't really have a clear divide. There is a dotted line yes but it just flows from one sentance to another. With the name there you have a clear blank line where text could be. The names seem very isloated on the right, the comments pink bar doesn't even extend to cover them.

I also think there needs to be more of a divide between stories on the front page and something done with the huge blank on the right side of the screen.

Some things are great though, the added profile bar, the reduced kotaku name, smaller pictures.

(this may just be in my mind but has the spacing between paragraphs got smaller in comments? O.o; If not then im just crazy)

Zim

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> @Tudo-Legal:
Completely agree about the picture sizes- way too small. Also, now that I'm thinking about it, I really don't like the way userpics create an indentation on the first two lines of a comment's layout.

This new layout really defies the natural way the eye moves. The original Kotaku layout was brilliant in it's simplicity. This just feels really busy.

Also- the smaller pics (and slightly smaller text I think) on hi-res monitors are the kiss of death for me. I'm at 1920 X 1280 on a 23inch monitor and my eyes hurt.

This could actually drive me off the site for good if I get a headache trying to read it.

PLEASE rethink some of they new layout "choices". This sort of feels sloppy and half thought out in comparison to the original design.

I think the smaller pics is a sneaky way on driving up click thru, but like Kim Phu's insane tagging, it makes you guys look greedy.

stranger

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I just realised what's annoying me about the layout - the headlines stretching out beyond the article content... I think the whole thing would look a lot slicker if the headlines wrapped at the same width as the content.

playclever

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> *Meant idea/value.* Also, wtf is with the line spacing? I thought it was just Firefox, but my other browsers are displaying it the same way. Yucky yucky!!!

Elly

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I guess Im the only one who hates it

Genfuyung

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> @Islandkiwi: Yes, isn't it funny how comments can suddenly be rendered into non personal data that could be coming from anywhere? Then, you take a look to the right after thinking a few times "why doesn't his name show up", and you realize "zomg?".

Candlejack

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> The thing I don't like is the comment snippits on the main page. It looks messy and there's not enough content to get any sort of idea value from it. I say can it.

The names on the right doesn't bother me much, it puts more of a focus on the actual posts. Hell, the only time I look at names is when I reply, but I know a lot of people hate this; phpbb got a lot of crap for doing the same thing.

I guess one nice thing about smaller pics is when Fleshbot decides to post NSFW crap on Kotaku, people won't get their panties in a bunch.

Elly

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Yeah, I'm sorry but I thought the redesign was Kotaku and Firefox fighting with each other.

Really don't like it, but only for two reasons:

1-What's with the double-spaced text in the blog posts?

2- Why is everybody's user ID in ALL CAPS? THAT'S SUPER ANNOYING TO READ ALL THE TIME.

Also looking to the right for click-thru, page forwards, @'s, username and reply buttons is a little wierd. Why move them when top to bottom is us westerners are completely oriented to process visual information from top to bottom?

If you could fix the ID capping and the pseudo double spacing, it would actually look "slickerer" . The rest is just minor griping.

My question is: What was broken about the old layout? Why change it?

stranger

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Argh, now I'm gonna have to wear my glasses while I'm reading Kotaku...

Ashurahori

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I realy don't like this layout. The formatting is wonky, the pictures are too small, and the style has less visual impact and appeal than it did before. Also, the eye just doesn't wander naturally to the right things (like the text) the way it used to.

Tudo-Legal

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> As I read, I think to myself "interesting comment".

Then I look to the right and see who it came from, and realize now I have to find a way to disagree with it because that guy is an @sshat.

In all seriousness, placing the names over to the right removes some of the "rugged individualism" this site helps create.

The new layout is fine, but I like to know whose comments I'm reading.

Islandkiwi

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Oh, and the teensy Kotaku logo... gah! How boring.It was much cooler when it jutted out across the top - it gave the site personality.

And I'm agreeing that the comments are less usable than before.

Usability trumps all, and I feel that this design is less usable than the previous.

humilitybecomeshim

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> ogg no like

jmote

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Man it was cool for a few seconds, but then it all screwed up and everything. Hmmm, how do I put it...? Everything is all fucked up like. Fix it!!!!

Hyrule Outlaw

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> It looks confusing and busy to me, kinda like one of those blogs with Google Adsense ads all over the place.

I like it in the comment section, though.

bangbangblah

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> You know, the way this announcement was written, I believe Crecente doesn't have much of a choice. Probably higher law involved.

Candlejack

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> For some reason I hated it when Deadspin switched over. But I kind of like it on Kotaku.

Foggynotion

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> At 1920x1200, it feels way too cramped. Maybe if the articles stretched back across and the comments sat underneath... I dunno. The new design feels way too cramped.

humilitybecomeshim

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Okey after 5min im getting a seizure, im out. I'l be back in 1 week and see if you fixed your website Kotaku cause this stinks, cya! /waves off

Irenicus

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Also, lets get some lines between posts on the main page. Everything just flows together into one giant mess.

Catalyst

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> @crecente:

[kotaku.com]

This is what I'm talking about. You guys as much as anyone should realize that when the fanbase complains, you don't tell THEM what they want. You should cater to them.

The new design isn't AWFUL, but it has lost a lot of the convenience of before, such as names at the tops of comments, bigger pictures, and the RIGHT FREAKING THIRD OF THE SCREEN BEING USED.

Please don't pull a Nintendo and be stubborn just because. Unless Gawker's forcing you, then we coo'.

PogiJones

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Nooooooooo!!! I was hoping this terrible layout wouldn't spread from consumerist to kotaku. It's just compressed and harder to browse through visually. There was nothing wrong with the old one.

Iron_Dragon_2.0

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> i don't like the changes either...it's much too wide, and puts information that i would expect to see in my normal sight line way off to the right, making the whole effort of reading the page that much more difficult

phrenetik

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Nooooooooooooo.... oh well, I'll forget about the old, better layout within a week and learn to like this one. Curse you, Kotaku...

DONNYchiban

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> i dont like the comments section at all. everything else is super-spiff.

aphexacid

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> No matter its faults, this new design has one overwhelming positive: no more Giant Kaz Face!

mmx

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> The thing I hate the most about it is that the article titles on the front page are not flush left with the side bar, but are flush left with the tiny ass picture. Who reads like that?

Catalyst

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> how about comments and avatars on the left like most sites?
btw, when i click my profile in the upper left corner, the comment text overlaps with some pink text. i can't read either. although, this was an occasional problem with the old design too.

thaKingRocka

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Ew. I stopped reading LifeHacker when they went with this design. C'mon, guys. It's cramped, overly busy, and hard to read.

I really hope this is temporary.

IsenMike

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> You suck hard Kotaku!

Joystiq has a completely different mobile site up with all their stories. While you have completely redone your site and it looks like ass on my windows mobile 6 device unless I stick it in desktop mode and scroll every which way. How hard would it be to make your text flow correctly so your fine site can be read on the train, plane, or automobile? You know not while operating said mode of transport of course.

FuzyBaffy

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> @Riscaa: for someone with ADD ya...

Irenicus

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I don't mind the names and time being to the side of the comment. The comments are what I read the comment section, not the user's name and junk. I usually don't remember people's names anyway, atleast not as well as I remember their avatars.

Kuraudo

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> No offense, but it was fine before. Why change it?

Dave Silva

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I like it so far have to use it a bit to see if there are any quirks. I know the old way would sometime overlap an add on some of the articles hopefully this will be taken care of with this. But nothing like a good fresh coat of paint to spuce the place up good job.

Konchu

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> Looks better here than Gizmodo, and much better than Deadspin. That said, I still hate it was a passion.

Also, we know this is just Gawker's attempt to increase page views, so lets not play it off like it is an aesthetic redesign.

Catalyst

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I also miss having the date next to the time of the comment. It can get confusing when something is posted in the evening and comments continue for a while, sometimes for a couple of days and you are trying to find out when someone posted that comment. Also, looking at past quotes, when there is an indented quotation paragraph, it looks a bit weird now.

kingofallcosmos

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> I am liking the new look. Very slick indeed. Its a lot more readable too!

Riscaa

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]> @yashichi8bit: That's what I'm talking about.

Spartan1308™

]]> <![CDATA[Slickererer Look for Kotaku]]>