non profit organization site im working on

[Zajako]

Im working on a site for a non profit organization im creation. the organization is based on helpin gpeople, similar to the suidial help lines and such, but how this organization works is its all web based. Lets say you are looking for help, you would goto the site and click help me please, it then takes you to a list of the ways we offer help, for example many instant messengers, and even a forums site. if you click on one, for example aim, it will bring you to a list of people who volenteered to help, and a brief bit of info about them..
there is also a section for offering help and it allows you to submit your into so people can find you.

this site is far for mdone and is missing all the BS text so if you see a page with a title bar and nothing under that its cause its not done outta all the help pages only forums and aim work. This site is not open fo rht epublic yet so please dont register on the forums s your name will simply be deleted, the only reason im not clsoing the boards is so you guys can see the layout.

Please tell me your opinions and any advice for it.

the url is http://fatefx.tfogame.com

[foodbiz]

Everything looks a little Blurry or maybe its just me(Too much coffee). The test is a bit on the small side!

[iphong]

Looks good!

[Zajako]

it is a bit blury but thats kinda the fog effect that it has.

[TheGAME1264]

I like the colour scheme and the logo's kinda funky, but overall I have to be honest and say that I don't like it for the following reasons:

1. The name. If it's a help organization, why does it have the name FX? FX to me implies "special effects", not helping others. The Fate part somewhat makes sense but not the FX.
2. "Effecting the output of life" should be "Affecting the output of life."
3. The blur effect doesn't really do it for me. Maybe if you used a 0% fill and a 1 px outside stroke for your mouseovers, that would, but the blur doesn't.
4. The whole crackling thing on the bottom. I don't get what's up with that.
5. The gradient fill on the top. The white to the grey isn't a bad idea, but the grey itself is too dark. Try making it 70-80% white.
6. The font. You're already using CSS, so put some font properties in your body tag at the very least so it's not done in Times New Roman.

I think what you've got is a good start, but you've got a long row to hoe as it were before you're finished.

[tha_Gsheep]

Oh yeah I really agree with TheGame here, if I was suicidal this wouldn't comfort me at all. It looks like a geeks cgi-script archive or something not a helpiong organisation! Whats with the greys? Thats not comforting, its depressing. You want people to come to this site looking for a saftey blanket so you want to use nice soothing, calming colours definetly NO REDS! I'd probably steer cleer from any colour extremes.
The cracking thing? Is that to remind them that their on the edge of breaking or what?
The Blurring just makes the page hard to read. I have to say that its just way too dynamic and hard hitting. Not designed for the target audience at all. Keep it for later and make a coders forum or something. Sorry to be so harsh

[Zajako]

" I like the colour scheme and the logo's kinda funky, but overall I have to be honest and say that I don't like it for the following reasons:


1. The name. If it's a help organization, why does it have the name FX? FX to me implies "special effects", not helping others. The Fate part somewhat makes sense but not the FX.
2. "Effecting the output of life" should be "Affecting the output of life."
3. The blur effect doesn't really do it for me. Maybe if you used a 0% fill and a 1 px outside stroke for your mouseovers, that would, but the blur doesn't.
4. The whole crackling thing on the bottom. I don't get what's up with that.
5. The gradient fill on the top. The white to the grey isn't a bad idea, but the grey itself is too dark. Try making it 70-80% white.
6. The font. You're already using CSS, so put some font properties in your body tag at the very least so it's not done in Times New Roman.


I think what you've got is a good start, but you've got a long row to hoe as it were before you're finished."

I call if Fate Fx because Fx is changin something usualy for the better making it brighter more attractive etc. so the name insinuates the site is for improving life or your fate.
I use Effecting, because it agrees with the term FX or effects.
The whole gradients, the crackckling and the fog effect are to kinda bring image to how they are feeling so it stands out a little better. What depressed person listens to cheery happy music. When im depressed or other people i have talked to are derpressed they listen to things like marilyn manson or other goth rock or depressing musics. sites are similar in this way. They want to see somethign that relates with how they are feeling at the time, if you are overboard on the boring or nutral colors they will be turend off, if you are into the completely bright set of colors they will be turned off, i instead gave a blend, i placed some colors like green and blue in there to give it some hopeful colors, the grey theme with teh sorta foggy mounty type thing are to give them the feeling that we knwo how they are feeling, then finaly the red emphisizes the points by leading the eyes across the bar through the options.
As for fonts i have not gotten to that yet, i plan to do some fonting on it.

" Oh yeah I really agree with TheGame here, if I was suicidal this wouldn't comfort me at all. It looks like a geeks cgi-script archive or something not a helpiong organisation! Whats with the greys? Thats not comforting, its depressing. You want people to come to this site looking for a saftey blanket so you want to use nice soothing, calming colours definetly NO REDS! I'd probably steer cleer from any colour extremes.
The cracking thing? Is that to remind them that their on the edge of breaking or what?
The Blurring just makes the page hard to read. I have to say that its just way too dynamic and hard hitting. Not designed for the target audience at all. Keep it for later and make a coders forum or something. Sorry to be so harsh "

You were not being harsh you were being honest. the site itself is not meant to do the conforting, there really is no way to confort those looking for help by showing them a site.
as for the red thing look about the commenabove.

[tha_Gsheep]

Well if you ask a load of Graphic Designers their opinions and don't listen to their answers your not really gaining anything.If you take a little time to think it over you'll realise that our judgement is built up on experience and first common impressions.

As a member of the public our first common impressions will be that as of any member of the public, only we can identify them better, ie "John Suicidal" might come to your site and feel addedly depressed and uncomforted by your design, but he wouldn't be able to tell you why. Straight forwardly, we can.
Because we have training and field experience on how to do so.
I'm telling you, Designer to client, harsh backgrounds such as yours do not make the disstressed person take comfort in the relation this site has to their feelings it only make them feel worse. If you don't believe me then check every other reputable charity out.
The colours don't help either. Sorry to be so harsh but if your serious about starting an organisation then you want to do it right. I would recommend hiring a professional.

[Zajako]

i am a professional....
This project im integrading my own personal experince with being depressed and what i needed at the time.
And i did read your advice and i did understand what you said, all i did was explain why i made it the way i did, not say im not chanign it. So please calm down and dont jump to conclusions like that, its not a flame war, im just asking opinions and explaining why i di it as i did.

[splufdaddy]

Originally posted by Zajako
You were not being harsh you were being honest. the site itself is not meant to do the conforting, there really is no way to confort those looking for help by showing them a site.

I agree that just showing someone a site will not make them feel better, but there are things you can do to make the site more comforting, like using brighter colors for example. I think some valid suggestions for improvement have been brought up here, and to hear you argue with every one of them was putting off some users who were trying to help. You seem to have a reason for everything that's on your site, is there anything you aren't sure about that you want feedback on? If you are happy with everything on your site and don't want to change it, then you don't need to ask us for suggestions.