Is the font size on the main Empire site too small?

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2004-06-30 11:41am

A few people have commented that they think the font size on the main Empire site at http://www.stardestroyer.net/Empire/ is too small for readability. Does anybody else feel this way? Or should I leave it the way it is?

Note: in order to test what it would look like with bigger fonts with Netscape or Mozilla/Firefox, just go to the site and hit CTRL + (CTRL - will shrink it again). I'm not sure if the same keyboard shortcut works in IE.

Jordie · Post by **Jordie** » 2004-06-30 11:44am

I can see it just fine, maybe these people just need glasses.

Then again, I do wear glasses.

Keevan_Colton · Post by **Keevan_Colton** » 2004-06-30 11:45am

I'd suggest just a slight increase in font size.

Mange · Post by **Mange** » 2004-06-30 12:02pm

I have no problem to read it. The font size in my browser is set to normal.

General Zod · Post by **General Zod** » 2004-06-30 12:05pm

It only seems to be a size or two smaller than the font on the forums. i don't see a problem, even without glasses on.

Warspite · Post by **Warspite** » 2004-06-30 12:07pm

I have no problems reading it, but after some time it starts to become tiring for the eyes, especially with the white letters on black background. Eh, maybe I'm getting old, but I think a slight increase (2 points max) would help alleviate that. Even more so when there is a lot of information, and one is trying to concentrate hard in assimilating it.

Mange · Post by **Mange** » 2004-06-30 12:10pm

Warspite wrote:I have no problems reading it, but after some time it starts to become tiring for the eyes, especially with the white letters on black background. Eh, maybe I'm getting old, but I think a slight increase (2 points max) would help alleviate that. Even more so when there is a lot of information, and one is trying to concentrate hard in assimilating it.

I agree, the black background is tiresome. Perhaps Mike should introduce a different color scheme?

Mad · Post by **Mad** » 2004-06-30 12:11pm

It's slightly smaller than the default font size, and I figure people will set their default font size to what is comfortable for them.

I don't have a problem with the current size, but I think it'd be a little easier to read if the default size were used. (Of course, it's about the same size as this text edit box, and I don't have a problem with it, either.)

Jumping up a size level with Firefox makes the font size on the page bigger than the default size.

Techno_Union · Post by **Techno_Union** » 2004-06-30 12:37pm

Looks good the way it is, not too small but not too big.

Haze Gray · Post by **Haze Gray** » 2004-06-30 12:44pm

It looks good to me ...

beyond hope · Post by **beyond hope** » 2004-06-30 01:04pm

It gives me problems, particularly if there's a fairly large block of text. Two points larger would be an improvement IMHO.

Sir Sirius · Post by **Sir Sirius** » 2004-06-30 01:05pm

No, I prefer smaller fonts, they are faster to read.

YT300000 · Post by **YT300000** » 2004-06-30 02:09pm

I think it's fine.

Tribun · Post by **Tribun** » 2004-06-30 02:56pm

It's allright the way it is now.
Don't change it.

Setzer · Post by **Setzer** » 2004-06-30 03:15pm

I never had any problems with it.

Soontir C'boath · Post by **Soontir C'boath** » 2004-06-30 03:18pm

I don't mind if it's changed to a factor above it.

Macross · Post by **Macross** » 2004-06-30 04:39pm

I would increase the font size two points.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2004-06-30 04:58pm

I think that the size of the text is fine. I've never had a problem with it.

However, I have to address something that's been bothering me for quite a while, which is the actual composition of the page: there's too much crap on it.

Not to offend, but I think that the page is just way too busy and inconsistant. I liked how it looked about a year ago with just the stock image of Vader on the right, the poll on the left, and no other images. Now it looks cobbled together and unprofessional, something like a GeoCities or Tripod fansite. Plus the bio and picture of the Imperial officer is just out of the blue without context.

I personally think it would look a great deal better if you returned the page to what it looked like before.

Gil Hamilton · Post by **Gil Hamilton** » 2004-06-30 05:16pm

The text size is readable, though if it were me doing the designing, I'd put the text in narrower fixed length columns to aid readablity (like how newspapers put text in columns). It's the text size to line length principle.

The reason people probably think the text is too small is because some jokers are probably viewing it with as much resolution as their monitors can handle, even though it looks like it was designed around a reasonably low viewing resolution. At the resolution you suggest at the bottom of the page (800 x 600), the text is a reasonable size.

Grand Admiral Thrawn · Post by **Grand Admiral Thrawn** » 2004-06-30 05:19pm

Darth Wong wrote:A few people have commented that they think the font size on the main Empire site at http://www.stardestroyer.net/Empire/ is too small for readability. Does anybody else feel this way? Or should I leave it the way it is?

Note: in order to test what it would look like with bigger fonts with Netscape or Mozilla/Firefox, just go to the site and hit CTRL + (CTRL - will shrink it again). I'm not sure if the same keyboard shortcut works in IE.

The text size itself is fine. Though I think a light blue or green would be a lot easier on the eyes for extended reading then just white on black.

Meest · Post by **Meest** » 2004-06-30 05:36pm

Only thing I would suggest to changing is making it non-scrollable, its nice that it almost all fits into a page, scrolling is a big no-no when it comes to gfx design rules. Maybe just make some linking buttons in the effect of turning a page kinda, like at the bottom corner have link to page 2 etc. Makes it feel more archival without looking too flashy and overbearing. Can even maybe have a standardized header which is is on all pages that displays which section and page you're on.

Might be alot of work if you're not willing to work on it that much at this time, but if you need graphics etc I can help you out.

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » 2004-06-30 09:18pm

I think the font size is fine. I need glasses to read, and I can read the site just fine without them.

Kazuaki Shimazaki · Post by **Kazuaki Shimazaki** » 2004-06-30 09:40pm

And IMHO you have lots of better things to do, like finishing yet another chapter of the FanFic. Or just tacking on a note to your older pages reminding people they WERE built in 1999 or so and a lot of things had changed since then.

Leave little things like size (since it is quite readable) until when you have nothing else to do. That's my humble opinion.

Post by **Gandalf** » 2004-06-30 10:09pm

I like the size just the way it is. When I viewed it on IE some time back, I kept the font size as "smaller" and all was still fine.

tjhairball · Post by **tjhairball** » 2004-06-30 10:45pm

I'm having no trouble reading it just fine on default settings.

StarDestroyer.Net BBS

Is the font size on the main Empire site too small?

Is the font size on the main Empire site too small?

Re: Is the font size on the main Empire site too small?

Nah, it is OK