New community contest :: DC t-shirt

DC T-shirt Design Contest
I am posting this as announcement for several reasons. First of all it's a new community contest in a long while, second it is powered by our brand new system that will make contests much more organized. The system is still in the final stage of testing there are still some things to polish, but it's working and you can already participate in the contest. To help us make the sytem better I encourage you to post your comments about it in this thread. In fact besides the t-shirt for the contest winner another one will go to the author of the most helpful comment(s) that will help us improve the functionality and/or design of the contest script. Any comments will help, we want to hear your thoughts!

Cool!
Very unaccustomed but intuitive measuring interface =) Bold & neat!
I`m not sure about main colors. Is that final version of color scheme?

Vovikus, thanks! Well, if you are talking about the general layout colors, yes, we will use blue and orange as our main colors.

What do you think about the contest's page itself?

It's ok to have the pictures enlarge when you hover the mouse over the gallery, but I found it a bit annoying when it happens when there is link to the pieces in the thread. I'd rather scroll up to see about which piece the post is talking about (since they are all marked with number) then to have it open up and block out letters.
Of course, that is just my personal taste.
Other than that, everything looks/functions ok.

It's ok to have the pictures enlarge when you hover the mouse over the gallery, but I found it a bit annoying when it happens when there is link to the pieces in the thread. I'd rather scroll up to see about which piece the post is talking about (since they are all marked with number) then to have it open up and block out letters.
Of course, that is just my personal taste.
Other than that, everything looks/functions ok.

Do you mean that the design pops out even if you don't hover over the number? In this case it is a bug and we'll fix it. And if you hover over it and it annoys you when an image pops out, I wonder why do it

I was just checking it out. Over all I like the layout.

A couple things though. I didn't like the "details" in the place they were at. As I was looking for it on the "breif" either have it where you click on brief to see what the details are or have the details link next to the brief.
The other thing that I really didn't like is how the pic when scrolled over takes over the page. lets see if I can communicate my opinion correctly... LOL..
I like the pic pop ups size and all but when I thought I'd be able to move to the next one it still stayed on top of the last one.(following me so far) Then I had to move off the image to beable to get another enlarged version, this is OK just not what I'm use to when scrolling over pics. can you make it to where the pointer's position indicates what is popping up, even though it's over the pic as I wanted it to go to the next one, instead of staying where it was at. ?
If that makes NO sense what so ever please let me know and I'll retry to execute what I'm saying. LOL

I like the number linked to the pic and it popping up, it's just more convienant. kinda opposite of what kvasa.. was saying.

Do you mean that the design pops out even if you don't hover over the number? In this case it is a bug and we'll fix it. And if you hover over it and it annoys you when an image pops out, I wonder why do it

it worked correct for me.
But I think he ment he'd rather scroll up and look at which one is being discussed.? (I could be wrong though, won't be the first time)

I was just checking it out. Over all I like the layout.

A couple things though. I didn't like the "details" in the place they were at. As I was looking for it on the "breif" either have it where you click on brief to see what the details are or have the details link next to the brief.
The other thing that I really didn't like is how the pic when scrolled over takes over the page. lets see if I can communicate my opinion correctly... LOL..
I like the pic pop ups size and all but when I thought I'd be able to move to the next one it still stayed on top of the last one.(following me so far) Then I had to move off the image to beable to get another enlarged version, this is OK just not what I'm use to when scrolling over pics. can you make it to where the pointer's position indicates what is popping up, even though it's over the pic as I wanted it to go to the next one, instead of staying where it was at. ?
If that makes NO sense what so ever please let me know and I'll retry to execute what I'm saying. LOL

I think I get what you are saying. It is not ideal, but we were thinking a lot about displaying those popup images and haven't come up with a better idea. If you are proposing something different that we have no I don't think I quite get it. Try to put it in some other words.

I like the number linked to the pic and it popping up, it's just more convienant. kinda opposite of what kvasa.. was saying.

Yes, I like it too. I really don't see how it can be irritating. If you don't like them, just don't hover your mouse over.

OK I'll try again.
Go to the page. huver over and image (it pops ups) now see where your pointer is (should be over what you are seeing) now Imagine you see through the pic and your pointer is now over the 2nd pic you want to see. It doesn't pop up, instead it's the first one still.
I'd rather have the images pop up to where your mouse/pointer is rather than having to move off of the last image hovered over.

OK I'll try again.
Go to the page. huver over and image (it pops ups) now see where your pointer is (should be over what you are seeing) now Imagine you see through the pic and your pointer is now over the 2nd pic you want to see. It doesn't pop up, instead it's the first one still.
I'd rather have the images pop up to where your mouse/pointer is rather than having to move off of the last image hovered over.

hmm, I am not quite conviced. To me it sounds like a matter of taste. Let's see if somebody wants to do it or maybe has other ideas?

I wonder why do it

I move pointer across letters when I read. A habit I picked up on other forums that have long posts. As I said, moving the pointer over txt is just my preference.

Go to the page. huver over and image (it pops ups) now see where your pointer is (should be over what you are seeing) now Imagine you see through the pic and your pointer is now over the 2nd pic you want to see. It doesn't pop up, instead it's the first one still.

Happens to me too.

A few words about watermarks at the bottom of each entry =) Double jpeg compression is killing me ))))
Designs with gradients will be destroyed and the subsidiary jpeg compression will make it dirty.
It`s not good IMHO

wow - I don't know how I missed this thread! I like the gallery format - the open comments at the bottom kinda threw me off a little bit...I like them, though. I do agree with coy about the location of the details. I actually didn't see them the first couple visits. Everything else is great though. I like the size of the pop ups - I hate it when I got to a site and the "better detail" feature is still too small to make out any details. Nice work sergey!


about the contest, though - can we put a small mockup (as vovikus has in his entry - non-intrusive, in the corner)? A major part of design is the placement on the shirt - I'm assuming we need to stick to front placements, but it could still be high, low, off-centered, etc. This contest looks fun - can't wait to get my entry together!

jecrt - I took looked at the other DC shirts and just figured the winning design would be placed similar if not exactly.

http://image.spreads.../280/height/280

jecrt - I took looked at the other DC shirts and just figured the winning design would be placed similar if not exactly.

http://image.spreads.../280/height/280

does it have to be, though?

I just figured it'd be in the general location to keep costs similar. It may depend on what the company that makes them has available?

But then again I'm just ASSuming all this and really doesn't matter what I think. HEHE

I just figured it'd be in the general location to keep costs similar. It may depend on what the company that makes them has available?

But then again I'm just ASSuming all this and really doesn't matter what I think. HEHE

location doesn't really affect cost unless it requires a larger screen or runs across seams, though. (I'm ASSuming this is true with the printer DC will be using as well - I should say - of all the printers I've worked with, location generally isn't a cost issue as long as it's within the standard print area)

wow - I don't know how I missed this thread! I like the gallery format - the open comments at the bottom kinda threw me off a little bit...I like them, though. I do agree with coy about the location of the details. I actually didn't see them the first couple visits. Everything else is great though. I like the size of the pop ups - I hate it when I got to a site and the "better detail" feature is still too small to make out any details. Nice work sergey!

Thanks for your comments! Yeah, the "details" needs some more thinking as some other things. I see you've started posting comments about other entries, keep them coming!

about the contest, though - can we put a small mockup (as vovikus has in his entry - non-intrusive, in the corner)? A major part of design is the placement on the shirt - I'm assuming we need to stick to front placements, but it could still be high, low, off-centered, etc. This contest looks fun - can't wait to get my entry together!

Yes, I have posted an update to the rules, you can play with the image placement.

Speaking about production. Right now we've been using spreadshirt for printing and I believe they have some kind of standard placement of the image. But if the design is really cool we might use some other printer to order a bunch to distribute on our own. I can send t-shirts to contest winners myself for example.

I checked out spread shirt and it looked like your limited to their area in front or back. but didn't hang out long enought to see ALL their options. just a quick jump in and check it out sorta thing.

One thing i have problems which i dunno if anyone else does, but whenever I scroll over the pictures sometimes they appear as broken links or dont show up at all