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Old 08-29-2016, 04:29 PM   #1
JonDuke
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Default New CPHL Website - Feedback/Brainstorming/Help

We had a thread last year that touched upon the need for an updated CPHL website. I've started to tackle that, but need help.

Here's a teaser of what I have so far...
Spoiler!


It's far from done, but that's the rough, basic shell and layout of the menu portion of the home page.

Questions:

- Do we even want a new logo?? The one I used in the above example was made last year out of boredom. If anyone wants to whip up something else, I'm be more than happy to use theirs too, or we can stick to what we currently have now.

- What would you like to see on the website? I have about 16 pages created so far, with many more to come, and there's some I omitted, like the History (not the bio part), Transactions and Articles pages. Only because they didn't seem to be updated recently, but I could add them if we'll use them. I'd love input here on what changes you all would like to see though. Items/pages to add or trash, etc.

- I'd love help in updating the text found in parts of the existing website, like the History and Rules sections. Those are both pretty outdated, and all I need is the updated text and can throw it into the new page.

- Although I'm a graphics/Photoshop junkie, I could use some help there too. The main header (if we use that logo) would need some special touches to make the 1400x400 pic nice and funky. I'm looking at you, Doug. Your graphic skills are far superior than mine, and I love the Canes content (Ex 1, Ex 2, Ex 3) you've created on here. There's other stuff we'll need, like new team page headers, icons, etc, so if anyone else is willing to lend a hand, I'm sure I'll eventually take you up on it.

- I'm using WordPress/WHM/cPanel to create this. This is all very new to me. Is there anything wrong with that or potential future problems that we'd run into by using WordPress?

- Coding Help Needed. This is the big one.
2 weeks ago, I knew absolutely nothing about customizing WordPress or creating websites. I've immersed myself in multiple YouTube videos and online HTML/WordPress tutorials to get what is done so far. (I'm looking to get into the web design/customization biz anyway) That stuff wasn't extremely complicated. This is the 4th website I've worked on but, by far, the most time consuming. I have ZERO knowledge or experience with coding though. There's quite a few pages that I'm guessing will require that, so if anyone is savvy in the field, I'd love your help there. Especially with trading/releasing players, waive/bring up player, and all those options.

The individual roster pages will be the most time consuming part of this, and I plan on linking the new sites pages to the existing ones. They aren't really that terrible anyway, imo, and it's the home page/layout that needs the primary attention. A lot of the pages (player and team stats, etc) is just linking to STHS generated URLs (I think?), which seems super easy.

Again, this is still very, very far away, but I wanted to get a discussion going on what you all would like to see.

Let the spitballing begin! Honest feedback welcome.
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Old 08-29-2016, 05:06 PM   #2
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Lots to coordinate with that project.

The old logo is fine

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Old 08-29-2016, 05:26 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JonDuke View Post
We had a thread last year that touched upon the need for an updated CPHL website. I've started to tackle that, but need help.

Here's a teaser of what I have so far...
Spoiler!


It's far from done, but that's the rough, basic shell and layout of the menu portion of the home page.

Questions:

- Do we even want a new logo?? The one I used in the above example was made last year out of boredom. If anyone wants to whip up something else, I'm be more than happy to use theirs too, or we can stick to what we currently have now.

- What would you like to see on the website? I have about 16 pages created so far, with many more to come, and there's some I omitted, like the History (not the bio part), Transactions and Articles pages. Only because they didn't seem to be updated recently, but I could add them if we'll use them. I'd love input here on what changes you all would like to see though. Items/pages to add or trash, etc.

- I'd love help in updating the text found in parts of the existing website, like the History and Rules sections. Those are both pretty outdated, and all I need is the updated text and can throw it into the new page.

- Although I'm a graphics/Photoshop junkie, I could use some help there too. The main header (if we use that logo) would need some special touches to make the 1400x400 pic nice and funky. I'm looking at you, Doug. Your graphic skills are far superior than mine, and I love the Canes content (Ex 1, Ex 2, Ex 3) you've created on here. There's other stuff we'll need, like new team page headers, icons, etc, so if anyone else is willing to lend a hand, I'm sure I'll eventually take you up on it.

- I'm using WordPress/WHM/cPanel to create this. This is all very new to me. Is there anything wrong with that or potential future problems that we'd run into by using WordPress?

- Coding Help Needed. This is the big one.
2 weeks ago, I knew absolutely nothing about customizing WordPress or creating websites. I've immersed myself in multiple YouTube videos and online HTML/WordPress tutorials to get what is done so far. (I'm looking to get into the web design/customization biz anyway) That stuff wasn't extremely complicated. This is the 4th website I've worked on but, by far, the most time consuming. I have ZERO knowledge or experience with coding though. There's quite a few pages that I'm guessing will require that, so if anyone is savvy in the field, I'd love your help there. Especially with trading/releasing players, waive/bring up player, and all those options.

The individual roster pages will be the most time consuming part of this, and I plan on linking the new sites pages to the existing ones. They aren't really that terrible anyway, imo, and it's the home page/layout that needs the primary attention. A lot of the pages (player and team stats, etc) is just linking to STHS generated URLs (I think?), which seems super easy.

Again, this is still very, very far away, but I wanted to get a discussion going on what you all would like to see.

Let the spitballing begin! Honest feedback welcome.
Thanks for starting a discussion.
If we are going to develop a new site, someone really needs to take the ball and run with it - inclusive of coordinating all the content and requirements. I don't have the bandwidth for it, but if there is a team that wants to try and run with this, I support it.

The key aspects from my POV are:
- The site has to work with the existing functionality and admin tasks that we have built out, including all the league rules that are applied to that
- We can build out a lot of CMS components for news and articles but the key is populating that stuff. If the content is not going to be maintained or generated then there is no point to it. You highlight this when it comes to the content for the history section. We don't really have any content to put there, so someone would have to own developing and maintaining it going forward
- We essentially use the forum as the basis for any discussion, which I think makes the most sense.

I think it would be great to get input from the GMs on how important they think the site is. I fully admit that I have put way more energy into the rules and game aspects to the league - but if folks want a richer web site as part of this league - then we can find a path to get that.

However, if folks just want to focus on the game, that the site probably does the job (though the rules section does need to be updated).

Certainly worth discussing.
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Old 08-29-2016, 06:44 PM   #4
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I tried getting involved and helping flamesfan6 but it's definitely a coding thing beyond my abilities.

Flamesfan6 should pipe in here as he was heading things up.

The most important piece of the site as I understood it really involved everything to do with Roster Management:

- puttingplayers on wwaivers
- IR
-etc.

Last edited by simmer2; 08-29-2016 at 06:48 PM.
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Old 08-29-2016, 07:10 PM   #5
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Yeah it is this stuff:
- The watchdog monitoring for cap and rosters
- Cheese rule
- Trade offers, acceptance and processing
- Adding players
- Assigning players to teams
- Releasing players
- Editing players
- Waivers - placing on and processing, including signing to teams
- Changing team information
- Contracts (years, amounts, ability to progress a year)
- Player ages
- IR
- Suspensions

Databases and backups for all that.

Automatic emails for trades and what not.
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Old 08-29-2016, 07:14 PM   #6
Pierre "Monster" McGuire
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Okay, that's outstanding work JonDuke!

If I had the know-how I'd love to help, but it's beyond my abilities. Thanks to anyone who helps create a new site. We desperately need one.
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Old 08-29-2016, 07:19 PM   #7
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I would think that Fire should give some idea on how his database works...and if we want to change that to something new or leave as is.
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Old 08-29-2016, 08:27 PM   #8
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Is this just going to be an overhaul of the informational/brochure site? Or of the functional portion as well?

I have a ton of ideas for the backend portion - but none of it is applicable if that isn't being worked on.
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Old 08-29-2016, 09:07 PM   #9
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The transactions are up to date, just not in a super friendly format, so keeping that would be good.

I would love to see a master player database including ratings, contracts, ages etc. I can do it in excel to get the base list, but I'm not sure if that's useful as ideally it would update with trades and ratings changes. Unfortunately I'm no help with Web development.

Big thanks JonDuke for taking this on.
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Old 08-29-2016, 09:45 PM   #10
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Ideally, everything would be data driven (by a database). Even so far as UFA bidding and the draft I think.
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Old 08-29-2016, 10:04 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JonDuke View Post

- Although I'm a graphics/Photoshop junkie, I could use some help there too. The main header (if we use that logo) would need some special touches to make the 1400x400 pic nice and funky. I'm looking at you, Doug. Your graphic skills are far superior than mine, and I love the Canes content (Ex 1, Ex 2, Ex 3) you've created on here. There's other stuff we'll need, like new team page headers, icons, etc, so if anyone else is willing to lend a hand, I'm sure I'll eventually take you up on it.
I'm more than willing to do whatever needs to be done graphic wise, the best thing is you don't have to use them, if it's used to to push someone else for an even better piece then it's thee the same to me. All I need to know at the time is what the sizes are and what are we trying to fit it in with.
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Old 08-29-2016, 10:15 PM   #12
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Thanks for the feedback so far.

Here's what has been created so far. Again, this is all very new, and still needs work. This is concept only, and still not a for sure thing either. I know that and am cool if it's decided that we never use it. It's been super fun nauseating to make, but I needed the practice anyway.
Also, the domain name is temporary, and could be changed to any other domain, at any time.

www.cphlsim.com

Feel free to take a look and give it a test run. Layout/pics, etc are all able to be edited. Most pages/links should work right now. Some link to existing pages, some have been redone. You're going to find mistakes, but I'm not too worried about that just yet. There's still lots I want to improve, like changing the "teams" drop down in the main menu (it's too long right now) and improve the look of the table on the "GM List" page. Etc, etc.

It's a mini makeover. Most of the stuff on the inside is still the same, and I've just tried to give it a more modern first impression.

Quote:
Originally Posted by dsavillian View Post
Is this just going to be an overhaul of the informational/brochure site? Or of the functional portion as well?
I'd love to tackle both, but for now, I'm focusing on the aesthetics. And not that I think the current website is deplorable. It serves its purpose, and very well. I just thought a makeover might be nice to the front end for now, and we'd move more to the back end if/when anyone can help.

Quote:
Originally Posted by JiriHrdina View Post
...We can build out a lot of CMS components for news and articles but the key is populating that stuff. If the content is not going to be maintained or generated then there is no point to it. You highlight this when it comes to the content for the history section. We don't really have any content to put there, so someone would have to own developing and maintaining it going forward
I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. I don't want commish access or any promotion either, but I would happily handle any updates on the website that I would be capable of populating. I can commit to that for sure.
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Old 08-30-2016, 12:12 AM   #13
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I like that the colour scheme is lighter. The existing site is very hard to read on my phone. This look would be much better.
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Old 08-30-2016, 12:42 AM   #14
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The makeover is good...and its time.
If we are going to make a change to the database structure or keep it as existing is the big Q and where the majority of the work would transpire.
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Old 08-30-2016, 08:53 AM   #15
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Is the thinking of this website just a refresh of the website but the core will continue to be the same (roster pages, waiver functionality, trade fucntionality, etc.) or is the thought this will be the one stop shop to do everything instead of using iframes?
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Old 08-30-2016, 08:55 AM   #16
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^I think that is the main question that needs to be answered.
I don't have a preference except to say that without a functioning site - the game breaks. So if we are going the complete overhaul route we need to make sure we have the right skills and abilities to execute it.
In other words, don't want to risk blowing the whole dang thing up.
If we've got people that can pull it off great - otherwise may be better served to put lipstick on the pig.
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Old 08-30-2016, 10:00 AM   #17
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An entire back end overhaul wouldn't be a great idea to try and implement mid season, you'd be better off working on it for 10 months or so, trying to get it in place for next offseason.

I have the skills (and pay the bills with my skills) to do most/all of the back end work. I have so many unfinished projects though, I worry that I'd get 2 weeks in and then drop the project off.
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Old 08-30-2016, 12:02 PM   #18
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My 2 cents for this is have been toying around with making a whole new site for the site and then things came up that have drastically slowed me down to almost 0. However, some stuff has come up at work that I need to start doing more stuff away from work and was about to pick it up again just to be able to keep up with the ever changing technology.

My Idea was that it was a total make-over (including back end) that would make the site a lot easier for commissioners and teams (no emailing for anything), waivers automatically done etc (Thearetically should be able to even automatically post to a waiver thread).

The sim also provides files in formats that can be read from easily so that it's scoring and rosters and so on should in practice be able to be implemented into a custom rosters page.
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Old 08-30-2016, 12:08 PM   #19
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Quote:
- Coding Help Needed. This is the big one.
2 weeks ago, I knew absolutely nothing about customizing WordPress or creating websites. I've immersed myself in multiple YouTube videos and online HTML/WordPress tutorials to get what is done so far. (I'm looking to get into the web design/customization biz anyway) That stuff wasn't extremely complicated. This is the 4th website I've worked on but, by far, the most time consuming. I have ZERO knowledge or experience with coding though. There's quite a few pages that I'm guessing will require that, so if anyone is savvy in the field, I'd love your help there. Especially with trading/releasing players, waive/bring up player, and all those options.
- This would have to be done completely out of wordpress. Wordpress is great for a blogging type stuff, but not for implementing a custom solution for stuff like a hockey team management site.

For most of the team management roster stuff and so on, it would be ideally not wrapped in wordpress.

I suck at design but can whip together html front ends quick when given the assets and designs, and back end is where I like the most.
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Old 08-30-2016, 12:16 PM   #20
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Quote:
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- This would have to be done completely out of wordpress. Wordpress is great for a blogging type stuff, but not for implementing a custom solution for stuff like a hockey team management site.

For most of the team management roster stuff and so on, it would be ideally not wrapped in wordpress.

I suck at design but can whip together html front ends quick when given the assets and designs, and back end is where I like the most.
My thinking as well. Wordpress is for sure not the solution if we want to put in our own roster management functionality.
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