I wanted to share my thoughts about these web pages (if anyone is interested, is an entirely different matter). Besides sharing my own thoughts, I wanted to raise some discussion. Also please note that this post is by no means meant to be a complaint. I’m very happy with the pages as is and I’m also aware that nobody is getting paid to develop these pages.
So, first a few thoughts about the current state. IMO the overall look is just fine and the pages are simple and clear. Forum is practical and blog entries always provide interesting reading.
Then some thoughts about possible improvements/new features.
The screenshots gallery should really have direct page number links (like google search results have). I don’t know about others, but this really annoys me Screenshots gallery currently has 12 pages, so it’s not a big problem, but I expect the gallery to expand in the future.
It would be nice to have new entries to the blog more often.
It would be really cool to have interviews of the game companies developing commercial games with Panda3D. Something about their workflow and pipeline. Maybe about their wishes regarding Panda3D’s feature set. A good candidate for the interview would be e.g. Autumn Moon Entertainment. This doesn’t necessarily need it’s own page, but could instead be a blog entry.
Thanks for reading and please share your thoughts.
First of all, thank you for your input, which is greatly appreciated.
OK, done. Check it out and tell me what you think.
I agree. However, it’s not always easy to find time and good material to post about.
I’d be happy to accept good quality blog posts from the community, though.
Hm, that’s actually a good idea. Would you perhaps be willing to contact a company about this? Just a question, feel free to say no.
Wow, that was quick! Thank you. Those links could also be located between prev- and next-buttons, but that’s a minor detail. Also, when there are more pages in the future it might mess with the layout, so I don’t know if it’s even a good idea. Anyways, I’m more than happy now.
About contacting a company. It might be better if some “official” Panda3D representative contacted them. That being said, if nobody else is willing to do this, I could do it. Of course another possibility is, that somebody from such a company stumbles upon this post and takes initiative
It would also be nice to have page where projects using panda3D are shown.
You should only be careful about what to show there.
So there would be links (for example).
Pirates games
treeform’s AAF game
that new mini golf game by darek
Project page would contain description of game, panda3D version used (and/or last compatible version) few screenshots (at max settings, preferably all in same resolution i am for 1024x768 or/and 800x600).
Trailer/gameplay video.
And maybe even comments about projects (link to forum accounts?)
Nope, there are not so many and those I know of are all either pure samples (mostly on this forums), small indie games in beta (e.g. mini golf) ambitious projects in early development or commercial ones. In the last case companies often are not interested much in publicity through Panda - three of them can be seen at the home page.
Screenshots gallery currently has 12 pages, so it’s not a big problem, but I expect the gallery to expand in the future.