HHC forum header image

[MidwestDrummer]

There isn't really a forum for general discussion, so I figured I throw this in here, since this is where most of the activity is.

 

Since it's the off season and there's generally a little less hustle and bustle, I thought I'd throw out the idea of creating a new header for HHC. Don't get me wrong. I do like the current header, but it's also kind of nice to switch things up every once in a while. I'm fairly decent when it comes to Photoshop, so I'd be happy to volunteer my services, but I also though that maybe we could turn it into a contest of some sort. We could have people submit their ideas, and then have people vote for their favorite.

 

What do other people think?

[Bugeaters1]

I would be in for it, As I was thinking the other day that it needed a face lift. But it don't bother me either way.

[jimmykc]

Why not? Maybe you could work up a few possibilities and put it to a vote for those of us who think photoshop is somewhere you go to buy Kodak film for your camera.

[Fastbreaker]

I am for a change because something that has always bugged me can be corrected. We do have a very successful women's basketball team at the University of Nebraska.

[hhcmatt]

Not sure about everyone else but I'm open to it.

Potentially might change up the look a little on the forum itself

[atskooc]

I'm cool with it (though I won't be contributing in any way). 

 

The background needs to be changed on at least one of them to reflect the new arena, if nothing else.

[MidwestDrummer]

Not sure about everyone else but I'm open to it.

Potentially might change up the look a little on the forum itself

Do you happen to know what the optimum header size is for the forum? I found this thread which suggested 900x200, but I wasn't sure if that was the same for all IPB forums.

[MidwestDrummer]

I am for a change because something that has always bugged me can be corrected. We do have a very successful women's basketball team at the University of Nebraska.

I can definitely incorporate the ladies into a couple of designs. Not a bad idea at all.

[hhcmatt]

 

I am for a change because something that has always bugged me can be corrected. We do have a very successful women's basketball team at the University of Nebraska.

I can definitely incorporate the ladies into a couple of designs. Not a bad idea at all.

 

It might be possible to set a header image per forum if that was desired

[hhcmatt]

 

Not sure about everyone else but I'm open to it.

Potentially might change up the look a little on the forum itself

Do you happen to know what the optimum header size is for the forum? I found this thread which suggested 900x200, but I wasn't sure if that was the same for all IPB forums.

 

 

Here is a reference of what currently is going on

 

 

 

Having something that is the width of the forum but also has some solid color on the right hand side that allows the search tab to lay over the top of it would be optimal to me. That way it would allow for a little more freedom with the background. Right now that's approximately 980 px.

 

Otherwise, the more height on the image, the less site content you have to actually display in an initial screen so I would lean towards the lower the height, the better.  The minimum height to accommodate the search would be around 55 px.  As you can see we currently have a header image that is 168 px high.

 

I'm open to suggestions about the design in general as design aesthetics aren't necessarily my specialty. 

[Cookie Belcher]

I would be open to this. Might be willing to submit a creation too although I am not an expert in Photoshop.

[MidwestDrummer]

 

 

Not sure about everyone else but I'm open to it.

Potentially might change up the look a little on the forum itself

Do you happen to know what the optimum header size is for the forum? I found this thread which suggested 900x200, but I wasn't sure if that was the same for all IPB forums.

 

 

Having something that is the width of the forum but also has some solid color on the right hand side that allows the search tab to lay over the top of it would be optimal to me. That way it would allow for a little more freedom with the background. Right now that's approximately 980 px.

 

Otherwise, the more height on the image, the less site content you have to actually display in an initial screen so I would lean towards the lower the height, the better.  The minimum height to accommodate the search would be around 55 px.  As you can see we currently have a header image that is 168 px high.

 

I'm open to suggestions about the design in general as design aesthetics aren't necessarily my specialty. 

 

As far as the height is concerned, I'll probably stick with the same 168 pixel height as the current header. Not really any reason to go taller, and like you mentioned, it would just take from screen real estate for the actual forum.

 

As for the width, does the search bar somehow become obscured if the part of the head right behind it isn't a solid color? Depending on what I come up with, I could make the part of the image behind it black and white to help distinguish the search box, or I could even give it a solid outline to give it some pop.

 

Just like you mentioned, I am also open to suggestions from anyone as far as colors, design, players people want incorporated, etc.

[atskooc]

If we make a change, we have to have this pic of Coach.

 

 

But without the "Come at me bro!" stuff, of course.

[hhcmatt]

As for the width, does the search bar somehow become obscured if the part of the head right behind it isn't a solid color? Depending on what I come up with, I could make the part of the image behind it black and white to help distinguish the search box, or I could even give it a solid outline to give it some pop.

 

I thought it would become obscured, but on further inspection it's a matter of the logo and search being separate elements. The logo is also used as an element that can navigate you to a page (typically the forum)

 

While you could design an overall background, what would be best would be a "Husker Hoops Central" logo that is independent of any sort of background.  You could then overlay the Husker Hoops Central and search over the top of this background.  It would also be much easier to change the background.  Here is a more visually obvious layout 

[The_Vault]

Just make sure it has TP and Miles in it

[hhcscott]

Just a word of caution. The headers came from images that we received permission to use. All of the images were archives in the media guides.

I believe it is against NCAA rules for us to use images of current players (but I'm not caught up on all the changes in the past few years) and I'm not sure how the O'Bannon case on athletes likenesses applies here. Also any images coming from AP/B1G/ESPN/Getty etc. would require permission from those agencies not just the university.

Anecdotally, this is how I got involved in the Web site, asking Dave if he would post my Maric-era wallpapers on the site, which of course we couldn't for the reasons above.

[MidwestDrummer]

I'll fire off an email to compliance to see if I can get some clarification.

[MidwestDrummer]

 

As for the width, does the search bar somehow become obscured if the part of the head right behind it isn't a solid color? Depending on what I come up with, I could make the part of the image behind it black and white to help distinguish the search box, or I could even give it a solid outline to give it some pop.

 

While you could design an overall background, what would be best would be a "Husker Hoops Central" logo that is independent of any sort of background.  You could then overlay the Husker Hoops Central and search over the top of this background.  It would also be much easier to change the background.  Here is a more visually obvious layout 

 

That's definitely part of my plan. I figured that I would incorporate the HHC logo somewhere on the left hand side of the header, since the search box is already on the right hand side. Obviously we don't want to search box obscuring the logo in any way.

 

Are you saying that the background and logo would need to be submitted to you in separate layers? Or are you just wanting to make sure that the HHC logo was clearly distinguishable on top of the background on the same image? They'll be separate layers within the Photoshop file, but can be merged together into a single image file (PNG, JPG, etc.).

[hhcmatt]

Are you saying that the background and logo would need to be submitted to you in separate layers? Or are you just wanting to make sure that the HHC logo was clearly distinguishable on top of the background on the same image? They'll be separate layers within the Photoshop file, but can be merged together into a single image file (PNG, JPG, etc.).

 

 

Submitted in separate layers. Just so we're on the same page I'm referring to the "HUSKER HOOPS CENTRAL" text as the logo and the rest as the background....I think that is also how you're referring to it.  I'm not sure what everyone else thinks of the font...i'm certainly not married to whatever it currently is.

[MidwestDrummer]

 

Are you saying that the background and logo would need to be submitted to you in separate layers? Or are you just wanting to make sure that the HHC logo was clearly distinguishable on top of the background on the same image? They'll be separate layers within the Photoshop file, but can be merged together into a single image file (PNG, JPG, etc.).

 

 

Submitted in separate layers. Just so we're on the same page I'm referring to the "HUSKER HOOPS CENTRAL" text as the logo and the rest as the background....I think that is also how you're referring to it.  I'm not sure what everyone else thinks of the font...i'm certainly not married to whatever it currently is.

 

That's fine with me. With separate layers, what file type would you want given to you?

 

I sent an email to the Compliance department to see what's allowable and what to avoid, but since it's already this late in the day, I doubt I'll hear back until Monday at the earliest. I might just play around with a few ideas between now and then.

[Norm Peterson]

Just a word of caution. The headers came from images that we received permission to use. All of the images were archives in the media guides.

I believe it is against NCAA rules for us to use images of current players (but I'm not caught up on all the changes in the past few years) and I'm not sure how the O'Bannon case on athletes likenesses applies here. Also any images coming from AP/B1G/ESPN/Getty etc. would require permission from those agencies not just the university.

Anecdotally, this is how I got involved in the Web site, asking Dave if he would post my Maric-era wallpapers on the site, which of course we couldn't for the reasons above.

Hmmm.  That's an interesting quandary.  Sooooo, thinking of a work-around.

 

If we've taken the pictures ourselves, we can give ourselves permission to use them, right?

 

And if it's not of a player but of a public person in a public place, they don't have that O'Bannon case thing to worry about, true?

 

So ... if we just used a bunch of selfies people have taken with Miles or other members of the coaching staff, we should be gold, right?

[hhcmatt]

 

 

Are you saying that the background and logo would need to be submitted to you in separate layers? Or are you just wanting to make sure that the HHC logo was clearly distinguishable on top of the background on the same image? They'll be separate layers within the Photoshop file, but can be merged together into a single image file (PNG, JPG, etc.).

 

 

Submitted in separate layers. Just so we're on the same page I'm referring to the "HUSKER HOOPS CENTRAL" text as the logo and the rest as the background....I think that is also how you're referring to it.  I'm not sure what everyone else thinks of the font...i'm certainly not married to whatever it currently is.

 

That's fine with me. With separate layers, what file type would you want given to you?

 

I sent an email to the Compliance department to see what's allowable and what to avoid, but since it's already this late in the day, I doubt I'll hear back until Monday at the earliest. I might just play around with a few ideas between now and then.

 

 

A PSD or whatever would be fine in case I need to tweak stuff

Otherwise I believe PNG for the Logo and PNG or JPG for the background(s).

I think everyone notices that we have multiple randomly rotating backgrounds

[AuroranHusker]

Personally, I really like the current image w/ the script HHC logo - perhaps because it brings back a lot of memories of former Husker hoopsters.  Maybe some more of the "legends" of Nebrasketball could be kept in one of the forums on the site, instead of taken out of commission entirely.

[jimmykc]

As is the case with many familiar things in life, i sort of see the header and immediately space it off. Upon reconsideration, I think the photos have served their purpose and need to move on. Many are too small and blurred to be effective. Perhaps it is time for the site to establish a "logo" type header which is simple and easy to identify for those who are not that familiar with Nebraska basketball history and are now visiting as the programs begin to succeed.

[MidwestDrummer]

As is the case with many familiar things in life, i sort of see the header and immediately space it off. Upon reconsideration, I think the photos have served their purpose and need to move on. Many are too small and blurred to be effective. Perhaps it is time for the site to establish a "logo" type header which is simple and easy to identify for those who are not that familiar with Nebraska basketball history and are now visiting as the programs begin to succeed.

Something like *cough*that other site*cough*?