Update the Main Page to be more attractive to Newcomers:
Summary:
There are just some things about the main page that leaves an impression on newcomers that really undervalues how awesome BM really is. I think some changes to the homepage could make it more interesting to players. I am going to spell out some things I think you could improve design wise.
Details:
1. The main page is a wall of text. While Battlemaster is essentially a glorified wall of text, making something look pedantic and dense on first view isn't sexy. I would move the second paragraph, and the bullets to another page, possibly 'game basics'. While the writing itself is also very clean, it also isn't very short. I think it would be well-to-do to make the text as tight and short as possible while still conveying the same meaning.
2. The 'Join' and 'Login' buttons should be the biggest, and most obvious buttons to click on any page. 'Login' is good, but Join is buried somewhere deeply on the page, and it isn't even the first option to click on. Also the 'sign up' button should really say 'join', to be consistent with the 'join' button on the sidebar.
3. The essential description for BM is good, but it's very fleshed out. You need to begin the webpage with a log line, like 'Battlemaster, an immersive sandbox of Realms and Heroes built by the players.' Maybe not that exactly, but something short and sexy would be good.
4. The amount of space on the page taken up by the credits is almost as big as the 'key points'. Both of these sections could fit better on different pages.
5. The default picture is super boring and tells me nothing about the game. I know this game isn't very visual, but if you are going to put an image there it should be interesting. At least pick one of the maps or throw in a Battle Report that shows the existence of player realms or something...the Beluaterra Daemon invasion maps look pretty badass!
6. The sidebar is functional, but a little old. I think it would be cool if you had a little modular graphic for all of the bars, and then the overall size of the sidebar would change spaces based on the number of items in that list naturally. At the moment, the 'join' and 'command' buttons look a little squashed in, especially if you have an 'infiltrator' menu.
7. 'Quotes from Players' is a cute section, but it isn't sexy. I would put something like " It's fairly simple and straitforward yet generates a lot of depth. The name for that is art."
-- Mark Gerdes" on the front page! You are trying to sell (not literally) this community and this game to people who would randomly come across the side, so make it look and sound as exciting as it actually is!
Benefits:
The main page itself says BM isn't a boring grind, and that's the truth. But the main page looks like a boring grind. Make the main page a little more simple, with less text, and make it more obvious how and where you can sign up.
Possible Downsides/Exploits:
BM is trying to attract a very specific kind of player, and players who only care about graphics will obviously not belong here. I am also sure this page have been this way for a long time, and old players will grumble at little changes. The sensible way that Runescape's main page looked in 2007 compared to the colorful salesy mess it is today is a good metaphor for what has happened in the game, and I am sure everyone here is concerned about those same things...and obviously any changes to the look shouldn't be dishonest about how BM is as an experience. Right now, I think the main page is an honest reflection of the game, but it isn't showing off what is good about BM.
