Research: 7x Characteristics 5x Sites

hey all again. I’ve got my 5 websites and 7 characteristics research here to hand in. From looking at theses sites i have noticed that they have a lot in common. Well for 1 there all game industry sites, but for 2 they seem to do one thing and one thing alone, work for the user.

These sites are extremely user friendly and also multimedia heavy, and well that is what i like about them. So without further ado, i will now talk about the characteristics that i found in my 5 websites. :)

Blizzard and Electronic Arts website layouts

Websites

the following list are the websites that i have chosen:

• Blizzard Entertainment
• EA (Electronic Arts Entertainment)
• Relic
• THQ
• Midway

Relic and THQ  website layouts

Characteristics

In these websites i have noticed the following 7x characteristics:

• 1: Index bar: each site has it’s own unique index bar which contains hyperlinks to other related pages on the websites, such as company products, site store etc etc
• 2: Interactive Qualities: each of the 5 websites has varying levels of interactiveness. This really depends on what genre the site is trying to attract. I found that the more the site targeted towards the younger audience the more interactive it was.
• 3: Region selection: Since all of these sites are based around the game industries which are spread around the world. The Region selection has been added to the websites to allow for the correct information to be given out. This allows for quick contact with the closest office to keep customers happy and to avoid unwanted bills.
• 4: news area: All sites have these, they are placed on the main page of the website to inform the user of upcoming events and or important information.
• 5: search bar: One of the most common things that a website should have, to make searching for specific information easy, efficient and quick. Out of the 5 sites that i have chosen only 1 (blizzard) did not have a search bar on their main page, but made it up with there index bar on the top part of the main page.
• 6: Width and height ratios: All of the web pages that i have chosen haven been designed so they will look astecially well on a 19’ monitor. 4 out of the 5 websites are have been set up as so their content is stationary, while odd site out (blizzard) is in liquid format allowing it to fit to a 22” monitor and still look pleasantly well designed.
• 7: Logo (top left hand corner): All of the websites have the company logo up in the top right hand corner of the website, this is because this is what they want the user to see first and being as we look from left to right, down to up, the most efficient place to put the logo would be in that top left hand corner.

midway website and for your entertainment crazy Legolas

and done,

Michael.