strugglingactor.net

[chkdg8]

Go ahead, I can take the pain! I started this site in July and I've been trying to concentrate on tailoring to South Florida actors but now it's grabbing the attention of performers out west. Still trying to build substance over style because that's the only thing that will set my forum apart from the rest.

Mods include: BB Code Manager, IBank, ibProArcade 2.5.8, ICash, IShop, vB Ad Mangement, ZH - Meta Tags.

I've also included many postbit mods linking myspace, youtube, imdb, and wikipedia profiles and a showthread edit so I can include a digg.com and reddit.com feature.

I used to have a paypal donation hack with goals but I removed it when I installed my new Coolex skin. I'm not too worried about donations yet because I realized that it can be a turn off with a small forum. I'm also reinstalling my Welcome headers mod.

Thanks in advance for your opinions.

[chkdg8]

Wow. Anyone?

[Our Sponsors]

[landexcorp]

I like it. I would build more of a logo. I would also take ads down for now.

[airborne0]

Hey I like it. I do agree with landexcorp to build a logo- you NEED to catch the attention at the top of the page. It looks good when you scroll down and see the content. I like the youtube videos on the side, and vbadvanched CMPS, I want to do something like that with mine.

Look at my site, its very simple with the default vb color scheme, but the logo immediatley tells the surfer what the site is about.

http://www.kingstonforsale.com

[Our Sponsors]

[chkdg8]

I like it. I would build more of a logo. I would also take ads down for now.
I did have a makeshift logo but I removed it when I recently installed my new skin. My logo designer is away on vacation. I know, it sucks but I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. Why take the ads down?

Hey I like it. I do agree with landexcorp to build a logo- you NEED to catch the attention at the top of the page. It looks good when you scroll down and see the content. I like the youtube videos on the side, and vbadvanched CMPS, I want to do something like that with mine.

Look at my site, its very simple with the default vb color scheme, but the logo immediatley tells the surfer what the site is about.
Totally agree with you guys but I really don't like my old logo. I don't want to cheap it out either.

[concepts]

looks pretty clean, I also have a video block similar to the one you have displayed.. are those all the forum topics you have to offer, or are there many more i'm missing viewing as a guest? just curious.. seem a site such as this would offer topics in a variety of categories to appease to various crowds. I like the concept of this site however, pretty well put together.

[chkdg8]

Thank you concepts. Yes, I do have 5 other forum topics that I save for members because they contain valuable information that I have for free but you must pay on other sites to obtain them. That's the entire philosophy that I want to carry out on my site. I don't believe in charging people for information just because they don't possess the skills to find out for themselves.

My personal goal is to introduce merchandising once I pass my 500 member mark. I have amazing ideas in marketing and promoting my product and t-shirts and stickers are something that all forum owners must take into consideration. I'm glad you like the video block and the best part is that I have the freedom to post and change the videos anytime I see fit.

[chkdg8]

I like it. I would build more of a logo. I would also take ads down for now.
Logo is going up soon. I took your advice and removed the ads for now. Also I removed ICash, IShop and IBank because it takes a performance hit. Now my forum flies! I love those "I" hacks but I'm going to wait until some updates or an all in 1 integration.

[Superman123]

Nicesite , its looking good.. How do you put videos and stuff like that on the vbadvanced. i also want a paypal link on mine

[chkdg8]

It's just a simple module I added where I allow html code and then I resize my videos. Very simple to do.

[Superman123]

If you dont mind id like you to register at my site.

www.gwired.net

[chkdg8]

I'm testing a new skin right before my logo is completed. Added a dark glossy button set. I don't know if I'll settle on this skin. I'm saving for a total customized skin made exclusively for my site but that will cost quite a few bucks.

[kevnj]

* you been working on your logo for 3 months?

*turn the birthdays module off. you dont need it ( atleast now ) not enough members imho to run the extra querries

*the calendar is another module I would turn off. I think everyone can figure out what the date is. Theres other reminds throughout someones daily route to figure out the date.

*your sponsor sites - look into a banner program i use phpadsnew its tricky at first but works great. i mention this cause the news archive is below that. you have to scroll down a decent amount to see that. news archive is important for new visitors to the site to get there attention on something they may have missed to bring them into the site and sign up and become a frequent member. so i would strongly suggest checking into a banner program and cut that module to only show 1 ad/banner at a time esp if your not getting paid from those places.

* why have the "send to a friend" but not a "reply to this thread" button in your news section ?

not bashing your site just giving an opinion of what i would change.

[InfoNirvana]

Q: How do you run the Struggle Headlines section and the Video Vault ?

[chkdg8]

* you been working on your logo for 3 months?

*turn the birthdays module off. you dont need it ( atleast now ) not enough members imho to run the extra querries

*the calendar is another module I would turn off. I think everyone can figure out what the date is. Theres other reminds throughout someones daily route to figure out the date.

*your sponsor sites - look into a banner program i use phpadsnew its tricky at first but works great. i mention this cause the news archive is below that. you have to scroll down a decent amount to see that. news archive is important for new visitors to the site to get there attention on something they may have missed to bring them into the site and sign up and become a frequent member. so i would strongly suggest checking into a banner program and cut that module to only show 1 ad/banner at a time esp if your not getting paid from those places.

* why have the "send to a friend" but not a "reply to this thread" button in your news section ?

not bashing your site just giving an opinion of what i would change.

You probably gave me one of the most honest reviews out there and for that I appreciate it. I hate to admit this but I haven't been on my site in a short while but other aspects of my forum are coming along such as my long awaited logo. I set out to hire a very gifted artist who is developing this for me so I'm very excited about that.

I thought about turning off the birthday and calendar module many times before but I guess it takes constructive criticism to seal the deal so based on your reviews, I removed them for now. It looks a bit cleaner as well until the member base builds up a bit to bring them back.

I haven't set out to look for sponsors so the ones that I have on there now are close friends of mine who I put there for promotional reasons. Once I do receive an official "paying" sponsor then you better believe that I'll make adequate room for them. Friends or no friends, business is business. The "Reply To This Thread" button is something that I've been lazy about but now it's there for my members.


Q: How do you run the Struggle Headlines section and the Video Vault ?
For Struggle Headlines, all I did was rename my News Module and the Video Vault is just a custom module that I run. Go to your Admin CP >vba CMPS >Add Module >BB Code. Then once this was done, I just placed the raw YouTube code in there. Done.

[chkdg8]

I going back to basics. I came to realize that style over substance is not always the case. Plus, my skin took forever to load. What you see now is nowhere near what the final look will be. The only style add-one will be a nice brownish button and status icon set that I'm currently hunting. I want to play around with different shades of browns and leave the blue default vb colors. No more skins. It'll be really nice as I'm going to pour my efforts during the next several weeks into a slightly modded default look.

As you can also notice, I finally got a "beta" logo with my artist that's nowhere near completion. I like it for now but where going to make him a little more organic, slightly less bitter looking and more of an anime feel. I'm coming on to my 1st year anniversary with the forum and I just got a logo. That was the reasons for the low member count because I didn't want to press the site without an official logo. The "beta" is an inside joke but at least we all know it's a work in progress. Now I have to re-mod all my template hacks. Pain in the @$$.