OK, here I go again. I don't do this to be mean but to help you get a review faster and from the proper editor or other interested parties.

Internet Play : Play by Post
Editor(s): Category needs an editor
Link: http://eternalwars.com

Here's a link to Effie's Rules for Requesting Reviews:
http://www.rpgtales.com/content/rules-requesting-review-please-read

Thanks!

Soraya
Senior Editor
RPG Gateway

So when I went to your site, the first page I came to was the sign-up sheet. As a first time visitor, that's not what I want to see. I want you to show me why I want to play and how terrific your gameplay and underlying concept is. Plus, it makes me think I won't be able to see any of that unless and until I do create an account. I don't do that.

So then I visit your home page and I admit I'm getting older and yes, wearing reading glasses, but the font on your scroll is tiny and deuced hard to read. A tiny bit bigger would help a great deal unless you only want youngsters to join. I love the current game stats on the index page.

Then to the forums... For me, the brick along the sides is a bit oppressive and unappealing. Plus, I'm not a fan of the green bar between topics. None of this means it needs to be changed, just that in my opinion, it's not going to tempt new players. You might want to poll a few existing players (new and old to get a cross section) to get their opinions before you consider changing anything.

Also, the index page doesn't really tie in graphically with the home (index) page. Lots of content which is great and tons of participants. Good for you.

I *LOVE* that you have a thread for typos. We all make them; I appreciate that you want to have them brought forward so they can be corrected!

Vote page: again, no graphic thread to connect this with the forums page although it does resemble the index page somewhat.

After visiting all the page you have accessible without a log-in, the forums are the one that doesn't match. Can this be changed/modified to give the site a more cohesive look? I think it would help the overall look a lot.

For a play-by-post, the content is king and you've certainly got that. Keep up the good work.

Soraya
Senior Editor
RPG Gateway

Hey There,

Alright, so here's a quick review of your site from another website developer. I'm not an official reviewer, so everything I say here is just my opinion for the purpose of feedback.

I agree about the main page. I think you are underutilizing the space for people with large resolutions. I am using 1280 X 1024 and there is alot of open space on my screen. Since you have alot of graphics on your site, you may want to consider having multiple CSS files based on resolution. That way people can choose which resolution they use.

The help page is great and has a lot of content that is well laid out. The FAQ you might want to try doing an index at the top of the page with reference links to scroll them down to the particular question's place on that page. That way they don't have to search through everything looking for an answer to one question when instead they could look for their question by category first.

There are some forums on your site that might do better being combined into similar forums. For example:

Contests and News could be combined easily enough since it appears only site admins can make threads in those forums. Unless you run contests all the time this forum will always be very inactive.

Some of the development forums could be combined together with specific threads for specific problems. Login errors should be a thread in Bug Reports instead of its own forum that shows little to no use. Spelling errors could go inside the bug reports as well and an amended summary of that forum on the index would cover everything.

You could even take the contact button off of the main button bar and move it to the footer as a link. Its standard on a lot of sites to have the contact links at the bottom of the page because that puts it on Every page they go to instead of just the main page.

Well, that's all I got. Have a good one!

- Dalliance

I am not a site rater, just a gamer and programmer who has multiple site on the web. My biggiest pet peave is sites that have no NEWB area. I can't find what you need to do or how to play your game very easilly. I have been to all the links on your page, and never found a start here like section. (like I said, it is one of my biggiest peaves...)

The other noticable issue is that your graphics don't cary over from page to page. They make the site feel a little disjointed and possibly even broken. You need to choose one style of page and stick with it all the way through the site.

I did join your site to try and play to see what it was all about, unfortinatly my connection didn't work well enough to actually play it. (I am currently stationed in the middle east and our internet SUCKS, it won't let me get to one of my sites) I will try it when I get back home to see what it is all about.
--
Digital Doom
the creators may die, but the game lives on.

ShadowRun Online
Shadowrun Survival Guide

I have to agree with the points made above, which I shall not repeat. I especially missed a good intro to your game, including some kind of preview that allows me to judge the quality of play. On the first page it doesn't even state if it is a PBP, a MMORPG or what.

Oh, and the fading in your advertisement did wreak havoc on my eyes.

Overall, minus the bricks, your color scheme is alright and pleasing to the eye. Like the way the logo above the forums is not huge.

Hope this helps!

Maeve