15 replies to this topic

[Danny]

Whats there to say about HP International?
Once the biggest potter site online
highly rated on alexa

We are currently restoring this site back to its original quality and status. 

We need your help in telling us howwe could improve the network. Constructive Criticism is always encouraged!!

www.harrypotterintl.com

Happy reviewing

PS We are aware of the news not working which is being fixed due to a years worth of spamming. Also we are also very aware of the Forum. Please stay on the main site.

Also if u have time check out our sister site Grimmauld place which is fast growing and has just passed the 200 page mark. featuring Gallerys, "The deathly Hallow" Minisite, Mavie 5 database and Forum with integrated RPGs

Click here for Grimmauld Place

[rich_505]

I'll do both of these tomorrow

[Danny]

thanks rich but go over hp intl more than GP

[rich_505]

I'll just do 2 seperate reviews

[rich_505]

HP International

1) First impression - Layout looks really messed up in IE7, very annoying.

2) Content - I don't like the way the content is on here, clicking on "books" then getting a very boring and bland page *yawn*. Potential members/visitors need entertaining otherwise they'll click off your site and go to someone elses. I've noticed a few broken links just doing a quick click through, to visitors this isn't good, nor is it good for search engine stats. Also a number of pages are very out dated now.

3) Organisation - Quick and easy fixes for you:

Delete the old news system, whipe the database the old one is using and install a fresh copy.
Clear out the posts on the forums, sure it'll affect post counts etc but given the level of the spam you might as well just start a fresh there too, the version of IPB you are using there is prehistoric now and is riddled with security loopholes, get 2.2.x series installed or change forum softwares; using out of date versions of any forum software is never a good idea.

4) Layout - Well as I've already said it doesn't work in IE7, goodness knows what it looks like in IE6. I don't really like the banner to be honest, and I've already said I'm not that impressed with the organisation of the content, I feel this could be done either differently or just in a more interesting and captivating fashion.

5) USP, Unique "Selling" Point - None that I can see to be honest. You aren't going to be able to play on "we are HPIntl" for getting people in, for at least the last year and a half the entire site/forum has been totally abandoned and only people who have been around for a bit will remember HPI.

6) Reviewer Comments - Personally I wasn't a fan in the old days and it'd take a lot to get me on board now. There is a massive amount of work needs doing to this place, some of it quite likely to be costly in both cash and time.

Grimmauld Place review coming later

[Danny]

thanks very informative. We got the money and i will try to persuade the owner to get a new layout i hate it as well. It does need alot of work doing to it but its got no.1 spot on google for Hp Intl and quite high in Potter searches so it should be easy to re-build fan base. I will also try to persuade owner to switch forums to HP Survivor the one i am currently partenerd with far easyer.

Can't wait to read GP comment.
Please note that Layout may be slightly out of line at mo but am working on it.

[Pritthish]

@danny

if i may suggest, get Rolando to make a new layout for you or get a layout from theresa (one of my favorite designers )
Also, try going for a side navigation with links to all your content OR make it a dropdown navigation like the one in HPB of PF.
As to switching forums, go for myBB if the forums are only discussion forums and not for RPG...  If you wanna have discussion AND RPG in the same forums, go for PHPBB

Also, I could help you with a new layout if you like

[rich_505]

Grimmauld Place Review

1) First impression - Very nice indeed, I hate enter signs as a general rule but that works quite well

2) Content - Good content from what I can see, however when you try to access content from within other pages such as if I go from the main page to name origins then I cannot access any of the other pages, they aren't pointed correctly. This is something that needs sorting ASAP! Also some pages revert to the old layout...

3) Organisation - News is OK, I take it you'll be updating more often? Layout of the content and graphics is nice, not at all hard to read, not boring, it works very well.

4) Layout - Love the layout, only change I would make is perhaps a different font on the banner, it isn't in fitting with the rest of the style you've gone for.

5) USP, Unique "Selling" Point - Pretty wide range network of sites, last time I'd seen anything this expensive was when Danielle had RoR.com, Snitch Designs and her hosting site Good work!

6) Reviewer Comments - This is good, very good. I like it alot anyway!

Going back to HP International - If you're going to point the forums to HP Survivor then I'd recommend going over to a properly hosted IPB form there, it's actually quite simple (though expensive) to switch from Invisionfree to IPB. If you are going to keep the forums as they are at HP International then in my opinion it'd be wise to either renew your IPB License for security-sake or switch to vBulletin, I personally wouldn't go with a free forum software if you are trying to restore the former glory of HPI. Also, google rankings can count for very little, people will have a reputation of HPI being down and spammed to hell in their heads and that will take some getting rid of.

I'm gonna have to disagree with Pritthish, personally I aren't a great fan of drop down navigation With regards to Rolando, is he even still around? Last I'd heard from him was when he was having trouble with HP Serbia (long story) and we helped him out, then I heard Wizardspell had merged with Potterfan or something :-S Layout wise I have to agree that Theresa is a great designer, if you can catch her. She's very busy at the moment, a client I referred to her yesterday is on a 5 week waiting period for one of her layouts...

[Danny]

thanks rich will take all of ur comments to heart bout GP as its been my loyal site for 8 years. As for news yes it will be updated alot more frequently and the site as a whole will get alot bigger over the next few months i got 100 pages almost ready to go up. I am quite busy at the mo with the dreaded GCSEs so i am restraining(and failing) to cut down surf time to find news.

As for Rolando i have nothing against him but he did design HP Intls layout which as you said is terrable

[Pritthish]

@rich
yeah, rolo IS still around lol  though he seldom comes online anyone (or has me blocked ) Wizspell merged with MPZ to form PF btw lol

@Danny, i'm aware that it was Rolo who designed HPintl...   He showed it to me before givin to to you guys...  and i DID say it wasn't up to some of his other layouts.  As to your GCSE's just chill and relax. Don't get  stressed out in the exam hall like i did in my chemistry exam.... I totally freaked out, drank 12 glasses of water and had to rush to the toilet

I'm giving my A'levels this may too    Physics and Maths Advanced Subsidiary and am pretty nervous as well

also, the only thing i find annoying in GP is that the layout seems a bit disaligned in FF2.0...  other than that, i like the grey theme

[Danny]

i aint that stressed out about GCSEs after a 2.5 hour "welsh"(don't ask our head of english is mad) English Lit exam i am up for anything. Its quite enjoyable as well mainly cos my teachers play games like battleships and Minger with the students and only some of us know Is hilarious

[NickHilton]

1) First impression - The layout is shifted left in IE, but looks great in Firefox. I really like the style it's very professional, although it still has an auora of being an intermediate standard site. Coding is screwed up on homepage.

2) Content - You've got a fair amount of content there, but by gum it's not much fun to look through. Spice the content section up with some graphics for each section. Don't just have a list of links and expect people to trawl through them, you need to give a vibrant impression. Within the content there is just text. This is a section that needs to be picked up considerably if the site is to get to a decent standard.

3) Organisation - Generally this is pretty good, I can get to wherever i want pretty quickly, which is always a plus! Although there's nothing exciting to get me there, this is a standard but effective organising system. There are a few things that need to be fixed, like the news page not actually showin news, but other than that i like the style that has been realised in the organisational process.

4) Layout - This is a sweet layout. I'm always a fan of these dark and gloomy layouts. I like the banner image although with the new releases i'd update it to a current pic from Order of the Phoenix. The navs are nice and the rollover image links are a nice but subtle touch. I think it could possibly be a bit more eletric, as that would look awesome. Black and yellow go great together! Just my thoughts...Also re-code the layout for IE it's not quite working, but it's not the end of the world.

5) USP, Unique "Selling" Point - Ahhh...yes...well currently it's very easy to say that you have no USP, although i don't think that's true of any site. You cannot play on the 'formally the world's biggest HP site' as that is just about the lamest thing ever. You need to totally re-invent the site, so you're HPintl, but what's different? What's new and cool, and means that everyone who left wants to come back...etc. Be galmourous, be weird...i dunno, but don't try and live in the past.

6) Reviewer Comments - This is not quite there yet. But it can be, by no stretch of the imagination. It will need time and effort, but above all it needs life and someone who is willing to put a lot on the line to do the site up. It's not great as it is, and in all honesty it's unlikely it will ever be great again, but mediocrasy is fine. You need to make it more satisfying to the consumer.

[Danny]

what do you think the site needs?

[NickHilton]

Look at SpinnersEnd.com

They've done a really good job of appealing to a certain type of consumer. Are there forums at HP International, because i couldn't see a link. If not make a forum, spice up the main site, make it more graphic oriented...etc.

[Danny]

yeh we got forums Circuit forums but they are possibly 90% spam members and its more a global advertisising forum for adult related activitys. We will be re-creating it

[Danny]

Harry Potter international is back and will be returning this january. We have half of the original staff returning, have been advised by original webmaster Irene and had help from john the last webmaster. We have recruited 17 new staff members to help steer the new site to success though HPI Interactive, HPI Awards, HPI Chat, HP Survivor forums, HPI Connections, HPI Galleries, Circuit forums, Fan Fiction and HPI Arcade. We are here to stay and we wont stand down.

Stay tuned, Legacy Lasts forever!!!!!