Why are there so many haters?
2Advanced has launched their new site, and I gotta say.. its one of their better works in my opinion.
Personally, I dig the hell out of this site, its very well done, with a ton of subtle details that are very cool (e.g. back button integration, image viewer, language selection, bg downloads, preferences, etc..). I've been sitting here surfing all morning on my parents PC waiting for the kids to wake up and I have come across a ton of threads all over talking about this new site. And it brings me to one of my biggest pet peeves.
Maybe its the fact that I have my time zones mixed up being out here in Cali, or that I'm just tired, but it sure seems there is a ton of haters out there who are so quick to say (eh nothing special, doesn't do anything for me, it sucks blah blah blah whine whine whine..). Yet if it was anyone other than 2advanced they'd be in love. I know its sheik to hate the big dog on the block, but you gotta give props where they are do and this is one of the nicest sites I've seen from a functional and design aspect. I'm not a 2Advanced jock monkey.. but they do great work (not good, great!) they deserve the accolades they get and vary rarely the criticism the "œdesign community" gives them.
Great work as usual!! This will definitely be placed in my inspiration folder...
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June 6th, 2006 at 12:05 pm
I think it’s teh h@wtn3$$. Ignore the h8rz.
June 6th, 2006 at 12:47 pm
Yeah they do great work and this may seem snarky since my site looks like butt (I’m a developer w/o design skillZ), but the backgrounds look like scans from an old Star Trek calendar I had in 1975, the html is missing some very basic attributes (with so much attention to detail, why not throw in the dtd and a type attribute on the style tag?) and it seems like a lot of theatrics to switch from one category to the next (if you just want to get to the info). Seriously though, the backgrounds would look cheesy on any site (including Star Trek’s).
June 6th, 2006 at 1:09 pm
I don’t know who 2Advanced is and I can quickly say, “bleh! That site sucks”
June 6th, 2006 at 1:49 pm
Technically speaking, it is very nicely executed. 2A had a unique style 7 or 8 years ago that was very innovative. Then it was copied to death by the community. Now they are still doing pretty much the same style of stuff and rather than innovative, it has become almost a parody of itself.
June 6th, 2006 at 5:33 pm
Thanks for the feedback guys..
@Brandon – thats all valid feedback and good criticism. Clearly stating an opinion or observation.. I have no issues with that. Its the garbage like “aardvark” posted that lacks any true substance and has no value.
@keith – yeah I agree completely, seemed like every script-kiddie / designer-wanna-be were tearing apart the 2Advanced swf files like flies on crap. I’m sure its only a matter of time before the new design meets the same fate.
I think its fine to like or dislike a site based on the merits or lack thereof…just cracks me up to see people waste thier time typing feedback to give absolutely no vlaue with a comment like “that site sucks”… makes me laugh
June 6th, 2006 at 6:13 pm
Have recently spent six weeks codeing all the framework for fifastreets 2
http://www.fifastreet2.com/ all I can say is there are some very talented graphic designers out there (Owen Roberts the main designer was great to work with), and any fool can criticise, but to put any kind of flash site up within commercial deadlines, client pressures etc is good going
June 7th, 2006 at 10:25 am
I would say that the style of 2A has undergone some refinement in style, not simply a regurgitation. And in the business-world refinement means a heck of a lot more than innovation. Blizzard refines the RTS and MMO markets, Blizzard never innovates, yet Blizzard is the biggest name in PC games.
The site is to me is a collision of Blade Runner imagery fused with Linkin Park aestetics with some techno symbols ripped from Relic’s Homeworld series. There is a good backdroped fused with a transparent and more importantly, functional interface. Yet, there is an annoyingly short techno loop playing in the background insulting my intelligence and music taste.
I admire the amount of work put into the site though. The transitions alone must have taken forever to produce and certain components are a joy to navigate and play around with. I still prefer Hi-Res and firstborn for ‘groundbreaking’ work but sometimes all Il want is to revel in some juvenile sci-fi/anime fantasy and 2A delivers in this genre.
June 10th, 2006 at 3:12 pm
but as i’ve said before people are going crazy over this site – and ‘personally’ i dont see why. mabye from a technical standpoint for the back end i can understand.
they themselves quoted they defined ‘v5′ as a technical merit and not a design merit. the site aesthetically is based around eric’s matte paintings. he bought some dvd’s a started learning matte painting – its all their in the case study.
2a isnt the same 2a as it was 6 years ago – and their are better studios out there now.
thats not hating, its not bashing, its not trying to take down the top dog, its a fact. just like anything else if you start somthing sooner or later someones gonna come along and do it better due to new resources.
plain and simple. 2a is 2a and will be 2a from their humble beginnings to now they’ve accomplished alot and helped keep the design world where it is.
again a fact ive never disputed
im just not attracted to attractor.
June 12th, 2006 at 5:02 pm
For the record, I’m not at all saying people must like this site or they’re “hating”. Rather I think its hating when all you can say about it is “it sucks”.. “I’m not impressed”… and these comments are typically made by forum “newbs” with no portfolio of thier own for people to see. Comments like that that have no value, no substance, no need for my attention nor anyone else’s for that matter. I don’t even subscribe to my grandmas old “if you don’t have anything nice to sy…” way of thinking. If you don’t like something cool…but if your gonna take the time to open your mouth about it at least take the time and energy to say why.. otherwise your probably just hating. That was my point…thats what I would call a hater (my opinion).. thats what I would call bashing (my opinion)… thats whats ignorant (in my opinion).
Like something or dislike something based on the merrits and if it warrants a comment then elaborate… otherwsie why waste the time to type.. “it sucks”. So Jay, feel free to not be impressed, feel free to displike the work for whichever reason you choose… your right thats not hating at all…
June 15th, 2006 at 2:43 am
i dont want it to come off as i cont like 2a. and that may be the way it sounded to you or others.
i enjoyed the site – it is nice, it is visually appealing, and alot of minute details bring it all together. i just expected somthing “more ground breaking” aesthetically i guess.
but to each their own. their still 2a
June 22nd, 2006 at 7:46 am
No it does not suck, it’s actually quite impressive, but at the same time too complex and confusing for a company/porfolio site as far as I perceive things. It would be great for a game company or a techno record label or the launching of a “Matrix” type series… and so on. That is my view. Maybe that is the clients they are targetting in which case it is great, if they wanna get Laura Ashley or Vogue I’m not sure it is LOL…so it’s up to them really
Technically it’s quite ineresting.
August 14th, 2006 at 7:53 pm
Are you all mad? Look at that site, it’s awsome. Theres not one little thing wrong with it. It’s perfection. 2advanced are fantastic at what they do. I do however not like them. Not because of their designs and not because they are corporate kiss arse’s, but because I used their hosting service. Bad idea. It’s the worst hosting experience imaginable. Their servers are slow and their customer service is damn right rude. Great site though!