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We've been hard at work in building the next site re-design. After Gaia's 4th anniversary, we began working on a new initiative to really improve the look and feel of Gaia. We want to make it more fun, more alive, and more user-friendly. We're getting a lot done, and we'll be sharing some screen shots with everyone soon. The whole project then took a life of its own as we realized that, after four years, we've never really looked at improving many aspects of the site, such as our color scheme. In particular, we've been thinking a lot about Gaia's logo. When our logo was first created, there was no Gaia community. The Gaia logo reflected our vision of what Gaia was at the time, but the community has grown and matured so much since then that it no longer seems appropriate. Gaia was once a website that created a community, but throughout the years it's become a website that is defined by its community. With that in mind, we decided to create a logo that does a better job of reflecting the style and spirit of our members. We wanted something that looked cooler, more unique and more fun. We put in a lot of thought about who we are as a site and as a community, and we came up with something that, in our opinion, really looks the way Gaia feels. * color is not final, we used red because it's easy to read biggrin The UI team will be posting about the new header design later. We'll be collecting feedback at that time. Please let us know what you think!

Posted by: Lanzer Tue Jul 17, 2007 @ 04:03pm

Lanzer's work diary thread has the latest bug fixes and updates

User Comments: [341]Viewing page 2 of 7 · Goto Page: « 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 »

Dannille
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Tue Jul 17, 2007 @ 10:47pm

I like the top one. It's pretty cool. But the bottom one....not so much. Though, I must say, I like the capital G better.

Torowaa
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Tue Jul 17, 2007 @ 10:47pm

I like the new design even though I'm torn between wanting it changed for the sake of change and modernization and not wanting it changed due to the sake of it having been here forever as a part of my GaiaOnline experience. I'm always for change when it comes to websites but a change to the logo itself is saying something. Eh, I'd like to see the new layout you guys are coming up with soon.

mattmagician
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Tue Jul 17, 2007 @ 10:52pm

I really like it, looks nice.
cant wait to see the new scheme you guys can come up with, and i'm sure the Marketplace rewrite will look great with this. One suggestion, any way we can get shops how they were back in the day? if not, oh wells.

iNemoh
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Tue Jul 17, 2007 @ 10:53pm

I love the new layout!

Aurelia Delacroix
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Tue Jul 17, 2007 @ 10:59pm

Izzat Iam and Sam in that first one? o3o;
Preeeeetty~

LabTech David
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Tue Jul 17, 2007 @ 11:03pm

I like the First One! With Ian And Sam... domokun
But I hate the Second Logo. >_> xp

Shad Croly
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Tue Jul 17, 2007 @ 11:06pm

I'm in agreement with a lot of people. New logo looks cool, but please capitalize the "G" in Gaia.

Fvr
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Tue Jul 17, 2007 @ 11:08pm

Way to make us older members feel completely out of place. Don't you think you've had enough fun changing the site over and over again already? There IS such a thing as too much. The last thing we need is a logo change. We don't need to "adapt" to the crowd. Gaia is a world of its own, we come here everyday because we like the way it is NOW. Why change every little detail that doesn't even need to be changed? Money? More members? Whatever it is, it does nothing but destroy our memories. We're not freakin MySpace, we don't have to be the same as everyone else. We're standing out. A logo change has nothing to do with user-friendlyness, especially when it looks this plain. Gaia isn't thin, cold and plain. Gaia is bold and fun, and takes its place as the top community site whether the rest of the internet likes it or not.

There are twice as many people who don't want it as there are people who do, check out the polls in the GCD for the proof. I'm not making this up. I know you probably won't even read this, but if you really change the logo I'll go as far as never donating to the site again. At least make it an interchangable layout so we can choose our logo like we can choose our headers.

User Image - Blocked by "Display Image" Settings. Click to show.

'~:

:~'

Ketira
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Tue Jul 17, 2007 @ 11:09pm

Perhaps use the same font, but with a capital G?

And also, one that other webmasters (like myself) could use to make Gaia-related (but not copycats!) webpages/sites.

As for the color - that's easily fixed in Photoshop. wink

frakkin
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Tue Jul 17, 2007 @ 11:13pm

The red one looks icky. The purple one lookz snazzy though.

The Honest Lie
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Tue Jul 17, 2007 @ 11:14pm

SpiderPig, SpiderPig,
does whatever a
SpiderPig does~~~ User Image - Blocked by "Display Image" Settings. Click to show.

Zomg, they're great! Oooooh, Ian and Sam...?

But the second one, it's all red. Maybe add some gradient? Just a suggestion 3nodding

--- Spawn of Hell [Louie VH FanGirl]

Infamous
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Tue Jul 17, 2007 @ 11:16pm

I think you should keep the old logo. Gaia may have grown but believe it not, we like some traditions. Otherwise, we wouldn't b***h so much when things are changed. The logo now looks a lot better than the new ones anyways.

The least you could do is make it look similar to what we already have.

But I guess while making another site layout that all of us have to get used to and working on the logo, why not just rename everything and rewrite the TOS and just change everything about the site?

Oh wait.

After the logo, that'll happen. stare Next thing I'll see is "We've decided to change the forum names. Now the GD will be called the 4chan wanna be forum. Thanks for your wonderful input but we really didn't care for it. Remember, Gaia is awesome and please continue to donate to us so that we can add more people and make even more ugly changes to the site that before we do, we'll ask for your opinions and once again, ignore. Have a nice day."

Spazn
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Tue Jul 17, 2007 @ 11:17pm

I think change is awesome, but I personally hope you make it feel more like a world than a website... That's what seperates Gaia from other sites...

forbiddenshadow
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Tue Jul 17, 2007 @ 11:20pm

I cherished the old Logo and it's personalized font. This new logo just doesn't seem like Gaia and it's just too generic. I like Gaia's unique logo. When you see that font you think "gaia" but with this new logo...just...I dont know -_-;;

I love the art though. Nice to see NPC's. I noticed not many recognize them. Although Sam IS fairly new.

Evil_Kaworu
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Tue Jul 17, 2007 @ 11:22pm

This is great.

but the old logo is still good............

Kentucky Fried Pixels
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Tue Jul 17, 2007 @ 11:31pm

I don't like it. I don't like the font, or the color.

iNeo
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Tue Jul 17, 2007 @ 11:34pm

The new logo looks very nice ^___^

I love it: it's modern and has the technology look heart

x__Amphigory
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Tue Jul 17, 2007 @ 11:35pm

*Hardcore misses the world map*
TTnTT <333

PliR
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Tue Jul 17, 2007 @ 11:53pm

What happen to the big "G?" gonk G Pin. G CORP! the G~!!! I'm with everyone else on this. gonk

I understand why you made it a small g. You wanted to mimic the two "a's. Still, two small a mimicking each other is enough. The one big G is best. Flip the small g to make it a large G? I think it's a good compromise and stays true to the design. :3

Like This-->;; 6aia

I like the placement of the "online" with the o under the dOt int the eye and how it mirrors. It's cool but if you do the flip g thing (which I doubt but just in case) I think you should take out the dOt from the i.

Never mind. Looks meh~. It's so different and simple and un-unique.... *feels uneasy* ...that you know there's going to be a bitchfest in SF and GCD. sweatdrop

I like the purple gradient more than the red. The red reminds me of Coca Cola. >.>;

Can't wait for layout change~<3 x3

@Journal Took you a while... all well and good to use this. Better I think. :3 Unless the journal system might glitch. xD

Victoria Piper
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Tue Jul 17, 2007 @ 11:56pm

stressed
No.
Nonononono.

If you're changing the logo to something, then just revert it back to ol' Pinky.

Plzthx.

Jayce Reinhardt
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Wed Jul 18, 2007 @ 12:05am

I ADORE the new logo's but should the g really be lower case?
*Hope Sam will be a new love interest for Ian* ninja

pigeon-wing
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Wed Jul 18, 2007 @ 12:06am

The art in the banner is lovely, though I'm not too excited about the new logo. The font is nice and sleek, but I miss the capitalized G, if only because the new one seems top-heavy. The design of the logo seems a little on the plain side; I can't imagine it catching any eyes.

Rinel_Underwood
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Wed Jul 18, 2007 @ 12:08am

Love the first header. Great to see some people up there that look like members of the site kind of.
The second header, though... eh, kinda plain.

Honestly, though, I understand the fact that many people complained last time of the site design... but now we're used to it. Why change it up again? I'd choose stability in the site appearance over it possibly looking a little better. XP Just my opinion though. Anyways, thanks for making such a great site. ^_^

Wild World
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Wed Jul 18, 2007 @ 12:23am

meehh....o-o; I don't really like it.

Princess Amalthea
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Wed Jul 18, 2007 @ 12:26am

While I do think that the artwork looks nice, instead of changing the site design when nobody is complaining about it, why not just leave it the way it is? I like the current logo as is- Keep the big G if you must change anything.

Quote:

The Gaia logo reflected our vision of what Gaia was at the time, but the community has grown and matured so much since then that it no longer seems appropriate.

Even though, the Gaia logo as is stands out from all the other community websites out there. Yes, your users are getting older, but I think what keeps them us here is the fact that the site reminds us of what our lives were like before we grew up and things got all complicated. It's different from what everybody else is doing.
While complexity and maturity are great, simplicity with concept and dreams is better. Some people use Gaia as an escape, and if it became more like the real world, the users would leave. You would definitely lose my two distinctive accounts if too much changed.

Crystane
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Wed Jul 18, 2007 @ 12:30am

All I ask is that you capitalize the letter G in Gaia. heart

Shiarka Jonless
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Wed Jul 18, 2007 @ 12:38am

Good heavens! Don't change the logo! I don't mind messing with the colors of it, but don't change it entirely.

Whescha
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Wed Jul 18, 2007 @ 12:39am

No offense meant here, but I hate it. Hate it, hate it, hate it, hate it, hate it. It's ugly, and jagged and just...UGH. It's disgusting. Not to mention it looks completely out of place on that banner.

And what the hell is Ian wearing? I hope with all my heart that you're not going to change his clothes. That outfit you have him in is horrible.

Sir Regulus Lyonhart
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Wed Jul 18, 2007 @ 12:56am

I agree. It just makes Gaia look like another Web 2.0 site trying to attract mindless teenagers while mimicking the "I-pretend-I'm-mature" attitude so prevalent in MySpace, Facebook, etc. I don't like the way Gaia is going. I've been feeling keenly that Gaia is less interested in keeping the members who have been here since 2003 than throwing them away for what they think are newer and better members looking to form another imaginary social network to troll for online relationships and taunt and mock others online behind their backs rather than face them personally.

I merely don't like the way Gaia is developing. It seems to be leaning towards the dark side of internet morality.

Yaeka
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Wed Jul 18, 2007 @ 01:13am

I love how neat it is... but on the other hand, like others have said, I feel a much less friendly look on it.

The characters in particular, are so... plain? Almost boring?

And the big G is discussable. I liked it capitalized, but I don't think it hurts so much that it's lower case there, honestly. 3nodding

Nonetheless, the purple and red both sure feel much nicer than the orange. ^^;

Basically, it's looking pretty good, except for the boring characters xp

LadyGlamSlam
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Wed Jul 18, 2007 @ 01:22am

The first one looks fine. The second one, not so much. It reminds me of those logos from the 70s. gonk

Miles To Go
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Wed Jul 18, 2007 @ 01:34am

"We want to make it more fun, more alive, and more user-friendly."

Funny, because your color selections neutralize the site. Since when does neutral = alive? You're KILLING it.

People love Gaia for what it is, not what it's going to become. Why else do you think there's an uproar every time you alter something classic about the website?
You're not trying to appeal to the Gaia community, you're trying to appeal to mass market.

You know why Gaia is so appealing? Because it's unlike anything else out there. I'm not just referring to the avatar selection, either. The entire website itself - color, look, feel? They all stand out above the competition. But what you are doing is trying to make it match everything else.

This is not Myspace, this is not Neopets, this is not a high rent apartment in New York.

What happened to the man who created this website? You've been pummeled by the corporative world, and so has everything Gaia used to stand for. People who actually care about the website are getting left in the dust because of rich little newbs who don't give a damn, but stuff your pockets every month.

Karisome Herutsu
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Wed Jul 18, 2007 @ 01:54am

As long as you don't use the plain red one, it's fine. The plain red one is boring.

x[Take_A_Chance]x
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Wed Jul 18, 2007 @ 01:55am

Retro=love

Dakishimete
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Wed Jul 18, 2007 @ 02:05am

I'm sorry but I don't agree at all. That doesn't feel like Gaia. At all. It feels like you're going to make Gaia way too commercial, industrial and not friendly at all. I don't mind change but why the ******** do you keep making things more and more business orientated? Has all the fame gone to you're heads? I think your alienating your true fans and creating a neopets situation. What ever happened to the idea of community? Now all we have is this business friendly, sleek, modern design. Not at all welcoming or friendly. Why are the colours and the design so frigging masculine? I love Gaia and seriously scared for it.

.x.Strange.x.
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Wed Jul 18, 2007 @ 02:07am

I love it. It looks alot more unique and grown up, like the site is for more then just kids. Its great

Atomu
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Wed Jul 18, 2007 @ 02:07am

I like the actual Gaia logo, but that header, not so much. By wanting the site to be more alive, I'm guessing you mean more interactive things on the site. But if you really want the site to feel more alive then go with colours that aren't quite so dark. With all that mention of a layout that reflected the community, that sure says something. sweatdrop
When I think of Gaia, I think of something brighter, and more lively than this. I definitely agree this looks too industrial. And aside from Ian's clothes, which I don't think fit him at all, the placement of the characters and the Logo or too centered, and it looks unappealing. Anyway, that's my opinion.

EDIT: I think the logo could use a capital G as well. The font is nice, but a capital G would make it less generic.

Losaru Taiyo
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Wed Jul 18, 2007 @ 02:08am

Quote:

When our logo was first created, there was no Gaia community

The first members were and still are a community. You always had a community. Like you said:

Quote:

Gaia was once a website that created a community, but throughout the years it's become a website that is defined by its community.

Just remember not to call us of the 'Pink Logo' not a community. I only ask that watch your wording. Soon we will all be defined by logos and good heavens, I'd
hate to be labelled 'Old Pink.' It sounds like I contradicted myself, but I am only using the logo classification once, to prove a point that there was a community then. That makes sense I hope.

As for the new design, does this include a new frontpage? If so, promote the forums more and not covered by the avatar aspect(the pirate thing) Without the forums, Gaia is just a hangout with little much but game/chats. Overall, without the forums, the site would be bland.

I do like the more streamline feel though and the slight 3D effect is okay. Thanks for using NPCs, but make them look more like themselves. That ain't Ian.

For the logo, try to resist using red. Red can promote anger and places such as the Site Feedback can definately use less of. Go purple, I say. Also, Capitalize the G!

I am also glad you have Barton in the background. It's the town most of us have grown to love. *hugs the Arena and Forums* and I do think that the world is expressed enough nowadays.

A last note, can you check the Grow Gaia and change that, since the logo and everything else is changing? It's 'old' as you might say.

Thanks

Losaru Taiyo

daz hawt
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Wed Jul 18, 2007 @ 02:19am

omg ! ur like so awesome.......................he he.......................... neutral

Cherubimon-E
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Wed Jul 18, 2007 @ 02:21am

I think I like the old logo more.

Professor Rose
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Wed Jul 18, 2007 @ 02:21am

D: Nooo~ Don't change the Gaia banner. :c The one we have now is so much cuter! That one up there looks plain, generic and something any idiot could make in MS Paint.

Lady Kayura
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Wed Jul 18, 2007 @ 02:22am

Keep up the good work. I love the first picture you posted. It has really been amazing to see how much the site has changed over the years. That is one thing I really love, it doesn't stagnate.

static xx SKY
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Wed Jul 18, 2007 @ 02:23am

sweet. the new logo looks awesome.
gaia has really come a long way.
a new logo is nice.
8DDDD

queen_kelley
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Wed Jul 18, 2007 @ 02:24am

Yes, it will do.
but make it look more like a 2008
instead of 2005.
The coloring makes it look more like an old fashion.

fishy asparagus
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Wed Jul 18, 2007 @ 02:25am

while the old logo was nice, i definitely prefer this one. simple, clean, aesthetically pleasing... it feels like gaia has matured along with me into my adult years ^^

cappeh
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Wed Jul 18, 2007 @ 02:25am

that logo looks a lot better.

Befu
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Wed Jul 18, 2007 @ 02:25am

I dunno, I'm partial to the Gaia logo as it is, though orange wouldn't be my choice color. I would just leave the font but make it a different color. whee

zackwyld234
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Wed Jul 18, 2007 @ 02:26am

that first 1 is pretty cool

"My body aches from mistakes, betrayed by lust, we lie to each other so much, that in nothing we trust..."-Trust, Megadeth
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Krienkles
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Wed Jul 18, 2007 @ 02:26am

I absolutely love the new logo, Lanzer.

I'm so excited for the new look! I hope it comes soon! whee heart
Thank you for making Gaia a very great site.
3nodding

Cherubimon-E
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Wed Jul 18, 2007 @ 02:26am

The old logo shows maturity, literacy, proper English, and fun. The new logo would be good if Gaia were a business. Not a fantasy hangout. A business. Preserve our history, Gaia team! -protects logo- Please!

User Comments: [341]Viewing page 2 of 7 · Goto Page: « 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 »

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