Arcade.nick.com: Graphics
Figure 4.A
Arcade.nick.com use graphics fun and entertaining graphics that appeal to all users. The site is careful not to bombard the page with distratcting graphics, but enough graphics to convey the accessibility theme. The site uses a round rectangular feature I call "bubble graphics" (Fig 4.A). I use the term "bubble graphic" because the round rectangles look like they are floating in the green-yellow gradient background. In the Color section of my analysis I mentioned a contrast between the white background and the green-yellow gradient background. Adding attention to the color contrast, the round rectangular "bubble graphics" make the text "jump" out of the page. Horton and Lynch mention to "use images, animations, video or sound only when relevant to your message" (Applications for Multimedia). The "bubble graphics" are specifically in the center of the site to highlight feature games, the arcade pass and game specials. The top five games sidebar is also a "bubble graphic." The "bubble graphics" are information that Arcade.nick.com wants users to notice as soon as they enter the site. The home page of Arcade.nick.com uses animation within the "bubble graphic." The WSB agress that simple animation on a Web site's main home page can provide just the right amount of visual interest to invite users to explore your materials (Animation). Animation requires a plug in, which is why the site carefully displays animation on the home page only.
Figure 4.B
Accessibility in mind, buttons are a part of the site's design. Arcade.nick.com is a site for adult and children users, therefore button graphics provide a mixture between both user types (Fig 4.B). The shapely orange and white text buttons appeal to children as entertainment. The site is about games, so the style of the buttons associates with games. Text within the buttons offer adult users easy navigation of what they're looking for. The home page and its subsites offer two buttons, which for the purpose of my analysis I will call a children's user button and an adult users button. The children's user button read "Try it for free!" and the adult user button read "Click to buy." The buttons are a part of the accessibility theme, offering all users simple navigation. Horton and Lynch say you don't have to "hit the reader between the eyes with a huge, noisy graphic or Flash animation. A successful site requires real, sustained engagement, and you get that only by offering both sophisticated visual stimuli and a site that is structured to meet the needs of its audience quickly and effectively" (Site Design: Design Themes).
Rasia Middleton
CMS 3710
Updated: November 12, 2008