Help needed to test the OngoingWorlds website

Last week I launched the very first version of my website onto the internet. It’s definitely not ready to go public, and is currently in a hidden location on my server so that people don’t visit the site and think it’s a live site. I have put it live really just to test that the main site functionality works, and also to get some friends to test the site for anything that is broken which I might not have thought to check.

Making sure it’s usable

A nice big button to create a new game

As a full-time web developer, I’m really interested in things like web-accessibility and usability. I’ve just finished reading Dan Krug’s book “Don’t make me think” which explains that all websites should be dead easy for people to use, something I definitely believe in. Although this is common sense, it’s amazing how many websites exist out there which are really difficult to use.

Often these sites have been made by a developer who has assumed that everyone will understand the site because they understand the site. But actually they have never sat with their audience and watched them use the site.

So I want to make sure this site is dead easy.

Please help me test OngoingWorlds

I want to make sure this website is easy to use, and will be used. I’ve gotten a few requests from a few people offering to have a look at the site when it’s launched, but I could always use a few more points of opinion! So please if you’re interested just email me or comment below and I’ll be in touch with how you can help.

How you can help

1. I’ll send you the link to the site. Prepare to write some notes in an email to me.
2. Have a look at the homepage. Write down if you think it’s easy to understand what the site is about.
3. Try to join a game. Games will be listed on the homepage. Let me know if you think the experience is difficult or confusing.
4. Try to create your own game. Let me know if you think this process is difficult or easy. If you have any improvements please let me know.
5. Once you have created a game, make a character in that game.
6. Write a post in your game.

For now, that’s it! There is much more complicated functionality but lets get the basics sorted out first. If you find a problem, please let me know:

1. The error message you get.
2. What browser you are using (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari etc).
3. What time and date it happened.
4. What you were doing, or trying to do when it happened.

Thanks. I’m going to be making changes to the website over the next few weeks, and try and get it into the “Beta” version.