Muppets.com relaunches with Disney XD

[dwayne1115]

I almost felt sorry for Gonzo, did anyone else?

 

[theprawncracker]

I almost felt sorry for Gonzo, did anyone else?

I did... kinda, but not really. I feel like he walked right into it.

 

[TheJimHensonHour]

I almost felt sorry for Gonzo, did anyone else?

Yes, but Piggy has always been a jerk to him.

 

[dwayne1115]

I agree with you tow but I'm also glad that they are working on Muppet relationships Gonzo and Piggiy , and pepe and Rizzo

 

[Oscarfan]

Did anyone else notice that they dot rid of their DXD thing and this is the only site lwft with it's style?

 

[frogboy4]

My Muppets.com improvement pitch

I know there have been some formatting complaints made from me. This has little to do with the fantastic filmed content (I wouldn't change a thing about that - just keep adding more of it) and more to do with the framework of Muppets.com. I decided to just form my fan pitch. I am a designer after all, so done with the griping and here goes my solution:

My Muppets.com ​

Initial Loader:
Have something a little more Muppety for the loader image (like a progress bar coming out of Gonzo's face to form his nose) and include a percentage-loaded (as they did before).

Welcome Page:
Muppet Theater exterior, medium shot ticket booth. Pops (or could be Bobo etc) greets the user in the ticket window. Below the window there is a log-in field that allows you to sign in as a user, a guest or register. It also informs the user of the site’s audio and offers the opportunity to toggle the volume upon entry (that can be adjusted at any time later). He takes your ticket and welcomes you to Muppets.com. It's a very Muppety way to greet someone.

Lobby:
Scooter (or Rizzo or Pepe) greets you in the lobby where there are many fun posters and artifacts the user may click on and rollover for minimal interactivity. You can learn trivia, news and shop (in a store manned by Sam) in this area. Scooter has a clipboard the user can access that contains the new updates along with a visual site map (to avoid any confusion and save on clicking extraneous things). Scooter is your guide that sticks close for any information the user might need anywhere at any time. This is also a fun place for a "hidden Mickey" that could be a running gag for the designers.

Theater:
The Muppet Theater contains a clip area on the main stage where all media can be accessed. There are icons of particular character sections to make it easier or the user can sift directly through the archive. Statler and Waldorf randomly give commentary from their balcony. Random Muppets can cross the stage and/or screen by activating a button (as on the current Muppets.com). The video would have the capability of allowing the user to pause and cache a clip so that it loads fully before playing (instead of playing out in choppy bits and spurts on some connections and ruining the gags).

Backstage:
The classic-looking backstage area contains dressing rooms and designated areas for main characters where quotes, sound bites and other goodies can be accessed. No more closed doors! Even if there's nothing inside yet - we will see the inhabitant peek out and speak their line about not being ready. Areas would include Miss Piggy’s dressing room, Kermit’s desk, Fozzie’s joke trunk, Pepe’s dressing room, Gonzo’s under staircase area and Animal & the Mayhem’s rehearsal/dressing room. Muppet Labs, the Swedish Chef Kitchen, game areas, widgets etc can be accessed through labeled posters as well. There could also be a monitor that shows images or clips from classic programs that can be clicked to bring the user back to the main stage.

_____​

I just love the content so much and hope the architecture improves. Something like this is much more friendly and Muppety. Closed dressing room doors (that only kind of resemble the Muppet Theater) and having to click to different areas for media content isn't the best approach. I would also embed a Muppets.com signature in the bottom of the YouTube clips to clue users into the site. All of these ideas are as simple to design and implement as what is being used now. It's just cleaner, Muppetier, friendlier and more organized.

Either way we are quite blessed to get any Muppety goodness these days and these clips are incredible!

 

[WeatherbySwann]

HAHAHA! Oh my goodness gracious me! Fozzie finally got back at those two old coots! FANTASTIC! And their resposne was just brilliant! I was rolling on the floor! Did NOT see that coming!

I wasn't either! But it was certainly a hilariously pleasant surprise.

Did anyone else notice that they dot rid of their DXD thing and this is the only site lwft with it's style?

I noticed that, too. The URL also changed, which makes it much easier to post links to Kermit and Piggy's pages. They got rid of the DXD name because the Toon Disney channel is changing its design and show lineup and simultaneously changings its name to "Disney XD". I think Disney decided to drop the DXD name from Disney.com to avoid confusion between the two dinstinctly different areas.

I also saw that the URL for all three Muppet channels changed, too, which makes it much easier to post links to Kermit & Piggy's pages.

 

[Ilikemuppets]

Oh wow! You're improvements to the site make it sound better already Frogboy4! I wish they had a way of listening you!

 

[RKUNKLER]

I know there have been some formatting complaints made from me. This has little to do with the fantastic filmed content (I wouldn't change a thing about that - just keep adding more of it) and more to do with the framework of Muppets.com. I decided to just form my fan pitch. I am a designer after all, so done with the griping and here goes my solution:

My Muppets.com ​

Initial Loader:
Have something a little more Muppety for the loader image (like a progress bar coming out of Gonzo's face to form his nose) and include a percentage-loaded (as they did before).

Welcome Page:
Muppet Theater exterior, medium shot ticket booth. Pops (or could be Bobo etc) greets the user in the ticket window. Below the window there is a log-in field that allows you to sign in as a user, a guest or register. It also informs the user of the site’s audio and offers the opportunity to toggle the volume upon entry (that can be adjusted at any time later). He takes your ticket and welcomes you to Muppets.com. It's a very Muppety way to greet someone.

Lobby:
Scooter (or Rizzo or Pepe) greets you in the lobby where there are many fun posters and artifacts the user may click on and rollover for minimal interactivity. You can learn trivia, news and shop (in a store manned by Sam) in this area. Scooter has a clipboard the user can access that contains the new updates along with a visual site map (to avoid any confusion and save on clicking extraneous things). Scooter is your guide that sticks close for any information the user might need anywhere at any time. This is also a fun place for a "hidden Mickey" that could be a running gag for the designers.

Theater:
The Muppet Theater contains a clip area on the main stage where all media can be accessed. There are icons of particular character sections to make it easier or the user can sift directly through the archive. Statler and Waldorf randomly give commentary from their balcony. Random Muppets can cross the stage and/or screen by activating a button (as on the current Muppets.com). The video would have the capability of allowing the user to pause and cache a clip so that it loads fully before playing (instead of playing out in choppy bits and spurts on some connections and ruining the gags).

Backstage:
The classic-looking backstage area contains dressing rooms and designated areas for main characters where quotes, sound bites and other goodies can be accessed. No more closed doors! Even if there's nothing inside yet - we will see the inhabitant peek out and speak their line about not being ready. Areas would include Miss Piggy’s dressing room, Kermit’s desk, Fozzie’s joke trunk, Pepe’s dressing room, Gonzo’s under staircase area and Animal & the Mayhem’s rehearsal/dressing room. Muppet Labs, the Swedish Chef Kitchen, game areas, widgets etc can be accessed through labeled posters as well. There could also be a monitor that shows images or clips from classic programs that can be clicked to bring the user back to the main stage.

_____​

I just love the content so much and hope the architecture improves. Something like this is much more friendly and Muppety. Closed dressing room doors (that only kind of resemble the Muppet Theater) and having to click to different areas for media content isn't the best approach. I would also embed a Muppets.com signature in the bottom of the YouTube clips to clue users into the site. All of these ideas are as simple to design and implement as what is being used now. It's just cleaner, Muppetier, friendlier and more organized.

Either way we are quite blessed to get any Muppety goodness these days and these clips are incredible!

yhe progress bar should be introducing the site likehe did for the guest star on The Muppet Show. The exterior should be the same one as used at the end of the Muppets go to The Movies.

 

[frogboy4]

yhe progress bar should be introducing the site likehe did for the guest star on The Muppet Show. The exterior should be the same one as used at the end of the Muppets go to The Movies.

I agree. Anything to make it more classic and Muppety. The site is attractive, but much of the architecture doesn't quite reflect the Muppets the way I think it should. That and the depiction of closed doors (even when they are opened they are closed) isn't a good tactic. Just my design nit-picks. Someday I'll get off my butt and possibly apply for Disney's vast web team.