In response to some of the excellent feedback we received, and in preparation for the next episode (to be posted this coming Sunday), we’ve been implementing a new navigation scheme for The Mercurials episodes.  You can test it viewing Episode 1:1 or Episode 1:2.

A few notes and caveats:

• The new nav system is still being worked on and tested, but it would be a good time to get feedback on it from interested readers.  Just let me know what browser you’re using if you have problems.
• The old system will continue to be available, since it is supported by most browsers.
• The new system requires a browser that has Javascript enabled and that supports CSS.
• There are currently some page formatting issues that I’m working on ironing out.

New Features:

• No more reloading! The user interface uses Javascript to avoid reloading the page every time.  That means less scrolling back down the page.  When the system’s working properly, you should also be able to leave your mouse pointing to the “Next” link for added convenience.
• Drag-and-drop Navbar!  Different readers suggested positioning the Navigation bar in different places, so now there are two bars, a horizontal one and a vertical one, that can be dragged and dropped anywhere you want.  Just click on the 4-arrows icon on the bar, hold down the mouse button, reposition the bar where you’d like it to be, and release.
• Clearly labeled links for “Next,” “Back,” etc.
• The page will also be reformatted before Sunday to further minimize scrolling up and down.

That’s all for now.  Check it out and let us know what you think.  Sunday will also see a better and clearer method of showing who’s talking.  Future improvements for the navigation system might also include preloading the next few images as you click through, making the viewing experience more reponsive.  But probably not this week