Branding
Codename Solstice
We launched the first version of Dragon Interactive on the winter solstice. Previously, we had been operating as "Dragon Labs" but we essentially started from scratch with both a new website and a brand new dragon logo.
Inspiration
The site was inspired by a wide assortment of things, including the Audi R8, the TV show Psych, Architecture in Helsinki, and the previous Dragon Labs site.
Production
Codename Rainbows
This site was the first place we implemented our revolutionary Codename Rainbows script, which gives text dynamic CSS-based gradients, complete with shadows and highlights—without the use of any images or flash.
Codename Aphelion
Codename Aphelion was originally intended to be one of the main features on the site, in which the decorations at the top would fly around the site using our 3d parallax engine. Ultimately we decided not to use it, but you can see some of the old concepts that we used for launch countdown.
The Navigation
The centerpiece of the site, it features sprites, changing shadows and highlights, easing, and a bunch of other features. The jQuery powered fading technique we developed for it was picked up by many tutorials and can now be seen used all over the web.
Launch
SXSW
The site was one of the finalists at the 2008 SXSW interactive festival. Next time we will be partnering with Tabasco-sauce and Lemonjuice interactive to win the thing for sure.
Check it Out
Though the actual site has been replaced with what you see now, we've kept a mirror of the site up for your viewing pleasure. The images cannot adequately convey the feel of the navigation and hovers that the site had become so famous for.
