Innovative Navigation

[tha_Gsheep]

Heres a link to the image:
http://www.appletv.co.uk/images/nav.gif

The Buttons represent,
reading from left to right:

Home
Club nights
Photographs
Articles
Guest list
Room Red
Forums
Location
Contact

Yes innovative hmm.
Well I've went with trying something a little different much to my better judgment and I want to see what you think.
From a usability point of view I don't think it really cuts the mustard and it looks a little cluttered. Any ideas on how to retain the same look (I would like to keep the iconography for a little while) but reduce the cluttered look would be much appreciated.
The reason I'm persevering with the iconography is because the users are clubbing types who have consistently when asked, said that they find this sort of navigation more exciting and aesthetic when navigating a site and would wish it in their site. So give the people what they want even though they know not how it pains me.
Any views are welcome.

 

[deadserious]

It looks pretty good.

Some things that I think may help:

Put some text under each icon explaining what it leads to (ex: put Home under the Home icon) and so on.

Space them apart a little

Maybe instead of having each option have it's own icon, make certain categories (ex: products, services, etc..) And then when you put your mouse over the icon have it drop down some more links for that category.

Well that's just a few things I think may help out with the usability while maintaing the graphical appearance.

 

[tha_Gsheep]

2nd attempt

Now for the 2nd attempt at this navigation:
http://www.appletv.co.uk/images/nav2.gif

As you can see I find room red to be quite unrepresentable without confusing everyone involved so its been given its own place at the side. This is logical anyway as it has a large part of the site and deserves to has its own distinction.
I've tryed to calm the icons down as much as I can and the previous "club nights" icon just had to go so I've went with a moon. But now I've got the problem where I can't seem to make a nice moon no matter how hard I try! So what does everyone think now?

 

[adam_uk]

thats nice, good work

if it was me personally id make the icons a bit darker so they stand out a bit clearer

 

[Fallout_Multi.]

yea, make them darker, or outline them, they need more emphasis, i like the idea of the icons, maybe put an symbol thing or just dots btwn them to space them out, and i think it would be good. maybe mouseover sum text in the space to the right of the last icon to say where it goes so others (stupid ppl) can understand

 

[Omnetix]

Dropdown buttons describing the function might be helpful, and like another said, darker icons for easier distinction.

 

[Alpha]

First I'd try to make the word "navigation" as easy to see as possible and second I'd set it so when you move your mouse cursor over the buttons they light up. That'd be cool