Thread: My First Skin Concept: Windows 7

Originally Posted by ws6vert

I say finish both... either way you appeal to all the masses, and you will get help from both sides. The reason I like the first design most, is you have access to all your main screens at every screen. So if im on the music screen and decide I want to watch a video, I can just click the video icon at the top and wah-lah! The other way, it seems I have to click twice, in two totally different areas. Once to close the media screen, and second to open the video player.

Both concepts have their pros and cons, I think the first concept could benefit from larger buttons at the top, maybe get rid of one of the buttons, respace the rest and enlarge it just a little bit (just a little). The second concept could benefit from larger text particularly around the album info, if you choose to keep it on the main screen. I think the little side modules are a great idea, and making them customizable is certainly possible. I already see the benefit of having a weather, OBD2/TPMS, and GasPrices Module right there on the main screen. Also the module idea doesnt make the layout too cuttered in my opinion either, it gives it a nice professional look almost.

We need more opinions on this... I think its a great start and a great opportunity for people who havent found a skin that suits them to give their opinion to help out.

PS: The major widescreen resolution is 800x480. All of your images have been posted at 800x460. Just wondering where the other 20 went? haha

Hmmm, I thought I read somewhere that it was 800X460 oh well I could use the extra 20 px. Like I said I don't have the touchscreen or anything so I am just kinda blindly designing off things I read. I must have just read it too quickly or something. Great ideas! Points taken!

Originally Posted by Crinos

Do as I did... Make a cut-out template of an A4 paper or so...

When you have the template (made from specs of the monitor you are planning to use), resize the image down so that it will fitt within the template... Now you have some what clue of how things will look like 1:1 on your screen.

This would work great with like velum or something super transparent, just so I can get my border! Great input!

Originally Posted by reece146

x2, this is what I did when protyping mine.

Side benefit is that while trying your interface out you get to look like a goof pressing non-functional buttons on a piece of paper.

I like the general look and feel of your setup - reminds me of the MS touch screen technology (forget the project name).

My only quibble i that I would lose all the Microsoft branding. This is not a MS product so shouldn't have their branding.

I am going to make a bunch of different logos, and allow the user to swap the center image . The microsoft one is just the default, so people can tell where the theme came from.

Originally Posted by reece146

My only quibble i that I would lose all the Microsoft branding. This is not a MS product so shouldn't have their branding.

+1 i did a search just the other day for networking icons, and came up with tons of different designs, so don't feel stuck on just the windows logos.

maybe it is just me, but the only thing that i am really familiar with in your icon selection is windows messenger, internet explorer, and am assuming that the film strip is for video... but i have no idea how to get to music on any of the screens.

otherwise, i really like the overall look and feel of both of your designs.
i think i prefer the first one, for simplicity- with all the options along the top, but i also like the second one with the circle because it looks more modern, and not so blocky.

The icon with the big orange play button is the music icon. Im certain that these will all be dynamic, and you could change or make the icons look like anything you want.

Uploaded new Images on post number one. I got rid of the Windows ORB, for all you Linux and Mac users hating on my windows theme! haha only kidding, that's not a final subaru design I just picked the logo that would be easiest to rip apart and throw something together super fast It gives you and idea, and makes you see that that is going to be able to be swapped, I have seen a similar idea by DocBrezzy on his 506 Skin.

I also finished all the "ON" or "DOWN" buttons what do you all think??

Originally Posted by UnusuallyGenius

I must say, this skin looks oddly familiar.
Thanks to NSFW for the link back to my thread, it is always good to know people are interested and talking about something you are working on.

The fact that RR is rectangle based is another reason as to why I am going in a new direction with my project, when you have someone else defining what you have to work with, you get limited.

NSFW should be glad to hear that I am going to have full touchscreen support for my FE.

Most of my complaints have already been voiced here, so why add to the list.

Keep up the good work.

Yeah I have been reading up on your thread, it sounds very interesting!! I have never used RR before, and I am interested to see how much of my idea I am actually going to be able to implement. I am going to read up more on your FE.

Thank you for the kind words

On a side note, I added the newest update, I added a 5 star rating thing which I have seen is pretty common around here, and I made the media buttons slightly larger for ease of use

It's a good thing work is boring today

My head is spiingng risjth now, bit i will commeetn lata. Look good with theb bifg bittons.