FlashDeck

**Cris** · 03-24-2006, 04:14 PM

Is it ready yet?

**GizmoQ** · 03-25-2006, 04:14 AM

Originally Posted by DiNASTY

Thanks very much for your comments, -Din

BTW, I can't believe how close my menu is to your skin there... I swear to god I didn't copy or even know about it before. I guess great minds think alike

Hey, I took it as flattery, I could care less about where your idea came from. I'm more concerned about where this is going. Love it so far!!!

Here's another aspect of my skin you might want to consider: Since the main menu buttons you see on mine are always on-screen, I utilized the space to the right of the main menu buttons for task specific sub buttons which change depending on the functions needed, i.e., below is just the button side of the audio player, FM Radio, XM Radio, and Nav. Your skin is even better suited to this type theme because the main menu options drop down. You could put the function specific buttons along the left border where my main ones are.

Last request for now - when brainstorming Nav layout, consider maximizing height. I don't know about you, but I use the full height (top to bottom) of my screen for nav. I know this means I have to give up the song title real estate and change the flow of the background, but every little bit I can see in front of me helps and the sides are worthless until I need to turn. I have examples if you're interested in pursuing this.

You got skills, I just got ideas

My ultimate goal was ergonomics - put the same button on ever screen in the same place. Once I learn/memorize where it is, I can pay more attention to driving.

**Arathranar** · 03-25-2006, 12:06 PM

Originally Posted by GizmoQ

You got skills, I just got ideas

My ultimate goal was ergonomics - put the same button on ever screen in the same place. Once I learn/memorize where it is, I can pay more attention to driving.

Too many buttons! Aargh, it scares me!

Consistency is definitely a key requirement for skins but with so many buttons even once you've learn where they are, you'll still have to pay close attention to hit the right one.

Skins need more structure so we have fewer but much bigger buttons. It's one of the things I really like about the OEM navigation system in my wife's new Civic Hybrid. You have to got through a few more pages to get things done but the buttons are all enormous.

**xuri** · 03-25-2006, 04:40 PM

dinasty if you need a beta tester ( on pentium 3 ) , i can.

Actually, i have the mc2 skin and runs GOOD.

**GizmoQ** · 03-25-2006, 04:47 PM

Originally Posted by Arathranar

Too many buttons! Aargh, it scares me!

Consistency is definitely a key requirement for skins but with so many buttons even once you've learn where they are, you'll still have to pay close attention to hit the right one.

Skins need more structure so we have fewer but much bigger buttons. It's one of the things I really like about the OEM navigation system in my wife's new Civic Hybrid. You have to got through a few more pages to get things done but the buttons are all enormous.

True, you're absolutely right. Big buttins require more pages/more steps to accomplish some tasks. That's a major trade-off designers face: simplicity vs utility.

And you're right it did have too many buttons, but that was a design concept decision to do as much as possible with the fewest steps. By the end of fall last year, RR had too many functions being added for me to keep up, so I abandoned it and started modifying Zots. I look forward to where this one is going, this is exactly like what I have been looking for since I abandoned mine.

**Hwonder** · 03-25-2006, 04:51 PM

I have never eager to use RR. I have seen several skins that made me tempted, but I have always been a diehard Frodo and Centrafuse user. This skin has become my calling to RR. Great Job!