No Name yet skin input and ideas.

[coffee]

Hi Guys

I'm busy with a new skin and I'm starting this post so you can tell my what you like or not. The reason for this is so I don't have to nearly completely redo this skin if changes need to be done to it.

I'm starting this post with a picture of more or less how this skin looks at the moment but there is still a long way to go on this one.

I'm trying to do something different with this one. Please keep in mind this only a mockup, I will change the buttons etc. when I get to the end of the build.

What's different in this skin?

-I'm trying to bring in some 3d effects by using shadows etc. as seen on the genre filter page below. Some buttons were sunk to give a 3d effect.
-In the picture you'll see the video playing in the top right corner. I figured there is a lot of users only using one screen so I decided to put the video on the main screen.
-Total new layout.
-Use the menu area for navigation between pages.
-Just above the menu you will see it shows you what have been selected.
-The text at the back of the menu buttons changes to the menu button's text when selected. The background in the picture says "filter" because filter was selected.
-"Jump to letter" where added to replace the slider.
-I have bring back the "current page" indicator. This will tell you on what page you are on when browsing throw your albums.
-Skin was intended to work with the new "page animations".
-Menu pages utilises different areas of the skin depending on the size needed for that menu page. For example, the search chioce page will only use the "jump to letter" area and when you select how you want to search the search page will appear in the albums area and the search choice area is still visible making it easy to change to a different search.



Coffee

[fordman]

Personally, I'm not into the flaming .gif's on this one. Kinda doesnt fit in.

But, as always, the skins looks great!



Fordman

[coffee]

Personally, I'm not into the flaming .gif's on this one. Kinda doesnt fit in.

But, as always, the skins looks great!



Fordman

It is only a mockup at this moment. I just started with the BnR gif skin and changed the button to a square look. Everything els comes from the BnR skin.
I will change these when I get to the end of the build. For now I just need to sort out the layout, build new temples and sort out all the new stuff I want to incorporate into the skin.

[leeclark2612]

I think the red colour does look good, but agree with fordman about the flames...maybe a red flashing neon style? I think this is a great idea for a skin...looks very much like a jukebox i've seen by a company called cubyte...nice work on the 3d stuff, will make the skins look so much cleaner!

[coffee]

I think you guys just give my an idea on what to do with the animations.

[Hitbig]

This seems like you said the mother of previous skins.

I wonder how you moved the now playing VIS to the album view.
I tried but I couldn't.

[coffee]

Just a quick updated. I'm making some progress on this skin and hope to release it for beta testing this weekend.

[eist1]

Coffee,

This skin is looking really nice... Gives a totally different look to E-Touch. The only thing I can see is that it is looking pretty "busy" with all of the buttons all over the page. This may be a good choice to use the button pop up menu, and if Barry could also add the volume slider pop up that would also be nice. This would allow the page to be spaced out a little more. I think this would be a great "clean" skin but have pop up options instead of all of the buttons, maybe even use the select letter navigation pop up too, this would then clean up the letters on top. With the smaller screen size (not widescreen) it's hard to get all of the buttons on one page without it looking crowded. Great job though!!

[fordman]

I agree, a little too busy with all the buttons. 

I hate to say 'How about like....."



Seems simple and clean, although you cant have the album cover/video you are implementing on the album page.



Fordman

[kizer]

Wow whatever fordman posted I like it.

I really think a pop up would be best as well.

[coffee]

Hi Guys

Wow, it's a difficult one to respond to.   
First, it is exactly the same amount of buttons as all the other skins except for the navigation letters at the top. Futhermore the buttons are exactly the same size as in the other skins as well. The only big changes are that there are some background instead of black, layout changes, 15 albums in album view and the extra red text added to the main menu.
Making the buttons smaller will make it harder to use with a touchscreen. Again, my goal is to do a skin for newbies to show off what freebox can do. This skin is also intended for use with a single monitor to encourage newbies to this software to expand their systems later on. If I'm new to jukebox software I will not immediately have everything set up like a touchscreen and a second monitor. So this skin is intended for that users to encourage them to choose freebox so we can keep this project going. That is why I'm thinking of releasing this one as a public skin.

The sample posted by Fordman shouldn't be to difficult to do. It looks like the sooloos skin.

Secondly, I just think Freebox should have it's own identity and should not try to copy another skin. I think Barry has the best jukebox aplication around and I think other guys should look at one of our skins and say, this is something diffirent. Not that it will be that easy to achieve but I'm just playing around with some ideas.
Pease keep in mind that I mean this in a good way.

Coffee

[fordman]

Hi Coffee,

Didnt mean to offend or insult!  

You are by far the premier skin maker around here!

I see that the buttons are the same amount of any skin, but I think in a bunch rather than in a line makes it look like a large cluster.

As far as keeping E-Touch with its own identity, that why i said "I Hate to say 'How about like...'"
I would rather keep the skins custom as to copying the competition and having Barry in hot water with the other jukebox programmers out there.



Fordman

btw: That is a Music Lobby Skin

[coffee]

Didnt mean to offend or insult!

Hahaha........... I know Dude. Sorry if it came across like that. My english is not that good.

I need your input, that's why I started this post. I just want you guys to see what my goal with this skin is. I'm not intending to replace any of the other skins with this. I trying to show off Freebox's features to new users and there is a lot of features not used in the standard skins that I'm playing with in this one.

If you think this skin is not worth it I can change it to suit the more expereantsed users and it without the video on the main screen. I think the video on the main screen is causing the main problems for me right now.

We can always finish this skin and have you guys play with it to see and feel the stuff I've added, then everyone can vote for all the things you love in all the skin available and build one skin with all the best stuff combined into one skin.

[Sparky23]

I like it so far. It's just alot different then what we are all used to seeing. I'm a big fan of pressing a letter to change pages so I really like that part. Not so much the video part but that's my opinion someone else might like it that way. Maybe removing the video part and then putting more buttons on the bottom of the skin would make it look less cluttered? Just an idea......otherwise I think it's a good start.  

The pic of fordman's skin is still my favorite type of layout. Something that was similar to that would be really cool but I do understand what you've said about it not looking like somebody else's program.....and as always great work on the skins!   

[ecbrad]

I like it a lot although for whatever reason is DOES look cluttered even if it is a normal amount of buttons. I REALLY like fordman's posted image though. I'd love that on my juke.

At the very least all these skins give some end-users more choice albeit us plebs can't download them

Brad