My Skin

[ironcamel]

I d/l X-Lobby on Friday and found it very useful. I've been trying to migrate away from MCE because of it's ever more draconian DRM. I needed only basic functionality to get started and will add as my needs do.

My goals were:

1. Functionality for the most novice of users (e.g. my roomates)
2. Logical layout of pages and controls
3. Aestheticaly pleasing

This is still very much a work in progress, but wanted to get some feedback. It is 1024x768 with an assumption of 3% overscan to work on my plasma. All feedback is appreciated.

[bfauska]

Welcome to Xlobby, congratulations on what looks like a successfull first skin. Congratulations also on your impressive timeline for the build.

Later,
Brian

[P3rv3rt B3ar]

Wow i like the russian dominatrix theme

Now we just would like to see more skin and rubber

I might seriously consider replacing my raped dragon with that...

[rika]

ironcamel, Realy great first skin. Keep it coming

Rika

[Colby]

1. Functionality for the most novice of users (e.g. my roomates)
2. Logical layout of pages and controls
3. Aestheticaly pleasing

..but wanted to get some feedback. All feedback is appreciated.

1st Welcome aboard. You want feedback?
#1&2. Functionality: I usually judge this by whether a novice can operate it with you lips sealed. I take notes of their hangups or what they assume should do or behave and make things less tricky (by labeling, linearity, or whatever it takes). I think mostly your skin does this.

#3. Aesthetically pleasing. Since you want feedback, I would have to say this skin is not aesthetically pleasing. In fact it is the opposite. This skin does not envoke a since of balance, positive feeling, clearity, contrast, or any element that makes up true aesthetics. In fact this skin conjures up feelings of anxiety, anger, and chaos. Now if your point was an artistic expression of such, I respect that, if your point was to look good from a design and layout standpoint this skin fails.
First I must say, too much RED. Red is fine, but too much of any one color overwhelms anthying. I would especially kill the red overlays.
Second, Font sets. Bad choice. It feels like you are trying to tape this propaganda to a rock and hurl it through my window. Stylist fonts are good for print media, not so good for web, or interface design.
Third, Backgrounds; while the pictures you use for your backgrounds are "cool" in themselves they dont make good backgrounds. They take over the buttons, and categories which overlay them. A background should be just that, a background. Nothing in a background should "pop" out at you. The foreground elements (category, buttons, text, images, etc) are where your eye should be drawn too.

Anyway you asked for feedback; I hope youre not offended. The best thing is you learn the skin editor and xlobby and realize what all you can do. All the skin editors on this site started the same way, and I dont think any of us use our original skin. Not even Steven.

[ironcamel]

I'm not offended at all. In fact I was specifically hoping YOU would comment.

On the red thing. Yep I agree. It was mostly due to my 3 day timeline to be functional. In fact all the elements you see such as buttons, overlays, menus, backgrounds, etc. are 10 images total. I expect to customize it much more. I just didn't have time to do the photoshopping and skin building in one weekend.

The aesthetics themselves I guess I should have explained. I was going for a Pop Art theme. Although simple backgrounds are generaly a good idea (as you said) I willingly chose to ignore this since this will be for my use only. I personaly don't find the backgrounds distracting in the least, but I'm sure others might. I also wanted something completely unique. I'm migrating from MCE and find it's interface bland so I don't want an MCE clone.

Could you explain your meaning on the fonts a little more? I'm not sure I understand what you are saying. I chose the button font because it was keeping with the pop art theme.

Keep it coming Colby. I've been reading your stuff. Now I actually know what the buttons in the skin editor do without the trial and error. This definately won't be my final skin, but it will work till I can get midevil on it's ass. I'm trying to come up with a central theme for a ground-up build of a skin that will be far more friendly to most.

[ironcamel]

p.s. suggestions for theme are welcome, who knows maybe I'll end up building someone's dream skin.

[P3rv3rt B3ar]

Even after all that critic. I have to say i still like it. There is enough plain-vanilla microsoft blue skins which try to sit quetly in their corner... hoping nobody notices them.

I dont see absolutely any problem with red color choige and other font which looks like clipped from paper, is so cool, fitting very well in deed, not easiest to read though if it goes small enough. However brilliant on buttons.

Now some things i dont like: Like i said red color is ok, but this gradient red is bit bothering at somepoints... not in buttons... but mayby in dialog and especially when repeated many times on screen. And the other font, the balloon font, not quite my favorite... but it might be that it just takes little while to get adjusted to it.

And then ofcourse it needs more broads!!!

[Colby]

So I was doodling for a few hours and thought that a retro pop art skin may be cool. I drew something up and I didnt like it. See for yourself. I think your skin will be challenging to look just right with all thats going on. I may try an andy warhol skin someday, but until then, I say continue what youre doing, and make it easy to read.

[mzemina]

Colby - May want to find an eight-track image (or reel-to-reel) to replace with the all-in-one modern stereo.