Skin Project: Chameleon

[Fatman_do]

I am starting a thread for my skinning project (http://gbpvr.com/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Skin/Chameleon) to keep it from affecting the appearance manager thread.

see: http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php?t=11662&page=7

Here is a summary of those posts:

I have started and stopped several skin designs, and for the most part I use either the same background, or a slightly modified one for plugin backgrounds.

I have started a new skin project I call for now: Chameleon.
(I will more publicly announce when I get more fleshed out) that will benefit from that organizational method. To explain it without images. Take the "Blue" background with a few color variants. You could use those same backgrounds for plugins, or use solid colors, or ect..

I plan on contacting most of the major skinners and asking for approval to include their backgrounds, buttons, ect. in a preview, and maybe include them in distribution. Sounds ambitious for someone that is short on talent I know.

What I am going to try to do is start with my take on "Blue" and be able to end up with my take on "ContourHC" or "Collection" ect. I see it as a vehicle to blend all these great skins into one.

I am a relative newbie in this skinning system.
I know the plugins will not be able to reflect the various skins out there other than background and buttons, but that is all I am after.

I am not out to copy or clone any one skin. I just thought it would be cool to adapt to utilize the images of these other skins for the overall feel. This will greatly show off the Apperance Manager's abilities.

I will also be using MixMan's AdVisor and SharperEdge skin as a guide.

Here are some of my goals:

1. Larger font sizes in general (some users prefer).
2. Appearance Manager plugin compatible (Image based buttons, background naming convetions).
3. Longer buttons to accept longer character strings for various languages.
4. To be neutral enough to work with many skin backgrounds.

I am open to any suggestions.

Next post will be an image preview.

p.s. Thanks to Old Dog and MixMan for assistance with everything they have provided for me so far.

[Fatman_do]

Start with a customize variant of "Blue"..

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Lets switch to purple and use Groove buttons...
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How about a green "Contour" with color buttons..
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or SharperEdge blue...
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Anyone wishing to submit images, xml, or advice to this project is welcome and would be greatly appreciated.

Right now I only have a working main menu. No plugins are done to date and it may take a while.

[Fatman_do]

This project is not intended to steal the creative works by the talented skinners we have here. Users of their skins may not like the look and feel of Chameleon when it is done due to the large diversity of plugin skinning options that cannot be re-created here.

My intentions are to have something that looks like "Blue" and the user can go from there.

[Old Dog]

This project is not intended to steal the creative works by the talented skinners we have here. Users of their skins may not like the look and feel of Chameleon when it is done due to the large diversity of plugin skinning options that cannot be re-created here.

My intentions are to have something that looks like "Blue" and the user can go from there.

Hey Fatman,

Looks like you are off to a pretty good start!

After pulling out Blue's skin graphic, I took a look at simply adding Appearance Manager to Blue. I think this would be valuable to other skinner's like yourself that want to start-up a project with AM built in from the begining.

Unlike your project which will look like Blue (and other great skins), but is really intended for growth, Blue-AM will be Blue with Appearance Manager, thats it.

Have fun with your new project!

-David

[Fatman_do]

These are my starter backgrounds.
They are just color alterations (Green, Purple, Gray, Sepia) to the standard blue background.

I will also use Old Dog's "Blue" screen overlay to be used on top of various other colors.

Old Dog, I bet I will be peeking in on you and see how you are doing on Blue-AM....

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[Old Dog]

Look what you started!

[Old Dog]

Your Sepia background is really nice!

[Fatman_do]

Your Sepia background is really nice!

I also had a red one but I don't think that works as well.
Your daughter probably likes the purple one huh?

Feel free to use those in your collection or whatever public project you want as well. The same goes for anyone else who would like to use them.

On the rare chance I come up with original images, those will become community images as well.

Right now the Inset window on Chameleon is xml. I will change it soon to be images. I am thinking of making the background somewhat transparent as to not cover background images as much.

[Fatman_do]

This is my Evil Red in action.

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[Fatman_do]

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Thanks KingArgyle for use of his skin (This is a port of a Beyond TV skin created by Darren E.)

His skin was multi-layered, so to use this skin I had to combine all elements into a single image. Plugins and sub menus will not reflect his really cool priate skin (I have used it).