Brave a new skin concept
#1
Hello all,

Here is a new skin concept i want to share with you guys. Let me know what you think.
It is just a mockup, not a working skin. I have have never created a skin before.

The base concept is a like Avalon making all screens as consistent as possible. A skin that would be easy to navigate also by people who are not familiair with XBMC.
It was not the idea to create a metro style skin. I know it does look like one (may-bey it will change).
One goal creating this concept was the movie description. Often the description text is to big and you have to enable auto scroll text.
I hope with concept i can eliminate this.

On the screenshots you see a homescreen and 2 movie views.

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*Updated
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Nvidia Shield 2019 Pro, Nvidia Shield 2015
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#2
Looks great.
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#3
Looks great, especially the home screen!
The second movie screen looks unlogical from a navigation point of view (where is the poster of the selected movie amongst the other?)

Really like the home screen, especially the fact everything is shown in 1 screen Smile
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#4
Looks awesome. But how would you navigate the homescreen? For example, if I select the TV thumb on the right how do I move to the recently added on the left? (or are those posters just for show?) Also the plot font is tiny, for 1080p displays the minimal font really shouldn't be smaller than 28pt. Other than those two gripes I can see loads of potential, looking forward to seeing more.
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#5
i see too mutch metro style skins these days i dont like it IMO
just i dislike Windows 8 metro without metro its great but how its now no way.
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#6
Nice mockups

But as I have only movies on my setup (no need of pictures, video plugins, music, etc) Metro GUI is not for me, too much blank squares

I think all people working on Metro-like skins should found a consortium, share work and produce an only perfect and completed skin instead of releasing numerous WIPS.

But that's only my opinion and, again, good work anyway
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#7
Thanks for the comments.

(2012-11-06, 22:19)Smobbo Wrote: Looks great, especially the home screen!
The second movie screen looks unlogical from a navigation point of view (where is the poster of the selected movie amongst the other?)

Really like the home screen, especially the fact everything is shown in 1 screen Smile

Thanks, i am not totally sure how i want to do this. But logically that bigger Brave poster will be in the left side as-well as selected movie.


(2012-11-06, 22:24)Stranger Wrote: Looks awesome. But how would you navigate the homescreen? For example if I select the TV thumb one in on the right, how do I move to the recently added on the left? (or are those posters just for show?) Also the plot font is tiny, for 1080p displays the minimal font really shouldn't be smaller than 28pt. Other than those two gripes I can see loads of potential, looking forward to seeing more.

Thanks Stranger for your critical comment.
It was not the idea to create a metro style skin, but it does make sense if you combine the screenshots at least i think. May-bey i will try a different approach for the homescreen. I did not pay enough attention when it comes to libraries other then movies.
To answer your first question. I think i have to switch some icons so you can press the left key to select the recently added movies, tv shows and music.

The plot font is tiny indeed. The size is personally important fore me too, i will take care of this.






Nvidia Shield 2019 Pro, Nvidia Shield 2015
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#8
Very nice. I think the second movie screen, the one with the large fanart, would look very good as a movie info screen as well. Where it says 'Movies' at the top it would be 'Info'. And next to it Trailer, Cast, Ect...and when you play the trailer it would replace the fanart. Just my two cents, awesome work so far though.

This shot is the one im talking about btw...
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#9
(2012-11-06, 23:23)holydhaliwal Wrote: Very nice. I think the second movie screen, the one with the large fanart, would look very good as a movie info screen as well. Where it says 'Movies' at the top it would be 'Info'. And next to it Trailer, Cast, Ect...and when you play the trailer it would replace the fanart. Just my two cents, awesome work so far though.

This shot is the one im talking about btw...
...

Great idea thanks! Big Grin
Nvidia Shield 2019 Pro, Nvidia Shield 2015
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#10
(2012-11-06, 22:55)N.O.W.A.L.L Wrote: Nice mockups

But as I have only movies on my setup (no need of pictures, video plugins, music, etc) Metro GUI is not for me, too much blank squares

I think all people working on Metro-like skins should found a consortium, share work and produce an only perfect and completed skin instead of releasing numerous WIPS.

But that's only my opinion and, again, good work anyway

I'm not knocking you personally but all these 'Metro' comments are really getting on my nerves. 'Metro' is a design language that can be interpreted in many ways. Of course most of the concepts that have labelled themselves 'Metro' rely on reusing existing 'Metro' designs by Microsoft, which unfortunately in some peoples opinion may not be ideal for XBMC. While this concept is obviously inspired by 'Metro', it's not the reason you dislike it. Combining all the 'Metro-like skins' is a stupid overgeneralization, 'Metro' isn't one definitive thing.

A key design principle of Metro is better focus on the content of applications, relying more on typography and less on graphics

CONTENT BEFORE CHROME
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#11
(2012-11-06, 22:44)noiz13 Wrote: i see too mutch metro style skins these days i dont like it IMO
just i dislike Windows 8 metro without metro its great but how its now no way.

Seriously, I think this is the second time in a week or so I have to make this point. Unless criticism is objective or constructive, please keep it for yourself.
I see that you have you own opinion, and I respect that, but just WHY do you have to state it here?

As you criticize the main concept and no specific aspect of this skin, the only two things your comment might result in are either

a) The skinner completely changes his concept (highly improbable)
b) He completely aborts the project

And if the project goes down the way so many other concepts have sadly gone before, it is a loss for everybody.

So please do me a favour and refrain from discouraging people from doing something they enjoy.
I don't comment on skins I dislike either.

@Baswazz:
Needless to say, I really like your skin. Very clean, organised and easy on the eyes. Keep it up!

Edit: Seems Stranger beat my comment by 2 minutes Smile
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#12
@Baswazz - Really looking great man very clean - For everyone who keeps knocking the people who come up with Metro skins please stop, they obviously have a great amount of skill to create a concept no matter where it was inspired from. As far as metro styled skins I have no problem.. Now building a complete Operating system using it (windows 8) completely dumb idea as an operating system is much more complex and thus requires a more complex design, but in regards to a media centre skin I can honestly say it fits rather well, this coming from someone who has a bachelor in graphic design and media communication and has worked as a graphic designer for over 12 years. Enough negative criticism people it doesn't help anyone. Just positive suggestions.

You've got a very sleek looking skin coming along Baswazz and I really love the way its developing - A suggestion possibly for the bulk of text underneath the Plot heading on the movies page - Perhaps make it justified to give it a more square appearance, it will match the overall squareness of your skin style but as I said before it's looking great and love your layouts. Propz!
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#13
Hi zedika thank you for your input. I totally agree with you, if you don't like metro style skins there are plenty alternatives around.
It was not my intention to design another metro style skin but along the way this was what i came up with.
Great to hear some compliments from experienced designers i appreciate it.

One of the strongest things of XBMC is the scrapers. There is so much great fanart and posters around that i wanted it to have a important role in the entire skin.

About the bulk of text, i will try it, perhaps you are right to give it a little more room to breath.
Nvidia Shield 2019 Pro, Nvidia Shield 2015
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#14
Update:

Media info view idea by: holydhaliwal
The fanart block and info block will be replaced by the trailer when trailer button is selected.
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Media info with icons
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Slichtly modified so it does fit better with the rest of the skin
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Nvidia Shield 2019 Pro, Nvidia Shield 2015
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#15
I see you use a blur in the background, that's not possible.
A thought about text on art, can be hard to read (think white art, very busy art, ect).
And make sure not to use 100% white, specially not on big surfaces. Can cause ghosting on some tv's.

Hope that's some useful tips Smile
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