[rwparris2]

Anyone want to take a shot at cloning this skin?
http://www.moovida.com/screenshots/

I particularly like the homescreen, OSD, and pictures screens.

Bonus points if you make the submenu list items animate down on focus instead of always being there.

[Mucx]

I wouldn't suggest, if you did manage to produce or replicate the Moovida UI (which I designed ) that you do a drop down on rollover. We tried this and it is kind of irritating for the user and looks completely inconsistent with the rest of the UI.

I worked on the CenterStage project and did a full mockup for that UI (you can see a video demo here: http://www.vimeo.com/1366668 ...ah those were the days)

Reason I mention past work is, I know that something as simple as that UI couldn't be accomplished by the Plex guys cause they wanted to use it as their default skin when they forked from you. Moovida uses a lot more 'advanced' visual techniques so it would be an interesting challenge to see if it could be built with the XBMC skinning engine. (Moovida in its present state, Im sure it could be done with a bit of work)

[bidossessi]

<rant>Moovida's UI is cluttered and unintuitive.</rant>
No offense meant. it's my personal opinion. I was interested in the way elisa arranged it's UI till they switched to moovida, where i dropped the project altogether.
I've been on the lookout for complete linux MC solutions for a long time. I tried all the major ones (freevo, mythtv, elisa...) until i discovered XBMC, and i've not looked back since.
Now why ask XBMC to look like moovida, where you can use moovida free? That's a real question.

[Gamester17]

I know that something as simple as that UI couldn't be accomplished by the Plex guys cause they wanted to use it as their default skin when they forked from you. Moovida uses a lot more 'advanced' visual techniques so it would be an interesting challenge to see if it could be built with the XBMC skinning engine. (Moovida in its present state, Im sure it could be done with a bit of work)

The Plex guys could not do it because they have no skinning community, so no one to actual work. XBMC skinning-engine is the most powerful around for any media center, ...it is true that I am bias but it is a fact, there is no other media center that has as flexible skinning-engine as XBMC.

The only problem is finding someone to volunteer to make the skin, and that is always a big problem as no one is getting paid so a strong personal interest must be there.

Now why ask XBMC to look like moovida, where you can use moovida free? That's a real question.

I think people find it fun just to show of how powerful and flexiable XBMC's skinning-engine really is, why else would we have all the clones or an exact replica of other multimedia software interfaces that we have as skins for XBMC today? Such as DivX Connected, Apple Front Row, Windows Media Center Edition (MCE), MediaPortal, Meedio/MeediOS, HDeeTV, Kaleidescape, Wii Channel Menu (Xii), Xbox 360 Blades (MC360), Xbox 360 New Xbox Experience, and others.

[rwparris2]

Now why ask XBMC to look like moovida, where you can use moovida free? That's a real question.

I like the UI more than I like the application itself... moovida is different from XBMC in a few ways which I do not like, and a few ways which I do.




Good job on the design Mucx, it is simple and elegant and very pleasing to my eye.

It's cool that you had the same idea and experimented with the rollover animation like I suggested... I guess you never know how well that sort of thing will fit until you try it.

[smack]

Gamester17,

So where is the MCE and Kaleidescape clone UI's? I would love to get my hands on them as they are much simpler for non-XBMC people to use. (guests, wives, etc)

[rwparris2]

Gamester17,

So where is the MCE and Kaleidescape clone UI's? I would love to get my hands on them as they are much simpler for non-XBMC people to use. (guests, wives, etc)

AFAIK no one has done a direct clone from either of these, but you can see their influences in other skins. Focus reminds me of MCE, only much nicer, while the 'Wall View' that many skins have came from kaleidescope.

[Gamester17]

So where is the MCE and Kaleidescape clone UI's? I would love to get my hands on them as they are much simpler for non-XBMC people to use. (guests, wives, etc)

The Kaleidescape skin was never finished, but not due to XBMC skinning-engine limitations, and the (many) MCE skins are probably around to be downloaded somewhere (like for example on xbox-skins.net) but are most likely all outdated and unmaintained so they would need to be seriously updated to work with the very latest XBMC, (just as any skin that are not maintained). These MCE clone skins you will not find on this site/forum because they violated copyright as their authors simply ripped the graphics/textures from Microsoft Windows Media Center Edition instead of replicating them themselves from scratch, like a true replica. I think that you will other find Project Mayhem II to your liking if you the look of MCE 2005, it is very similar in look and feel, and it is fully open source and not as outdated as the MCE skins.

http://forum.xbmc.org/tags.php?tag=kaleidescape

...all I am saying is that, it you can think of it, then XBMC skinning-engine can probably be made to do it, within reason of course.

[Mucx]

I like the UI more than I like the application itself... moovida is different from XBMC in a few ways which I do not like, and a few ways which I do.

Good job on the design Mucx, it is simple and elegant and very pleasing to my eye.

It's cool that you had the same idea and experimented with the rollover animation like I suggested... I guess you never know how well that sort of thing will fit until you try it.

Thanks... sometimes you need to try live testing of various things. They can sound good in your head or even sketches but... live prototyping although takes time usually weeds out final answers and solutions. Something I have to tell clients about when I help them with UI's for iPhone applications...sometimes, you just dont know and real creative apps are always an experiment.

Concerning the skinning engine here, yes it is very flexible as the web-like xml structure is designer friendly (can see that with Duncans work on Aeon as an example).

One thing that might be worth pointing out to skinners at XBMC, is, what you are producing shouldn't be labelled 'just another skin' as I would like to see more of the skin actually drive the development. (thought I have that opinion for all opensource projects actually...the software world is changing in that way).
Media centers are incredibly user centric, so you need compassion for the user and always asking yourself... "is this the best way to do things?, Can it be simpler, less options, less clicks".
I guess you guys must be asking yourselves that with the 'Library mode' work you are doing, I hope the design work and mockups are driving those changes and not developers?. Nothing more painful than setting up XBMC for the first time...fine for geeks, not for Joe Average. I know the feedback on the forums and your polls tell you that.

Anyway, this media center thing is a good adventure. Love checking in different projects and seeing what path people go. Good luck.

[pecinko]

I wouldn't suggest, if you did manage to produce or replicate the Moovida UI (which I designed ) ...

Thumbs up! Clean and smart UI design.

[mots]

Would be awesome if somebody implemented this, looks really hawt!