I tested this last night and I must say if you were going for fast transitions and a sleek design, you nailed it. Very nice work. Cant wait for more updates, views, and the inevitable mods.
igotdvds Wrote:I tested this last night and I must say if you were going for fast transitions and a sleek design, you nailed it. Very nice work. Cant wait for more updates, views, and the inevitable mods.
Indeed! I can't wait. I posted an article about this on my website:
http://www.xbmcfreak.nl/xbmc-voortgang-alaska-skin/
redtapemedia Wrote:
Something like this could be cool IMO. The cover and Episode name is in the same position as on the home screen, as is the reddish flare in the LEFT corner.
I would go with this kind of route rather than having a box with the controls and the cover... I think it fits the overall theme way better.
^ Agreed. I like the design posted earlier but the gradient borders are more fitting.
redtapemedia Wrote:There will be buttons on the OSDs like any other skin. Usability takes precedent over pure aesthetic concerns. Obviously we want the skin to look pretty but it's no good if we can't use it!
I think you're thinking about this the wrong way. Making something functional does not equate to having a dazzling array of buttons on every screen - it's about making the most used functions available in the easiest possible way and additional functions available, not always visible in order to simplify the interface as much as possible.
For instance, when a video is paused an average person doesn't expect to have to toggle to the correct button and then press enter to fast forward. They expect the right button to fast forward right away. Like a VCR.
In my opinion the best mapping of buttons and OSD would be:
Enter - Pauses and displays the OSD
Right - Fast Forwards
Left - Rewinds
Up - Displays buttons for lesser used functions such as playlists, subtitles, per file audio and per file video settings
Menu - Stops & Returns you to the menu
This is both intuitive to new users and provides access to all current functions. All whilst remaining easy to use and simple as per the spec for Alaska. I fear that if we wander too far down the current road of 'this is what the other skins do' then we're going to end up with a white flavour of Aeon, or at best a white version of the good bits of all existing skins.
We've got a real opportunity here to start again and look and what does, doesn't and possibly could work and implement the best of the great ideas people are coming up with. Let's be open minded.
redtapemedia Wrote:There will be buttons on the OSDs like any other skin. Usability takes precedent over pure aesthetic concerns. Obviously we want the skin to look pretty but it's no good if we can't use it!
I partially agree with you. Take the button to change visualizations, or the one to configure them on the music OSD controls. How often do we use that? Shouldn't we be fine if the visualization options were only present in the options menu, and not on the control itself?
I think that a few buttons could indeed be omitted, with little loss in terms of usability.
The screen with the music OSD looks way to "Aeon" (Aeon is gorgeous, but let's not forget that djh_ wanted Alaska to be the 'Anti-Aeon')...
jaytyler Wrote:In my opinion the best mapping of buttons and OSD would be:
Enter - Pauses and displays the OSD
Right - Fast Forwards
Left - Rewinds
Up - Displays buttons for lesser used functions such as playlists, subtitles, per file audio and per file video settings
Menu - Stops & Returns you to the menu
I agree with this (with 'Down' doing the reverse of 'Up'). Also, what might be a good touch in conjunction with this idea is to have a nice little arrow to indicate that there are more menu options if you press 'Up'.
Like this, but NOT green (sorry for my lack of drawing abilities):
EDIT: To clarify, I was picturing the current display of OSD button as in Aeon, but with only 4. The 4 being RW, FFW, Pause/Play, Stop with the arrow centered above the 4 icons.
Great news that work on alaska is continued.
And i agree about the buttons- drop the ones never used like
viz buttons and such - direct access for those is not needed.
Better to make one button that brings up these option.
In my mind the only buttons needed directly on the screen is:
PLAY/PAUSE-FF-RW-STOP and "SUBMENUBUTTON"
rausch101 Wrote:I agree with this (with 'Down' doing the reverse of 'Up'). Also, what might be a good touch in conjunction with this idea is to have a nice little arrow to indicate that there are more menu options if you press 'Up'.
Like this, but NOT green (sorry for my lack of drawing abilities):
Good idea with the arrow. I did mean to specify that down would hide the buttons again. I also meant to say that all of the keys should work even if you don't already have the OSD open already. That way, you can press up and see the buttons with one click if you like!
You guys are really awesome. From the first posts of djh_ i knew I'll love this skin. And you guys are really making an awesome job here.
Can't wait to update the svn when I'm back home on friday.
This skin looks more awesome each time I get a reminder from this thread.
Hitcher Wrote:
All of those screenshots look amazing...great job
It might just be me, but I think it would be more user-friendly if instead of "Restart" and "Shutdown", they were labelled "Restart PC" and "Shutdown PC" (A MAC is also considered a PC, at least according to wikipedia). It's arguably unnecessary, but for the non-power users it might make more sense. Just an idea.
rausch101 Wrote:All of those screenshots look amazing...great job
It might just be me, but I think it would be more user-friendly if instead of "Restart" and "Shutdown", they were labelled "Restart PC" and "Shutdown PC" (A MAC is also considered a PC, at least according to wikipedia). It's arguably unnecessary, but for the non-power users it might make more sense. Just an idea.
How about 'Computer' - us Mac users (not an acronym and therefore not capitalised) don't take too kindly to the reference PC to be honest.
jaytyler Wrote:How about 'Computer' - us Mac users (not an acronym and therefore not capitalised) don't take too kindly to the reference PC to be honest.
My mistake - Mac. I only used PC because I was just trying to keep the character count down.
EDIT: I'll try not to hijack this thread with such a minor detail. Sorry about that.
