Kamchatka Posted July 8, 2011 Author Share Posted July 8, 2011 And while I get that the embossing is what we're used to with this screen, it's always been a little design-cheese, and I'd love to see you break the mould here (for the quadrants that is - how you've got it around the buttons and text areas on the creative screen works well) I get what you mean. I think this screen is probably the hardest to get right and annoyingly is the one that people will see the most. I'm not sure I have the solution at the moment, but I'll continue playing around and give it some more thought. However you have given me an amazing idea.. Id be interested to see if its possible to have optional versions of screens which contain helpful information. Data like overflow numbers, a number to letter conversion chart and so forth. Oh and talking about less embossed.. heres the latest version of the control room which I forgot to post back when I posted the creative page. http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss39/Kamchatka863/control_room-1.jpg I'm not sure if cutting it up into smaller sections is a good idea. The logo in the middle kind of kills all your chances at straight lines so it would effectively have to be four floating islands.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justtxyank Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 Loving the work your doing on this skin thus far. Always in the mood for more skins! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamchatka Posted July 8, 2011 Author Share Posted July 8, 2011 Ok so this is the other end of the spectrum but humour me.. http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss39/Kamchatka863/control_room-2.jpg and now try loading this page as well and flick between the two.. http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss39/Kamchatka863/creative-1.jpg Just experimenting with the idea that all the small links in the control panel are overlay windows that appear over a greyed out control panel screen.. I'm wondering if it might help navigation feel more organic. Also its kind of an easy step to make as several of the pages already are overlay windows (diary, email, extreme eye, chemistry, brand split etc) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Celt Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 Ok so this is the other end of the spectrum but humour me.. http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss39/Kamchatka863/control_room-2.jpg and now try loading this page as well and flick between the two.. http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss39/Kamchatka863/creative-1.jpg Just experimenting with the idea that all the small links in the control panel are overlay windows that appear over a greyed out control panel screen.. I'm wondering if it might help navigation feel more organic. Also its kind of an easy step to make as several of the pages already are overlay windows (diary, email, extreme eye, chemistry, brand split etc) OH GOD YES...THAT CONTROL ROOM SCREEN HHHHHHHHHHHHHHGGGGGGGGGNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN 23/10 on the sexy scale! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QFresh Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 Yeah, I agree with Celt, that Control screen is boss bro. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest codey Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 The control screen is pure sex. PURE SEX. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crayon Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 Ok so this is the other end of the spectrum but humour me.. http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss39/Kamchatka863/control_room-2.jpg and now try loading this page as well and flick between the two.. http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss39/Kamchatka863/creative-1.jpg Just experimenting with the idea that all the small links in the control panel are overlay windows that appear over a greyed out control panel screen.. I'm wondering if it might help navigation feel more organic. Also its kind of an easy step to make as several of the pages already are overlay windows (diary, email, extreme eye, chemistry, brand split etc) My friend, I do believe you may have cracked the code! Given that the button layout of the control screen is unbalanced by default, it all makes perfect sense (now, in hindsight) to ditch the idea of shoehorning it into perfect symmetry and instead embrace an asymmetrical layout like you have here. It also seems like the sort of thing which gives you a lot of creative options to build upon if you want, as well. The overlay effect is quite effective and I love the concept of it; personally, I prefer the patterned background, however. The overlay creates some awkward lines and balance issues (see the header area), plus I just really liked the patterned effect you had going before Oh, that idea of screens which incorporated tips and hints into them is a really great idea as well (editor screens would probably be the most accommodating since they don't need to be as visually appealing) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhd1 Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 You've done it! That new control screen is absolutely astonishing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDubRaiders Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 I have to agree with everyone else Kam, the control screen is incredible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steesh07 Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 Have you thought of using the MAC minimise/maximise and exit buttons rather than the X? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamchatka Posted July 8, 2011 Author Share Posted July 8, 2011 Well golly gee, good to hear its going over well. I guess we've got ourselves a ball game now. Have you thought of using the MAC minimise/maximise and exit buttons rather than the X? Im pretty sure I'm going to get rid of the button thing on that page and incorporate it more into the top menu bar when I get round to it. Seems a bit redundant to have three X's in the corner of my screen right now. Oh and to speak about the overlay again.. It might cause a little bit of imbalance as Crayon points out.. but it has the amazing affect of speeding up my navigation because at points. An example would be such as where I'm coming back from the backstage menu and I can already see where the roster button is before the page has loaded and therefore dont need that split second where my brain reorientates itself. It sounds a tiny detail but I'd recommend people to try it out (download the pages I've posted into a trial skin and try clicking between them). Oh on the note of people trying things out.. if anyone out there is able to give a little bit of a trial with the control panel screen to see if the email, diary, decisions buttons are responsive enough. Hopefully theyre positioned in a way that people wont ever click and get no response but I'd like a second opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhd1 Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 Well golly gee, good to hear its going over well. I guess we've got ourselves a ball game now. Im pretty sure I'm going to get rid of the button thing on that page and incorporate it more into the top menu bar when I get round to it. Seems a bit redundant to have three X's in the corner of my screen right now. Oh and to speak about the overlay again.. It might cause a little bit of imbalance as Crayon points out.. but it has the amazing affect of speeding up my navigation because at points. An example would be such as where I'm coming back from the backstage menu and I can already see where the roster button is before the page has loaded and therefore dont need that split second where my brain reorientates itself. It sounds a tiny detail but I'd recommend people to try it out (download the pages I've posted into a trial skin and try clicking between them). Oh on the note of people trying things out.. if anyone out there is able to give a little bit of a trial with the control panel screen to see if the email, diary, decisions buttons are responsive enough. Hopefully theyre positioned in a way that people wont ever click and get no response but I'd like a second opinion. Works perfectly for me. A little testing shows you have to click on the icons rather than the words (especially for Extreme Eye) but I think that's what 99.9% of people would do anyway. Really, really good job Kam! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDubRaiders Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 I agree with jhd, it works perfect for me and like he said you have to click on the icons but I do that anyway. Great job again Kam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamchatka Posted July 8, 2011 Author Share Posted July 8, 2011 Ace OK. Ill plough ahead with this. Thanks for taking the time to test! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crayon Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 One thing did just pop out at me, and that's that it seems as though the extreme eye icon sits lower than the diary icon. It may just be something playing tricks on my eye, but thought I'd mention it since I am pretty sure that the decisions icon is higher than the email icon (of course that's not such a big deal) Glad to hear its all going well, and the idea of using the overlay to set up your next action is indeed a smart idea. One thing did occur to me which could mitigate some of the balancing issues that the overlay creates. How about placing a blur on the background, such as what happens in various games when you bring up a GUI? It might lessen the relation that the foreground has to the background, while still allowing the user to set up their next action. It would also lower the possibility of any visual distraction the "previous screen" might create in the background Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattywood Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 Seen some of the pics and I'm looking forward to this skin. Looking great so far, and it helps that one of my favorite colors is blue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmsubzer Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 <p>So I've taken Kam's advice and I've put this in with another Skin I've been trying it. Like the others, I'm loving the new control screen at first glance. But the only problem i see with it is the Email and the news alerts still go over top the skin. You might want to have to find a way to redo this buttons to match the screen. But shouldn't take too much. </p><p> <span>http://i323.photobucket.com/albums/nn470/gmsubzero/controlscreen.png</span></p> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhd1 Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="gmsubzer" data-cite="gmsubzer" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="26152" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>So I've taken Kam's advice and I've put this in with another Skin I've been trying it. Like the others, I'm loving the new control screen at first glance. But the only problem i see with it is the Email and the news alerts still go over top the skin. You might want to have to find a way to redo this buttons to match the screen. But shouldn't take too much. </div></blockquote><p> </p><p> I noticed this too. The buttons can be made bigger, but they are docked to the upper left location (so I can make an extreme eye button that fills half the screen but it will still have it's upper left border in the exact same place). Not sure how much that will help, though....</p> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fullMETAL Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 Kam, I just have one request (because this is just NAGGING and GNAWING at me...!), is it possible you could make a TCW logo where the TCW in the center DOESN'T look as boring as it does with Agency as its font? The "Total Championship Wrestling" that circles it on the bottom can stay the way it is, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamchatka Posted July 17, 2011 Author Share Posted July 17, 2011 <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="jhd1" data-cite="jhd1" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="26152" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I noticed this too. The buttons can be made bigger, but they are docked to the upper left location (so I can make an extreme eye button that fills half the screen but it will still have it's upper left border in the exact same place). Not sure how much that will help, though....</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Dont worry, I've already solved this trouble a while back and didnt change the boundaries of the buttons, but good to know that its docked to the upper left.</p> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamchatka Posted July 18, 2011 Author Share Posted July 18, 2011 Kam, I just have one request (because this is just NAGGING and GNAWING at me...!), is it possible you could make a TCW logo where the TCW in the center DOESN'T look as boring as it does with Agency as its font? The "Total Championship Wrestling" that circles it on the bottom can stay the way it is, though. I unfortunately don't have much free time at the moment so I can't really take requests for logos. However here are some I did a while back which fit the bill. http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss39/Kamchatka863/TCW_Kam2.jpghttp://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss39/Kamchatka863/TCW_Kam4.jpghttp://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss39/Kamchatka863/TCW_Kam3.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WxRobbie Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 This is brilliant Kam. I like it so much that I am eagerly waiting to use it instead of the skin I spent 100 hours making myself. Ha ha. I've got it working in a combo skin with another I've got right now until the finished product comes out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fullMETAL Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 I remember these. (I think I bulk-downloaded them...) Much more pleasing to look at than that boring one used in your skin screenshot. I unfortunately don't have much free time at the moment so I can't really take requests for logos. However here are some I did a while back which fit the bill. http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss39/Kamchatka863/TCW_Kam2.jpghttp://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss39/Kamchatka863/TCW_Kam4.jpghttp://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss39/Kamchatka863/TCW_Kam3.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamchatka Posted August 2, 2011 Author Share Posted August 2, 2011 For those that may have missed jhd's amazing SWF diary over elsewheres.. heres the logo and tv shows from it for everyone to tuck into if they fancy reinventing SWF in the old 80s era of WWF http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss39/Kamchatka863/SWF_jhd5.jpghttp://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss39/Kamchatka863/SWF_jhd4.jpg http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss39/Kamchatka863/swfprime2.jpghttp://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss39/Kamchatka863/supremetv.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamchatka Posted August 2, 2011 Author Share Posted August 2, 2011 Oh and while I'm on the job of cleaning up some old work.. After doing the new logos for WMMA3's release I figure two of them might be useful as TEW promotion possibilities also. Here they are redone on TEW backgrounds in the correct size and even banners. Can't believe I didn't do this sooner. Especially since MMC is one of my personal top favourites. http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss39/Kamchatka863/MMCtew.jpghttp://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss39/Kamchatka863/MMCtew2.jpg http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss39/Kamchatka863/MMCbannertew.jpg http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss39/Kamchatka863/Warriorstew.jpg http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss39/Kamchatka863/Warriorsbannertew.jpg I suppose if theres a big enough desire for it I could make a version of MMC without the name as its a bit restricting. Anyway.. back to the long slog of getting this skin done.. So many pages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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