Rockbox Technical Forums

Support and General Use => Theming and Appearance Customization => Topic started by: crzyboyster on January 25, 2008, 06:32:43 PM

Title: Feedback needed on new iPod Nano theme: Corners
Post by: crzyboyster on January 25, 2008, 06:32:43 PM
I actually started making this theme a while ago but never bothered to finish it due to lack of inspiration. It was named after its curved "corners" and uses simple dark grey to light grey gradients all over. Attached is a screenshot showing all that has been made and done so far from the psd file.

Please tell me how I can make it better because right now, it has no real "flow" and sucks (in my opinion).
Title: Re: Feedback needed on new iPod Nano theme: Corners
Post by: DancemasterGlenn on January 25, 2008, 11:47:08 PM
Well, first of all it looks very cool from what you already have... it kinda looks like the images are carved/cut into the "metal". Just to throw out an idea, it would be cool if you could use some font with the same color as the current pictures that will allow the text to have the same feel. You'd probably need a custom font, but it would look really sleek in my opinion. Further, when you actually have to chenge the way things look (as the progressbar goes from empty to full, for example), I think the theme as it is now would look good accented by a black or a very dark grey (so I guess the font could also be dark, if the grey didn't look good/wasn't readable). Essentially, while I'm seeing something very unfinished that could become a relatively colorful theme, in my mind I see a very sleek, stripped-down theme that uses shades of grey to achieve a techy, elegant feel.

Hope that's helpful, if you take it in a completely different direction I'll understand  ::)
Title: Re: Feedback needed on new iPod Nano theme: Corners
Post by: terrence1019 on January 26, 2008, 06:14:36 AM
I agree. And can you port it to sansa e200 and c200?  ;D
Title: Re: Feedback needed on new iPod Nano theme: Corners
Post by: crzyboyster on January 26, 2008, 12:01:57 PM
My biggest problem is that I barely know how to use photoshop so I couldn't create the best images. Does anyone know what I should do for the repeat and shuffle icons? Right now they are just text. Also, I was considering making a separate "taskbar/toolbar" at the top (like a different panel) for the icons...


EDIT: I have been working on the theme and maybe I'll finish it by the end of this week? I already have a good font in mind called "Pixo" I have already converted it and it's available in this theme:

http://www.rockbox.org/twiki/bin/view/Main/WpsIpodNano#PHK1_Remix

I think that it'll be perfect for this theme!

I'm considering making an e200 version of this theme, too.
Title: Re: Feedback needed on new iPod Nano theme: Corners
Post by: DancemasterGlenn on January 26, 2008, 01:32:29 PM
That font looks perfect! As far as icons go, I think if no one minded you could use a greyscale version of the PHK1 Remix repeat icon (adding a one or whatever in the middle for different repeat modes. That loop looks really good... I also like the way they did their shuffle icon (I'm partial to those cris-cross icons), but if you were to do one like that, I would put it on its side. It just seems more natural, I guess.

Not to totally steal everything from that WPS...

But anyway, icons aside, I would say that due to the stark, sleek look of the WPS you should probably keep the text information pretty simple, which would probably keep with the theme, and not overcrowd the tiny nano screen. Probably just Artist/Song/Album (in whatever order), and some time information under the progressbar if it would fit. Were you thinking of using album art for this?
Title: Re: Feedback needed on new iPod Nano theme: Corners
Post by: crzyboyster on January 26, 2008, 01:39:06 PM
Yes, I will probably use the album art conditional for this theme. Attached is the latest version of this theme. I really don't want to take the icons from that theme, I'll try and see if I can make some myself...
Title: Re: Feedback needed on new iPod Nano theme: Corners
Post by: ZincAlloy on January 26, 2008, 02:44:20 PM
nice... you might want to make the Icons a little darker to improve readability.
Title: Re: Feedback needed on new iPod Nano theme: Corners
Post by: crzyboyster on January 26, 2008, 05:04:09 PM
Definitely, ZincAlloy and I'm working on a better progressbar for this theme. Will post latest screenshot...
Title: Re: Feedback needed on new iPod Nano theme: Corners
Post by: terrence1019 on January 26, 2008, 10:48:01 PM
A recommendation: make a cut/carved out image of the rockbox symbol on the background. Would look real cool  :D

Also: I agree with you- make your own repeat and shuffle icons. Make your own style to it. But be sure to make a-b repeat icon.

Also: a key-lock icon would be nice


The ony thing now is to find a font that makes it stand out. Check out this link:

http://forums.rockbox.org/index.php?topic=15115.0

karashata posted a link to some fonts he made. Maybe you should try them out  ;)
Title: Re: Feedback needed on new iPod Nano theme: Corners
Post by: crzyboyster on January 27, 2008, 12:25:17 PM
Actually, I've already seen those and will probably use them. I like the idea of the carved out rockbox symbol in the background. Maybe I'll make one background with the symbol and one without?

I already have a lock icon by the way...
Title: Re: Feedback needed on new iPod Nano theme: Corners
Post by: saanaito on January 27, 2008, 02:26:53 PM
It looks very nice! My only complaint is that (in my opinion) you need to brighten the background a little bit. Otherwise, great work!  :)
Title: Re: Feedback needed on new iPod Nano theme: Corners
Post by: terrence1019 on January 27, 2008, 10:09:30 PM
I like the idea of the carved out rockbox symbol in the background. Maybe I'll make one background with the symbol and one without?

I think the one with the symbol should be enough. It would be very stylish.

BTW: Have you considered making your own icon pack to go with the theme?
Title: Re: Feedback needed on new iPod Nano theme: Corners
Post by: crzyboyster on January 29, 2008, 08:07:24 PM
I haven't had time to work on it (once again), but I will start working on it soon. It's own icon pack? Not a bad idea... I'll have to see about that. If I brighten the background, the whole theme would lose its real "feel".
Title: Re: Feedback needed on new iPod Nano theme: Corners
Post by: saanaito on January 29, 2008, 08:57:29 PM
I just meant "brighten it a little", to make the background look a little more luminous.

(Maybe my monitor's too dark. Darn brightness knob.... ;))
Title: Re: Feedback needed on new iPod Nano theme: Corners
Post by: terrence1019 on January 29, 2008, 11:32:25 PM
crzyboyster, this theme looks promising.

BTW: what information is the WPS screen going to have? And how will it be arranged?

Also, can you test the theme out with the font acknowledge-12 and tell me if it looks better compared to the font pixo?
Title: Re: Feedback needed on new iPod Nano theme: Corners
Post by: crzyboyster on February 11, 2008, 04:58:51 PM
I have started working on this theme again. Attached is the newest wps screenshot and I am working on a menu backdrop.

The info on the screen will most likely be arranged as follows:

Time (maybe)

Track
Artist
Album

Time remaining/passed stuff...

I still need to code the theme and then I will show it to you with the fonts on it.

EDIT: Made menu backdrop (attached) tell me what y'all think.
Title: Re: Feedback needed on new iPod Nano theme: Corners
Post by: DancemasterGlenn on February 11, 2008, 11:33:18 PM
I like the menu logo, very simple and effective. I probably wouldn't use one in the wps, simply because there will be words all over those... words (/word). I think keeping the background in this wps clean of clutter (not to call "rockbox" clutter) seems like not the best idea. Also, if you were planning to implement album art, you probably wouldn't be able to see the whole word anyway. That's my opinion.
Title: Re: Feedback needed on new iPod Nano theme: Corners
Post by: psycho_maniac on February 12, 2008, 12:06:55 AM
love the theme. I would lose the rockbox in the wps screen though..
Title: Re: Feedback needed on new iPod Nano theme: Corners
Post by: terrence1019 on February 12, 2008, 01:08:21 AM
I say for the Menu background, use the Rockbox word carving that you want to use for the wps screen (corners.png). And for the wps screen background, use a big carve-out of the Rockbox music-key (music key letter A-minor, I think?) symbol.  ;)

============

This one is a long shot, but have you considered trying to make your own cool font, like the guy who made the Pen and Paper theme?  ::)
Title: Re: Feedback needed on new iPod Nano theme: Corners
Post by: crzyboyster on February 13, 2008, 03:50:11 PM
Believe it or not, I pretty much finished up this theme! Attached are the latest screenshots of the theme in action. I think that I may have to make an album art box and code the theme to use viewports and I am planning on making an iconset just for this theme.

Feedback please!
Title: Re: Feedback needed on new iPod Nano theme: Corners
Post by: crash91 on February 14, 2008, 08:14:00 AM
Nice, you might want to delete a line to make the progress indicators go up, IMO it doesnt look like on the edge like that. If you want to make the icons clearer, you could always give it a gradient stroke (the web 2.0 gradients pack for PS is great!). 1-2px should do the trick nicely.

Great job, and if you need help porting it to the e200 im your man  ;D.

P.S. You can also make it brushed metal, add some noise to the image and give it a motion blur of like 100px. :P (sorry if you knew already, but i like the mac-ish brushed metal feel)
Title: Re: Feedback needed on new iPod Nano theme: Corners
Post by: crzyboyster on February 14, 2008, 08:28:08 PM
I was planning on making this theme use viewports so that all the alignment issues would be corrected. I tried making the background brushed metal, but i don't think it turned out so well (attached)

Tell me what you think...
Title: Re: Feedback needed on new iPod Nano theme: Corners
Post by: crash91 on February 15, 2008, 08:46:39 AM
I added 10% Gaussian monochromatic noise and blurred it by 25px, and then added 4% more noise and re-blurred it. I think thats the trick :P. Tell me if it looks better.

EDIT
I think it would look slightly better if the top part of the gradient was a bit lighter.
Title: Re: Feedback needed on new iPod Nano theme: Corners
Post by: crzyboyster on February 15, 2008, 11:07:49 AM
I really don't want to change the gradient (although I could do it easily) and I tried out what you recommended. I might make two version of this theme, one brushed metal and one normal.

EDIT: I think that I'm done with this theme. I will upload it to the wps gallery today and I don't think that I'm going to do a brushed metal version.
Title: Re: Feedback needed on new iPod Nano theme: Corners
Post by: saanaito on February 15, 2008, 02:17:25 PM
Very nice. Does anyone mind doing Sansa ports?
Title: Re: Feedback needed on new iPod Nano theme: Corners
Post by: crzyboyster on February 15, 2008, 04:31:17 PM
Strife89: It can't be too hard to port this as I made it using viewports and I will distribute the psd to anyone who wants it.

I'm finished! (Well, almost) Attached are the latest screenshots.


EDIT: I need some help with the wps code and because it uses viewports, I have very little knowledge of the commands. Here's my problem: The hold icon , once activated, doesn't turn off. Here is the code:

Quote
# corners theme by crzyboyster on rockbox forums
%wd
%X|corners.bmp|
%xl|a|play.bmp|10|7|
%xl|b|pause.bmp|10|7|
%xl|c|forward.bmp|10|7|
%xl|d|rewind.bmp|10|7|
%xl|e|shuffle.bmp|97|8|
%xl|f|repeat_all.bmp|118|8|
%xl|g|repeat_one.bmp|118|8|
%xl|h|repeat_shuffle.bmp|118|8|
%xl|i|batt_0.bmp|139|8|
%xl|j|batt_1.bmp|139|8|
%xl|k|batt_2.bmp|139|8|
%xl|l|batt_3.bmp|139|8|
%xl|m|batt_4.bmp|139|8|
%xl|n|stop.bmp|10|7|
%xl|o|repeat_ab.bmp|118|8|
%xl|r|hold.bmp|54|8|
%xl|s|vol_1.bmp|28|9|
%xl|t|vol_2.bmp|28|9|
%xl|u|vol_3.bmp|28|9|
%xl|v|vol_4.bmp|28|9|
%xl|w|vol_0.bmp|28|9|
%P|progress.bmp|
%Cl|10|39|c57|c57|
%?C<%C|>
%pb|14|7|169|102|

%V|70|9|27|10|1|BBBBBB|000000|
%s%cI:%cM
%V|24|26|40|10|1|CCCCCC|000000|
%s%pp of %pe
%V|75|39|106|10|1|CCCCCC|000000|
%s%al%?it<%it|%fn>
%V|75|51|106|10|1|CCCCCC|000000|
%s%al%?ia<%ia|%?d2<%d2|(Artist Unknown)>>
%V|75|63|106|10|1|CCCCCC|000000|
%s%al%?id<%id|%?d1<%d1|(Album Unknown)>>
%V|75|84|106|10|1|CCCCCC|000000|
%s%It
%V|3|116|173|10|1|CCCCCC|000000|
%al  %pc%ac%pt%ar%pr  

%?pv<%xdw|%xds|%xdt|%xdu|%xdv>
%?mh<%xdr>
%?bl<%xdi|%xdj|%xdk|%xdl|%xdm>
%?ps<%xde>
%?mp<%xdn|%xda|%xdb|%xdc|%xdd>
%?mm<|%xdf|%xdg|%xdh|%xdo>

Please, help!
Title: Re: Feedback needed on new iPod Nano theme: Corners
Post by: saanaito on February 15, 2008, 07:58:38 PM
Strife89: It can't be too hard to port this as I made it using viewports and I will distribute the psd to anyone who wants it.

That doesn't make me any less clueless on the process. ;) The HowTo in the Wiki isn't much help either....
Title: Re: Feedback needed on new iPod Nano theme: Corners
Post by: crzyboyster on February 15, 2008, 08:19:27 PM
Well, here is a slightly more detailed look at how to port themes:

1) Download a simulator for the target you are trying to port the theme to. Found at > http://rasher.dk/rockbox/simulator/

2) Take the original images and resize them to the target size's resolution. First off should be the backdrops, both wps and menu. Then, start out to resize all of the other icons, progressbar and everything else.

For an ipod video to nano port, you can multiply each thing by .55. So let's say 320 x .55 = 176 and 240 x .55 = 132 and therefore you can multiply each image's length and width by .55 to get the proportional image size to the nano screen (only for ipod video > nano port!)

3) Modify the code, starting from progressbar and album art (if applicable) and then start moving around the icons. Last but not least, align all the info code. This is where the viewports syntax will help out and you can align each piece of info down to the pixel.

And there you are! A simple (I hope) look at porting themes.

And does anyone know why the hold switch isn't showing up? >


I need some help with the wps code and because it uses viewports, I have very little knowledge of the commands. Here's my problem: The hold icon , once activated, doesn't turn off. Here is the code:

Quote
# corners theme by crzyboyster on rockbox forums
%wd
%X|corners.bmp|
%xl|a|play.bmp|10|7|
%xl|b|pause.bmp|10|7|
%xl|c|forward.bmp|10|7|
%xl|d|rewind.bmp|10|7|
%xl|e|shuffle.bmp|97|8|
%xl|f|repeat_all.bmp|118|8|
%xl|g|repeat_one.bmp|118|8|
%xl|h|repeat_shuffle.bmp|118|8|
%xl|i|batt_0.bmp|139|8|
%xl|j|batt_1.bmp|139|8|
%xl|k|batt_2.bmp|139|8|
%xl|l|batt_3.bmp|139|8|
%xl|m|batt_4.bmp|139|8|
%xl|n|stop.bmp|10|7|
%xl|o|repeat_ab.bmp|118|8|
%xl|r|hold.bmp|54|8|
%xl|s|vol_1.bmp|28|9|
%xl|t|vol_2.bmp|28|9|
%xl|u|vol_3.bmp|28|9|
%xl|v|vol_4.bmp|28|9|
%xl|w|vol_0.bmp|28|9|
%P|progress.bmp|
%Cl|10|39|c57|c57|
%?C<%C|>
%pb|14|7|169|102|

%V|70|9|27|10|1|BBBBBB|000000|
%s%cI:%cM
%V|24|26|40|10|1|CCCCCC|000000|
%s%pp of %pe
%V|75|39|106|10|1|CCCCCC|000000|
%s%al%?it<%it|%fn>
%V|75|51|106|10|1|CCCCCC|000000|
%s%al%?ia<%ia|%?d2<%d2|(Artist Unknown)>>
%V|75|63|106|10|1|CCCCCC|000000|
%s%al%?id<%id|%?d1<%d1|(Album Unknown)>>
%V|75|84|106|10|1|CCCCCC|000000|
%s%It
%V|3|116|173|10|1|CCCCCC|000000|
%al  %pc%ac%pt%ar%pr  

%?pv<%xdw|%xds|%xdt|%xdu|%xdv>
%?mh<%xdr>
%?bl<%xdi|%xdj|%xdk|%xdl|%xdm>
%?ps<%xde>
%?mp<%xdn|%xda|%xdb|%xdc|%xdd>
%?mm<|%xdf|%xdg|%xdh|%xdo>

Please, help!
Title: Re: Feedback needed on new iPod Nano theme: Corners
Post by: crash91 on February 16, 2008, 04:45:27 AM
Try: %?mh<|%xdr>
The conditional is something like
it could alternatively be %?mh<%xdr|>
im sure one of them will work.
Title: Re: Feedback needed on new iPod Nano theme: Corners
Post by: crzyboyster on February 16, 2008, 04:23:31 PM
Theme now finished and uploaded! > http://www.rockbox.org/twiki/bin/view/Main/WpsIpodNano#corners

I really do hope that viewports are finished soon and committed as it's getting pretty useful for wps artists  ;)