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JoE950 · Dec 21, 2003, 06:32 PM

Hi, as you can see im new here (first post). This seems like a good place to get some feedback.

Is this theme worth making? I did the mockup in a couple hours so i know it still needs some polishing. I want to make sure there are enough of us nerds around to appreciate it. You can find more info on my website and tell me about it on my forum on funmac (or here of course, but still visit the funmac thread).

Dace · Dec 21, 2003, 06:45 PM

I love it, very bright, colorful and different...I give it the go ahead. We need more original, "organic" themes.

Cerbero · Dec 21, 2003, 06:58 PM

Weird, this theme is not my style at all (I'm one of those boring people who only likes grayscale/minimal themes

), but I must say, this looks great.
I would suggest working a bit on the scrollbars (to use the 'glass' look of the push buttons maybe?), and the progress bars (they don't look as refined as the other elements), but I think you have a winner here.
A lot of people want more colorful themes, and even if I myself wouldn't use it (though I don't know, like I said, it looks great

), I know a lot of people would.

Good luck, and kudos on being original

Larg0 · Dec 21, 2003, 07:06 PM

I would try and get away of the puke green coloring and go for more of an earth tone look. Some brown or something? Maybe a sky blue thrown in somewhere (think about the WHOLE shire picture). Just some suggestions. Cool idea!

So long,
Larg0

G0Ducks · Dec 21, 2003, 07:16 PM

Originally posted by Larg0:
I would try and get away of the puke green coloring and go for more of an earth tone look. Some brown or something? Maybe a sky blue thrown in somewhere (think about the WHOLE shire picture). Just some suggestions. Cool idea!

So long,
Larg0

As much as I totally agree with the above comments about the green and earth tones, I would say that you sir are indeed on the right trail to Bag End. For a long time, I have been wanting something that would go with all of the cool hobbit desktops I have made/ downloaded.

Keep up the good work!

R

mac15 · Dec 21, 2003, 07:33 PM

another kickass original theme for OSX< the more the better I say!

Phoenix1701 · Dec 21, 2003, 07:43 PM

The scrollbars are a little bland, though definitely well-conceived, and the progress bars' filled regions clash pretty badly with everything else in the theme (waay too much contrast), but everything else looks absolutely masterful. I even like the background texture, and since I usually hate background textures that's saying an awful lot.
As for the color scheme... while Larg0's comments are of course valid, I think such sweeping changes may not be in the scope of this discussion. If you like the ideas he's presented, you might consider doing another similar theme, but in my experience as a designer you get three tries, and the probability of actually finishing a project drops to half its previous value each time you start over. So don't give up, and don't stray too far from your original idea. And finish the theme; it kicks ass.

moofman · Dec 21, 2003, 07:44 PM

I love it, personally. The green, yellow and all. I do think the scroll bars could use some spice, but not sure what. I'm really getting big into green themes... they're rather soothing on the eyes. Plus, I have some KA green desktops that go really well with them.

RydDragyn · Dec 21, 2003, 07:46 PM

hmm..another excellent theme in the works. Halo, CopilotX, and now Shire. The unsanity contest should be quite good.

MetalSnake · Dec 21, 2003, 07:47 PM

Normaly I like only dark themes like Shinobi or DSX but this one is great! I love the buttons already

only the progress bars need some work they look too much like os9 in green

JoE950 · Dec 21, 2003, 07:52 PM

to defend the progress bars, im going to have them pulse, but the color is bad, ill throw some yellow in it, also, i know the scroll bar SUCKS... those were the last things i did, and i was dead tired

im trying things with the buttons, i feel the stroke is too heavy, i want it to be more organic, but still, obviously, an operating system.

JoE950 · 10:09 PM

i decided that this is about as natural as im going to get. i kept the strokes, changed the background color, and changed the scroll bar, and progress bars.

moofman · Dec 21, 2003, 09:08 PM

Agh! The scroll and progress bars look fine, but that color! I want to operate on a manicured and gorgeous lawn, not a dead one! Give that theme some water, stat!

NetworkShadow · Dec 21, 2003, 09:11 PM

Not bad. Not the kinda of theme I would use most of the time, but this could be nice.

Sage · Dec 21, 2003, 09:49 PM

Holy cow, you've got some talent! Like most others, it's not a theme I'd personally use, but go for it, because it's very well done.

Your second preview is just about perfect, but the scrollbars seem a bit off... I think it's the fact that the rest of the theme consists of rectangles with a slightly rounded edge, while this is more "pill" shaped... basically, what I'm not liking is the yellow outline.

JoE950 · Dec 21, 2003, 10:12 PM

i think this is the final round for these images.
i have decided to do three background states which would appeal to the most users, and pack them all in the gui kit. also i followed sages advice and changed the scroll bar. if i get positive feedback ill probably go ahead on the rest of the elements.

MorphOSX · Dec 21, 2003, 10:44 PM

#3 please.

While we're on the shire, how about something to go with the elves? a white/blue theme as opposed to greens and browns and earthtones?

Dave

JoE950 · Dec 21, 2003, 10:47 PM

thats completely possible. ill have to do a mockup so nobody rips the idea from me, but once i finish this theme, i have to finish updating my original theme for panther. the elf theme could come after that.

olorin15 · Dec 21, 2003, 10:48 PM

Amazing!!! Just the right thing for all us Tolkien freaks out there

JoE950 · Dec 21, 2003, 10:59 PM

oh and before someone asks, ill do a dark orchish/evil theme.

Lefo · Dec 21, 2003, 11:05 PM

I like the variations, but I only have one thing that I would suggest you change; the barber poles. Please...find a better metaphore. If I had one, I'd gladly suggest one, but the barber pole looks nasty. Maybe something along a creeping vine thing?

Lefo

headbirth · Dec 21, 2003, 11:11 PM

I think the feedback is ruining a nice theme. Your original post was just that ... original ;-)

york28 · Dec 21, 2003, 11:19 PM

It's great. The only thing I don't like is the progress bars. They have a metallic gradient, while nothing else does. I'd go with a more solid texture, like either your push buttons or the matte look of some of the other elements.

This theme is going to be awesome.

NetworkShadow · Dec 21, 2003, 11:54 PM

Originally posted by JoE950:
oh and before someone asks, ill do a dark orchish/evil theme.

I've been wanting to do an undead Warcraft 3 theme, but I haven't really played with the idea yet.

OptimusG4 · Dec 22, 2003, 12:35 AM

be careful of lurking pc users that might steal this theme idea.

JoE950 · Dec 22, 2003, 12:41 AM

it would be nice if a windows themer would port it. with my help and permission of course.=)

MorphOSX · Dec 22, 2003, 02:56 AM

Barbar Poles...for the hobbits, why not have some kind of repeating pattern that's actually leaves on a vine that creap across as it progresses?

dave

G0Ducks · Dec 22, 2003, 02:58 AM

Originally posted by JoE950:
it would be nice if a windows themer would port it. with my help and permission of course.=)

My official response (not that it needs that title

)

Goodies:
The first of the variants you posted is my favorite.
I love the new scroll bars. I love where you are going with the progress bars.

Badies:
When I look at any of the variants, It seems to me that because of how you colored the elements, there looks to be a green screen of sorts in from of all of the elements. This is the basis for my "Turn the widgets more earthy" argument. The green is a bit powerful, though if used differently somehow, maybe you could get it to look better.

Final Note:
Please, Please, Please, keep the brown vertical texture...thit is purely beauty.

Thanks for your hard work,

R

JoE950 · Dec 22, 2003, 08:17 AM

I have completed the preview for "Elvish". I belive its concrete, but feel free to pick it apart. i also updated a few elements on shire. i know about the progress bars, i think the pulsing glow thing will be neat in action, i agree it looks dull static, but i might try some plants (shire) and some metal blades (elvish) after i complete all the themes since that would require a lot of time. im going to push myself and try to get them all assembled for the unsanity competition, but im not making any promises on that.

ntt · Dec 22, 2003, 08:28 AM

I love it so far!
I have no right to make suggestions, but... the inactive tabs look a bit too bold IMO, it almost looks like they are active.
Otherwise it looks great, and I can't wait to see the finished versions with leaves/blades etc.

JoE950 · Dec 22, 2003, 08:37 AM

i could easily reverse them.

the template i used from theme changer is a little incorrect since what it calls inactive, is actually the pressable button (active)... and what it calls active is actually the mouse up state which cant be pressed... i didnt think about this until you pointed that out.. i just copied the text and gave it no more thought lol

Lefo · Dec 22, 2003, 09:10 AM

Oops!

Lefo · Dec 22, 2003, 09:12 AM

[B]

Originally posted by JoE950:
I have completed the preview for "Elvish". I belive its concrete, but feel free to pick it apart. i also updated a few elements on shire. i know about the progress bars, i think the pulsing glow thing will be neat in action, i agree it looks dull static, but i might try some plants (shire) and some metal blades (elvish) after i complete all the themes since that would require a lot of time. im going to push myself and try to get them all assembled for the unsanity competition, but im not making any promises on that.

Elvish will look freaking awesome!

Lefo

daydreamer · Dec 22, 2003, 10:42 AM

That is absolutely KICK ASS. Nice work.

NetworkShadow · Dec 22, 2003, 01:54 PM

I indeed like Elvish a lot. I can't wait to see what you do with the titlebars.

Sage · Dec 22, 2003, 02:30 PM

Originally posted by JoE950:
[...] also i followed sages advice and changed the scroll bar.

Much better now!

(The Elvish one looks somewhat blurry, though maybe it's just the image compression...?)

bOOzo · Dec 22, 2003, 04:46 PM

This is the most promising theme I've seen in a long time! Very nice work!

I much prefer this mockup than anything else:

I think the green background fits it better, when it's brown it feels like the yellow borders are more floating. With green it feels more complete and integrated.

I have one suggestion. It would be very cool if you made the progressbars fill with water instead of just green. You could do it similar to what I did with Aluminum Alloy and make the Indetermine progress have waves, and the regular just some aqua like graphics, but lighter blue.

It kind of reminds me on the Night Elf theme in WarCraft 3. It would be cool if you could have a similar decoration on the titlebar with wine ranks (<-spelling?) climbing it.

solidfox · Dec 22, 2003, 04:58 PM

Yeah...this is nice...but shouldn't there be more of the leafish stuff, like in the buttons?

JoE950 · Dec 22, 2003, 05:10 PM

its more to do with their building and clothing styles. the grassy greens will go in the title bar. when i get that finished it will hopefully make more sense. i mocked the buttons after the little gold and green hood clasp on their hooded coats. i have all three mockups done. im making a new thread for them, this one will only have shire stuff from now on.

JoE950 · Dec 22, 2003, 05:41 PM

see them all HERE