I'm back... and still confused

[Evil Fantasies]

Welp, since my last post here, I dropped the whole skinning project... only to once again be tempted by Q's evil charms. :devil:

I want to make one so bad, but just reading that tutorial makes my head hurt. Yet another issue is figuring out how to turn off the anti-aliasing in Satori PhotoXL. There is no "checkbox", like in Photoshop. I looked all over that blasted thing and found NOTHING... no such option.

Why am I not using Photoshop? Because I don't have it and am not going to plonk down the cash for it just so I can make a freaking skin.

Aside from the abovementioned roadblock, there is of course the tedious details involving hordes of rules for pixel placement, countless button maps, and all of that other crud which prevents me from accomplishing the task.

And yet, it still haunts me....

I WANT TO MAKE A SKIN!!!!

*cries uncontrollably & blows nose on sleeze*

[Neo]

I quit long time ago on the idea of developing a skin for QMP. Skinning should NOT have to be that hard or time consuming. Maybe my brain just doesn't function the way it does for those people who actually have the patience to produce these things, but I find the whole process to be ridiculous. :rolleyes:

[Toe]

Wow, people still use Satori? That thing's been abandonware for how many years now? I tried it a long time ago, it had some great ideas, but had a cruddy interface and lacked too many basic features.


Hum, one of these days I should get back to work on my skin. It's been like 2 years in the making! :cheeky:

[Todd The Kiwi]

Welp, since my last post here, I dropped the whole skinning project... only to once again be tempted by Q's evil charms. :devil:

I want to make one so bad, but just reading that tutorial makes my head hurt. Yet another issue is figuring out how to turn off the anti-aliasing in Satori PhotoXL. There is no "checkbox", like in Photoshop. I looked all over that blasted thing and found NOTHING... no such option.

Why am I not using Photoshop? Because I don't have it and am not going to plonk down the cash for it just so I can make a freaking skin.

Aside from the abovementioned roadblock, there is of course the tedious details involving hordes of rules for pixel placement, countless button maps, and all of that other crud which prevents me from accomplishing the task.

And yet, it still haunts me....

I WANT TO MAKE A SKIN!!!!

*cries uncontrollably & blows nose on sleeze*you could just crack PS like everyone else.

[Toe]

Really, even if you need to go the freeware route, there's better options than Satori out there. Paint.net (http://www.getpaint.net/) or Gimp (http://www.gimp.org/)/GimpShop (http://www.plasticbugs.com/blogimg/GIMPshop_0.1beta_Setup.exe), for example. There's a few others worth looking at in the freeware thread in Computers & Software.

[Willow of Oz]

*cries uncontrollably & blows nose on sleeze*


Hey, if I had sleaze to blow my nose on then I wouldn't be crying...

I can also vouch for the ease of use of paint.net (though I had some alpha troubles with it today, but that's using a 2.72 or so release). I cannot compare it to photoshop or satori however, having never used either.

[Rex_Mundi_Incarnit]

Let me just tell you that skinning QMP is easy. So what you need to do first? Get a decent paint programme. You can always try the GIMP, it's awkward i know, but it is free and has probably the most features for a free product. I use Paint Shop Pro myself because it is way more obvious than Photoshop imo. There, you'll find how to turn off anti-aliasing in a jiffy.

So now that you got yourself some decent software, think about what you want your skin to look like. Start designing the GUI just how it would look like if the skin were complete already. Remember to use vector layers. There is nothing more frustrating than merged stuff or stuff that has become a raster. You will need these layers to later on create the elements (like playback buttons) for your skin and the colour maps too. This is easy because you can just disable the layers that you dont want to show up to create the bitmaps you want.

If you are unsure how to make resizable windows, just take a skin that has em and learn from it ;) Go to the devzone above to find some tutorials. Once all the bitmaps are complete, you can create the charset and skinkid (or family) ini files. Again look at other skins to see how they are composed. But it's all explained in the manual too. GL!

[Rex_Mundi_Incarnit]

you could just crack PS like everyone else.

Nice 1 Todd. Straight to the point :biggrin:

[Evil Fantasies]

I quit long time ago on the idea of developing a skin for QMP. Skinning should NOT have to be that hard or time consuming. Maybe my brain just doesn't function the way it does for those people who actually have the patience to produce these things, but I find the whole process to be ridiculous. :rolleyes:


I agree....

and I love your avatar. :evil:

[Evil Fantasies]

Let me just tell you that skinning QMP is easy. So what you need to do first? Get a decent paint programme. You can always try the GIMP, it's awkward i know, but it is free and has probably the most features for a free product. I use Paint Shop Pro myself because it is way more obvious than Photoshop imo. There, you'll find how to turn off anti-aliasing in a jiffy.

So now that you got yourself some decent software, think about what you want your skin to look like. Start designing the GUI just how it would look like if the skin were complete already. Remember to use vector layers. There is nothing more frustrating than merged stuff or stuff that has become a raster. You will need these layers to later on create the elements (like playback buttons) for your skin and the colour maps too. This is easy because you can just disable the layers that you dont want to show up to create the bitmaps you want.

If you are unsure how to make resizable windows, just take a skin that has em and learn from it ;) Go to the devzone above to find some tutorials. Once all the bitmaps are complete, you can create the charset and skinkid (or family) ini files. Again look at other skins to see how they are composed. But it's all explained in the manual too. GL!


Ok....

A. I am using Satori.. it's a great prog, actually, and I don't plan on switching to anything else.

B. Cracked or uncracked, PS is too bulky and more than my comp can handle.

C. The above also applies to GIMP, Paint.NET, and any other painter that requires Windows XP and mountains of RAM. It's called "system requirments", my dear... and my comp meets NONE of them.

Yes, I like dinosaurs. My comp is a P1 *gasp*, with os Win98 *gasp*.
However, I have a P2 with VectorLinux, in the other room, and I'm getting a new modem for it today, so GIMP could be a candidate for it. But, THIS system is my baby and I like working on it, and I like Satori.

Now, do YOU have any idea how to turn off anti-aliasing in Satori?

[Neo]

Let me just tell you that skinning QMP is easy. So what you need to do first? Get a decent paint programme. So now that you got yourself some decent software, think about what you want your skin to look like.

Start designing the GUI just how it would look like if the skin were complete already. Remember to use vector layers. There is nothing more frustrating than merged stuff or stuff that has become a raster. You will need these layers to later on create the elements (like playback buttons) for your skin and the colour maps too. This is easy because you can just disable the layers that you dont want to show up to create the bitmaps you want.

If you are unsure how to make resizable windows, just take a skin that has em and learn from it ;)

Go to the devzone above to find some tutorials.

Once all the bitmaps are complete, you can create the charset and skinkid (or family) ini files.

Again look at other skins to see how they are composed. But it's all explained in the manual too. GL!
Easy you say? :scared: I use Photoshop (A Purchased Copy!) and I know my way around it. I have created a GUI, have all the layers in tact. I have browsed the Tutorial...

You make it sound all so easy, but really is it... unless you're a computer programmer? :confused:

[Neo]

I agree....

and I love your avatar. :evil:
Thanks! and Welcome back... !!

[Evil Fantasies]

Oh, I almost forgot about Pixia! I've got it, but haven't used it in a while (I prefer Satori). Guess I'll check it out and see if anti-aliasing options are more obvious in it. :coffee:

[Evil Fantasies]

Easy you say? :scared: I use Photoshop (A Purchased Copy!) and I know my way around it. I have created a GUI, have all the layers in tact. I have browsed the Tutorial...

You make it sound all so easy, but really is it... unless you're a computer programmer? :confused:


Actually, programming is easier to learn.

For me, something has to be either purely technical or purely artistic in order to "get it". When I look at Q skins, I see art, and that part of my brain is stimulated. But, as you know, the details involved are quite technical, and this causes a mental conflict for me. It ruins my "artsy" mood. The same applies to programming and such... sudden artistic elements ruins my "techy" mood.

Some may be thinking "but what about the GUI?". Well, that's different, because the coding comes first and there are no "skins" to tempt & distract me until the technical aspects have been taken care of.

[Neo]

When I look at Q skins, I see art, and that part of my brain is stimulated. But, as you know, the details involved are quite technical, and this causes a mental conflict for me. It ruins my "artsy" mood.
I feel the same... it totally ruins it for me. I thought I was the only ONE.

[Evil Fantasies]

UPDATE

Just launched Pixia and .... right there in front, in the supplementary setting box, is the option for anti-aliasing!!!!

YESSSSSSSSSSS!

*does happy dance*

[Rex_Mundi_Incarnit]

Easy you say? :scared: I use Photoshop (A Purchased Copy!) and I know my way around it. I have created a GUI, have all the layers in tact. I have browsed the Tutorial...

You make it sound all so easy, but really is it... unless you're a computer programmer? :confused:

It's easy. Just ask FatalError. There is barely any coding you have to do. If programming in Fortran, Scilab, (x)html and css is programming to you, then yes. :foureyes:

I'd be willing to help anyone who wishes to make a skin, but without prejudice please.

[regener8ed]

It's easy. Just ask FatalError. There is barely any coding you have to do. If programming in Fortran, Scilab, (x)html and css is programming to you, then yes. :foureyes:
i think the first problem with new qcd skinners is they get overwhelmed by what is possible with QCD/QMP skinning. yes, you can get crazy, but heck, all you need is a body.bmp and a map.bmp and you've got instant gratification! what other freeform skinnable lets you start out at such a primary level and still work up to the robustness that QMP has?
^^(rhetorical question)^^

My comp is a P1 *gasp*, with os Win98 *gasp*.
So you're the one!

[Todd The Kiwi]

crikey! look at that sig :silly:

it's gr8 m8 :bulb:

[fatal error]

it's an art form designing a skin AND implementing one

[fatal error]

if you like, i could turn your design into a skin and show you how it works.

this offer goes for anyone that wants to give skinning a shot.

[Todd The Kiwi]

how cool is that aye, 3 cheers for fatal error :ditsy:

[Rex_Mundi_Incarnit]

Kudos for Fatal Error. He taught me well :beer:

[Evil Fantasies]

i think the first problem with new qcd skinners is they get overwhelmed by what is possible with QCD/QMP skinning.

That is EXACTLY the problem I have. I also get waaaay too excited over all the possibilities... but this happens with alot of projects, not just the Q skins. I guess I need to chill and take baby steps. :biggrin:


yes, you can get crazy, but heck, all you need is a body.bmp and a map.bmp and you've got instant gratification!

What about all of the other stuff? It's not required?


what other freeform skinnable lets you start out at such a primary level and still work up to the robustness that QMP has?

So, I wouldn't be spat upon and/or my skin rejected if it's a cheesy single-mode beta?


So you're the one!

:puzzled:

[Todd The Kiwi]

So, I wouldn't be spat upon and/or my skin rejected if it's a cheesy single-mode beta?no way mate, that's not what we're about here.
you will however get constructive criticism & suggestions :P