Fresh Suite

A Fresh suite by Josephs

Published on August 17, 2005 By Josephs In OS Customization

Hello Everyone,
My first Article here on WinCustomize, I was wondering what people thought about my three suites so far. I first started serious skinning when I made my Darkest Foundation set, which then moved to the District RS suite and my latest Suite , Fresh inspired by rpeterclarks Winamp skin 'Simple'.

Earlier this year, I started my first WindowBlinds skin entitled; Darkest Foundation. Which I put alot of effort into, figuring out how to use SkinStudio and more programs. Sometimes making specific parts of the skin (Such as Bulletpoints or Tab Buttons) can make you druel, day-dream, or in other-means; Trip-Out. So starting other parts of the suite, such as Logons or Bootskin re-stimulate the mind so you can continue the WindowBlinds skin. After about 1 week, the WindowBlinds suite was made and A few parts of the theme.

Weeks after releasing the suite, I kinda got to thinking about making more suites, but the pain you sometimes have to go through was way to much to think of. So starting with a colour scheme on a different kind of skin got me started. I made a red and white bootskin which I entitled 'District RS' which then led to the creation of the entire suite. The WindowBlinds this time around, I started with a Top-Down approach. Starting with the Startbar and Window Frames first give you a better feel for the skin-in-progress when you apply it and test it, making me anxious to finish it. District RS was a overall fun input and a nice suite.

This Month, Rpeterclark released a Winamp skin entitled 'Simple'. Using graphics and Winamps inbuilt VGA generator, allows code to create images through code. So no images are compiled with this skin, just code. I enjoy the appearance of the skin. A Glossy.. Luna, you could say. Animated Close/Max/Min buttons and a great colour scheme. That, was the inspiration.

So I jumped on DeviantART and send a E-mail to rpeterclark making him aware that I was going to make a Visual Style and suite with a very similar style, and colour-scheme. Days later, No responce.

Oh well... Screw that, got to it. Started skinning the WindowBlinds skin straight away. Some new experimentation with SkinStudio allowed me to make Animated Titlebar buttons, Animated System Buttons and System Animations made in Flash. Something a little different this time around, making, what I believe was a more simple way of running the style. Almost Fresh. Once again, a Animated Start button and a All Programs BMP, meaning Extra sub-styles for those Non-English users. Toolbar Icons were a breeze, With my first set of Toolbar Icons, I couldn't figure out how to add a Transparent Alpha-Channel to my TGA, lowering the overall quality of the Buttons. Whereas having experience now making a more Fresh design. Next, were the rest of the suite.

I always take pride in those Logon Screens with Centre panels and Resizable backgrounds. The centrepanel is such a obvious piece of art. Any image you want in uber-high quality. So making a little panel for the logon was great fun. And I used the PSD from my wallpaper to make a high quality BMP. Meaning, if you use the logon, and have the wallpaper applied, after you log on the Wallpaper on your desktop is the same as the Logon background making it look all cool like (Duh!).

The CursorXP theme made with love, I did on a school break. I don't think its anything special, but goes with the Suite. Looks nice made in Photoshop all on the same day. It only took around an hour. I mean, they're just .PNG's. No compiling or anything. So easy! And the same story with the Bootskin. Used 'Green' as my Colourscheme and it worked nicely when converted.

So, after a long few weeks work. I present; my most Current suite; Fresh (Cuz it is)
I tried uploading the wallpaper to WinCustomize.. but the 'Guidelines' say that Wallpapers featuring any WindowXP environment, logo's or orientation will not be accepted unless they are exceptionally overwhelming... So DeviantART accepted it in 3 seconds.

All parts of the theme are available on WinCustomize.com, DeviantART.com and Customize.org. But for these links, all WinCustomize and Wallpaper DeviantART. I also wouldn't mind some PORTING done. If you have skills in Trillian, Sysmetrix, FireFox, IconPackager or any DX3 widgets PLEASE EMAIL ME at Jos3phs@bigpond.net.au

But for now, Here is the Fresh suite:

http://josephs.wincustomize.com/viewskin.aspx?skinid=5231&libid=1&comments=1&SID=6557&UID=1533826 + WindowBlinds

http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/21628670/ + Wallpaper

http://josephs.wincustomize.com/viewskin.aspx?skinid=5034&libid=26&comments=1&SID=6557&UID=1533826 + LogonStudio

http://josephs.wincustomize.com/viewskin.aspx?skinid=3690&libid=32&comments=1&SID=6557&UID=1533826 + BootSkin

http://josephs.wincustomize.com/viewskin.aspx?skinid=1616&libid=25&comments=1&SID=6557&UID=1533826 + CursorXP

http://josephs.wincustomize.com/viewskin.aspx?skinid=505&libid=37&comments=1&SID=6557&UID=1533826 + RainLendar

https://www.wincustomize.com/ViewSkin.aspx?SID=1&SkinID=1328&LibID=10 + WinAmp (By ~rpeterclark)

Leave your comments, suggestions and requests all down here and maybe we can expand the Fresh suite. And please! If anyone has any information on some programs that can port WindowBlinds themes to MSStyle (Windows Visual Styles) please let me know. Lots of people have asked for permission to port it, but I dun wanna let 'em, I want to do it! So please, pitch in if you know any info!

Enjoy!

Josephs
(Uber L337)

Comments

PurrBall

on Aug 17, 2005

WoW!

The WB could use a bit more work.

artweasloh

on Aug 18, 2005

I made a suite file for that... got it in my Theme Manager and it is absolutely FRESH!

bmetelsky

on Aug 18, 2005

The windowblind is awesome. It goes great with the blue and green Windows Vista wallpaper that I'm using. Thanks.

CerebroJD

on Aug 18, 2005

Awesome work on the theme... I really like it!

Josephs

on Aug 18, 2005

Does anyone know of any WB to VS apps? Some guy said something about TGTsoft's RegEdit, I used it and was instantly confused. Anyways, I've had alotta requests

CerebroJD

on Aug 18, 2005

I dont know of any, personally.

artweasloh

on Aug 18, 2005

wouldn't it be better to upload this as a single suite rather than providing link to all the skin submissions? I guess it makes the application of all your skins faster and better....(im my opinion)

Josephs

on Aug 19, 2005

Yeah, but some people would prefur other various parts of the skins. And to my knowledge, The themebuilder app thingo doesn't have Rainlendar support

Jafo

on Aug 19, 2005

So I jumped on DeviantART and send a E-mail to rpeterclark making him aware that I was going to make a Visual Style and suite with a very similar style, and colour-scheme. Days later, No responce.

Oh well... Screw that, got to it.

You DO realize that if your work is going to be so similar to another's to the point of emailing him...it's not about 'making him aware', but about 'gaining consent'...and 'no response' means 'no go', not 'screw that'.

If the works are derivative, aka a 'port' then they would not be acceptable for public distribution without prior written consent....that goes for here and/or other public skinning sites.

This being the case it may be appropriate to clarify exactly what extent of 'similar style' is not derivative or copying of another's work....

Life is a Game

on Aug 19, 2005

it's great
keep'em comin'

artweasloh

on Aug 19, 2005

Does anyone know of any WB to VS apps? Some guy said something about TGTsoft's RegEdit, I used it and was instantly confused. Anyways, I've had alotta requests

Josephs. m'frend, as far as i know, converting a WB format to mmstyle is like remaking the skin for the first time. There is (as far as i know) no known app to convert WB formats to mmstyles (yet).

artweasloh

on Aug 19, 2005

********double post*********** just deleted

Josephs

on Aug 19, 2005

I found TGTsoft's App for making Visual styles. Can't import WB however

App looks similar to SkinStudio. Graphics have to be compiled differently though.
I might make my skins in this app first, then convert to WB. Submitt to at once

rpeterclark

on Aug 19, 2005

Josephs, sorry about the lack of response when you contacted me at DA about your suite based on my skin. Work and life has just been very busy lately.

To be honest, my Simple skin was really an experiment in Winamp coding and I'm not very possesive of the design since it was a knock-off of some MSN styled elements I have seen. It would have been more respectful of you to have waited for a response from me before distributing work that is clearly based on my design, but considering my stance on this particular skin, I'm not going to make a big deal out of it.

Good work on the suite. BTW, the link to the WB skin in this article seems to be broken?

Josephs

on Aug 20, 2005

The link works now, I updated the skin last night

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