INTERACT FORUM
More => Old Versions => Media Center 11 (Development Ended) => Topic started by: matthewmattical on January 23, 2003, 11:55:05 am
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Is there a way (or could there be a way) to edit the icons MC uses for the tree view and menu bar? I'd really like to use some 32-bit icons to take advantage of Windows XP's abilities.
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Know any artists?
We'd be happy to let some people take a stab, or even to make icons a part of the MEGA-ME skin.
Let us know...
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Matt, (and well I guess to Jim too)
It might be worth hiring an artist to make some of these and a few skins.
As trivial as it might seem, the visual appearance can give people a huge impression of some software.
Obviously hiring someone new would be an expense preferably avoided but a professional graphic artist might be worth it to just hire for a one month contract.
Just an idea!
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I'm not really an artist, but I know how to use Illustrator fairly well. Would graphics like these for icons interest anyone?:
(http://flook.org/icons.gif)
(For the 3 different media types)
They hold up pretty well when shrunken down to 16x16 icons since they'll be full 32-bit color. If they look decent to anyone on here, I'll continue making some others.
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I think they are a stab in the right direction hoe.
Matt-> if icons sets could be included as part of the MEGA ME skin that would be pretty good...
Adam
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if icons sets could be included as part of the MEGA ME skin that would be pretty good...
Yeah, that would be very cool. I'm working on more icons still and would love this feature if only for being able to make my own sets to match my Windows XP theme. Of course, it'd be great for MC skin authors as well as icons are a big part of the visual presentation.
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Don't forget programmers who want to "integrate" with MC ... getting the icons would be neat too.
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My $.02 about icons:
I think that attention should be given to icons inside MC as well as icons outside. In my perfect world, we'd have:
1. Four icons to use for associated files, so that when browsing through windows explorer, there would be a different icon for each type of file: audio, video, playlist, and image.
Edit -- here's the important part that would require a bit more tweaking. Last time I checked, and I apologize if it's already different, EVERYTHING is a "MediaJukebox.file" and all have the same icon. I'd much rather have MC make distinctions between the four above-mentioned filetypes, not only through the icon that it uses, but for the filetype descriptor. This is essential when you want to sort an explorer window by filetype... "MediaJukebox.file" just doesn't cut it, IMHO.
2. Relevant tree icons within MC itself, the way it used to be. Different icons for artists, albums, songs, playlists, video files, images, genres, tv channels/video inputs, etc etc etc.
3. A new icon for the program itself. The orange jukebox has great nostalgia value, but I definitely think it's time to get pretty with it. Since it's a media center now, maybe an icon that represents all types of media coming together dynamically. An icon that suggests integration... fluidity... synergy through all types of media.
The external icons would, as hoehater suggested, be able to take advantage of xp's abilities; 32-bit, scalable, and so on. I definitely think it's time to take these icons to the next level, much like you have done for the "x days left till expiration" splash screen (which looks great, btw).
I'm not an artist. I can do a mean stick-figure man, but that's about it. But there's my ideas, if you want em. :D BTW, I really like the direction that hoehater is going... don't forget about an icon for playlists files though.
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We'd be happy to let some people take a stab, or even to make icons a part of the MEGA-ME skin.
Please.
I'm not really an artist, but I know how to use Illustrator fairly well.
Ditto.