User interface: Flat or "3D" design?

[SampleScience]

This is something I'm wondering: do people prefer flat design for their plugin UI or "3D" (with depth) design? I'm currently running a survey and to my surprise, most people prefer flat design.

By "3D" I mean anything that has depth (skeuomorphism and 3D renderings).

[enCiphered]

The problem with 3D is, its not vector based. So people prefer flat and thus scalable UI´s

[GaryG]

I love (eg) Valhallas flatter than flat GUIS but have come to appreciate those with a subtle bit of depth, seems to help the controls visibilty (if that's the right word).

Really like hy-plugins new direction (hy-delay4). Slightly 3d (with dodgy fake rendering etc) but rescalable too.

https://hy-plugins.com/product/hy-delay4/

[AnX]

The problem with 3D is, its not vector based. So people* prefer flat and thus scalable UI´s

*some

[fmr]

I hate Valhallas GUIs and that's one of the reasons I would NEVER use those plug-ins, no matter how good they might be. I simply can't stand looking at them.

The same happens with Ableton Live.

[SampleScience]

The problem with 3D is, its not vector based. So people prefer flat and thus scalable UI´s

I understand, but fake 3D can be done in vector designs and be scalable. It won't be as realistic as real 3D rendering.

[SampleScience]

I hate Valhallas GUIs and that's one of the reasons I would NEVER use those plug-ins, no matter how good they might be. I simply can't stand looking at them.

The same happens with Ableton Live.

I tend to be the same, that's why my plugins are all skeuomorphic with depth.

But if most people want flat designs, I'll do it because it takes a lot less time (about 1/10 of the time it takes to make something with depth and lots of details).

[tapper mike]

The problem with 3D is, its not vector based. So people prefer flat and thus scalable UI´s

I understand, but fake 3D can be done in vector designs and be scalable. It won't be as realistic as real 3D rendering.

I used do to that type of design work all the time.

[Jace-BeOS]

I despise the flat “minimalist” design fad. *Despise it*. If you want to see how much I despise it, just look at all the threads I’ve participated in where “GUI” or “design” are cited...

[Jace-BeOS]

PS: I don’t think we need full 3D rendering on everything either. 2D vector art doesn’t HAVE to be simplistic, flat, low contrast, thin, and ugly. The technique doesn’t matter as much as the design theme/motif.

[Soundplex]

3d or flat doesn't matter to me much. It's more about the flow, logic, priorities and experience. That said I love Valhalla UIs, I hate melda uis, I like fabfilter as much as I liked the original Hive from u-he.

[chk071]

I can't answer this question ultimately. I like some flat GUI's, i like some "3D" GUI's. As long as the GUI is well done, and it makes doing the job easy, i'd go with either. Flat GUI's definitely have their advantages, though.

[SampleScience]

I can't answer this question ultimately. I like some flat GUI's, i like some "3D" GUI's. As long as the GUI is well done, and it makes doing the job easy, i'd go with either. Flat GUI's definitely have their advantages, though.

I like your plugin's GUI, I think they are a good balance between the two.

[AsPeeXXXVIII]

I'm fine with either, as long as the GUI functions as intended.

[vurt]

3d becomes an issue when different developers are looking from different angles, you open your project and it looks like an escher painting