Alternate GUI your input please

[Hlis93]

As the title suggests I am working on an alternate GUI for Synthmaster. I have been working on several skins and layouts but I find myself unsatisfied with them or questioning if these would be any significant improvement in workflow. Synthmaster as I am sure you all know has numerous parameters and is a daunting task to make a gui for, especially one that caters to the needs or the users. So instead of me taking my best guess at what you guys and gals would like I simply going to ask,

Please make suggestion on the layout scheme for an alternate gui for Synthmaster.

Please limit the discussion to the layout for now. The actually skin can be addressed later when there is something done to discuss.

To get the discussion going if anyone is interested I have uploaded a few images to flickr for you to see what I have been doing. I have added them to flickr so that you can see full sized images.

The first 4 image are various gui style that I have been working on. The rest of the images are various layout styles that I have been considering.

Concerning the layout styles:
Layout concept 1: breaks the synth up into section and has reduced the number of multi tabbed pages.
Layout concept 2: Breaks the synth up into 4 blocks each block can select various windows to view with sub selection dependant on category.
Layout concept 3: breaks the synth into blocks, each with its own sub selection menu.

Link to flickr set: http://www.flickr.com/photos/46724237@N ... 151031517/

[kv331]

Once finish implementing the mod matrix stuff we'll be able to fit more parameters on one screen.

Until then...Patience everyone

[rectus_dominus]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/46724237@N ... 151031517/
For me, it's absolutely "redplanet old version". It's brilliant, please finish it. That layout is much more straight-forward and inspirational than the current GUI. There are only some minor changes needed.
You must work on the indication of where are we, what are we editing; LED and Text feedback. Also, a huge Layer Indicator above the middle-layer volume knob. Maybe two stylish buttons at 1,5 o'clock and 10,5 o'clock.

Somehow, the redplanet concepts whisper me these fonts:

[Hlis93]

I do like the old Redplanet gui, I like a great deal, but felt it was confusing and to theme driven to be of interest to anyone…but it is an alternate gui so I guess that makes it OK. I would like to finish it, but I would like a more generalized one first unless others also give it the thumbs up as well in which case it's clear to do that first.

In general I felt the layout on that one was useful but was unable to re-create it in another setting, as can be seen in the updated version which I felt was less confusing a background, and I like the wires and stuff on that one, it has more the video game sense to me.

The font might be interesting I'll give it a try I do like reversed lettering. I wanted to use this one



But would likely be a problem given that it's from an Id video game.

[Hlis93]

Once finish implementing the mod matrix stuff we'll be able to fit more parameters on one screen.

Until then...Patience everyone

I should have mentioned the alternates are looking forward to the implementation of the matrix.

[rectus_dominus]

http://www.dafont.com/
There are plenty of fonts there freely available.
(http://www.dafont.com/kremlin.font) ---> The link to the aforementioned font.

As for colors, I'd suggest a red/black/dark grey scheme (already 'done') and a white/blue/white grey one. Something cool for the eyes.
Currently, I don't feel like if it is too theme driven.

I think I'll do some modifications on that jpg and then post it. If you don't mind. Some minor but visible details, if I'll have some time

[keel]

Hi

I wish new gui too. That link what rectus posted looks good. Please finish it

[Hlis93]

http://www.dafont.com/
There are plenty of fonts there freely available.
(http://www.dafont.com/kremlin.font) ---> The link to the aforementioned font.

As for colors, I'd suggest a red/black/dark grey scheme (already 'done') and a white/blue/white grey one. Something cool for the eyes.
Currently, I don't feel like if it is too theme driven.

I think I'll do some modifications on that jpg and then post it. If you don't mind. Some minor but visible details, if I'll have some time

I'm currently working on the layout without the background components, a bare bone layout just to organize it. Once that is out of the way I can add in any background for the most part, augment, and modify details or layout more easily depending on how KV331 decides to do things with the matrix and other adds.

The font is really a non-issue. The text will be provided by the GUIeditor. The pro's of this are that I or anyone else can change the text color easily to preference, this is the one mistake I made on the first gui. The con's are that it's limited to the font options in the editor, which will also dictate the dimension of the gui and how gradients and textures etc are applied. Currently when a text is added in the SM GUIeditor a background color, frame color etc have to be selected. An alpha channel does not work, this is the problem I had with the first skin and why there are no textures, gradients, bevels or embossing near or around text from the editor, if you open SM you can see I only solid colors and that is the reason why. The redplanet gui was designed to use the fonts from the the editor and cater to this...its also why the fancier updated one will not be of any use.

I could simple my a gfx for everything but then the color scheme for the fonts is locked to what I choose and I dont think that is the best way to go since fonts can be added from the editor. Using a gfx for everything will also increase the memory for the gui to be loaded which is also somehting I would like to limit as much as possible.

[kv331]

BTW, anti-aliased drawing for fonts/graphs etc is on my TODO list for v2.1 guys.

It'll be implemented hopefuly before the end of Feb.

[Cyforce]

The color-areas better fill with some kind of structure, for more 3d feeling. brushed aluminum for example.

[rectus_dominus]

The fonts are cool on the old red planet skin. Anti aliasing is cool, if you're done please post screens

[Venomeza]

I really like both redplanet skins, here's hoping that you find the time to do both.

And +100 for the re-thought layout, I haven't even dared to program Synthmaster2 with the current GUI, too many tabs (and more important, different "pages") for my liking. The less tabs the better and if you definitely need tabs, try to implement them like Alchemy. Remember that "simplicity is the ultimate sophistication".

Finishing, I'd like to say that I'm very impressed by KV331. With Hlis skills and Bulent's eagerness I'm sure Synthmaster will become a hit in the future.

[rectus_dominus]

It's funny how everyone calls Hlis93 'Hils or Hills'

[Venomeza]

It's funny how everyone calls Hlis93 'Hils or Hills'

edited.

[Hlis93]

It's funny how everyone calls Hlis93 'Hils or Hills'

I know many people do that I never felt it was worth telling anyone to fix it, only if I was being attacked by an internet ninja would I tell them to get it right .

Hlis is hmong for sun. 93 is an occult thing from my yonger days. I never felt the need to get rid of the screenname. Oddly enough my wife calls me Hnub, which is actually more like my personality has more to do with water, reflection, mood swings etc etc blah blah blah, but mostly because her name is Hlis.

OK that was odd and personal.