Alyssa - A Modern Theme (WIP)

[bbweiners]

Hi,

I wanted to create a more modern looking theme that is meant to be used on your living room TV's. This theme is loosely based on the Xbox One interface. It's still a work in progress but is close to being completed. I'm open to suggestions but am pretty settled on what I have.

Thanks!

[LogicalEgo]

Looks nice. I would shift the fanart and video around though. With that wide of an area 4:3 and 16:9 videos would look perfect.

[bbweiners]

@keltoigael -- Thanks!

I actually have two views, the one you see and the one you suggested, haha. I think that higher resolution 16:9 videos look nice with the view you suggested, but 4:3 videos for older stuff just doesn't look as nice with that view.

[LogicalEgo]

I agree but with most of the content people play here being 4:3 that view would be highly used.

[bbweiners]

True. I had thought about it, and that was one of the main reasons that I thought I'd include that view. I'll probably get a couple of screenshots with that view up tonight or tomorrow.

[alfredolvera]

Yes please!!!

[bbweiners]

@alfredolvera -- I'll admit you were the one that put the bug in me to make me want to do this.

[isilkin]

I like it. If you don't mind me asking why Alyssa? Can you upload it for testing? I think if you share it I would make your fan art poster full screen and blurry and add game description text on top.

[bbweiners]

@isilkin -- Alyssa is my oldest daughters name. I named a previous theme, Holly, after my youngest daughter.

I don't plan to upload it for testing. I don't like the idea of uploading something until I feel it's ready. I'm getting close to being happy with everything. 

I don't understand making the fanart the background. Are you suggesting having the same fanart that's being used to be used again, blurred and full screen? Or, are you suggesting removing it the way it's currently being used and just blurring it and using it full screen? The second option would completely change the look of the theme to the point that it wouldn't even be what I wanted to create in the first place.

I don't think adding game description text would fit well. There's really not space to add anything else without making the theme look cluttered and not clean, which is not what modern interfaces look like. I'm also just not a fan of game description text. I think adding anything else would require a major rework of the theme.

You mentioned being good with Photoshop. I suggest taking the images I've posted and try reworking things to your liking using Photoshop and posting them here. Maybe I'm wrong and not seeing things the way you're envisioning them, and your suggestions would work.

Thank you for the feedback, and I hope I didn't sound too harsh. It's hard not to sometimes when speaking via text, haha.

[bbweiners]

Here are some screenshots of the second view. It switches the placement of the fanart and video.

Edited February 5, 2019 by bbweiners

[isilkin]

So here is some brainstorming. Feel free to bash it but I think it looks all right. First version is only using your fan art for a background with added text. The second version is a little more modified.

[bbweiners]

@isilkin -- I played around with your ideas some, and I just can't seem to make it work with what I'm doing without completely changing my theme. Sorry, I'm going to have to pass on the suggestions. 

[isilkin]

thanks for trying. your theme looks good. Can you post a screen shot of the game selection screen. will that be a grid?

[bbweiners]

Here are a couple of videos showing the two views. It looks like the frame rate that my computer captured this at was off. So don't mind the choppiness of it. It's a very smooth preforming theme.

 

Edited February 9, 2019 by bbweiners

[isilkin]

Thanks it is a great looking theme. I like it a lot. The only criticism I have is that it is hard to see which games are coming next when you are selecting a game. But I am not sure if there is any way to fix that without messing up your layout.

[bbweiners]

Thanks @isilkin

[isilkin]

Have you been able to complete the theme yet. Thank you.

[bbweiners]

@isilkin -- I'm still working on it. There's been a lot of cleaning up and fine tuning I've been doing lately. I hope to have it done and up in the next week or so.

[Cookz718]

you could add a Wall View something like this (this is just a rough edit/draft/ideas)

 

and also for the console selection something more simplistic like this

 

[bbweiners]

@Cookz718 -- Those are some really good ideas. I may try both. Right now I'm going to try to get the theme out in the next couple of days. But, I love the idea of continuing to add views. And like I said, I like what you did.