Most Usable Visual Style Winners
Wednesday, November 1, 2006 by Zoomba | Discussion: GUI Championships News
We did better this time with the Visual Style judging, only one day late! Below are the winners for Most Usable Visual Style. The voting on these was just as close as the icon voting. Judges provided by Neowin, BetaNews, DeviantArt, Microangelo and Lockergnome. Congrats to our winners in the event. RickyXu just snagged himself a nice $200 cash prize!
Again, China dominates the event taking both 1st and 2nd place!
Check back in Friday for Most Original Visual Style winners, when we give away the EVGA GeForce 7900GT!
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Aluminium Skin by RickyXu |
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A Dreamy World by Kanes |
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Acrylic by danilloOc |
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| Honorable Mention |
Ares by MikeB314 |
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Reply #22 Wednesday, November 1, 2006 6:29 PM
I think Stardock Cop., should considering the hunting and nabbing of piracies and illegitimate entries. One of "Team" have been posting and sharing warez about stardock's products from the beginning on their forum. And they get the award??
Sadly,I was hoping maybe Stardock'employees would spot it at first,but it seems..........
Not to be snitching or something,just a fairness issue. So which team should examine?
Ans:http://www.guichamps.com/teams.asp?tid=10;http://www.themex.net
And k0be,
Stop touting AzenisII. Done is done.
Reply #23 Wednesday, November 1, 2006 6:54 PM
Accusing someone of piracy is pretty serious. And unfortunately the themex.net forums are not in english so we're hard-pressed to spot the warez threads.
Unless you can point to specific proof that members of the ThemeX team have pirated or are helping pirate software (as opposed to other members on the forums that aren't competing), we can't do anything.
Reply #24 Wednesday, November 1, 2006 7:19 PM
However,the "stardock" thread still open to guest.
[EDIT] Removed warez links from post. I have them saved to my desktop so they don't need to be here anymore -- Zoomba
Reply #25 Wednesday, November 1, 2006 7:39 PM
Reply #26 Wednesday, November 1, 2006 7:40 PM
I'll correct the link in the morning to point specifically to the 7900GT.
Reply #28 Wednesday, November 1, 2006 9:22 PM
I won't be sad cause we have a great champs and I'm also very glad seeing many chinese winners here
Reply #29 Wednesday, November 1, 2006 9:34 PM
I really appreciate that we get these great skins for free. I'm glad to see the nice turnout. This really should be a yearly event IMO. Congrats to all the winners and keep giving us great skins!
Reply #30 Wednesday, November 1, 2006 10:46 PM
First of all, your categories for any and all submissions in this competition are entirely too vague and need to be more specific as to exactly what is evaluated in each category, and all submissions evaluated accordingly.
I also really think someone needs to stop this competition and pick new judges for evaluating WindowBlinds submissions. It is quite evident that the present ones need some refresher training, after all this is a WB5 contest, not a WB3 and 4. Many of these submissions do not reflect any of the capabilities of WB5, as required by the rules.
So, Aluminium wins the Gold for Most Usable? I find that amazing considering it is of poor quality and has lots of bugs. Just a few of them are the logoffs are of poor quality on mouseover and extremely jagged, the right click context submenus gray text has a serious problem, and the small caption minimize button is all messed up. Here, have a look:
and the per pixel frame shadows are messed up in the Silver winner:
I cannot believe the judges did not find these NOOB mistakes. It really shows a complete lack of attention to detail on their parts. I could go on and on about the Silver winner too, it does not even have the context menus skinned at all for one, but there is not enough space here for everything I would like to say.
I guess I've said my peace, and I am sorry if this upsets anyone, but right is right, and this is just downright wrong.
Reply #31 Wednesday, November 1, 2006 11:30 PM
LightStar, the judges don't read the comments.
and I'm not a judge (unless one of the judges isn't able to vote). I have my opinion tastes and opinions.
Reply #32 Wednesday, November 1, 2006 11:34 PM
Maybe the reason the judges decided the way they did was because it is more inspired by Vista. One thing remain the same is that danilloOc is a well respected skinner. All his free skins are premium quality flavors. Mike deserves nothing less than a master of skinning tittle. Lately, he seems to get better inspiration when working on premium skins. I wish he had a little more time to work on new shell styles and all.
During the time of Pixtudio, a premium suite would come with complete Iconpackage, Windows would be skinned as much as windowblinds alowed, and extra would be given at under $10. Now you get so little for the same kind of price from others.
Last but not least, I accept what the judges decided. Every single skins were good enough to get the gold. We don't even get premium skins this good anymore.
Reply #33 Wednesday, November 1, 2006 11:54 PM
The point of Windows Blinds is that it gives the user a level of customization that the built in frame work does not. Windows Blinds is effective not just because you can change a few images, because frankly there are dll patches, which allow this type of simplistic manipulation. Windows Blinds is a great piece of software because it takes customization to the next level. It allows for changes that no patch or competitor can offer.
In my opinion, the basis of this category is to push the boundaries of customization without losing any of the basic functionality of Windows. Some features that ought to included are those like transparencies and custom image placement. The trick that many authors fall victim of is that they over compensate so much with jazzy effects that the inherent functionality of Windows is lost. The winning theme does not lose it's functionality in terms of aesthetics it lacks in the usage of Windows Blinds features. If these themes are to showcase how great Windows Blinds is then this theme would not lead me to want to purchase your software.
Not only does it lack in terms of your top features but it is incomplete as well. The shut down dialog icon are straight from Microsoft. This is your prize winning theme? An incomplete and bug littered theme?
The aforementioned trick of incorporating new usage of WB features and functionality is right before your eyes. Themes like Vectra and Azenis II bring forth unique ideas while keeping things entirely usable. Vectra touts some of your most important features; such as transparency, is fully skinned and bug free and is completely usable as I have been using it since released. Azenis II, although not entirely perfect still brings forth more uses of your features in a usable manner then any of the top 3 medal winners.
I don't mean to rag on the medal winners but if I have to pay for this software I want to be able to customize things that the patch cannot, meanwhile being completely "usable". None of your medal winners do this. The idea that, ESPECIALLY Vectra did not even receive an honourable mention is cause for concern. I don't know how long your testers actually tested, but as a university student who takes his laptop to and from school and always has it running in some form I must say that your selection committee made an atrocious selection.
I am sorry for being so strong about this but it saddens me, that those who did such a good job at selling YOUR product are not being rewarded.
Reply #34 Thursday, November 2, 2006 12:00 AM
Please don't anyone be offended . . . I guess I'm just speaking my mind
BTW, I have to say Elsius Saint, that I disagree with you concerning the Premium Suites. The newest premium suites that stardock has offered (particularly "Argos") are off the charts. Even though I personally don't care for the graphic design of "Liquidox", it's complete-ness and quality is incredible. I have purchased every Premium suite that Stardock has made available and their recent stuff is quite well-done.
Reply #35 Thursday, November 2, 2006 12:19 AM
| First of all, your categories for any and all submissions in this competition are entirely too vague and need to be more specific as to exactly what is evaluated in each category, and all submissions evaluated accordingly. I also really think someone needs to stop this competition and pick new judges for evaluating WindowBlinds submissions. It is quite evident that the present ones need some refresher training, after all this is a WB5 contest, not a WB3 and 4. Many of these submissions do not reflect any of the capabilities of WB5, as required by the rules. |
Feel free to start your own contest, LightStar. While I may not have the same views as the judges, I did pick the categories and I don't think they're "too vague". They are subjective, however.
The judges are the owners of Neowin.net, deviantART, Lockergnome, Betanews, and Micro Angelo. They are certainly qualified. They simply have different opinions than you do on what constitutes a usable skin.
To users who are complaining about the judges: Unless you participated, the contest cost you nothing. There is a sense of entitlement in some of these comments that I find quite..ugly.
It's worth remembering this - we don't have to do these contests at all. Users lobby us to do them and then we do them and each time it's the same - people unhappy with the results. I may even agree with the points people make but what's the use? I didn't have a vote on these skins. What would you have me do about it? It just makes the whole thing less enjoyable for everyone.
Well guess what - there will always be people with a different opinion on what usable or original or whatever means. It's the same story each time. In the first GUI Olympics, Stardock was involved in judging and there was a riot. Last time the Winamp developers judged the Winamp skins and there was a riot. And this time we've put together a fantastic panel of non-Stardock judges and people are already complaining.
| The idea that, ESPECIALLY Vectra did not even receive an honourable mention is cause for concern. |
I didn't judge. But if I had, I would not have voted Vectra for most usable given that you can't even resize it from the top right because its close button (which isn't clearly marked) takes up the entire area. I would probably have voted for it as a finalist for most original, however.
| I am sorry for being so strong about this but it saddens me, that those who did such a good job at selling YOUR product are not being rewarded. |
Don't kid yourself. If people stopped making skins, commercial skinning would fill the void. The increase in premium suites is a direct result of fewer new skinners.
Skinners are dedicating their time to YOU. Not us. You should be the ones appreciating them. We already do by holding a contest and spending thousands of dollars on the contest in the fairest way we could come up with.
Reply #36 Thursday, November 2, 2006 12:25 AM
Maybe i should have noted that in the description but if you want to push the boundaries and be creative within the genre sometimes sacrifices are abound
Reply #37 Thursday, November 2, 2006 12:30 AM
Again, I am sorry if I offended you or anyone else. I appreciate the time, money and effort set forth in making this contest possible, but my message in the end is that the purpose is to showcase Stardock's excellent products and your winning submissions ought to reflect that.
Reply #38 Thursday, November 2, 2006 12:34 AM
| I just want to say to Brad that I am appreciative of the time and effort put forth by all parties. I just think that the functionality and the usage of features that make WB distinct ought to be incorporated into the judging or else this contest may as well be open to Msstyles too. Again, I am sorry if I offended you or anyone else. I appreciate the time, money and effort set forth in making this contest possible, but my message in the end is that the purpose is to showcase Stardock's excellent products and your winning submissions ought to reflect that. |
No problem. And trust me when I share your frustrations. But it's not just this contest but it's every contest -- EVERY GUI Olympics/Champs I've felt the same way.
That it seems "obvious" that skin X should win over skin Y. How could judge Z not see that Skin Q lacks <insert quality here>.
It happens every time.
Reply #39 Thursday, November 2, 2006 12:40 AM
| Brad, U can resize any Vectra window by dragging from just below the flag I spent many an hour making sure that that was possible. Maybe i should have noted that in the description but if you want to push the boundaries and be creative within the genre sometimes sacrifices are abound |
The key word there was creative. That skin IS very creative. But that's a different thing from most usable.
To be honest, you want to know my most usable skin?
https://www.wincustomize.com/ViewSkin.aspx?SID=1&SkinID=3861&LibID=1
If that skin had been entered now even though it doesn't use any WB5 specific features I'd still have voted for it -- for most usable.
The judges may have had similar thoughts. Not that the points that Lightstar brought up aren't valid (the tool tips on Aluminum are white on white -- I'd like to see that fixed) but they just had different opinions.
I can't even imagine the riot there will be on most original since now you're really in the land of subjectivity.
Reply #40 Thursday, November 2, 2006 12:41 AM
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Reply #21 Wednesday, November 1, 2006 5:14 PM
it's all about preference!! i genuinely believe AzenisII is the most usable, i have been switching blinds since the contest started, but 1 or 2 days later, i would switch back to azenisII..btw, i dont see the bar button as a shortcoming...
anyway, controversy is forever part of every competition...