The Master Skins!
What are they and how you can get them!
Friday, January 19, 2007 by Frogboy | Discussion: WinCustomize News
Master Skins. What are they?
A Master Skin is a skin made by a user with Master access or higher that is premium content. On WinCustomize.com we have access levels:
- Citizen
- Apprentice
- Journeyman
- Master
Users can rise up through those access groups based on merit -- becoming part of the skinning community and contributing to it in the form of skins, themes, icons, wallpapers, helping other users, writing articles, etc.
Once they get to Master level, they can choose to submit a skin and ask for a price on it. By the time they've become a master, they've probably provided a lot to the community for a considerable amount of time. This becomes a way for users to "give back" to the skinner for all the hard work they've done as well as for the skinner to be able to help support their hobby.
It also provides an incentive for up and coming skinners to create great stuff to share freely with others. By doing so, they too move up through access and can one day become a master. Half the income generated by master skins goes to the author and the other half goes to help maintain the site. WinCustomize.com subscribers get a 20% discount on Master Skins.
Master Skin Example: Suite 18
Master skinner Adni18 has uploaded literally hundreds of skins and themes to WinCustomize.com over the past 6 years. In that time, his skins and themes have been downloaded over 11 MILLION times.
Today, Adni submitted a suite called Suite 18. It contains a WindowBlinds skin, 4 gadgets, a wallpaper. When he submitted it, he made it a Master skin for $9.99. If you're a subscriber, it is only ~$7.99 (though the price is only updated during the checkout phase).
The Inevitable Debate
Master Skins are integrated into the main gallery section. You'll see a little tag by the skin if it's a Master skin. Now some people are going to say "I shouldn't pay for skins". I'm not one to argue what people think they should pay for. One of my main "day job" activities is helping produce PC games. PC games make millions of dollars (GalCiv II certainly did). Are games worthy but skins aren't? I certainly don't make that distinction. What I do know is that if the community wants to encourage long-time skinners to keep making cool stuff, then making some income to help pay for computers and software and their time seems to be a pretty worthy thing.
I also like the idea that it provides an incentive to up and coming skinners to make stuff. Skinning is fun. It's supposed to be fun. But it can also be a lot of work too. I used to skin a lot a few years ago. But I'm not very artistic and with 3 small children, it's hard to find the time. But I applaud those who dedicate the time to share their great creations with the rest of us. And I am glad to have a way to contribute in my own way back to them. Plus, it provides another incentive to subscribe to WinCustomize.com and help keep the site growing and running.
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Reply #62 Sunday, January 21, 2007 12:52 PM
| Moderators nominate someone to be a master based on their contributions and we vote on it. Masters then have the right to submit content as a premium (master) skin which is then moderated by Stardock. |
Thanks for the answer.
Reply #63 Sunday, January 21, 2007 2:34 PM
| Thanks for the answer. |
I second that!
Brad wrote:
"Master skinner Adni18 has uploaded literally hundreds of skins and themes to WinCustomize.com over the past 6 years. In that time, his skins and themes have been downloaded over 11 MILLION times.
Today, Adni submitted a suite called Suite 18. It contains a WindowBlinds skin, 4 gadgets, a wallpaper. When he submitted it, he made it a Master skin for $9.99. If you're a subscriber, it is only ~$7.99 (though the price is only updated during the checkout phase)."
This is - IMHO - a great example of why the 'Master Skins' programs should exist. I also noticed that there was a small graphic glitch reported in the comments of that skin, and that Adni18 responded with an update swiftly. This should be the standard (again, IMHO) which all 'Master Skin' authors should adhere to.
Way to go, Adni18. 
A very fair arrangement if this level of standard holds true. 
Reply #64 Sunday, January 21, 2007 3:01 PM
| I knew it was going to come to this! Just a matter of time! I pay money for OD, which is too high to begin with and I get average to below average skins to choose from. Now for the good skins, I am suppose to dish out more money??? Now that is sick and sad, both rolled into one! Ever since WB 5 came out, the skin quality has decreased substantially. Now we have to pay for the good skins. This is bullshit, it really is. |
I've had a current OD sub for years.
What it gives me is the capability of creating my own skins. What it doesn't give me is the talent or skill needed.
Free skins are just that. Free skins. I see no reason harp about quality since I still haven't created my own and even the worst skin posted is still better than what I am capable of now. Good or bad, the vast majority is still free. Since you have ODNT, you have the capability of tightening up any skin to your specifications.
Reply #65 Sunday, January 21, 2007 3:57 PM
But now . . the master skinners have more choices. Sounds like a winning plan.
Reply #67 Sunday, January 21, 2007 6:56 PM
Today, 6:12 AM
Not all good skins are made by "Master"s.
Entirely true, but they have been viewed as having earned the right to sell their skins, due to their contributions to the site through many quality skins, and their long history of involvement. Think of it as something to aspire to...
Reply #68 Sunday, January 21, 2007 7:08 PM
| I pay money for OD, which is too high to begin |
WTFEver ..
Considering all that you get with an OD Subscription, your comment is of so little importance that it's a joke in and of itself.
Reply #69 Sunday, January 21, 2007 7:13 PM
Reply #70 Sunday, January 21, 2007 7:16 PM
).I'd suggest that the poster vote with their feet and spend their money where they think it would suit them best.
Reply #71 Sunday, January 21, 2007 7:17 PM
| Which brings up an interesting question which is, who exactly decides who is a master skinner? Is it Brad? It is a committee of employees? Is it the admins and mods? Seems like a subjective call at best. So who decides who has the right to earn money at WC from the sale of skins? |
It's "the admins and mods", by majority vote [should be mentioned in the 'About' page ...see bottom of this one], and interestingly all Master nominations to date have been unanimous.
Just to word things more accurately...it's about deciding who is granted the privilege of 'earning money at WC'.
It's about as 'subjective' as determining who will be the next US President. There is quite a 'path' of interaction/promotion/positive rapport within the Wincustomize.com site/community to start at Citizen and graduate to where skin sales are possible, by which time public community acceptance/appreciation of these 'Masters' will be a given....
Reply #72 Sunday, January 21, 2007 9:21 PM
Ive been selling skins on my own site and on TGTsoft for years and have done very well.. with VS slowing down as a business decision ( i do this full time) I traversed the gap to Wb because its obviously the better market to be in now with Vista on the scene Also on my first attempt placed 3rd in GUIC
Do i now have to start all over to sell on WC even though i have 5 years experience.. as i see my level is Citizen?
Reply #73 Monday, January 22, 2007 2:59 AM
| t's "the admins and mods", by majority vote [should be mentioned in the 'About' page ...see bottom of this one], and interestingly all Master nominations to date have been unanimous. Just to word things more accurately...it's about deciding who is granted the privilege of 'earning money at WC'. It's about as 'subjective' as determining who will be the next US President. There is quite a 'path' of interaction/promotion/positive rapport within the Wincustomize.com site/community to start at Citizen and graduate to where skin sales are possible, by which time public community acceptance/appreciation of these 'Masters' will be a given.... |
Works for me. Thanks for the explanation.
Reply #74 Monday, January 22, 2007 4:18 AM
I still have some kinks to work out with my techniques and some of the finer details of skinning...but someday...
Reply #75 Monday, January 22, 2007 4:26 AM
Its usually as much a twice that. 
Reply #76 Monday, January 22, 2007 7:19 AM
Reply #77 Monday, January 22, 2007 8:15 AM
| Phoon, it's fair for a user to have an opinion, even one that runs counter to the prevailing opinions here |
I never said that someone was not entitled to their opinion...
This person clearly just wants to bitch and complain and insult those around him.
Yes, I should have let it just pass by but it was just to much to overlook.
Reply #79 Tuesday, January 23, 2007 8:39 AM
Reply #80 Tuesday, January 23, 2007 8:54 AM
(As an aside, the folks that spend so much time getting good enough to become masters deserve some reward. Being able to sell their work at a rate they pick (if they want to sell at all) is a good thing.)
It will be interesting to see what prices the master skins will be at as time goes on. What will the market support?
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Reply #61 Sunday, January 21, 2007 12:41 PM
Wow! Thats cold. You are entitled to your opinion but I disagree. I have been skinning windows for about four years now and to me it just keeps getting better.
I would start naming skins that are above par and free, but there is no way to list them all. Feelings would get hurt.
I think people are scared that WinCustomize will start charging for all skins. No way this is going to happen. There are to many other ways to skin windows for Stardock to allow this. THEY need free skins.