Presenting Vickie Theme for SageMC

[Skacey]

This is the Vickie 1.01 Theme for SageMC. It is loosely based upon Victorian Themes and mixes an old world feel with modern technology.

Features in this theme:

Real Wood EPG bars - Unique and exotic woods showing all of your programming options.
File Drawer Genre Icons - Bringing the Dewey Decimal System to you TV
No Text Show Icons - I can't see if that's a W or an HD - I used pictures
Oval Picture Frames show your menu choices - Ornate scrollwork shows your selection.

Please let me know if you find problems or have ideas that may improve on my idea.

-Thanks!

http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/down...do=file&id=308

[mayamaniac]

not my taste, but very nicely done.

[SageGk]

Looks great, just 1 question...what menu file do I need to get this to work?

[jphipps]

Can you post your screen layout also?

Thanks,
Jeff

[Skacey]

I'm not sure I know how to do this part.

I've just adjusted the menus with the internal edit screens but I'm not sure how to include that with the theme.

These are the four items that I couldn't figure out how to fix:

1. Saving the menu layouts with the theme
2. Getting the highlight to work better (it's nearly impossible to see with the Genre Icons)
3. Edit any of the remaining graphics. For example, the progress indicator bar when you play/pause.
4. Upload a theme file of more than 2meg - I had to strip out several graphic files and lower the resolution on several items to make this cut off. I didn't have much luck finding another hosting service.

Any help on these three items would be appreciated. I will update the theme with the results.

Thanks

[SageGk]

Originally Posted by Skacey

I'm not sure I know how to do this part.

I've just adjusted the menus with the internal edit screens but I'm not sure how to include that with the theme.

These are the four items that I couldn't figure out how to fix:

1. Saving the menu layouts with the theme
2. Getting the highlight to work better (it's nearly impossible to see with the Genre Icons)
3. Edit any of the remaining graphics. For example, the progress indicator bar when you play/pause.
4. Upload a theme file of more than 2meg - I had to strip out several graphic files and lower the resolution on several items to make this cut off. I didn't have much luck finding another hosting service.

Any help on these three items would be appreciated. I will update the theme with the results.

Thanks

I know someone has to know. This is a nice theme, help us out!

[jphipps]

The menu file and screen layout, once you export them, just put them in the folder with the theme. They have to be manually imported...

Thanks,
Jeff

[Skacey]

Ok team,

I found that the easiest solution to uploading my theme was to host it on my own web site. Once I had all of the files loaded it was just as easy to put in my own links for downloads.

If you are interested in this theme, go to www.skacey.com where you will find the full theme, the Real Wood EPG bars, the Card Catalog Genre Icons, as well as the Portrait menu layout.

Please let me know what I have missed, now that I can update it a bit easier, it shouldn't take nearly as long to address concerns.

-Skacey

[Skirge01]

Sadly, not my taste, but I absolutely love the unique nature of the theme and the level of details you've added. The way you designed each of the card catalog drawers is absolutely brilliant! The blending is pure genius. (Did I mention I like your work?)

If you wouldn't mind some unsolicited observations...

One thing kind of caught me off guard with the genre icons... the martial arts. Upon first look, I thought that was meant to be an apron for cooking shows or something. With how you did everything else, I'm surprised you didn't use the drawer knob as the black circle in the bottom part of a Yin yang. The bottom of the handle is even perfectly suited for the top, white circle. And a wooden Yin yang would probably look very good!

After further admiring of your work, I thought the History one could use "a little more". I don't know if you're from the U.S. or not, but, if so, I think the Declaration of Independence would go nicely as the background. Something like this? I thought the old, yellowing paper would blend nicely with the wood coloring. Or, perhaps, the founding fathers?

Again, I love the work you've done so much that I thought I'd offer up what crossed my mind. Hope you don't mind.

[doc]

Originally Posted by Skirge01

... the martial arts. Upon first look, I thought that was meant to be an apron for cooking shows or something.

I really didn't mean to laugh out loud at this comment but I couldn't hold it in.

Yes, its a black belt for martial arts, and I wouldn't have even thought of it looking like an apron, but now I can't get it out of my head

[mayamaniac]

put a nunchuck tugged in the belt.

[Brent]

Nice work on this unique theme!

Could you do a main menu icon for Online Video perhaps?

Also, I'm not sure how to get the EPG bars working. I see the "wood" bars for the channel names, but the highlight bars for the guide itself aren't changing.

Thanks!

[Skacey]

LOL - anyone remember Yan Can Cook?

I like the yin yang idea - I'll try to work something up.

For History, I've got some ideas based upon your suggestions - let me play with that one a bit.

The tough part about Online Video is finding a Victorian image to represent "Online" - I'll see what I can come up with for this as well.

Thanks all for the feedback, it's always nice to get new ideas to play with.

As to the EPG Bars, these should go into one of the Theme's folders (they are included in the Vickie Theme) I'm not sure what would cause some graphics to work and others not.

-Skacey

[briands]

Originally Posted by Skacey

LOL - anyone remember Yan Can Cook?

I like the yin yang idea - I'll try to work something up.

For History, I've got some ideas based upon your suggestions - let me play with that one a bit.

The tough part about Online Video is finding a Victorian image to represent "Online" - I'll see what I can come up with for this as well.

Thanks all for the feedback, it's always nice to get new ideas to play with.

As to the EPG Bars, these should go into one of the Theme's folders (they are included in the Vickie Theme) I'm not sure what would cause some graphics to work and others not.

-Skacey

How about an antique phone patchbay - think operator and multiple plug wires... here or here or here Throw an antique globe on top.
OR an antique globe with a couple patch cables connecting locations...

[Skirge01]

Originally Posted by mayamaniac

put a nunchuck tugged in the belt.

Oh man... I'd be afraid I would then see an apron and chopsticks tucked in the belt!

[Skirge01]

Originally Posted by briands

How about an antique phone patchbay - think operator and multiple plug wires... here or here or here Throw an antique globe on top.
OR an antique globe with a couple patch cables connecting locations...

I see the dilemma with the online videos. I think that's a pretty good idea, although I wonder if it might be too small for people to know what it really is?

What about a drive-in theater with "www" or "hello world" on the screen? On a similar image, would changing the wording from "Drive-In" to "Surf-In" be too much alteration of the original and lose the Victorian feel?

Note: While Googling for some ideas, I stumbled onto this and just had to share. I remember playing with this thing at some point of my childhood! Sorry, back on topic...

[Skacey]

Ok, here are two new icons

My TV Alternate - this was my first My TV Menu Icon and it's the one in the screen shot and preview. I decided later to try for an even older image but I'm not sure I like it better.



Online Videos - Here is a first try at this one, I went with a globe with superimposed filmstrips. Let me know what you think.



All files can be previewed and downloaded at www.skacey.com

-skacey

[TorontoSage]

I am very impressed by your creativity.

I think 'I Love Lucy' is perfect for TV (although it might be lost on some younger people), but then this is a menu with an old world feel anyway.

I think the online video just doesn't 'fit' as well as the one you showed originally.

Also, I hate to even criticize because this theme was so artfully done, but when I look at the music icon I see a flower, but I know it's a gramaphone. Because the part you show is red, that contributes to why I see it as a flower. Maybe you could show a bit more of the player portion of the gramaphone?

What graphics program did you create these in?

[Brent]

Very nice Skacey - that online video icon works perfect. I think we might be able to use your graphics/photoshop skills for some future 3rd party development

[Skirge01]

Originally Posted by Skacey

All files can be previewed and downloaded at www.skacey.com

-skacey

Did we overload the website? Can't seem to get there. Anyone else having problems?