Published on October 15, 2004 By d3adz0mbie In WindowBlinds
In Draginols latest blog entry, DesktopX for games, supporting skinners, and more, he discusses a new skinning strategy to produce quality skins for Windowblinds. "the authors of the top 10 new (non-ported) WindowBlinds skins will start getting a percentage of WinCustomize subscription sales", is an exciting step forward for Stardock, encouraging quality skins and once again showing how they support the community. Its so exciting, even I want to be a skinner.

But I've got a problem with skinning... it's all been done before

Seriously, how many versions of Luna or Aqua can you use? How many grey, blue or even ugly looking wood simulation skins can you produce before its all been recycled? The portion of the Windows interface that Windowblinds (and msstyles) skins is finite, and after a while the creativity becomes limited.

So whats to be done? The easiest, and most viable solution is for Stardock to introduce semi-transparency in Windowblinds. I've talked to a few people behind the scenes, and it can be done. Semi-transparency opens up a world of free-form skinning possibilities, breaking down the finite boundries of the Win GUI.

So do me a favor, push for Stardock to add semi-transparency to Windowblinds. Post it on your blog, in forums, tell your friends. Lets put some very friendly pressure on Stardock to take us into the next generation of skinning.
Comments
on Oct 15, 2004
How about some macabre, death, and horror skins?

Could make it look like the windows screen was created out of flesh or like an old tombstone, something like that. Just some ideas since I have zero skill when it comes to actually skinning. It is a pained process for me to edit pictures and such.

Good luck.

- Grim X
on Oct 15, 2004
wow...
on Dec 20, 2004
amen, transparency would be a lot of fun, not to mention gorgeous
on Dec 20, 2004
Friendly pressure? Damn, that rules out taking Frogboy to see a French Chef with a eye for legs....

I would love to see it...even if its just a test version.
on Dec 20, 2004
CerebroJD pushes REALLY hard for semi-transparency!!
on Dec 21, 2004
This thouched a topic I wanted to write an article about. Something I just did. You can read it here: http://thomthom.wincustomize.com/articles.aspx?aid=58783&SID=5330&UID=509772