[rob]

I'm finishing up an AU filter effect I've been working on. I need a little advice on the UI.

The question is, would looking at this drive you nuts? The file's about 180k. So, I'm doing it as a link.

Screen shot.

Thanks,
Rob

[jahloon]

rob, on Jan 7 2006, 01:29 PM, said:

I'm finishing up an AU filter effect I've been working on.  I need a little advice on the UI.

The question is, would looking at this drive you nuts?  The file's about 180k. So, I'm doing it as a link.

Screen shot.

Thanks,
Rob
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'd want a plain background, the filter's complicated enough without making it hard to read.

Jeff

[Kai]

jahloon, on Jan 7 2006, 09:14 AM, said:

rob, on Jan 7 2006, 01:29 PM, said:

I'm finishing up an AU filter effect I've been working on.  I need a little advice on the UI.

The question is, would looking at this drive you nuts?  The file's about 180k. So, I'm doing it as a link.

Screen shot.

Thanks,
Rob
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'd want a plain background, the filter's complicated enough without making it hard to read.

Jeff
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, that background gets the Wired Magazine-Style Deliberately Busy And Potentially Aggravating to the Colorblind Graphics Award. Best to keep it simple and high contrast.

Otherwise it looks to be a nice layout. Judicious use of 3D effects (bevel/emboss, shadows, etc.) for active controls, for emphasis, is always nice. Totally flat graphics aren't just boring, they're less informative. Just my two (Canadian) cents.

[Newbie Brad]

This is a fairly common direction compared to guis of some of the filters I downloaded last year from KVR Audio. I like a cleaner gui than this, one where the level indicators are dead simple to delineate from the background and all indicators align to the same plane geometry so I don't have to think. This one is visually a bit too busy for me. Of course if I like the sound of the effect or instrument the gui isn't key to my accepting the thing...

[Bapman]

rob, on Jan 7 2006, 03:29 PM, said:

I'm finishing up an AU filter effect I've been working on.  I need a little advice on the UI.

The question is, would looking at this drive you nuts?  The file's about 180k. So, I'm doing it as a link.

Screen shot.

Thanks,
Rob
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah it drive me nuts but I LIKE IT.
Good Layout MAN

Bapman

[transient]

The background's a bit distracting, but other than that, it looks fine.

.
e

[Kai]

Forgive my ignorance, Rob, but by AU do you mean Audio Units (Apple's default format for OS X/GarageBand/Logic)?

Filters are at the top of my list of coveted plugin toyz... Consider me a potential customer.

[rob]

All,

Thanks for all of the comments and helpful advice. I've sent it off for some other friends to look at as well. Because of the interesting range of comments I've gotten, I want to try an experiment. I'm mocking up a variety of UI looks. I'll put them up at my (undone) website in just a bit. Then I'll put up the links for so they can by brutally evaluated.

Kai,

It is an Audio Unit. Funny thing, the host I use (Tracktion) can't even use AU's. I like AU's so much more than VST's, I'm not even considering porting to VST at this time. (Probably a dumb idea given that I actually do need to make money. But, I spent the last year and a half doing Windows development. I can only take so much frustration at a time.)

I'll post some more for your amusement in a bit.

Thanks again,
Rob

[rob]

O.K. As threatened, here are some different UI treatments. The goal for me is to get some feedback on what is acceptable/desirable to people. I guess you guys could look at it as a chance to tell at least one programer to either stop being so boring or loopy (depending on how you view things).

In the world of normal programs, it's pretty easy to know what to do about UI. In the AU/VST world, I don't think it is so clear. User expectation is different.

Well, here are the links:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

[gazmungus]

Damn! Impressivey!

you could maybe get 1,5 & 9 to morph into one another - great for epilepsy!

just kidding

I'm very much a minimalist and a simpleton - therefore #2 was easiest on my eye

_
gary

design a filter for my underpants?

[jahloon]

6 or 12 for me, perhaps you could offer different skins?

Gary - the underwear problem - fill your skids with charcoal, but don't fart too hard - it fills the room with soot.

(Thread officially hijacked )

J

[gazmungus]

jahloon, on Jan 9 2006, 03:53 PM, said:

Gary - the underwear problem - fill your skids with charcoal
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I can't, It'll irritate me farmers (re slang thread)

jahloon, on Jan 9 2006, 03:53 PM, said:

(Thread officially hijacked  )
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

'kin yeah baby

_
gary

whoredy o' ewe knit

[jahloon]

corcoran, on Jan 9 2006, 04:26 PM, said:

I can't, It'll irritate me farmers (re slang thread)
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sorry to hear about your chalfonts, tender nauticals can really drive you radio.

J

[rob]

jahloon, on Jan 9 2006, 03:53 PM, said:

...

(Thread officially hijacked  )

J
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's why I start 'em in the B*****ks section .