New skin for MSI Afterburner: Kompakt

theGryphon · *Last edited by theGryphon; 11-02-2009 at 11:42.*

Hey guys, I just finished my first and probably the only skin for Afterburner. I did it for personal use but I wanted to share...

I simply hate the stock Afterburner skin because of the incredibly inefficient space use and huge GUI at the end. I mean no offense but whoever designed the skin just wanted to put the thing In-Yo'-Face

I like the colors and lines actually so I decided to give a shot to try and squeeze it a little.

I love the end-product which cost me hours of trial&error. I don't care if you don't like it, I did it for myself

EDIT: Added the tiny "Kompakter" skin. Enjoy!

Download:
http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=6...db6fb9a8902bda

"Kompakt" preview:

"Kompakter" preview:

with default skin at same scale, just to compare:

Unwinder · 10-29-2009, 06:38 | posts: 10,368 | Location: Taganrog, Russia

Well done, nice to see familiar nicknames here

Cybermancer · 10-29-2009, 06:40 | posts: 13,832 | Location: Cyberspace

Nice. Thanks for sharing, theGryphon!

theGryphon · 10-29-2009, 09:07 | posts: 86

Thanks guys, I'm glad you liked it

I just updated the skin for better visuals here and there. Tiny changes that nobody but I would notice, lol.

It's good to be here Unwinder

I've been lurking for a *long* time in Guru3D forums but decided to join in recently...

theGryphon · 10-29-2009, 13:25 | posts: 86

Care for some red?

It's in the same link as above.

Cheers!

TheHunter · 10-29-2009, 13:28 | posts: 13,439 | Location: √╥²

cool, i was wondering where i can get more skins

Unwinder · 10-29-2009, 14:10 | posts: 10,368 | Location: Taganrog, Russia

Quote:

Originally Posted by theGryphon

Care for some red?

Haven't peeked inside the skin and don't know how it is implemented, so probably the hint is useless for you. But anyway: keep in mind that you can use bitmap effects (e.g. hue tuning effect) to create such kind of skins (i.e. different color variations of the same skin) really really easy.

theGryphon · 10-29-2009, 14:14 | posts: 86

Yeah, I just used the "Colorify" function in GIMP and some hue effects to make the red one. Having different colors if very easy...

Getting the original skin smaller was tough!

theGryphon · 10-29-2009, 14:16 | posts: 86

By the way, it's someone from MSI who designed the original skin, not you, Unwinder, right?

Unwinder · 10-29-2009, 14:24 | posts: 10,368 | Location: Taganrog, Russia

Quote:

Originally Posted by theGryphon

By the way, it's someone from MSI who designed the original skin, not you, Unwinder, right?

Right, that's MSI internal design.

Unwinder · 10-29-2009, 14:25 | posts: 10,368 | Location: Taganrog, Russia

Quote:

Originally Posted by theGryphon

Yeah, I just used the "Colorify" function in GIMP and some hue effects to make the red one. Having different colors if very easy...

Getting the original skin smaller was tough!

That's not what I meant. I was talking about using skin compiler's bitmap effects processor. It allows you to create the same just via editing the header and without need to process all bitmaps manually.

theGryphon · 10-29-2009, 14:38 | posts: 86

Whoa! I didn't know that! Apparently I didn't pay attention to details in the manual

Anyway, I added another version with the slightest of changes: red one with green sliders buttons

pvhk · 10-30-2009, 15:02 | posts: 17

thxs a lot theGryphon!
Great job!

basco · 10-31-2009, 09:35 | posts: 49 | Location: austria

using the red one -thanks for your time and work

spajdrik · 10-31-2009, 12:46 | posts: 1,079 | Location: Czech Republic

thegryphon : thanks mate for skin, myself wanted smaller skin like this!

MadGizmo · 10-31-2009, 15:22 | posts: 1,154

I like the red one. Matches my card.

theGryphon · 11-02-2009, 11:49 | posts: 86

Hey guys, thanks for the comments!

I'm glad you're liking it.

But now, behold for the tiniest skin possible: the "Kompakter"

Check it out in the first post!

Just a note with this skin: I got rid of the "save" function, which is readily available with right-click on the profile number. Also gone are the sliders. You gonna have to type in the desired values and press "return" (enter); if you change your mind press "esc"...

Cheers!

happy · **Memory**: 4GB @ 8-8-8-24 @1600Mhz

i love that kompakter skin

Cybermancer · 11-02-2009, 14:49 | posts: 13,832 | Location: Cyberspace

Quote:

Originally Posted by theGryphon

But now, behold for the tiniest skin possible: the "Kompakter"

Check it out in the first post!

Damn! That skin's awesome dude! I love it.

Garrett_Wu · 11-03-2009, 13:27 | posts: 135

Great!! the "mini" Kompakter is really cool.

(maybe MSI should make a official "small" skin.....?)

theGryphon · 11-03-2009, 13:42 | posts: 86

Thanks guys!

Well, I don't know if MSI is going to make an official small skin, but I know that I wouldn't work on this if they did so in the first place...

Desktop space is an important asset for everyone I think and the default skin is poorly thought of from this aspect. MSI should've seen from the EVGA Precision example who did a much better job in these terms. I never needed to create a skin for Precision but I like the "no sliders" design and I think I will do one skin for that one too if I go back...

happy · **Memory**: 4GB @ 8-8-8-24 @1600Mhz

any chance of changes to the colour system?

Unwinder · 11-03-2009, 14:19 | posts: 10,368 | Location: Taganrog, Russia

Quote:

Originally Posted by theGryphon

Desktop space is an important asset for everyone I think and the default skin is poorly thought of from this aspect. MSI should've seen from the EVGA Precision example who did a much better job in these terms.

That's a question of your desktop resolution and your personal preferences. When I initially received Afterburner skin concept image from MSI designer and started compiling USF file from it, I've also got the same "It is so huge" impression, but after some work with it I got used to it and find it more than comfort now. And furthermore, after that I start experiencing a discomfort from way too small default monioring area in EVGA Precision (that's actually the reason why I made monitoring window detachable and resizeable there (it was not requested by EVGA)). And if you're following custom EVGA Precision skins threads, you'll see that many custom skins are actually trying to increase Precision window size, not vice versa.
So "bad job" and "good job" is way too personal, there is no way to satisfy everyone. And that is why there are skins, which allow you to create something fully conforming to your own preferences.

DSK · 11-03-2009, 14:27 | posts: 17,984 | Location: Coldwells,UK

IF you could do blue that would be epic

theGryphon · 11-03-2009, 14:34 | posts: 86

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unwinder

That's a question of your desktop resolution and your personal preferences. When I initially received Afterburner skin concept image from MSI designer and started compiling USF file from it, I've also got the same "It is so huge" impression, but after some work with it I got used to it and find it more than comfort now. And furthermore, after that I start experiencing a discomfort from way too small default monioring area in EVGA Precision (that's actually the reason why I made monitoring window detachable and resizeable there (it was not requested by EVGA)). And if you're following custom EVGA Precision skins threads, you'll see that many custom skins are actually trying to increase Precision window size, not vice versa.
So "bad job" and "good job" is way too personal, there is no way to satisfy everyone. And that is why there are skins, which allow you to create something fully conforming to your own preferences.

Surely Unwinder, it is a personal preference and my judgement is purely personal

I don't intend to offend anyone, so my apologies if it's understood that way

So, you guys want different colors, eh?

Different colors for what part? The gray-black frame? or the light effects? Blue is a good idea for the light effects, I can make a full Blue mod...

More ideas?