Encouragement for new player skins: Step by Step Instruction

MoDementia · Post by **MoDementia** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 7:52 am

My first skin was difficult, confusing, frustrating and time consuming.

To make the process easier for Media Monkey users I have packaged a starter pack and step by step intructions for creating a player skin based on any image, downloaded or created.

I recreated my original skin, writing the instructions as I went, although still a time consuming process, I hope the intructions will take out most of the other issues that may dissuade users from attempting a customised skin.

The instructions and the starter pack can be found here
My improved Warcraft 3 skin is included in the pack as a sample.

The pack is currently in Adobe Photoshop format but I will add a PNG Version somtime tomorrow. (Instructions will still work, just a little more work if you make a mistake.)
[Edit]PNG Version added[/Edit]

Typical Murphy's Law; Soon after witing the instructions I came accross two applications that make the whole process almost painless. However, the intructions are still valid as I was not able to reproduce my first skin exactly and it provides a deeper understanding of the skinning process.

One does things better than the other and vice-versa.
Cyanide Shop 1.0
and
Skinner 1.2

No excuses now! If you use one or both of the applications it should only take 1/2 hour at the most to produce a player skin.

MoDementia · Post by **MoDementia** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 5:33 pm

Just noticed this has been made sticky, thanks.

Hope it inspires some more skins

If you have a wallpaper you love, why not turn it into a skin for your Media Monkey player; Just follow the instructions

Lady_Gerbil · Post by **Lady_Gerbil** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 9:48 am

If I don't have photoshop, how can I do this? I don't have a way to crop the images in the correct location...

Post by **Lowlander** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 11:05 am

You can try it with The Gimp or Paint.Net which are free.

rovingcowboy · Post by **rovingcowboy** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 4:49 pm

I'll second lowlander's choice for Gimp that is as full featured image program as photo shop only it is free.

just might be a little tricky to learn for some, it seemed to be more techy

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 6:04 pm

which is reccomended? I'm new to this. Think i can figure it out ... but mayeb would like a nudge toward the preferred one?

Cyanide Shop 1.0
and
Skinner 1.2

rovingcowboy · Post by **rovingcowboy** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 7:23 pm

it's not nice to link to a download of a file. you should link to the html page that has the information about the files on..

the gimp is what i was saying is the one i would use if i had to get one.

Steegy · Post by **Steegy** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 6:32 am

Look here for "Winamp Classic Skin" editors: http://www1.1001skins.com/winamp_skin_t ... round.html

BTW: It's probably even more handy to just edit those skin files in only an image editor (without using a special skin editor). You don't need most special features of these editors (cursors aren't used by MM, transparency doesn't exist, ...)

rovingcowboy · Post by **rovingcowboy** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 8:09 am

so those links are to skinner programs for winamp? okay thanks.
i don't like winamp skinner programs.

but steegy that site you linked to is the one that has a skin already made for the winamp classic skins that is called "templete"

it is easy to download that skin and change the images in the photo program like you suggest.

i agree with you on that skin editor for winamp it is not well liked you can go to the winamp skin site for classic skins and find thousands of the same style skin but different colors. they were all made with that cookie cutter editor program.

Post by **Peke** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 10:12 pm

If Someone is willing to start few new skins.
Here is something I'm working on for some time and for now they are only Snapshots (Will provide links to files soon).

My gift to new 2007.

http://thalassa.bio.auth.gr/artwork/

rovingcowboy · Post by **rovingcowboy** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 3:22 am

snap 21 the yellow cab? and snap 22 the greek bank?

both caught my eye as nice looking and different.
but i thought you already did the yellow one?

is that the same you posted in the earlier post of yours in the mmskins thread?

just too bad i can't figure out why the icons started to turn white on my skins, i would be working on some too if they had not turned white.

Post by **Peke** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 7:50 am

Snap21 is called Taxi and I didn't do it, I have done BeOS Skin which is different.

I'll post also ThemeEditor that can be used in editing the skins.

Started to turn White? Never happened with me.

Steegy · Post by **Steegy** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 7:57 am

@Peke: Those skins you use, are these the normal ones (mskn)? Or updated ones (from a newer skinning engine version)? Or a totally different skin format?

Post by **Peke** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 8:05 am

Those skins are my collection of MSKN files I collected from net and I was not able to find/contact Author or developer of them. Possibly they are even older than ThemeEngine MM currently use.

rovingcowboy · Post by **rovingcowboy** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 9:38 am

yep starting with the trucking skin the icons started to bleach out on me?

i tried a few other skins but they just kept getting whiter no idea what causes this to happen when i make a new skin?

i did however get several made and posted, i guess anymore from me would just be overkill? maybe that is why the editor started messing up on me?

Encouragement for new player skins: Step by Step Instruction

Encouragement for new player skins: Step by Step Instruction

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