[Ideas/concept] Skinning the Startmenu of Windows 8 aka Metro background

from WinCustomize Forums

Each time i enter my new cool "huge" Startmenu i feel like boy if this would be skinable ! 
I wonder since Decor8 is out...
1. What is the average size of the background that is giving by MS for it and what size is recommended by the Stardock guys?
2. Does it work with margins or can you simply make a background that is tripple screen size and apply it so it would not strech or cut of and repeat itself somewhere in between? if you have to many programs and apps :D
3. If not will Decor8 be included in SKS8 as a section for its own for people that do not use Start8?
4. This is just an idea but there is "Live tiles" and the primary "App tiles" would it be possible to make a code that recognizes the size of a single tile so you could skin the background frame and add another layer for decals to appear around of the tiles or over a part of the tile that would then automatically size to the tile itself / or simply 2 different skins like for a botton in windows7 as example- states for the frames mouseover etc. 
5. I dont know if this is planned for deskscapes new version / but you could also add animated backgrounds animations in certain places in the new startmenu since its so freaking huge.
I know silly question but hey im bored i switched early and cant do nothing atm unless making interfaces for games or overlays not a bad thing but i would love to jump back into the game of desktop customization even if im not popular.

I know start8 is cool i also used it but i simply think because of the size of START in windows8/Metro Interface, that there can be done much more than it could in the old Startmenu ok maybee not in transparency terms but general in size.

cheers 

4,748 views 12 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top

1. What is the average size of the background that is giving by MS for it and what size is recommended by the Stardock guys?

those are two different things.

MS is not using a classic wallpaper, but an image that covers only the upper and the lower part of the screen (for good reason, there almost no whitespace between the tiles, so there is really no need for extra optical clutter). they call this "tattoo".

those "tattoos" are stored in imageres.dll in several sizes. which size will get used depends on your screen's resolution (up to 3500x800).

in depth (in German): http://code-bude.net/2012/08/31/anleitung-benutzerdefinierte-hintergrundbilder-in-windows-8/

 

 

Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Thanks moshi your post was helpfull  k1  i read something about it but couldnt remember ^^ ty
But i still would also like to know how decor manages it since you can simply pick any background and it will cover the screen completely there should be a way to add more as i wrote above. But if decor does work the same it would make things a little more complicated at least for the devs. Skinning should be still possible the MS way but much more limited that is why i ask and want to see what could be arranged by Stardock.

Fences - Organize your desktop icons today!
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I think its always a bit better to show ideas with a picture 
PS: another idea and a great little addon would be a shutdown that replaces the user picture or adds a SD button i know there are apps that will add one to START
Group names Font selction would be also cool + having a box for it that surrounds it that could be skinned aswell.
Another thing that could be cool would be a mouseover animation effect... i have more but ill keep it to that currently.
 

Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Well, here is what I do...

I have the same image set for both my desktop and metro screens. On my metro screen I have Decor8 set to blur the image.

This way it feels like a smooth transition and flows nicely. Here are my shots:

(of course, these are scaled down... alot...)

 

Normal Desktop

 

Modern UI - Start Menu

of course, there is more if I roll my mouse wheel around. The tiles move and the background stays put.

I'm still experimenting with OblyTile but am starting that over with a bit more careful thought.

Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Phoon, reply 4
have the same image set for both my desktop and metro screens. On my metro screen I have Decor8 set to blur the image.

This way it feels like a smooth transition and flows nicely


wow ok i agree that is pretty cool B)  
Phoon do you have any more ideas what functions could be added to Decor8 ?
I mainly made this topic because i want the startmenu to get as much skinnable as possible that is why i made the START photoshop thingy one post above it isnt my true background :D my background is still the old windows8 standard.
Since you said your background doesnt move when you use the mouse wheel - is that because of Decor or was it like that since you installed Win8 since mine  does move when only a tiny bit. 

I wish some more people would jump into this topic, but it seems like most of them avoid my topics [ i dont bite /always ] 

Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I believe there is a setting in Decor8 which controls that behavior Roloccolor. I will check it when I get home tonight.

Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top

As for other suggestions. 

The ability to skin the tiles without the need for OblyTile or some other third party alternative.

I'd also like to see the tiles be able to be skinned without them showing as a "Tile". In other words, just a large png with no background. More of an Icon look instead of a square block. The trigger area can still be the square area but a transparent background for the tile would be excellent.

Live tiles, I can live with the square as I understand that changing that would break the live functionality of it. ( ie.. the weather tile ).

Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top

transparency of a tile would be a great feature, it would be also nice if iconpacker could manage to handle app icons combined with your idea of transparent tiles there would be even more possibilities.

Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Roloccolor, reply 8
it would be also nice if iconpacker could manage to handle app icons

Not from my end. 

Icon Packager crashed my system 1 too many times in the past (when trying to uninstall it). I'll have no part of it.

Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top

i thought they just recently updated it for windows8...
I think the problem is that iconpackager needs to be reset to defaults before you uninstall it...never had any probs with it before on 7

 

Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top

The border idea is interesting. Definitely like the idea of changing the default Start Screen font and allowing transparent tiles. OF course to allow transparent it would be nice if you could then alter existing tiles.

I hadn't thought of blurring the background to match desktop using Decor8, but I rarely see the desktop (hidden behind windows) so doesn't really matter.

I don't get the obsession with shutting down a pc, but don't need to replace the profile picture, just can add the option to shutdown to the drop down.

Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top

i also went with Phoon´s idea of blurring the background  :thumbsup:

I figured you dont need the shutdown user picture replacement since there is a app in store ( free ) that does that. 
Now i only need to find the time to clean up my start...