AmpGUI DP Themes (now at AMPGUIMODS.NET)

[Shooshie]

I think I'm actually going to go after Simple. There's some really solid stuff there. Besides, it's too bright and sunny where I am to work on a dark theme right now .

Oxidized and Gotham. Just think of them as deeply warm. I could sure use those, And Simple is just too gray for me. Besides, you've already updated 3 grayish themes. Gotham and Oxidized are truly unique, offering real alternatives to those of us who just find the gray look in (any) software to be painful to the eyes, even when brilliantly executed.

When I was working 36 to 48 hours non-stop on a regular basis many years ago, I propped art books all around my workstation, as well as scenic photographs, just to avoid the monotony of MOTU's interface for such long periods. With the coming of Themes, and more particularly your themes, I no longer had to do that, but I do go to Prefs and change themes every few hours. I seem to rotate Oxidized and Gotham of course (with slightly more of the time spent in Gotham), then rotate to Mellow/Gold, Mellow, Warmer, and Sleek. Once in a while, just for a lark, I'll switch to Jade or Aquarius. But my core themes are Gotham and Oxidize, which People are probably tired of hearing me say… I'll try to shut up and wait.

Shoosh

[labman]

Gotham and Oxidized are truly unique, offering real alternatives to those of us who just find the gray look in (any) software to be painful to the eyes, even when brilliantly executed.
Shoosh

Well put. They certainly have their own character. I LOVE gotham. Oxidized didnt get into. What is the lighting type in your room Shoosh? What type of color temperature? How bright?

[Shooshie]

Gotham and Oxidized are truly unique, offering real alternatives to those of us who just find the gray look in (any) software to be painful to the eyes, even when brilliantly executed.
Shoosh

Well put. They certainly have their own character. I LOVE gotham. Oxidized didnt get into. What is the lighting type in your room Shoosh? What type of color temperature? How bright?

It's more the woodwork and desk surfaces, which are all maple. Oxidized actually blends in. The lighting is variable. Halogen, fluorescent, and LED. I adjust it as needed. The oxidized theme looks like it was custom made for this room.

[labman]

The oxidized theme looks like it was custom made for this room.

I think thats the key. Good line Shooshie.

In my "all organic analog" days, when we designed a room, we tied it all together with the woods, walls, racks, floors, etc. Video and mac screens are sort of odd ducks as they are constantly changing in front of you, or worse yet changing and drawing attention via your peripheral vision while you are working on something else. Our rooms here were designed to be warm relaxed and relational. At least that was the intention. And I guess that is why Warmer and Gotham and Mellow EB work so well with all our woods and earth tones.

[amplidood]

You guys are making me think I need to create software that analyzes the ambient light and color tones of a room to suggest the most appropriate theme

[labman]

You guys are making me think I need to create software that analyzes the ambient light and color tones of a room to suggest the most appropriate theme

Hah!!! Yeah inventor boy. GO for it!!!

I have been using the app called FLUX that alters the color hues depending on time of day. Enables work at nite without going to bed totally wired from my retinas being burnt to a crisp from all the mac monitors.

[amplidood]

To keep the quality always moving up, I'll be making tweaks to these themes as I use them in my everyday work. Hopefully they will be improvements my users will appreciate as well.

[Shooshie]

To keep the quality always moving up, I'll be making tweaks to these themes as I use them in my everyday work. Hopefully they will be improvements my users will appreciate as well.

Would it be asking too much just to make Oxidized usable? Currently, you can't see any tabs in the Consolidated Windows. If I just had that, I could actually use it. I still hope to see all the updates you've devised for the DP8 Themes applied to Oxidized and Gotham, but just to have them both online would be nice. (Gotham works fine; I'd just like to see these new updates applied to it. Oxidized, however, is almost unusable because of the tabs)

As always, I appreciate your work. What you've done for the DP GUI ought to go down in the history books. Maybe I'll get around to updating the Wikipedia entry (which I wrote and others chopped to shreds), and if so, maybe I can work in a mention of your role in the advent of Themes. Chances are that some Wiki-druid will chop it out, but I could try. Anyway, it's much appreciated.

Shoosh

[Shooshie]

Hello. My name is Shooshie.
I'm addicted… to AmpGUI Themes for Digital Performer.

I had always liked a custom GUI appearance if it was tastefully done. I remember SoundJam and its "skins" that just made it an entirely different app, visually. I thought then how great it would be if we could do that in DP. Well, it would take 10 years or so, but it finally happened. A few years back, amplidood started messing around with DP GUI mods. It turns out he was pretty good at it. I tried a few, and they transformed my workplace experience. So, I bought every one that he made. Periodically I would switch mods just for fun.

I wasn't the only one. Suddenly the forum was alive with people wanting to know how to get the AmpGUI mods. And they weren't the only ones to take notice. People were talking about it on other forums, and most importantly, MOTU noticed. They were getting so many requests for this modded version of DP that they literally changed the DP interface and gave us access to what they would call Themes. Amplidood changed the face of DP, officially now.

I kept updating each time Andy would put out a new one, and each new iteration was just amazingly better than the last. Now, the ones he is making for DP8 are absolutely incredible. I've never seen such a beautiful interface for any DAW, or any app for that matter.

And that's when the trouble started. First, my wife noticed as she was walking through the room that I was licking my monitor and drooling. She warned me that I was getting addicted, but I didn't believe her.

Then one night she came in and found me curled up in a fetal position, rocking my monitor, which I had clutched tightly to me. When she tried to pull it away, she realized that I was using those AmpGUI themes again. This time I hissed at her and muttered some barely intelligible words. I think she said it was something like: "My Precious!"

She thinks she can take our Precious away, doesn't she, the good little wife. Oooooh, she don't know our Precious, does she? Nooo… she can't HAVE our Precious, can she?

Yes, we are addicted to our Precious. Does they have a problem with that? We didn't think so. Ooooo, they can't have our AmpGUI themes, can they?



Shooshie
PS: all seriousness aside, Andy's new themes are the best I've ever seen.

[labman]

Used the new Warmer yesterday and was blown away. Superb.

[amplidood]

I never know what to say Shooshie. What a cool thing to make someone's creative world that much more creative....

New development screenshots for what's in the works are up....

http://ampguimods.net/dp_themes.html

[labman]

Jeepers andy . Gotham is already starting to look really sweet. It looks almost 3D if 3D can be organic looking.

Shoosh, I sent your addiction post to my team here. I think it'll go down in history !

[kgdrum]

Hello. My name is Shooshie.
I'm addicted… to AmpGUI Themes for Digital Performer.

I had always liked a custom GUI appearance if it was tastefully done. I remember SoundJam and its "skins" that just made it an entirely different app, visually. I thought then how great it would be if we could do that in DP. Well, it would take 10 years or so, but it finally happened. A few years back, amplidood started messing around with DP GUI mods. It turns out he was pretty good at it. I tried a few, and they transformed my workplace experience. So, I bought every one that he made. Periodically I would switch mods just for fun.

I wasn't the only one. Suddenly the forum was alive with people wanting to know how to get the AmpGUI mods. And they weren't the only ones to take notice. People were talking about it on other forums, and most importantly, MOTU noticed. They were getting so many requests for this modded version of DP that they literally changed the DP interface and gave us access to what they would call Themes. Amplidood changed the face of DP, officially now.

I kept updating each time Andy would put out a new one, and each new iteration was just amazingly better than the last. Now, the ones he is making for DP8 are absolutely incredible. I've never seen such a beautiful interface for any DAW, or any app for that matter.

And that's when the trouble started. First, my wife noticed as she was walking through the room that I was licking my monitor and drooling. She warned me that I was getting addicted, but I didn't believe her.

Then one night she came in and found me curled up in a fetal position, rocking my monitor, which I had clutched tightly to me. When she tried to pull it away, she realized that I was using those AmpGUI themes again. This time I hissed at her and muttered some barely intelligible words. I think she said it was something like: "My Precious!"

She thinks she can take our Precious away, doesn't she, the good little wife. Oooooh, she don't know our Precious, does she? Nooo… she can't HAVE our Precious, can she?

Yes, we are addicted to our Precious. Does they have a problem with that? We didn't think so. Ooooo, they can't have our AmpGUI themes, can they?



Shooshie
PS: all seriousness aside, Andy's new themes are the best I've ever seen.

Shooshie,
Besides the terrifying mental images you gave me w/ this post,I keep thinking besides the fact that we should all chip in for a case of monitor wipes for you with some intensive therapy,my oh my your wifey sounds like 1 lucky woman!


p.s. To Andy,I want to get a few of these again,last had in early DP7.
As soon as you complete Gotham and Gold and maybe 1 more for variety,I'm gonna re-up
I want to have these again I sure hope I don't get as affected as our Texan brother though!! lol

[Radiogal]

I'd love the Nostalgic theme for DP8... being nostalgic.This is as close as we can get to the GUI we all were happy with using before DP6 was launched.

[Shooshie]

Shooshie,
Besides the terrifying mental images you gave me w/ this post,I keep thinking besides the fact that we should all chip in for a case of monitor wipes for you with some intensive therapy,my oh my your wifey sounds like 1 lucky woman!

Oh, she knows it! And don't worry about the wipes. I keep it licked clean and spotless.

p.s. To Andy,I want to get a few of these again,last had in early DP7.
As soon as you complete Gotham and Gold and maybe 1 more for variety,I'm gonna re-up
I want to have these again I sure hope I don't get as affected as our Texan brother though!! lol

Really, I think everyone ought to re-up for the whole shebang. These themes are worth having, and to have them is worth paying for, and the new ones are worth RE-paying for. I don't expect everyone to do what I do, but that's how I feel about it, and I will pay yet again for the DP8 themes. They depend on Andy's work, and he should not have to do that for free.

Shoosh
PS: Done. I'm officially "elite" status for DP8.