7.5.20 Impressions...

LOL.
Imperial Theme? yes, it looks great.
But…
It´s ONLY the mixer (!) - incl. stupid tiny buttons!!, not scalable, problems with small flat screens, e.g. :unamused:
nevertheless:
Reaper´s menu´s, plugin windows, preferences, etc. etc. looks like Office Windows 95 GUI style (!)
very ugly. Sorry.

:confused:






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Wow… Thx for the honesty. I don’t have this problem (Video not the honesty lol) but kudos on the transparency!

:nerd:

No thanks. Having software look like the actual hardware for the sake of, well, looking like actual hardware can actually be counter-productive. There’s a word for this: (practically word-of-the-year for 2013, thanks to the iOS7 re-design) Skeumorphism.

comparisons:

offers a clear and well designed control surface, which makes for user-friendly operation.


Wikipedia:Arguments against skeuomorphism in digital design

The arguments against skeuomorphic design are that skeuomorphic interface elements use metaphors that are more difficult to operate and take up more screen space than standard interface elements, that this breaks operating system interface design standards, that it causes an inconsistent look and feel between applications,[13] that skeuomorphic interface elements rarely incorporate numeric input or feedback for accurately setting a value, that many users may have no experience with the original device being emulated, and that skeuomorphic design limits creativity by grounding the experience to physical counterparts.[14]

Apple Inc., while under the direction of Steve Jobs, was known for its wide usage of skeuomorphic designs in various applications. The debate over the merits of Apple’s extensive use of skeuomorphism became the subject of substantial media attention in October 2012, a year after Jobs’ death, largely as the result of the reported resignation of Scott Forstall, described as “the most vocal and high-ranking proponent of the visual design style favored by Mr. Jobs”. Apple designer Jonathan Ive, who took over some of Forstall’s responsibilities and had “made his distaste for the visual ornamentation in Apple’s mobile software known within the company”, was expected to move the company toward a less skeuomorphic aesthetic.[15] With the announcement of iOS 7 at WWDC, Apple officially shifted from skeuomorphism to a more simplified design, thus beginning the so-called “death of skeuomorphism.”[16]


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Yes, it’s very nice. As are a couple other themes (RADO is another one I’m using).

The problem is that it has zero hope of ever becoming “resolution independent” across Retina (and PC equivalents).

Not a big issue now for most of us, but it already affects Apple / Retina laptop users.

I’m glad to see Cubase taking these future-proofing steps toward a true, scalable, razor-sharp, resolution independent UI, but there are tradeoffs: growing pains.

A lot of the complaints about font sizes and clarity are likely a causality on a larger battle Steinberg is waging for us, behind the curtain.

I know it’s not an easy battle for them, as they used to be king of the pixel-perfect font thing (one of the reasons I gravitated toward earlier versions) – so their designers definitely “get it.”

Having the pixel-perfect, almost photo-realistic look and having resolution independence is really hard problem to solve.

Some get attracted by shiny things… :laughing:
I second your intention to jump ship!

I’ve this bug constantly on the mac 64bits… :confused:

It would be interesting to see the demographics of those who prefer software looking like actual hardware vs. the opposite.

I would guess those who grew up on real mix consoles would prefer the ones that look like hardware, and those who grew up on a DAW or not using a real mix console would prefer Steinbergs mix console. (Even though it could be said that is a compromise between the two.)

In the future, I think you can see which way this is going to go.

And you can bet your pants on this being the main reason loads of users suffer with these issues while the other lot of us don’t !

I had mentioned this in another comparisons thread but it is quite embarrassing that Cubase looks like a toy compared to some of the other DAWs.

Luckily I won’t go form over function but it really is a slap in the face…

:nerd:

+1

To be honest, I really don’t like that design or even the MixConsole’s design in general. I appreciate its newer functionalities over the C6’s mixer, but design-wise I’ll take that over the MixConsole anytime.

I think we all like software that looks like hardware to some extent - Does anybody not like the realism of the UAD plugin graphics?!

I wish Steinberg could hire the “White Tie” guy.
(SAW, Cubase VST, Nuendo 1-6, Protools, Samplitude)
None of them look as refined as this theme.

It isn’t only the mixer as someone stated.
Maybe you didn’t realize what you were looking at.
Small buttons? Not really…Much better then hovering, waiting and missing the mark
because there are too many controls stuffed into too small an area.

Yesterday I was trying to remove three plugins in Nuendo6.0.7.
I was using the “No Effect” method. Clicking on the right side of the slot trying to get the
scroll window to select no effect. It took me 4 tries because the next slot over kept
trying to open its drop down. The controls are too close and too fiddly to be used quickly.
Yea, I know you can click and press delete. (my usual method)
But, I was temporarily working one handed.

In the past, I’ve worked on 80 channel Neves, SSLs and even API consoles.
I could care less about it looking like the hardware.
But when you stare at a piece of software for 8-10-14 hours a day…
Anyway, clear and functional is what I need.

I realize that this Reaper theme was done by someone who donated their own time and
it was a labor of love. Maybe Steinberg needs to find someone in love with Cubase and Nuendo.

Where is the passion?

I don’t mean to bash Cubendo here. It is still my fav and I use it everyday.
(with growing frustration) I think seeing this should wake them up a bit.
The competition is real.

I agree a 100% with Rotund.

I re-started my mixing career here:

I totally agree! I wish Steinberg would give us more customization options or hire a guy like white tie. The edit window is great and I really cant complain about the look. The idea behind the mix console is on the right track but the graphics need to be given serious consideration. As they are now, they look like: Microsoft Excel meets Logic 5.5

The spread sheet look is really not that flattering. The boys from Fab Filter seem to have the right ideas for clean, modern, user friendly gui-s.

It wouldn’t really take that much to clean the mix console up.
The over abundance of grid lines and the cheap paper texture looking background isn’t working that well for my taste. The latest gray framed incarnation of the loudness meter is reminiscent of something you’d buy at radio shack 30 years ago, or of one of the first cell phone prototypes.


The attached pic is old and Ive posted this a while ago. It was an attempt to see how the look could be changed so it has a bit more tactile feel and a cleaner work flow while still respecting the topology of the MC. It was really a product of curiosity. The pink meters are 80s inspired as I was working on stuff that was 80s sounding. :smiley: I keep mine the default color.


I am not a professional graphic designer and did it just for myself. I’m sure there are even guys on this forum who’d kick ass if they gave it a go.

C’mon Steiny, give us some gloss.

Best,
_F

That looks great! I’ve posted a few times about how the first release of the new mixer in 7 looked much better than the present version (see Steinberg Forums, Steinberg Forums, and Steinberg Forums). I strongly dislike the new pale grey background behind the meters - it’s like all the definition and vibrance is gone and we’re left with a grey, murky mess.

How did you achieve what you posted in the screenshot?

Hi Brock,

Its just photo shop. Thanks for the positive feedback!! I agree with you, the gray background looks like a draft design that was photo copied too many times with the ink running low. It definitely lacks the crispness and vibrancy. I don’t know how hard it is to implement more user customization for the gui, but it would be great to have those options at least.

Cheers,
_F

Exactly… the realism of the plugins is amazing but that said, I just want stuff to work right first…the pretty pictures are secondary.

I was tempted to install it but honestly, I’m pretty happy w/C7 right now.

Also, I don’t really see anyone “Bashing” Reaper



:nerd:

Yes, that looks really nice. Very clean