Windowskin WIP - Opinions appreciated

[second_crimson]

So I designed the following windowskin for my game:
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b391/ ... wskin2.png[/img]
I've made some improvements from the first version, but it seems the part that's giving me the most problem would be the battle selector. It's too plain. I don't want it to be embossed or rainbow coloured or anything, but I don't want it to be flat and boring either.

Any input or opinions would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

I probably should add that I would appreciate no one using this windowskin in their game. I prefer some aspects of my game to remain unique.

 

[shiroun]

The big arrows look to plain, I LOVE the idea of a spinning cursor tho. Try doing that for the big ones? Or maybe try swords? Sand?

 

[second_crimson]

The big arrows look to plain, I LOVE the idea of a spinning cursor tho. Try doing that for the big ones? Or maybe try swords? Sand?

Yeah I hate those arrows. They're just placeholders til I find something better. I don't think I could do spinning with the selector, what with the limitations of how windowskins are set up...unless I had a script. Swords are an idea, but as it is also used to select targets for magic and healing, it doesn't seem appropriate at all times. What do you mean by sand? Like an hourglass?

 

[Rare]

Just letting you know that the animation for the cursor is AWESOME.

As for the arrows...why not try putting them on an angle?  I think the arrows themselves would look okay if they were slanted, and had some more effects.

 

[Xilef]

O_o That animation has been used loads of times, with different shapes too  ???
I think it is too plain. The arrows and cursor need a gradient or a texture, and I don't think you should have went around the frame in black, use a dark brown, black makes it look amateur.
Background is nice, change the four arrows in the centre of the frame, the default ones aren't very good. And the selection box has a 2px frame, so you can thicken that up if you want to define it better.

 

[second_crimson]

@Elias - Thank you...I didn't really think it was anything special...I tried slanting the arrows to see how I like them.

@Xilef - About the animation: *shrug* I didn't exactly rip anything, but I also realize it's not an original concept. It's just something I held over from my RM2k days, creating spinning coins. I know it's too plain (hence why I said it's too plain in the first post). When I was going over it again, I noticed I had used black, so I already did go around and use a dark brown. I also anti-aliased a few things to make it look less pixellated, and I shaded the border some more to make it pop up more. I'll probably change the extension arrows, but what do you think would look good? Should I go for a similar style to the next-message arrow? I've also redone the selection box. It's now a lot less defined then what it was before (and yes, I had used those 2 pixels), because I'm currently using a cursor script, so I really need the box for just some added emphasis. It's actually a little more see-through.

As far as the battle selection, I'll try adding a texture. I don't like doing gradients too much, because...well...I'm horrible at them, and I don't think a PS gradient would look good. But I'll try the texture.

Thanks so much for the input guys, and I've updated the image with the changes I made last night.

 

[Xilef]

That looks great. Not sure about in game, but from a glance it looks fine.
You gave me new inspiration that I had lost, second_crimson. Thanks!

 

[windsaver]

I like how you made it look like it has texture. The small arrows are a little messed up and need to be rodone as your big arrows are to plain. Other then that, it's very good.

 

[second_crimson]

@Windsaver - Thanks for pointing that out. They are now fixed.

May I ask what I should do to spruce up the big arrows? I've tried texturing them...I could gradiate them, I suppose. I don't want to emboss or make them TOO 3d, as I thin it would clash with the rest of the windowskin.

Thanks for the input.

@Xilef - Thank you!