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The GUI Olympics begins MONDAY

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The GUI Olympics begins MONDAY

from WinCustomize Forums

This Monday, the GUI Olympics 2004 will begin. It's a contest to see who can create the world's best visual styles, icons, and Winamp 5 skins.  Sponsors include Stardock, Nullsoft, ATI, nVidia, and others.  Microsoft is also providing prizes to the contest.  In total, over $10,000 (closer to $15,000) in cash and prizes will be given out including ATI video cards, an Xbox, tons of software and probably some surprises.

You will be able to enter skins individually or as part of a team.  The top teams will get a big bonus prize.  Anyone can form a team and there are no restrictions on the size of team (though obviously the bigger the team, the bigger the split in the prize money). You could have a Team MyfavoriteWebsite or a Team "l33t". It's up to whoever starts the team (on Monday there will be a mechanism on www.guiolympics.com to create your own team).

The rules are fairly straight forward. You have to enter submissions that are NEW. They can't be things that already exist.  They also have to be in WindowBlinds visual style format. But if you've ever made a .msstyles visual style, it's pretty easy to make a WindowBlinds one and SkinStudio can convert a .msstyles file to WindowBlinds visual style format. And then from there add the missing features to make it competitive.

The contest begins on March 1 but JUDGING won't begin until April 5 so you'll have over a month to actually put together your stuff. And judging goes on during the entire month so you may potentially have nearly 2 months depending on what events you're concentrating on.

Here is the schedule of events:

April 5: Most minimalist visual style, Most creative Winamp skin, Most original icon package
April 8: Best Power user visual style, Most useable Winamp skin
April 12: Most usable visual style, Best power user Winamp skin, Best "themed" (icons go together the best) icon package
April 15: Most creative visual style
April 19: Best themed* visual style*, Best themed* Winamp skin, Best pseudo-OS icon package
April 22: Best Pseudo-OS visual style
April 26: Best overall visual style, Best overall Winamp skin, Best overall icon package
April 27: Top Team/Individual: WindowBlinds, Top Team/Individual: Winamp, Top Team/Individual: Icons
April 29: User's Choice: Best visual style, User's Choice: Best Winamp skin: User's Choice: Best icon package

*themed skin as in the whole skin keeps to a particular theme.

16 Events. Over $10,000 in cash and prizes. Anyone can enter.

The judges will be admins/employees from Stardock, Neowin, deviantART, and Nullsoft.

So there you have it.  WB visual styles, icon packages, and Winamp 5. For $10k to $15k in cash and prizes spread among 16 main events.


[Message Edited]
49,850 views 191 replies
Reply #151 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Hi Doreen!

You should contact me sometimes, it's been long time
Reply #152 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Treetog against Alexandrie ... that should be fun ...
DeskScapes - Bring your desktop background to life.
Reply #153 from WinCustomize Forums Top
this is going to be a highlight of me year

Seeing everyone turning out new and really fantastic works is going to be a real inspiration all the way around
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Reply #154 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I know Alex it's been too long I will soon (I promise) KISS
Reply #155 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Who said guys don't have pms? Too funny, carry on!


Petty, Moronic and Silly? Oh yeah we're chalk full up so don't try selling crazy here Lady

It is what comes natural with having to make the quick choice between which side of the anatomical equator to think or react from
Reply #156 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I know the projects Alexandrie and Treetog are involved in.  MASSIVE work.  And yet they are still participating. And as Jesh mentioned, I also know the project he's involved in.

I don't know about you guys, I'm very excited about this year.  So much bigger and better prepared.

Moreover, I think there's a real desire by both skinners and users alike to see innovation and the GUI Olympics is a great venue for that as skins won't be judged by downloads.

Reply #157 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Oh....guys....guys....guys.....

One quiet night and next day there's 5 pages of 'Perils of Pauline'....

Enough, already.

Facts are that this 'little contest' is not....it's a BIG contest.

Famous, infamous, expert or newbie.....it'll mean the same to all....public recognition and exposure.

Some my not care for that, others may be unable to participate....c'est ordinaire.

I personally won't be entering.....for good reason.

Responses to any histrionics within this thread I'll leave to email....saves adding to the silliness....

Oh, yeah.....listen to Baker....[he's feeling overlooked]....

Reply #158 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Jafo, you forgot an "a".
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Reply #159 from WinCustomize Forums Top
A goofy question.

Do we enter the contest as the subcategories? I mean, when I enter, do I specify that this Winamp skin is intended for 'most creative', or do I just enter the skin and you guys pick if it is a 'power user', etc?

Is there a limit to how many we can enter? I am torn between two ideas...
Reply #160 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Do we enter the contest as the subcategories?

good question (and nice to see this thread getting back on topic)

A new skin from Baker is a real exciting proposition! Two new skins is overwhelming

Reply #161 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Baker....I expect specifics will be clarified on Monday.....and as Dave said....some newies from you would be bonzer-spiffy-etc....)
Reply #162 from WinCustomize Forums Top
We'll see. Like Jesh said I dunno if I can get the scipting down in a month, but I'll try. Sad part is, if there had been an LS, DesktopX, etc., desktop theme category I would have been able to do a lot more. I have a bunch of stuff already made up for such.

Whatever I don't get done in time will still get done. )
Reply #163 from WinCustomize Forums Top
oooooooohhhhhhh this is going to be so much fun. Even watching it will be fun.




And just looking at all these comments I think its going to be VERY interesting as well.
Reply #164 from WinCustomize Forums Top
And as Jesh mentioned, I also know the project he's involved in.


That's 1 of 9 jobs being worked on with 4 more starting in the next 2 weeks and 2 charity skins. That 1 job frogboy mentioned includes building a player and music service from the ground up, full logo and identity/collateral and the front end and back end of a website.

Maybe pixtudio can handle 6 jobs and enter. I don't see how any of my guys could and still try to piece together some form of social life. More power to those who can.

Can we port a skin from WMP to WB if most of the work is redone and still compete? We do have a wb skin we're working on but it's a port. Though start menu, taskbar and just about everything else is new. Titlebar and bottom of window would be from the port.
Reply #165 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Oh, Jesha...I'm sure you could spare one of your guys for this thing. It'll be fun... Do it Do it!
Reply #166 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Obviously I got to the party a bit late, but after reading all seven pages, I offer the following observations.

1 Jesh is Jesh...anyone who's dealt with him at any point in the past knows he's arrogant, but often comes of even more arrogant than he actually is.

2. If there is recognition and money to be had, you can count grayhaze in. The last GUIO 2 years ago is the last time you uploaded a new skin wasn't it? In spite of your mini rant about doing it for fun and the rest of the "community" mumbo jumbo you spewed, the above fact convinces me what you really do it for. Anyways...really looking forward to that new skin you're working on. Hopefully there will be more cash available in a few years and we'll get another skin from you.

I won't be entering anything this time around because i'm too busy with work and the fact that skinning isn't fun for me anymore...hasn't been for a while. The fun ended for me around the time I worked with a certain "Art Director" who shall remain nameless.

Reply #167 from WinCustomize Forums Top
honestly china that's up to the TSF artists. i doubt they want to take on more work. If we can use the port then maybe we can fit it in.
Reply #168 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Oh come on Davad70 i wasn't that hard on you for AOM was i?
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Reply #169 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Hummmmm Art Director Huh....Was it Jesha, David?
Reply #170 from WinCustomize Forums Top


Oh come on Davad70 i wasn't that hard on you for AOM was i?


No, not really saying you were hard on me. Difficult to deal with, yes. I dunno exactly what it was...just having someone else tell me how to do a skin spoiled something for me. After having to redo parts of that skin so many times, I now second guess everything I make. I'm just weird I guess. I tip my hat to everyone who's able to do it commercially...just wasn't for me.
Reply #171 from WinCustomize Forums Top
David, I had a close friend like that.

I used to explain to everyone that "Yes he is a butt munch and hard to have around for most, but once you get past that he is really a great guy"...

Which was all well and true but it didn't change anything. He still thought he had the best grip on reality and attempted to beat everyone aout the ears with it. He would sit and tell a Carpentar how to frame a house while never having picked up a hammer in his life because he was all thumbs and could't run a tape measure.

Wild huh?
Reply #172 from WinCustomize Forums Top
If there is recognition and money to be had, you can count grayhaze in. The last GUIO 2 years ago is the last time you uploaded a new skin wasn't it? In spite of your mini rant about doing it for fun and the rest of the "community" mumbo jumbo you spewed, the above fact convinces me what you really do it for. Anyways...really looking forward to that new skin you're working on. Hopefully there will be more cash available in a few years and we'll get another skin from you.


Well as I'm obviously only in the skinning game for the money and the publicity, perhaps I should reconsider my entering the contest. We'll ignore the fact that I have actually been skinning on and off over the past two years, occasionally showing my work to the public but never finding the time to release anything. We'll ignore the fact that I have been in full time employment for the past two years after a stressfully long time without an income, where skinning gave me an outlet to hone my skills and keep my mind off paying the bills. We'll ignore the fact that shortly before the announcement of a new GUI Olympics I started a thread to display a current skin I was working on and try to get some feedback. We'll ignore all that and just assume I'm a money-grabbing hypocrite.

What was Tech Cat saying about personal attacks?
Reply #173 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Incidentally, while I do consider the contest an incentive to put an extra amount of work into skinning, I have no delusions that I'll be winning again this time around. I've had my 15 minutes, and I'd like to think that this contest will give someone else a chance to have theirs. I would like to see lesser-known skinners produce their best work go on to win against the known 'experts' in the field. I think that's what the contest is really about - encouraging an emerging talent to flourish with the promise of a possible incentive.

To be honest, I was having doubts about entering before my motives were brought into question. Although I enjoyed the last contest immensely, I found the pressure of having to skin to a deadline to be a little too stressful for my liking. I prefer to take a long time over a skin and gradually hone it to my vision of perfection. I honestly wasn't happy overall with the two skins I entered into the last contest, as my recent complete remake of one of those skins should attest.

I find it incredible that within a couple of days of this new contest being announced, we have exactly the kind of sniping, condescending attitudes crawling out of the woodwork as we had last time. Why can't this contest just be about skinners trying to push themselves and achieve something they otherwise wouldn't have been able to? Why does it have to be about politics and petty details?
Reply #174 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Davad70: It's definitely tough working under someone else but you did really well with what you had to work with. Not easy making a gold skin look presentable... and you did that. I think you should still be doing this stuff. Second guessing yourself is okay as long as you know when to "quit" second guessing. I think it would be a real waste for you not to continue skinning considering the talent you possess.
Reply #175 from WinCustomize Forums Top
grayhaze: while i may not be too fond of you at the moment - the last skin you did the gold/silver looks really really good. You should definitely be entering this contest. What i tried to say at the start is the contest is a good idea i just don't see us having time to enter it. 4 weeks from now is not enough time for us considering our workload. That's why the guys won't be doing it unless we can enter that port i mentioned.