Lareieli

I'd like to add that by using "floating" text and buttons (clear borders) you could eliminate that chunky, space hogging rectangular look and the UI would become much more "organic" feeling. There may need to be a thin "halo" behind some things (the only image editor I've ever used is Micrografix so I think of "drop shadow" effect).

My ideal UI doesn't have to be ugly, text can be very decorative (especially when its not in a box). Tiny details like the jewels and thin metal looking curlycues that decorate the ends of the "loading" bar in the new patch window skin can give a fantasy feel without taking up as much space as a square filled with a decorative background.

My ideal would probably line the sides of the screen as closely as possible, obstructing as little of the bottom and top as possible, but ideally groups of buttons and gauges could be moved around as needed, and windows could be closed and opened as needed as well.

__________________
Lareieli Coeurleger
~Lady Lightheart~
~~Cazic Thule~~