[Design-team] The Theme

[Máirín Duffy]

On Wed, 2009-06-17 at 09:18 +0300, Nicu Buculei wrote:
> On 06/16/2009 09:04 PM, Martin Sourada wrote:
> >
> > My idea based on our previous approaches:
> > 1. sketching the base concepts (ideas accompanied by simple pictures)
> 
> We should decide here about the way to go: like F11, trying to get a 
> concept/metaphor and everybody working toward it or like F8-F10 with an 
> open "competition".
> I think neither of those worked very well...

I wonder if we could take an approach instead of creating the base image
from scratch this time, to go out and search the best of openly-licensed
content and try to provide a thematic selection? That way there is much
less pressure on us I think.... because the creative process is not
always so consistent in terms of time/effort involved, if we make a
selection of things already available perhaps we can deliver on a more
predictable schedule? (and get some publicity/exposure to artists who
aren't already on the team but already 'get' open licensing - maybe it
will help us convince them to join our effort :) )

The theme that unifies the selected images could be derived from the
codename. It would be great to have a whole cohesive set of images for
users to choose from too instead of just one like we've always done.

This would still involve some effort from us too, to convert/crop photos
to the ratios we support and whatnot.

We could have a competitive element to determine which one of the
selections is the wallpaper by default?

It might be cool too, to work up a list of personas, each of which we
should try to aim a wallpaper at. For example, the Windows XP base set
of wallpapers has the flower and the pink wallpaper for girls... 

> > 2. get initial approach wallpapers into Alpha (concept should be decided
> > upon, wallpaper should look good, but needs not to be polished). This is
> > where we need to get feedback (most of the design team people blogging
> > about it?) and reflect on it. If more concepts are still being discussed
> > over, have them all in the release (automatically change the different
> > concepts so that we users/testers wouldn't need to change them
> > manually?)
> 
> According to the schedule, we have Alpha freeze on 2009-08-04 and Alpha 
> release on 2009-08-18.

That is NOT a lot of time :( When in the schedule is the final codename
selection to be made by?
> 
> Maybe we should set a date before the Alpha freeze (a number of weeks 
> after the release name announcement) as a deadline for *concept* 
> submission, so we have the time for a selection before the freeze?
> 
> > 3. have most of the artwork covered by Beta (based on the alpha feedback
> > we'll build a theme upon a single selected concept; after this milestone
> > we must not change the concept so that we'll have enough time to fill
> > the holes and do final polishes)
> 
> +1

+1
> 
> > 4. polish for RCs and Final so that the release artwork will be awesome
> > and breath taking ;-)
> 
> +1

+1

~m