Half Life 2: Windows XP Theme - Take 2

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-*Mi6*-Mr_Matt

-*Mi6*-Mr_Matt

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I've been perfecting my Half Life 2 themed desktop that I mentioned in the other thread of similar name, and I think it's about worthy of publication!

To add to the completeness of the theme, I've also thrown together a Half Life 2 themed logon screen and even a boot screen! (Boot screen is the thing with the windows logo and the scrolling blue bars)

Here's a screenshot of the desktop.

Here's a screenshot of the login screen.

Here's a screenshot of the boot screen.

It should be up for download sometime soon, until then, tell me what you think of it!
 
*tears of joy* It is so beutiful! my precious! :dork: :cheese: :cool:
 
WWWIIICCCKKKEEEDDD!!!
WWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWW!!!!

(Sorry for spam, but this ROCKS!!!)

Hey, when its ready, i'll host it for u at www.hl2files.com!!!
Plz send it to [email protected] or if u can't e-mail it, host it on some free site, gimme the link, i'll dl it and upl it to my ftp and add it to my site! :D

¬azzkiker
(www.hl2files.com admin)
 
Just going to add my thoughts/suggestions here.

First off, the loging screen is great. The bootup screen... is nice but seems a bit bland. Perhaps you could add some sort of text to it (similar to the "Take off suit" in login screen).

The thing that gets me the most is the color scheme for Windows itself. Too much orange, or at least the orange(s) you picked don't match well with those greys, IMO. Maybe go darker greys (maybe some black) and some more white, or fiddle with the shades of orange (or at least the way you match them up with the other colors). I like the grey for the taskbar, its just the orange looks weird juxtaposed to it. Also, it seems like the buttons are sometimes the exact some grey as the window it sits upon.
I would suggest trying to push the oranges lighter to yellow, or darker to red. Some good wallpapers have excellent color schemes, so look at some of those.

The close window and minimize window buttons look decent, but you may have left out the maximizie window button and the help button (at the top right of every window).

Also, in the Startup menu, the secondary text is grey while the background is also grey, making it nearly impossible to read it (even though its not necessary to read). I'm talking about the descriptive text for each program in the upper group, which, for you, consists of Internet and Email.
---

Are you going to change the standard desktop icons? Such as My Computer, Internet, Trashcan, My documents, ect. Also have you altered the various sounds? (such as the sound when clicking on links, closing programs, and the windows logon/logoff/shutdown sounds) This would result in an excellent fully fleshed out theme. For the sounds, you may want to try to isolate some distinctive sounds from the videos and perhaps use some old HL1 sound files (you'll need to use some imagination here as to what to use as HL2 sounds are limited).

I hope you don't get discouraged and will continue working on this. I'm sure many people would love to have a full HL2 theme (me included). Keep up the good work!
 
Thanks for your suggestions Totalkrusher.

I thought of the bootup screen as simple but elegant myself, it gives a great feeling of reverence for the Half Life 2 symbol. I didn't make it flashy and overtacky because it doesn't need it, it looks fine when it's simple.

As for the colours, I spent ages picking the right ones, and a colour revamp would be too time consuming. I like the results as they are, it's down to your personal taste, like it or lump it.

I am aware of the problem with the secondary text in the start menu, and it bugged me too, but no matter how hard I searched, I could not find the bloody code that related to those. They are unnecessary yes, and you can read them when highlighted with the mouse, so unless you're very nitpicky, you can overlook it.

Changing desktop icons requires a different program which I do not have. I'll definately look into it, and may post an update with them in.

Sounds themes would be easy enough to create manually for each person's personal taste, but I suppose will compile one of my own choosing to go with the theme.

Theme is as is now, because it's up for download already, and taking it down is too much hassle, but I'll work on those optional upgrades.

Stay tuned!

----------------

Azzkiker, I've taken you up on that offer and have sent you an e-mail with a link to where you can get the theme. I'd rather conserve my site's puny bandwidth for more personal things ;)

Thanks a lot for the offer and I look forward to when everyone can enjoy my work. Don't forget to post when it's up!
 
The bootup screen is good as is, I just felt it might be better with a little more, but I don't know what that would like anyways.

I understand why you wouldn't want to change all the colors manually, it just that the colors struck me as... weird... or something. Hard to describe. One of those things that suddenly flicks on in your head to make you realize something isn't right (for me at least).

A few questions:
1. What program are you using to alter the themes, buttons, colors, ect?
2. What method are you currently using to implement the theme? (Because you should just be able to include a folder with the icons, and boom they change when you apply the theme)

If you add those extra things (icons, sounds), and fix the few errors, it will be a great XP theme.

As for that Start menu secondary text, I'm looking and not exactly sure. Tell me how your changing everything and I'll get back to you on that.

One last thing, did you change the cursor? That might be pretty cool as well. (Note: there are multiple cursors you would need to change)
 
I am using StyleBuilder, like any sane theme designer, available at TGT Software for free download. Another download on that site, StyleXP, is needed to install the theme, there is a link in the readme also.

There are seperate programs for installing the logon and the boot screen, and links for where to get these are in the readme file.

I have managed to quickly fix the grey text on the start menu after all, and the download is being updated as I speak.

The cursors are another thing that I could change, but again, there isn't an all in one package I can use.
 
YES!!! You used my crowbar idea!!!!
 
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Click the Back button to try another link.
HTTP 404 - File not found


;(
 
Sorry, there's been a lot of hassle about getting this file up somewhere, it'll be out in good time.

In the meantime, you can take a peek at the matching icon and cursor sets I've created!

Icons screenshot is HERE

Cursors screenshot is HERE

The cursors look a tad bitty when enlarged but they look great when in use. The ones with the manhack are animated so that its blades are spinning.

My favourite is the trashcan icon - headcrab when full - no headcrab when empty.

ALSO I am creating a sound scheme from audio extracted from the bink files. It involves weapon sounds, monster noises, and some funny dialogue snippets. I hope to be completing that sometime soon, and it may be up for download at the same time as the icons and cursors.

Stay tuned for the theme release.
 
Hmmm. I can't wait for this theme to be released. Two Thumbs Up :thumbs: :thumbs:
 
Can you switch the HL2 logo and the biohazard logo places? I think it would look cooler if when you clicked the Biohazard logo it would exit the application and when you clicked the HL2 logo it would maximize or minimize? I guess I think the biohazard logo looks like an [x].
This looks awesome, especially when compared to the other one.. "black mesa"
 
would someone be nice enough ...to send me this over IRC or something

my browser is screwed up....it wont luanch java based stuff.

......

irc.gamesnet.net #LFS

nick=crab

thx

edit: actaully...i forgot..my e-mail is fooked to. damn computers.
 
I bet that's because you have a hacked version of Windows XP isn't it? And it wont let you upgrade via the service packs.

Well you can get the java virtual machine independantly from HERE, just follow the signs.

Down with microsoft!

The cursor, icon and sound pack are hopefully soon to be out and bundled with the rest of the theme at http://www.halflife2files.com

Edit: changed the link to a better one, just follow the links from the main page
 
Originally posted by -*Mi6*-Mr_Matt
I bet that's because you have a hacked version of Windows XP isn't it? And it wont let you upgrade via the service packs.

Well you can get the java virtual machine independantly from HERE

Down with microsoft!

The cursor, icon and sound pack are hopefully soon to be out and bundled with the rest of the theme at http://www.halflife2files.com
Click to expand...


shhhhhhhhh......heheh

edit: oh yeah thx for the link. for some reason when i went to the sun site it wouldnt let me download.
 
Hmmf, cool, but i relly don't like the theme, theres to much orange all over.
 
orange is my fav. color, great job, i really like it!
 
Im sorry but that is really not good looking. Its just a Luna recolor. I guess it serves its purpose but to use it would be like manually removing my eyeballs with a tweaser and hammer.
 
so i got the desktop working, and the logon screen, but when i overwright the loading screen file my comp. wont boot what do i do?
 
i downloaded style xp, and i put all of the file after i unzipped it, in the c:windows/resources/themes. and it is still not working anyone can help me out plz my
 
still cant see the screens... can someone attach an image, instead of linking it?
 
Suicide42 said:
still cant see the screens... can someone attach an image, instead of linking it?
Click to expand...
I can't see the screens either ;( . I feel like I'm missing out.
 
Graaarrrghgh!!!

IT DOSNT WORRRKK!!!!!!!!!XDXDXDXDXDXDXD

BLAHRGH!!!!!!

XD XD XD XD

Need help, any advice welcome, RELPY NOW!!!XDXD
 
Crimzon Regret said:
IT DOSNT WORRRKK!!!!!!!!!XDXDXDXDXDXDXD

BLAHRGH!!!!!!

XD XD XD XD

Need help, any advice welcome, RELPY NOW!!!XDXD
Click to expand...



What in hell......


good job reviving a dead thread.
 
15357 said:
What in hell......


good job reviving a dead thread.
Click to expand...


Thanks, and now could you please kindly HELP ME!!!!???!

I cant use any themes oon my computer now and the half life 2 theme still wont workXDXD

NEED HELP NOW!!!!XDXD

BLARGH!!!
 
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