I just figured out how to use MXM skinner 5.0. Well sort of. I noticed that some skins have square shaped preview vids while others have circles. I was wondering how you make the circle preview. I have a jpeg picture and want to cut out a circle to put the preview in it. Thanks!

Those typically use a PNG with transparency to "frame" the preview video behind it.

Better still, MXM supports an alpha channel, meaning you can add glints/highlights that aren't completely opaque for a lens-like effects.

So can I still use that jpeg image? I've never really messed around with pictures. So I'm new to this. How would I get it to be transparent in that circle. Can I use picture it 7.0? Thanks for the help. By the way I know you here it a lot but nice dash. Love it!

I just answered your other question in the main forum. Basically if you want that circled preview effect, you need to see your skin design as "layers" like in photoshop.

Layer 1 - Background image or video
Layer 2 sits on top of layer 1 - Preview video
Layer 3 sits on top of layer 1 and 2 - PNG frame with a transaparent section to allow preview vid or thumb to show through.

In short, you need to save your picture as a .PNG. JPEGs will not work. Here's a sample of my mxm logo entry as a .png. Notice the sections that are transparent is where the "layer" below it will show through:

Sorry for posting twice, so if I use skinner 5.0 does it matter which menu I start off with and will I be able to see what's behind in skinner such as that preview menu? How can I tell if my pic is tranparent(my circle)? Right now its just white does it stay white? Sorry for all the questions just trying to get it down right then I can go on my own and make skins.

Sorry for posting twice, so if I use skinner 5.0 does it matter which menu I start off with and will I be able to see what's behind in skinner such as that preview menu?
Not sure what you mean by what menu u start off with?


How can I tell if my pic is tranparent(my circle)?
What photo editor are you using? What extension is the file saved as? Right now its just white does it stay white? Like I said, you need to convert your transparent picture to .png.

Sorry for all the questions just trying to get it down right then I can go on my own and make skins.

I think one of the best things you can do right now to help understand how the layers work is to load up a ready made skin from allxboxskins into skinner. Then you can see how the images/prev videos/ and the like are handled/positioned.

I'm have Roxio Photosuite 5 and Ms picture it express 7.0 and adobe photoshop 2.0. In skinner it has title, menu, load, and saver that's what I was talking about which to use 1st. The pic was jpeg now its png. I still don't know how to make the circle on it transparent.

Title screen is when MXM first starts up. Menu screen is where you choose your game. Load screen is what shows up when you launch a game. Saver is the screen saver.

So you need to make atleast a menu screen.

As for png's, skinner 5.0 can handle them, so if they look see-through in skinner, they are properly made. Don't know much about photosuite, so can't help there. Try looking in the manual/help for transparency/alpha

Ok I made my circle transparent and have music but the text doesn't come out all the way. Example: unleashed comes out unleas or c:free comes out c:fre. Also my menu screen doesn't match up with what's in skinner. My preview isn't centered like how it was in skinner. Even my boxes are off. What am I doing wrong. Almost their! Thanks for all the help so far.

umm... dunno if it will help but what about adding a few "spaces "?

Make the textboxes wider.

And don't stretch the png in skinner (it can't show them stretched) The size of the pic in skinner should be exactly the same as the dimensions of the png itself

OK, finally completed my skin. Found out what I was doing wrong. I took out the boxes and moved things around. I'll have to mess around with it more to get better at it. Just wanted to let you guys know thanks for the tips and help. I'll put it on X box skins. Check it out see what you think.