21 May 2013

Textures, skeuomorphism, etc.

From “Tail Wagging” by Matt Gemmell...

At first glance, making the interface visually resemble a physical object seems like a reasonable way to create that immersion.

I think we are long past when these elements where argued to make software more immersive or more usable.

The textures in Game Center aren’t there because it makes the app more immersive or more usable. The textures are there because some of the people at Apple like the way they look. Some of Apple’s customers like the way it looks too.

The page flip animation in iBooks isn’t there because it makes the app more immersive or more usable. It’s there because some people like it.

The reel-to-reel tape player animation wasn’t put there to make the app more immersive or more usable. It was there because it was fun.

2 comments:

Dan said...

The new Apple design guy is intent on eliminating the skeuomorphism on the phone, like the game center stuff. Are you opposed to the changes?

Robert said...

@Sam

Ive isn’t new. It’s just that he now has authority over software as well as hardware. The rumors are that he is all about getting rid of skeuomorphism and textures, which supposedly were championed by Forstall (and Jobs) who is gone now. But, it is rumor, though there probably is some or a lot of truth to it.

I’m not against it. If it were my call, however, I’d decide on a case by case basis. For me, the textures in Find My Friends don’t work. Maybe other textures would be better, and no textures could certainly be made to work. The textures in Game Center, however, I think work well. Though, again, no textures could work too.