The Nightsword project

[get-lit]

Unfortunately the slider only supports solid colors.

I sorted LOW/PLAY/FLASH by character length to fit the "V" shape of the display.

EDIT: I was toying around when I started this last night and didn't expected it to go anywhere. I just removed the glow from under the buttons to make them more distinct and easier to read. Also brightened up the blue glow.

EDIT: Enlarged the meters to fill the entire available space. Increased the range blue gradients in the line glow.

(images updated)

 

[get-lit]

I don't know why I hadn't thought about it before but I'd like to have the display have the same colors as the housing decals.

This would be the splash screen. No need to have a setting to disable the splash screen because it has everything needed to operate the light without leaving the screen.
The focus slider is to the right in case the lamp is to be moved without the lamp on.

Expanded Light Controls Upon Ignition...

On the housing...

 

[BVH]

I like the cleaned up blue lines/less glow. Much better sharper. New colors are great and I like that it is the same as the graphics on the light as you say. If a password is required will a screen requesting it appear after the ignite button is pressed? Gopd thought on having the focusing feature with the lamp off.

Not sure if I like the yellow button shadows. I think they take away a bit of the contrast and are somewhat distracting. As I mentioned quite a while ago, I love the dark blue "cloud that starts at the yellow "searchlights" under NS and fades to black. That is so cool looking!

I know I seem to keep saying I like the "current iteration best" but they just keep getting better, really!

I don't remember when the blue on the back of the handle went away?

 

[get-lit]

I agree on the shadows (reflections). Thought I would try it. Gone now. pics updated.

Yes, all clicks on the splash screen will prompt for password.

 

[BVH]

That dark blue to black fade is much more visible in the button areas now. I have absolutely loved that specific color fade as far back as I can remember somewhere in the late 80's early 90's.

Could I hire you to make me a background/desktop for my Windows/Dell monitor? Maybe something with that I can tweak a bit if I want to play? (serious inquiry)

 

[get-lit]

PM me what you're looking for.

I made icons for config and power, grouped them to lower right, and enlarged the meters to fill the upper right.

EDIT: Made an icon for the ignite button. Thickened the blue lines.

 

[Helmut.G]

I'm not going to buy a Nightsword, but I personally like the above display style best so far. (with the low moved to the top)

It's clean and professional looking.


Now this one:

looks extremly cool, futuristic and hi-tec. I like it too.



however, your last picture:

looks like a cheap compromise between the two above to me. I don't like that.

 

[get-lit]

I appreciate the feedback. It's probably the thicker lines and less glow you're not liking. I'll try some things.

 

[BVH]

Can you post the latest along side the one from last night where you dropped the reflections and eliminated the glow from the blue lines? I'm thinking I like last nights better than todays but would like to see side by side. Seems like last nights version reminded me of the case graphics more so than todays.

 

[get-lit]

Helmut's feedback was spot on and I can get too wrapped up in the direction I'm going with something that I don't see the obvious. I'm going to take a step back and have a fresh look later. I have some good ideas in mind I'll work on and post up, better than the version I think you're recalling BVH.

 

[get-lit]

Ok, two versions.. a clean strictly functional display (less is more), and then a more graphic display.

Both now use the same set of icons, no text buttons.
Left icons are: PLAY, STROBE, and LOW POWER
Right icons are POWER and SETTINGS

I don't prefer the previous placement of the POWER and SETTINGS on the lower right, because the thumb becomes less comfortable pressing toward the lower right.

EDIT: Thee have been updated as per follow-up discussions.

Here's the clean display...
(also has a meter for lamp hours.)
(The meters are very large, yet subdued in color to not be obtrusive among the controls)
(Meters make good use of space by separating the buttons from the thumb slider)

The clean display on the housing (top view):

Here's the more graphic display...

The graphic display on the housing (top view):

Less Intense Color...

Less Intense Color with Grey&Black Background...

Less Intense Color with No background...

Ignition...

 

[get-lit]

deleted - redundant.

 

[BVH]

I bought the 2KW Yamaha inverter genset as a field powering system for the NS. I still want to consider a completely quiet option. Have you done any more thinking of what you might use for your own operation of the NS away from AC power availability? A 1000 Watt inverter would, I think, be just a little shy of the capacity to start the NS but probably OK to run it. Let's say it needs 1200 Watts for starting. Using a 12V input full sine wave, 2000 Watt inverter would require about 100 Amps of current. Is my thinking correct here?

 

[BVH]

The above was from a couple hours ago and forgot to post it.

I definitely like the more jazzy display. But for me, there is too much glow around all the buttons and the cobalt-to-background fade. The glow doesn't let the cobalt fade to black and reduces the contrast of all the button graphics. Maybe some color for the hour meter?

 

[get-lit]

I got these up quick to get feedback, and happen to be working on the glow issue already. My amp meter during power-up indicates there is little power required when turning it on. The meter starts around 100W and works up to 1000W.

 

[BVH]

Do you think your meter is sampling and displaying at a rate that is fast enough to catch the initial strike inrush current? Or maybe if it's that short a duration, it might not be an issue. Will the Super Short Arc lamp make any difference in power requirements? Will an inverter, either 12V or 24V input be in your power supply arsenal?

 

[get-lit]

I considered it the amp meter may not be reading quick enough, but my instinct tells me it's just not using much power. Super short is same power.

 

[get-lit]

Ok, the images are cleaned up now. Be sure to do a hard refresh to re-fetch all images (CTRL+F5 on a PC).

 

[BVH]

Lots better! I like it!

 

[get-lit]

I was leaning toward a less graphic display for a simple refined look, but the graphic is growing on me.