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This actually shows something interesting: that there is a coherent visual language for interfaces within the sci-fi subgenre of graphic design that just kind o

This actually shows something interesting: that there is a coherent visual language for interfaces within the sci-fi subgenre of graphic design that just kind of appeared by implicit consensus. Which I guess can be said for many visual design trends - many of us can guess both when and for what purpose a product was designed based on its graphic design.

Andrew_nenakhov 6y ago
Btw, the Holo interface we saw in Android 4 was very influenced by this type of design. It was rather stylish, even if difficult to use consistently. But of course since then it was replaced by Material Design, starting with Android 5.0
- pmlnr 6y ago
  God, I miss holo. It was so much nicer on the eyes. "Dark Mode" is... ugly. I'm glad it exists, but it's still uglier, than holo was.
  - Andrew_nenakhov 6y ago
    Problem with Holo it was hard to follow this concept and create visually distinct apps. They would all be cold white and blue. Material design gives for more variability.
    - grishka 6y ago
      Some apps did change the accent color, but it was very non-trivial. Material design comes with tintable controls out of the box.
  - grishka 6y ago
    There were two Holo themes: dark and light. You'd pick one and extend it with the style of your brand. My only gripe with it was that there's no built-in mechanism to add shadows to things — you have to use pre-rendered shadows as bitmaps or generate them on the fly. Anyway, "dark mode" is totally doable with Holo.
numpad0 6y ago
Also that coherency is probably why many Star Trek reboots often look off
- dvtrn 6y ago
  It definitely is for me. The LCARS interface is as much of a character of the story as the as the Enterprise herself (substitute with Voyager, Defiant, or São Paulo if you wish) and I’d go a step further of saying ship interfaces and systems inform us as much about the era of Star Trek one is watching as does the plot and narrative at any given moment to the discerning and attentive Trekkie :)
  - TeMPOraL 6y ago
    Strongly agreed. Which is why I was glad to see LCARS returning in Lower Decks, and the series is experimenting with tweaking the design a little to include some lessons in UI design learned over the past decades. Despite being animated comedy, I like it better than post-Enterprise installments, because it brings back the design language of TNG/DS9/VOY/ENT era.
    - pseudalopex 6y ago
      That sounds really interesting! Could you share some examples?
      - TeMPOraL 6y ago
        It's various minor things. Like PADDs being proper LCARS tablets with a bit more space for content, smaller bevel[0] and even portrait mode[1]. Or the experiments with circular (radial) elements on display, which arguably are now decorative, but still they fit in, so are a good starting point for further exploration. Or, and I can't find a screenshot of it now, that one tiny joke that made me almost spit out my tea. A scene on the bridge, the captain talking to someone over the viewscreen; she makes a gesture to cut off audio, the tactical officer presses a button on his console, and a small icon of a crossed out speaker appears on said console. Immediately recognizable even for non-StarTrek audience, and still they made it fit the style. -- [0] - https://www.yourprops.com/PADD-replica-movie-prop-Star-Trek-Lower-Decks-YP821473.html https://www.yourprops.com/PADD-replica-movie-prop-Star-Trek-... [1] - https://www.yourprops.com/Medical-PADD-replica-movie-prop-Star-Trek-Lower-Decks-YP821806.html https://www.yourprops.com/Medical-PADD-replica-movie-prop-St..., though there was precedent in DS9, AFAIR.
caycep 6y ago
Of interest to me is that a lot of the graphics and sounds are based on '70's and '80's tech with the constraints of the circuits and display technology that were "state of the art" then, but then "futurized". Such that advanced tech now spends computer cycles simulating analog circuits, CRTs, etc, for the purpose of nostalgia...
InitialLastName 6y ago
You might like the book "Make It So" [0] about interface design language in science fiction. [0] https://rosenfeldmedia.com/books/make-it-so/ https://rosenfeldmedia.com/books/make-it-so/

Andrew_nenakhov 6y ago

Btw, the Holo interface we saw in Android 4 was very influenced by this type of design. It was rather stylish, even if difficult to use consistently. But of course since then it was replaced by Material Design, starting with Android 5.0

pmlnr 6y ago
God, I miss holo. It was so much nicer on the eyes. "Dark Mode" is... ugly. I'm glad it exists, but it's still uglier, than holo was.
- Andrew_nenakhov 6y ago
  Problem with Holo it was hard to follow this concept and create visually distinct apps. They would all be cold white and blue. Material design gives for more variability.
  - grishka 6y ago
    Some apps did change the accent color, but it was very non-trivial. Material design comes with tintable controls out of the box.
- grishka 6y ago
  There were two Holo themes: dark and light. You'd pick one and extend it with the style of your brand. My only gripe with it was that there's no built-in mechanism to add shadows to things — you have to use pre-rendered shadows as bitmaps or generate them on the fly. Anyway, "dark mode" is totally doable with Holo.

numpad0 6y ago

Also that coherency is probably why many Star Trek reboots often look off

dvtrn 6y ago
It definitely is for me. The LCARS interface is as much of a character of the story as the as the Enterprise herself (substitute with Voyager, Defiant, or São Paulo if you wish) and I’d go a step further of saying ship interfaces and systems inform us as much about the era of Star Trek one is watching as does the plot and narrative at any given moment to the discerning and attentive Trekkie :)
- TeMPOraL 6y ago
  Strongly agreed. Which is why I was glad to see LCARS returning in Lower Decks, and the series is experimenting with tweaking the design a little to include some lessons in UI design learned over the past decades. Despite being animated comedy, I like it better than post-Enterprise installments, because it brings back the design language of TNG/DS9/VOY/ENT era.
  - pseudalopex 6y ago
    That sounds really interesting! Could you share some examples?
    - TeMPOraL 6y ago
      It's various minor things. Like PADDs being proper LCARS tablets with a bit more space for content, smaller bevel[0] and even portrait mode[1]. Or the experiments with circular (radial) elements on display, which arguably are now decorative, but still they fit in, so are a good starting point for further exploration. Or, and I can't find a screenshot of it now, that one tiny joke that made me almost spit out my tea. A scene on the bridge, the captain talking to someone over the viewscreen; she makes a gesture to cut off audio, the tactical officer presses a button on his console, and a small icon of a crossed out speaker appears on said console. Immediately recognizable even for non-StarTrek audience, and still they made it fit the style. -- [0] - https://www.yourprops.com/PADD-replica-movie-prop-Star-Trek-Lower-Decks-YP821473.html https://www.yourprops.com/PADD-replica-movie-prop-Star-Trek-... [1] - https://www.yourprops.com/Medical-PADD-replica-movie-prop-Star-Trek-Lower-Decks-YP821806.html https://www.yourprops.com/Medical-PADD-replica-movie-prop-St..., though there was precedent in DS9, AFAIR.

caycep 6y ago

Of interest to me is that a lot of the graphics and sounds are based on '70's and '80's tech with the constraints of the circuits and display technology that were "state of the art" then, but then "futurized". Such that advanced tech now spends computer cycles simulating analog circuits, CRTs, etc, for the purpose of nostalgia...

InitialLastName 6y ago

You might like the book "Make It So" [0] about interface design language in science fiction. [0] https://rosenfeldmedia.com/books/make-it-so/ https://rosenfeldmedia.com/books/make-it-so/