Yes, they do.
One difference is that what I’m doing is packaging the support code in a way that’s easy for other devs to use, including documentation and examples.
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Just sent requests for both my feature ideas. Everyone who’s interested at all in nested modules/themed & generic skins contact support and request them. Say quantextkbd sent you.
Good luck!
You can already hide all other modules and just see Patchmaster. Wire up the Patchmaster the way you want it, then drag it far enough away from the other modules so that it is the only module on screen.
If possible I want new module skins with the same fonts or all new fonts and same knobs if leaving things in is all that could ever work. I didn’t examine everything close enough I think. I really can’t see why all the modules that are free in VCV are free.
Moving the modules to hide them might be the most logical solution with VCV’s GUI. I kind of think it is because VCV would need a whole new build otherwise to nest modules right.
because there is absolutely no way to make a reasonable return on your work by selling modules. Better to do it for free for fun.
Yeah, there are too many modules to choose from pretty much in the module market to guarantee enough sales seemingly.
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Panels are most common made as SVG files, where (font-based) text is converted to paths (vector graphics), hence there is no easy way to detect/replace font, and even if you could replace the font, the panels would look awful as using a different font, than they were designed with would not match up. E.g. in a few of my modules, I have a label: “Min/Center/Max”) with small light above each word, that illuminate if “Min”, “Center” or “Max” is selected, Changing the font would mean text and lights would not align.
Regarding knobs, many developers (myself included) are mostly using the knobs that are part of the SDK, however I have a few buttons I’ve designed myself, and some developers are using non of the standards and have designed their own buttons, knobs and sliders with sizes that are different to the standard, hence cannot be easily replaced.
It’s my vision for VCV Rack 2 or even VCV Rack 3 to include a full featured theme editor that allows skinning of modules and replacement of knobs. An actual editor functions more easily than say digging into the files and “manually” replacing them with images or proprietary files.
I’m sure there are plenty of devs who will be happy to test your module skin editor when you get it up and running!
I’m not designing it I just want the VCV rack designer to do it. Sorry if I worded things wrong. I recommend people contact the software designer if they’re interested in a skin designer/theme editor for VCV.
My personal preference is to embrace the differences between all the modules, much the same as my IRL Eurorack, but I welcome all ideas and suggestions for Rack itself and 3rd party plugins.
In my own plugin I have tried to provide quite a few options in terms of “themes”, my original modules have 3 different SVG panels, one of which can have a custom colour background. My new modules have programmatically drawn panels that can also have a custom colour.
However, these features are in no way standardised or common. Plus, I have some modules that have special PNG panels, how could Rack “theme” my cowbell module do you think?
For Rack2, I think the likelihood of achieving this feature request is pretty close to zero, there are quite a few plugins that haven’t even implemented the dark panels feature yet.
Rack3 is a different story though, maybe if there is enough demand (so far I haven’t seen many, if any, other users asking for this type of feature).
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If the rack would not be free and if so many modules would also not be free, then the rack wouldn’t be so well known and it wouldn’t be so widely used.
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This thread has grown to the point that I think people probably have at least a little interest in some sort of visual upgrade to VCV. I responded to the feature survey thread and I think that people may have got my vote for a skin editor on it. For all I know maybe people thought nested modules were absurd. It would just be convenient to do nested as a seperate using Mindmeld’s knob panel.
People have slowed down on VCV Rack but it’s the best active “virtual rack” forum aside from Ableton and Reason Studios forums if you could describe them as virtual racks. I prefer this forum!
the patchwork of different style with each builder’s personally is at the core of the eurorack world, Personally I’m happy that the same concept emerged by itself in VCV.
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Replacing panels and knobs to create a more coherent system is also common in Eurorack. For example, replacing busy panels with more uniform Grayscale panels.
Most modules are open source, so if one has the skills, one can replace panel graphics for their own use. Usually replacing SVG-files does not require recompiling the whole plugin.
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I’ve been researching hardware eurorack modules and using the Modular Grid website for about 3 years now and I love the Grayscale panels. For now I want to use VCV Rack 2 a lot more before deciding on a real Eurorack.