Shoutbox

Now that Messenger Plus! 5.0 is out, we hope you enjoy finally being able to use all Plus! features on Windows Live Messenger 2011. You had to wait for it a long time while we at Yuna Software went through a lot of internal changes. We owe you for your patience. It is time to have some fun!

We did it in 2008, and we’re doing it again: the skinning contest is back. This time we are specifically looking for Messenger 2011-compatible skins. Messenger 2011 adds an interesting new element with the social view window, but besides that, people are simply looking for nice Messenger 2011 skins in general. However, to give you an extra incentive we're going to start the contest soon.

Skin to win

Each Messenger 2011 skin which gets accepted onto the site during the contest will automatically enter the contest. If you are a skinner, get ready to make a new creation or update one of your existing skins. If you are new to skinning, get started with the official documentation. Skinning with Plus! does require some technical skills, like XML syntax, to make everything work. Fortunately there are people on the forum who can point you in the right direction. If the technical stuff is not for you though, don’t worry, keep on reading. You can submit your skin multiple times during the contest. Only the latest version will be judged for the prizes. By submitting your skin early you can ask other people to provide you with feedback and make your skin better, improving your chances to win. You can even enter with multiple skins, although we encourage quality over quantity. Winners are awarded in a “most stylish” and a “most usable” category. Most stylish focuses on the look of a skin: appealing graphics, typography, design. Most usable focuses on the features of a skin: useful layout, options, functionality. Multiple prizes are awarded in both categories.

Not a skinner but have graphic  talent?

If you are good with graphics but not a star in the technical side of making skins, we’ve created a special category for you, a “design-only” category. To compete in this category, you will only have to submit the look of the skin. Simply draw up a skin in Photoshop or Illustrator. There will only be one winner in this category, but he or she,  in addition to winning a prize, will also have the graphics turned into an actual Messenger 2011 skin by the one and only Willz. We’ll post more details and specifications as to which your graphics should comply will be posted when the contest starts.

Prize

So what is in it for you? Apart from having your skin downloaded by potentially millions of Plus! users. A new game console, LCD screen, Wacom tablet, laptop? You get to choose this time! The contest is open to Messenger Plus! users worldwide. Winners receive a gift card from a reputable online store which ships to their location. The prizes range up to $1250 US dollars in value per person. Everyone who submits a Messenger 2011 skin which gets accepted onto the site will receive a small mystery gift as a thank you for competing. And all the Messenger Plus! users will receive a batch of fresh downloadable skins.

How do I enter?

The contest will start as soon as some technical issues with the new submission system are resolved. Once it starts, we will make a new announcement and open the contest page with full details and rules. The contest will run for 7 weeks. For now you can get your inspiration wheels turning or tell your graphically-gifted friends to get involved. More info will be posted soon, but if you have any questions already you can reach us here on the forum.

Menthix and I will answer questions about the contest on the thread whereas Willz will respond to your queries about the 'design-only' category.

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Originally posted by Nathalie
The contest will run for 7 weeks

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Yay

Looking forward to it, last time it produced pretty neat skins.

Plus! Buttons the first skin entered? D:

lol yay...gonna try to finish a skin...

FFS, I got cheated out of my T-Shirt for the scripting contest (¬_¬ dodgy patchou), then 2 skinning contests in a row?

I'm gonna go design my own skins, with hookers and blackjack...

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Originally posted by Spunky

I'm gonna go design my own skins, with hookers and blackjack...

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Me? what j/k

Im glad a new contest is here , i think im in for the ''design-only''

Skinning again? Us script developers are starting to become lonely!

But congrats on the release guys! I know a lot of effort has gone into this!

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Originally posted by matty
Skinning again? Us script developers are starting to become lonely!

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I was thinking the same, skinners are getting all the good stuff. Ah well, it does have a positive side: we don't have the additional pressure of a scripting contest pushing us to work on Screenshot Sender 5.

Anyway, great work with the release and the best of luck for all participating skinners!

Just out of interest, does this mean that Willz isn't participating with his own skins then?

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Originally posted by matty
Skinning again? Us script developers are starting to become lonely!

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Scripters will get something again next time . AFAIK so far both scripters and skinners both had 1 contest, no? Although it has been longer since the scripting contest, true.

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Originally posted by Matti
does this mean that Willz isn't participating with his own skins then?

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True. Willz may release skin(s) of his own during the contest, but they won't compete.

i dont see many rushing to make New skins or scripts for that matter

Willz would win the skinning contest anyway, he's a Aussie, us aussies rock. you yankies suck at skinning

As Menthix has pointed out I'm not participating in the contest out of fairness to everyone else like last time.

I'll still be releasing stuff, but it won't be included. Plus the majority of stuff I'll be bringing out will just be updates for existing stuff anyway.