[APP] Background Designer - for WP 8.1 and WP 8

[exyaized]

Background Designer - Download

Hey guys,
its time for my next app.

Background Designer is an app which helps you to design your own awesome backgrounds, wallpaper or however you want call that pictures

First of all the compatibility:
WP 8: You can use the backgrounds for lock screen ONLY!
WP 8.1: You can use the backgrounds for your lock screen AND start screen!

This apps works with two layers.
The first layer is your base background (need to rename that in app from "Backgrounds" to "Base", i think?)
For now you have three options:
- a solid color
- a 2 toned gradient
- a picture from your gallery.
At this point you can already save the background if you like to have a simple colored background.

Lets talk now about the key feature of this app. You can add an overlay to your base background. Two options are available now:
- installed designs (ok, sorry, not many now, but there are more on the way in weekly updates)
- a second picture from your gallery

These both layers are melted down to one picture.
NOTE: Background Designer is no simple "click-n-go app". You need invest some time and play around a bit. If you do so with colors, effect level and blend mode, you can achieve really outstanding results where you normally would need a PC with Photoshop.

OK, better showing some Pictures now^^
For example, a 2 toned gradient as base background:


And a pre installed design as overlay with blend mode "Overlay" and effect level set to max:


If you like to or need to, you can also rezise, rotate or change the position of the overlayed design:


You can see all changes you?re doing live in the small preview.Changing the color while a overlay is on can be a bit laggy due live rendering but no big deal, still useable.

If you want to better preview your masterpiece you can use the back-key on your phone to go back to big preview. And from here you can also save it to Gallery:


Please don?t forget to review my app in the Windows Phone Store, thanks!

Enjoy! hope you like my app :amaze:

 

[Dnamb]

The QR code seems to be invalid. But I'll surely check out your app.

 

[exyaized]

The QR code seems to be invalid. But I'll surely check out your app.

Hm.. i have no idea why Bing Vision cant read this Code. I tried with my own QR Scanner and Scan and it worked just Fine.
I also have no Search result for Background Designer in the Store now , but searching by my dev Name "exyaized" should work ;-)

 

[Dnamb]

Hm.. i have no idea why Bing Vision cant read this Code. I tried with my own QR Scanner and Scan and it worked just Fine.
I also have no Search result for Background Designer in the Store now , but searching by my dev Name "exyaized" should work ;-)

Yes it seems bing vision is not able to read the code. I installed it on my phone, the app is a little confusing at first, a tutorial for first time users would be good. The app is fast and is really good, but when I tried to overlay a picture from my gallery the app crashed. I have a NL520, maybe RAM issue?

Also one more bug I found, when a overlay is selected and trying to change the effect level, the effect is inconsistent. Like if I drag the effect level scale to full and then drag it down somewhere in the middle, the effect doesn't change OR even sometimes it only changes by a little.

But the app is really good and has potential. Keep up the good work.

 

[LTTG]

Nice app! I really like it!

 

[exyaized]

Yes it seems bing vision is not able to read the code. I installed it on my phone, the app is a little confusing at first, a tutorial for first time users would be good. The app is fast and is really good, but when I tried to overlay a picture from my gallery the app crashed. I have a NL520, maybe RAM issue?

Also one more bug I found, when a overlay is selected and trying to change the effect level, the effect is inconsistent. Like if I drag the effect level scale to full and then drag it down somewhere in the middle, the effect doesn't change OR even sometimes it only changes by a little.

But the app is really good and has potential. Keep up the good work.

Yes i know an instruction is really needed. I planed to do a how to video, but i want to add more features first.

Normally it should work with 512MB devices, will investigate your issue for sure!

Slider issue, ok, will try a trick here. Maybe i add up/down buttons.

 

[exyaized]

QRcode changed, works now with Bing Vision (Bing Vision doesn?t support UTF-8 coding)

App definetly crashes on 512MB devices, sorry for that!
Fix is coming within next 12 hours, and additionally 512MB devices now will have special designs with reduced resolution.

 

[ssapre]

Pretty nice effort I would say, but app crashes many times. Tried on my icon, but crashed 4 times at least.

 

[Dnamb]

Thanks for the update, it is working much better now. But a new bug has been introduced in the app, when I compose a background and click on save, the size of the composed background reduces and is saved on the gradient that I used. Please see the attachment.

 

[exyaized]

Pretty nice effort I would say, but app crashes many times. Tried on my icon, but crashed 4 times at least.

Thanks, now it should be fine.

Thanks for the update, it is working much better now. But a new bug has been introduced in the app, when I compose a background and click on save, the size of the composed background reduces and is saved on the gradient that I used. Please see the attachment.

Thanks for reporting this bug.
Fixed already! If certification goes fast, the update will be live in 3 - 4 hours.

 

[Curtieson]

What about a quick text template? I don't even think you need different fonts, but could use choice of color.

I have always liked to put an 'if found, contact (123) 456-7890" on my lock screen... Anyone else think that would be handy?

 

[exyaized]

What about a quick text template? I don't even think you need different fonts, but could use choice of color.

I have always liked to put an 'if found, contact (123) 456-7890" on my lock screen... Anyone else think that would be handy?

Take a look at my other app "Lockscreen Texter Lite" in the Store. You can put a text on a picture and if needed a second picture (QR code, or something else). More customizing features are planned.

Just search for "exyaized". :wink:

I?ll think about your suggestion to include a text template to Background Designer or to include blending options to Lockscreen Texter :excited:

 

[Curtieson]

Take a look at my other app "Lockscreen Texter Lite" in the Store. You can put a text on a picture and if needed a second picture (QR code, or something else). More customizing features are planned.

Just search for "exyaized". :wink:

I?ll think about your suggestion to include a text template to Background Designer or to include blending options to Lockscreen Texter :excited:

Do you think putting the features of Lockscreen Texter into Background Designer would just complicate the design too much? [I don't, haha]

Other things I'd say...when you click the triple dots from your main screen, the save icon's description says "save to pictu". I'm sure that is due to my phone's resoltion. I'm assuming you either meant Pictures or Pikachu :wink:. I'd change it to say "Save to Pics". [Lumia 920]

Not sure if it is even possible...but when I save, it'd be nice if I could click on that faux Toast and have it take me to my pictures.

 

[exyaized]

Do you think putting the features of Lockscreen Texter into Background Designer would just complicate the design too much? [I don't, haha]

Other things I'd say...when you click the triple dots from your main screen, the save icon's description says "save to pictu". I'm sure that is due to my phone's resoltion. I'm assuming you either meant Pictures or Pikachu :wink:. I'd change it to say "Save to Pics". [Lumia 920]

Not sure if it is even possible...but when I save, it'd be nice if I could click on that faux Toast and have it take me to my pictures.

Putting all (+ upcoming) features of Lockscreen Texter into Background Designer would definitely complicate everything^^
I think its better keeping both apps seperated and make em work together if its possible.
Theory:
- Designing a background with Background Designer
- Then tapping a button like "Add text with Lockscreen Texter"
- Lockscreen Texter is starting and the background comes automatically from Background Designer

Hm... the "Save to Pikachu" issue is weird!
The emulator (WP 8 @ 480x800) and my Lumia 920 (WP8.1 @ 768x1280) display "Save to pictures". I don?t know, maybe try to restart your phone and / or reinstall Background Designer.
Anybody else with that problem?

Tapping the toast to open the gallery would be a really nice feature, but its not possible to launch the gallery by code.

 

[Dnamb]

Hm... the "Save to Pikachu" issue is weird!
The emulator (WP 8 @ 480x800) and my Lumia 920 (WP8.1 @ 768x1280) display "Save to pictures". I don?t know, maybe try to restart your phone and / or reinstall Background Designer.
Anybody else with that problem?

Yep, same issue here.

 

[exyaized]

Yep, same issue here.

Well that seems to be a Windows Phone issue or feature (depends on point of view^^)
I?m using german language on my phone and have two lines underneath the appbar-icon. I changed the language to english and voila just one line and same issue.

I?ll change that, but I?m not quite happy with "save to pics"
What do you guys think about just "gallery" or "photo hub". I think it should be clear in combination with the icon.

 

[Dnamb]

Well that seems to be a Windows Phone issue or feature (depends on point of view^^)
I?m using german language on my phone and have two lines underneath the appbar-icon. I changed the language to english and voila just one line and same issue.

I?ll change that, but I?m not quite happy with "save to pics"
What do you guys think about just "gallery" or "photo hub". I think it should be clear in combination with the icon.

Or just "Save" , "gallery" or "photo hub" might confuse users. Anyways its your call.

 

[exyaized]

Or just "Save" , "gallery" or "photo hub" might confuse users. Anyways its your call.

Hm, yes, makes sense! But i wanted to keep "save" for other purposes ;-)

Next update with new designs and again performance improvements is aprox ready this weekend. So i have still some time to think about it.

 

[SSgt Bruskowiz]

Oke, i shall DL this little creation and give it a go.
Just running blind and not going to read any tutorial because most users don't
An app should feel "intuitive" without complications.

 

[SSgt Bruskowiz]

And we are back. Look promising and has a nice touch but when you only want to use the gradient you can only choose from top to bottom, not diagonal or sideways. But everything else is okay. Great work