Marionette: Background gradients makes Node text hard to read

[rDesign]

On some of the default Marionette nodes, the 'white' Node text is hard to read on top of the gradient depending on the background color. I think it would be more legible if the Node backgrounds were just a simple color instead of the gradients. This would also be more in line with the clean, modern 'flat' UI.

See attached example of hard-to-read text.

(I know that the Node gradients show up in the Resource Browser, but any changes made there would only be in that document).

[Kevin McAllister]

This problem seems to be unique to when the Preferences>Display>Black Background preference is activated. In the normal UI they look like the attached.

Personally I quite like the gradients.

Kevin

[Dave Donley]

The gradient resources are in the Libraries -> Defaults -> Marionette files. For now as a workaround you could tweak the gradient resources to taste for black background and re-save the files.

Edited October 28, 2015 by Dave Donley

[bcd]

It's not a biggie for me - but I'm also not a fan of the graphical style. I'm also a little confused why Marionette is included in the Basic Tool Palette. It's anything but Basic. With such a high level workflow it seems anomalous to include it as a tool grouped with the Rectangle, Clip, Move by Points etc.

[zoomer]

^ +1

[PVA - Admin]

There was a LOT of discussion about where Marionette should go, since really it doesn't fit in any of the existing palettes at all.

I have recommended that in future upgrades it actually might be better as a palette on its own rather than just a single tool, so users would have quicker access to the various categories even if the icons aren't strictly linked to other tools, but thats still just in talks nothing official yet.

[Art V]

I have recommended that in future upgrades it actually might be better as a palette on its own rather than just a single tool, so users would have quicker access to the various categories even if the icons aren't strictly linked to other tools, but thats still just in talks nothing official yet.

This would make a lot of sense, especially if other scripting related tools would be included in that palette as well.

[Tom Klaber]

+1 on the pallet idea.

The single tool is not quite right.

Also - the default style with the rounded corners and the gradient is a little ugly. I know you, Jim, do not like the current trends in flat design - but I think the next release should take a closer look at the visual design of the tool.

[Tom Klaber]

+1 on the pallet idea.

The single tool is not quite right.

Also - the default style with the rounded corners and the gradient is a little ugly. I know you, Jim, do not like the current trends in flat design - but I think the next release should take a closer look at the visual design of the tool.

[PVA - Admin]

Hehe yeah I'm a fan of shiny buttons, but I think the gradient in this case was chosen just to make them visually distinctive. Being able to easily set the default appearance of Marionette nodes would be a decent feature request as well, I'll file it.

[PVA - Admin]

Along with automating the line color switching when black background is enabled, to bring it in line with other objects.

[rDesign]

Thanks JimW.

Would there also be a way to automatically pause object snapping whenever the Marionette tool is selected?

Right now (unless you manually pause snapping) it snaps to each point on the radiused Node corners, when all you want to snap is the wire to the input port.

[PVA - Admin]

I would THINK that would be possible, I'll check and submit if so, it makes sense. The connections are pretty reliably snappy but I've had a few similar issues when working with it.