As discussed last week, Patchou has updated his popular Messenger add-on, Messenger Plus! Live. The update carries the new major build number of 4.70, and adds the ability to automatically update your skins and scripts from within the program.
The big news really then is the skinning content. Since we announced Messenger Plus! Live would contain skinning capabilities, those with little or no skinning knowledge attempted to create unique and stylish skins for Windows Live Messenger. However, less than a 100 skins have currently been made, and, as a tactic to get more skins created, Patchou has launched a contest where you can win some exciting (and expensive) prizes:
Starting today, you have 5 weeks to create the most outstanding skin imaginable. The deadline is September 14th at 23:59:59, Greenwich Mean Time. To participate, all you need to do is submit a skin to the official database (the contest is open worldwide), updates of existing skins are accepted. All the skins will be tested in the current most popular version of Messenger, Windows Live Messenger 8.5 (no need to make them work in the outdated Messenger 9 Beta from last winter).
For those of you who have never skinned before I suggest giving it a try. Messenger Plus! makes the whole process very simple, and the amount of tools and resources built up over the past few months will make your skinning experience even easier. All I suggest to you is to have a good imagination and an eye for a polished look, but it really isn't hard to beat Windows Live Messenger's current design (hint to Microsoft there). For those of you who actually are up for this, you can create a good and detailed skin in less than two weeks. Here are the prizes up for offer:
Not 1 but 7 Wacom Tablets will be distributed to the winners of this contest. Your skin(s) will be judged and placed into three different categories: originality (something never done before), deformity (shaped windows), and functionality (improved user interface). The first prize for each category is an excellent Cintiq 12WX (check out the video on their site), a 12.1" TFT screen that acts like a second monitor for your computer and lets you draw directly on the pictures you want to edit with incredible precision. The second prize for each category is a very respectable Intuos3 6*8 with 1,024 pressure levels and professional software such as Adobe Photoshop Elements. And finally, the creator of the one best skin, all categories considered, will get rewarded for his efforts with a magnificent Cintiq 20WXS. This dream-come-true for any graphic designer features a 20.1" wide screen with a resolution of 1680*1050, has 14 customizable hard keys, 2 touch strips, a special rotating stand so that you can use the tablet like a big sheet of paper, anti-glare and friction coating to simulate the texture of paper and a wide viewing angle.
So will you be up for it? I won't be, despite that I once did some skinning back when MSN Messenger 7 was the new thing and everything was complicated and long-winded. I was 14 then so there is no reason why any of you, no matter what age, can do this now. If any readers here have decided to start skinning or have completed a skin, keep in contact with us and we may help to promote your skin once it's released.
>> Download Messenger Plus! Live 4.7
>> View the announcement at the Messenger Plus! Live forums
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