Provide presets to make your tools more useful

Posted on: October 2, 2008

I get this delirious pleasure out of easy-start presets. Whether it's a synth that already has 500 cool sounds built-in, a Photoshop plugin that provides examples from the get-go, or even a word processor with beautiful templates, I love having the benefit of a smooth beginning.

One of the key factors that enabled synthesizers to reach a wide market was the ability to instantly store and recall "patches", or sound settings. Before that, "patches" were literally dozens of patch cables, knobs, buttons, switches, and other controls that you had to write down manually. What a Dark Age!

I occasionally frown because I come across a tool which is utterly powerful and capable of enabling great creativity, but you wouldn't know it because the documentation is shamefully sparse and the presets are nowhere in sight. Even a handful of presets is enough to show what a mysterious "black box" is about.

how to shoot nature scenes 101 by you.

This is why when Linden Lab shipped WindLight, the core WL Team was sure to provide a nice mix of realistic (mainly Pastrami Linden) and surrealistic skies (me), and water variations (Zen Linden) too. Concurrently leading to sometime thereafter, I shared 100+ more settings because here's another thing: presets don't just show off what a tool can do and move sales, they teach the creator how to understand usability better from an "enduser" perspective.

If a tool is awkward and clunky, then presets won't be fun to make. And if the widgets effect changes in realtime — live! — and a smile comes to one's face, then you know you've done your job. At least, until Version 2.0. ;)

4 Responses to “Provide presets to make your tools more useful”

  1. Gigs Says:
    October 3rd, 2008 at 4:37 AM PDT

    Except that right now, Windlight is a synth with a built in speaker and no line-out. Until we can share/sell the work we create with windlight, custom skies are just a toy for taking screenshots.

    I would say the most important would be to override people's settings on a region/estate level, and second most important, treating them as assets.

  2. Lanita Says:
    October 3rd, 2008 at 7:09 AM PDT

    I'm not familiar with synthesizers;) But the picture that comes to my mind is that windlight presets are a bit like blueprints that you handle out to your customers and ask them to build there own car. (Ok, not as much work as building a car, but you get the picture ;)

  3. Joan Kremer Says:
    October 3rd, 2008 at 7:51 AM PDT

    I love presets, too. Use a lot of them in PhotoShop. And I learn best from models and examples. So thanks so much, Torley, for sharing your awesome Windlight presets with us–they're opening up a new magical world to me!

  4. Torley Says:
    October 4th, 2008 at 8:07 AM PDT

    @Gigs: I definitely want those features to complete the WindLight saga — well, this era of it, anyway. No ETA on those yet. (Cause I know I'll get asked.) But even in this limited state, there's been 1,000s upon 1,000s of beautiful screenshots made with WindLight, and many I've spotted using my extended presets. Even if they're less-than-double-click to install.

    @Lanita: That may inspire me to do some Detroit-ish presets (cars, techno!).

    @Joan: You're most welcome!

    We learn, grow, move on, share!

Make a Reply