Hi there. I have a quick question for you. Where in Canada can you buy the boxed version of the aquarium? I really want the jewel case and cd. I have been looking for it and can't seem to find it anywhere. Or, alternatively, can I get it right from the website?

Thanks :o)

:cool:

Hey that makes a lot of sence , I'll get right to work on it .......hehehehehehe . I wish I knew what you were talking about but as long as you and Mr Sachs does , that's all that counts . Right .:D

That's how I do it now, except I allow the fish to pass around the coral on the left side, too.

There are a couple of problems with this. First, where "is" the fish? I use the 0,0 position of the mesh, but the fins stick out quite far from that at their 90-degree position.

Second, the fish is moving. When it wants to start its turn, the position may be legal, but still interfere with the coral or other fish during the turn.

Bear in mind that I obviously know how to "strong-arm" the fish and force it on a mechanical path which would keep it away from the coral at all times, but the whole difference between my aquarium and the rest is the lifelike nature of the movement. In giving the fish free will, all I can do is "suggest" that it stay away from the coral. Making it WANT to stay away from the coral is where the problem lies.

Damn ........ There sure is a lot involved to make this all work . When you do get it fixed I think everyone around should buy you a drink . Because god knows you will deserve it . Not saying your a drinking man , just the thought .:TU:

Kerry,

If the Aquarium is available in Canada in stores, Prolific hasn't told me where.

Prolific is in an interesting situation because they want people to buy the Aquarium online instead of in stores, so that they make a few more bucks and so does Jim. In-store sales only make Jim about $4.

thanks Morgan. so there is no way that I can get the cd and jewel case at all?

:(

Sure there is.

Send an e-mail to Service@serenescreen.com asking for as many copies of the boxed version and jewel case version as you need. $19.95 for the boxed, $14.99 for the jewel case, $5 shipping. (Confirm details with them)

If you absolutely must, then go ahead, but Prolific would really like to avoid selling individual copies. The time it takes to process, package and ship one copy to an individual is more than it takes to ship a 16-unit carton to a store, because the carton is already boxed.

fish free will
 

re:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
"In giving the fish free will, all I can do is "suggest" that it stay away from the coral. Making it WANT to stay away from the coral is where the problem lies"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
These complexities are fascinating to we mere mortals who just appreciate the way the fish move. Is a possible solution something like adding a "strong nuclear force" (well, a repulsive one, rather than attractive) that acts at close distances to suggest that the "particles" stay away from each other?

Yes, in fact I use a variation of that now. But it's still not a natural-looking effect, like someone running toward an object but prevented from reaching it by an unseen force.

fish free will
 

re:
----------------------------------------------------------------
"running toward an object but prevented from reaching it by an unseen force"
----------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks Jim. Since you're in a conversational mood, what if the force acted on the fish's desired direction of motion and how hard it turned to get going that way, rather than acting directly to move it's position? Though I've got the feeling you've been down this path many times long ago...

That's exactly what I'm trying to do. The amount of "lead time" is the main problem. By the time a potential collision is noticed and inputs have been put in place to use the fish's natural movements to avoid it, the pass-through has already happened.

It seems to me that the fish needs to check its own decisions to see if a decision will take it on a collision course. For example if a fish is moving forward at a certain rate and “decides” to turn right a certain amount, then he needs to check the calculated path ahead for five or seven inches or so. If a collision is detected then the fish needs to cancel the decision and make a new decision.

When calculating a collision the fish needs to check not just it’s center coordinate but several points outlining it’s maximum dimensions. This would include the tips of it’s side fins and probably it’s top and bottom most points and it’s nose.

Most of that takes math. I have none.

Sorry to hear you're having so much trouble with the little guy . If it turns out to be to much , Just put a shark in , and as soon as the lion fish get's to close to something , the shark eats him ...... hehehehehe:D No but seriously , I know you'll be able to fix it . I look at everything you have done so far an I just know you will beat it . I wish it wouldn't take so long , but like I said before , all good things take time . :TU:

3D background
 

Jim,

sounds like this is going to be revisited when you go ahead and make the 3D background for the aquarium down the road? I wouldn't want to attack that problem personally? In any event, good luck and we are all eagerly awaiting...

That's the most frustrating part. All this work goes out the window when the 3D background is done.

Jim, are you making collision detection calculations in devicespace, viewspace, or worldspace?

Worldspace calculations would work with both your current planar background as well as your future 3D background.

There are also a number of D3D api functions to help with volumetric calculations (such as mentioned above) as well as transformations which could be used to rotate the lionfish's dorsal fin triangles (treated as a whole) around an "articulated joint" vertex, providing you with a mechanism to allow the fish to proceed with its turn "between" the coral while "folding back" its dorsal fins against its body.

Just a thought from a monkey. :)

None of the above. He is using an "area avoidance" routine which does not take into account the shape or geometry of the object but only it's maximum radius at any point.

Darrell - at the moment, I'm using Magnitude() to determine the distance between the two objects, then adjusting the speed, turn, and pitch of the fish depending on whether they are coming toward each other, overtaking, etc.

Regarding the coral avoidance, your idea of keeping the inboard pectoral fin on the Lionfish folded in (at least partially) during the turn is a pretty good one. It could easily be implemented by juggling the min/max angles for the fins. I'll look into that.

Jim,
I just wanted to take the opportunity to thank you and say what an excellent job I think you've done!!! You've really put a lot of thought and hard work into the aquarium and I am totally enjoying mine. I look forward to the upgrade.

Thanks again for your time, energy and zest!!!

Aloha,
Gerty:TU:

whats the 411.....
 

Its been awhile since anyone said anything about how its coming along. So yo Jim........you need me to come over and help ya out.....(just kidding), Have ya jumped the hurdle yet on the fish thats giving you problems?

Just mentioned in another thread that v1.1 is in the final stages of testing.

Jim, when you started working on the aquarium you used to add two or three fish every few weeks. Do you plan on doing any more "normal" fish in the near\not so near future? Will they be in the additional packs or for free?

whoohoooo
 

final stages......thats great........can you give us a little insight on what you did to overcome the hurdle?.......I know you had a problem with the fish passing thru things...I think thats what it was.

The way fish avoid each other is almost completely rewritten.

Yes, it was a matter of rewriting the collision avoidance code, watching the Aquarium for an hour until I saw a collision or other strangeness, rewriting, watching, rewriting, watching, over and over again 20 hours a day for 4 weeks. It's still not absolutely foolproof, but good enough to last until I can finish the 3D background, at which time it all gets replaced again.

Well then...
 

Well then...can't wait to download 1.1 later today...(hint, hint)...aren't you sick of us yet?

How come no body has posted a tread in here about Version 1.1's release in here yet, like a couple of the other treads have?? Could this really be true?

Jim, you might just lose a few fans from everyone have a heart attack if this happen. I know I might have one.

I sure hope this is true, I cant wait to have the lion fish.:TU:
Keep up all the great work and dont forget about us fans of the turtle idea.

Thanks for creating such a piece of art for all of us to enjoy.

Because Wednesday isn't here yet.

If the announcement is already in another thread, there's no reason to have it here too.

I geuss I miss read the title of this tread beening "** Version 1.1 Announcement**". So I thought it should be here and not under some other thread. I wont let it happen again.

You're right, this is the best place for it. 1.1 is sheduled to roll-out on Wednesday, Feb 20.

We'll rename this thread to *** 1.1 Old News *** before the announcement is made and create a new 1.1 Announcement topic.

re: version 1.1
 

I was just wondering...what happens if we don't get that email on Wed??? I am a registered user so I hope no one gets over looked..we have all been waiting for this day..Good job, Jim

Not everyone is going to get the e-mail on Wednesday. SereneScreen.com simply cannot handle 75,000 people downloading a 1 meg file on the same day. I know people are offering mirroring ability to Prolific. Hopefully they will take it.

I am interfacing with Prolific to see what they want me to do with my list of 3,500 people who have signed up at my website.

In the "Pending release of 1.1" thread tatroyer had a good suggestion of posting a link a day early so those of us here could get it early. That would give Prolific an early test and relieve some of the first day's traffic.

Sounds like a good solution to me.

Bob Frank

Hi, Bob -
Prolific wanted a whole day (Tuesday) after the 3-day weekend to get all of the people and resources positioned for a Wednesday roll-out. I was hoping for yesterday, because I can't really relax on my mini-vacation will all the negative vibes from anxious customers, but it's not my call. Oh, well, I'm scheduled for another day off in April.

no negative vibes here
 

No, no, Jim. Does Santa feel "negative vibes" from the kids on Xmas eve just because they can hardly wait till morning to open their presents? Instead enjoy a warm glow and have a good vacation.

Jim,

I knew you should have left your laptop, cellphone, etc. at home. :p