Windows 7 & MA3?
 

I have just installed W7 as a clean installation and I am wondering how it is working with W7.

Flip:):)

Working great here! (W7 64bit) :)

I don't have W7 yet myself, but the majority of users report that MA3 works fine with it.

Working great for me too and I am no W7 expert .

I just bought this new HP computer for my mom for her birthday(Dec. 20th)/Christmas/in lieu of rent for the past year present. :) It has Windows 7 and I can't wait to try out MA3 on it! It should be here in a couple days.

Pat - please let us know the fps on the new machine .

Sure thing.

Works great on both of my W7 (64) systems: desktop and notebook.

It is working perfectly for me
What is the difference between the Demo and the paid version

Flip:):)

Without a Key Code, the fish choices are limited to the top row.

love it ... much better than vista

Windows 7
 

Just completed a clean install from XP to Windows 7 on my desktop, 32 bit, and Marine Aquarium 3 is working good. Fish movemment could be a bit smoother, but there is a slight performance problem. I couldn't be happier if things stayed just the way they are! When my laptop comes down the road, I'll be just as happy to buy MA3 a second time.

What do you mean by "slight performance problem"? How many frames-per-second are you getting?

Using Windows 7 Professional 64 Bit - works and looks great!

Thanks, MikeL.

When people say working great, no problems in Windows 7, are you talking about the Beta or the installer version from Prolific? Is the installer version creating the required folders in their proper locations for Windows 7 because I've heard the folders are different from XP.

Thanks.

The current SereneScreen (Prolific) installer seems to be creating the required folders in their proper locations for Windows 7, and appears to be doing the correct things with the Registry. That impression is based on 2 installations of MA3 on "format and install" Windows 7 installations (one 32-bit and one 64-bit).

I have two machines that were upgraded from Vista to Windows 7, that seem to still work correctly with MA3. Of course, that does not guarantee that they will be correctly upgraded with the next Installer version of MA3.

I have no experience with the Nova installer.

Thank you. It looks as though the time is right to upgrade from XP to Windows 7. :)

Footnote: I have upgraded two PCs "directly" from XP to Windows 7, using LapLink's "PC Mover Upgrade Assistant". MA3 was working fine before the upgrade, and works fine after the upgrade. Of course, I have no idea whether the files are in the right place, or the Registry entries are correct - I'll probably find out when the next installer version of MA3 comes out.

Footnote2: If you're considering that, consider buying the download version from Amazon. It's cheaper than getting it from LapLink.

Footnote3: YMMV - I didn't have problems with it, but others have.

Dale, I used the installer version from SereneScreen on a brand new PC with W7.

Thanks, Nicki. That's a good corroboration of what I said up there somewhere:

...except that I didn't originally buy those two PCs with W7 installed. I just "scrubbed" the hard drives and installed W7.

Jim - FPS was as high as 308.79 using the S key for the stat's. The performance is an OS self assesment test that was 4.9 with a range of 1.0 to 7.9. I'm told I may be able to improve the 4.9 with additonal software. I upgraded since my last post from 32 bit, with another clean install to 64 bit, W7 Home Premium. I have a Dell Desktop Inspiron 530, 500 GB hard drive, Intel Core 2 Quad CPU Q6600 @2.4 GB, RAM max'd at 4 GB, NVIDIA graphics GeForce 9400 GT 1 GB DDR2, a Dell 22 inch display, resolution at 1600 x 1024. I downloaded the free Marine Aquarium 3 to test on my system, and then purchased a keycode. I spend dedicated time every day just to relax by watching MA3. Don

Perhaps you could ask for your money back. Running MA3 with stats like that would be an embarrassment on most systems. You may have to spend a considerable amount of money to upgrade your machine to where MA3 can run comfortably. Personally I would demand nothing less than a OS self assesment test of 7.5 :D

To get a score of 8.0, you would need an 8 core CPU, 8GB of RAM, SSD "hard drive", and a GeForce GTX 280 or ATI HD 5870. Got $5,000?

http://forums.techarena.in/web-news-trends/1106183.htm
http://forums.techarena.in/operating...ms/1106864.htm

A score of 4.9 is respectable and I think you've got a good setup. I'd worry less about the scores and more about how it runs your software/games. Guess that makes me old fashioned. ;)

Re: How many frames-per-second are you getting?
 

justfinnin,
After you have pressed the 'S' key to show the stats, you can use the UP-DOWN arrow keys to decrease/increase the Sleep() time, this will change the frame rate up or down.
Try slowing the fps down to something nearer to 60. - Anything higher will only overheat your system, and not improve the quality
On my system, Sleep(17) gives about 65 fps.
Your selected Sleep() setting will be remembered each time you re-start MA3.

[/dreams of getting 60fps]
[/sigh]

:)

justfinnin -

Are you talking about the WEI (Windows Experience Index) score? Is your "4.9" the "overall" score, which is also the lowest of the systems component scores? If so, I suspect it is your Hard drive score, or maybe the RAM, and the rest of your scores are much higher. I'm not aware of any software that would improve your scores although insuring you have the current drivers on your system will make a difference, especially on your video card. The default video drivers in a W7 install should be upgraded which may help you.

On my notebook, with the following specs:

Gateway P-7805u FX - P8400 | 4GB RAM | 320GB 7200RPM | 9800M GTS | Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit/Vista 64bit Home Premium (Dual Boot) | LG 1920x1200 screen

I'm getting this for my "WEI":

Processor 5.9
Memory 5.9
Graphics 6.8
Gaming 6.8
HD 5.8

Overall 5.8 (the lowest, in this case, the HD score)

If you haven't already, then please let us know if upgrading the video drivers has made a difference, OK?

hi nicki, i too have a new pc with win 7, 64bit. the video of ma3 is awesome but i cannot get the sound to work. what exactly is the installer version? i have used the download version fron serene screen website several times but never had the sound work. thanks, gary

Thanks everyone for your comments. I new at this at this, and starting to enjoy it. My system is basic and never intended for this sort of use. I probably should not have upgraded from XP to W7, but here I am. I need to upgrade my graphic's card. If I set my Sleep properly at 17, which is now where I will leave it, my FPS runs at about 62, and MA3 looks very good to me. I do have a display driver update sitting there that I need to look at. PC Tune-Up 2.0 does a good job for my system, but I'll never be able to improve the system self assesment of 4.9, which is very low, and I don't yet fully understand. W7 works good for me, and everything functions well in everyday home recreational use. I'm not a gamer, and I think MA3 is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Don

Don,

That sounds good, 62 fps is just about right. - Any higher and all it will do is cause overheating.
The fact that you could get 300+ fps before changing the Sleep() setting indicates that your 9400GT is more than adequate for running MA3 etc.
I am currently using only a 7900 GS with 181.20 Drivers. I too am not a gamer, so a GeForce 7900 GS is just fine for my present needs.
But by all means check that you are using the latest nVidia drivers for your 9400 GT with your current OS.

Don,

If you click on the link below it will take you to the manufacture (Nvidia) of your graphics card. There you can download the latest version of drivers.

I just checked, the latest version for your system is 196.21, released on January 19, 2010. Windows 7 is a new operating system, so it is best to use the latest drivers available. Make sure you select the 64-bit version when making the the choices for your system/graphics card.

You also have the option of downoading them from Dell's support website, but they are usually at least one version older than the manufactures website.

http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us

60 fps for Marine Aquarium 3 is very good.

Be aware that some of those driver updates are versions built FOR Microsoft by the video chipset manufacturer. They're tailored to fit specific criteria, and 3D graphics isn't one of those criteria. I've seen Marine Aquarium 3 stop working because of those "suggested" display driver updates. Generally with video drivers, once you get it working, I don't mess with it.

Then you don't need to upgrade your computer. Quit worrying about that 4.9 score! To beat it, you will have to spend thousands.

justfinnin -

I suggest you first go to Dell's support site here:

http://support.dell.com/support/topi...553&l=en&s=dhs

which describes what you may need to do to get the proper drivers for your system.

Often, on many proprietary systems such as Dell, Gateway, HP, etc., you should download and use only the drivers from the manufacturers website, and not the ones from, in the case of your video card, NVidia. This falls somewhat in line with what feldon33 is saying, above.

Once you are running all of the proper drivers for your system, that WEI score (make sure you re-run it so the current drivers will be used) will be as high as you'll probably get on that system. As I've mentioned, you should post or at least look at, all of them, not just the "overall" one. If, for example, the 4.9 is your hard drive number, then you could increase that number by replacing your HD with a faster one. Same with your video card - a new, faster one will increase your Graphics and Gaming Graphics scores.

I disagree with feldon33 that you would need to "spend thousands" to increase your score, since either a faster HD or Video card might only be under $200 and probably closer to around $100 each, according to what you might get.

On the other hand, if everything you need to do you are able to do well on that system, then "don't worry, be happy".

Based on what I see of your system specs, unless you are wanting to run some of the newer games, you'll be fine since you have a reasonably capable system.

I've only ever seen that on a laptop.

Some desktops, too, if the video is on the systemboard.


In justfinnin's case I suspect his video is separate, so he should be OK with Nvidia's current drivers for W7, but if Dell has more current drivers for his card, I'd start with them.

Agree.

JohnWho,

Not trying to start a rumble here, but on a desktop I have never seen a computer maker release video drivers that are better or required in place of the video card manufacture driver when using a standard video card. If it was a propriety video card, i.e. ATI no longer makes AGP cards, but there are still new cards being made from second tier manufactures using the ATI chipset for AGP. This might require drivers from the card maker, not ATI.

Some sound card drivers are a different story too, e.g. Dell modifies the sound card drivers from the manufacture to allow for the headpone jack that they use. If he wanted to continue using the headphone jack, then yes, he would need to download drivers from Dell.

Now if Don is new to computers, we might very well be confusing him. :(

So Don, if you are new to computers, please ask for someone to guide you through the driver update process in person. Like most other things, after the first time it is easy.

Edit/addendum: Oops, JohnWho it looks you posted while I was typing, and we actually agree. That's what I get for using only two-fingers. :p

What you downloaded IS the installer version.

If your MA3 sound is turned on (space-bar/Program Settings/select bubbles and music, etc.) - and you get sound with other applications - then you should report the problem here as a possible bug. Please start another topic, as your question almost got lost in this one.

garybeebee - Looks like your questions may have fallen through the cracks. The installer version is the ONLY version available, and has been for six months. When people in the Forum speak of a non-installer version, they are talking about test versions that I would upload periodically to try out new features or fix bugs. Those were just the bare .scr file with no installer.

No idea on the sound question.

Oops - just saw that Dale had answered you, but I was under the impression that your sound wasn't working when playing a video, not running the Aquarium.

I missed that one somehow. Sorry.

Windows 7 is still a bit of a mystery to me. So far when I've had difficulties, I google whatever I'm trying to do and see what comes up. Is it a new PC, or did you replace XP/Vista? Also, as Jim said, do you get sound on other things?

As Jim pointed out - it's not quite clear about when you have problems with the sound. Is it all the time? Only when playing the video clip of MA3? Or when running the MA3 simulation (by clicking on the desktop icon)? Or????