** Version 1.1 Announcement **
 

Jim Sachs joined us for an informal chat tonight and gave us the latest news.

The first version that will appear on the website will be version 1.1. All users who already own version 99L or an earlier version will be entitled to an upgrade to version 1.1 without extra charge.

Version 1.1 will cost $21.95 to new purchasers.

In all cases, Version 1.1 contains the changes in 1.0, and the new Lionfish specialty creature.

Future specialty creatures will be added in packages of 7 or 10 for $10. So 2-3 months may pass while Jim is developing multiple specialty creatures. I've asked Jim about doing a $10 subscription, and we'll get the 7-10 specialty creatures as they are completed but he flatly said that this opens him up to the possibility that he might be unable to finish and have to refund a lot of money.

Future plans? 1.1 will hopefully be released next week. I cannot promise dates because nobody hits them (problems always come up).

The Red Volitan Lionfish we are getting will have moving mouth and gills, has its own special behavior that is different from the other fish. It often just sits there with its fins waving in the flow of the water. Jim has said that the tank looks VERY scary with 5 Lionfish enabled. The Lionfish is listed in the same selection menus that the regular fish appear in, so you can have an entire tank of Lionfish.

The 3D background is the next project.

Then Jim will be working on the 3D animation to a feature film.

After that, Jim will begin his first specialty creature package.

The Jellyfish and Octopus will probably not be in the first package, but the first package may include a Skate (Manta Ray) that hides in the sand and periodically comes out, kicking up a cloud of dust and sand. Also, the Mandarinfish model will be based on the Lionfish model, since the side fins have the proper amount of detail.

I love the idea of getting a complete package of 7 specialty fish at one time.

That is Awesome! I cant wait to see it and a package of 7 creatures will be much more fun and lucrative for business. Thanks for the update!

Re: ** Version 1.1 Announcement **
 

Any information about the film? How long will it be? How long will Jim work on it? What will it be about? (And so on)

I have been asked to do a short animation for a movie. This is a serious live-action movie, not computer-generated. I've been telling them I don't have time, but working with a group as high-class and talented as this is really tempting, and I'm starting to lean the other way.

Future Plans...
 

Any word on where the fish behavior (for the existing fish) fits into the schedule? In other words - moving gills, moving mouth, how the fish swims (like the Regal Tang's flapping motion), individual fish AI, etc.

- DL

P.S.
Great news about the movie Jim, I wish you the best of luck on that project! Sounds like we need another area on the site dedicated to that topic. :) Man, things are really starting to get exciting around here these days. Your life is very interesting indeed Jim, thanks for letting us come along for the ride. ;)

Basically from what Jim said the other day his plans are as follows:

First to finish the Lionfish and get it out to everyone. After that he wants to get back into the 3D background and get that finished. He said that after this he might be taking a month or so off, if he deceides to work on the movie, and then the first pack of specialty fish will be created and introduced, followed by second pack of specialties at a later date. Along the way, as program updates, things like feeding the fish and the behaviors for the other species will be added. Of course there isn't any way to forsee problems along the way or time frames to solve them, but basically its a game plan.

** Version 1.1 Announcement **
 

So the 3D background won't(?) be in the version 1.1? It will come later? And when I upgrade, as a registered user, why kind of background will be in v. 1.1?

And when there is a 3D background will I be able to switch to the background that is currently on v.99L? Or can I have v.99L and version 1.1 installed and run them separately?

The 3D Background is in the early stages. There's no way it will be done by next week. I'd look for it in Spring 2002.

Version 1.1 has the same background you have now. There has never been a promised date for the 3D background.


The 3D background completely replaces the background in 99L. Instead of flat photographed coral pieces juxtaposed together, the 3D background is all 3D objects, rocks, coral, anemones, clams, etc. that move or that the fish realistically swim around.

Also, the 3D background will be twice as wide as your monitor and the camera will slowly pan back and forth.

If you want to switch back and forth between the 99L background and the 1.2 (or whatever version #) 3D background, hang onto your copy of 99L.

Will the 3d background be an extra charge.

I wouldn't blame anyone if it were.

No, it will be a free update for registered users.

Boy this all sounds great . An to my surprise you say the LionFish could be here next week ? That's great (Of course I'm not holding anyone to what you said about the release time) BUT tomorrow (sunday) starts next week . :) Maybe tomorrow :D ? Please please please ....just kidding .

Oh , an Feldon , I don't mean to come here everyday tieing up your forum like I do 6 - 10 times a day . Your site is just too good . Got to love it . Tell you what , if you want so I don't come here so much , change the site ......... make it ugly ( just kidding ) . You do a great job with the site and I love reading what everyone here has to say .

ADPCM Resolved
 

Will Ware has also successfully gotten AD/PCM audio compression working with DirectSound, so version 1.1 will be approximately 760kb compressed! The audio takes about 80kb instead of 500kb.

No bloatware here!

Hey that's great .

Just a curious thing:

Somebody said tomorrow is sunday, and that's the new week's beginning... but there're places where that's not true :)
In spain, as example, the week starts on Monday, being Sunday the last day of the week :)

I'm glad to hear the lionfish will be in a fish slot, so I can have two or three of them :)

grrreat job, Jim, as always!
maybe you should consider sending autographed pics or maybe an option to show an autograh on a corner of the aquarium? :) your fans would appreciate it (and I'll be one of them for sure!)

Yeah that was me . Boy I didn't know that hpman77 . Thanks for the schooling :)

Can't wait for 1.1
 

Feel free to e-mail me when it's released.
Tim

don't worry,:) when 1.1 is ready for release there will be tons of emails sent out, and an announcement will be posted on the forum.

Jim,

Excellent Screen Saver, and this is a great forum for keeping up to date on whats going on.

I've been visiting here off and on for the past year and wanted to find out if the new 3D background being twice as wide, does that mean that there might be a chance of having it work with dual monitor systems? Also, does this mean that Jim has gotten past the hurdle of re-coding in DirectX 8?

My current plan is for the version with the 3D background to still use DX6, but if I have any breakthroughs with DX8 before it's done I may switch. As far as dual-monitors, I'm always hopeful that I will eventually learn how to do this in DX6.

Will the security bug with the password be corrected in v1.1?

I dunno if it was reported but under Win98SE (maybe other OS too). Let say you set a password so people cannot get back to the desktop without it. This work fine but their is a flaw with 3rd party apps. For exemple Notify from Novell GroupWise. If the ss is on and a message arrive, the ss goes down and we gain access to the computer!

Was this reported?

All of the security features have been tested in the new version and work well. When the password feature is checked, hitting any key brings the password box up, including hitting the spacebar in 98SE. I haven't personally tested background apps overriding the SS and minimizing it, but I think that is also fixed.

The bug was reported and will be fixed in v1.1.

:cool: I have been paitently waiting for the new 1.1 to arrive on the website, and earlier in the week, there was a hint that it might be out this week sometime, and its now Thursday, so I was just impatiently wondering if it might still be this week?

:D

It's undergoing Beta testing. A few issues just came up, so it's back in the shop for repairs.

:eek: ok, thank you very much Jim, I will keep my eyes open for it, hopefully soon!

Oh No ........ what broke ? Who broke your great work ? Oh my God I can't breath ........... I need the LionFish . :) I know , I'm a smart a-- . Just kidding . So how long do you think that could take Mr. Sachs ? Just asking . Not pushing or trying to be a pain . I know good things take time . I was hoping it would have been done by today . I live here in the north east and we are getting a snow storm today and I would rather be looking at the LionFish , But at least I still have this great tank to look at . It does make me feel better, a lot better when I have a lot of pain I just watch the tank . This is more then just a great program to me . Jim , you are the best .

hooters gave me this Lionfish picture link.

(Click to enlarge)

Hey , thanks for the fix ....... I needed that . :D

A+++++++++
 

Hi im Winson from Singapore. Just want to say your aquarium looks great and it's almost in every computor screen of our local I.T. stores !
Even though all of us are excited for more fishes, I would like you to take your time and not stress yourself out. In the end, we might get fishes swimming upside down !!!!!

Rest well and take care!!!!!!!!!!!11

The picture supplied by Hooters is an Antennata Lionfish, while the the one in the tank will be a Volitans Lionfish. The look is somewhat different.

Jim, just a quick question to keep me going while you put the finishing touches to your latest masterpiece - what size is the lionfish in relation to the existing aquarium inhabitants? Also, do you plan to include a separate control to alter the size of each fish? - only I went to an aquarium retailer the other week and was surprised by the varying sizes of the fish (for example they had a Yellow Tang about twice the size of a Koran Angel!). If this is something of a coding nightmare please excuse my ignorance. Sorry I've just realised that was two questions!!

The body of the Lionfish is about the same size as the other fish, but the fins extend out quite a bit farther.

Regarding variable sizes - it would be fairly easy to make the fish smaller, but very difficult to make them bigger. The problem of the objects passing through each other is already a major factor, and is what's holding up the Lionfish at the moment.

That's great news - I was hoping the Lionfish might be a touch larger than the other fish.

Does your response mean that a future tweak for making the fish smaller (if desired) is not completely out of the question - or does it depend on whether this is a feature that the rest of your huge customer base would like to see?

It has always been a possibility, but it's WAY down on the list.

How ironic, I came here today to post the very same request (user option to select fish size), looks like you beat me to it Taxman. :)

Anyway, count me in as one of the people that would like to see this feature implimented. A shame that you would have to limit it to downsizing the fish only and would not allow for even a slight incread in fish size, but I understand your reason for not wanting to do it Jim. Still, having the option to downsize is better than none!

- DL

I agree! :D

TAXMAN is that you from the dvdforums this is dvdric just wondering

That's good to hear. The Lionfish I always had were Volitans. One of them ate a Fairy Basslet. He had a pink and yellow belly for a week.

This Lionfish?
 

This Lionfish?