MA3 Pre-Release chitchat
 

I'd be interested in any news of Marine Aquarium 3.0 for the Mac. I was one of the first purchasers of the original Mac version, and have been somewhat patiently waiting for a 3D background and individualized fish behaviors. Marine Aquarium is a very fine program, and I'm so ready for this update.

Dana

any estimate how soon Mac version available?

There's no estimate yet on the Mac version of the new program. It will be a while getting the bugs worked out, then Jim O'Connor will start the Mac conversion process. This is not trivial, as the entire program has to be changed from DirectX to OpenGL.

Then there's the matter of when to do this in order to maximize Jim O's efforts. The evolution of the Aquarium will progress rapidly as I switch the fish to the new models and behavior, then start bringing the background to life, one item at a time. Jim O has a lot of other things to do, so I'm sure he doesn't want to keep making changes to the Mac version every week.

Larger Monitors
 

I'm ordering an Apple 30 inch Cinema monitor this week.
I've noticed that the iMacs are coming out with a 24 inch monitor which will, in time, become the more standard size.

Remember, we all were on 14 and 15 inch monitors not that long ago and 19 inch monitor was considered large.(I may be giving myself away, but my first monitor was a green screen)

Is this an issue you are looking at for the new, improved, can't wait for it version 3.0 for the Mac?

From a Windows perspective, Marine Aquarium 3 looks fantastic on my Mitsubishi 70" 1080p DLP HDTV. It should look great on the Mac.

Hiya,

Just wondering if you guys have anymore news on the MAC version yet, its been a few weeks since the last post saying that an estimate wasn't available. So i was wondering if we were talking like maybe early next year sort of jan or feb?

Thanks guys :)

Jim O'Connor already has the current code and is looking into what it will take to do the conversion to the Mac. The problem is, the code is constantly undergoing radical changes, so he's shooting at a moving target. The entire program has to be converted from DirectX to OpenGL, and that's not trivial. Also, another way will have to be found to play music without DirectX. So I'd guess at least a couple of months, once he has a fairly stable code base to work with.

As a dedicated Mac person and Serene screen fanatic (I've got most of my friends, also Mac lovers using 2.6), I'm eagerly awaiting the release of 3 in a Mac version!
Thanks for keeping us up to date, Jim!

Actually works well under VMWare
 

If you are interested in seeing the quality of MA3 on a Mac, it works very well under VMWare.

I'm running it on an early 2008 MacBook Pro and getting around 58 FPS on the laptop screen as I type this on an external monitor under OSX.

I plan on leaving it running on my built in display as eye candy because my external display is better for daily work.

I also have Marine Aquarium 2.6 running using xBack all the time so I have fish all over the place.

jeff

Now that MA3 is becoming more and more stable, is there any update as to when the Mac version will be released? Can't wait to see it on my iMac.

I sent all the files to Jim O'Connor about a week ago. He's looking into it.

OH!!!!! Now I'm starting to get excited!

:hmad::hmad::hmad::hmad::hmad::hmad:

Eagerly awaiting 3.0
 

Any update to offer on the mac conversion?

Ditto for eagerly awaiting 3.0 for Mac!
 

Just popped in to see if there were any news ---yippee!
Anyone know how long it takes to turn files into finished and available product?:p

Given that the PC version is taking a long time.. I would expect the Mac version to take even longer than long..:D

The problem with doing a translation is that Jim O'Connor has to try and hit a moving target. The program is changing so rapidly that it's difficult to know when to cut ot off for the Mac version.

I'm not techie enough to know how or why the program changes rapidly.:dunce: So I'm limited to pacing back and forth.
Good for my waist line, anyway
Will bribes help?
I don't get up to the Pacific Northwest much, but I do work in a Yoga & Massage Wellness Center in San Diego - and I can see you get some table time if you and the other Jim are transported here! :artist:

The program changes rapidly because people keep asking for features, and I keep putting them in :)

Beta team
 

I know it is early still, and I am waiting patiently. I was wondering what the pathway is to joining the beta test team for the mac version of 3.0 if and when you do have a testable mac version. I have been on many beta teams and am excellent at pushing software to its limits. Thank you for such a great product.

I'm running VMWare - Windows XP Pro on my MacBook Pro (2.53 GHZ, 4 GB RAM) and the 24" Cinema display - Ver. 3.0 of SereneScreen Aquarium. COOL! My only problem is bubble sound but no visible bubbles (and yes, I've checked and unchecked the bubbles option repeatedly - no cigar). HEAT! The fans on the MacBook run fast & loud after a few minutes. This program obviously is VERY demanding on the processor. ANYBODY TRIED running 3.0 using Boot Camp???
Thanx, LongJnSilver - London, UK