Beta 11p discussion
 

Testing...

"W" (wireframe) times out after 10 seconds all right.

Defaults to 60 fps as advertised, too.

So far, so good.


Jim -

Question: what is the purpose of the Wireframe mode for us end users? I'm just curious. It looks cool, though.

It proves that the objects are true 3d objects and not morph trickery on 2D images. Was another testing feature to start with, but was so cool that users liked having the feature available.

With respect to the (11o) comments about completeness of testing - I don't know how to evaluate that. As far as I can tell, we have been testing everything that Jim says he has changed/fixed. But we don't have any regression testing, and I don't know how we would keep track of that.

Also, in https://www.feldoncentral.com/forums...ead.php?t=5375, I suggested that we should test the Installer version (presumably somewhere near the end of Beta11whatever). That is, if we can get some support for doing that.

I'm particularly interested in:

A, Transition (that is, does 3.1 Installer cleanly update from 3.1, removing any now-unused registry settings and files).

B. What "uninstaller" setup does the installer install? [Sorry for the sentence, but the installer puts in place the stuff for uninstalling]

C. How JohnWho's User Manual is going to be handled by the installer.

Those are good questions, Dale, but perhaps those problems will be in Prolific's court and not Jims. Even the "readme.txt" file has Prolific's info in it, so I would presume they'll have a look at the new one, too.

Dunno.

There are also a fair number of suggestions around, that have been neither accepted, rejected, nor implemented.

Three that immediately come to mind:

1. A "Add MA3 Music" button on the Music Playlist panel.

2. A "User Guide" or "FAQ" button somewhere (various suggestions for what/how/where).

3. Some way to move fish sets up/down in the list of fish sets (like the capability on clock/logo panel).

I'm fairly sure that there are a number of other suggestions that are in limbo. Of course, limbo is identical to "won't be done if nobody brings them back up".

Yes. My points are that (1) We should be willing to test it, if Prolific desires us to do so, to improve the product and make it better for the users; (2) If we don't help, we get whatever Prolific delivers. Which means we're free to criticize how bad it is. :)

I have no idea (except posting here) how to even offer. But we did test the 3.0 installer version.

(Picky)
In the "About" panel, perhaps the W key should say "Show Wireframe for 10 seconds" or something like that.

Not sure I understant this one, Dale.

Or standard Windows "help" button?

Seems like this would require a lot of changing.

We can do it in the Music Playlist panel, too.

Makes sense for those who use the "Cycle Fish Sets" options, that's for sure, since it takes them in order, top to bottom and then back to the top again.

Wonder if it is too late for Jim to add this?

Or at least plan it for 3.2 or 4.0?

Hmm...

in the interest of "consistency"

in the "Program Settings" panel

when you check/uncheck "Auto Pan" and "Limit Frame Rate" the sliders "gray out".

But, when you do the same for "Bubble Sound" and "Music", those sliders do not "gray out".

Just an observation.

Also, in the same panel,

the "Limit Frame Rate" slider doesn't have "-"/"+" signs like the other sliders.

In "Music Playlist" panel,

"Music Volume" playlist doesn't have "-"/"+" signs.

Do the sliders in "Background Colors" need them?

Actually, the Volume controls do gray out (un-enable) when their corresponding box is un-checkmarked - it's just very hard to see. If you watch the little knob carefully, you can see it. On the other two you mentioned, I also manually gray out the enclosing rectangles to call more attention to them, but I can't do that on the Volume sliders, because there are two of them in it, and only one might be de-activated.

I'm not seeing the Volume controls "graying out", but I believe you. Maybe it has to do with my monitor's brightness and contrast settings?

What about the "-" and "+" signs?

A little oddity, that may well have existed for many versions. If using the "M" key I stop the music then go to Settings > Music Play List there is bold as brass "Music is OFF" and a highlighted box Music On. If I click on the highlighted box.... both disappear.
It would seem to me that the highlighted box should toggle and the selections should be visible at all times.

Re: the sliders in "Program Settings" -

they look slightly different in the Panel when I open it in "Windowed Mode" and "Fullscreen".

One shows the slider along a line, the other shows it in a long rectangular box.

Testing...

- & + added.

Ralph - that's working as designed. I don't really want to duplicate all the controls in the Playlist boxes, but agreed with the testers that there should at least be a notice that the music (or the crystal in the Logo Playlist) is off, with a way of turning it on. Once it's on, you can still turn it off using its normal controls.

Sliders - They look exactly the same on my machine, whether windowed or fullscreen. But Windows MFC controls are like a box of chocolates - you never know exactly what you're going to get.

Re: 1. A "Add MA3 Music" button on the Music Playlist panel.

Would put CanonGuitar.sgt in the playlist (perhaps more than one time). This would simplify the "what if I lost the lovely MA3 music" instructions.

It's just like the "Add MA3 Logo" in the Clock/Logo panel.