That is music to my ears, Jim. - It's what Alan has said is doable on two monitors for a future version of DA. - It may be a grossly overused phrase, but, ..... I just can't wait to try this!!! :)

The same goes for me. Dream Aquarium is of no interest to me because its developer does not offer a version for my platform, the Macintosh. Jim S. on the other hand already ships MA2 for Macintosh and is committed to an MA3 Mac port, so I'm behind Jim 100%. :TU:

Yay...we're guaranteed one Mac sale!

The power of positive thinking :D Hmmm have you considered making a deal with Apple to show off MA2 at the Apple stores as the default screen saver on its demo systems, Jim? Or is Apple even harder to work with than Microsoft ;)

I have no idea on the answer to that question, but after the fiasco the last time with M$ I would be highly supprised if Jim wasn't adverse to making a deal with anyone else ever again.

This is in reference to the special MA2 screen saver with the pretty blue gravel that was bundled with Windows XP Media Edition? The blue gravel never made it into the Mac version.

"... special MA2 screen saver with the pretty blue gravel" ? :erm: ... Don't you mean Goldfish!

Thanks, I misspoke. It is Goldfish Aquarium Windows Media Edition that has blue gravel.

The blue gravel was Goldfish. MA was part of the last two Microsoft Plus packs (though I only agreed to the first one). It was a limited 3-fish demo which was supposed to bring customers to our site to buy the full version. MS did some market studies and found that people would buy the Plus Pack just for the Aquarium, and would pay a lot more than they had planned on charging. At the last minute, they doubled the price to $40. We got customers all right - a lynch mob. People were understandably angry to find that they just spent $40 to get a limited version, and would still have to pay the full $19.95 for the full version. MS asked me to reduce the price for customers who came through the Plus Pack, but never offered a dime of those millions of dollars they made from it. I refused. I had also been promised help from the DirectX team. Never happened. Also, testing by MS on a variety of machines and operating systems. Never happened. Also, a link to SereneScreen on the MSN site. Never happened.

We had some talks with Apple a few years ago about making the Aquarium the default screensaver in OS X, but they didn't want to pay anything. Been there.

How sad, and I can understand any frustration you feel.

2 !!! count me in

Wowsers, been following this thread for quite a while but have only just registered on the site... just a bit curious as this project seems to have been running for a very long time.

Is this a hobby project Jim or is this a full time project? I seem to remember seeing a "12 hours a day" mentioned somewhere but wasn't sure if that was on this or a full time job with this running alongside.

I do the same job, artist/coder/designer (for probably about the same length of time too) and I was just wondering if you have the same problem I do, where half of your brain wants to write code and the other half wants to draw the artwork. All that seems to happen is that they end up distracting each other and things drag as a result. And that's without the designer mentality chipping in... It drives me (and my bosses) mad sometimes. :D

Yes, it's full-time. For about a quarter-century, I've been doing my favorite thing, with no boss, no time limits, no schedule. Especially during the Amiga days, I couldn't wait to get up every day, knowing I was going to create things on a computer screen that no human eyes had ever seen before.

When I was teaching graphics seminars, I called this the chocolate cake sydrome. My favorite food is chocolate cake, but when I have it every meal, I get sick of it (for a while, anyway). Well, when you get tired of your favorite thing, where do you go from there?

The answer, of course, is variety - the spice of life. So last week I was in Belize swimming through caves and climbing Mayan ruins. Now I'm back in my computer room, energized and eager to create some more effects.

I know what you mean , but im a designer in construction and cant run away from time to time :)

Atlast! Finally managed to contribute to an interesting forum... my firewall has been blocking my final confirmation link hence I have registered numerous times without being able to post.

Was hopeful for something to buy this side of Xmas, but having read the archives I soon realised that SSMA 3.0 really has been a labour of love... and not something that would be rushed!!
Having spent all my youth diving on the Great Bahama Bank it is somewhat sad that I have spent the last 15yrs living in a city, looking for virtual environments to take me back there (too many children, too little time springs to mind). Jim, I take my hat off to you. SereneScreen was certainly an eye opener when I first came across it 18 months ago. I spent many hours searching the web for superior products as I was aware that when I stumbled upon SSMA 2, it wasn't new & I was convinced that someone would have taken the concept beyond the screensaver.
I was prepared to pay very considerably more for a high quality virtual marine world and am frankly amazed that there is so little on the market. Perhaps I am somewhat alone in my views. It seems that so much development time within the industry has been directed toward the gaming market that an opportunity has been overlooked. My thoughts turn to Nintendo who have, at least in the UK have recently been positioning there DS product at more mature market and have had considerable success... different I know but nevertheless the over 30's market for software (and I hope I am doing no-one a dis-service here, you all look about my age) is very substantial.
I am very much looking forward to your latest masterpiece, frustrated by the wait, but solaced in the knowledge that good things are usually worth waitng for.
Promise me that you will have a relaxing Xmas, re-charge those batteries, and then attack the project with a renewed vigour, so that I can get my cheque book out sooner rather than later!

whoops, posted twice. Didn't read the caption concerning the post moderator:rolleyes:

The second one I took care of for you. ;)

Welcome to the forums.

I can so relate to that, which is why quite early on, I decided that art wasn't a sufficient outlet for my creativity. So I taught myself to programme, bought a synth and started throwing game designs together. So when one outlet runs dry, there are always 3 others just ready to be switched on.

I find it amazing how each one can refuel the other and how writing 20 or 30 lines of code can suddenly inspire a piece of artwork, a piece of music or a game mechanic and visa versa.

Mayan ruins and caves eh... didn't find any crystal skulls that took you to see giant aliens there did you? ;) Unfortunately, over here in the UK, caves and ruins translates to holes in the roads and half demolished buildings. I have to rely on Google Earth and a vivid imagination :D

You must live in Ancoats! ... ;)