Goldfish Aquarium for Windows Media Center Ed 2005

[James]

Now let's look at the monitor setting button, it's the right button underneath the Lighting section on left.

Surprisingly, it's actually an MD version!!!!, It support multiple Display, the drop down menu is for resolution, the setting on screenshot is set to "Default to system resolution", then it's the colour bit depth, 16 or 32. The top check box is set to blank for the current selected monitor option. The bottom check box is the Wide Screen option!!!!! So cool!!!!!!

[James]

Let's look at the "About" button beside the "monitor setting" button.

You can see the version number and the Prolific's contact address on it with other info such as the name of developers. And the special thanks to J. D Sachs

[James]

There are no hot-key control whatsoever, whenever you press a key, the screensaver just exit, not even a Exit on mouse move option, so you cannot see the FPS, Wireframe mode, Alternate between full screen to windowed mode, or alternate between wide screen and normal screen, or cycle tanks, nope.

But another good part of it is it's preview-able in the the Display propoerties panel, it looks like all Microsoft's bundled screensaver are made to be preview-able, even the 3 fish version of MA comes with WinXP Plus!

[James]

And even the wide screen mode is also previewable!!!

[James]

Now here are the two screeshots:

"Green Plants" AKA "Meddium Planting"

[James]

"The Zan Garden" AKA "Rocks Only"

[James]

After playing around with this version, I quite like it though. The blue gravel gave me the "Ewwwww" at the fist sight like Doc did, but then it looks cool to me, more like those aquarium set up with dyed gravel in pet shop, I like the square rock the most.

And the wide screen + MD support + previewable in Display propertise panel is definetly a plus!!

I don't know you guys, but I like it!

[James]

There a few more points I like to add, the automatic lighting delay is set to 1 minute internally, it starts with background bright ---> Dark ---> Bright ---> Foreground bright --> dark ---> bright and then background again.

Althuogh there's no "Don't duplicate random choices" option available, it's set to that way internally too, you 'll never get duplicated fish if fish slosts are set to random.

I'm not sure about the "Disable monitor sleep mode" is internally set to active or not.

The "Debris" are there, you cannot turn it off, and so does bubbles.

I think those are the differences between normal version of GA.

[James]

My another friend in New Zealand are going to purchase a Media Centre PC soon (and of coz it's WinXP MCE 2005 installed), by that time, if he's welling to let me review on the English version of MCE Goldfish Aquarium, I'll post its interface here again.

The current one I got was from my another oversea friend in Australia, it's not surprising that he lives in an English spoken country by using Simplified Chinese version of WinXP MCE 2005. I use Traditional Chinese WinXP Pro on my PC in NZ anyway.

[memilm]

many thanks for your research and informations...

[James]

Originally posted by James
. The bottom check box is the Wide Screen option!!!!! So cool!!!!!!

I just realised that the normal GA doesn't support wide screen, this is the first version of GA that supports it, this is definetly a keeper.

But on second thought, am I allow to keep it?

Originally posted by memilm
many thanks for your research and informations...

No problem, I'm just lucky to have one friend who actually own the WinXP MCE 2005 PC, so I have the chance to play around with it. It's my pleasure to share out those findings to who are interest in this special GA version.

[IXNAY]

WOW thats cool, is there any chance to get it?

[feldon34]

Preview mode requires rewriting the Aquarium in DirectX 7 or 8 code.

[cjmaddy]

Blue gravel? ..... You cannot be serious!

[James]

Originally posted by IXNAY
WOW thats cool, is there any chance to get it?

Well, I dunno if I could distribute it around, I'm even a little worried about am I allow to keep it? I don't buy the MCE, my friend did!

Should I up load it on my server for download?

Originally posted by feldon28
Preview mode requires rewriting the Aquarium in DirectX 7 or 8 code.

I see, but from the GA FAQ page , I thought GA was written in Directx 7? so basically they just added the previeable function, no complete rewrite I suppose. No?

However, it's the wide screen support that catches me, and new type of the tank alternating option. That's close what you've suggest for random fish occurance in MA.

PS: Thanks for the title help man

Originally posted by cjmaddy
Blue gravel? ..... You cannot be serious!

Cliff, you won't say that when you have it in action!!!! Just look at it as those tanks with dyed pebble/gravel in the pet shop! In a way, they still look nice.....

and the MD support plus widescreen plus previewable in window's setting.

[cjmaddy]

Sorry James, blue gravel does nothing for me! - Must be an age thing!

[drfish]

Hey, I said, "Ewwww..." and I'm younger than James I'm sure...

[James]

LOL....oh you two little......

[sunny]

wow this is sooooo cool...
i wish i have that blue gravel version of GA..
is there anything wrong if distribute around?
else , James could you please send me a link (PM).

[James]

Originally posted by sunny
wow this is sooooo cool...
i wish i have that blue gravel version of GA..
is there anything wrong if distribute around?
else , James could you please send me a link (PM).

I'm not preparing to upload it on my server, for now, PM me first and see what I can do for you and I'll explain why I'm a bit concern to distribute it around.