Beta 10

StuDisney · 04-12-2009, 05:39 PM

Installed; looks good to me, but I know very little about Clams.
The only problem I have, is it will not except me key code?

Jim Sachs · 04-12-2009, 06:11 PM

The Key Code part of the program has not been changed.

vmjr · 04-12-2009, 07:13 PM

Had it up for awhile, great start. For me, only the Clam on the far right moves. When its right shell closes it seems to cut thru the flesh leaving it hanging out. Keep up the good work!

Jim Sachs · 04-12-2009, 07:25 PM

All the clams move if a fish happens to get near them.

There are definitely some ragged edges that need to be cleaned up. One of the main difficulties is the "A overlaps B, which overlaps A" problem. During the early part of the shell opening, the mantle is inside, so the transparent part of the shell edge (which gets drawn first) doesn't have anything to blend into.

Ralph · 04-12-2009, 08:18 PM

Looking good..

The movement seems about right.. perhaps the "shudder" from changing it's mind as the threat moves away could be dampened a bit more.

Now that there is a means of perceiving depth other than one fish in front of another.. the space between the first clam and the "glass" appears wider than the image would indicate.. This distance would appear to be less than one third of a clam..however several fish can swim between the glass and the first clam and only partially trigger a close response on the first clam and next to nothing on the second clam.. itself only slightly farther from the glass.

The fishes anti collision is perhaps set to keep the fish too far away from the clams. If the clams are set to close at 3 units the fish seem to be set to stay at least 2 units away... unless forced by another fish.

Criticism for what ever it is worth... Nice work on the clams.. we know they proved to be a real challenge.

Jim Sachs · 04-12-2009, 08:37 PM

The triggering mechanism is based on real distances in the 3D space. Each clam will sense a fish which is 2.8 "units" from its center, and getting closer. It will not sense a fish which is moving away. This is easily adjustable, but I don't want them to spend too much time closed, since they look a lot better open.

Dreamster · 04-12-2009, 09:38 PM

Perhaps a tool later on down the road where the user could adjust the sensitivity of fish to clam?

pvernam · 04-13-2009, 06:47 AM

Originally posted by StuDisney:

Installed; looks good to me, but I know very little about Clams.
The only problem I have, is it will not except me key code?

I have the same problem. Back on 11-Oct-2008 I purchased a version 2.6 upgrade, and that keycode has worked with EVERY version 3 beta through 9m. Now it prompts me to enter a keycode (in the "Register" dialog) and, when I do, it says:

Please enter "TESTFISH" or a valid keycode or place a Marine Aquarium 3 CD into the drive to continue.

I don't have a "Marine Aquarium 3 CD". I do have an Aquarium 1.0 CD, but it doesn't work.

StuDisney · 04-13-2009, 07:13 AM

Originally posted by pvernam:

I have the same problem. Back on 11-Oct-2008 I purchased a version 2.6 upgrade, and that keycode has worked with EVERY version 3 beta through 9m. Now it prompts me to enter a keycode (in the "Register" dialog) and, when I do, it says:

Please enter "TESTFISH" or a valid keycode or place a Marine Aquarium 3 CD into the drive to continue.

I don't have a "Marine Aquarium 3 CD". I do have an Aquarium 1.0 CD, but it doesn't work.

It is a 2.6 upgrad code I have sent e-mail to PPi.

pvernam · 04-13-2009, 07:30 AM

Originally posted by StuDisney:

It is a 2.6 upgrad code I have sent e-mail to PPi.

Yeah, me too.

Jim Sachs · 04-13-2009, 10:37 AM

Before sending email to Prolific, check the Keycodes section of the SereneScreen website.

dondragon62 · 04-13-2009, 11:04 AM

The clams are great, the only question I have is in Bet9M when you turn off the stats they stayed off in this version they are on whenever it starts.

Jim Sachs · 04-13-2009, 11:29 AM

The the stats default to OFF in the official versions on SereneScreen.com. They defaut to ON in my unofficial test versions on fish-byte.com.

Jim Sachs · 04-13-2009, 12:33 PM

I forgot to mention that this version also a Wait For Vertical Sync option in Display Settings.

Rosenfritz · 04-13-2009, 01:44 PM

Originally posted by Jim Sachs:

I forgot to mention that this version also a Wait For Vertical Sync option in Display Settings.

I seem to be missing something (like my sight...). I can't seem to find "Wait For Vertical Sync" in Display Settings (or anywhere else...)

Jim Sachs · 04-13-2009, 01:47 PM

Do you have more than one monitor?

rctneil · 04-13-2009, 01:56 PM

yeh, i couldn;t find it either and i ahve 2

Jim Sachs · 04-13-2009, 02:16 PM

It's on the single-monitor Display Properties sheet. I'm not sure how it would be handled with multi-monitors.

Dale · 04-13-2009, 02:52 PM

Originally posted by Jim Sachs:

It's on the single-monitor Display Properties sheet. I'm not sure how it would be handled with multi-monitors.

I have a single monitor - but an ATI card (x300) that can handle dual monitors. The setting is present on my Display Properties sheet.

Now - when should "Wait for vertical sync" be selected?

feldon34 · 04-13-2009, 02:56 PM

When you want the Aquarium to send its frames to the graphics card when it is ready, not before and not after.

This will prevent "juddering" or "tearing" for lack of better of word when the camera is moving as the viewport is showing before-and-after updates of the screen.

04-12-2009, 05:39 PM	#1
StuDisney Registered Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: WDW/Orlando Fl. Posts: 44	Beta 10 Installed; looks good to me, but I know very little about Clams. The only problem I have, is it will not except me key code? "Our greatest natural resource is the minds of our children." “Growing Old is Mandatory - Growing Up Is Optional”

04-12-2009, 06:11 PM	#2
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,789	The Key Code part of the program has not been changed. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

04-12-2009, 07:13 PM	#3
vmjr Registered Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 8	Only one Clam moves Had it up for awhile, great start. For me, only the Clam on the far right moves. When its right shell closes it seems to cut thru the flesh leaving it hanging out. Keep up the good work!

04-12-2009, 07:25 PM	#4
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,789	All the clams move if a fish happens to get near them. There are definitely some ragged edges that need to be cleaned up. One of the main difficulties is the "A overlaps B, which overlaps A" problem. During the early part of the shell opening, the mantle is inside, so the transparent part of the shell edge (which gets drawn first) doesn't have anything to blend into. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

04-12-2009, 08:37 PM	#6
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,789	The triggering mechanism is based on real distances in the 3D space. Each clam will sense a fish which is 2.8 "units" from its center, and getting closer. It will not sense a fish which is moving away. This is easily adjustable, but I don't want them to spend too much time closed, since they look a lot better open. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

04-12-2009, 08:18 PM	#5
Ralph Retired Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Edmonton Alberta Ca Posts: 2,441	Looking good.. The movement seems about right.. perhaps the "shudder" from changing it's mind as the threat moves away could be dampened a bit more. Now that there is a means of perceiving depth other than one fish in front of another.. the space between the first clam and the "glass" appears wider than the image would indicate.. This distance would appear to be less than one third of a clam..however several fish can swim between the glass and the first clam and only partially trigger a close response on the first clam and next to nothing on the second clam.. itself only slightly farther from the glass. The fishes anti collision is perhaps set to keep the fish too far away from the clams. If the clams are set to close at 3 units the fish seem to be set to stay at least 2 units away... unless forced by another fish. Criticism for what ever it is worth... Nice work on the clams.. we know they proved to be a real challenge.

04-12-2009, 09:38 PM	#7
Dreamster Banned Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 27	Perhaps a tool later on down the road where the user could adjust the sensitivity of fish to clam?

04-13-2009, 06:47 AM	#8
pvernam wobbegong Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Nahant, MA Posts: 37	Originally posted by StuDisney: Installed; looks good to me, but I know very little about Clams. The only problem I have, is it will not except me key code? I have the same problem. Back on 11-Oct-2008 I purchased a version 2.6 upgrade, and that keycode has worked with EVERY version 3 beta through 9m. Now it prompts me to enter a keycode (in the "Register" dialog) and, when I do, it says: Please enter "TESTFISH" or a valid keycode or place a Marine Aquarium 3 CD into the drive to continue. I don't have a "Marine Aquarium 3 CD". I do have an Aquarium 1.0 CD, but it doesn't work.

04-13-2009, 07:13 AM	#9
StuDisney Registered Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: WDW/Orlando Fl. Posts: 44	Originally posted by pvernam: I have the same problem. Back on 11-Oct-2008 I purchased a version 2.6 upgrade, and that keycode has worked with EVERY version 3 beta through 9m. Now it prompts me to enter a keycode (in the "Register" dialog) and, when I do, it says: Please enter "TESTFISH" or a valid keycode or place a Marine Aquarium 3 CD into the drive to continue. I don't have a "Marine Aquarium 3 CD". I do have an Aquarium 1.0 CD, but it doesn't work. It is a 2.6 upgrad code I have sent e-mail to PPi. "Our greatest natural resource is the minds of our children." “Growing Old is Mandatory - Growing Up Is Optional”

04-13-2009, 07:30 AM	#10
pvernam wobbegong Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Nahant, MA Posts: 37	Originally posted by StuDisney: It is a 2.6 upgrad code I have sent e-mail to PPi. Yeah, me too.

04-13-2009, 10:37 AM	#11
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,789	Before sending email to Prolific, check the Keycodes section of the SereneScreen website. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

04-13-2009, 11:04 AM	#12
dondragon62 Registered Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Rifle Colorado Posts: 21	The clams are great, the only question I have is in Bet9M when you turn off the stats they stayed off in this version they are on whenever it starts.

04-13-2009, 11:29 AM	#13
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,789	The the stats default to OFF in the official versions on SereneScreen.com. They defaut to ON in my unofficial test versions on fish-byte.com. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

04-13-2009, 12:33 PM	#14
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,789	I forgot to mention that this version also a Wait For Vertical Sync option in Display Settings. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

04-13-2009, 01:44 PM	#15
Rosenfritz Registered Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: San Juan Capistrano, CA Posts: 10	Originally posted by Jim Sachs: I forgot to mention that this version also a Wait For Vertical Sync option in Display Settings. I seem to be missing something (like my sight...). I can't seem to find "Wait For Vertical Sync" in Display Settings (or anywhere else...)

04-13-2009, 01:47 PM	#16
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,789	Do you have more than one monitor? Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

04-13-2009, 01:56 PM	#17
rctneil Registered Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 239	yeh, i couldn;t find it either and i ahve 2

04-13-2009, 02:16 PM	#18
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,789	It's on the single-monitor Display Properties sheet. I'm not sure how it would be handled with multi-monitors. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

04-13-2009, 02:52 PM	#19
Dale Banned Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Western Missouri Posts: 960	Originally posted by Jim Sachs: It's on the single-monitor Display Properties sheet. I'm not sure how it would be handled with multi-monitors. I have a single monitor - but an ATI card (x300) that can handle dual monitors. The setting is present on my Display Properties sheet. Now - when should "Wait for vertical sync" be selected?

04-13-2009, 02:56 PM	#20
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	When you want the Aquarium to send its frames to the graphics card when it is ready, not before and not after. This will prevent "juddering" or "tearing" for lack of better of word when the camera is moving as the viewport is showing before-and-after updates of the screen. "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman