Feature preview for future versions of Marine Aquarium for Mac OS X

[JimO'Connor]

Here is a screen shot of the fish favorites feature implemented for future versions of Marine Aquarium. I don't have a ship date on this yet as Goldfish is taking most of our attention, but we took a couple days to get some of the new functionality working in Marine Aquarium.

Any other UI features you'd like to see?


Jim

[feldon34]

Have you read the interface Suggestions topic for the PC version of the Aquarium?

https://www.feldoncentral.com/forums...&threadid=1349

The # of stars per fish is one of the bigger features. Some of the others I've been hoping for are independant locks on the foreground and background lights. I'd like having a dark blue background and the foreground lightens and darkens.

We now return to your regularly scheduled opinions-from-Mac-users.

[Tiny Turtle]

How about better linking the "Fish info" window with the selected fish? I.e. in the above window the highlighted fish (Redfin butterfly) would have let's say a red frame ad the "Fish info" window would have a corresponding red frame? Or am I overthinking this?

/Tiny Suggestion

P.S.
Why is the Lionfish greyed out?

[Michael Babin]

Originally posted by Tiny Turtle
P.S.
Why is the Lionfish greyed out?

Unregistered version running. That's why there are only three fish in the fish list and the Lionfish is disabled.

[JimO'Connor]

Hi Tiny,

I understand what you are asking for conceptually. Turning it into pleasant UI is another matter. I'll think about it.

Thanks,
Jim

[JimO'Connor]

Originally posted by feldon27
Have you read the interface Suggestions topic for the PC version of the Aquarium?

https://www.feldoncentral.com/forums...&threadid=1349

Thanks Morgan. I had seen this a while ago and forgotten that it existed. Please take a look at this new screen shot. I changed the favorites slider control to one which mimics the iTunes 4 ratings control, only this one is continuously variable. I needed the UI space to make room for the new control as requested in the above link.

Please make suggestions for improvements. Much of this code is shared between Goldfish and Marine Aquarium so you'll benefit from your suggestions twice!

Jim

[Robarmo]

I read about the auto fish cycling feature on the PC version forum.

Someone mentioned having the fish fade in and out, instead of just changing like when you use the space bar. But wouldn't it be better to have a fish swim off the sides of the screen, and then a replacement enter (maybe from the other side). This would be a lot more subtle.

What do people think?

Also, I'd like the option to not have them wonder off the side of the screen (when not using the above feature obviously!) because it spoils the illusion.

Rob.

[feldon34]

Jim didn't put the edge of the tank at the edge of the screen because then, for realism, he'd have to do reflections.

[Robarmo]

Fair point. I suppose the sides would come into view if they were in perspective, but I just meant the fish turning back on themselves when they reach the sides of the screen. Its when they do that the 3Dness of the fish really comes into its own!

I thought some more about the fish cycling. Instead of swimming off the sides of the screen, maybe they could just go behind the coral, and another one swim out.

PS. Has anyone else experienced the following?

When activating the screensaver, one of the fish starts at the bottom of the screen (in front of the gravel) and rapidly moves upwards into the tank and starts swimming as normal. One time a fish did this from the top and rapidly moved downwards before swimming as normal - like someone had just dropped it into the water!

I thought I had imagined it the first time, it happens so fast. I can't repeat it, as far as I can tell it only happens when using the "Test" button in the prefs pane.

Its only happened a few times. I haven't seen it in a while as, now that I've got the screensaver set up the way I like it, I haven't been changing any settings. Not complaining, I found it quite amusing - especially from the top!

Rob.

[patscarr]

Yeah, that happens from time to time. The fish are "created" someplace where they shouldn't be, so they quickly move to an acceptable area of the tank and begin swimming.

[Tiny Turtle]

Two more ideas:

1. How about a frame around the box of the selected fish instead of making the box (and fish) dark? If you want to read the info of a fish you might want to look at it again and would then have to choose a different fish to see it properly. The reverse thing could work, i.e. to darken all the unselected fish (perhaps just temporarily).

2. How about enlarging the image of the selected fish? Either to zoom in like Ms Window's "Character map" does with the highlighted character or in a separate window. Possibly there could be a "show large image" button in the Fish Info field which switches that part to a fish preview.

/Two Tiny More

[JimO'Connor]

Originally posted by feldon27
Some of the others I've been hoping for are independant locks on the foreground and background lights. I'd like having a dark blue background and the foreground lightens and darkens.

I haven't had a chance to attach a simple UI to this feature, which is why it isn't in yet. I'm open to suggestions.

[Jav400]

Not sure how difficult this would be, or if its worth it. The ability to lock each light independantly and let the autolights function for the unlocked one would be nice. Maybe a "speed setting" so you could set the rate that the lights change. A "lock" checkbox next to each setting and maybe a slider of some kind for the speed rate that the light cycles would do it for me. Working a setting into the main slider for mininum and maximum light allowed would also be a good addition for the cycling light IMO. But maybe some other way would be more aesthetic and work better than an additional slider/'s.

[feldon34]

Foreground Light:
|=========================V=|
Low     Med     High     Auto

Background Light:
|================V==========|
Low     Med     High     Auto

[Michael Babin]

The problem with that approach is that the slider provides a continuous setting from Low to High, but the Auto setting is a discrete setting. What would the values of the slider between High and Auto mean? If you made the slider continuous between Low and High, and then jump to Auto once the mouse was moved far enough, the effect would be quite jarring, IMHO.

[JimO'Connor]

I've been spanked for adding more features to Goldfish and MA (well, spanked is a bit strong when we still have core implementation which isn't completed in Goldfish. I'd have to try the slider out to see if it is jarring. Morgan's design solves the problem I had with the UI getting too complicated.

[feldon34]

Originally posted by Michael Babin
The problem with that approach is that the slider provides a continuous setting from Low to High, but the Auto setting is a discrete setting. What would the values of the slider between High and Auto mean? If you made the slider continuous between Low and High, and then jump to Auto once the mouse was moved far enough, the effect would be quite jarring, IMHO.

Correct, it should snap into place for "Auto".

There is MUCH precedent in user interface design for this, such as dimmer switches with sliders.

[BigScreen]

Another suggestion:

The slider control can also be just for the variable light, with a checkbox for "Auto"

When "Auto" is checked, the slider is disabled and greyed out.

I, too, would like to see the lights adjust more slowly. Ideally, I would like for them to adjust so slowly as you would not notice it happening if you were working at the desk with the monitor in your peripheral vision (so as not to be a distracting "event")

Since we're piling on features and ignoring core functionality... How about if the light settings were to adjust to the time of day?

[Tiny Turtle]

BigS,
That has been discussed on everal occasions earlier. the reason it won't work is that normally you have your aquarium lit during the day and dark during the night. Would that mean that I got to see a black SS if I started it late in the evening? Or would you prefer if it was darker during the day and bright at night?

/Tiny Hope

[feldon34]

A screen saver that's black for 12 hours and bright for 12 hours.

I think it would be failing its job as a screen saver.