Windows 10 RTM (Final Version) and MA3.3 - Screen Flickers

[Splashy]

I upgraded to Windows 10 Pro 64 bit and I'm having problems with MA3.3.
The screen (mainly fish and bubbles) flickers randomly.
I tried adjusting the settings (frame rate, number of fish) but it still happens.
I really like this screensaver and I'd be even happy to pay for a version that works properly on Windows 10.
Any help with this would be appreciated.

[cjmaddy]

My advice would be.... Forget about Windows 10. - Why not stick with a version of Windows that works.

I consider Windows 8 and Windows 10 to be a downgrade, not an upgrade.

I have no desire to change from my Windows 7.

[Jav400]

At this point you are probably going to be waiting for an answer. The OS is only out for a matter of hours and from what you are describing it sounds like a video card driver problem. So in this case you are waiting until your VC card manufacturer updates their drivers to work better with Windows 10.

Not to beat a dead horse here, but this is exactly why upgrading on the day of release is fraught with problems.

[Splashy]

So far I have no other problems with Windows 10.
NVIDIA has an official driver for Windows 10, which I'm already using but the problem still occurs.

[Jim Sachs]

Splashy - After all the dust settles from the roll-out of Windows 10, the video card manufacturers will take another look at their drivers and make some adjustments. If your problems still exist with Marine Aquarium, then we will look into it. We already know that all DirectX protocols have been followed correctly, but if there is anything we can do on our end, we'll certainly do it. If there's a fix, it would be incorporated into the downloadable version of MA, and there would be no charge for the upgrade.

[harris]

Hey Splashy, maybe you can tell us if the "disappearing registration key code" issue is still happening after a Microsoft Windows "update" has been performed. There are a lot of us having that problem with Windows 8.1 and I've yet to hear Edgar from prolific say anything definitive other than an experimental pain-in-the-xxx work-around he came up with a while ago.

[Splashy]

Thank you, Jim. That's good to know.
Harris, after following Edgar's instructions in the workaround, I didn't have to input the serial number again on Windows 8.1.

[harris]

Thanks for the answer, Splashy. I was hoping to find out if Windows 10 auto update process was not causing the key code loss like the way Windows 8.1 auto update is doing. However, if you did the Edger workaround before updating to Windows 10 then that would negate the inquiry.

Sure would be nice if Prolific would implement a fix in a downloadable version and let us know on this board when it is available. I asked a long time ago with no reply. Oh-well, sorry to say MA3 has lost the interest it once generated. But... I'll be one of the first to purchase an updated version with some of the often discussed things like more precise collision avoidance, individual behavior, creature packs, etc. if/when it does happen. I do wish Jim well, with MA3 he developed something magical that was ahead of it's time and was fun to be involved with it during the early days.

[Splashy]

I did an upgrade but I didn't keep the apps, I installed everything from scratch.
However, there have not been more system updates since I installed Windows 10 so I don't know if it works properly or not. There's also the flickering issue I wrote about.

[philosopher]

I have also upgraded to Windows 10 - running it via Bootcamp on my Macbook Pro (which means it's running natively just like it would on any other computer).

The screensaver is working perfectly for me!

To run properly with dual screens I did have to make one adjustment (which I had to make when running the same setup with Windows 7 and 8 and 8.1): I have always had a flashing screen at startup when running dual monitors. The fix has proven to be a setting within my NVIDIA card driver. If I set the second monitor's refresh rate to 59 KHZ (it's usually at 60) that fixes the flashing when on dual screens. I have no idea why it works but it always does.

[Splashy]

I forgot to mention that I have 2 monitors and that I'm running MA on windowed mode on the second monitor. Unfortunately changing the refresh rate on the second monitor didn't help.

[Jim Sachs]

Splashy - are the two monitors different resolutions?

[Splashy]

Yes, they have different resolutions.

[Jim Sachs]

That can sometimes cause a driver problem. Is it possible to set them to the same resolution?

[Splashy]

I guess it's technically possible but it wouldn't look good on the primary monitor if I set it to 1920x1080 (it's 1920x1200 vs 1920x1080 on the secondary monitor).
Windows downloaded updates and restarted the PC a couple of days ago and so far MA3 is working without problems. I didn't have to input the registration code again either.
Let's hope it continues to work without problems. I will keep watching it and let you know if there's any problem.

[Jim Sachs]

Would it be possible to temporarily switch the monitors to the same res, just to see if it fixes the flicker?

[Splashy]

Right now there is no need since the flickering hasn't occurred since the last Windows update. I hope it continues to work without flickers.
Thank you for your help.

[jimkraz]

I have four PCs in my home, my Desktop, my granddaughters desktop and laptop and my wife uses my Windows Surface Pro on which I beta tested Windows 10 on for a few months, SereneScreen Aquarium has worked well well and does work well on all of them, I also installed Windows 10 on another six PCs for family and friends and none have reported problems.

[drfish]

Seems like the best place to show this off.



That's Win10 working fine with MA3.3 on my new Acer Predator X34. 3440x1440, 100Hz, G-Sync. I'm so happy right now.

[Jim Sachs]

Nice shot!