PROBLEMS new UPDATE

[HisDudeness]

Hi
Very dissapointed. Just spend $9.95 for the new update(I thought I was getting the new moving background we have all been waiting for) Instead I get the clock which I never wanted anyway and a new fish , the clearfin lionfish which does,nt render properly so I cant even use it. Also my fish now move very jerkily whereas in the previous version I had it was great. I am now sorry I downloaded this as I feel I have wasted $9.95 and got a worse Aquarium then I had before. I mean I was very happy with my other version. Everyone was talking about the new moving background for a long time so I thought this was it but ... I wish I could cancel this order and get my older version back.
Very dissapointed now In fact I feel a bit cheated to have had to pay $9.95 for this upgrade. I mean I already paid $19.95 for my original version and then to pay another $9.95 for an upgrade with only 2 new fish of which one does,nt render properly and the clock thingy which I never wanted and wont use. Any chance of a $9.95 credit here and my old version back???? Also it said that the special offer was for $5.95 yet I was billed $9.95.
Hisdudeness

[feldon34]

Originally posted by HisDudeness:

Hi
Very dissapointed. Just spend $9.95 for the new update(I thought I was getting the new moving background we have all been waiting for)  

Where did you read that there would be a new background in this version? I think you won't be able to find such a statement.

Originally posted by HisDudeness:

Instead I get the clock which I never wanted anyway  

Which can be turned off.

Originally posted by HisDudeness:

and a new fish , the clearfin lionfish which does,nt render properly so I cant even use it. Also my fish now move very jerkily whereas in the previous version I had it was great.  

Please tell us which Macintosh you have, how much memory it has, etc. Also when you run the Aquarium, please press the SPACE bar and confirm that the resolution is set to something reasonable like 800 x 600.

Originally posted by HisDudeness:

Everyone was talking about the new moving background for a long time so I thought this was it but  

If we ever get the 3D background, it will not be in an incremental upgrade like 2.6. It will be a full point release like 3.0, 4.0, etc. And it will be hugely publicized. You would have found dozens of statements by the author here about his progress as well as hundreds of comments by fans of the Aquarium with their opinions about it.

Originally posted by HisDudeness:

Also it said that the special offer was for $5.95 yet I was billed $9.95.  

The PC and Mac product pages at SereneScreen both indicate $9.95 $5.95 as the price for the upgrade.

It is also important to note that you are always encouraged to download the Aquarium and try it BEFORE you buy.


Now, if it's any consolation, I am a bit uncomfortable with forcing people who want the 2 new fish to buy a product they don't want (the clock aquarium). While I think the Goldfish 2 and Sharks 2 upgrades are fantastic and worth the price, I don't feel $9.95 is a justified upgrade price for what most people will use -- 2 more fish.

[JimO'Connor]

The Clearfin Lionfish has 4x the texture data as the original fish. It will likely tax older systems, as it is essentially 4 of the other fish. My Powerbook G4 800MHz does fine with it. You can turn off the crystal in the preferences, where you have the choice of Classic, Crystal or Alternating. You can probably improve performance by turning on "Economize video memory". If MA 2.6 runs jerkily on your computer, the 3D background will be impossible as it will likely have vastly greater system requirements.

I'm sure tech support can deal with the incorrect billing amount if you write to them. I haven't seen ad copy with other than the $9.95 amount (I haven't looked), but I'm sure Prolific will fix any problems with incorrect billing.

As to feeling cheated, can't help you there. I'm sorry your enthusiasm was disappointed, but I don't think that anyone tried to lead you to believe that the product is other than as it is. The whole "download and try before you buy" thing is to avoid just such problems.

[feldon34]

Save your pennies for a new Mac.

Jim, any rumors of a 17" MacBook Pro? Nice last-second speed bump on the 15"ers (2GHz and 2.17GHz stock instead of 1.6 and 1.8).

[JimO'Connor]

Morgan,
No idea. I don't occupy a seat worthy of pre-release hardware any more. And if I did, I couldn't say anyway! The speed bump was very nice. A very good surprise.

I'm looking at a MacBook as I can't always borrow an Intel Mac when I need to do testing, and running to the Apple Store to use their machines doesn't work on a regular basis, though I have been known to do that.

[JimO'Connor]

<em>forcing people who want the 2 new fish to buy a product they don't want (the clock aquarium)</em>

What do you mean? The two new fish are what we're charging for. The clock is a freebie. Or was it the other way around? I don't remember.

[feldon34]

I'm pretty sure the $9.95 is because you are giving every customer the Marine Aquarium 2 and Marine Aquarium 2 Time bundle (which was a $30 product for the longest), even those who only run Marine Aquarium 2 (and probably don't even like the clock). A very small percentage of MA2 users bought the MAT bundle/add-on when it became available because they didn't want the clock. To my knowledge, MAT appeals to a very small percentage of the Aquarium buying public, mostly corporate and office users.

Hopefully Jim Sachs will give us some insight on what's going on.

There was the possibility raised at one point (possibly unsubstantiated) of $10 for a pack of ten fish.

[Jim Sachs]

Insight? I'm as much in the dark as you guys. I thought it would be a free upgrade, but Prolific does have the right to earn a living. And they do have a point in that it replaces a $30 product.

[Surferminn]

Thanks for saying that, Jim. I thought it was a free upgrade too - just 2 new fishies, not the clock and all that other stuff. At least we can download it and have a looksee.

[Yellow Tang]

I think I will also wait for the 3D background, (it will happen, someday!).
Probably this will also not be free then, but you will get a completely new program, and I think that would be worth an upgrade fee.
The new 2 fishies are great, thank you Jim!
I'll stay with my YT's, still the best fish in there!

[Tiny Turtle]

Originally posted by Yellow Tang:

. . . I'll stay with my YT's, still the best fish in there!  

Yes they are. And the first!

[Jim Sachs]

Actually, the Copperband was the first. I wanted to make sure I'd be able to get a reasonable specular effect before continuing the project.

[Tiny Turtle]

It was? Well at least tell me I remember correctly that the YT is your favorite...

/Tiny Error

[Jav400]

If I'm not mistaken that would be the copperband as well.

[Jim Sachs]

The Yellow Tang probably came out the most realistic of all the fish. That may change with the rework necessary for 3.0. All the models and textures have to be re-done.

[Tiny Turtle]

I'm deciding to consider the "most realistic" being a definate favorite with Mr. Sachs given his approach to marine life screensvavers and give myself at least a small pat on the back for remembering at least something correctly.

[feldon34]

Just for sake of argument, do you think you will have translucency in certain fish? I know if there is bright light behind a Yellow Tang, right on the fringe of its body, it's slightly translucent.

[HisDudeness]

Quote:
Originally Posted by HisDudeness
"Also it said that the special offer was for $5.95 yet I was billed $9.95."
Feldon's answer
"The PC and Mac product pages at SereneScreen both indicate $9.95 as the price for the upgrade."

Marine Aquarium Upgrade v.2.6

Special upgrade price for our customers. You need to insert the a valid CD or Keycode to verify ownership. More...
$5.95
U.S.

As a special offer, we are offering an upgrade to Marine Aquarium 2.6 for only $5.95. In Order to take advantage of this special offer, you must own the CD version 1 or CD version 2 purchased from a store, or own a valid keycode version 1 keycode or version 2 keycode purchased from our website www.SereneScreen.com.
As a special gift to our valued customers, Prolific Publishing has decided to make Marine Aquarium 2.6 free for all owners who purchased Marine Aquarium 2.0 and Marine Aquarium Time 2.0. Prolific Publishing will send you your keycode via email. All of our customers can update from previous versions for small charge.
So it all gets very confusing does,nt it???

[Jim Sachs]

Read the "Marine Aquarium 2.6 is Here" thread.

[feldon34]

HisDudeness,

When I checked the other day, it was $9.95. Now it's $5.95.

Pricing and general discussion of Marine Aquarium 2.6 is happening in the Marine Aquarium 2.6 thread.

I would continue to try to resolve/diagnose the issues with your Aquarium not running smoothly on your Mac in this thread.