Starfish question

Thisdude08 · 01-05-2009, 09:51 AM

Hi,

Will it be possible to have more than one starfish in the tank?
I would love having more than one.

Thanks & appreciate all the hard work going into this.

Take care,

Jim

rctneil · 01-05-2009, 09:54 AM

Having more than 1 in the tank at once would be excellent!

henemly · 01-05-2009, 11:36 AM

Agreed, but probably won't happen

Jav400 · 01-05-2009, 12:43 PM

Hmm, I was trying to remember what Jim said concerning the starfish. Right now it's limited to the clear area to the left, so I would say for now - probably not. Once some other things get done I think Jim is going to turn it loose for anywhere in the tank. At that point, who knows.

Socrates · 01-08-2009, 01:50 AM

IT would be cool to see some other variations too.

Jim Sachs · 01-08-2009, 02:24 PM

Yes, there will be more than one starfish available (different types, too). Each would be confined to its own general section of the tank.

dilligaff_2k4 · 06-10-2009, 10:56 PM

Hey Folks, newbie here, but a long time Marine Aquarium
screensaver user. First fell in love with it in WindowsPlus!,
And have been buying/upgrading ever since. Just recently
upgraded to v.3, and have a few questions...
so forgive me if this is covered in a post I haven't found....
Ive searched, honest.

Does the starfish climb the glass as it did in older versions?

The fan on my laptop sounds like its spinning fast enuff to slice
deli meat when running v.3, but doesnt running v.2x, any suggestions??
Sorry if this is the wrong place, but I saw a starfish string started.
Looking forward your answers/replies!!

Jav400 · 06-11-2009, 03:54 AM

Glad that you have been enjoying it for so long, and welcome to the forums

As to the first question, no not yet, but it will later.

As for the second question, it has been discussed many times before. Your settings for the aquarium are probably over-working your system allot, and can cause you some serious problems in the long run. This screensaver is like running a game for hours on end and taxes your system unless you set it properly.

First hit the "S" key to view your stats. Then using the UP arrow key, turn your sleep settings up until your fps is somewhere around 50-60. Depending on your system components, that should keep your cpu and your video card from running flat out and generating so much heat that your fans must run to help.

Check here to maybe find some answers for general questions.

luv.swans · 06-11-2009, 11:51 AM

Originally posted by Thisdude08:

Hi,

Will it be possible to have more than one starfish in the tank?
I would love having more than one.

Thanks & appreciate all the hard work going into this.

Take care,

Jim

Glad you asked this, I logged on to ask same question. Have had the aquarium since it was first available, years ago, and love the starfish on the glass, miss that. I logged on to ask this very question. The comments below give me hope that it will move in this new version too.

henemly · 06-11-2009, 01:02 PM

Will beta 10e include a 'StarfishOnGlass' reg entry?

Jav400 · 06-11-2009, 01:35 PM

Only Jim can answer for sure, but my guess at this point would be probably not.

Ralph · 06-11-2009, 04:52 PM

I think Jim ran into problem on how to make the starfish bend and go up the glass... Perhaps he will have an inspiration while sitting in a chair on a plane that will not bend (recline)...

Jim Sachs · 06-11-2009, 10:08 PM

Ralph - I tried to use the wasted travel time to come up with some ideas for starfish movement, but it turns out that anger, frustration and exhaustion are not conducive to the creative process.

rps · 06-12-2009, 10:31 AM

Originally posted by Ralph:

I think Jim ran into problem on how to make the starfish bend and go up the glass... Perhaps he will have an inspiration while sitting in a chair on a plane that will not bend (recline)...

Here's an idea: rather than trying to model the starfish transitioning from a horizontal directly to a vertical surface (see fig1), perhaps you could mound the gravel against the glass (it looks like it's already done that way) and then the starfish could essentially follow a curving path that happens to start on the gravel bed and ends up on the glass. (See fig2).

Does this make sense?

~Ralph S.

Jav400 · 06-12-2009, 10:34 AM

It wasn't the bending - it was the shadowing and several other items.

henemly · 06-13-2009, 09:26 AM

Wasn't it workin in v2.6?

Jav400 · 06-13-2009, 09:32 AM

No - Jim pulled a trick in 2.6. If you will notice, you never see the starfish go onto the glass. It's either there or it's not. What actually happened, was to alleviate the problem of shadows and so forth; if the starfish was next to the glass where it looked like it was going to go there, it only would if you had the tank lights set to cycle. That way when the tank was dark, the starfish actually jumped onto the glass instead of slowly moving there, and you never saw it happen.

In MA3 Jim wants to actually solve the problem and let you see the starfish crawl up onto the glass. Which in effect will solve other problems as well. Once the starfish "gets turned loose" so to speak; because right now it is limited and cannot leave the area it is in; it will also be able to crawl on the 3D coral. Or anywhere else in the tank.

PS. If you want to actually see the transfer - if you are running MA2.6 and the starfish gets near the glass hit "W" for wireframe mode and manually turn all lights to dark and watch.

G600 · 06-13-2009, 04:45 PM

Originally posted by Jav400:

PS. If you want to actually see the transfer - if you are running MA2.6 and the starfish gets near the glass hit "W" for wireframe mode and manually turn all lights to dark and watch.

Thanks very much for that hint!
Beside MA3 I still have MA2.6 installed and in the past seven years of regularly watching it I never saw the starfish on the glass, while I was sure that "starfish allowed on glass" and the automatic lights were checked. I concluded that it must be a very very rare event.
Doing as you mentioned above, after patiently waiting, I saw the starfish "jumped" onto the glass in wireframe mode; it was a sudden transfer. Then in normal mode I finally could admire it on the glass, wonderful!

Now in MA3 I can't wait for the starfish to really gradually climb onto the glass.

henemly · 06-13-2009, 06:27 PM

Originally posted by Jav400:

PS. If you want to actually see the transfer - if you are running MA2.6 and the starfish gets near the glass hit "W" for wireframe mode and manually turn all lights to dark and watch.

That's interesting, never knew that. I never changed the lights, but just kept
the reg entry to 01 (StarfishOnGlass) so it stayed on the glass all the time.

FishHead · 06-18-2009, 11:40 PM

Frankly am not too keen to see the starfish crawls up the glass/window but randomly ACROSS the sea bed is more visually natural and pleasing I think.
Perhaps Jim would make this an option?! :-)

01-05-2009, 09:51 AM	#1
Thisdude08 Registered Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 8	Starfish question Hi, Will it be possible to have more than one starfish in the tank? I would love having more than one. Thanks & appreciate all the hard work going into this. Take care, Jim

01-05-2009, 12:43 PM	#4
Jav400 Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Tennessee Posts: 9,725	Hmm, I was trying to remember what Jim said concerning the starfish. Right now it's limited to the clear area to the left, so I would say for now - probably not. Once some other things get done I think Jim is going to turn it loose for anywhere in the tank. At that point, who knows. Michael Administrator of Inside:SereneScreen Aquarium Forum, Chatroom, Fan Site & *Gallery* DVD Collection

01-08-2009, 01:50 AM	#5
Socrates Sage Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: West Hills, CA Posts: 1,529	IT would be cool to see some other variations too. Bat rays? We don't need no stinking bat rays!

01-08-2009, 02:24 PM	#6
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,791	Yes, there will be more than one starfish available (different types, too). Each would be confined to its own general section of the tank. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

06-11-2009, 03:54 AM	#8
Jav400 Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Tennessee Posts: 9,725	Glad that you have been enjoying it for so long, and welcome to the forums As to the first question, no not yet, but it will later. As for the second question, it has been discussed many times before. Your settings for the aquarium are probably over-working your system allot, and can cause you some serious problems in the long run. This screensaver is like running a game for hours on end and taxes your system unless you set it properly. First hit the "S" key to view your stats. Then using the UP arrow key, turn your sleep settings up until your fps is somewhere around 50-60. Depending on your system components, that should keep your cpu and your video card from running flat out and generating so much heat that your fans must run to help. Check here to maybe find some answers for general questions. Michael Administrator of Inside:SereneScreen Aquarium Forum, Chatroom, Fan Site & *Gallery* DVD Collection

01-05-2009, 09:54 AM	#2
rctneil Registered Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 239	Having more than 1 in the tank at once would be excellent!

01-05-2009, 11:36 AM	#3
henemly asdf Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Hiko, CommieFagnia Posts: 278	Agreed, but probably won't happen

06-10-2009, 10:56 PM	#7
dilligaff_2k4 Registered Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Midwest Posts: 5	Hey Folks, newbie here, but a long time Marine Aquarium screensaver user. First fell in love with it in WindowsPlus!, And have been buying/upgrading ever since. Just recently upgraded to v.3, and have a few questions... so forgive me if this is covered in a post I haven't found.... Ive searched, honest. Does the starfish climb the glass as it did in older versions? The fan on my laptop sounds like its spinning fast enuff to slice deli meat when running v.3, but doesnt running v.2x, any suggestions?? Sorry if this is the wrong place, but I saw a starfish string started. Looking forward your answers/replies!!

06-11-2009, 11:51 AM	#9
luv.swans Registered Happy User Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: California Posts: 5	Originally posted by Thisdude08: Hi, Will it be possible to have more than one starfish in the tank? I would love having more than one. Thanks & appreciate all the hard work going into this. Take care, Jim Glad you asked this, I logged on to ask same question. Have had the aquarium since it was first available, years ago, and love the starfish on the glass, miss that. I logged on to ask this very question. The comments below give me hope that it will move in this new version too.

06-11-2009, 01:02 PM	#10
henemly asdf Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Hiko, CommieFagnia Posts: 278	Will beta 10e include a 'StarfishOnGlass' reg entry?

06-11-2009, 01:35 PM	#11
Jav400 Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Tennessee Posts: 9,725	Only Jim can answer for sure, but my guess at this point would be probably not. Michael Administrator of Inside:SereneScreen Aquarium Forum, Chatroom, Fan Site & *Gallery* DVD Collection

06-11-2009, 04:52 PM	#12
Ralph Retired Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Edmonton Alberta Ca Posts: 2,443	I think Jim ran into problem on how to make the starfish bend and go up the glass... Perhaps he will have an inspiration while sitting in a chair on a plane that will not bend (recline)...

06-11-2009, 10:08 PM	#13
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,791	Ralph - I tried to use the wasted travel time to come up with some ideas for starfish movement, but it turns out that anger, frustration and exhaustion are not conducive to the creative process. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

06-12-2009, 10:34 AM	#15
Jav400 Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Tennessee Posts: 9,725	It wasn't the bending - it was the shadowing and several other items. Michael Administrator of Inside:SereneScreen Aquarium Forum, Chatroom, Fan Site & *Gallery* DVD Collection

06-13-2009, 09:26 AM	#16
henemly asdf Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Hiko, CommieFagnia Posts: 278	Wasn't it workin in v2.6?

06-13-2009, 09:32 AM	#17
Jav400 Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Tennessee Posts: 9,725	No - Jim pulled a trick in 2.6. If you will notice, you never see the starfish go onto the glass. It's either there or it's not. What actually happened, was to alleviate the problem of shadows and so forth; if the starfish was next to the glass where it looked like it was going to go there, it only would if you had the tank lights set to cycle. That way when the tank was dark, the starfish actually jumped onto the glass instead of slowly moving there, and you never saw it happen. In MA3 Jim wants to actually solve the problem and let you see the starfish crawl up onto the glass. Which in effect will solve other problems as well. Once the starfish "gets turned loose" so to speak; because right now it is limited and cannot leave the area it is in; it will also be able to crawl on the 3D coral. Or anywhere else in the tank. PS. If you want to actually see the transfer - if you are running MA2.6 and the starfish gets near the glass hit "W" for wireframe mode and manually turn all lights to dark and watch. Michael Administrator of Inside:SereneScreen Aquarium Forum, Chatroom, Fan Site & *Gallery* DVD Collection

06-13-2009, 04:45 PM	#18
G600 Registered Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Goirle, Netherlands Posts: 52	Originally posted by Jav400: PS. If you want to actually see the transfer - if you are running MA2.6 and the starfish gets near the glass hit "W" for wireframe mode and manually turn all lights to dark and watch. Thanks very much for that hint! Beside MA3 I still have MA2.6 installed and in the past seven years of regularly watching it I never saw the starfish on the glass, while I was sure that "starfish allowed on glass" and the automatic lights were checked. I concluded that it must be a very very rare event. Doing as you mentioned above, after patiently waiting, I saw the starfish "jumped" onto the glass in wireframe mode; it was a sudden transfer. Then in normal mode I finally could admire it on the glass, wonderful! Now in MA3 I can't wait for the starfish to really gradually climb onto the glass.

06-13-2009, 06:27 PM	#19
henemly asdf Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Hiko, CommieFagnia Posts: 278	Originally posted by Jav400: PS. If you want to actually see the transfer - if you are running MA2.6 and the starfish gets near the glass hit "W" for wireframe mode and manually turn all lights to dark and watch. That's interesting, never knew that. I never changed the lights, but just kept the reg entry to 01 (StarfishOnGlass) so it stayed on the glass all the time.

06-18-2009, 11:40 PM	#20
FishHead Registered Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 2	Frankly am not too keen to see the starfish crawls up the glass/window but randomly ACROSS the sea bed is more visually natural and pleasing I think. Perhaps Jim would make this an option?! :-)