ANNOUNCEMENT: Marine Aquarium 3 (Download and News)

feldon34 · 10-10-2008, 01:26 PM

Announcing the release of SereneScreen Marine Aquarium 3!!!

Marine Aquarium 3 introduces a new High Definition 3D background with moving coral, increases the number of simultaneous fish to 30, and adds Music Playlist and Logo Playlist features. It has been available from SereneScreen.com. since March 2009.

Marine Aquarium 3
for Windows 2000, XP, Vista, 7
STABLE version "10d"
~ Windows 2000, XP, Vista, Windows 7 (32-bit & 64-bit)~

Marine Aquarium 3
for Mac OS X
STABLE version "10d"
~ Mac OS X 10.4, 10.5, and 10.6 ~
(Tiger, Leopard, and Snow Leopard)

Why does SereneScreen.com call this a Beta?

SereneScreen Marine Aquarium 3 has been extensively tested over the last 14 months and contains no significant bugs. Aquarium 3 is now for sale in retail versions from Nova Development in the United States as well as Europe. The Beta designation is now being removed from SereneScreen.com.

Marine Aquarium 3.1 Beta Testing

We are currently testing the next version of Marine Aquarium 3. New features include day-to-night automatic lights, control over background colors and lighting, and improved clock/calendar/logo display with embossed look, as well as numerous improvements to Sleep/Frame Rate Limiter, Music, Bubble Sound, etc.

If you would like to help us test these new features, please download the Aquarium below and test it on your computer and report back any issues that you encounter:

Marine Aquarium 3 Beta 11p
for Windows 2000, XP, Vista, 7
~ Adds controls for the Background Color, adds Logo Cross-Fading, and fixes a bug with the Music Playlists ~

Please do not contact SereneScreen Tech Support regarding any issues with Beta versions, including Marine Aquarium 3.1, currently in beta. Instead, start a new thread here on the forums.

Is this the final version?

It is hoped that we can expect improvements, new fish, new creatures, etc. for many years to come. There are plans for many improvements, including improved control over the lights, the color of the clock/crystal, updated fish, and additional creatures in the tank.

If you purchase Marine Aquarium 3, you are entitled to download these upgrades and improvements to the Marine Aquarium 3 line. (A creature pack is expected which will have a small upgrade cost).

What kind of system do I need to run Marine Aquarium 3?

Marine Aquarium 3 requires a slightly better graphics card than previous editions of the Aquarium. As it has been 8 years since Marine Aquarium .99K was released, this should really come as no surprise! Marine Aquarium 3 still runs very well on what most people would consider very old graphics cards. MA3 will run on more computers and more versions of Windows than any other competing Aquarium product.

Marine Aquarium for Mac requires OS X Leopard or Snow Leopard.

Marine Aquarium for Windows requires Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows XP (64-bit), Windows Vista, Windows Vista (64-bit), or Windows 7 with at least 512MB of RAM.

Marine Aquarium has been tested on these graphics cards:
[Show List ]

nVidia GeForce 2
nVidia GeForce 2 MX
nVidia GeForce 4 MX
nVidia GeForce 3
nVidia GeForce 4200
nVidia GeForce 5200/5400/5600/5900
nVidia GeForce 6200/6500/6600/6800XT
nVidia GeForce 7100/7600/7800/7900
nVidia GeForce 8400M
nVidia GeForce 8600/8800
nVidia GeForce 9400/9600/9600SLI
nVidia GTX 200 Series
nVidia GTX 300 Series
nVidia GTX 400 Series
Intel 915G/845G/945G/950
ATI Radeon Xpress 200M
ATI Mobility X300/X700/X1300/X1400
ATI 9600/9800 All-in-Wonder
ATI X800XT
ATI Radeon HD2000 Series
ATI Radeon HD3000 Series
ATI Radeon HD4000 Series

Marine Aquarium 3 has not been tested on the following hardware:
[Show List ]

nVidia TnT Riva, Riva 2, GeForce 256
Matrox Millenium/Mystique
ATI Rage Pro/Rage II/Rage 128/Rage Fury/Rage Magnum
ATI All-In-Wonder Pro/XPert
Trident CyberBlade XP
S3 ViRGE/Savage/ProSavage/Trio

If you find that MA3 runs well on these older, unsupported cards, or with minor glitches, please do report back with your findings and or comments/screen snapshots of any glitches you experience. We cannot guarantee that problems with these cards will be addressed or resolved, but this information is nonetheless very helpful.

How do I report an Issue?
Unless you see someone else with the exact same bug, please create a NEW thread here in the Marine Aquarium 3 forum. Please include all the information about your computer you can think of, this includes:

Windows version (i.e. 2000, XP, Vista)
Memory RAM (i.e. 2GB)
Graphics Card/Chipset (i.e. nVidia GeForce 8800)
Monitor and Resolution (i.e. Samsung 17" LCD at 1280 x 1024)

Please tell us the exact circumstances under which the issue appeared, and whether you can reproduce it again (easily, every time, cannot reproduce).

Jim Sachs · 10-10-2008, 01:39 PM

After a wait of 6 years, Marine Aquarium 3 is now available for download.

Is this the final version? No. The only way there would be a "final" version is if I stopped working on adding new features to the Aquarium.

Things to Note:
1. The fish models are still the old ones from MA1. I'm currently working on new fish models with higher quality textures, and much more realistic behavior, including schooling, darting, chasing, etc.

2. After the fish are done, I will start bringing the background to life, one object at a time. I have extensive plans for every part of the tank, and there is a reason behind virtually everything you see.

3. While a few of the Keystroke commands and other features are the same as MA2.6, there are many changes. Just because something was working in previous versions, don't assume it will be working here. For example, the starfish does not yet go on the glass. The old program used DX6, and this one uses DX8/9, and virtually every line of code had to be rewritten.

feldon34 · 10-10-2008, 05:53 PM

Frequently Asked Questions

What's new in Marine Aquarium 3.1?
The newest features in Marine Aquarium 3 are the improvements to background colors, lighting, as well as the clock/calendar/logo interface.

If you have been using Marine Aquarium 2 series, the first thing you should notice is the totally new 3D background. The coral background has been rebuilt from scratch as 3D objects. This means that the camera can pan back and forth and the illusion of depth is maintained.

Marine Aquarium 3 adds Music Playlist, Fish Playlist, and Logo Playlist features so you can add different songs, different logos, and different arrangements of fish and rotate between them.

How many fish can I have?
You can now have more than 8 fish, a LOT more. Try 30!
Press the SPACE bar to open the Settings panel. Select "Fish Settings" and you can create your own tanks so you can personalize which fish appear and then switch between your favorite tanks.

Have the fish been improved?
This is still the same 28 fish that came with Marine Aquarium 2.6. It is Jim's intention to upgrade the fish graphics and eventually the behavior and animation as part of the ongoing Marine Aquarium 3 process.

Is the coral background animated?
The Sea Fan coral (orange wispy, far left), purple Gorgonia (right side), Giant Clams (front and center), and new Feather Duster are all animated. More animated coral is expected in the future.

Does the starfish climb the glass like in MA 2.6?
Not yet, but it will in a future release of Marine Aquarium 3 beta.

What are the names of the corals?
You can find a picture of them here:
http://www.feldoncentral.com/forums/...ead.php?t=4499

How do I customize the fish or set up my own fish tanks? How do I add music to the playlist, or adjust the sound volume for the music and bubbles?
Press the SPACE bar to bring up the Settings panel.

How do learn which hotkeys will adjust the lighting, display wireframe mode, and otherwise what cool keys can I press?
Press the SPACE bar to bring up the Settings panel and click About.

My computer is running really hot and/or freezing when running the Aquarium. OR - My fans are running continuously, is there a fix?
MA3 is probably working harder on your computer than it needs to. Use the Frame Rate Limit to control how much time your computer spends animating the Aquarium. On most systems, a setting of 60 frames per second (fps) is adequate. On older computers especially laptops, it may be advisable to lower this setting in increments of 5 until the computer is producing smooth animation, and there is no chance of overheating. Even a frame rate of 30 or 40 is acceptable for most users.

How do I remove all trace of Marine Aquarium 3 from the Registry?

You can then use our handy-dandy Marine Aquarium 3 Registry Cleaner script to wipe all trace of Marine Aquarium 3 Beta from your PC. It will retain your Marine Aquarium 1, 2, and 2.6 information. If you want to remove that information too, use the Marine Aquarium Registry Cleaner script.

Jim Sachs · 06-05-2009, 04:26 PM

Beta 10d is now the official download version of MA3 at SereneScreen.com.

Jim Sachs · 04-20-2010, 11:43 AM

Beta 11e Notes

This version adds a new interface for changing background colors. Also, Logos in the crystal now fade when changing. The bug in the Music Playlist which did not recognize entries in some circumstances is also fixed.

Ignore any new items you see in the Clock/Logo Settings box, they are not hooked up yet.

Jim Sachs · 04-22-2010, 07:05 PM

As with all my test versions, there is no Installer included. Just download the file anywhere on your computer, and double-click the icon to start the program. (I usually just put in on my desktop). If you want to make it your screensaver, you can put it in your Windows/System32 folder (or whatever folder your Operating System keeps its screensavers in). By placing it there, it will show up on the list of screensaver choices in Display Properties.

To confirm which version you are looking at, just press the "s" key. The version number will be displayed.

Once the planned feature list is complete and tested, the program will be sent to Prolific, where it will receive an Installer and become the official download version.

Jim Sachs · 04-24-2010, 10:43 AM

Beta 11f Notes

This version adds a user interface for changing the font color of the digital clock, as well as the ability to turn off the second hand in the analog clock. A couple of anomolies in the background graphics have also been fixed.

The "Etched look" font buttons in the Clock/Logo interface are not hooked up yet.

Jim Sachs · 05-22-2010, 04:20 PM

Beta 11h Notes

This replaces Beta 11g, which had a mistake in the Resource file.

Jim Sachs · 05-27-2010, 05:19 PM

Beta v11i Notes

Mostly interface cleanup.

Jim Sachs · 06-08-2010, 10:02 AM

Beta v11j Notes

This version attempts to increase the accuracy of the Limit Frame Rate function.

Jim Sachs · 06-11-2010, 04:53 PM

Beta v11k Notes

Used a legacy WInzip routine for maximum compatibility.
Changed position of etched-look analog clock face back to previous position.
Added code to disallow removal of default music from Playlist if it's the only item there.
Fixed bug in FPS readout.

Jim Sachs · 06-11-2010, 11:26 PM

Beta v11o has been released.

Jim Sachs · 06-14-2010, 05:55 PM

I have posted v11p, which has some extremely minor changes. The default FPS has been set to 60, and a timer has been added which automatically switches back to normal mode after 10 seconds when the "W" key has been pressed for Wireframe.

http://www.fish-byte.com/MA3Beta.zip

Jim Sachs · 06-16-2010, 01:42 AM

Marine Aquarium 3.1 can be downloaded from this page:
http://www.fish-byte.com/news2.htm

This is a free upgrade for all MA3 users, it will recognize your MA3 Key Code. This version does not yet have an Installer.

10-10-2008, 01:39 PM	#2
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 8,101	After a wait of 6 years, Marine Aquarium 3 is now available for download. Is this the final version? No. The only way there would be a "final" version is if I stopped working on adding new features to the Aquarium. Things to Note: 1. The fish models are still the old ones from MA1. I'm currently working on new fish models with higher quality textures, and much more realistic behavior, including schooling, darting, chasing, etc. 2. After the fish are done, I will start bringing the background to life, one object at a time. I have extensive plans for every part of the tank, and there is a reason behind virtually everything you see. 3. While a few of the Keystroke commands and other features are the same as MA2.6, there are many changes. Just because something was working in previous versions, don't assume it will be working here. For example, the starfish does not yet go on the glass. The old program used DX6, and this one uses DX8/9, and virtually every line of code had to be rewritten. __________________ Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium Last edited by feldon34; 11-12-2008 at 11:01 AM.

10-10-2008, 05:53 PM	#3
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Copenhagen, Denmark Posts: 10,276	Frequently Asked Questions What's new in Marine Aquarium 3.1? The newest features in Marine Aquarium 3 are the improvements to background colors, lighting, as well as the clock/calendar/logo interface. If you have been using Marine Aquarium 2 series, the first thing you should notice is the totally new 3D background. The coral background has been rebuilt from scratch as 3D objects. This means that the camera can pan back and forth and the illusion of depth is maintained. Marine Aquarium 3 adds Music Playlist, Fish Playlist, and Logo Playlist features so you can add different songs, different logos, and different arrangements of fish and rotate between them. How many fish can I have? You can now have more than 8 fish, a LOT more. Try 30! Press the SPACE bar to open the Settings panel. Select "Fish Settings" and you can create your own tanks so you can personalize which fish appear and then switch between your favorite tanks. Have the fish been improved? This is still the same 28 fish that came with Marine Aquarium 2.6. It is Jim's intention to upgrade the fish graphics and eventually the behavior and animation as part of the ongoing Marine Aquarium 3 process. Is the coral background animated? The Sea Fan coral (orange wispy, far left), purple Gorgonia (right side), Giant Clams (front and center), and new Feather Duster are all animated. More animated coral is expected in the future. Does the starfish climb the glass like in MA 2.6? Not yet, but it will in a future release of Marine Aquarium 3 beta. What are the names of the corals? You can find a picture of them here: http://www.feldoncentral.com/forums/...ead.php?t=4499 How do I customize the fish or set up my own fish tanks? How do I add music to the playlist, or adjust the sound volume for the music and bubbles? Press the SPACE bar to bring up the Settings panel. How do learn which hotkeys will adjust the lighting, display wireframe mode, and otherwise what cool keys can I press? Press the SPACE bar to bring up the Settings panel and click About. My computer is running really hot and/or freezing when running the Aquarium. OR - My fans are running continuously, is there a fix? MA3 is probably working harder on your computer than it needs to. Use the Frame Rate Limit to control how much time your computer spends animating the Aquarium. On most systems, a setting of 60 frames per second (fps) is adequate. On older computers especially laptops, it may be advisable to lower this setting in increments of 5 until the computer is producing smooth animation, and there is no chance of overheating. Even a frame rate of 30 or 40 is acceptable for most users. How do I remove all trace of Marine Aquarium 3 from the Registry? You can then use our handy-dandy Marine Aquarium 3 Registry Cleaner script to wipe all trace of Marine Aquarium 3 Beta from your PC. It will retain your Marine Aquarium 1, 2, and 2.6 information. If you want to remove that information too, use the Marine Aquarium Registry Cleaner script. __________________ Download SereneScreen Marine Aquarium 3! Last edited by feldon34; 11-10-2008 at 12:29 PM.

06-05-2009, 04:26 PM	#4
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 8,101	Beta 10d is now the official download version of MA3 at SereneScreen.com. __________________ Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

04-20-2010, 11:43 AM	#5
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 8,101	Beta 11e Notes This version adds a new interface for changing background colors. Also, Logos in the crystal now fade when changing. The bug in the Music Playlist which did not recognize entries in some circumstances is also fixed. Ignore any new items you see in the Clock/Logo Settings box, they are not hooked up yet. __________________ Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium Last edited by Jim Sachs; 04-21-2010 at 12:46 AM.

04-22-2010, 07:05 PM	#6
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 8,101	As with all my test versions, there is no Installer included. Just download the file anywhere on your computer, and double-click the icon to start the program. (I usually just put in on my desktop). If you want to make it your screensaver, you can put it in your Windows/System32 folder (or whatever folder your Operating System keeps its screensavers in). By placing it there, it will show up on the list of screensaver choices in Display Properties. To confirm which version you are looking at, just press the "s" key. The version number will be displayed. Once the planned feature list is complete and tested, the program will be sent to Prolific, where it will receive an Installer and become the official download version. __________________ Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

04-24-2010, 10:43 AM	#7
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 8,101	Beta 11f Notes This version adds a user interface for changing the font color of the digital clock, as well as the ability to turn off the second hand in the analog clock. A couple of anomolies in the background graphics have also been fixed. The "Etched look" font buttons in the Clock/Logo interface are not hooked up yet. __________________ Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

05-22-2010, 04:20 PM	#8
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 8,101	Beta 11h Notes This replaces Beta 11g, which had a mistake in the Resource file. __________________ Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium Last edited by Jim Sachs; 05-22-2010 at 10:06 PM.

05-27-2010, 05:19 PM	#9
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 8,101	Beta v11i Notes Mostly interface cleanup. __________________ Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

06-08-2010, 10:02 AM	#10
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 8,101	Beta v11j Notes This version attempts to increase the accuracy of the Limit Frame Rate function. __________________ Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

06-11-2010, 04:53 PM	#11
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 8,101	Beta v11k Notes Used a legacy WInzip routine for maximum compatibility. Changed position of etched-look analog clock face back to previous position. Added code to disallow removal of default music from Playlist if it's the only item there. Fixed bug in FPS readout. __________________ Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

06-11-2010, 11:26 PM	#12
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 8,101	Beta v11o has been released. __________________ Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium Last edited by Jim Sachs; 06-13-2010 at 12:00 PM.

06-14-2010, 05:55 PM	#13
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 8,101	I have posted v11p, which has some extremely minor changes. The default FPS has been set to 60, and a timer has been added which automatically switches back to normal mode after 10 seconds when the "W" key has been pressed for Wireframe. http://www.fish-byte.com/MA3Beta.zip __________________ Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

06-16-2010, 01:42 AM	#14
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 8,101	Marine Aquarium 3.1 can be downloaded from this page: http://www.fish-byte.com/news2.htm This is a free upgrade for all MA3 users, it will recognize your MA3 Key Code. This version does not yet have an Installer. __________________ Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium