Do we really need the anim clams? Maybe it's just to hard to do.

They're already animated, it's the texture and how they look that is Jim's issue.

Where do clams come from? ................... (Just don't ask for an explanation!) - :erm:

I saw one blue clam today. Although I'm not an artist, it's clear why the texture is so difficult.

I doubt that it would be possible for anyone else to convince an artist that he/she had it "right", when the artist didn't think so.

And I'm rather sure that 30 beta testers telling Jim that it's "close enough" wouldn't help a bit.

So, if you haven't seen one, go see one of those clams. Then wait patiently for Jim to be content with his work.

:erm: Depends on how much wine.. One can create very interesting "textures' with enough wine before clams..:)

I just came back from Egypt, and I sure spend too much time watching clams... Sigh!! Never bothered to watch them much before, but after all talk here I had to watch them more closely. ;) Will be really interesting to see the results of Jim's hard work!
They closed and opened just when I moved near them, but when I actually took a video shot of one of the clams, but the bastard didn't move at all...

The thing is , Jim has said that these clams are cartoonish in real life , and from Googling , they do look pretty bright - as if Disney made clams . I think we ought to count ourselves lucky nobody has asked for a geoduck ( hope I spelled it right , pronounced gooey-duck ) clam . Those things are , well , Google it and judge for yourselves ;P .

Geoduck's would be easy.. The darn things are buried several feet down. Jim would only have to worry about the top inch of the neck.

you should leave the clams for a while, let them the last ones, you are wasting to much time, you should focus in the fish and that.

there are not so important and sure they are getting you mad.:loco:

good luck.

I doubt if Jim will do that. Once I begin a project, I do not let it alone until it is to my satisfaction even if I want to and I s'pect, Jim's the same way.

thats the problem, that you cant let it, its like an adiction.:lol:

It's nice that the human race has people who give up easily. Those folks invariably criticize others for persisting.

It's nice that the human race has people who continue in the face of difficulties. Those folks invariably criticize others for quitting.

I'm hoping to get at least some version of the clams out the door today. I'm sure I will be revising them for some time, though.

Jim enjoy Easter, take your time with the clams, and spend some time with your family. After all it's not as if the the space shuttle won't launch if the clams take more tme to get right....:)

Not much family around today. My wife's heading to the gym, and our daughter is on a train about to cross the border between Tanzania and Zambia. Nothing much to do except work on the clams.

Can't wait Jim.

Here's Beta10, with the rudimentary clams. They still need a lot of work to clean up the rough edges.

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

Wow. And they move whenever a fish gets too close. I didn't expect that behavior until later in their development.

Thanks Jim going to try it right away!

Just beautiful!!!

Very nice, it looks very real to me. can't wait for the new fish. Keep up the good work it's really appreciated across the ocean here in Holland Jim.

I agree. Gee, Jim, when you were talking about them being cartoonish I expected something it a little worse. I know they are not to your liking yet, but I think they look absolutely magnificent. I don't even have it panning anymore. I just like watching them.

Cool. Do all 3 close completely?

Yes, all 3 can close completely.

Forgive my ignorance but aren't these type of clams Giant clams?

I find myself willing the fish to swim close to them so that they will close . Good clams :) . Thanks Jim .

Street Wolf - Yes, Giant Clams, Maxima Clams, Blue Clams. These are fairly young ones, at this size. The bigger they get, the less sensitive they are to fish proximity and changes in light. My local aquarium store has some huge ones (about a foot in diameter), which hardly move at all.

Butters - Use your psychokinetic powers to will the fish to swim close to the clams. :)

Trying it now ...

These aren't the droids you're looking for ... move along .

Sorry , wrong genre , lol .

I put this in the Beta 10 thread and then realized it belongs here:

Had it up for awhile, great start. For me, only the Clam on the far right moves. When its right shell closes it seems to cut thru the flesh leaving it hanging out. Keep up the good work!

Nice!

I can see all three clams move when fish pass by.
To increase the chance of fish passing by I put in 30 fish and only the right clam sometimes closes totally, the other two no further than halfway. The clams look excellent BTW!

Geert

Very cool. Put 30 Lionfish in and watched for about 20 minutes and saw all 3 completely close 2 times. Visually the aquarium is coming together. Great job. Once the fish textures and movement is redone the aquarium will be out of the ballpark. Great work.

All Three Look Great!
 

Jim,

I love the clams, they look great, look real, and all three are functioning perfectly.

As always, I LOVE your work. Thanks so much!

Great work Jim. The back 2 don't seem to do to much, but the purple
one really gets a workout. Wish I could put a stick down in there and
poke em. The textures look great.

They look awesome. I thought they were going to close a little faster though. Mine close very slowly.

In my opinion they should close a bit faster, and when closed should wait half a second before opening again. Except for that, the clams look really, really lovely. Having watched clams for a week in Egypt I must say the flesh that pours out from the clam look very realistic.

Great stuff Jim, all three working well here, what a long way we have come since, well I'm getting to old to remember when I first got Marine Aquarium as a pressie on a floppy disc. Thanks again. Jim

Excellent work with the Clams Jim. The movement is amazing.

Nice work Jim,
I see way it were so difficult to make them. It seems terrible complex.
They are beautiful made :TU:. It is nice to see everything comes together step by step.
I will get more appreciation for the details in the screensaver.

Keep on the good work,
Arjan

The clams look great. ~In full screen mode on my 2 screens the clams are on screen 2 and the shells move but the mantle is static. When i put MA3 into window mode the clams work fine. There are a few holes/jaggies but i'm sure these will all be sorted but they are very impressive already.

Thanks Jim,

Regards,
Neil