A few things on the MA V2 release!

Vasquez · 03-19-2003, 06:22 AM

Hi All,

Haven't been on the forums for a while, so what a nice surprise to recieve the upgrade notification E-mail this morning :-)

Had a bit of a play now and... loads faster, looks better, runs smoother and the new fish selector is *real* handy. All in all, job well done :-)

I did notice a few things that you might like to be aware of though.

1) The installer modified my XP Theme and Desktop. It removed the background image and changed some of the Theme settings (the caption bar and minimize\maximize buttons became small).

2) On one of the occasions when the MA loaded, the Yellow Tang 'dropped' in from the top of the screen, as if it had been dropped into the tank. It was very noticeable, although I have only exeperienced this once.

I'm running WinXP (SP1) with an Athlon XP2400+ a GeForce TI4600 (with latest dets.) and 394mb RAM.

Can't wait for the next upgrade and the 3D background :-)

Regards
Vaz

patscarr · 03-19-2003, 07:06 AM

Wait till you see one of the fish POP out from the gravel. It's funny as heck.

Liath · 03-19-2003, 09:15 AM

What's up with that anyways? Not a problem, but it is a little shocking.

feldon34 · 03-19-2003, 10:12 AM

Originally posted by Vasquez
Hi All,

2) On one of the occasions when the MA loaded, the Yellow Tang 'dropped' in from the top of the screen, as if it had been dropped into the tank. It was very noticeable, although I have only exeperienced this once.

Regards
Vaz

This one has been in there forever.

Right now, MA2 is still using Jim's fish avoidance code (which is better than the other fish savers, but still limited in a few ways). The closer 2 fish are to each other, the stronger the repelling force. If, when you start the Aquarium and it picks the random starting places for each of the 7 fish, 2 fish are almost on top of each other, the repelling force is so great that both fish are "thrown" away from each other.

An easy fix for this would be when picking random spots for each of the 7 fish to start, if 2 fish are in a "collide" state, re-generate the random starting point for one of them again.

Eventually, we'll be using Prolific's code for fish avoidance/collision.

Jim Sachs · 03-19-2003, 10:14 AM

Now, Pat....

Our customer-service guy will be overwhelmed by people wondering why they never see this.

feldon34 · 03-19-2003, 10:30 AM

Jim,

Is the starfish supposed to suddenly drift downwards sometimes?

Jim Sachs · 03-19-2003, 11:28 AM

No.

CephaloP · 03-19-2003, 11:55 AM

I just saw this one too. It appeared about an inch off the gravel when the SS started, then drifted to the bottom. It was actually kind of cool, made for the appearance of realistic gravity, except I wondered how the little guy managed to get up there.

Jim Sachs · 03-19-2003, 01:06 PM

Somehow the starfish position in the Registry must have gotten messed up. Had you ever used the 3rd-party Fish Picker?

Jav400 · 03-19-2003, 01:16 PM

Cephalo,

If you have your keycode handy and are having probs with those things, run the reg cleaner found on our help page and reinstall your code. That should clear everything out and start you fresh.

feldon34 · 03-19-2003, 01:26 PM

Originally posted by Jim Sachs
No.

Can you reproduce this there?

Jim Sachs · 03-19-2003, 01:28 PM

Only by manually changing the numbers in the Registry.

Socrates · 03-19-2003, 07:16 PM

I am now actually getting close to 62 fps when setting that limit option with 32 bit and the CPU usage stays in the bottom third. I used to get like 30 fps and a bad case of the jitters.

!!! YAY !!!

Jim Sachs · 03-19-2003, 07:18 PM

Yes, Edgar was able to get some pretty good stability out of a wide range of machines and operating systems.

Mountainmaster · 03-19-2003, 08:06 PM

Somehow the starfish position in the Registry must have gotten messed up. Had you ever used the 3rd-party Fish Picker?

My Fish Picker program can not touch the registry settings of MA2 (yet). To my knowledge the starfish has always done that little floating trick when started from its default position.

Jim Sachs · 03-19-2003, 09:31 PM

I've never seen it happen, but then I never really start it from a blank registry.

Mountainamster, you shouldn't have much trouble updating your program. The Registry entries are about the same, just a few more fish names.

feldon34 · 03-19-2003, 11:16 PM

It sounds like it won't be long before MA2 has many of the features of Mountainmaster's pioneering program.

As far as I am concerned, Mountainmaster's fish picker has accomplished more than even I expected.

And with all the workarounds and kludges you had to learn to get VB to work as-documented, I'm sure you're more valuable in your career/job as well.

codgio · 03-20-2003, 03:11 AM

I thought the startfish would float to the bottom if he was on the glass and you switched off the allow on glass option from the settings.

Jim Sachs · 03-20-2003, 03:21 AM

Yes, that is true.

Digital Lungfish · 03-20-2003, 03:39 AM

1) The installer modified my XP Theme and Desktop. It removed the background image and changed some of the Theme settings (the caption bar and minimize\maximize buttons became small).

I got the same problem on my wife's PC.

Is the starfish supposed to suddenly drift downwards sometimes?

I reported that same bug right after we got MAT.

03-19-2003, 06:22 AM	#1
Vasquez Registered Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 10	A few things on the MA V2 release! Hi All, Haven't been on the forums for a while, so what a nice surprise to recieve the upgrade notification E-mail this morning :-) Had a bit of a play now and... loads faster, looks better, runs smoother and the new fish selector is real handy. All in all, job well done :-) I did notice a few things that you might like to be aware of though. 1) The installer modified my XP Theme and Desktop. It removed the background image and changed some of the Theme settings (the caption bar and minimize\maximize buttons became small). 2) On one of the occasions when the MA loaded, the Yellow Tang 'dropped' in from the top of the screen, as if it had been dropped into the tank. It was very noticeable, although I have only exeperienced this once. I'm running WinXP (SP1) with an Athlon XP2400+ a GeForce TI4600 (with latest dets.) and 394mb RAM. Can't wait for the next upgrade and the 3D background :-) Regards Vaz

03-19-2003, 07:06 AM	#2
patscarr Pet Shark Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Back in Buffalo Posts: 5,460	Wait till you see one of the fish POP out from the gravel. It's funny as heck. Patrick

03-19-2003, 09:15 AM	#3
Liath Still here in spirit Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan Posts: 637	What's up with that anyways? Not a problem, but it is a little shocking. Liath Appleton University of Michigan Museum of Zoology My Homepage Why I've been gone

03-19-2003, 10:12 AM	#4
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,947	Re: A few things on the MA V2 release! Originally posted by Vasquez Hi All, 2) On one of the occasions when the MA loaded, the Yellow Tang 'dropped' in from the top of the screen, as if it had been dropped into the tank. It was very noticeable, although I have only exeperienced this once. Regards Vaz This one has been in there forever. Right now, MA2 is still using Jim's fish avoidance code (which is better than the other fish savers, but still limited in a few ways). The closer 2 fish are to each other, the stronger the repelling force. If, when you start the Aquarium and it picks the random starting places for each of the 7 fish, 2 fish are almost on top of each other, the repelling force is so great that both fish are "thrown" away from each other. An easy fix for this would be when picking random spots for each of the 7 fish to start, if 2 fish are in a "collide" state, re-generate the random starting point for one of them again. Eventually, we'll be using Prolific's code for fish avoidance/collision. "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

03-19-2003, 10:14 AM	#5
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,816	Now, Pat.... Our customer-service guy will be overwhelmed by people wondering why they never see this. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

03-19-2003, 10:30 AM	#6
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,947	Jim, Is the starfish supposed to suddenly drift downwards sometimes? "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

03-19-2003, 11:28 AM	#7
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,816	No. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

03-19-2003, 11:55 AM	#8
CephaloP lurking in the shadows... Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: just a few paces south o' the old willow Posts: 151	I just saw this one too. It appeared about an inch off the gravel when the SS started, then drifted to the bottom. It was actually kind of cool, made for the appearance of realistic gravity, except I wondered how the little guy managed to get up there.

03-19-2003, 01:06 PM	#9
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,816	Somehow the starfish position in the Registry must have gotten messed up. Had you ever used the 3rd-party Fish Picker? Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

03-19-2003, 01:16 PM	#10
Jav400 Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Tennessee Posts: 9,725	Cephalo, If you have your keycode handy and are having probs with those things, run the reg cleaner found on our help page and reinstall your code. That should clear everything out and start you fresh. Michael Administrator of Inside:SereneScreen Aquarium Forum, Chatroom, Fan Site & *Gallery* DVD Collection

03-19-2003, 01:26 PM	#11
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,947	Originally posted by Jim Sachs No. Can you reproduce this there? "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

03-19-2003, 01:28 PM	#12
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,816	Only by manually changing the numbers in the Registry. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

03-19-2003, 07:16 PM	#13
Socrates Sage Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: West Hills, CA Posts: 1,529	I am now actually getting close to 62 fps when setting that limit option with 32 bit and the CPU usage stays in the bottom third. I used to get like 30 fps and a bad case of the jitters. !!! YAY !!! Bat rays? We don't need no stinking bat rays!

03-19-2003, 07:18 PM	#14
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,816	Yes, Edgar was able to get some pretty good stability out of a wide range of machines and operating systems. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

03-19-2003, 08:06 PM	#15
Mountainmaster Liopleurodon Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: 3rd planet Posts: 314	Somehow the starfish position in the Registry must have gotten messed up. Had you ever used the 3rd-party Fish Picker? My Fish Picker program can not touch the registry settings of MA2 (yet). To my knowledge the starfish has always done that little floating trick when started from its default position.

03-19-2003, 09:31 PM	#16
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,816	I've never seen it happen, but then I never really start it from a blank registry. Mountainamster, you shouldn't have much trouble updating your program. The Registry entries are about the same, just a few more fish names. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

03-19-2003, 11:16 PM	#17
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,947	It sounds like it won't be long before MA2 has many of the features of Mountainmaster's pioneering program. As far as I am concerned, Mountainmaster's fish picker has accomplished more than even I expected. And with all the workarounds and kludges you had to learn to get VB to work as-documented, I'm sure you're more valuable in your career/job as well. "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

03-20-2003, 03:11 AM	#18
codgio Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Glasgow, UK Posts: 109	I thought the startfish would float to the bottom if he was on the glass and you switched off the allow on glass option from the settings. Remember what the doormouse said...

03-20-2003, 03:21 AM	#19
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,816	Yes, that is true. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

03-20-2003, 03:39 AM	#20
Digital Lungfish Obey the toad! Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Diego, California Posts: 2,557	1) The installer modified my XP Theme and Desktop. It removed the background image and changed some of the Theme settings (the caption bar and minimize\maximize buttons became small). I got the same problem on my wife's PC. Is the starfish supposed to suddenly drift downwards sometimes? I reported that same bug right after we got MAT. Steve www.tron-sector.com - www.badcartridge.com - www.classicgaming.com - www.dinofish.com Today is the tomorrow you were worried about yesterday...