Jaggy/pixelated background at 1280 x 1024

Eric Westby · 10-25-2003, 06:52 PM

I have what is -- in today's world, at least! -- a modest-sized 17" Apple LCD display running at 1280 x 1024. I purchased SereneScreen 2.0.6 after having been entranced by it on my friend's 12" PowerBook. And now that I see it on my monitor, it really is breathtaking!

There's one problem, though: the background scene, which was pixel-perfect on his display, is noticeably chunky and jaggy on mine, as if that same 1024 x 768 (or smaller) image had been roughly scaled up to fit my display. It makes the stunning animation look much less realistic.

Is there a larger scene which I could swap in? Download size is not an issue, as I have DSL.

Thanks in advance for any help!

P.S. I saw the item in your FAQ about the truly huge monitors (i.e., 1920 pixels across) ... I'm hoping 1280 x 1024 isn't too big or uncommon to think there might be an appropriately sized background scene!

mrtew · 11-01-2003, 01:03 AM

I agree totally. People have been asking for a bigger background for the higher res screens that are becoming almost universal these days with no response. How hard can it possibly be to make a new background or at least tell us how to do it ourselves. Yes I know a 3-D background is coming in a couple of years, but can't we have something a little better until then? Please?

Eric Westby · 11-01-2003, 12:25 PM

I hope my original post wasn't interpreted as inappropriate -- I notice others have had their queries responded to by the developers, but mine has been ignored.

I just thought I would ask, since $20 is a decent sum to spend on a novelty screensaver. :^> (Honestly, I'm more disappointed at having been ignored than I am in the lack of a larger background!)

I'm sure it's a difficult task to create a new background and mask it properly, and of course the current one is lovely at smaller sizes. I was just hoping there might be a larger size in the works.

JimO'Connor · 11-01-2003, 01:28 PM

Eric,

The people who do the art and the people who do the Mac programming are different sets of people. I have nothing to add because I've made a similar argument for 18 months. :^)

JimO'Connor · 11-01-2003, 01:41 PM

Hi Eric,

Doing the art right really DOES take a lot of time. Add to that the fact that Jim Sachs is busy working on Freshwater (and dodging fires at the moment) so it isn't a trivial undertaking. Prolific is making new products such as Goldfish and Sharks. Increasing the download size increases the costs to Prolific for each person who looks but doesn't buy.

So, there ARE arguments on the other side, and they are all very reasonable arguments. When I started on MA I asked for the source pictures from which Jim Sachs built the background. I was hoping for a simple high resolution photo before it was compressed and downsampled. No such luck. I didn't count the source images, but there were MANY and the archive was very large. I quickly abandoned the effort to put together something that would use every pixel of my 22" Cinema Display.

However, the idea does have some attraction to the people who make those sorts of decisions, but I'm not in a position to commit to anything on their behalf.

Eric Westby · 11-06-2003, 09:23 PM

Thanks for the reply ... well, I hope it happens eventually. My 1280 x 1024 flat panel is starting to look quite small in the world of computer displays!

10-25-2003, 06:52 PM	#1
Eric Westby Registered Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Somerville, MA Posts: 3	Jaggy/pixelated background at 1280 x 1024 I have what is -- in today's world, at least! -- a modest-sized 17" Apple LCD display running at 1280 x 1024. I purchased SereneScreen 2.0.6 after having been entranced by it on my friend's 12" PowerBook. And now that I see it on my monitor, it really is breathtaking! There's one problem, though: the background scene, which was pixel-perfect on his display, is noticeably chunky and jaggy on mine, as if that same 1024 x 768 (or smaller) image had been roughly scaled up to fit my display. It makes the stunning animation look much less realistic. Is there a larger scene which I could swap in? Download size is not an issue, as I have DSL. Thanks in advance for any help! P.S. I saw the item in your FAQ about the truly huge monitors (i.e., 1920 pixels across) ... I'm hoping 1280 x 1024 isn't too big or uncommon to think there might be an appropriately sized background scene!

11-01-2003, 01:03 AM	#2
mrtew Registered Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: michigan Posts: 109	I agree totally. People have been asking for a bigger background for the higher res screens that are becoming almost universal these days with no response. How hard can it possibly be to make a new background or at least tell us how to do it ourselves. Yes I know a 3-D background is coming in a couple of years, but can't we have something a little better until then? Please? mrtew

11-01-2003, 01:28 PM	#4
JimO'Connor Mac Development Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Kenai, Alaska Posts: 678	Eric, The people who do the art and the people who do the Mac programming are different sets of people. I have nothing to add because I've made a similar argument for 18 months. :^) Jim O'Connor Order N Development

11-01-2003, 01:41 PM	#5
JimO'Connor Mac Development Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Kenai, Alaska Posts: 678	Hi Eric, Doing the art right really DOES take a lot of time. Add to that the fact that Jim Sachs is busy working on Freshwater (and dodging fires at the moment) so it isn't a trivial undertaking. Prolific is making new products such as Goldfish and Sharks. Increasing the download size increases the costs to Prolific for each person who looks but doesn't buy. So, there ARE arguments on the other side, and they are all very reasonable arguments. When I started on MA I asked for the source pictures from which Jim Sachs built the background. I was hoping for a simple high resolution photo before it was compressed and downsampled. No such luck. I didn't count the source images, but there were MANY and the archive was very large. I quickly abandoned the effort to put together something that would use every pixel of my 22" Cinema Display. However, the idea does have some attraction to the people who make those sorts of decisions, but I'm not in a position to commit to anything on their behalf. Jim O'Connor Order N Development

11-01-2003, 12:25 PM	#3
Eric Westby Registered Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Somerville, MA Posts: 3	I hope my original post wasn't interpreted as inappropriate -- I notice others have had their queries responded to by the developers, but mine has been ignored. I just thought I would ask, since $20 is a decent sum to spend on a novelty screensaver. :^> (Honestly, I'm more disappointed at having been ignored than I am in the lack of a larger background!) I'm sure it's a difficult task to create a new background and mask it properly, and of course the current one is lovely at smaller sizes. I was just hoping there might be a larger size in the works.

11-06-2003, 09:23 PM	#6
Eric Westby Registered Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Somerville, MA Posts: 3	Thanks for the reply ... well, I hope it happens eventually. My 1280 x 1024 flat panel is starting to look quite small in the world of computer displays!