MBSS Special Effects 3.1 -- New (January 15, 2001)
Overview:
This product provides an excellent demonstration of Fireworks, Galaxies, Gravity Wells, B-Spline Warp
and B-Spline Sparklers. You can display one effect or cycle through a selection.
Includes field level Online Help and a nice variety of default settings.
If you have questions regarding the product, please refer to the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions).
Note that Version 3.1 is offered as Shareware.
See the Registration window from the product's Properties Window for details.
If you enjoy the Special Effects product, you are certain to be delighted with the new MBSS products that utilize DirectX
graphics techniques. See the MBSS Main page for information on
Fireworks,
Gravity Wells and
Starfields.
New Features for Version 3.1:
Run with Effects in Background per Advanced Settings
Display System Diagnostics dialog for Trouble-shooting
Experience Easier Registration via a button on the Main Window
Save Templates as ASCII Files to bypass the 64K INI file limit
Registry Save-Restore Section changes: Use HKEY_CURRENT_USER instead of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.
This allows settings to be saved by User instead of by Machine.
As such, multiple users of the same machine can define their own settings.
Features in Version 3.0:
Works on Windows 2000 (and Win95/98/NT4)
Stereographic Gravity Wells
Spark Brightness decay for realistic Effects
Property Window can be resized for improved Preview
This is my FAVORITE screensaver! I really appreciate your help:) Have a Great New Year!
Just want to let you know how much I enjoy special effects 2.0. I've had it for about three months now,
finding it completely by accident looking for some 3D games. WHAT A WINNER -- creative, soothing,
interseting--I could go on. Let it suffice to say that it's provided some of the best moments of my pc experience.
---I've even customized stars and galaxy wells to settings that help me fall asleep ---Thanks --- a real fan.
Well done! I have only just got your program S.Effects maker 2.0 and I reckon it is worth a lot of credit.
Your special effects program is wonderful!
Downloaded your Special Effects program from Ziff-Davis. It is a nice piece of work.
I had to write you to tell you how incredible your SPFX and Galaxies screensavers are. They just knock me out.
My wife Betsy and my little boy Tommy (almost 3) think they're great, too. We all love fireworks (especially Tommy)
-- and without a doubt, with SPFX, you've come the closest yet to realistic fireworks on a PC.
I have just dowloaded your ScreenSaver "Special Effects". It a terrific screensaver.
Today we loaded the screensaver you created. Thanks for putting it together. It's great!
Looking forward to more creations of yours.
Wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for sharing this outstanding program with us. As a fan of
fireworks and special effects, I am thrilled to see this application made available. You are quite generous
to share this with us. Thanks! One of the outstanding features of this program is the versatility. To be able
to toggle between a fireworks show and various galaxies and other features is really nice. The wealth of effect
modification is tremendous. Once again let me thank you for being so generous with the fruit of your labors.
You are absolutely correct about all the crap screensavers out there. I searched for hours this evening for a
screen saver similar to one that comes on Silicon Graphics Indigo workstations. I searched for every variation you
could imagine. Sorry, I can't recall where I came across yours, but thank you so much! I was only looking for a
good fireworks screensaver but I am pleased to have found even more. I will be able to rest well tonight knowing
I found the perfect screensaver. Keep up the great work...
Thanks for the great screensaver. Everything that you said in your 'Freeware' comments page about the relatively
low level of expertise put into other screensavers is absolutely correct. I think that the screensaver that you have
written is fantastic, and very realistic looking in the way the fireworks explode, and the way that the stars and
comets move. I think that you have done a great job, and have shown that your programming skills are far above
those of many other screensaver designers. Keep up the good work.
Thank you for your quick response. I now have Special Effects 20 as my screen saver, thanks to your help.
It's really incredible. You definitely deserve a gold star for creating this. I got up during the night, the room
was dark, but the fireworks show was breathtaking! Well done, Patrick.
My compliments to you on a terrific program! Many Thanks.
It's a great screensaver, and the freeware is greatly appreciated.
Hi Patrick, what a great screen saver! I normally used the starfield saver from 95, and came across yours
whilst looking at www6.zdnet.com I was surprised there was no charge, but I have read all your notes and understand
your point of view.
Thank you for making this fabulous Screen Saver. I have never seen a better one. I?m only 12 years old but am
already going up in the computer world. Once again, thanks.
A few days ago I downloded Special Effects 20. I haven't played around with it too much yet, but so far I love it!
Everything appears to work fine. I love the fireworks.
The ZIP file for Special Effects 3.1 includes these parts:
Special Effects 3.1 Screen Saver file
Special Effects 3.1 Help file
Special Effects 3.1 Read Me Text file
Fireworks Sound - Spfx_Launch.wav
Fireworks Sound - Spfx_Cannon.wav
Fireworks Sound - Spfx_FarAway.wav
Fireworks Sound - Spfx_LowBoom.wav
Fireworks Sound - Spfx_DualBurst.wav
Fireworks Sound - Spfx_MultiBurst.wav
After downloading the ZIP file, extract its contents using WinZip or any other popular ZIP file extraction utility.
Place the files into your Windows directory. You may then set your Screen Saver to use Special Effects 3.1
from the Screen Saver tab of the Windows Properties dialog.
If Special Effects does not run, then you may be missing a DLL.
Click here for instructions on retrieving the DLLs.
Refer to the FAQ if you encounter other issues.
Download: Special Effects 3.1
(spfx31.zip ~ 320 KB)