Zot!

Zot! by Bill Stewart & Jim Stewart.
©1990-92 Berkeley Systems Inc.

Part of the After Dark 2.0 collection.

So we come to the last module in the original Windows release. There was a DOS version of After Dark but it seems those modules exclusive to the DOS release are currently lost to history.

I think Zot! works best when combined with one of the rain modules. By itself, this module runs too fast on modern systems. I know, that's a weird thing to say about a screensaver that emulates lightening. Adding this to a MultiModule can get it to slow down just enough to feel right.

In the interest of full disclosure, I had to manually recreate the above screen as taking a shot of the actual module running proved impossible on a modern system.


ZOT! (tm)

Realistic lightning designed by Jim Stewart.

During the period when this module was being developed, the skies were filled with thunder and lightning each night. These flashes of reality greatly contributed to the realism of this effect.

Original version by Jack Eastman.


Works under Windows XP & Vista in greater than 256 colors but runs too fast.

Wrap Around

Wrap Around by Richard Lesh.
©1990-92 Berkeley Systems Inc.

Part of the After Dark 2.0 collection.

To be honest, before starting this web site, I don't believe I spent more than two second thinking about or examining this module. Maybe it was because Wrap Around was near the end of the list alphabetically, maybe it was because this module lacks some of the flash seen in others.

But I've come around now. I really like the designs Wrap Around randomly creates. No, this is not the most entertaining screensaver in the world but for anyone who spent hours trying to get that "make a curve out of straight lines" thing working on paper, this automatic and enhanced version may find a special place in their tainted psyche.


WRAP AROUND (tm) draws closed three
dimensional loops in space.

You can choose how long each drawing
stays on the screen, the number of lines
in each drawing, and how fast the color
in the lines changes.


Works under Windows XP & Vista in greater than 256 colors.

Vertigo

Vertigo by J. Eastman & T. Elmore.
©1990-92 Berkeley Systems Inc.

Part of the After Dark 2.0 collection.

This is an interesting module in that it still runs on modern systems with modern color counts but because the palette cycling of the module, it is much less entertaining on modern systems. Still, some of the palette choices are pretty interesting and the shapes generated can add some psychedelic design to a Randomizer or MultiModule.

I would recommend running this in 256 colors if you get a chance as the effect is very cool. You can do this by finding the ADW30.EXE file in your After Dark folder, right clicking on it, and choose Properties. Under Compatibility, you can force the program to run in 256 colors. Then close After Dark and restart it through the system tray icon. Of course, you probably want to turn off this 256 color option later.


VERTIGO (tm)

"Spiral Pitch" sets the tightness with which the spirals are drawn.

"Palette" sets the colors that are used to draw the shapes.

"Delay" determines how long the color animation continues before a new figure is drawn for those with 256 color machines.

Stingray Palette by Bill Stewart.
Thanks to Jim Stewart for the shapes.


Works under Windows XP & Vista and partly in greater than 256 colors.

Swan Lake

Swan Lake by B. Resner & M. Overlin.
©1992 Berkeley Systems Inc.

Part of the After Dark 2.0 collection.

My old roommate once described the Swan Lake module as Flying Toasters for girls. Actually, that never happened but it felt like a good story and I can certainly see him saying something like that. That's just the kind of guy he was.

Swan Lake was a bit of an oddity when it was released as it was one of the first "graphic" based modules along with Flying Toasters and Aquatic Realm but somehow was by itself, separated from the others. The graphics are well drawn and the little cygnets (I learned a new word today!) are a nice touch.

Also, the speed is completely fine on today's systems. So there must be something different about these swans as compared to the toasters and fish of the same era as those run too fast.




SWAN LAKE (tm) Swans and their cygnets swim gracefully across your screen.

Try a "Synchronized" swim to impose a little structure on the proceedings.

Swan artwork by Igor Gasowski.

Windows version by Mike Overlin, SAPIEN Technologies, Inc.


Works under Windows XP & Vista in greater than 256 colors.

String Theory

String Theory by Bill Stewart.
©1990-92 Berkeley Systems Inc.

Part of the After Dark 2.0 collection.

Another (but not the last!) module consisting of a line bouncing around the screen. I always liked this one specifically because it doesn't pretend to be anything it's not.

I'm probably thinking too much into it but String Theory was always simple to understand and gave you on screen exactly what you expected.

In addition, though one of the simpler modules ever made, it can still be responsible for some beautiful, unique and ultimately entirely too brief shapes and designs.




STRING THEORY (tm)

Original idea by James J. Eastman.

Colourful moire patterns that follow the edge of your monitor. For more variation, select up to 4 strings at the same time.


Works under Windows XP & Vista in greater than 256 colors.

Stained Glass

Stained Glass by J. Tantra and W. Boyd.
©1990-92 Berkeley Systems Inc.

Part of the After Dark 2.0 collection.

When I first installed After Dark, I didn't like Stained Glass. I felt it looked like a module that was broken and the developers kind of liked it broken and left it that way. Over the years though, it has grown on me and is now one of my favorite random design modules.

Whatever options you choose in the setup, the patterns generated are all beautiful and intricate and it feels like any moment frozen in time would make an excellent tapestry or at least a fairly neat Windows background.

This is also one of the few modules that looks cool in black & white and I will often run this saver in that mode. The detail somehow seems greater and the patterns generated almost feel like some weird reverse Henna pattern.


STAINED GLASS(tm) produces an infinite variety of beautiful quiltlike patterns.

The "Complexity" slider increases the appearance of detail in the image.

The "Duplication" slider controls how often the central image is duplicated in the periphery.

The "Color" slider controls how colorful the image gets. On the low end only a few colors are used.

Dedicated to Anna Benson. Contributions from Ellen Lewis, Kristieanne Jones, Eleanor Allen, Julia Kay, and David Oster.


Works under Windows XP & Vista in greater than 256.

Spiral Gyra

Spiral Gyra by K. Alphonso & J. Casey.
©1990-92 Berkeley Systems Inc.

Part of the After Dark 2.0 collection.

This module runs too fast on modern systems to be watchable. Even when it did run at a more normal speed, it wasn't the most entertaining of savers.

Based on the "in-program" text given below, I don't think the makers of this module were that excited about it either.


SPIRAL GYRA(tm) is another line drawing module with an interesting twist or two.


Works under Windows XP & Vista in greater than 256 colors but runs too fast.

Sounder

Shapes by Rob Gale.
©1992 Berkeley Systems Inc.

Part of the After Dark 2.0 collection.

Oh wave files, with your large size and your .wav extension. Perhaps it's a testament to Windows that this module still works absolutely fine. Granted, many people no longer have a large cache of wave file lying around but Windows still installs a bunch so there's always some to pick through if needed.

Of course, screensavers are all about watching something happen when you 1. just downloaded the saver, 2. are bored, or 3. leave your computer. It can be kind of annoying to just have some random sounds playing during any of these situations especially when the list of sounds is short and repeats a lot.

Then again, when After Dark first came out, if you were crazy enough to rip your favorites songs to .wav files and combine them with a bunch of cool movie quotes also in .wav format, this saver could be used as a neat little jukebox in the days before iTunes.

Not that I've done that.




SOUNDER (tm)

No graphics, just snazzy sound.
Plays sound files from the directory of your choice.

To specify the sequence that sounds are played
use the "sequence" control.

To control the delay between sounds use the "delay" slide bar control.

To select the directory to play sound files from, use the "sounds" button. The default directory is the SOUNDS sub-directory of your After Dark directory.

Note: Sound files must be in the WAVE sound format (with the WAV extension). And last but not least, you can control whether or not the screen is blanked before playing sounds. Don't blank the screen and make people wonder what's making those funny sounds!

Note: Sound files must be in the WAVE sound format (with the WAV extension).


Works under Windows XP & Vista in greater than 256 colors.

Shapes

Shapes by Bill Stewart.
©1990-92 Berkeley Systems Inc.

Part of the After Dark 2.0 collection.

Again, this isn't one of those really exciting modules that makes you laugh and cry or makes you day dream about all the exciting and wondrous things you will see and options you want to try.

What, that's not what you day dream about?

This seems like one of those modules that kind of had to be included because, if it wasn't, people would wonder to themselves "Self, you and I both know After Dark needs a module where random shapes appear on the screen and nothing else happens. Oh, and self, could there be an option for non-color monitors? Thanks!"

Today, the module works but runs too fast. Still, as there's no real animation, if your wanting the screensaver equivalent of squirrels on caffeine, this may work for you.


SHAPES (tm) fills the screen with a rapid succession of geometric shapes.

Original design and concept by Jack Eastman.

If "Clear Screen First" is checked, the screen is blanked before the shapes start appearing.

Use the "Color" check box to select color or black & white shapes.


Works under Windows XP & Vista in greater than 256 colors but runs too fast.

Rainstorm

Rainstorm by P. Beard & T. Elmore.
©1990-92 Berkeley Systems Inc.

Part of the After Dark 2.0 collection.

Not much to say here other than this is a very mundane module with a very exciting name. The lightening effect was cool back in the day but as this module now runs a little too fast the lightening flash is too frequent and annoying.

Okay, I have to say something nice. Well, the module does have a lot of options so there is a nice level of creativity involved in choosing the exact type of storm you want.

I feel better now.


RAINSTORM(tm)

"Lightning" sets the delay between lightning flashes.

"Strength" changes the effect of the storm from drizzle to downpour.

"Drops" will also change the effect. A drizzle will have the effect of mere mist if there are only 10 drops.

"Wind" will change the strength of the wind blowing the storm.

Original design and concept by Patrick Beard.


Works under Windows XP & Vista in greater than 256 colors but runs a little too fast.