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.

Punch Out

Punch Out by Bill Stewart..
©1990-92 Berkeley Systems Inc.

Part of the After Dark 2.0 collection.

It's not the most exciting of modules. It does (as they say) what it says on the tin. It does run a little too fast on modern systems but this is less of a detriment for Punch Out than for other modules like Aquatic Realm.

I think this module is best used in conjunction with others in a randomizer as it will punch some holes in whatever graphic it starts with which changes things up a little for the next module.

That all being said, I did enjoy this module when first released. There was something oddly pleasing about watching giant chunks of your desktop float away.




PUNCH OUT (tm) punches holes in your monitor and slides the pieces off the screen in random directions.

Original concept by Bob Schumaker & Chip Morningstar. Sound by Rob Gale.

Cool punch out ideas by José Carlos Colón and Mouse Herrell.

Use the "Shape" drop down list box to select different shapes to be punched.

Use the "Size" slider to vary the size of pieces and the "Speed" slider to vary the speed the punched pieces move.

To hear the sound of each piece being punched out, use the sound control (if sound capability is available).


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

Penrose

Penrose by A. Karn and T DiZoglio..
©1992 Berkeley Systems Inc.

Part of the After Dark 2.0 collection.

Penrose is capable of generating some really beautiful patterns. This was definitely one of the more professional looking savers included in the original Windows release. With the various color palettes and a nice collection of patterns, although nothing really moved, it was still one of the prettiest modules available.

Unfortunately, Penrose seems to have a problem on modern systems. I tested this on three different systems and in each case, after drawing a couple of patterns, the module would crash with an out of memory error. So I had no problem generating a pattern for the above screenshot but this is no longer a module that I include in my normal cast.


PENROSE

This program fills the plane of the screen with a non-periodic Penrose tiling consisting of kite- and dart-shaped tiles in a five-fold symmetric pattern. The technique of deflation is used to replace successive generations of tilings with increasingly smaller tiles. See "Penrose Tiles and Trapdoor Ciphers" by Martin Gardner, or the January 1977 Scientific American.

Windows Version: Thomas DiZoglio
Original Macintosh Version: Andy Karn
Meddlers: Jack Eastman and Wes Boyd.
Color consultant: Igor Gasowski.


Works under Windows XP & Vista for a moment then errors out.

Nocturnes

Nocturnes by J. Steinmetz & R. Herrell.
©1990-92 Berkeley Systems Inc.

Part of the After Dark 2.0 collection.

To be honest, I've never thought about Nocturnes much. It's not the most exciting of modules. It does what it does and it does it fine which I guess is saying enough.

The title suggests this is a night scene. This means your screen stays mostly black and the saver only needs to draw eyes. Which I suppose is a night scene in a cartoon. In real life, an animal's eyes will rarely contain multicolored phosphorescent options.

Still, this saver still works great on a modern system and is not bothered by the number of colors you are using. that's something right? Way to go Nocturnes!


NOCTURNES(tm)

Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!

To hear the crickets, use the sound control (if sound capability is available).

Sound by Rob Gale.


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