I have the same problem as 26 (David). Program won't run win xp Sp3

Installed on Vista Home Premium/32 on 2ghz core-2 duo/2gb memory with no issues at all. Nice, no-hassle registration with the enclosed ACTIVATE program.

This program is just plain fun. Sure, there may be others out there, but this one is here, free, and fun to play with. Its controls are simple enough for a young person to learn, so bring your kids over to look at it, and let them generate some quality images they can be proud of.

As Zorgon mentioned, there are more useful things to do with your idle computer time such as cancer research. See the site at http://folding.stanford.edu for info on that. But for making fun/pretty things, this one was very nice. Thanks!

I have a problem. The program downloaded fine and I install it in turned it stated that it was activated. The problem comes in after I open the program it still wants new license #.

Installed and ran fine on .....
Windows 7 Home Premium (64 bit)
HP Pavilion(2.1 GHz/64 bit/3 Gig ram).
AMD processor AMD Sempron LE-1200 2.1GHz
NVIDIA graphics chip.

As it's a new version, I installed it to see what was new. It would be nice to see a list of improvements.

I DID see that it appears the aquarium and fire effects are improved

However, all the bad posts above are not justified. It's a nice program, if you are willing to put time into it. You can create some very nice screen savers.

I checked out all the links above. They are not i the same class as this one is.

One concern on this version. It appears the final SCR files run a little slower(clunkier) with this version of the program. (Of course that may be just the anti virus running in the background.....fighting for memory.)

One problem - The hyperlink in effects for "See more effects" does not work.

I will not know until later...

bottom line: A great little program which can take static images and add an animated flair to them. I like it for what it does.

Suggestions for improvements
cloud, sky, sunshine effects

Sounds great, but when I tried running it:
1. Popup titled "render_wnd" comes up, saying "Switching to the reference rasterizer, a software device that implements the entire Direct3D feature set, but runs very slowly."

2. Popup titled "render_wnd" comes up saying "Failed creating the Direct3D device"

3. Microsoft eroor report tool opens, saying "Animated Screensaver Maker has encountered a problem and needs to close..."

I'm trying to reinstall, but nothing seems to have gone wrong during the install.

Nice offer, nice extension pak offer too - low price lifetime upgrade. I have used the program before and reinstalled today.
Thanks developers and GAOTD.

Kool, I can make sceensavers and then sell them or even offer for givawayoftheday. Kinda give back to the comunnity and get paid ! thank :->

#17: cute but, no kitty one?

I love animated wallpaper so I'll be giving this one a try, thanks for the offer GOTD :)

so can i make a fireplace ss or do i have to wait til tthat ones free? Lol ;P

@graylox: Yea I agree, it should be on the site. I can only guess at his motives (avoiding association with Russian spammers/*warez maybe?) but I did a quick Google search and it seems his IP is not on any of the major blacklists afaict.

I have no real need for screensavers or their creation programs, but to chime in on screensavers being a waste of resources... They kick in when your PC's idle, so there's not much resources being wasted to begin with (unless the screenie itself is badly put together...). And some of them can be really fun or beautiful. Just be beware of what you download as screensavers are notorious for being used for malicious intentions.

The only screensaver I occasionally turn on is BOINC's. Always good to waste CPU/GPU time on cancer research projects. Plus you get really cool simulations of protein folding and DNA remapping or even galaxies and black holes, depending on the projects you participate in. So if you want to put the heat on your machine, get BOINC!

Thanks anyway GOTD and DesktopPaints. Have a nice weekend.

Installed and run very easily on my windows 7 64 bit system. I am not a computer expert so I am always bothered by anything that needs a lot of reading and thinking about. This was simple and although not everyone is in to screen savers - I am also one - I decided to try this one and I must say it is very nice. Thanks!

To Zorgon #13,

Look into Processes and Services and then you will find out how much of the resources were consumed. When the program is running consumes the CPU and DRAM but it stays preloaded in the Processes and Services all of the time on every windows log on and already consumed part of the resources even when not running.

Installs quickly and easily on Win 7 and I don't have to provide an email. Also, installed over an older version without having to uninstall it. I know screen savers aren't necessary but this is still fun to play with.

I've got something even better for you: A SCREEN WASHER - and it's FREE.
http://www.sanger.dk

I agree with greylox here. I should be able to see # thumbs up and # thumbs down and user specific reviews. Tell me which OS it works with, which it has difficulties with, tell me about browsers and such and then give me basic information about installation difficunties or not and how easy hor hard it may be to use.

I have tried this on two computers running Windows XP and the examples do not show up on either computer to test the ones present.
Installed fine with Windows 7.
Is there freeware out there that has all this does, with the ability to add all extra's???

To some of those who made improvement suggestions:

- You are NOT stuck with butterflies and fish as you DO have the possibility to import animated GIFs and PNGs;

- If you want to save your animation as an .exe, wait for Desktop Paints’ Animated Wallpaper Maker or DP Animation Maker to be offered here;
- If you want to save it as an animated GIF, wait for DP Animation Maker.

@Giovanni, with due respect.

Quote: "SCREENSAVERS, being most of the times a huge waste of PC resources, are pretty much useless nowadays."

First:

A screensaver pops into action only when the threshold of idle time has been surpassed. In other words, it only does something when you are not using resources for something you're busy with, or more boldly put, it only does something when you are doing nothing, granting you all the resources available.

What resources are wasted when your not using any for yourself (unless you testdrive the screensaver yourself)?

- Screensavers can be beautifull but sometimes very usefull too. Some screensavers use your idle computertime (distributed and shared computing) to compute molecular modeling to get new cancer medice.

- Screensavers can be used to defragment your harddisk at a convenient time (when you're doing nothing; Auslogics)

- Screensavers can elevate the security level by popping into protective action when you leave your computer thus locking it with a password only known by you, keeping others out.

€ # 6 dany
Thanks, yes mostly you'll find the info at Whois, but shouldn't it be a matter of course to give this info on the website of the company?
Maybe in this respect I'm a bit spoilt here in the EU.

graylox

@#4 Doska Please read the System Requirements above, then you will know why it doesn't work on Win 8.

As usual for me (W7 64bit) with Desktop Paints products, installation and activation went smoothly. DP regularly offers us here its 3 “sister programs”: Animated Wallpaper Maker, Animated Screensaver Maker and DP Animation Maker, as well as, from time to time, readymade animated wallpapers and screensavers (I have already written here what I think of these: they are poor, often ugly, and do not advertise well for the creative software they are made with). Same interface, same tools, same settings, projects saved in DP proprietary format .asw can subsequently be opened and modified in either program, providing their versions are compatible. The only difference is the format in which they are saved (.exe, .scr, .avi, animated gif etc.). Actually, it would make sense for the developer to merge AWM, ASM and DPAM and market them as a single multifunction tool. And for us, it makes sense to download the 3 of them each time they are offered here.

With these highly versatile programs, you can just animate your family pictures or try to be more creative associating a graphics software – freeware will do perfectly. The possibilities given by the numerous settings are nearly infinite, it takes a lot of time to precisely define the best, and the online manual won’t be of much help so you’ll have to keep trying and learning. You might find the choice of moving and stationary “objects” for animation a bit strange (stingrays and triceratopses are okay, but no pets, no farm animals? Including extra packs, 14 different lightning bolts, 29 grasses which nearly all look the same, and no tree?) but the butterflies and flowers are delightful and the program accepts GIFs, even animated, and PNGs, so, for alternatives, you’ll just have to search the internet or draw your own pictures. This is also true for the clock dial (and with an empty transparent PNG, you can display only the hands), but unfortunately not for the ugly glass ball effect pedestal. Entering as a stationary object a PNG mask with transparency above an overall effect also allows you to apply this effect - except “underwater” - only where you want, or you can use the “background copy” brush on a smaller surface. With this brush over an “object” or any animated gif you can even create (an illusion of) transparency on parts of it… And many other tricks – I’m still experimenting.

The developer is a hard worker: there are much more releases than are offered here and each one adds features. Compared with version 3.0.3 offered last February, the most interesting new one in this version 3.1.5 is a camera effect which livens up the animations, except that the more camera movement you want, the more you have to zoom into the image and the more you will lose on its edges, as it never zooms out. There are also new brushes and various effects. Worth updating.
Unfortunately, this time the link from within the program (in “add animation”) to buy full license doesn’t work (at least for me with Chrome), so I can’t tell whether there is, as usual with Desktop Paints, a special discount for us. I hope there is, as I would like to take it, like I did for AWM and DPAM, so that I can update and have technical support. I must say I got an efficient answer within hours - even during weekends! – the 4 times I sent an email to the technical support, and whatever the day, whatever the hour, the developer reacted almost immediately. I still haven’t been able to figure out in which time zone this guy lives. Or maybe he has a sleep defect, which could explain the typos on the site and within the program itself. Still, unacceptable, IMHO, and which definitely draws suspicion upon the less immediately visible flaws of the software - rightfully, because there is actually a numeric counterpart to the typos: little bugs which come and go, version after version, and can be irritating. Too long to explain here. Just to help:

- Don’t waste time checking the “don’t show this dialog again” box on the welcome window, because it WILL keep on showing at opening. (Haven’t they noticed? It’s been 6 versions now for me!)

- Sometimes a tag or button won’t show. Just hover where it’s supposed to be, it will make it show.

Missing: There is a full screen preview of the work done but no preview of objects or effects before applying. You’ll have to try each of the lightning bolts, of the butterflies (unless their names ring a bell) etc. to find what you like best. Workaround: Make, once and for all, a project with all butterflies, another one with all tropical fish, another one with all autumn leaves etc. to choose from (their names are displayed).

Good point: the program can be opened twice (useful for comparing in reduced windows two versions of your work).

To give you an idea of what you can do with DP software, here follows a link to a diaporama of animated wallpapers I made. Over the weekend I will add assorted screensavers made with my brand new updated Animated Screensaver Maker. Under each screenshot there is a link to download the animation if you like. It’s homemade, malwarefree (just heavy because of the mp3 included).

http://diaporama.archive-host.com/df2/Diaporama.php?id=ratyrk25D4dhKtDqvCkj

No doubt if you try you will have plenty of ideas of your own but beware: it is very addictive!

PS - Giovanni: I am very curious to see it this time you can find a really equivalent freeware.

Be sure you all install using ADMINISTRATOR user. I think this is why it will not work on some PCs if you install it under a user who is not designated as Administrator.

Hi, A Note about DP Extension Pack, after installing today's Animated Screensaver Maker v. 3.1.5

My last version of this Software was 3.1.3, with which I've purchased Extension Pack (back in Nov'11) and got permanent reg key. I decided to install v.1.3.5 into different direction today - to be able to see the possible differences between versions (are they? I couldn't see)

Knowing the earlier version was "patched up" by DP Pack - I then noticed BOTH versions were showing advert to purchase additional DP Pack, as if "not recognizing" that different reg key I had ready to paste. I had to find DP Extension Pack.exe on my PC, install it to Today's direction and now BOTH versions function normally.

BTW - I might drop that version 3.1.3 yet.., my caution and smart practice always being - not all updates carry all familiar features forward, or allow to keep certain Settings. Hence initially, if possible - best to keep previous version for references, if not features otherwise lost altogether. Happens!

Thanks GAOTD and DesktopPaints. I'm a fan of Animated Wallpaper Maker too, especially before Christmas (Snow Globes!:)

Personally I think that SCREENSAVERS, besides being most of the times a huge waste of PC resources, are pretty much useless nowadays.

However, in this nice article, the author shows you 10 creative ways to make a SCREENSAVER a little bit more useful:

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/screensaver-returns-10-creative-ways-screensaver

Nevertheless if you love SCREENSAVERS and are eager to create your own one, this GAOTD is the right tool for you.


BEST FREE SCREENSAVER MAKERS????

Here you go dudes....

http://www.gphotoshow.com/gpshow_free.htm
http://www.instantstorm.com
http://www.goldshell.com/flashforge
http://download.cnet.com/Picture-and-Sound-Show/3000-2409_4-10063017.html?tag=dropDownForm;productListing;pick
http://download.cnet.com/Video-Screensaver/3000-2409_4-10820531.html
http://www.webgraffiti.it/wg-screensaver/en
http://www.goat1000.com/jpegsaver.php
http://www.dzsoft.com/easy3d.htm (==> XP users only)

See also:
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/5-ways-to-make-your-own-screensavers-windows

Enjoy!!

@graylox: here you go, DesktopPaints whois info.

Program installed and ran great but when I tried to install or run the actual .scr file, Win 7 64bit bugs out.

This I cannot work it on Windows 8 Pro With Media Center 64 bit. Can anyone tell me why?

Hi,
Installed and activated on Win7 Pro 64bit. No email address required or sneaky opt-outs.
A very nice program if you want to make personalised screensavers and various special effects add that bit of pizzazz. It's quite intuitive too and I'll definitely keep this. I'm not really into screensavers but I know my mother is and she'd think I was awesome producing something special, just for her.. :)

Nice to see this programme again :)

It's not only a funny toy for my grand kids, this grandma likes to play with these animation tools too - I own the DP Animation Maker.
Every now and then the developer gives generous deals for lifetime licenses.
Maybe he will have such a generous day today??? HINT-HINT!

You'll find tutorials and tips and tricks:

http://www.desktoppaints.com/faqpg.php
http://blog.desktoppaints.com/

But I have to request Mr. Burenkov, to tell his costumers more about the company: Owner's name and the address of the company would be fine, and would provide confidence.

Thanks to DesktopPaints.com for participating in the GOTD project again and thanks to the GOTD team for making it possible.

graylox

The installation was easy and smooth as was the registration. An activate.exe is included in the readme file so there is no need for email. I had version 3.0.3 from an earlier giveaway. I installed this version into the same folder. The install does make the previous version invalid but after running the activate.exe, all was well.

This is not a program I use every day but I have used it and it works pretty well. I could not use my screensaver to make money but for my own persosal use, they are fine. Thank you GOTD team and DesktopPaints.com.