Version 1.5 for MAC OS X 10.3 or higher - 25/04/2008
UNIVERSAL BINARY VERSION
By
Robert Bennett

Please note: NEVER link directly to the files listed below, always link to this page. These files will move due to bandwidth restrictions, but this page will always have the latest links.
Click here to download!

REGISTER NOW FOR JUST US$9.95!

Ever since I started making screensavers for Windows, I've had requests for Mac versions. So I decided to go and buy a Mac so I could make Mac OS X screensavers for you guys. Problem is, the Mac cost me a fair amount of cash. So I've made this screensaver shareware. It's only US$9.95 to register and get rid of all the nags that pop-up, and all the intro banners at the start. You'll also be able to download new starships and space fighters to do battle in the Space Wars! Not only that, but you'll be able to download new background scenes aswell instead of just seeing the same one over and over! But more importantly, you'll help support Useless Creations, which means I'll be able to keep developing nifty screen savers for Mac OS X!

So register now to get the full version, help me pay for my Mac, and look forward to more cool 3D screensavers in the future!

Click here for all the details.

To get to the download screen, click on the "Download New Space Ships" tab on the screen saver Options screen. With the trial version, all you can do on this screen is check which ships and backgrounds are available. With the registered version you can actually download them, all you need to do is follow the steps on screen. Closing the settings sheet while any downloads are in progress will cancel the current download, and of course, you need to be connected to the internet to be able to download new ships.

After downloading a new space ship or background, the screen saver needs to be restarted for the new ship to be available.

The button at the bottom lets you set where the downloaded data files are kept on your machine. The screen saver will create a default directory for you when it runs, however you are welcome to change it. Remember though, if you change the directory the screen saver will not be able to find any ships in the previous directory, and you will need to give any users who are going to use the screen saver permission to at least read from the folder so they can use the data files, and they will need write permission if you want to allow them to download ships aswell.

Because I've been asked a lot, here's a quick note: If you get an error saying "Download Failed - Error! Cannot Create File http://" it means that it can't save the data file, usually because you do NOT have full read/write access to the folder (as it says you need above). So you need to make sure you have access to that folder it's using, OR you can create a new folder somewhere you know you have full access to, such as under your home directory. Then click that button at the bottom of the settings and tell the screen saver where you new folder is. Then you should be fine.

To see images of each space ship that is available, click the button below:

For millenia the human race lived on a small planet called Earth in an almost constant state of war. They believed they were enlightened, and above violent conflicts for no good reason, and yet their small world was never without war at any point in their history. They fought over such trivial matters as religion, money, and ice cream flavours. No excuse seemed too small for the humans to go to war over.

But above all else, they fought over land. Despite the fact that they killed each other so often, they still managed to breed to the point of mass overpopulation of their little world. So eventually, they had to leave.

And leave they did, forgetting their ravaged world and spreading across the galaxy like a plague. There was so much space for them to live in that they simply ran out of reasons to fight and for the first time in human history they were truly at peace.

Then the invaders came.

An unknown alien force who decided the human race had no right to occupy so much space. Space that they had claimed as their own many centuries earlier. The humans were unlike them, they did not speak their language or share their beliefs, so the aliens did not see any reason to negotiate. The space the humans occupied was their's, so they had to be removed.

Humankind's newfound peace came to an end, and they finally combined to become one united force ready to face their new common enemy.

So once more, war began...

I seriously can't believe how long it's been since I was able to do an update to this screensaver. It's still my all time favourite, and I spend more time watching it than actually working most of the time. From the feedback I've had, I'm not the only one!

So here, finally, is another update. I've added some of the stuff I wanted to do from the start, and fulfilled some requests. So some ships can now fire missiles, or torpedoes, and some ships can have cloaking devices. There's also bigger explosions, come camera changes, and lots of other little stuff.

At the moment the cloaking devices are pretty much restricted to the new fleet in the story, the Pirate Insurgents of Rigel 8. They're a sneaky bunch, hence the cloaking devices. See the website to check out all the new ships, and the extension to the story.

There's also loads of other fleets available from outside the story, so if you haven't checked before, what are you waiting for??? Head to the website right now!

I love this one, but I can't spend the time I'd like on it because not that many people have registered for the full version. The time spent working on it, and the costs involved, mean I can't keep working on it if you don't register. So register now! Tell your friends to register! Then we can all enjoy it!

Enjoy!

USELESS RELEASE NOTES (v1.2)

Another update already?? Well, yeah! I have so many ideas for this thing! If you like it, tell your friends! Tell everyone! Cos unless it becomes more popular quickly I'm going to have to move on and work on something else instead.

Anyway, I had a heap of people email me who didn't like the ships bouncing off each other the way they did. I didn't like it either, but at the time it was the best solution I could put together at the time. So I did a re-write and made it so the ships actually do damage to each other when they hit. It doesn't mean they explode everytime, but they usually do, especially if a fighter happens to fly into the path of a mothership!

I also wanted to make the shields stand out more when they get hit, so they now glow when they take damage which I think looks pretty cool.

Also, due to popular demand, I've made some changes to the camera so each mode isn't so short, and there's now a chance that the camera will follow the same ship until it's destroyed, which adds some continuity to the action.

I've also tweaked the laser range so fighters have more chance of getting some shots off against the big motherships before they're blown away, and there's a heap of other tweaks and bug fixes. Check it out!

Enjoy!

What's this?? A new version already?? Yes! I love this thing, so I started working on the next version as soon as the first was finished.

I'm really surprised by the lack of response to this screensaver since I think it's probably the most impressive thing I've ever made. I've had next to no feedback whatsoever, which is a bit disappointing. But I enjoy it so much that I can't stop watching it.

I think the only feedback I received was about the lack of background. It was just a basic starfield. Well, your wish is my command. I've re-written this thing with some fantastic new backgrounds! Each of them is a work of art, and I've also added lighting effects so the ships are lit by the suns in the background with different colours and intensity. So now when you register you don't just get access to all the great new ships, but you also get access to all these awesome new backgrounds. Check it out! If you have the full version with more than one background installed the background will change each time a ship travels to a new area of space thru hyperspace. Which I think is very cool!

I've also added a heap of new space ship designs, and have a whole lot more to add. So keep checking the website!

Enjoy!

Those of you who have been visiting Useless Creations for a while may remember an old screen saver I made that I had to take off the website. I wont go into details, but it was a favourite of a lot of people, including me.

So I decided to re-write it from scratch using some great new space ships made by a very talented artist. They look better than any of the old ships, and by re-writing the screen saver I've been able to make it so much more like what I originally envisioned all those years ago.

I probably say this everytime I release a new screensaver, but I love this thing. I've sat and watched it for so long that it's taken 3 times as long to make as it should have. Once it starts I just can't look away!

The ships fly around hunting each other, and when they explode they really explode. It's just so much fun to watch (in my opinion anyway!).

I'm hoping to add a heap of ships available for download from the website (there's already quite a few) so keep checking back for more. There's a mix of big motherships and small space fighters, some with different weapons and some with shields. I've tried to make it versatile so I can add a load of different ships, and I'm thinking of adding things like cloaking devices and stuff in future versions.

Just a few things you should know:
I love this thing, so be kind in your criticism! :)
When a laser blast caused a blue explosion it means it's been absorbed by the shields.
There may be a slight pause when each new ship is loaded, but this only happens the first time a ship arrives.

As always, if you spot any bugs please let me know.

Seriously, if you like space battle stuff, just sit and watch this thing for a while. It's great fun!

Enjoy!

v1.5 - 25th April, 2008 - Major Update
Some ships can now fire missiles or torpedoes!
Cloaking devices are now available on some ships!
Bigger explosions!
Camera tweaks!
Whole new fleet added to the story.
Loads of new fleets from outside the story on the website.
Lots more tweaks and bug fixes.

v1.2 - 10th August, 2006 - Update
People wanted damage when ships collided, so I've added that as an option.
Added option to have shields glow when the take damage.
Changed some of the camera functions.
Increased range of laser fire for better chances against motherships.
Lots more tweaks and bug fixes.

v1.1 - 24th July, 2006 - Major Update
People wanted backgrounds, so I've added some really cool new backgrounds.
Also added lighting effects so the ships can be lit by the local suns with different colours and intensity.
Added a lens flare effect to go with the new lighting system.
Additional backgrounds are available for download to add to the full version.

v1.0 - 13th July, 2006 - Original Release
Space ships do battle in a dogfight in deep space!
Ships chase their enemies, but avoid firing on their comrades.
Ships take damage and explode into pieces.
Some ships have shields, which absorb damage until they're depleted.
Motherships patrol the area as well as small star fighters
Additional space ships available for download to add to the full version.