Where are the dynamic generated Dreams?

We are still working internally to develop the dynamic dreams.  Right now, there are two examples of dynamic dreams; Desktop Earth by Stardock Design, and Ovals by Neil Banfield

Question: Can you use Adobe's Flash (in conjunction with DreamMaker) to create dynamic dreams?

Probably not.

How about WPF?

I've got a relatively cool effect I created as a background for a custom media center/automation system I've been writing for myself. It'd be incredibly awesome if I could just take my background's (Just a usercontrol) .xaml file and compile it into a .dream.

So now there's another "premium" dynamic dream that displays pictures from the user's folder(s) in a cool desktop-like way. I'm sure it looks really good and this is the kind of thing I expected when I first heard about dreams. The thing is though, I would possibly be creating all sorts of dreams like this if an SDK was released. I know it takes a lot to put together an SDK though (I'm a software programmer), but I have a feeling that even after an SDK is written, the fact that Stardock is charging for these types of dreams means that they aren't going to be too partial to having other programmers/dream creators be able to post anything similar to anything they do. There was already an issue with a video dream that looked "too similar" to the dynamic earth dream, as if showing a video of the earth from space is an extremely unique concept that should be protected, the same way that showing pictures and videos from the user's folder(s) is not unique either. They both are pretty standard ideas, but they are good ideas that look good. I'm just afraid that the "monopoly" on whether something is infringing on a "premium" dream that is being charged for is going to affect our ability to create and post our own that are free.

Let's be clear, the new dynamic dream only works with ONE folder. Is will not recursively scan folders... really defeats the whole purpose..

I don't see how a missing feature such as folder scanning "defeats the whole purpose"

Sure I agree that having the .dream scan folders for new images would be nice, but saying or implying that excluding this feature kills the entire point or worth of the .dream is where I would have to disagree.

You will be pleased to hear there is another pictures based one (As seen in screenshots before) which does handle multiple folders and does handle sub folders - though adding the entire drive C would be most unwise!

This second pictures one is due for release within the next few weeks as another premium dream.

You guys seem to have missed my point: the fact that user-created dynamic dreams (when an SDK is eventually released) might be subject to being rejected because they could infringe on the pay-for dynamic dreams. I've made the choice not to buy any of these dynamic dreams for the time being...maybe after an SDK is released and I see how user-created dynamic dreams are handled I might then.

Will owners of the current one get a free upgrade or will we have to pay out again?

Updates to existing Dreams are free.

I have this gut feeling that said picture dream will be a tad different from the one posted just recently, meaning it will be another 9 bucks. *shrug*

Tdieckman - I have no reason to believe that Stardock would outright decline a .dream purely because it is similar to a .dream that they have in the works. Now if someone were to create an exact duplicate (or close enough) to, let's say, Desktop Collage, with absolutely nothing to set it apart from the former Stardock .dream, then I wouldn't blame Stardock for trashing it. In fact I'd call it foolish if they didn't...

Earlier you made a point that TheMasterBaron's earth .dream had some problems because it was too similar to Desktop Earth which was released simultaneously. Someone correct me if im wrong here but MasterBaron directly said that the release of these dreams was a pure coincidence and that MasterBaron has been a space fanatic for a really long time - thus it was natural for him to make a space oriented dream. Frogboy saw this post by MasterBaron and said it was perfectly OK. This is why I believe that Stardock will not decline dreams purely because they are too similar to other dreams created by them, within reason of course. (If someone was pissed at the 9 dollar price range and duplicated the Desktop Collage with the SDK, renamed it to something else, and uploaded it so that others can get it for free... well I would call that illegal...)

Sorry for the long post... just sharing what's on my mind. I'd love to hear opinions

That I know but Neil has given the impression that this would be a seperate dream



...as another premium dream. Not as an updated current dream, so can someone clarify whether it is a "new" dream or an update to the Desktop Collage dream.


P.S. I think you guys & girls (I assume you have female people working for you) at Stardock do a great job by the way and I am just asking and not trying to be difficult   

To keep this on topic of this thread...

How soon do you think we are going to get an SDK so the community can make their own dynamic dreams?

thanks