What is Forest?


2.1.1
Programming by: John Monemi
GUI made by: Lisa Taylor
Forest engine by: Hubert Offone
Icons by: James Cates

© Mac Unicorn Software
Website: http://www.macunicorn.com
E-mail: support@macunicorn.com

What is Forest?
Forest is the cool and elegant way to relax while working. Forest will play soothing and relaxing nature sounds, as if you were walking in a forest. Launch Forest, listen, and relax! Working on your computer can sometimes be very stressful; with Forest, not anymore.

Forest allows you to change the volume of its background ambiance without changing the volume of your Macintosh! Very useful if you find the original volume a bit loud.
 
Forest is packed with 6 worlds: the main world, Country World; Forest cannot launch if this world is not installed. Five other worlds are included: Forest World, Garden World, Night World, Storm World and Storm World II. We probably don't have to explain you what sounds the worlds will play. Forest can also play Relax environments.
 
If you don't want Forest to continually play something, you can use a unique Forest feature, Tweet™. From time to time, you'll hear a lovely bird or a cricket. You can choose the delay between each sound; you can even ask Forest to pick up a random value. And what's more, you can even ask Forest to play night sounds such as owls after 9PM!
 
Forest features an extremely cool interface. Drag and drop the worlds on Forest or even on Forest's window to play them! Forest will display the info window (what world is being played, the author and a different background graphic for each world).

Carbon?
Forest is a Carbon application. If you use MacOS X, it will run natively. If you use MacOS 9 or better, it will also run natively.

Create Custom Worlds
To create custom worlds, please read the Read Me file of the World Builder (included in this package).

Installation
Forest requires MacOS 9 and QuickTime™ 3 or higher — or MacOS X 10.0. Forest will not work with the Public Beta of MacOS X.

Forest is an application; you can launch it to use it and quit it when you don't want to use it anymore. Well, you already know that. If you wish, you can create an alias of Forest in the Startup Items folder (located in the System Folder of your Macintosh). That will cause Forest to launch right after you started up your Macintosh!

Registration info
Forest is freeware! You can use it for free without time limit.

If you think, however, that this application deserves to be paid, you can make a donation at:
http://www.macunicorn.com/donate.htm

Thanks very much!

Instructions for use

Basic functions
Double-click on Forest's icon to use it. Forest will play the default world, Country World.

To select another world, you can:
- Double-click the world
- Drag the world on Forest's window. To show the window, select "Show Forest's Window" in the File menu
- Select in the File menu "Open Forest World..." or press Command-O
- If you use Relax, you can choose "Open Relax Environment…" or press Command-R

The Forest Window will display a picture - different for each world - the name of the world and the author of the world.

Forest supports drag-and-drop.  You can drag a Forest World or a Relax Environment on the Forest's window.

You can also quickly choose the default world (Country World) by selecting in the File Menu "Play Default World" or by pressing Command-D.

You can switch to Tweet™ - random nature sounds every now and then - by selecting "Tweet™ (random sounds)" in the File menu or by pressing Apple-T.

Advanced functions
Note: the functions described further are not enabled when playing Relax environments or when using the Tweet™ feature.

Forest allows you to change the volume of any Forest world without changing the volume of the Macintosh. You can select the desired volume in the Volume menu, or choose Softer (Command -) and Louder (Commmand +).

You can also change the bass & treble as well as the balance of the worlds. This is very useful if a world is too high-pitched for you. To do this, select "Bass & treble" in the Edit menu, or press Command-B.

Preferences
When launched the first time, Forest will play the Country World. If you open another world in Forest, it will remember it and will play it on next launch. Forest can also play Relax environments at launch.

However, you can select the world to be played yourself. Choose "Preferences…" in the Edit Menu or press Command-K.

First of all, select the desired Mode. Click on "World" if you wish to play worlds, or "Tweet™" if you wish to use the Tweet™ feature.
Check or uncheck "Show Forest's window at startup" if you want to show the mini Forest window when launching Forest. This option is disabled by default.

The second part of the Preferences window is dynamic. If "World" is selected:

Click "Open World…", and choose the world Forest must play after launching.  You can also choose Relax 2.x or 3.x environments.
Click "Use Default" to use the default world, the Country World.

If Tweet™ is selected:
You can choose the delay between each random sounds. Click the little arrows to change the delay and choose in the popup Seconds or Minutes.
You can also ask Forest to randomize the delay. You can choose in the popup Seconds to randomise the delay between 10 and 60 seconds or Minutes to randomise the delay between 1 minute and 15 minutes.

If you check "Play night sounds", Forest will play night sounds from 9PM to 6AM. Forest will never play night sounds during the day, even if you uncheck this checkbox.

To change the volume, move the Volume cursor. Check "Mute" to mute Forest. Uncheck Mute to revert to the last saved volume.

Press "Default" to revert Forest to the factory settings.

About Forest & Relax
Forest can read Relax's environments. However, they are still the property of Software Perspectives. Forest doesn't feature Relax-to-Forest conversion, because the environments made by Software Perspectives are copyrighted.
You can't read the built-in Relax environment via Forest.
If you have any problem with a Relax environment, you should e-mail Software Perspectives. E-mail us only if there is a problem related to Forest when a Relax environment is read.

Disclaimer and copyright
Forest is Copyright ©1999-2001 Mac Unicorn Software.
Tweet™ is Copyright ©2000-2001 Mac Unicorn Software.
Included Worlds (Forest, Garden, Night, Storm and Storm II) are all © Mac Unicorn Software.
The Software Perspectives logo and the Relax background picture are a trademark of Software Perspectives, Inc.
Even if Forest is bug-free, we make no warranty whatsoever, either implied or express, as to its correct functioning. When using this software, the user assumes all responsibility for damages caused, directly or indirectly, by its use.

Thanks
We thank all our registered users, but many people offered their support and helped us to improve or maintain alive Forest. More precisely, we would like to thank James Cates, for his MacOS X icon.

Distribution
You can include Forest on the Internet and on free CD-ROMs.
Forest is Freeware, which means that you are allowed to use it without time limit and on any computer. Please feel free to give it to anyone. Forest is not open source, though, so we still own its copyright.

How to contact us
If you wish to tell us how great Forest is, or if you have a bug report, send us an e-mail at:

support@macunicorn.com

Version history

2.1.1
- Compatible with MacOS 9.2.1
- Compatible with MacOS X 10.1 and MacOS X 10.1.1
- Fixed ghost-color menus bug
- The Preferences corruption bug is fixed
- The Preferences menu item is now in the Application menu under MacOS X
- Engine works much more smoothly with QuickTime 5

2.1
- Forest is now a freeware!
- The World Builder is included in Forest's package
- Forest now features a totally new Brook World
- The Forest window now refreshes much faster
- The Worlds pictures will load faster
- No more odd behaviour when setting the Preferences
- A few interface-related fixes

2.0.6
- Forest no more signals that the Country World is not in the Worlds folder when it is
- A few interface issues fixed
- Compatible with MacOS 9.2

2.0.5
- Improved engine
- Forest is much faster than before under MacOS 8/9
- No more crash when a world doesn't exist anymore
- More stable
- A few bug fixes

2.0.4
- Improved MacOS X icon
- Improved stability

2.0.3
- Improved stability
- Forest will not crash when quitting anymore (this bug is fixed at last)

2.0.2
- Maintenance release
- Small bug fixes and interface tweaks

2.0.1
- Stereo support!
- Forest will now play random sounds from time to time while playing a world to avoid linear playing

2.0
- Forest Classic and Forest Carbon now merged in a single package.
- A brand-new Tweet™ feature that will allow you to listen to random nature sounds from time to time; you can choose the interval between the sounds or Forest can automatically choose a random value
- The best sound engine available, for high-quality sounds
- A very easy-to-use, polished and elegant interface
- 6 worlds with soothing & relaxing nature sounds so realistic you could think a bird is tweeting outside
- A very low price ($8.95 with 6 worlds, $14.95 for 15 worlds)
- Supports Relax 3.0 environments
- MacOS X compatibility
- All known Forest 1.x bugs fixed

_________________________________________

1.7.2
- Forest will now properly play SoundJam & iTunes files.
- Increased stability when playing Relax's environments.
- Fully compatible with MacOS 9.1.
- A few interface changes.

1.7.1
    • Better playlist: the "currently playing" world is also highlighted in the playlist.
    • Forest will now load worlds in RAM; no more annoying hard-disk spinning sound.
    • Added "Almost Inaudible" option for those who like very low sounds.
    • Added ability to minimize the window to a small border indicating only the "currently playing" world. Useful for little screens who would like to know what world is currently being played without having to waste screen space.
    • Few interface updates.

1.7.0
    • We added a playlist! You can now choose what worlds you want to play and for how long. This is for people who found annoying to loop the same world over and over.
    • Re-designed Preferences dialog box.
    • No more crash when you quit Forest, and this time we mean it!
    • Updated Relax environments handling.
    • Forest is entirely compatible with MacOS 9.1.
    • Forest handles QuickTime 5 properly (no more type 2 crashes).

1.6.0
    • Forest's code is totally rewritten! Forest should be more stable and more reactive.
    • We added a new world: the Country World.
    • Since beta-testers enjoyed so much the Country World, it will be the default one (and not Forest World anymore).
    • No more crash when you quit Forest.
    • Forest can read  files.
    • Forest can read Wave files.
    • Better AIFF support.
    • Uses less CPU & RAM, but the app's size is now 2.3Megs (and not 1.7Megs).
    • A few interface tweaks and typos corrections.
    • Other minor bug fixes.

1.5.1
    • Forest will now properly play Random Sounds when selected in the Preferences.
    • Forest will now properly play Random Sounds when selected in the "Worlds" menu.
    • Few internal changes.
    • More reactive.

1.5.0
    • Forest can now read sound files (any QuickTime supported format) and loop them forever!
    • Improved sound bass & treble support (works with Forest worlds and sound files).
    • Different sound format to improve sound quality for little speakers (such as internal Macintosh speakers).
    • You can now use Forest 25 times in demo version!
    • Fixed a bug that caused iMacs to crash when SRS was enabled.
    • Images are improved (less compression).
    • The crash that caused Forest to sometimes bomb when you quit it is now fixed.
    • Forest's engine re-written: better cache handling, full QuickTime support.
    • Slightly redesigned Preferences window.
    • Many, many bug fixes.

1.4.2
    • Forest fully supports Stereo, including Surround configurations.
    • Few Relax environments-related bugs fixed.
    • Improved interface when viewed with the Chicago font.

1.4.1
    • Relax environments are read 100% properly (including random sounds).
    • If a world isn't found, Forest will now display a dialog box allowing you to select another world.
    • No more "Forest world wasn't found" error.
    • More stable.
    • Several minor bug fixes.

1.4.0
    • Forest World updated! New high-quality recording with less birds (more relaxing).
    • Garden World updated! New high-quality recording without the cuckoo.
    • You can change the treble & bass as well as the balance of Forest's sounds.
    • This is mainly a user-request, you can now hide/show Forest's window.
    • Better supports Relax environments.
    • Looks great with any font.
    • Few interface updates.
    • Few bug fixes.

1.3.0
    • The Forest World is now an external file, allowing a certain number of new features.
    • Engine totally rewritten.
    • The World Builder is now much more easier to use.
    • Behaves correctly when QuickTime Player is opened.
    • You can now change Forest's volume.
    • Interface of the Main window updated.
    • Better menu organization.
    • Forest's pictures are now compressed (lighter and faster application; with all the new features, Forest is lighter than 1.2!).
    • Every crash fixed (such as type 10 errors).
    • Few minor new features.
    • A load of bug fixes.

1.2.0
    • Storm World II added.
    • Redesigned World Builder.
    • Better cache handling (Forest will not stop looping if your computer is busy)
    • Faster engine.
    • Total compatibility in the Classic environment of MacOS X.
    • Removed every 68K code (the application is now 100% PPC).
    • Better "About" box.
    • Other few interface improvments.
    • Relax environments are now better read than in Relax itself (added cache support for Relax environments so that Forest wouldn't stop looping if your computer is busy)
    • Many, many bug fixes.

1.1.1
    • Forest won't crash anymore when you open a new world [bug introduced in 1.1]

1.1.0
    • Relax environments are now compatible with Forest.
    • Night World upgraded.
    • Better interface.
    • Works properly with SoundApp.
    • Few bug fixes.

1.0.0
    • First public release.

Download Forest for Mac

Architecture

IBM PowerPC

System Requirements

From Mac OS 7.6 up to Mac OS 10.4

Compatibility notes

Emulating this? It could probably run under: SheepShaver