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forum - News |
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 | | Topic: | Demo scene information wanted | | | Hi
I'm a UK university student studying for a degree in Multimedia and the Sonic Arts BA(Hons). We've just been set an assignment to come up with a presentation on one or more performing arts practitioners. My group and I have decided to pick something new and cutting edge that people might not otherwise have heard of. Hence my appearence on this forum. The Demo scene is relatively new to me and as such my knowledge of it is extremely limited.
I was just wondering if anyone could provide me with some information regarding the following:
1 - The emergence of the scene, it's historical roots, how it started etc. As an outsider it looks as though it's a culmination of CGI programming which is ever present in todays culture and the meteoric rise of the VJ in recent years. Can anyone give me a more accurate account of how things got started?
2 - A list of the leading artists within this media (so our tutors can at least do a little follow up research to make sure we're not making anything up!!)
3 - The future of this artform, where it's likely to be headed etc.
4 - In laymans terms what is a Demo?
5 - Any useful links I should check out.
Much obliged for any help that may be offered. This is definitiely a scene that I will continue to revisit, it's been pretty mindblowing to research so far!! Hopefully I can make steps towards spreading the word of the scene with this upcoming presentation.
Again, thanks for any help.
Slick | | |
| Cheers DT
Unfortunately my budget won't stretch that far, I only just have enough food to get me through the week! That's what you get for quitting a full time job to become a student I guess!!
It needn't go into any great detail, brief answers will do with maybe a few decent online resources, I can do the rest. I actually love doing the research! | | |
| Or try scenemusic.net? Some of us are there live sometimes! Maybe someone have some links for you!
This is a demoscene music radio station, Here you can listen to the stuff blasting from our Hifi's
DT | | |
| 1st: 36$ is overpriced, you can get it for half the price.
2nd: For some deep information tomcat's book FREAX is the better choice.
For more information check Wikipedia and Tomaes' demoscene FAQ . | | |
| 1. During the twenty years of demoscene history we have witnessed the
emergence of various trends:
- In the eighties, first demos were messages or signatures, very much
akin to graffitis on a wall. Long texts and logos were much in
presence and almost everything centered around them. At times they
were almost overwhelming: Text scrolling and flowing from many parts
at once, as foreground or as an almost unreadable background. Big
logos, everything being multicolored. The presentation was made
through a succession of pages, "parts" each centered on a main
illustration or logo. Sometimes even interactive, as you had to flip
betweens the parts as you would with pages of an unlikely animated
book.
People started twisting the computer hardware in ways that were not
intended by the original hardware designers: exploiting peculiarities
of the computer, demos came to display luminescent bars far exceeding
the number of colors available theoretically, (copper bars and their
variations thereof) or displayed graphics outside of the normal
display area. (overscan) This forms one of the first theme of the
demoscene: the "détournement" of a medium's capabilities, by
exploiting and combining its constituents in new ways.
- By the early nineties and late eighties demos suddently took a
different form, still retaining the multi-part construction: while 3d
graphics were not encountered in the games of the day, they started
being featured in profusion in demos, re-asserting the distinct
culture between games and demos. The 3d at the time was of different
sorts:
- A fixed camera focused on an animated display of morphing
mathematical functions, displayed with simple primitives like
dots or lines, often accompanied by more traditional 2d
illustrations. (the "object show") An alternative form of this,
would also use fake 3d graphics made out of drawn sprites
believably illuminated by the artist, then moved in a 3d
space. ("vectorballs")
- Full screen, immersive flat-shaded 3d scenes, with a moving
camera. (The "3d fly-by")
The "object-show" and "3d fly by" are still in use today in a heavily
altered form. While the first is static and relaxed an consist in an
illustrative use of animated graphics, the other is emphatic and tries
to convey senses of depth and space.
Computers of the time did not have the capabilities of today. Their
graphical capabilities vastly overpowered the size of their memory and
power of their processors, so the storage and replaying of movies was
not an option. Demos were thus the only fully animated spectacle one
would be able to watch on these machines. Time in demos is not the
substrate that it is for movies or animations: here it is a resource
which one has to dealt with carefully, as in only 1 / 60th of a second
one has to compute all the animated visuals.
Taking this resource-problem into account, it was also of good form to
show the greatest amount of moving objects at the same time, or the
most complex at least. We find here some of the main themes that will
be found thereafter in many demos: immersion, and the representation
of infinity.
- Diving a bit more into the mid-nineties. Some groups emerge with a
new approach: they aim is to elicit a response from the viewer through
a suprising, rich presentation rather than through technical
prowess. Their visuals use pastel palettes, their music is funk, and
contrast with the shiny metallic looks and cinematographic music of
the late eighties, early nineties. Graphics are now heavily distorted,
less figurative. Graphicians who were before influenced by Boris
Vallejo or Hajime Sorayama now take their inspiration from people like
Carlos Nine.
A great focus is also given on the way parts are arranged together:
parts appear and disappear seemlessly from and into other parts. They
emerge or dive into each others, revealed either as elements of the
previous part or extracted from global features. 3d objects become 2d
illustrations. 2d illustrations becomes animated either through
distortion and rotation, or turn themselves into fast moving tunnels.
Attitude, surprise and fantasy join others as main themes of demos.
- A richer interaction between music and visuals also appeared then,
synchronization between the two becoming a very important asset,
improving a lot the immersion and impact of visuals. From this trend
came about a tradition of music-oriented demos, with frantic, abstract
visuals controlled almost entirely by the music composition. A trend
which is still in full force to this day.
- Jumping to the late nineties, early noughties appeared a much
different trend: meant to be much more enjoyed at home than on the
big-screen, more individualistic and sometimes less rhythm oriented,
some creators started experimenting with atmospheres, texture, noise
and video. Removing the boundaries between the background and the
foreground, reacting with dirt and grittiness against the ever shinier
looks that can be now achieved. At both extremes either political or
clear of any message. Often contemplative instead of involving.
- Geographically, trends also emerged as country identities: Danish
groups like Blasphemy or Purple introduced highly detailed,
diagrammatic "object shows", Finland is reknown for a certain
grittiness and darkness, France had its alternative tradition
featuring loveable characters, traditional 2d illustration and twisted
humor, and Germany through the sheer number of its demomakers offers
the whole palette.
- Nowadays demos offer a whole continuum from very abstract works
(Kosmoplovci, Satori, $, Halcyon), works where abstract objects
combine believability and eeriness (Visualice' work for Haujobb and
Farbrausch), to more figurative and narrative works (Moppi production)
to the rather realistic (Conspiracy, Nah Kolor)
In conclusion, visuals developed in demos as a result of different
factors:
- inspiration from other youth cultures like Graffiti, which
demos are pretty much a cousin of gave demos a culture of
"détournement", and a drive to fully occupy any territory
whatsoever.
- the developement of demo parties which took demos from homes
into the world of "big screens". Competitive by nature, demos
had to be full of attitude, impact and branding.
- hardware limitations and new capabilities, as new
territories to occupy. Making the impossible possible by a
combination of various crafts, tricks and cheats.
Some random picks from previous years:
Keffrens - Desert Dream (1993 - amiga)
Sanity - Interference (1993 - amiga)
Polka Brothers - Twisted (1994 - amiga)
Friday at 8 (1994 - amiga)
Lemon - Groovy (1993 - amiga)
Melon Design - I feel like a computer (2003 - pc)
Ephidrena - Sfumato (2001 - amiga)
MFX - A Deepness In The Sky (2002 - pc)
Blasphemy - Moral Hard Candy (1999 - pc)
Coma - Paimen (1996 - pc)
Halcyon - Chimera (2002 - pc)
Moppi productions - IX (2003 - pc)
Stockholm Syndrome - Point Blank (2003 - pc)
Conspiracy - Beyond (2004 - pc)
Nah Kolor - Fears (2001 - pc)
Farbrausch - Faded Memories (2003 - pc)
2- Nowadays groups like Mature Furk or The Black Lotus show that it is
possible to win the hearts of watchers with demos made on ten years
old hardware (amiga for example) even when competing with demos made
for modern computers.
As computer technology is evolving so quickly, the effect of its
changes has had a different effect on demos than on other
mediums. While for example theatre adapted on rather long periods into
different forms, to even branch out completely towards cinema, demos
keeps existing as one evolving medium.
Of course, technology does not evolve by gradual progression, as often
brutal changes happen. These brutal changes may even bring regressions
in areas, as what happened for example when the first 3d acceleration
cards appeared. Less flexible than the pure software 3d that was the
rule at the time, but at the same time faster. They took a little
while to convince but are now evolving towards easier-to-bend models,
and thus are now the logical subtrate for demos.
Although the medium stays unique, the behaviours towards technology
have been different:
Some authors react to the change, by twisting technology into
unintended applications. Some others treat it as a tool, and settle on
a given set of materials to create their works. Most demos today are
created with this philosophy: an effort is made on the presentation,
the looks, the details and arrangement, while still using a vocabulary
of visual effects that came down to us from years of evolution.
Some others will treat technology it as an enabler, retaining their
approaches while improving their implementations. This is particularly
the case for smaller sized demos like 64 kilobytes and 4 kilobytes
intros, whose size is not even enough to store one of the high
resolution pictures they display.
Finally some treat technology as a territory to occupy. For example
Mobile phone demos, or the always expanding number of platforms in
actual use nowaday from the old c64, z81 to the newest portable
consoles like the PSP.
At some point in time, two types of demos were contrasted: so-called
"coder demos" and "designer demos." These days it is less common, as
coders have learnt to design and designers learnt to code, thanks to a
lower barrier of entry to achieve realtime graphics. This I think is a
great developement, and opens the door maybe to wilder
experimentations.
3- Establishing an identity was historically one of the first goals
demos had. As signatures, circulating all over the world through the
postal system, they were the maker and breaker of reputations. With
the years this took an ironical sometimes even sarcastic turn, as
certain groups like Melon or TPOLM played with twisted corporate
identities, with slogans and adequate web presence. Others built their
identities through very identified styles. Again with TPOlM but also
with people like Visualice, a prolific graphical artist whose
surrealistic touch is immediately recognizable, even as he roamed from
working with different groups. The Black Lotus is also a group that
cultivates a distinct method of creation, building demos first as
visual narratives rather than bottom-up from a soundtrack or code.
An specific example related to 80s - 90s computers: Graphical artists
differentiated each others by the way each used the restricted color
palettes at their disposal: To achieve richer colors, one would mix
pixels of different colors, and the way each would invent their unique
signature patterns was particularly exquisite.
4- A lot of things can now be achieved with a very defined
toolset. Nowadays one can even use a ready made tool like Demopaja or
Werkkzeug. Internally, groups create tools for their designers to
achieve more in less time. In the past coders kept securely the
formula that made demos possible, but now graphical artists if they
can adapt to the provided tools, are given more freedom of decision
over the final product.
On the other side, certain groups adapt the code to each production,
building on top of frameworks resulting of years of experience.
More often than before, these two approaches are driven by the desire
to achieve specific, coherent goals. Concepts are made clearer,
narratives or intent more efficient.
5- The superficial is sometimes very important. It sometimes talks
better to us than deep concepts and ideas.
Right now I think the main issue is one of relevance. Demos are mainly
made for fun, but my opinion is that they must, in addition to that,
insist on what make them different from other mediums. Dierk "Chaos"
Ohlerich of Farbrausch made this great point in the seminar he
animated at FMX/05 this year in Stuttgart: let's build visuals with
demos that could not be made otherwise. Let's exploit the unique
methods we have to generate enormous level of complexity and content
to achieve what no animator could do manually. All of this by
exploiting the fact that demos are compact and as a result make a
great distribution method.
This requires a great deal of design work, because it involves
aesthetics design choices at every level of the creation, not just its
outlook. And in my mind that is a really fascinating thing to do. In
that aspect building a demo can be many things: Some treat it like the
creation of a movie. Some treat it as the construction of a virtual
but believable object. This last aspect I find the most interesting.
6- This year we have witnessed so far some quite interesting
developements. Let's first start with 195/95 by Plastic.pl which
although otherwise not an extraordinary work, shows us the new level
of visuals that can be achieved with todays hardware. Now to more
substantial works, I can name Aether by Kewlers+MFX and Ballet Dancer
by MFX, with a preference to the latter. Very evocative, surrealistic
looks which display fantasms in a really frightening believable
way. Another pick might be Pure 1D Demo by Gem, Nagz and Rufus. A
self-imposed challenge on how to create an interesting work with
"one-dimensional" only graphics.
ASD also delivered this year another masterpiece with Iconoclast,
which features rich 3d visuals and music. It is a baroque, massive
work, assembling scenes together with their now trademark seemless
transitions.
But do check also our Scene.org awards winners and nominees:
http://awards.scene.org/
7- References:
Mentionned groups:
ASD http://asd.demoscene.gr
Blasphemy http://blasphemy.dk
http://effekts.dk/
Ephidrena http://www.ephidrena.org/
Farbrausch http://www.farb-rausch.com/
Halcyon http://www.halcyon.scene.org/
Plastic.pl http://www.plastic-demo.org/
Kewlers http://kewlers.scene.org/
Koma
Kosmoplovci http://www.kosmoplovci.com/
MFX http://www.mfx.scene.org/
MELON DESIGN http://www.melondezign.com/
Moppi Productions http://www.moppiproductions.net/
Nah Kolor
Polka Brothers
Purple
TPOLM http://www.tpolm.com/
Haujobb http://haujobb.scene.org/
Sanity http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanity_(demogroup)
Satori http://zden.message.sk/
$ http://www.s-y-s-t-e-m.info/
TBL http://www.tbl.org/
Archives and databases:
http://www.scene.org/
http://www.amidemos.org/
http://ada.planet-d.net/
Selections and critics:
http://awards.scene.org/
http://demo.monostep.org/
http://ths.demoscene.org/ | | |
| All this is great, a real help in our research.
What about issues of gender? Are there many female authors?
A lot of what I've looked has been primarily concerned with space and form as opposed to creating a narrative (though I'm not saying this is the case for all Demo's, just the majority that I've looked at).
Feminist art tends to look at processes and narrative, is there much of this in the Demoscene? | | |
| thandzin oo is in love with kyu kyu win
and they will be married 2009
well come to everybody | | |
| I think one big factor that drives the demoscene nowadays are demoparties. It's hard to explain what's going on there, but having a look at the TBL-Little Nell bootleg ftp://mirror.support.nl/pub/tbl/download/movies/tbl-final.av i might give you an idea what happens when a good demo is shown. Bad demos often result in heavy "boo"-ing. I don't know any video showing that, though. Having a look at the breakpoint after-party videos might give you a hint aswell, but I didn't find any that really captured the atmosphere.
When talking about the past, I'd include the beginnings in the cracking scene, because even though demoscene is quite separated from cracking scene nowadays, some influences are still there. Like the nicknames, the greets and the competition. I must say though, that I know pretty much nothing about the beginnings of the demoscene, you should ask others about that... or read the FREAX book. | | |
| thanx chock... just checked that vid out there...!
=) | | |
| amazing _-__-__-__-_-_-_, MadenMann, Deep_Throat...!
really, this is brilliant...!
me and Slick are gonna work ourselves into dribbling messes to make this a presentation peeps arent gonna forget for a while...!
=)[Post edited by takkischitt on Sunday 26 March 2006 - 22:39] | | |
| | here is information: kewlers suck! | | |
| All this is great, a real help in our research.
What about issues of gender? Are there many female authors?
A lot of what I've looked has been primarily concerned with space and form as opposed to creating a narrative (though I'm not saying this is the case for all Demo's, just the majority that I've looked at).
Feminist art tends to look at processes and narrative, is there much of this in the Demoscene? | | |
| The very best example I can give of a narrative in the traditional sense can be found in fairlight's hello:friend. It is an award nominee this year in the oldschool platform category. It is quite notable in that it manages to both tell a story and lie about it at the same time.
You can play it quite well on pc via the winvice emulator.
Other narratives are more of a primitive, causal nature. Although you can find also stories in flyby demos such as matrix' the fulcrum, some demos by gods. Even conspiracy's the prophecy can be construed to have a narrative, even if it is not one with depth. Other random example: Melon design's ninja and ninja2. Maybe even their last effort, I feel like a computer.
As for women. Yes there are few girls, coders, graphicians or musicians. I don't believe making a distinction does matter here though. Especially with the skewed statistics we have.[Post edited by _-_-__ on Wednesday 29 March 2006 - 20:59] | | |
| Cool cheers for that. I don't usualyl like drawing the distinction when it comes to art forms because at the end of the day they are of equal validity. However, the tutors like you to put things into varying contextual frameworks.
hello:friend sounds particularly post modern, self aware works are always good... so long as they don't force the irony as seems to be the fashion today... at least within british media anyhow.
Cheers! | | |
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