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PC-Demos - What for??

category: general [glöplog]
So I posted some links to my favourite Demos on another board, not a scene-related one, but a computer-related one. People were not impressed (also not by Lifeforce.)

The response was something like:
What is the point of huge and sophisticated Demos? On the PC it's no longer about showing off technical possibilities (except maybe 64K.) And if it's about aesthetics, why not render a movie that will also run fluently on all systems?

What would you reply to this?
added on the 2007-08-06 21:33:29 by Anamon Anamon
Thats partially why i'm an amiga scener.

Although, I was impressed by lifeforce.
added on the 2007-08-06 21:34:24 by xeron xeron
my first answer would be "shut the fuck of and die if you dont understand"

but then i start and think about it and the charm about coding pc stuff even though it can be done 100 times better in 3d programs with after effects and all is that, you've done it all yourself, it has some sort of special satisfaction to it..

but basiclly there are 2 kinds of people
does who get it.
does how dont.

added on the 2007-08-06 21:36:50 by bzz bzz
ofcourse i mean who in the second one too.
added on the 2007-08-06 21:37:14 by bzz bzz
It's about showing how much personal time you can lose ;)
added on the 2007-08-06 21:42:11 by mrdoob mrdoob
anamon: because having it run realtime makes groupies wet their panties.
added on the 2007-08-06 22:10:34 by psenough psenough
Agree with Bzz. Doing something with your home made stuff together with a few good friends just makes the creation process more satisfying. You're not sitting with the feeling that it was the software that did it all for you. I only make music with my 4k synth for example because using Reason and those things just drains my inspiration the moment I start them. Even if the 4k synth is a bitch to use it is much more fun when it is your own..

An alternative could be if the graphics dude did the 3d and the coder did some plugins to make a 3d anim unique perhaps.
added on the 2007-08-06 22:30:42 by loaderror loaderror
on whichever platform you do it, demoing is fun.
added on the 2007-08-06 22:31:39 by rmeht rmeht
Why do some folks like to drive chopper bikes? An ordinary car is safer, more comfortable, the driver is not that exposed to the weathers, it has more storage room... What the heck is the point with Harley Davidson?
added on the 2007-08-06 22:36:07 by sire sire

That is exactly the reason why we suddenly see lots of console demos pop up. The vcs2600 has been around for more than 30 years, but just 2 years ago the first demo was released (homebrew scene on vcs2600 is much much older btw). Same goes to all the other console demos.

The fastest machine to do real demos on (from a technical standpoint) is probably an unexpanded A1200. Everything else is just copying PC demos.
added on the 2007-08-06 22:39:40 by Stelthzje Stelthzje
"Because it's there".
- George Leigh Mallory.
added on the 2007-08-06 22:48:51 by Preacher Preacher
Why compete in the olympics?
Why paint still life when we have cameras?
Why play a musical instrument when we have synthesizers?
Why climb mountains?
Whats the point in any kind of competition?
What's the point in poetry?
Why swim the channel when you can take a ferry?
What's the point in spelling, mathematic, memory or other mental competitions?

Basically, it's about the challenge and testing human abilities. People do these things to challenge themselves and compete with other people. It's like any art form, craft or talent. The purpose is in its creation.

They don't have to show off technical possibilities to be impressive when they show off the talents of the demo team. Anyone who says that demos like Lifeforce aren't impressive need to try creating one themselves!
I've been thinking about dividing my creativity into "technical" and "non-technical" categories.

"Technical" means 8-bit stuff and <=4K demos. I can't use technical perfectionism on anything bigger than those.

"Non-technical" means e.g. videos rendered without caring about algorithmic purity or real-time requirements. So the perfectionist attitude can be totally focused on esthetics, narrative and experimentation.

In this sense, I think big non-interactive PC demos are a somewhat pointless genre.
to not be on pouet all the time, eg
added on the 2007-08-06 23:06:42 by makc makc
Because practice makes perfect, and because coding mindbogglig hyperadvanced* web 2.0 server applications is as exciting and challenging as eating a bowl of cereals.

(* just kidding there are no advanced web applications)
added on the 2007-08-06 23:11:29 by Shrimp Shrimp
Quote:
What the heck is the point with Harley Davidson?


It's a nutshaker!
People are very cynical. They don't want to 'buy in' to things. This is a good defence against very toxic advertising culture but it makes them incapable of appreciating anything challenging.

Sadly, the same people's brains turn off once you start explaining the aesthetics of algorithmic craft.

Even more sadly, the same people are impressed when BT or Brian Eno fart out This Binary Universe or 7 million paintings.
added on the 2007-08-06 23:28:53 by GbND GbND
cocaine and blowjobs.
added on the 2007-08-06 23:32:57 by nosfe nosfe
because the guys who whine the most, release the less
added on the 2007-08-06 23:38:32 by maali maali
pr0n is for wanking.
added on the 2007-08-06 23:45:59 by raer raer
shit. wrong thread...
added on the 2007-08-06 23:46:14 by raer raer
Realtime or not, mathematics and logic -> beautiful graphics is one of the most satisfying creative processes there can be.

I'm slowly coming round to the point of view that maybe realtime is pointless for PC nowadays. But that doesn't mean code is pointless.
I think one day I might write something that pre-renders to video, but still all code - I think it would be just as fun.
added on the 2007-08-06 23:50:06 by nagato^ nagato^
sire: right on! :)
added on the 2007-08-07 00:23:01 by psenough psenough
Anamon: No one has a clue. The only thing I find in common is no matter how diferent you are a scener ALWAYS (right?) loves chiptune.
added on the 2007-08-07 00:51:27 by xernobyl xernobyl
stop doing chiptunes, everyone hates them. what for?
added on the 2007-08-07 00:57:26 by annieeee annieeee

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