pouët.net

simulacrum by Oftenhide

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cReditS ->
 - code.hollowone
 - code.angelo
 - visuals.azzaro.
 - audio.keito/alcatraz (thank you!)
 - support.qa.shogoth.

NoteS ->

THIS IS A PARTY VERSION.  Unfinished project that we took a risk to publish and release at Xenium 
2019 demo party, held traditionally in Katowice.

It is the continuation of our effort started last year at Riverwash 2018 with a low-res, software 
rendering (CPU  only  code) engine that emulates the style of the 90ties. We aimed to connect the 
world of the old sentiment with the modern approach to technology. Thus  we  created a multi-core
optimized  interpreter and  execution engine  of OGL compatible  pixel  shader  language  we  run 
instantly without any pre-calc, pre-load, etc. The moment you hit the executable, demo starts.

We started testing it against well known public examples of the shaders to understand the CPU and
memory based limitations while executing certain types of effects.  We were especially interested 
in the area of ray marching, various noise and fractal generators that're consuming a plethora of 
calculations per individual pixel to show quality results.  Then we started creating our own flow 
that can match  the perfection and dynamics of Keito's  soundtrack we were allowed to use for the 
project.

Fun project that we used 5 evenings to try to complete against party deadline. But we failed. The
moment  we needed  to pack-up and fly/drive  to the party place, we had several known performance 
issues that we haven't fixed yet. Focused on performance issues, we  also  left  a  few  borrowed 
effects that originally came from ShaderToy.

Then it was joint decision either  to skip the party with  the release or release a party version
to please the party crowd as the target audience.  We chose the second with all the  consequences
of the potential hate we can receive from the online community.We aim and want to address it with
the final version, scheduled later this year.

This release was aimed at the party crowd only, as a fun project but shown in a serious category.
We never expected to win,  we named the  demo "Simulacrum" which  in simple words means "nothing"
that preteds to be "something".  Point of this demo is not in its originality either content-wise
or conceptually.  We wanted to show respect to the times, late 90ties in this particular example.
We wanted to please the  target audience defined as 40+ oldtimers who had seen everything and not
much can surprise them, but still they have and  can  show some empathy to the beginning of time.

Even though the product is unfinished, seems we succeeded beyond our own expectations. Staying on 
the podium with the Altair team that showed another masterpiece this year was a honour covered by
shady details of how we contributed to the party.

But to hell with it. We think, it is better say sorry than do nothing. At the end we did not mean 
to disrespect anybody and we'll continue working on the revised version to address the problem of
performance and originality. I hope that will also satisfy more the online community.. in time.

Meanwhile, please consider that the voronoi based effect, fire alike fractal and starfield tunnel 
are Shadertoy borrowed work, created by their original authors, and we admire their skills.

We never intended to hurt anybody's feelings or pretend more than usual.We simply lacked of time,
considering the party deadline.

BTW. Performance issues have been more or less fixed by now (3 days after party). 
If not available for download via standard links, please try this Google Drive share to recheck: 

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1IA90LbwjViD8djXp-ajOaiM2mJGwAKG0


Peace and love, 
hollowone


3oU333o o3U 33                                                              riverwash.3o-o1.o9.2o19.
3oU333o o3U 33                                                                            oftenhide.
3oU333o o3U 33                                                hollowone.angelo.azzaro.keito.shogoth.
3oU333o o3U 33                                                                   we.need.no.slogans.
S i m u l a c r u m     

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