RUSH #02 30 ноября 1999

Демопати

Pulse scenes - Report from the Assembly Party'99 (Finland).

I suggest that you very interesting to me
view the material - a report 'from the place of combat
events': a such a report about an event on
Assembly 99 - one of the largest
demo-party in the world. Author below
Article - Peter Sobolev - one of the
organizers of the first in the
FSU demo-party - ENLIGHT,
held from 95 to 97 year
St. Petersburg.

Have long wanted to see with my own eyes
demo party in its original - foreign
version, but somehow it does not
evolved. It is ridiculous to say, for
past few years, we are three times
organized the demo party in Russia,
This has never been, so to speak, "in
origins. "This year, quite unexpectedly
The thought occurred to still visit Assembly'99.
Fortunately, it held (since 1992) in
Finland - from St. Petersburg only
What some 400 km. Go together to
machine, with StarGuest'om (which is quite
symbolically - in 1996 and 1997, we are together
organized ENLiGHT).

I will not go into details of the
travel and the strange features of the Finnish
road junctions:) After a short while
and quite nervous rushing through the city,
at about 11 am on August 6 before
we finally grew up building Hartwall
Areena, where he was supposed to be all
action for a period of three days.
The building is a large indoor
oval-shaped stadium, like the
St. Petersburg JCC (Sports-Concert
Complex). Side were two impressive
the size of dish satellite connection
inscription "Sonera". Park in
the third level parking lot, we went out and saw
a lot of cars and vans.
Their doors were open and out quickly
unloaded dozens (if not hundreds)
monitors, system units, speakers,
bags and boxes. All were placed on
truck (often as high as a man
growth) and took them inside. What's happening
presaged the beginning of something grand.
Space near the parking was also
stemmed carts and people, in
mostly 16-26 years old. Often
could be seen as computers and
technique drag their parents:) After
through the crowd we went to the central
input. At the door back and forth running people
the edges were two jeeps with submerged
them with giant banks - advertising
drink Red Bull. Once inside, we saw
rack and a man in a blue T-shirt
tickets sold. It later emerged that
all organizers were wearing T-shirts
different colors - depending on your status:

Red - The overall organization (infodesk,
compos) Blue - Security Greens -
Operation of the network, Blue -
The main organizers

In exchange for $ 40 (240FIM) to us on the wrist
they put orange ribbons with the inscription
"ASSEMBLY'99 TICKET" (and so that
to remove them was impossible not to tearing), gave
schedule and plan of the building, as well as paper
with a password. Approaching the counter REGISTRATION
TERMINAL (where installed two
computer), and defended a small queue,
we checked. For this purpose, both
cars (under Win9x) was launched on MSIE and
loaded a page with two buttons
"Login" and "Sign-Up". After entering the password
issued notes and clicking on the Sign-Up
it was necessary to fill out a series of
questions like "Name, Handle, e-mail,
mailing address, how many times were
Assembly ", etc. Fill out the form we
receive a new password - it should
enter the voting. Having dealt with this
several tedious procedure
(Keyboard by the way was Finnish, I would
I was searching for her character "@" for ever, if
someone suggested:) we went
further - in the direction of greatest congestion
people. In the wide corridor that
girded the central hall hung ads
sponsors (upside down:) were
located Carrols, Rizza, game
machines SEGA RALLY, table with some
DJ, bar, a dozen
computer screen on which all the time
spinning toys from Remedy / Futuremark,
several tables. Near traded
books on the game and graphics programming,
web design, tutorial'ami on various
graphic package. Prices were
Standard - $ 30 - $ 70. From the corridor through
one of the entrances covered with a screen, we were
in the hall. The hall was the size of a decent
stadium. In a circle were located in three
floor seats for spectators. In the center,
below, were forced by tables
Computers and technology around them
scurrying people. Part of the display is
shone here and there was music (then
it seemed that loud, how do we
wrong:). Directly opposite the entrance through
we went on the opposite
side of the room hung a large screen.
The image was projected on him with
hanging from the ceiling projector. For all
signs were evident that nothing yet
started, everything is just being prepared. On the screen
alternated with an inscription declaring the registration
on Quake compo, Outdoor compo etc.
The stands were virtually empty.
Convinced that the previously scheduled 23:00
nothing significant is not expected
(Outdoor compos in cloudy weather
enthusiasm did not cause, and Quake I personally
I can not stand), we decided to walk on
city, look around and get some sleep.
Helsinki to talk about I'm not here
I will, it is (most likely) that the topic for # h #
another conversation
http://www.enlight.ru/camera. By the way,
The "official" place overnight - sleeping
hall inside the building - we were not too
liked, there was quite stuffy.
It was decided to sleep in the car, parked in
woods:) - eco-friendly and calm, and
had to pull in only 10-20 km from
space demo party.

Z-Z-z-z ...

At midnight, pretty okochenev
(The night was about 7 degrees Celsius), we
again came to the familiar building
Hartwall Areena and park (people
in the parking lot was almost no) were inside.

Hall miraculously transformed.
Overhead light was extinguished, and we opened
spectacular show - at the bottom, beneath us,
Hundreds of glowing screens and light bulbs, like
lights of the big city. Landscape of "city"
enlivened bright flashes of the rotating yellow
and blue flashing lights from time to time in the hall
ran the spotlight, flashing
clusters of computers on the walls of whirling
created another searchlight logo
Assembly'99 - the letter "A" with an asterisk.
Everything was shaking from the noise and Wuhan set
rattling speakers simultaneously. By
perimeter were posters sponsors
- Sonera, Toptronics, IOmega and others.

The screen is no sign Commodore 64
compo was not observed, only flickered inscription
"DO NOT RUN SYGATE SERVERS! Sygate
servers acts as a DHCR servers and caused
network problems ". It was about 23:30 and we
approached infodesk, to see if
tolerated, if anything. We explained that
Commodore 64 compo held on schedule.
Surprised as c64 graphics, music and
demo compo missed the half-hour
grieve, we went down - to look
looks like the "city" near the computers.

Rows of tables were lined with dense
all kinds of appliances and covered only
light displays, and occasionally
met an exotic fixtures
such as flashing lights, garlands and lit
advertising. From people trying to escape the stuffiness
fans, the noise of speakers -
headphones. The latter was particularly
true - every 3-4 meters can be
were observed and audio equipment rack
a pair of speakers - from small to
giant. It is clear that in order to hear
something most of his columns need to
their power was more than a neighbor.
Arms race:) Computer somewhere
housed in two floors, came across someone
skeletons holding the bulbs, once I
even noticed the microwave. By the way -
limitation on power was 300 W
place in connection with which periodically
proclaimed the inadmissibility of congestion, and
appears on the screen caption type
"Blockouts in some tables were caused by
overloading the outlets. Remember that
300W is maximum power per computer place "
or "Microwave oven and fridges will kill
the electricity from the whole f * cking
block ". Officially, all the refrigerators and
coffee maker (which the people as well as
computers brought with him) could have been
included somewhere in the corridor. Free
seats at the tables was gone, we are
Sorry could not find outlets
220 V, and ethernet, which could be
attach to the laptop. and infodesk us
also could not help.

********

Very unusual and fun factor was
complete (at least we have not seen)
no drunks or drinking even if
beer. Security at the entrance to selectively (and
quite frequently) checked bags - requested
open and rummaged inside. We have seen how
they even opened the plastic bottle
Coca-Cola and sniffed the contents. Contrast
our party (which is always absent
opportunity to provide professional
security) in this sense was very bright.
It is hardly necessary here to refer to
national characteristics, as
large differences in this sense is not
observed. For example, in the city for
Two days later we saw at least three
drunk that when extremely low
population density of Helsinki is clearly not
smaller than ours.

*********

Missed us c64 compo been in this
the last day and we drove some sleep
further. The next day promised to be full
impressions.

Z-Z-z-z ...

The next morning we were back in place.
The day began at 11 am with Tiny music compo.
Enrolling in a seminar scheduled at 16:00
company Remedy, we went into the hall to listen to
music. Actually, music competitions
There were three - tiny, mp3 and multichannel.
Between them were inserted and Graphics
Raytrace compo, that is correct - listen
so much music in a row rather
tiring. During playback
modules organizers demanded silence from
sitting at the computer - din
numerous speakers and the audience was silent
was filled with music. It was played
some player'om depicted on the screen
curves - rotating, spreads,
replacing each other in a bizarre way
rhythm. Probably, a large
extent, the music was estimated at
Combined with this picture, but look
3 hours on a blank screen would simply
boring. Musical contests were
only where the level of work was
head taller than our Russian party.

On the Graphics compo prevailed
nudity, inevitably
who met a storm of applause
audience (this, however, did not prevent
then get another first place
pretty interesting work).

After hearing the music and after watching
pictures, we went out into the hallway and began to
walk on it in anticipation of the start
Remedy Seminar in Golden Cafe (in the same
building). In the hallway was music - for
fence a DJ to manipulate the
plate. Beside a few people
played in SEGA RALLY and Quake, and a little farther
with DVD player'a + video projector
were shown movies (Armageddon,
Terminator-2, something else). Nearby
were tables and smoke billowed highlighted
red searchlight - worked
makeshift bar. About Infodesk'a
(Where, incidentally, sold T-shirts
logo Assembly) was deployed
propaganda point - two people
advertised DreamHack demo party,
which was soon to pass into
Sweden. Played out 2 free
ticket. I decided to watch
people.

As already noted above, visitors
Assembly'99 was mostly young people
16-26 years of age. Absolute
majority - the Finns (which for me was
surprise, I thought it would be
Many foreigners). Girl Meets
only in conjunction with the boys and about
the same ratio as in our demo
party. Russian citizens, we also did not
met, except maybe the two
local, speaking in Russian. Any
clear evidence of the presence of serious
TV journalists, or I did not notice
but it was a lot of amateur video cameras,
camera, sometimes there were also
digital cameras.

StarGuest decided to vote and went
to REGISTRATION TERMINAL. Procedure
vote was in entering his
password and select three favorite works
from the pulldown list in each of the
past compo. In this case, necessarily
it was necessary to fill all three positions, which
on the idea of ​​provoking people to enter
incorrect information when they
remember only one or two of work.
StarGuest did not vote on Graphics
compo for this reason. In addition,
As it turned out, the voting system
could be seen not only the names
works, but the authors' names for Music and
Graphics compo, although this information
decided not to show and be limited
only the title, to avoid
subjective approach to evaluation. By the way,
on the big screen, the authors of works not
mentioned. In general, however, felt the power of
integrated information system - for
organizers of this, I am sure, very
convenient.

*********

An important observation that was me
done (StarGuest agreed) is
in other than what we have, principles, and
perhaps even to conduct demo
party. Let me explain my point
view with two observations.

Observation one:

In the hall behind every computer sits his
owner and is engaged in the business (someone
writes something, someone is playing, who is sitting
on the Internet - it does not matter). Almost
Never observed a situation that the two
or three people were discussing some general
theme. Each with its, good computer
about the same number of people.
Recall now our, Russian demo
party. Normal and natural is
situation when the people communicate,
exchanging information, instead of trying to
do something. I can not imagine
someone to come with your computer and
sat down and wrote something alone for three days
row. Why - because the same can be
study at home! Demo party is held with
so that people who previously knew each
another only by communication networks, or did not know
at all, personally met and discussed
vital and just trifling
issues and challenges related to
demomaking'om, and not necessarily only
him. I think that this difference is not accidental,
more likely it is that the difference between
Them and us.

Observation two:

... Which echoes the first. Until
my visit to the Assembly'99 every time I
surprised at the results of the voting
foreign demo party. I was
unclear how many people can
to give voice-over work consisting of
dumb (I'm sorry, but this is
so) sequence of effects - the plasma
tunnel fire, a rotating cube (torus) and
other such things are not united
any story, pose no idea.
Why did the voting results were
there are? Now, I think I can
answer to this question is an example
Assembly'99. The voting system is such
that the participation of ordinary fall
viewers. In order to vote on
party, you must access
computer. Who has access?
Those who bring computers with them. All
others have only an opportunity to defend
turn in the corridor to vote.
It is clear that this particular desire
do not watch it completely
not that sitting at your computer
digress for a moment and click on the pair
buttons switch to another window. Who
also bring computers with them? According to my
observations, most of them are people
who themselves write demos. Of course they
estimates are based largely on
how difficult it was to realize that
some effect, rather than on plot or idea.
I would compare it with incest, no matter how
strange. What is known, leads to
degeneration.

Naturally, these results
vote, repeat from year to year,
Everybody can see that it makes no sense to expose
interesting work on the party - they are doomed
be forever second, fifth, tenth.
Disappears incentive to invent something
original. At the same time, as old as
world of voting methods, with
questionnaires (with all their
primitive) actually allows
participate in the decision to all
viewers. Probably there should be
ways to adjust and to existing
Assembly'99 system.

Expressed view reflects my views.
Fully admit that the organizers
Assembly'99 satisfied with a situation in
a demo scene is closed in itself. In
This case remains only to note
difference in approach. *********

... Let us return again to the party.

Opened its doors in Golden Cafe and there
Remedy to send a representative with a letter
"R" on T-shirt (by the way, their previous
logo was clearly more successful), and after them
30 people wishing to take part in
seminar, including us.

Everyone was seated before a small screen on
table located at the side of the computer
video (incidentally, I note that
video projectors on the party was in abundance.
7.6 units certainly), and two people from
Remedy. In the typical American, I
It seemed to us the manner first described
(In English) about the game publishing'e,
development'e in general and on Remedy,
Futuremark in particular. Then came the
skip MaxEd - pretty good
level editor for Quake-on imaginative play
by Remedy. A couple of times trapnulsya editor,
that caused the downright violent delight (that's
so what are they similar to ours:). One of the
present (as it turned out, of
Group Yodel) periodically asked various
kind of "inconvenient" questions like: "how
What about organics? And why the light here
falls not so? ". At that received consistently
evasive answers. By the end of a
staged a demonstration unfinished until
Benchmark'a, which was a
set of multiple effects - a very
well realized the water in the pool
mapping'om environment, 3D-woman
quality hair done (in the
sense that the hair looked very
realistic), "liquid" sphere. Ended
Seminar pulling forms and raffle
Among those present several proprietary
T-shirts. One made happy
bouncing joyfully exclaiming - "For
free! For free! ";-)

The seminar ended with just 10 minutes before
the beginning of a series of compo: Amiga 4k intro, RC 4k
intro, Amiga 64k intro, RC 64k intro, Java
demo, Wild demo, RC non-accelerated demo
(What used to be called just a demo
compo).

Before each compo on the screen
"appears" kill all audio '
lights! ", duplicated voice with a snarl
:) This applies, of course, to
computerized population at the bottom - they
reluctant to cut down the rattling speakers
flashers, and each time pulled with long
switch off the monitor (which was accompanied by
initially virulent outcries organizer'ov
"Kill the screens! NOW!:-E" and
chants Tribune "Kill the screens!
Kill them all! ". The requirements were in
actually justified - the illumination of
Monitor is prevented watch
what is happening on the big screen. Remember
especially irritated flasher on a long
leg near the billboard Toptronics -
eventually it began to extinguish with
Umbrella:)

When everything finally quieted down, and down all
plunged into the darkness, broken only by the
LED blinking on the screen
show the name of compo, number and
job title. In the upper right corner
savers attended a symbol Assembly'99
- A man with his head in the form of iron and
some arms (he was on
branded black T-shirts Asm'99). ichego
I can not help myself - the outlines of this
logo persistently reminded the horse (at
visit to St. Petersburg was not only that
I).

In addition to Wild demo, the rest were compo
just awful. Flame, tunnels, plasma, 3D
objects, etc. etc. I remember in the process
demonstration 64k intro, I fell asleep three times
a few seconds:) gets funny
moments, but rather as part of the intro and
demo. From RC 4k remember Orinoco, from RC
64k - Viagra by Mewlers. One of the works
presented at the Java demo compo (incidentally,
to demonstrate the use Netscape) and
at all is an old Cyboman-2
simply rewritten for Java. However,
people around like everything is a little worried
- Regularly heard applause.

************************

I quite seriously introduced to the rules of demo
party restrictions on the use
certain 3D objects: cubes and tori.
Without jokes - a temporary measure
would have a very positive
influence.

************************

After another compo appears on the screen
advertisement "There's a meeting for all
Amiga sceners at the info desk at 22:00 ".
On this occasion StarGuest noticed that, for
Fortunately, a modest number of Amiga sceners
allow them to stay in a narrow corridor
at Info Desk:)

From time to time were commercials - in
mainly from Sonera. The people on them
reacted very negatively, honestly
speaking is not very clear - firstly, it is necessary
be a little thankful to those who
give money and resources to this event
secondly - advertising was not enough.

I want to say a few words about the Wild demo compo.
Previously I had ever seen work with
this competition - the fact that they are only
called "demo". but actually it
pieces of video, with only a
restriction - in duration.
Short films. Was
presented several papers and
most of it was interesting to watch. One
of them - Asminator (a parody of
Terminator-2), remembered more than others.
"2025. Quake rules the world" :-) Also
were a parody of high-profile Star Wars.

Filling the gaps showed Second
Reality (loud applause, all rise
:), Crystal Dreams 2, a few old
demo, and in particular, the old, but very
interesting Wild demo (Reminder - this is
video), in which the authors scoff
on primitive effects. First on
Do you see a roll rotating at
thread, and an inscription - something like "10000
polygons ". Then the same roll, bitten
On the one hand, the inscription read already:
"23,451 polygons". Bitten in the rubbish bun
contain something about "45,223 polygons":)
After the cutscene which read "real balls" on
the screen in different directions started skating
balls. 3D duck was identified with
rotating plush duck, water - with
water splashing in the toilet. In general,
people having fun. Came and sat down on the left
Abyss from us and, apparently, a few
people from the organizers. Chatting
each other in Finnish, periodically
to solve some problems on the radio.

Having seen enough, about 3 o'clock in the morning, we again
gone ... correctly - to sleep!
The time it had a little - 8
morning was to begin Amiga demo
compo. Damn, still have to take a dream
more time.

Z-Z-z-z ...

Naturally, we were able to wake up only to
the last work of this compo (as
it turned out - could have a little more quietly
nap:) After the Amiga demo compo started
Animation compo, several works
stood out storyline and quality
performance "Raradise" - about the toy
penguins, craving freedom. RC demo
compo (by the way, now on Assembly so
called the nomination _accelerated_ demo,
that is, allowed the use of 3D
accelerator) is absolutely nothing
remember, the same entity as in
intro.

Contests are over, but before the ceremony
Awards were still a few
hours. and the street are two special machines
smartly removed the effects of Assembly -
plastic bottles, paper and other
garbage. People slowly dragged
Computers in the direction of parking ...

Walk around the city, we returned minutes per
10 to start the ceremony. Lights in the room
still has been extinguished, people gradually
filled the stands. agrazhdenie was
the only event in the party,
which has been delayed (for half an hour, if
I'm not mistaken). Downstairs in the spotlight,
appeared in the blue shirt Chief
Organizer - Jussi Laakonen (Abyss).
First, he walked several times up
down the stairs, as if rehearsed:)
Then, on the big screen he appeared
image and logo AsmTV.

*********

Throughout the party contests
the most interesting features and interviews
broadcast via RealVideo
Internet.

*********

It should be noted that in contrast to all
awarded, and generally present
on the party, Jussi was fresh and alert. Apparently
8 th year of the Assembly, he was able
did get rid of the legwork with the protruding
language, without sleep or rest. Posing and
welcoming the participants, Jussi was
announce the winners and look out for -
goes to him someone from the other end
Stadium or not. Output we
bag of prizes. If I understood correctly,
cash prizes to the various
glands (for example, someone was given
Box with CD recorder'om Hewlett Rackard).
The people were mostly gloomy and
uncommunicative. Affected, apparently,
three sleepless nights at the computer. Rurple
Motion'a (winning one of the music
compo) Jussi met especially warm - he
squeezed through the crowd towards him.

Before announcing the winners in the last
nomination - demo compo, Jussi said
farewell and announced the closure of
Assembly'99. As he explained, otherwise
If he did not have time to do it -
after the announcement of the winners of the past all
would immediately fled;)

That's it. Three days full of impressions
ended with Assembly'99 - we
moved back - in
St. Petersburg.

Now, I want to take some of the features.
If I am asked, "Was I
I wonder? "I would say - yes, certainly it
so. If asked, "like it?"
as to give a clear answer will
difficult. but my opinion here
should be separated by organizing demo party,
work on it and presented it to target
achieved.

The organization was almost perfect.
Except for some minor strokes
(For example - sometimes not all duplicated at
English, had little time for sleep)
nothing to complain about. Telecast,
information, food, entertainment, great
Hall, high-quality equipment - it all
above all praise.

As for your second question, here's all
much worse. Extremely low level
work, indirectly encouraged by the organizers,
can not please, I'm sure of it, even
themselves. In combination with a closed
people for three days sitting at their
companies, it may lead, or rather has already
leads to some degeneration. Transformation
demo party in just a party. Can not
repeat those mistakes.

These are my impressions, now you know about them
know.

"INFUSED BYTES Online,

                 http://www.enlight.ru/ib "
CodeRipper

This is followed by comments Manwe / Sands,
given to them in Fido:


  Comments on the report'u CodeRipper'a
(Www.enlight.ru). In general, the vast
thanks for the report - so much valuable
photographs and informative description of itself
party. But with something difficult to accept:

Musical contests were
only where the level of work was
head is higher than our Russian
party ". I do not know whether
comment on this proposal. As
musician, I can see that the first two
places with Assembly - indeed masterpieces:
such we have not. But this _voobsche_
are not present. These remarkable
work was only on Assembly, but
Nobody comes to my mind to speak
this occasion, for example, competitions in
Sweden, Denmark and Germany, working on the order of
worse than in Finland. The rest of the
konkrs was fairly common: operation
qualitative, but not all are interesting. All
as we have.
 Well, about "only" -
turns out that in the remaining contests, we
comparable to the Assembly? Do not believe it:) Ok,
Rendered Graphics and 4K-Intro. Everything.

"The emblem Assembly'99 seemed
strange. "A logo CC'99?;)

Bye. Yours Manwe / SandS.
 While other processors already
finished, the Intel
continue to work, work and work!