Demoscene Appreciation thread

[Concept]

I'm posting a few demos over the last few months that I've fallen in love with, some popular, some not, some new, some old. If you're into general computer art and possibly haven't seen them hopefully some people may find the following links of some use.

I'd advise clicking the http download from the links. They're more reliable (or where for me). Files can be opened with unzip/winrar. To run them click on the executable file contained in the uncompressed folder.


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10. Antidote for the Masses by ASD

Download link: http://www.scene.org/file.php?file=/...s.zip&fileinfo

I love the crazy amount of post-processing style effects which go on in this demo. It isn't quite as over the top or as fast moving as some of ASD's other similarly styled efforts, but there's a wonderful atmosphere to it aided by some absolutely delicious particle effects.

Screen:

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9. Trocken by Bauknecht

Download link: http://www.scene.org/file.php?file=/...l.zip&fileinfo

Slightly schizoid in its colour scheme and overall theme, this is no nevertheless an extremely polished production with plenty of interesting ideas expressed through a visually diverse set of scenes.

Screen:

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8. Energia by Sunflower

Download link: http://www.scene.org/file.php?file=/...r.zip&fileinfo

It looks slightly aged due to the resolution, but the visual execution and music in this demo are absolutely gorgeous. Beautifully handled.

Screen:

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7. HWR2 by Kosmoplovci

Download link: http://www.scene.org/file.php?file=/...2.zip&fileinfo

More conceptual than the other three it takes a while to warm to this, but if you watch it in a dimly lit room with the headphones on you'll find it draws you in. Mesmerising.

Screen:

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6. Typo Graphics by Kewlers

Download link: http://www.scene.org/file.php?file=/...l.zip&fileinfo

Takes a while to get going but the graphics and the music sync superbly throughout the demo. There's wonderful chereography to it.

Screen:

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5. 1995 by Kewlers & MFX

Download link: http://www.scene.org/file.php?file=/...x.zip&fileinfo

Well, not quite what you'd expect of a demo from 1995. :P Regardless, the whole feel and positivity in this demo is fantastic and has Rez/Jeff Minter-ish vibe running through its course.

Screen:

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4. Vorticity by MFX

Download link: http://www.scene.org/file.php?file=/...y.zip&fileinfo

About as lowkey and as untypical of a demo as you can possibly get, this won't be the tastes of some. Personally, I love its visual style.

Screen:

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3. Perfect Love by IKCC & Bauknecht

Download link: http://www.scene.org/file.php?file=/...e.zip&fileinfo

In terms of polish this demo is about as good as you're ever going to get. The music and quality of the visuals are absolutely first rate.

Screen:

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2. The Evolution of Vision by ASD

Download link: http://www.scene.org/file.php?file=/...n.zip&fileinfo

Gobsmacking. When you consider this in real-time and what's being pushed around it's outstanding to think of the talent which must have gone into this. If you like Rez and extremely high quality stylised computer art, I implore you to download this and watch how freaking awesome it is.

Screens:

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1. fr-055: 828 by Farbrausch

Download link: http://www.scene.org/file.php?file=/...8.zip&fileinfo

Slower than the last couple, this is in my opinion the best Farbraush demo I've ever seen. The atmosphere, ideas and implementation are all completely spellbinding and it draws you in like so few demos do. The quality here is out of this world quite frankly. Stunning.

Screens:

[chis]

I'm surprised no-one has mentioned the Mindcandy DVD yet! Or click here for the PC demos DVD.

[babs]

Little Green Men by KFMF was my favourite back way-back-when.

[Sabreman]

I've had a look at most of the demos linked just above by Concept. I've got to admit, the modern demoscene leaves me pretty cold. The Farbrausch stuff in particular is a textbook example of everything I don't care for. I know they're highly regarded but their output to me is completely soulless. Lots of shiny rendered objects moving slowly to ambient music. It's probably technically very accomplished, but it's also clinical and boring.

The ASD ones on the other hand I find quite excellent - especially The Evolution Of Vision. It's exciting to the eye, which a lot of PC demos aren't, I've found. I'll seek out more of their stuff.

Music tends to fall into the dance/breakbeat style, which doesn't appeal to me at all either. Where are the great and memorable compositions of the Amiga days? Personal musical taste, yes, but still disappointing.

I don't know... I used to get excited back on the Amiga when some text came on and twisted around, or a bit of lightsourcing was thrown in. These days it's all about abstract weirdness without any connection. Technically impressive but emotionally cold.

I'm being a sad nostalgic duffer.

[CMcK]

I was really into the demoscene stuff in the Amiga/ST days because the hardware was coaxed into to doing stuff that just seemed impossible.

The advent of 3d accelerators for PC's makes a lot of the effects you used to be in awe of relatively straight forward. Still well impressed with the amount of stuff that is crammed into 64k intros these days.

[Gabbi]

I remember this one, found on a mag coverdisk. it really amazed me.

[Nijo]

Latest demo from Farbrausch:

http://www.pouet.net/prod.php?which=30244

Technically AMAZING (for 177kb), but obviously not as polished as some of the 1+ mb demos. Worth watching once.