Demoscene?

A demo is the result of the cooperation of multiple young programmers, music and graphics artists. They work as a group (demogroup) on a demonstration program (demo) in which they show their skills at graphics and algorithmic programming, computer generated graphics and music. With these demos the groups then compete with others at large parties in various competitions all over the world.

Most of the programmers and artists are university or college students who enjoy using the material they learn in real life. The demos they create contain unbelievable pieces of 3D programming and complex routines to create fabulous graphic effects. Some even rivalling computer game industry effects. The graphicians use the newest 3D modeling techniques and make full plans of the graphic layout and design of the demo. So you can easily say that these beauties of multimedia programs stretch the current computer hardware to it's edges and sometimes even further. These people really know how to use the utter most of the equipment at their disposal.

The demoscene is as important for the computer industry as street soccer is for the professional world of soccer. It is the breeding place for very talented programmers, musicians and graphicians. Stimulating young artists (programmers, musicians and graphicians) to measure their skills with others and to learn from eachother.

The demoscene also stimulates these young artists to make international friends and even start working together with people from other countries (especially now with the technology of the internet). Very large parties are organized in many different countries where peope attend from all over the world. This allows young people to measure their skills in international competitions.

Lots of people who started out in the demoscene can now be found as experienced programmers, designers and artists at major softwarehouses, especially the gaming software area has found the demoscene as a great source of manpower (for example big softwarehouses as Bullfrog, Lionhead, Eidos, etc).

If you want to find out more about the demoscene, we recommend you to visit these related websites:

• Orange Juice (demoscene portal with news, party calendar etc.)
• Pouët (a demo database and review site)
• Pain (a diskmag about the demoscene)
• Monostep (selected collection of best demos)
• Demoo! (another selected collection of best demos)
• THS (a demo review site)
• Scenespot (demoscene portal and home of Static Line newsletter)
• PC Demoscene FAQ (excellent FAQ about the scene written by Tomaes/TAP)