Welcome dear colleagues! Here is the report of a very nice but small Atari party
that took place from the Friday 30th July to the Monday 2nd August 1999 in
the good city of UTRECHT to 45 kilometers of Amsterdam in the country of
cheese, of mills, of tulips, of prostitutes in shop windows, of homosexuals and
of course of the strange plants that some of our fellows seem to appreciate ;-).
According to promoters (the FUN group, very known for his/her/its FALCON
demos), one could arrive extensively early since the building foreseen for the
party had been requisitioned a whole week (I believe that it was of the
Wednesday 28 July to the Wednesday 4 August) what allowed some courageous and
fierce (the word is weak) (NdExyl: Yes I am a fierce, and then? ;) to arrive
the Wednesday in order to get ready psychologically for the party to come.
It is necessary to say that the setting was indeed magnificent: a small
house of scouting lost to the bottom of a forest zone sprinkled of water plans
(one could bring his/her/its cane to sin for the interested people) brief a
return to the nature in a way!
I am going to try to tell you of the possible the most precise way my
impressions concerning this gathering of supporters to the mark fetish knowing
that I only arrived the Friday evening or rather Saturday morning toward 3
hours...
Left of BET the Friday evening toward 20H00 accompanied by my brother and a
friend (hey no, for once this is not our national weasel DMA-SC that was on
vacation), we arrived to the limit of UTRECHT toward 2H30. One took quite a lot
of times on them national French (250 km to stand through fields) history not
to pay these vampires of freeway societies then arrived in BELGIUM, we
bifurcated on the Belgian and Dutch freeways that were free! Besides, these
freeways are really well kept and very illuminated! Again a reason to feel
floués (once besides), us that pay for the for ages extensively freeways...
Arrived to UTRECHT, gigantic city, divided in several districts (the one
that interested us was called LUNETTEN), and after not having turned pain
nevertheless (he/it was night therefore there was not a cat outside), one began
to put itself/themselves of questions.
Fortunately, your servant thought about all! Before leaving I asked my
supplier to put the Europe option on my portable (25 francs but at least the
security to have a telephone in the event that, especially as my Dutch level
proves to be weak;).
In short, we have appellé to the aide NUT of the FUN group and after
having localized us (by luck one had parked before the boutique where he/it
works!), we saw one FORD red ESCORT with 2 oddballs (HAVOC and NUT) some
minutes later... Saved!
Honestly, promoters had messed up well concerning the plan and the site of
the party (bad signaling, desert place, and in addition they had made
inversions with numbers of freeway exit!). In addition, I don't know if you,
friends readers, already went to the NETHERLANDS, but one would say that our
Dutch friends don't know road signs...
With my accomplices did one wonder how they made to mark itself/themselves
in their country (direction of wind? ;)... On an avenue we saw the name of the
district and, arrived to a roundabout (they are fans of roundabouts in this
country, one would say Le Mée Sur Seine), not middle to put the hand on another
panel! Knowing that the dawned circle had 3 exits..... In short, quick the
telephone!
Arrived on the same place of the party (in a place really lost), I must
confess that I was a little disappointed. Less world than to the last Error in
Line in Germany of the East in last April, the ambiance was nevertheless
convivial. Tables were arranged imports to the middle of a decibel avalanche
that gushed of all sides how (an air of YMCA of Village People emanated
from the Falcon of ST GHOST of SECTOR ONE, thing little astonishing because each
knows that Village People knew how to influence SECTOR ONE all along the course
of our growth -> you just need to see ST GHOST going for a walk in leather string
to be aware of it;). (NdExyl: Sorry I don't recognize myself in these last remarks and
STOPS GIVING US A REPUTATION OF HOMOSEXUALS !! :-)
In short, after have been welcomed in hero, I begin to unpack all my
paraphernalia (Ste/hard disk/monitor... no consoles for once;) while
knowing that I won't make big thing at the level graphics because I was
especially there to meet the scene surviving atarist and well on to spend a
pleasant weekend in a country that I didn't know at all. Anyway, I don't like
to hardly draw when I participate in the computer gatherings of this type (too
much noise, too many people who match you and that put some useless questions),
I prefer to draw from afar quietly at home the night of preference and evenings
of full moon (those nights, me me transmute to the manner of X-OR and I lay
pure marvels in 16 colors! Thank you ankles go well ;-).
After having met all pals of the scene and to have spoken a little of all
and of whatever, direction the dormitory! He/it is true that 6 hours of road
no-stop are harmful it tore me completely... Unfortunately, when I saw the
head of the pseudo dormitory I was disgusted a little. The leaf of info of the
party spoke of a special room with carpet can contain 25 pélerinses more or
less but, alas, the room was really not terrifying: currents of air, little
comfort and armored from 7 people!
Would not there have been deception on the merchandise there, packs down
me? Being the price of the entrance of the party raised enough (are 50 guldens
pretty much 150 francs), was one in right to ask a minimum no?
Others will tell you that this was not very serious, that him important it
is the ambiance etc ...Tout to okay fact but me that like to have my small
comfort (normal, one doesn't live anymore at the age of stone!), I must say
that the place in question was somewhat Spartan. Promoters picked up the
pompom (héhéhé, I like this expression well ;-) when they showed me THE shower.
Good, I had heard to say that there would not be pain of it (at least 3 or 4)
therefore once besides I was disappointed... You are going to say that I need
some little but in summer, the number of showers that one takes in one day
varies the simple to the duplicate and often one made the tail to be going to
make his/her/its toilet the morning.
For what is novelties seen to this CP, one could speak of nothing... In
short not quite: according to the last results displayed on the Internet page
of DHS, he/it seems that there was very few productions presented but in graph
and music compos. It is necessary to say that I left Sunday evening (that made
runs that is true for a party) therefore I could not have attended the
presentation of demos, intros and other wild compos...
Anyway, he/it seems that there was only one demo ST (to homosexual
character where one can admire our BAGGIO friends and HAVOC in a position
few enviable;) as well as our inspired game of the PC (PIE BILL GATES),
game for that quite a lot of world waited since at least 1 year... But at
least he/it left! Besides, a next version should not linger (addition of a
pause between other).
Don't expect to more of productions, he/it has nothing else there...
Yes, yes, I know, it is indeed misery.
Fortunately, I spent to all my Saturday afternoon in AMSTERDAM to visit
this mythical and widely-known city for... Errr... ah yes, his/her/its stadium
of soccer! In fact, as one was hungry, one left in a Mac Donald's (it is well
the universal thing in this bottom hulls) and after being made stop
itself/themselves by a cop for violation of a sense forbids, it was the pause
breaks - crust!
For the policeman's episode, a small clarification,: we are innocent! If
you read higher, I repeat it, the Dutch signaling is rotted indeed. In a maze
of small miserable, completely lost streets, we arrive to a crossroads and...
one turns on the right. Until there, nothing of extraordinary. While arriving
on the crossroads, one rolled on a species of sidewalk (one knew then that it
was a way of tram and not of panel to indicate him) and then a whistle, the cop
that bawls us over and us that explain him that it is not our mistake, that
there are too many bicycles everywhere and that his/her/its country it is at
the level indeed crappy of the code of the road (in short, the last thing one
told it in of other terms;).
Otherwise to finish our adventures in AMSTERDAM, we went to see the Ajax
ARENA, the mythical soccer stadium because my brother and my pal being fans of
this sport, a small jump to this place imposed itself! Indeed, there is not
anything of special to visit in this city and one has been reduced some to
visit a stadium (is necessary to want some!).
Small note in particular on her JAGUAR: in front of me was installed the
fawn star with in bounty almost all games and a good thick television history
that one can relax a little. Honestly, I would ever understand them
fanatics of this console on IRC: only one game is not worth the purchase of
this machine! One had made me for example all one dish of IRON SOLDIER 2:
beurk, a thing in 3D full face all slow and very crappy... Is it a 64 bits?
Good, I know good that this console has never been exploited to 100% but there
one curls them% negative:). I don't speak of intro videos when there is some:
not beautiful! One would believe himself income on MEGADRIVE but with the less
interesting games... Small exception with regard to ALIEN VS PREDATOR that is
probably interesting but whereas is that that he/it is ugly and jerky!
I stop here otherwise I am going to be mean (I hope that the kit of
development will give the possibility to the talented programmers to exploit
this monster of strength indeed).
In conclusion, it was at the level a very nice party of the ambiance but
not terrifying at the level of productions... Finally, it is necessary to say
that the Error Line in had taken place 4 months before and had seen the speed
of the groups ATARI in general taking out a drinkable demo, he was foreseeable
that there would not be anything of really exceptionnal to the PMP. Let's not
forget besides that the most productive groups at the present hour (CREAM, DHS,
CHECKPOINT among others) were absent (of the less programmers of these
respective groups) therefore not of exits worthy of the Error Line in: (. A
pity that the exit of the demo announced by Sector One and Loud! has been
delayed but as you know it, is worth better to take out a finished product and
perfect late that a botchy production to her go-quickly...
Let's mention among the present people (and that I know):
There was more world extensively (one was more of 50) but honestly I don't
know everyone and can I don't have a memory;)... In any case, there were quite
a lot of present groups and you missed an opportunity to meet some stars indeed
(I will never get tired of my conversation with our Teuton friends, their
English is excellent but with a German accent it is brilliant!! :). Ja Ja EdO
komm! Hu? Was passiert? Humph... EdO... Du wirst es sehen...
Heyheyheyhey! Errr, no this conversation never took place in fact:). I must be
the only to understand this floodgate, I am sure:))))))).
A calm party but counseled exclusively to fans of the computers ATARI (I
know 2 that are made crap himself of them nevertheless -> my brother and my pal;)...
Contact: edo@atari.org
EdO/Sector One for the Toxic Mag
No, no, don't leave! It is not finished! It is Exyl that takes the
following: EDO was not then there all the long of the party I am going to
make you part of that that he missed and of my personal impressions. I am not
going to repeat what he/it already said but I have nevertheless some words to
add.
Good, trève of craptalking, let's go. I arrived to UTRECHT the Thursday
(if I remember well) to about 07 PM but no PMP panel had been installed in the
city, the signaling Dutchwoman is almost-non-existent and them plans that I had
recovered on the site of the PMP were false... I took one HOUR therefore before
finding the party! The site was a room in a wooded place where one can only
reach in bicycle or on foot... I looked vainly for a path where I could spend
by car and I ended up making about hundred meters on foot to look for a
promoter to help me. In fact one of the possible passages consisted in rolling
on the sidewalk to a place to avoid the metallic pillars that prevented cars to
pass... I could not guess! In short I arrived and I could have gotten settled.
Contrary to what EDO seems to think I didn't make that to get ready
psychologically of the Thursday to the Saturday: I continued to code for the
demo ST that one prepares at the moment! The ambiance was cool but it is true
that level prods it was not the foot...
The thickest defect of this CP was the price: about 150 FF! Havoc had told
me to one moment that they wanted to divide the price by two (lsr.w #1,d0
coders will understand;) and me I had left from the principle that that had
been made, but finally they had not lowered. In addition they warned during
the CP that those that remained longer before and after had to pay a few less
than 40 bullets in addition per night! Honestly they abused indeed on the
price. It's a good thing SECTOR ONE took back quite a lot of contests: that
paid for our CP:).
Compets took place very well: everybody attended there (that changes some
CPs where everybody to the air to do itself/themselves of it to part those that
presented something) and the ambiance was at that moment indeed excellent.
There were little prod presented (4 graphs 16 colors, 2 demos only, quite a lot
of musics soundtracks and soundchips and some wilds) but it was nevertheless
brilliant. The presented musics were good quality (especially crispses), gfxes
were well, wildses were numerous and some had had good ideas. The biggest
moments were on the one hand the diffusion of the demo H DEMO IV: she/it
is not technical but one sees a small sequence video digitized very hot where
Havoc bends in two there and Baggio is held right behind him with a beatific
air. One himself would deceive there! The anim parades to different speed with
returns and this kind of things the all very synchro with the music, and all
those that were there split themselves the serious muzzle! Best it was the
funny face of Havoc that didn't know that at all that the demo contained!
Unforgettable! Another big moment (I am can be a little biased, I confess it
of advance) it is when a presentation of the game PIE BILL GATES has been made
(it would compete in wild): pictures of the intro triggered quite a lot of
laughters and to every passage of level it was the delirium! A Billou in
addition! Everybody encouraged the player (ST GHOST) and honestly there is not
anything besides presenting when one worked on a project that to see people
appreciating him and to laugh!
Prices were sums of money (it is always better than to win a MODEM PCM-CIA,
is not this EDO;) but to my sense, the pleasure and the recognition of them of
all ways, others are very more important than the price (I took mine
nevertheless, I grant him to you:).
What to say other? They had some original things there: promoters had fun
to make effects of larsen video on screen and it is funny enough to see. The
Saturday afternoon, Stephan Pollock (one of editors of the magazine German
CLASSIC ATARI) came but he/it didn't remain a long time (this madman only hit
himself the road since Germany for some hours to the CP). He/it has
nevertheless shown of the recent demos on 800 XLS and that put all present
coders on the ass, some is exceptional: of bumpmaps, of objects 3D and the
worse,: 5 pyramids 3D Gourauds smoothing with Z-Buffer! When I saw, I didn't
believe there! But after verification, it was well the 800 XLS that were
plugged to the monitor and not a hidden Falcon under the table;).
There are three people who had to want to be to this CP that there indeed
is Stephan Pollock (I already said why higher), FroST that came from Strasbourg
to Utrecht and that didn't find the room arrived there low, then he/it left to
Strasbourg but, after having discussed on IRC, he/it left to Utrecht and ended
up finding! Finally, Baggio that is hit himself by plane the journey since
Sweden!
To conclude, a CP very cool but TOO EXPENSIVE (I would never say it enough).
PS: sorry for spelling and typing errors but I am in a hurry...
[NdTB: it's not important, I am here for that:) ]
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