Good bye, good old scene?

Melcom


Is it time to say: "Good bye, good old scene?" It is a difficult question. But I think: yes. Well, for me it's time to go. The good old days of the scene are over for me.

I still exactly remember it. It was in the summer of 84. I got a C64 and was extremely proud of it. At school, I really boasted of it. I also exchanged disks with a classmate of mine. What I didn't know was: There was also some kind of demoscene. Well, actually it was rather this cracker scene. Nobody can deny that the first intros/demos were used for cracked games. However that may be... everybody might have a different opinion on this matter.

These groups communicated with each other. They met at 'secret' places and showed off their skills. 1985 my classmate invited me to accompany him to Holland - to see this scene with my own eyes. "Oh man", I thought. This was exactly what I got to hear from my parents when I told them about it. After all, I was just 12 years old.

But in the end I was allowed to go to Holland. In my entire life I've never seen as crazy dudes as these I saw at this 'secret' meeting. There were computers all over the place, and the people even slept standing.

I got more and more involved in this - for me then - 'strange' scene. 87/88 I began to code a few things - small, but still worth seeing - on Amiga myself. I was also in contact with the perhaps best scene groups ofthat time. One day groups like Skid Row, Crystal, etc. especially stood out of the mass and impressed loads of people with their intros (which were then still crack intros). And I realized that the main thing was no longer to crack programs in order to slam one's intro in front of them. I also joined a few groups (using a different handle) and was introduced to the world of the demoscene.

Some day I lost the motivation to code and tried making music on PC. And what did I see!? There was also some action on PC! There were personalities like Moby, PM, Skaven, Lynne, Necros, Allister Brimble and many others. And I was deeply impressed by these people.

Today, in 1999, these people are presented by some other freaks as commercial pigs. DON'T LIE, I've heard this myself and also had to read such things on some IRC channels! Why do people say something like that? Maybe because they are jealous? Because they did not make as much effort? Because they believe in God and think that he would help them anyway? I don't know the answers to that.

When I entered the PC demoscene, I only made a mess of things (hello Christopher of hornet.org, hello KB), but I realized that I was bumping into a pretty big wall. I took by courage in both hands and had another go. I got to know people via IRC and was very, very impressed by some of them (again, hello KB).

Anyhow ... The day came on which I was really disappointed, and this by my fellow-countrymen. I do not know what it's like in your country, but in the German demoscene the atmosphere is very tough at the moment (actually it's been like this for quite a while). Nobody is talking about coding nor music. "You must rule" and "Die, stupid pig" are the order of the day. But only very, very few people get the chance to rule. ;) Actually I shouldn't be grinning, but it's true. The people get neither a chance to that nor even to pose a question. But do THESE so-called RULERS know the feeling to have 'fans' or be regarded as important at all? Err ... ask them.

OK, I could go on like that for HOURS, but I don't want to. I think I'm too old for such shit.

I'll focus on my projects, and maybe we'll see each other again one day. At the moment I'm fed up. But my web-site will remain open for you. I'll redesign it a little, and I will place some links to the non-commercial stuff.

P.S.: Don't mess up everything, dudes!




Melcom file history 1986-1999:
http://www.melcom.cjb.net/history/