News about Bomb and Nomad
After Trauma, the Hugi staff also contacted the groups Bomb and Nomad for up-to-date information. Bomb and Nomad can be considered the two leading groups from France. There is a lot of competition between them at parties, where Nomad usually wins one place ahead of Bomb, and in the charts, where for some strange reason Bomb leaves Nomad far behind. But interestingly, the two groups are not at all enemies. On the contrary, they have a very close contact with each other, and some of their members work together on certain projects. Yes, there is even one person who is in both groups, namely Djam. Some closer information on him can be found in his interview in Hugi #14.
Especially interesting for the demo scene community is probably Nomad's projects for Assembly '99, as they have already revealed in some diskmags that they have actually planned something. Here is what Djam told us: "Ecstasy and me are working on Squeezed 2 together with Made/Bomb. This demo project started last year but we were quite a lot busy for a while, so working really began last month. Squeezed 2 will be released when it will be finished, probably in the next half of year 1999. First we hoped to make it for Asm '99 but due to lack of time...." So it is quite unsure if the sequel to the successful demo that won the Lucky and Tigrou Party 2 will make it to Assembly. However, that does not mean that Nomad will not be present at this party at all: "Z, Djam, Ecstasy are working on a Nomad demo, designed by Z, quite different from the previous releases, might be released for the Assembly if finished at time. It will be a 'design based' demo." Probably worth checking out for all the critics who complain about the lack of design in Nomad's demos.
The Nomad crew has grown: Falken, according to Djam "a talented graphician", has teamed up. "You can appreciate his work at http://www.falkenzone.com. He's working on several projects (web design, demos, utilities). No more time for his wife, computer before everything," Djam said with a smile on his lips.
"Then, we'll also release a Windows 95/98 tool soon, coded by Topy, called OpenDesktopPro, maybe at the LTP party 3 (Erreur! Signet non d‚fini.). This tool will be available on our website. Also, Krafton may work with TBL on a new demo..."
Djam himself is still making music. Squeezed 2 will be his next step.
Web-wise, you can now visit Nomad's new site at http://www.nomad-medialab.com, made by Falken and Z in July. Also, a new version of the news magazine Error-404 based on php3 technology will go online by the end of this year.
Asked about what was happening inside the group, Djam first hesitated a little, then he said: "I am playing with my webcam, Ecstasy is coding very, very slowly (because he has no time) but surely, Z has just set up the new website and arranges OpenDesktopPro, and Krafton is getting a cold in the north of France in a Game company called Œil pour Oeil reachable at http://www.oeilpouroeil.fr."
And the members' real-lives? Djam makes a list:
- Krafton just stops to sleep with Ecstasy. (Djam smiles)
- Ecstasy is going to finish the 'military services' (?) and is searching for a job to start an active life in September 99. Unfortunately, he's got less and less time to code for the demoscene (student life seems to be over)...
- Vatin, topy & Ecstasy are seeking for a job but not together.
- Djam, that's me, bought a brand new webcam and is mixing some of his best known music every day at 6 pm on http://www.error-404.com/djamm (just kidding!) and bought a brand new Home cinema combo! (Contact on a 5.1 must be cooooool.)
- Off is Off.
- Falken is in holidays.
- Krafton made a nice Nomad Mug! So we're thinking about selling goodies on our website. (Djam smiles broadly)
- Z will get married soon. (another smile on Djam's face)
In general they have got "less and less time to make demos". This also applies to Bomb. Here is what Skal wrote to us:
"Well, as a matter of fact, almost everybody is working, now, in the group. When I say 'working', I mean making a living. Made is in an advertising company, designing webs and graphics, some others (Happy, Patapom,...) are in a game company, Titan is working in a hospital, and I've myself got a thesis to finish before joining a R&D team in a software company. So, things are tearing apart, as it seems... something like growing old and responsible (as my father says). But (because there's a 'but'), we still have some projects, because we just can't help having some, and because one never gets really retired from demos, at it seems (smile). But, we don't put high pressure on completing them... no deadline, no special release date. Just 'come what may'. As usual, as a coder, I gather all contributions and make them (music, graphics, ideas,...) to a 'rolling' demo. Something growing. Slowly. But growing... well, don't other groups do the same?"
With an optimistic smile, he ends his status report.
The latest news about Bomb can be found at http://www.we-have-explosive.com.
- supadok^hugi