# PRE-MILLENIUM PARTY

## by FUN

By Edo and Exyl

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):

- MC LASER/POD/TSCC (?)
- the strip of PARANOIA
- the TNH group
- some guys of CHECKPOINT: MoDmates and 505 among others
- all the team of FUN (HAVOC, NUT, EARX etc...)
- some frenchies (ZERKMAN, SPLASH, FROST/LOUD!) and my accomplices of SECTOR ONE (EXYL, ST GHOST)...
- BAGGIO/WILDFIRE (the courageous Swedish that came by plane)

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

http://sectorone.atari.org

Article written on August 23, 1999
(I had courage because I had to celebrate my 4 years with my girlfriend
but she has believed good to fall in love with another boy...
there are some days like that :(

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).

ExyL / SECTOR ONE (gdecooman@nordnet.fr)

PS: sorry for spelling and typing errors but I am in a hurry...
[NdTB: it's not important, I am here for that:) ]