What is the demoscene
A demo is an audiovisual work of art, usually in an executable (*.exe file with code-generated content, such as music and animated graphics) format, prepared to be presented on previously defined hardware (usually with limitations).

The demoscene is a worldwide subculture where coders, musicians, and graphic artists compete in many different disciplines - compos - competitions. It originates from the cracking culture, from a time when there was no Internet, but a lot of creative beings with high level, mostly coding, skills. They organized meetups, where people would physically get together to exchange knowledge and pirated software: demoparties. People meet and find themselves testing their skills today as well. Because they love to do things in the “fun” way, all competitions have limits, such as maximum file size, specific hardware on which it needs to run (old machines such as Commodore 64, and the oldest computers you can imagine) or others.

The demoscene is a live meetup of humans of different races, genders, and age; there is an expectation from you to be highly sensitive and respectful to everybody equally. No matter if you are a beginner or skilled scener, the only thing that matters is your skill and execution of it in your production. It’s expected that if you are coming to a demoparty, you should be participating, either in compos, helping with organization or just being nice and talkative to people around you.

Demoparties are usually full not just with competitions, but also many lectures, workshops, seminars and of course dance parties or concerts.

In Germany, the demoscene was accepted by UNESCO as a cultural heritage.
Most common compos
*These are only compos from Revision, the biggest European demoparty. You can find much more, like the 5K run (yes, it’s a running compo), mustard eating and many others to have some fun at the party.
PC Competitions
Demo
64K Intro
8K Intro
4K Intro
Amiga Competitions
Demo
Intro

Oldskool Competitions
Oldskool Demo
Oldskool 4K Intro
Oldskool Graphics
Oldskool Music

Music Competitions
Streaming Music
Executable Music
Tracked Music
Fast Music
Oldskool Music

Graphics Competitions
Modern Graphics
Photo
Paintover
Animated GIF
4k Executable Graphics
3D Graphics
ASCII / ANSI / PETSCII
Oldskool Graphics
Other Competitions
256 Byte Intro
Game
Animation/Video
Wild

“Who is Demoscener?” What I’ve learned from interviewing them by 6octaves
Probably the best text which I read about the scene is from 6octaves. These are only the headlines from her paragraphs. If you do have a bit of time, please read her article, or just scroll it to this section.
10 things I’ve learned about Demosceners
“Demoscener” is an earned title.
It’s so diverse that no one shouts about “diversity”.
Most of them don’t consider themselves nerds, and we can’t really call them nerds either.
Their approach is practical and logical.
They discover their strength and learn to collaborate with others.
They love challenges.
They learn to deal with criticism.
They are oh-so competitive.
It’s no magic, it’s no joke, they work really hard.
They are just doing what they love to do.
“Having said that, please remember that they won’t welcome you with big applause or wide open arms, but you’ll feel that the door quietly opens.”

Interesting links
Demoscene on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demoscene
Complete demoscene database: https://www.pouet.net
Not only an event list: https://demozoo.org
Demoscene radio: https://scenesat.com
UNESCO: http://demoscene-the-art-of-coding.net/2021/03/20/demoscene-accepted-as-...
The biggest events
Assembly (Finland) https://assembly.org
Evoke (Germany) https://2022.evoke.eu
Function (Hungary) https://2022.function.hu
Outline (Netherlands) https://outlinedemoparty.nl
Revision (Germany) https://2022.revision-party.net
Xenium (Poland) https://xenium.rocks

Thank you very much for spending your time on this awesome festival reading this.
Be welcome to find out more : )

Selection & text curated by Laila
www.laila.sk

ARTISTS --->>
Agenda Circling Forth by Fairlight [web] & Carillon & Cyberiad
authors : smash [Code] destop [Graphics] 1in10 [Music] blamstrain [Music]
release party : Breakpoint 2010
compo : pc demo
ranked : 1st
pouet link : https://www.pouet.net/prod.php?which=54603

Bad apple 2
authors : Noby Noblnoch [code] akilittleprinces [music]
release party : Forever 2017
compo : wild demo
ranked : 1st
pouet link : https://www.pouet.net/prod.php?which=69345

Esocentrica by Andromeda Software Development & Satori
authors : zden [CPU code] Navis [GPU code] Chaser [Music]
release party : Demobit 2017
compo : combined demo
ranked : 1st
pouet link : https://www.pouet.net/prod.php?which=68795

Frameranger by Fairlight & orange & Carillon & Cyberiad
authors : derpiipo [Animation] smash [Code] mazor_ [Graphics (2d)] destop [Graphics (graphics and direction)]
release party : Assembly 2009
compo : pc demo
ranked : 1st
pouet link : https://www.pouet.net/prod.php?which=53647

Goon Royale by Spaceballs
authors : Slummy [code, graphics] lug00ber [music]
release party : Revision 2019
compo : amiga intro
ranked : 1st
pouet link : https://www.pouet.net/prod.php?which=81073

Chaos Theory by Conspiracy
authors : BoyC [Code] Gargaj [Code, Music] zoom [Graphics, Other (direction)]
release party : Assembly 2006
compo : combined 64k
ranked : 2nd
pouet link : https://www.pouet.net/prod.php?which=25774

Eon by The Black Lotus
authors : Kalms [3d scenes code, opts, system]Calladin Calladin [direction, graphics] Louie500 [graphics support] emoon [main coding, system, tool code, effects, music sample streaming] djh0ffman [music, drum mixer code] erique [sine wavey blobs effect] dep [track loading, 3d scenes code, system, tools]
release party : Revision 2019
compo : amiga demo
ranked : 1st
pouet link : https://www.pouet.net/prod.php?which=81094

fr-041: debris. by Farbrausch
authors : ryg [Code] chaos [Code] tron^fr [Code (Additional)] kb_ [Code (synth)] fiver2^fB [Graphics, Other (direction)] rp [Music] wayfinder [Music (sound effects)]
release party : Breakpoint 2007
compo : pc demo
ranked : 1st
pouet link : https://www.pouet.net/prod.php?which=30244

kak by jetlag
authors : provod [code, shaders] keen [music]
release party : Chaos Constructions 2018
compo : combined demo
ranked : 1st
pouet link : https://www.pouet.net/prod.php?which=77759

mara by Altair
authors : ratz [stuff] mi-ku [stuff] lesnik [stuff]
release party : Demobit 2019
compo : pc demo
ranked : 1st
pouet link : https://www.pouet.net/prod.php?which=80102

minim by Altair
authors : ratz [code] x-ceed [music] mi-ku [stuff]
release party : Xenium 2019
compo : pc demo
ranked : 1st
pouet link : https://www.pouet.net/prod.php?which=82782

Number OneAnother One by Carillon & Cyberiad & Fairlight
authors : smash [Code, graphics] mazor_ [Graphics] destop [Graphics] gloom [Music]
release party : Assembly 2018
compo : pc demo
ranked : 1st
pouet link : https://www.pouet.net/prod.php?which=77399

Offscreen Colonies by Conspiracy
authors : BoyC [code] Gargaj [music, synth, VR port] zoom [visuals, direction]
release party : Revision 2015
compo : pc 64k
ranked : 1st
pouet link : https://www.pouet.net/prod.php?which=65342

Otaku by Satori
authors : Pablo Escrollbar [3D] laila [3D] zden [code, visuals] substrate [Graphics] Chaser [music]
release party : Riverwash 2017
compo : combined demo
ranked : 2nd
pouet link : https://www.pouet.net/prod.php?which=71719

Salvaged by Proxima
authors : leuat [Code, graphics, linking] optic [Graphics] hammerfist [Graphics] Krill [Loader] mAZE [Music] Mibri [Music]
release party : Revision 2022
compo : oldskool demo
ranked : 3rd
pouet link : https://www.pouet.net/prod.php?which=91302

Starstruck by The Black Lotus
authors : ReJ [code]Kalms Kalms [Code] erique [Code] Louie500 [Graphics]
release party : Assembly 2006
compo : combined demo
ranked : 1st
pouet link : https://www.pouet.net/prod.php?which=25778

Sokia by Carillon & Cyberiad & Fairlight
authors : yolk [Audio (remix)] smash [Code] destop [Visuals] mazor_ [Visuals]
release party : Assembly 2017
compo : combined demo
ranked : 2nd
pouet link : https://www.pouet.net/prod.php?which=71414

Universal Sequence by Conspiracy
authors : BoyC [Code] Gargaj [Code, Music] zoom [Graphics, Direction]
release party : Function 2016
compo : pc 64k
ranked : 1st
pouet link : https://www.pouet.net/prod.php?which=68147

The Void Stared Into Me Waiting To Be Paid Its Dues by Ümlaüt Design
authors : Gargaj [Visuals and audio]
release party : qbparty 2017
compo : pc demo
ranked : 3rd
pouet link : https://www.pouet.net/prod.php?which=70013

Ziphead by Fairlight & Carillon & Cyberiad
authors : Lipstix [Choreography, performance] smash [Code, Visuals] djh0ffman [Music] destop [Visuals, design, direction, graphics]
release party : Revision 2015
compo : pc demo
ranked : 1st
pouet link : https://www.pouet.net/prod.php?which=65400

XO NOX by Altair
authors : mi-ku [Code] ratz [Code, design] fuzzy [Graphics] x-ceed [Music] lesnik [Support]
release party : Riverwash 2018
compo : pc demo
ranked : 1st
pouet link : https://www.pouet.net/prod.php?which=77892