"We Reached Stars"

                         A new CT60 demo by 
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We've got Orion and a bunch of other people to thank for this one. Namely Kioniro for the music and reveclosion and yogib33r for graphics. Yes, its a foray into CT60 coding by an entirely new team!

Prelude - I remember going back a little while into 2011, that Orion, he of the Elsanar game fame, had disclosed that he was actively investigating the CT60 as a demo platform. Even going as far as screening some early versions of effects on Youtube, realising that he would spoil the surprise and promptly taking these clips down again.

It was not appreciated how close to an actual release he was, until the weekend of the Sillyventure party in November of 2011, he entered his shiny new demo into a competition.

At the Alchimie party in France!

To be fair, he won the competition. He could also have won the competition at the Sillyventure, facing precisely zero opposition for his category. But what a weekend, Atari goodness too big for just one coding party to contain!

So it's needing a Falcon with one of those 'Ultra Rare' CT-series accelerator boards with a 68060 in it. (sorry about the 'Ultra Rare' thing, been spending too much time contaminating my brain with Ebay.) Does this make it worth the time spent downloading and watching it?

Let's look!

It is very specific about needing an '060. The more of it, the merrier. It does not allow any three frame per second substitution on my Centurbo 2 Falcon, which a number of other CT6x demos do permit.

A brief loading screen gives way to a twinkling star field. The group name and demo titles shine in and blur out, bit by bit and a clean ethereal sounding tune commences.

We're in with some fairly clean and simple 3-D work, a close-up view of an iceberg. Various camera positions are opened and faded down again.

Then the ice has melted, as we see a ripple-reflection effect, as if underwater, with sunlight catching the movement of the water. Then the camera pushed confidently forward. In the centre of the screen, a swirl of particles or bubbles spews outwards.

Fade out and cut to a still picture, the centre of which is subjected to intense and very detailed water rippling. This gradually reduces, allowing more and more of the picture to be seen.

A very geometric set-piece follows. Against a static picture of massive polygons, four square-ended columns spin around, containing a triple concentric band, also rotating without a care.

Something which isn't so instantly crowd-pleasing, but pretty technical for the two dimensions it is using. As we see a travelling light source dot illuminating (or not) parts of the screen blocked off by an elaborate logo.

Almost at the finish now, and a very airy scene, with a cloudy sky below, and many tens of polygons flying towards the camera in a relentless determined straight line. Another simple but fresh looking scene.

Finally, some end credits and who did what, with a very long and blue graphic of a tastefully depicted female form scrolling down to the left. The soundtrack reduces, bit by bit, then ends, with a slow echo.

Something over three minutes of undemanding entertainment has just taken place. This is certainly a first time outing and shows. I am reminded in places of some of the early efforts from Evolution, in a nice way of course. This demo certainly does not threaten to topple Derealisation or Starstruck from their thrones as demo kings for this platform.

However..

It is a new crew, not the usual suspects, who seem to have been more than a little bit quiet lately. I certainly hope that Orion and friends can be encouraged to follow up with further demo goodness. It's not as if there isn't an interest, as the Amiga '060 scene has got through its post- Starstruck slump and started making things again.

All in all, a good start.

Ratings..

Graphics:- 75% - Slightly sparse but decent, if not pushing the platform.

Sound:- 85% - Ethereal soundtrack fitting the demo very nicely.

Tech:- 75% - Early effects for CT60, but lots of future promise.

Overall:- 77% - A fresh new approach is welcome.

CiH - For 'Mag' - Nov 2012.

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