Net Yaroze part 5

Net Yaroze part 5

Time for an intermission.
This will be a short article covering the tech demos featured on demo disks.
I mean, a lot of the games I've covered so far have been tech demos of sorts but these definitely fit the bill.


#############################################################################

Bendy

Programmer: William Docherty
Released: 17/07/1997

This demo is simply a TMD sphere that you can manipulate.

You are in the center of a sphere that keeps expanding and contracting like a breathing lung.

The D-pad moves the camera round.
X and /\ spin ariund vertically.

That's about it.


#############################################################################

Feedback

Programmer: Jon Rocatis
Released: 27/07/1997

Feedback is a trippy feedback routine that you can interact with.

This is a feast for high eyes.
Holding [] draws more boxes on screen, resulting in very fast tripply effect.

Seeing all this mess reminds me of the old Nickelodeon bumpers. Something about Rugrats.

Where are they now?:
Jon Racatis has been a programmer for Io-Interactive, programming the Hitman games.
His twitter: https://twitter.com/jonrocatis


#############################################################################

Sillytuna's Wibbly Flag

Programmer: 'Sillytuna' Alex Amsel
Released: 30/03/1997

This tech demo allows the player to control the ripples of the flag.

By controlling the X and Y ripples you can make it jiggle and flap in different ways.
You might be able to hypnotise yourself doing this. Or get motion sickness.

Where are they now?:
Alex Amsel is a member of Tuna Technology, that still exist and currently make games for Windows and phones.
Alex Amsel's twitter: https://twitter.com/alex_amsel


#############################################################################

Fujiyama

Programmers: Team Juan?
Released: 1998

Fujiyama is a test for rotating a 3D model and texture calling.

You rotate around Mount Fuji at various cities and towns.
You can see the view of Mount Fuji from those locations with X.
The image of Mount Fuji in Susono says "Now Printing". I guess they ran out of time or just didn't have a photo from that region.

The music is quite nice. This tech demo could of been silent but that music adds that little touch.

Speaking of little touches there is a day/night transition. Pretty neat.


#############################################################################

Engine 6

Programmer: Derek Leigh-Gilchrist
Release: 30/04/1997

Engine 6 is a tech demo made to test models and animations.

You and lots of rotating objects spawn onto a checker board.
The objects don't have textures or collision.

You control a textureless model of what seems to be an exterminator.
Either that or some redneck wearing a jetpack and holding a car muffler.

The d-pad moves around.
Walking backwards still has the walking forwards animation. Moonwalk~
X jumps (no jump animation).
[] moves camera in. () moves camera out
/\ runs

You can run off the grid but invisible walls stop you getting far.

Where are they now?:
Derek Leigh-Gilchrist is an accomplished programmer, having been programming games since 1989. He has recently done the programming on some 007 games in the early 2010's.


#############################################################################

Sound 2 Light

Programmer: Colin Adams
Released: 08/05/1997

Sound 2 Light is a program which converts the sound of music into visual effects, much like your media player can.

The thing is, the PlayStation could already do this. At least my model did.
Pop in a music CD and you can watch the light show. Good for retro house parties I guess.

This concept would later be sold as a game: Baby Universe.
Baby Universe would be released the next month - June 20, 1997 in Japan.


#############################################################################

Second Offence

Programmers: Mobius Codeworks (Jim Pitts & Andrew Webb)
Developed in: 4 weeks
Released: 13/4/1998

Second Offence is a test of effects and routines.
This demo was knocked out as soon as they finished the Z2 game for the Edge competition.

This demo acts out like a very trippy techno music video.
You'll get a big donut and an uncanny face looming in for the kill.

The song seems a bit good but it keeps skipping over itself.
You'll be hearing this on the next keygen program you use.


#############################################################################

Tribute

Programmer: Luca Capellini
Developed in: 4 days
Released: 1998

This 'demo' is just a test of programming.

It starts off with the Net Yaroze logo being assembled letter by letter. It's a long sequence.
Then the black PlayStation explodes the logo with text.

The music sounds like Star Wars music. I know I've heard one part of it before.


#############################################################################


That's it for tech demos released onto demo disks.
Now it's serious time again: Net Yaroze games released onto the internet!


Next up I'll be looking at Net Yaroze games released onto the internet.