Survey submitted: Sun 27 Sep 2009

Handle, ex-handle(s):
Bifat, Captain Bifat

Name, birthday, origin:
Timm, Germany

Group, ex-group(s):
Neoscientists (a TEK sideproject), The Electronic Knights (TEK)

What was your first group, your role in that group and what did that group produce?:
I joined TEK around 1990/1991 when it was reconstituted on the Amiga. I did graphics first, then coding, a bit music, too. Today, if I did something at all, it would be coding.

What motivates you to spend time on the scene?:
Enjoying interesting visuals/algorithms on your own screen first, then having a beer with like-minded people in front of a bigscreen showing the same

What is your favorite color?:
#$123 - easy enough to remember, and 16 bit are enough anyway

On what platform(s) did you begin your computing journey, and when was this?:
started writing games and applications on the C64 in 1985 or so

What platform(s) do you use now?:
For demos: Playstation2, Amiga. PC/Linux for cross-development

What is/are your favorite piece(s) of music(s) - from a demo production or a scener (released outside of a demo)?:
The music of Hardwired had a lasting impression on me. I think it was released as a seperate soundtrack, too.

What is your favorite programming language, effect, tool, coder, platform, book?:
68k Assembler, voxel landscape, AsmOne, Amiga 500, The C programming language. Coders: Too many to name, there is not a single favorite

Discuss: your first steps towards becoming a coder, who helped you, what problems did you run into, your first effect, the future of demo coding:
When I got a C64, its use was restricted to "something useful", and I was not allowed to spend money on games for it. So i started writing games, and playing became testing. When this restriction was lifted, it was too late: I never enjoyed playing games as much as I liked programming.

Which project that you worked on was the most exciting and interesting for you? And why?:
Rampage, a trackmo for the Amiga 500. I learned some interesting programming techniques during this project. I got more intrigued with writing engines, frameworks, scripting and control logic than writing actual effects.

What is your favorite demo, intro, megademo, retrogame, slideshow, musicdisk, diskmag, wilddemo?:
My favourite demo ever is probably Dawnfall by Oxyron. It's done right in every respect I can imagine, and yet it's just a minimalistic onefiler. I also greatly adore Vector Exterminator by Shining on the Amiga, for which applies basically the same.

Discuss: minimalistic demos, cracktros, fucktros, joke demos, lamers, compo winners at big parties, demotools, diskmags, chiptunes, glenz vectors, programming languages, photoshop, textmode:
Minimalism: see above. Cracktros, fucktros: no need. Joke demos: yes, anytime. Lamers: Who am I to judge, I've been one most of the time and now I'm back to where I started. I can stand a few chiptunes, if they use minor keys and do not overuse arpeggios. Glenz vectors? Good idea, a bit overused in their days. Photoshop, textmode - what's that got to do with demoscene?

What percentage of modern demos are 3d flybys?:
Don't know, I rarely watch demos nowadays

What percentage of older demos are the same effects recycled?:
95

Which parties do you intend to go to, and which parties would you like to go to? Please describe your personal experiences with your most favourite or impressive party you have ever been at.:
The most impressive one was the first "The" Party due to its sheer size and degree of organization for its time. But this was only technically a good party. Generally the smaller ones were better. Symposium (later Mekka Symposium) comes to mind. Lately I enjoyed the Oxyron parties very much.

How did the scene alter since you are taking an active part in it? Can you explain why?:
First Melon Dezign messed it all up with this design nonsense. Then came the PC. Need I say more?

What are your dreams/goals in life, did scene help you and have you achieved them yet?:
Ongoing technological progress, artificial intelligence, space travel, reduced population. One billion of humans should be enough for the planet (reproduction may be resumed once our species inhabits new planets). Yes, the scene has a bit to do with it. It teached me to follow my instinct to investigate unorthodox ideas.