Space demoscene: Universe fits in 64 kilobytes

Demoscene always amazed the imagination. In 1994, 2004, 2017, developers are surprised again and again by turning a 64 kilobyte file into something unthinkable. The demo was not just an asana, from which the programmer squeezes the maximum capabilities of his computer and his own skills, but turned into a separate type of cyber art.

Modern demos have broken away from the continent of other subcultures (overclocking representatives remained on the coast somewhere) and drift alone. They are not the anthem of computer hardware, but ding an sich selbst betrachtet is a metaphysical thing in itself, which can be a fragment of a game, an anime, or a trailer for a disaster movie.

And also a demo can be about space and this is probably the most suitable format. To explore space and see cosmological models with your own eyes, just 64K is enough. The generated image mixes the elements of game design, cinema and programming into a synchronized audiovisual cocktail that will drag you into the process of detached contemplation of intergalactic wonders.

solar system

“Fermi paradox” is not just cosmic landscapes for electronic music. The demo took the first place at the Revision 2016 festival in the 64K category. The prize was awarded for a colorful journey through foreign landscapes, and we just need to remember that the name was not chosen by chance: the Fermi paradox is that we see no traces of the activities of alien civilizations that would have to settle throughout the universe over billions of years its development.

Black hole

The formation of a black hole as a result of the collapse of the central part of the galaxy and the protogalactic gas. It's not even 64K, but 4k Intro from 2015.

Protostar

Protostar - the basis of a new star. Protostars are formed at the final stage of the evolution of stars, right up to the moment of fusion of thermonuclear reactions in the nucleus, after which the compression of the protostar ceases and it becomes the star of the main sequence.

This star was lit on the Android platform and won 2nd place at the festival NVSCENE2015.

Sun storm

A powerful flare at the Sun causes a geomagnetic storm, from which earthlings will have to defend themselves. Interesting stylization under the anime.

Planet 7120

The research probe in search of alien life, compressed to 8k intro (7120 bytes), received 2nd place at Riverwash 2016.

AI in space

How not to remember HAL 9000. The computer became famous thanks to the "Space Odyssey". And in this demo in front of us his predecessor - HAL 4000. Has not yet developed in himself a man-hating tendencies.

4085 bytes of code. The release took place at Chaos Constructions 2017 in St. Petersburg.

Flight 4096 year

And here is the Odyssey itself, transposed into a two-minute video format. 1st place in the PC category intro on Solskogen 2011. File size - only 4 kilobytes!

Space-time singularity

We have no description of the space-time near the singularity, and one can only guess what is happening beyond the horizon of events. But in one, the authors of the demo are not mistaken - there are really a lot of interesting things in space. Especially if this space is created on the Amiga computer.

If you want an old school, there is a link to the demo in the description. To start you need the actual AGA-chipset (or emulator).

PS Demo works in interlaced graphics mode, which can cause problems for emulators.

star Wars

Star Wars, how they will never be removed. Because they "removed" them at 4K.

Moon travel

When they landed, the sun rose three days in a row. All the details of the relief were in full view. As intended. Bedecker vaguely remembered how he had gone down the ladder of the lunar module and had stepped onto the surface. Long years of preparation, training and expectations finally came together at one point in space and time, but only a vague feeling of anxiety and frustration remained in the memory.

No one can be more lonely than a man on the moon. Now you can feel this thought personally, having been in the body of an astronaut on the surface of the Earth satellite in the 8 kilobyte demo released in 2017.

Other planet

Imagine that you have the opportunity to create the Earth again. Which planet will you make: ball-shaped, square or abstract? And once again, a 1987 demo goes to the Amiga.

From deep space

Hyperspace flights and models of various spacecraft that came to us directly from the Norwegian demostsena.

Space funk

Unsuited cosmic events stylized as a hand-drawn game. Winning 3rd place in the short films category at Assembly Summer 2010.

Alternative spacecraft

In the endless black space cuts through ... Submarine! Why not, since she does it in the demo that won the icons 2012 demopati.

End of the world

No one knows what the end of civilization will be, but it is quite likely that it will come from space and will be very colorful. 1st place in the competition Buenzli 18 demo.

Dune World

Flying in the atmosphere of an unfriendly dangerous planet inhabited by Xai-Huluds and other monsters.

Space ticket

Colorful video invitation on Demoscene.tv 2009. The video was made using Vegas, Illicions of Particle Illusion and 3DS.

It's all about the stars.

If you imagine all the stars in the form of mathematical formulas, then translate these formulas into geometric projections ... The authors of this demo thought about it this way, creating their own unusual clip, 64 kilobytes in size.

Final chord

The evolution of stars, the birth and death of nebulae, the formation of galaxies from cosmic dust — something is presented when viewing this demo, although the authors are silent and may have meant something completely different. The demo was released at Ultimate Meeting '07, and was created by a 15-year-old coder who used many different tools, including C ++ and MS Paint.

Here, probably, far from all demos on space subjects are collected, therefore all interesting videos that we did not remember, add in the comments. And, of course, not the most interesting demos of all times and peoples are listed. However, the cosmos is a special love. Nothing beats space.