This is the first known high-quality recording of this demo captured directly from live hardware.
This is a project of the Carnegie Mellon University Computer Club (cmucc) [http://www.club.cc.cmu.edu] and its video hacking spinoff, Rastertron. Captured losslessly from custom video hardware comprised of a custom circuit board inserted into an Apple IIgs that draws off raw digital RGB signals that are passed to an FPGA-based converter that emits pixel-accurate DVI, this video provides a unique and perfect visualization only experienced with the real hardware! Emulators such as Kegs cannot fully render this demo: scrollers run too fast, some versions simply crash, and the "Unreal" segment effect is lost. Hardware screening, meanwhile, requires now-rare and expensive accelerator cards, and the only built-in video output is either terrible composite video or low-frequency analog RGB video intended for Apple monitors.
Machine specs:
* real ROM03 Apple IIgs - stock except for Transwarp GS accelerator
* 2MB RAM (via expansion card)
* 8MHz 65C816 16-bit CPU (accelerated from 2.8MHz)
* 12-bit video (4096 possible colors)
* Ensoniq 5503 sample-based synthesizer (mono output, stereo capable)
* no hard disk, demo was loaded from a real 3.5" floppy drive
Credits:
* "(c) 1993-1994 Ninjaforce"
* Jesse Blue - Code
* Clue - Graphics and design
* Dakkar - Music
* Jester - Music
* Dezecrator - Music
* Delta X - Music
* Magir - Sound effects
Historical context:
The demoscene on the Apple IIgs was never very large, and this is regarded as by far the best among very few. Largely this is due to the sadly underserved existence of the IIgs throughout its lifetime, as it was never taken very seriously by Apple. It was released with a deliberately underclocked CPU, it received few hardware updates, it was rather expensive, and its primary OS (GS/OS) was different from both the prior Apple II series and the Macintosh. Essentially from the moment it was released in 1986, Apple preferred to focus on the Macintosh, and the IIgs was discontinued in 1992. About 5 years after that, this demo was released, taking first place in the "Wild" category (only PC, Amiga, and Commodore 64 were otherwise offered!) at the Mekka & Symposium demoparty in Fallingbostel, Germany. Many of the effects are a successful attempt to show that the IIgs was capable of many things the PC was by then famous for, including Doom-style 3D walkthroughs, large particle fields, and colorful displays. Enjoy the brief era between BBSes and the Internet when demos featured both!
Pouët entry: http://www.pouet.net/prod.php?which=11793
