scripting a demoshow
category: general [glöplog]
I've put together some autoitv3 scripts that make it easier to automate a demoshow of demos you've specifically selected.
The demoshow CDs have a "random" playback mode, but that doesn't let you select the demos that run on your system, or select the order in which demos run, etc.
If there is interest, I can put up these autoitv3 scripts for others to use in running demoshows. The scripts let you abort the sequence as well as skip to the next demo.
AutoIt3 lets you write real procedures so that you can factor out the common business needed for running demos into a procedure. This let me reuse the same script for all the demos in a fairly standard way. It also lets me build upon the system as new needs arise; i.e. some demos have a popup dialog at the end that needs to be dismissed, some demos have a configuration dialog, some demos need actual mouse clicks to configure them, etc.
The demoshow CDs have a "random" playback mode, but that doesn't let you select the demos that run on your system, or select the order in which demos run, etc.
If there is interest, I can put up these autoitv3 scripts for others to use in running demoshows. The scripts let you abort the sequence as well as skip to the next demo.
AutoIt3 lets you write real procedures so that you can factor out the common business needed for running demos into a procedure. This let me reuse the same script for all the demos in a fairly standard way. It also lets me build upon the system as new needs arise; i.e. some demos have a popup dialog at the end that needs to be dismissed, some demos have a configuration dialog, some demos need actual mouse clicks to configure them, etc.
real demoshows are sequenced on the spot
might aswell put the demodvd playing if you dont wanna do it properly
crowd response is important
might aswell put the demodvd playing if you dont wanna do it properly
crowd response is important
possibly replace response by interaction
i prefer a "not real demoshow" over "no demoshow". i like this solution.
ps: yeah, whatever
i have to second ps, a real demoshow is done in realtime, no fucking precalc!
As long as the script does not come with a "ROBOTNIK!!!"-dectector I agree with ps :-)
sparcus: fear not, we all know that robotnik should be played atleast twice in every single demoshow. :)
I personally would avoid sequencing a demoshow. Visibly clicking on individual .exe's gives a certain atmosphere that would otherwise be hidden by a script, and it helps drive home the point that demos are realtime.
Perhaps this sounds like a silly argument, but it makes sense to me...
Perhaps this sounds like a silly argument, but it makes sense to me...
thom: makes sense for outreach demoshows (i assume most people on a demoparty know that :)
making a demoshow is like a DJ-set. you can plan stuff forward and set up but you have to react to the crowd and mellow down if they want to, spin up if they want to, answer requests...
i mean, DJ's don't just mix something at home and put it into the player in the club at night.
making a demoshow is like a DJ-set. you can plan stuff forward and set up but you have to react to the crowd and mellow down if they want to, spin up if they want to, answer requests...
i mean, DJ's don't just mix something at home and put it into the player in the club at night.
i think you're all nitpicks. most demoparties have some orga messages + ads on the bigscreen 95% of the time or such. by making something of a playlist you could have demos on there nearly nonstop without getting a headache.
one could schedule some themed "real demoshows" (with common themes like "oldschool demoshow", "technodemoshow" or "crest demoshow") so that the "braah interaction with the audience møøh" crowd have their slice as well.
one could schedule some themed "real demoshows" (with common themes like "oldschool demoshow", "technodemoshow" or "crest demoshow") so that the "braah interaction with the audience møøh" crowd have their slice as well.
summary: demos rock and there should be more of them. on the big screen. no matter how.
imho.
thom: email me since your old shaw.ca email address bounces
Same goes for the girl I was dancing with last night.
I am not familiar with autoitv3 scripts, are these anything like WinBatch Scripts? (WinBatch kicks ass, by the way).
Why the hell not, share and enjoy. Those who want to use it will. The rest will do what they always do... :)
Why the hell not, share and enjoy. Those who want to use it will. The rest will do what they always do... :)
imho, running demos constantly on the big screen during a party can be very distracting and also very Very annoying (if for example, like on mainframe03, the orgas decide to run the same fucking atari demos over and over, as loud they can, every fucking night..)
demos are special and wonderful little things and should be threated that way. if i watch a demo i like to sit down and do that, and nothing else, enjoying it. a never-ending background-demo-noise seems completly pointless to me.
demos are special and wonderful little things and should be threated that way. if i watch a demo i like to sit down and do that, and nothing else, enjoying it. a never-ending background-demo-noise seems completly pointless to me.
have to agree with radman, but it up on the web somewhere so we could see if it is of any use, party organizers and such people would prolly be quite happy to have such a program.
A scripting system is a improvisation for ppl who want to run some demos maybe at a entrance desk of a party or some non demoscene-related event and don't want to click every 3-5 minutes. They can go to toilet or have a serious talk with attenders and can use the mouse/keyboard when they want to have direct access on the demos. "Blabla demo scene bla, demos and such stuff, here is my personal favourite, just for you blabla."
Demos for several hours on the bigscreen at a demoparty is a bit different. Demos need sound, at a party this means the volume there is constantly high, you cannot have a talk to someone inside.
Breakpoint survey showed us (BP organizers) some ppl. wanted demos between compos and events, other ppl. wanted (at least) some music played and than there was a group of ppl. who just wanted a bit more silence for working on their productions.
... just some sentences without sense. :)
Demos for several hours on the bigscreen at a demoparty is a bit different. Demos need sound, at a party this means the volume there is constantly high, you cannot have a talk to someone inside.
Breakpoint survey showed us (BP organizers) some ppl. wanted demos between compos and events, other ppl. wanted (at least) some music played and than there was a group of ppl. who just wanted a bit more silence for working on their productions.
... just some sentences without sense. :)
madenmann, good one!
ok then, how about real demoshows in the main hall and nonstop scripted demoshow in some second room? (that's often there)
ok then, how about real demoshows in the main hall and nonstop scripted demoshow in some second room? (that's often there)
radman: AutoIt v3 is free, while winbatch is a commercial product.
crest for second stage resident demojockey! hehe
atleast he plays deesbab and robotnik and hyperventilation and 303 and and and :D
I've done plenty of demoshows over the past several years, as my outreach page clearly shows.
I've done them manually and I've done them scripted.
The scripted shows were more successful because they allowed me to actually talk with people in the audience and encourage them to get involved in the scene. They were also more popular with the crowd. When it isn't scripted you have to babysit your computer and feed it every 2-5 minutes. This makes it impossible to have any kind of meaningful conversation. When the projected image goes back to your desktop and you begin navigating folders, people generally think that the show is over and they lose interest and move on to something else that gets their attention.
A demoshow is just showing demos. It doesn't have to take place at a party. Most people in this thread assumed that I was talking about a demoshow at a party and ran off on some flame fest tangent that had nothing to do with what I posted.
A demoshow is not like being a DJ at a party where you are doing a custom mix of audio pieces nor is it like being a VJ where you are doing a custom mix of video pieces. It is more like a short film festival, we just happen to be fortunate that we have many different shorts to choose from and we have the ability to show them in any order. However, the audiences for which I've run demoshows don't particularly care in which order I show demos or what demos I show since they are all new to the scene and they've never seen any of this stuff before. Different individuals have different favorites within the collection of demos that are shown.
As far as demoshows at parties go, my only experience is with Pilgrimage 2003 and with watching Assembly TV. On AsmTV they played specific demos in a specific sequence and had some commentary from panel members on the demos. The audience was ignored. At Pilgrimage 2003, I had both the DemoDVD running in one room and a "run any demo you want" computer in another room. The DemoDVD got more attention. If the computer in the other room wasn't running a demo, people ignored it. If I had scripted it to run through a bunch of demos, it would have gotten more attention. There were very few people that were interested in seeing specific demos (just sylphin, I think).
If you don't want to script your demoshow, then don't use my scripts and do it manually. I'm only offering you a tool, not telling you to use it, nor am I forcing you to use it.
I've done them manually and I've done them scripted.
The scripted shows were more successful because they allowed me to actually talk with people in the audience and encourage them to get involved in the scene. They were also more popular with the crowd. When it isn't scripted you have to babysit your computer and feed it every 2-5 minutes. This makes it impossible to have any kind of meaningful conversation. When the projected image goes back to your desktop and you begin navigating folders, people generally think that the show is over and they lose interest and move on to something else that gets their attention.
A demoshow is just showing demos. It doesn't have to take place at a party. Most people in this thread assumed that I was talking about a demoshow at a party and ran off on some flame fest tangent that had nothing to do with what I posted.
A demoshow is not like being a DJ at a party where you are doing a custom mix of audio pieces nor is it like being a VJ where you are doing a custom mix of video pieces. It is more like a short film festival, we just happen to be fortunate that we have many different shorts to choose from and we have the ability to show them in any order. However, the audiences for which I've run demoshows don't particularly care in which order I show demos or what demos I show since they are all new to the scene and they've never seen any of this stuff before. Different individuals have different favorites within the collection of demos that are shown.
As far as demoshows at parties go, my only experience is with Pilgrimage 2003 and with watching Assembly TV. On AsmTV they played specific demos in a specific sequence and had some commentary from panel members on the demos. The audience was ignored. At Pilgrimage 2003, I had both the DemoDVD running in one room and a "run any demo you want" computer in another room. The DemoDVD got more attention. If the computer in the other room wasn't running a demo, people ignored it. If I had scripted it to run through a bunch of demos, it would have gotten more attention. There were very few people that were interested in seeing specific demos (just sylphin, I think).
If you don't want to script your demoshow, then don't use my scripts and do it manually. I'm only offering you a tool, not telling you to use it, nor am I forcing you to use it.
a) you got issues.
b) no one was flaming about doing demoshows this or that way on parties. they were just stating their opinions on what they would enjoy the best. it's a free world, you're free to demoshow your demoshow however you see fit at whatever demoparty or outreach.
c) if you cant multitask speaking into the mic while loading the next demo afahp to keep your crowd interested you got a lost crowd to begin with, or most likely one more interested in what you're saying instead of watching the demos you're selecting. either way, scripts arent mandatory for success of the event in any way whatsoever.
d) if you're lecturing while showing the demos you might just aswell use the stops between the demos to do the talking instead of distracting ppl from the actual demo whist it's playing.
e) you're also paranoid besides having issues. not to mention an ego the size of liechenstein.
f) thank you for the scripts. but maybe you could consider advertising these kind of news on news portals instead of bbs forums where ppl usually roam to rant and chipin on their thoughts surrounding the matter. i guess you just wanted feedback on your supreme demos scripting idea, and i also guess you're just venting your frustration for ppl not acclaiming them the next best thing since sliced bread like you were expecting.
it totally pisses me off to witness (once again) your pitifull attitude of insulting others whenever they have a diferent idea/opinion from yours on how things should be run. specially when you ask them for opinions on the matter which you obviously did since you're posting on a bloody bbs.
b) no one was flaming about doing demoshows this or that way on parties. they were just stating their opinions on what they would enjoy the best. it's a free world, you're free to demoshow your demoshow however you see fit at whatever demoparty or outreach.
c) if you cant multitask speaking into the mic while loading the next demo afahp to keep your crowd interested you got a lost crowd to begin with, or most likely one more interested in what you're saying instead of watching the demos you're selecting. either way, scripts arent mandatory for success of the event in any way whatsoever.
d) if you're lecturing while showing the demos you might just aswell use the stops between the demos to do the talking instead of distracting ppl from the actual demo whist it's playing.
e) you're also paranoid besides having issues. not to mention an ego the size of liechenstein.
f) thank you for the scripts. but maybe you could consider advertising these kind of news on news portals instead of bbs forums where ppl usually roam to rant and chipin on their thoughts surrounding the matter. i guess you just wanted feedback on your supreme demos scripting idea, and i also guess you're just venting your frustration for ppl not acclaiming them the next best thing since sliced bread like you were expecting.
it totally pisses me off to witness (once again) your pitifull attitude of insulting others whenever they have a diferent idea/opinion from yours on how things should be run. specially when you ask them for opinions on the matter which you obviously did since you're posting on a bloody bbs.