pouët.net

demos that communicate concepts - top fives

category: general [glöplog]
If a concept falls in a forest, but noone is there to hear it, does it make a sound?
added on the 2013-12-19 12:37:15 by Gargaj Gargaj
yes.
added on the 2013-12-19 12:48:38 by Preacher Preacher
It's probably possible to make a demo which is both a crown pleaser and also has good long time value, but for that you need to address very different things at the same time:

- For the party/compo/crowd you need strong visuals, audio, sync, some wahooo effects, punchy greetings and references to the people watching the demo at the party you are at (which is different if you are at a Norwegian party, a German party or a French party).

- For the replay value/scene award/look at this demo it's awesome/introduction in books, then you need a lot of additional stuff which may or may not be compatible with the first part, and finding the balance is very difficult.

In summary:
- Should be sufficiently long that you feel satisfied, but not that long that it gets boring.
- The content should not appear to be repetitive or recycled or seen thousands of time already... except if it's part of the concept itself in which case emphasis on the what's new is possible.
- It should run on everybody's machine, else you get drawn in the "Does not run on my Bla bla bla bla"
- The visuals have to work well both on high definition screens and video projectors, which has totally different luminosity curves/contrasts so you can afford very grainy effects on one that look awesome on the big screen when you are drunk but look like shit on your pc later on. (Add the video streaming and then you get some effects that are awesome but look like mushy crap after being compressed)
- The sound is complicated: It needs to be sounding awesome on large loud sound systems in party... and still sound good with just a pair of stereo headset...
- On top of that you need some stuff to link it all together, which is where the message/concept passes through I guess.

Sounds like a mini-max game to me, trying to minimize the negative reactions and feedback, maximize the 'god I love this' ones, without falling in the abyss of average forgettable stuff :)

I'd rather go for something that people either love or hate than for something that people absolutely don't care about :)

The bottom line is: IMO, if it does not attract in some way by just the visual/audio/funny side first, there's no point trying to get a message through. Build the message/deep meaning on top of the fluff and sparkle.
added on the 2013-12-19 12:48:44 by Dbug Dbug
what about this one? http://www.pouet.net/prod.php?which=53891
i don't know if i get this thread right...
added on the 2013-12-19 15:46:00 by skomp skomp
That is a really excellent comprehensive list Dbug.

So if we were to look at a relatively simple one (THAT I TOTALLY SHOULD HAVE LISTED), Obsoleet, it passes the litmus test above, iirc, plus my stipulations.

Can anyone think of examples of more abstract demos that do this?

Also, I am confused by one sentence, can
Quote:
Build the message/deep meaning on top of the fluff and sparkle.
this go either way?
p.s. comprehensive list vis a vis the knowledge of this minnow
you get one side of it as I intended it when I clumsily started this, yes, skomp.

there are two meanings of concept here that I am thinking of (the third would be an exploration of a purely visual concept, exploration of form and color and so on thing which the scene has a lot of good examples of):

-didactic message (your example fits that)


-encoded open-ended question with context given (what I am starting to realize that I meant)
here's one, and it just got released:

http://tum.nuance-family.de/

The concept is to defeat meatzilla and it is uncertain if people will manage it this year!
added on the 2013-12-19 16:41:22 by prost prost
power button didn't work; wanted to turn it off
added on the 2013-12-19 16:42:10 by ferris ferris
: D

I shouldn't contribute to thread derail except

BEEF!

(*BOOM* ah non!)
spam :)
added on the 2013-12-19 17:18:12 by xTr1m xTr1m
Memento by Conspiracy follows the list dbugs posted.
added on the 2013-12-20 00:27:36 by numtek numtek

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