Survey submitted: Tue 09 Dec 2008

Handle, ex-handle(s):
Gloom (Windy City, Windy)

Name, birthday, origin:
Bent Stamnes, 23.01.1978, Norwegian

Group, ex-group(s):
Excess (Portal Process, Still, Andromeda, Proxima)

What was your first group, your role in that group and what did that group produce?:
MAD - Microchips After Dark. The group's first and only production was a 100k intro for The Gathering 1994, "Zap!" (though incorrectly credited as the group "Map" in the official results.txt) which got 4th place. After that, the group merged with another norwegian group and formed Proxima.

What motivates you to spend time on the scene?:
Simply put: it's my favourite hobby. Ever since I started doing demoscene stuff in 1989, I have been completely in love with the demoscene, the productions, the people etc. An amazing subculture that combines technology and artistic expression - perfect.

What is your favorite color?:
Red

On what platform(s) did you begin your computing journey, and when was this?:
Commodore 16, this was in 1985 I think.

What platform(s) do you use now?:
PC and Mac.

What is/are your favorite piece(s) of music(s) - from a demo production or a scener (released outside of a demo)?:
How can it be from a demo production but released outside of a demo?

Either way, it's impossible to answer - there are so many favourites.

What is/are your favorite picture(s) - from a demo production or a scener(released outside of a demo)?:
Same here - impossible to answer.

What music program are you using the most to express yourself? Why?:
Sony ACID. It is simply the best marriage of features for the type of music that I make.

Which composer, artist or group of the real life did inspire you most?:
From the old school I would have to say LizardKing, but from the new wave.. probably Little Bitchard/LB/el-bee.

Do you play any instrument? Which?:
I play the piano.

Which project that you worked on was the most exciting and interesting for you? And why?:
Impossible to name just one, but I would have to say that working on "Don't Stop" was really fun, and so was working on "Above" with Pixtur. Also, almost everything I worked on from before 2005 was great fun, especially the demos I scripted myself (pretty much all the Excess OpenGL ones)

What is your favorite demo, intro, megademo, retrogame, slideshow, musicdisk, diskmag, wilddemo?:
Impossible to answer.

Discuss: minimalistic demos, cracktros, fucktros, joke demos, lamers, compo winners at big parties, demotools, diskmags, chiptunes, glenz vectors, programming languages, photoshop, textmode:
Invitation demos are called INVTROS, not INVITROS, like some people seem to insist on. Apart from that I have nothing to say. Oh, except that glenz vectors RULE.

What percentage of modern demos are 3d flybys?:
30%

What percentage of older demos are the same effects recycled?:
80%

What platform(s) needs more demos?:
Mac / OSX - desperately!

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:
I always go to Solskogen because it is the best summer demoparty around. The most impressive party I ever attended was probably The Party in 1993, because it was my first major party and I went there with GREAT people.

How did the scene alter since you are taking an active part in it? Can you explain why?:
I'm not sure I understand the question.. I don't think the scene has changed all that much over the years, if you exclude the lack of new recruits because of computers going mainstream. I hope that me being actively involved with the demoscene has a positive effect for the scene, in the form of new, good demos, as well as increased focus on demoscene creativity and productions from outside of the demoscene through my work with Scene.org

What are your dreams/goals in life, did scene help you and have you achieved them yet?:
I wouldn't be the person I am today without the demoscene. Being a demoscener has most definitively help me achieve my goals.

Finally, do you have some special greetings? Feel free to add links to your graphics, screenshots of effects, modules or other pieces of your work.:
Greetings to Accession, fuckings to lamers.